Sherry Stahl

  • Restoration

    “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.”
                                                                               Psalm 71:20-21 NIV

    RESTORING CARS

    Growing up in a Drag Racing family you tend to love cars. Mustangs are my favorite, that’s why I drive one! I grew up seeing so many cars being restored at my dad’s shop. They would come in looking like rusty, old, beat up junkers. The full auto RESTORATION process of a vintage car takes months and sometimes years. From framework to engine work, finishing up with the ever-important paint job; each stage is critical to the finished product.
    1967 MustangAs a young teen I was so jealous of my cousin Billy. He drove this Metal Flake Blue ’65 Mustang Fastback 2+2. Originally my aunt drove the car, but after they restored the mustang into a gorgeous racecar Billy always had it at the track.
    When the time came for him to go to College they just changed the tires and sent him off to school!  (That’s the kind of family I come from.)
    Billy’s mustang beside one of my dad’s hot rods. 
     
    Quite the RESTORATION job for sure, but the most incredible RESTORATION job to me is the one God has brought about in my life.

    RESTORING LIVES

    Today I reread the last devotional in my book WATER IN THE DESERT. I was overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness as I read the last scripture used above…Psalm 71:20-21. I have this scripture highlighted in my Bible with a date beside…October 2010.
    To my readers, this date would most likely not mean anything but to me, it was a powerful reminder that God is true to his promises. In October 2010 I felt my life was over, completely destroyed. I was struggling to find the desire to live on. You see I had secretly been facing “troubles many and bitter” for so long and the next 10 months would be filled with some of the hardest events I’ve had to endure.
    I was at my lowest point, ready to give up on God and His promises when I felt the impact of the words in Psalm 71:20-21. I felt God speaking directly to me that he was going to restore me! In faith I wrote the date beside the scriptures expecting that one day God would fulfill His promise to me, even though it just didn’t seem possible.
    I had no idea how quickly God would begin His RESTORATION process in me. From my very framework to the finishing paint job, God didn’t miss a step. He completed a major overhaul! Four years later, I feel altogether restored. Blessed beyond measure! How wonderful that on a day when many are celebrating Thanksgiving here in Canada how my heavenly father would give me such a concrete reminder that He kept His promise, so I could encourage you to trust Him with yours!
    Prayer
    Father, I thank-you for your faithfulness to restore broken hearts and broken lives. In a world of broken promises, yours stand true. Help me to continue to stand in faith believing that every promise you have made will come true. May my life be marked by the same consistency. In Jesus name…Amen.

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  • Cause and Effect

    sing for joy“…you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD…The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.”
                                                               Isaiah 51:1,3 NIV
    Have you ever gone through a time in your life when you couldn’t imagine ever having joy or feeling glad?   It’s horrible! I remember going to church and not even being able to sing because I feared that if I sang it would bring on a tidal wave of emotions that I couldn’t control. I read this verse and struggled to believe it was possible. How could joy, gladness and singing come back into my life? These verses gave me hope to know that there were things I could do to place myself in line with God’s promises. A kind of “CAUSE AND EFFECT” principle that was offered to the people in Isaiah’s time worked for me and is applicable for your life today!
    If you want to see a big turnaround in your life from deserts to gardens, Isaiah says you need to “pursue righteousness” and “seek the LORD”. You don’t have to fix yourself, anyone or anything else up. It’s simply out of pursuing and seeking after God, who is our righteousness that we gain joy, gladness and start to sing again. When you begin to set your focus on building your relationship with Him and start over looking your desert wastelands that you will start to feel the joy and gladness surging through your heart.
    My experience has been that when I have decidedly spent time enjoying my relationship with God that the negative hard stuff doesn’t affect me as much. The more I spend time pursuing a relationship with God, the more refreshed I am and able to experience the joy He has for me. It’s been a process that was set into motion by following this “CAUSE AND EFFECT” principle; I seek, HE restores! How good to know that our God doesn’t change. His promises were just as effective yesterday as they are today! Why not take advantage of them?
    Prayer
    Father, I thank-you that Your promises are true, even when I don’t feel like they are. I ask you to help me to pursue You alone. I set my focus on building relationship with you so that You can apply this promise to my life and fill me with Your gladness to the place where I will sing for joy!  In Jesus name…Amen.
     

