A Collection of Silver Threads

© 2004 JANET NEWBILL. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  06/01/2022

ISBN: 978-1-4184-0299-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4184-0300-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2004093150

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Table of Contents

AWESOME GOD

God Knows Best

Unchangeable

How Our Family Beat The Odds

God’s Love

God’s Touch

Touched By God

Called By Name

God Is So Real

My Best Friend

Life Is A Puzzle

God Is Everywhere

Intimacy With God

God’s Perfect Timing

God’s Favorites

God Is Good

DEPENDENCE ON GOD

Dependence On God

Abba, Father

Trust God

Trust

Seek His Face

Living Water

Be Still

Delight

God’s Way

Fruits Of The Spirit

Waiting On God

Bridegroom

Abiding

Without God, I Am Nothing

Trusting In The Heavenlys

A Ship Without A Sail

Cast Your Cares

Expectantly

Roses

Light Of The World

God Sees The Big Picture

Quarterbacks For God

FORGIVENESS

The Father I Never Knew

Draw Near To God

A New Creation

Respect

Forgiveness

GRACE

Receive The Gift

Grace

My Friend Grace

Meaning Of Names

Certificate Of Death

Ultimate Stain Remover

HEAVEN

Heaven

Do Not Weep

Why Do Angels Have Two Wings?

Tears

Crowns in Heaven

Wipes Away Every Tear

A New Name

A Little Taste Of Heaven

HOPE

Coming Out Of The Fog

Depression

Waiting

Hope

Don’t Look Back

Bottle Of Tears

Longing For God

Adopted

JOY

Joy

Ultimate Joy

Your Joy Is My Strength

The Joy Of The Lord

LOVE

God Is Love

Love

Father’s Day

Compassion

Fellow Christians

Jesus, Do You Love Me?

Christ, My Friend

Times of Struggle

Unconditional Love

A Valentine From God

Accepted

Greatest Commandment

PRAISE

A God Thing

Praises To God

Awareness

His Presence

Focus On God

Sing Praises

My Lord

Fresh And Green

Suddenly

Well With My Soul

God’s Protection

God Of All Comfort

Looking For God’s Blessings

This Is The Day

Thankfulness

PRAYER

Prayer

Please Send A Christian

Our Friend

Dear God

Call Out To God

Birthday

Arthur – The Lord Will Provide

Answered Prayer

Concerned With Smallest Concerns

REFINING

Sufferings

Reflecting The Glory Of Jesus Christ

SALVATION

Redemption

I Am The Gate

USS Cole

I Am The First And The Last

Looking Forward To His Appearing

Assurance Of Salvation

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Apple Tree

God’s News

Living Water

SERVICE

Thank-You, Ms. Bea

Fragrance Of Christ

God Plants Us

Service Versus Obedience

Servanthood

Rest

Shine Like Stars

When You Are Tempted To Do Good

Small Deeds

You Are Special Today

Uniquely Created

Works Of The Flesh

Share The Sand

Use Me Today

SPIRITUAL MATURITY

The Rosebud

Fragrance Of Christ

My Yoke Is Easy

Making Everything New

Sanctification

Get Real

Walk-Through

Make-Overs

Peace

TEMPTATION

Our Present Help

Jealousy

Judging Others

Blind Mad

WISDOM

Solomon’s Wisdom

Wisdom

Words Of Wisdom

Hugs From Christ

Listening

Whisper Your Wisdom

Refined As Silver

AWESOME

GOD

God Knows Best

I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Psalm 119:75 (NIV)

I know a kind, Christian man who is disabled and is confined to a wheelchair. However, he spends his days weaving the most beautiful rugs. I once commented on the intricate design and vibrant colors of one of his rugs, and he was quick to point out to me that the upper part of the rug was much more beautiful than the underside. He said this is also true in the life of a Christian. God sees the whole design of our lives, as He intends them to be, and we only see the underneath. He not only weaves joy into our lives, but sometimes sorrow. God chooses the colors, and sometimes He uses dark threads. He also uses gold and silver threads in the pattern He has for our lives.

God always answers our prayers in His way with a yes, no, or wait. How wonderful to know that He never makes a mistake in His weaving. When we do have those dark threads woven in our lives, He promises us, But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

Unchangeable

I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (NIV)

With all the changes that go on in our lives, it is nice to know that God is not in the business of evolving and changing. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

As I was helping my daughter pack her car to leave for college in a faraway city, I was not ready for that change. It seemed like such a short time had passed since her first day in kindergarten. I tried hard to fight back the tears as I waved good-bye.

It was hard to walk back into her bedroom, but I wanted to see if anything of importance had been left behind. I found myself sitting in the middle of the floor looking around her room at the pictures of her life. There were baby, preteen, and high school pictures. She had gone through so many changes. I then wrote these words:

Heartstrings

Today I said good-bye

To my twenty-year-old girl,

She packed her car and left me

To give her wings a whirl.

I quickly turned my head away,

The tears I tried to hide,

I felt my heart was in the car

And the strings had come untied.

But as I slowly turned around,

I thought I saw a man,

He was riding in the front seat

With a smile and map in hand.

Oh, He knew His way and her way, too,

For He had written the plan,

See, I had given her up to God

And taken her back again.

Now, when I make the same mistake,

I drop down to my knees,

And ask the Man to keep her safe

And guard my heartstrings, please.

How Our Family Beat The Odds

You shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household. Deuteronomy 26:11 (NIV)

My father had left our home when my sister and I were only five and two. My husband’s mother had left her family when he and his brother were only five and one. The odds were against us, but the Lord was for us! He blessed me with a loving, Christian mother, and He blessed my husband with a strong, Christian father, stepmother, and a sweet grandmother, who was such a prayer warrior that we still feel the effects of her prayers in our lives today.

They said it would not last! We were young and we were both from broken homes. The odds were against us, but the Lord was with us. We have been happily married for thirty-six years. Weighing in at two pounds and four ounces, and three months premature, our son was given a 15 percent chance of living. The odds were against him, but the Lord was for us. He is now a healthy, successful thirty-year-old. We were also blessed with a beautiful daughter.

Because of our love for Jesus Christ, our family has always put God first, and we have tried to model principles of Christian living by having devotions and reading the Bible together. Although pessimists say the family is an endangered species, my idea is that you can produce a solid family, in spite of the odds, if you put Jesus Christ first. I am so proud of my family that I would be willing to bet on it!

God’s Love

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)

People sometimes form misconceptions about God because they base their view of Him on their earthly fathers. Because I was abandoned by my earthly father at the age of two, I formed my conception of God as someone who would abandon His children. I now know that God is incomparable, and that He sustains me each day with His power. God is sovereign, which means that God is in all and over all. There is much evidence of the sovereignty of God. He is the creator of the universe, the sustainer of the world, and He acts on behalf of His people. He has performed numerous miracles, and His forgiveness and mercy are unending. He uses people and events to accomplish His purposes. The authority of His inspired word gives wisdom and instruction. Wise Christians read His word and do not fall for the false doctrines of the age.

God is the all-powerful creator, and everything is rightfully His. He knows the stars by name and keeps them in place with His great power and strength. The universe is not the result of chance, but of God’s magnificent creative power. Isaiah 40:28 (NIV) says, Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.

God is the caring helper. He gently leads us and gives us strength. He equips us with gifts to use for good. He relates to His children in perfect love, but also in infinite power.

God loved us even when we did not love Him. The love of God is spelt on the cross. Our forgiveness of sin was obtained only through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. When once we realize all that it costs God to forgive us and to give us eternal life, we will be held captivated and held by His love.

God’s Touch

"People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have Him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to Him and said,