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  • Promises, Promises

    “Know therefore that the LORD your God…is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”
                                                    Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV
    This is my fiftieth SOUL H2O devotional! I’m still considered a newbie to many bloggers, but I’m starting to feel like I have at least a few under my belt now. 50’s a pretty big number! We celebrate hitting the big 5-0, experiencing 50 years of marriage with the one you love and the milestone of 50 years in business. Leviticus 25:9-10 says,

    “…sound the trumpet…Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty through the land to all its inhabitants…”

    I felt like God was saying “sound the trumpet Sherry, this is the year of freedom for you, Todd, all your children and anyone who hears this!”
    As you are reading this devotional, Todd is undergoing heart valve repair surgery. The hospital called on Friday and asked if he could come in for Monday morning at 6am. As we have gone through all the testing involved for the past few months fear would try to settle in, but God kept speaking peace, hope and His covenant promise to us that Todd would have a NEW HEART!   All week God brought people into our paths that spoke about the future God has for us.
    Driving out of town; enroute to the hospital, we talked about how good God is to encourage us so much with His promises when all of a sudden a rainbow appeared with the most vibrant spectrum of colors we’ve ever seen!

    In Genesis 9 after the flood God made Noah and the whole world a covenant promise and confirmed it with a rainbow.   So, what promise is God confirming to you as you look at this rainbow?
    Prayer
    Father, I thank-you that you are faithful to keep your covenant promises. Help me to believe and not waver in doubt as I move toward your purposes for me. In Jesus name…Amen.

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  • Toby's SPEAKING LIFE in song

    Whenever I write about something, songs just seem to come into my life that back up the message. This week I’ve heard some great ones that hit home the message from my WORD POWER Devotional on Monday.

    SPEAK LIFE–TOBY MAC toby mac

    Toby Mac’s song “Speak Life” is one of my faves.  Generally, I like most things Toby has put on the market since about 1989 in the DC Talk days!  You can find one of his songs on my itunes playlist at any given time.  This song is no different.  It really shouts the message of Proverbs 18:21 that says,

    “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

    The music video is amazing how it shows the devastating or life-giving effect our words can have on others to bring life or death.  The most impactful line in this song for me is when Toby says:

    “We can turn a heart with the words we say.”  1

    The music video brings this line to life.  I love how he ends the video with a quote from a book I now want to read!   

    “In Every encounter we either give life or we drain it; there is no neutral exchange.”
    ~Brennan Manning 2

    Watch the Video, Listen to the Song and Read through the words so Toby Mac can “Speak Life” into your heart today!
    Toby’s Online Music Video for “Speak Life” Link
    AZ Lyrics for “Speak Life”
    Toby Mac’s Website http://www.tobymac.com
    toby mac speak life
    1     Mac, Toby.  SPEAK LIFE.  Capitol Chrisitan Music Group ©  2014
    2     Manning, Brennan.  ABBA’S CHILD. The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging. © 2002

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  • WORD POWER

    words have power“And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.”
                               2 Chronicles 32:8 NIV
    “Great Job! I’m so proud of you!”
    “You’re an idiot. Don’t you know anything!”
    Words are POWERFUL! No matter what you say, there is an effect attached to your words for good or bad. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” The truth of that verse is hard to believe. We can understand that God’s words are powerful since it only took Him speaking to create our universe and everything in it. To believe that human words are powerful you only need to speak to a counselor to understand the devastating or inspiring affect of words. Do you understand the effects of your WORD POWER?
    Hezekiah was king of Judah in a dangerous time. The nation was being taken captive by a super-power named Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Daily he spoke threats to the people; demeaning them, elevating his strength and leaving them in fear. Hezekiah knew that God was with them as a nation and wasn’t willing to let Sennacherib have the last say. King Hezekiah assembled the troops and gave them a most powerful rally speech. He “encouraged them with these words: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.” (2 Chronicles 32:6-8 NIV) This confidence brought VICTORY!
    Recognize your WORD POWER today! Choose to bring; life, not death; faith not fear; confidence not discouragement. You are that powerful!
    Prayer
    Father, I thank-you for the power of Your Word. May my speech be seasoned with Your words and Your encouragement, so that power of my words would bring people to confidence in You and who you’ve made them! In Jesus name…Amen.

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  • A NEW HEART and The Power of Three

    Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 11.58.52 PMMany of you have asked how Todd is doing. We’ve been going to the hospital a lot for appointments and more tests to check out Todd’s heart. They have bumped him up the list because of the severity of his situation even though by looking at him you wouldn’t know! Surgery is only a couple weeks away unless they get a cancellation and they’ll fit him in sooner.

    NUMBER 1

    This morning as we were leaving for work Todd went to the read one of the verses on the heart in the “Scripture Rolodex” I made up for him with Cue Cards bound together by a metal ring. He chose to speak Ezekiel 36:28 over his life today. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (NIV).   He said it with such confidence and we both made faith declarations about how God was going to give him a NEW HEART. God keeps using this phrase of a NEW HEART to speak life into Todd’s defective one. We both left with confidence as we kept this verse fresh in our minds throughout the day.

    NUMBER 2

    I receive via email a daily devotional from the Osteen’s and I often forward them to Todd; adding highlights or notes as it relates to us. Often God has used their devotionals to spur us on in our faith through overwhelming circumstances. Today’s devotional from Joel and Victoria was called “He Makes All Things New”! They quoted Revelations 21:5 that says “See! I make all things new” (AMP). The Osteens go on to say, “When God puts a dream in your heart, when He puts a promise on the inside, He deposits within you everything you need to accomplish that dream.” I printed it off and read to Todd after work as we began to drive to our trailer. We were so encouraged that God had again spoken to us that He was going to make all things NEW!

    NUMBER 3

    After driving for hours and stopping to eat we got back in the car. We were getting bored and Todd asked “Do you have any more of those CD’s?”. We’ve been listening to the Oasis Audio of the Real Life Real Miracles book. I popped in CD 4 and the first story was about a little girl that had heart problems. SEVERE heart problems. In the recounting of her miracle journey, her mother tells how the three year old had a dream where her heart broke and the angels cried because no one could fix it. She next told of how God stepped in and gave her a NEW HEART!!!! Yup she said it, a NEW HEART! Some people will call this all coincidences, but I choose to call them Godwinks! I remember watching Touched By An Angel and the angel Tess said “Coincidences are when God chooses to work anonymously”, or something like that! Todd and I turned off the CD and stopped to thank God for his promise to us! We know God is working out all things for Todd’s good! (Romans 8:28 paraphrased)
    A NEW HEART confirmed by the power of three and a painting! Remember the HEART ART blog 🙂  The surgeon’s diagram this week confirmed that the bandaid is exactly where Todd’s mitral valve that needs repair is located!!!

    We won’t be a bit surprised if Todd goes in for surgery and the doctor says he doesn’t need it! We will continue to pray and let God bring about the NEW HEART for Todd! We trust He knows which way will make the greatest impact for Him!
    Hope you are encouraged to believe and hold on to UNWAVERING FAITH in our faithful God! Remember, He makes ALL things NEW!
    In His Grip,
    ~Sherry
    xoxo
    Today’s Word Devotional Email, Joel & Victoria Osteen, September 11, 2014.
    Garlow, James L and Wall, Keith. Real Life Real Miracles, Oasis Audio, CD 4. © 2012 Book Published by Bethany House Publishers.

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  • Unwavering Faith

    Unwavering Faith“But even if he does not”
                                         Daniel 3:18
    I’ve always loved the story of how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego survived being thrown into a fiery furnace. If you went to Sunday School in the 70’s the song “Three Hebrew Boys”, sung to the tune of “Three Blind Mice” is probably running through your head and will be for the rest of today! In the song are the words “but God delivered them out you know…Three Hebrew Boys”.   More incredible to me than their miraculous deliverance was their unwavering faith, despite the outcome.
    When Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon raged and told the three Hebrew boys how he was going to throw them into a blazing furnace their response to his threat is what real faith is made of! They confidently stated how God was able to deliver them and how they thought he would. They made the boldest of faith declarations by ending with “But even if he does not…we will not serve your God.” Their faith did not hinge on whether or not God delivered them. They walked in, and out of the furnace with unwavering faith.
    A couple weeks ago I found out that a friend has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The news has hit their relatives and our church family pretty hard. I was challenged at their declaration of unwavering faith on Facebook. They posted just days after the diagnosis, “we trust in God’s plans, even if the healing never comes and we are committed to using this season we have unexpectedly been thrown into to grow in our Faith further despite the outcome.” Unwavering faith in a faithful God.
    Prayer
    Father, I state my faith in your ability to deliver me out of each and every circumstance. You are all mighty, all knowing and always present. I’m not alone. Please help me to exercise unwavering faith, no matter the outcome, all the days of my life. In Jesus name…Amen.

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  • Perfume and The Ice Bucket Challenge

    “While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.”
                                                                              Matthew 26:6-7NIV
    ice bucket challenge You can’t go on your computer or TV these days without seeing something about the Ice Bucket Challenge! It’s a far-reaching phenomenon that is beginning to go around the globe. According to the ALS Association website, it says that: “The ALS Association has received $70.2 million in donations compared to $2.5 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 24). These donations have come from existing donors and 1.3 million new donors to The Association.” 1
    Most people are speaking so positively about the campaign, but sadly there are always those negative voices. Shockingly, Maclean’s Magazine had an article condemning the Ice Bucket Challenge as merely a “marketing gimmick”, “slaktivism” and went so far as to say it is “bad for you” to donate to a cause in this manner! The writer seems to propose that ALS has enough funds and doesn’t deserve this much investment compared to other diseases. 2 I can’t imagine that he ever has watched someone live and die with ALS. My roommate from College’s dad passed away with this horrible disease years ago. He went from being a strong carpenter and through all the debilitating stages inflicted on those suffering with Lou Gherig’s disease, until it took his life.
    When I hear a story it often makes me think of a similar Bible Story or verse. Reading this article brought to my mind about the time when a woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head.  The disciples scoffed and tried to sound all spiritual saying she was wasting her money and should have given the value of the perfume to the poor. Too quickly we can negatively judge a person’s actions. Jesus reprimands the disciples and says how she has done a “beautiful thing”. Whenever we give of ourselves in time or money to help others we can rest assured that our heavenly father is pleased. From oil to ice buckets of water poured on the head, He sees it all as a “beautiful thing”!
    PRAYER
    Father…Help me to look for ways that I can give to ease someone else’s burden and bring You glory! May I take up the challenge to bless the life of others. In Jesus Name…Amen!
    1 https://www.alsa.org/news/media/press-releases/ice-bucket-donations-082414.html
    2 https://www.macleans.ca/society/health/why-the-ice-bucket-challenge-is-bad-for-you/
    “What is ALS” from the ALS Association Website.

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  • To The Least Of These

    DSC_1186
    “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
                                                                                               Matthew 25:40 NIV
    My daughter Shelby is going away to College. Since the school she chose doesn’t have dorms we had to rent a condo for her and a friend. There are just so many things to get that we’ve had to find a few pieces used so we don’t break the budget! Shelby was given a shelf from Todd’s cousin. She wanted to get it, paint and distress it, but didn’t know how to. Todd surprised her for her birthday this week by refinishing and distressing the old shelf into a beautiful, new looking shelf that matched her bed. When I saw it I knew she would be so happy and, as you can see in the picture, she was! I told Todd that when he did things nice for my daughter he was doing something nice for me! As soon as it came out of my mouth I thought of Matthew 25:40 “whatever you do for the least of these…you do for me”

    WE SHARE–WE CARE

    I heard this scripture often growing up as my grandparents ran a ministry at my home church, Bethel Gospel Tabernacle in Hamilton called “WE SHARE, WE CARE”.   It started out with just a box at the back of our church to donate food for Christmas hampers and grew into a large FREE store-like portable at the back of our church property. It was open year round to provide for refugees, new immigrants, single parents, families or anyone in need. The building was filled with groceries; clothes and furniture to meet whatever need arose. She did for so many of “the least of these”. At 86 Gram passed away and the funeral home said they had never seen such an immense attendance for someone of her age. There were about 800 people at her actual funeral. People from many nations came and told how Gram blessed their lives and led them to Christ. Gram reminded us often how we needed to help others with her words, but more loudly, by her actions. I remember as a teenager meeting a stranger at church. She had come to meet with my grandma and thank her for the impact Gram had made as her foster mother and let her know that she had given her life to Christ. She didn’t know where my grandma lived these 40 odd years later, but assumed correctly that she could find gram at church! I will never forget the stories Gram told of bringing groceries to people’s houses and watching them break down crying, thanking God as they checked off a list they could not afford, but God had provided for. This verse was the mandate of my grandmother’s life and she lived it out well!
    So, may I ask, what have you done for The King lately?
    PRAYER
    Father…I thank-you for all that you have blessed me with. Help me to look beyond myself and search out those that I could bless for you. May I be your hands extended. In Jesus Name…Amen!
    Bethel Gospel Tabernacle-Caring Ministry Webpage

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  • God Doesn't Make Junk

    God Doesn't Make Junk-www.Soul-H2O.com“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
                           Ephesians 2:10 NIV
    Tonight Shelby was watching a show on Plastic Surgeries gone wrong. So many people who struggle with their self-esteem choosing to go “under the knife” to make them feel better about themselves. I know that there is nothing wrong with people choosing to have plastic surgery, but too often it starts and ends with an unhealthy mindset that you aren’t made well, leaving the person with an even more diminished self-worth. I guess no one has ever read them this verse and explained to them that God doesn’t make junk!
    You are God’s handiwork. You are created by God and fashioned by His hand. Think about that. God, who is perfect, made YOU! God doesn’t make junk. We know from the creation story that everything God creates He thinks is good but, when He creates people, He says they are VERY good! You are made VERY good, no matter what anyone says, or how you feel.
    When we have an unhealthy view of ourselves it affects every area of our lives. If the enemy can get us believing that we weren’t made that well, then he can get us sidetracked from our purpose in life. We’ll be focused on fixing ourselves instead of fulfilling the good works that God has prepared for us to do. Believe who God says you are and you will fulfill the destiny He has prepared for you!
    PRAYER
    Father…Help me to see myself the way that you see me. I thank-you for creating me the way you did. Help me to see the greatness you have placed inside of me so that I may live to do all you have prepared in advance for me to accomplish. In Jesus Name…Amen!

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