Let us pray for the vision impaired…who can only see differences in people, not who that person is inside…

Let us pray for the speech impaired…who can only speak with harsh and hurtful words, instead of kindness and understanding….

Let us pray for the emotionally disturbed…who can not seem to care for anyone that is any different from themselves, instead of at least trying to love everyone, “different” or not….

Let us pray for the hearing impaired…who can only hear the unspoken words, instead of listening for what someone is trying to tell them…

Please God…help these truly disabled people so that this world can become a better place for ALL of your children…….

AMEN!

by Tina Yows, July 1997

The feast of the Annunciation marks the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he told her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is celebrated on 25 March each year.

More importantly, since it occurs 9 months before the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, the Annunciation marks the actual incarnation of Jesus Christ – the moment that Jesus was conceived and that the Son of God became the son of the Virgin.

The festival celebrates two things:

1. God’s action in entering the human world as Jesus in order to save humanity
2. Humanity’s willing acceptance of God’s action in Mary’s freely given acceptance of the task of being the Mother of God

The Annunciation and the liturgy:

The story of the Annunciation has produced three important liturgical texts, the Ave Maria, the Angelus, and the Magnificat.

1. The angel’s greeting to Mary, which is traditionally translated as “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,” (in Latin Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum) is the opening of the Ave Maria, and a part of the Rosary prayers.

2. The Angelus consists of three Ave Marias, together with some additional material. It is said three times a day in the Roman Catholic Church.

3. The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) is the poem with which Mary responds to the Annunciation and celebrates the power of God.

Annunciation Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ,
Eternal Word,
You became Incarnate as man
in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
You, through whom the universe was created,
began your earthly course,
in the womb of a humble and chaste Virgin.
At the annunciation of this miracle,
Mary responded in faith:
“let it be done to me
according to your word.”
May we who are made new creatures
by your grace,
respond with such faith,
when you call us to your service. Amen

- – - prayer by David Bennett

This is pretty deep and definitely worth reading! You just can’t keep it to yourself, you’ve got to tell somebody about the love of God! Be blessed!

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One day a woman named Louise fell asleep in her bed and dreamed a very fitful dream. She dreamed that someone in Hell wrote a letter to her, and it was to be delivered to her by a messenger.

The messenger passed between the lakes of burning fire and brimstone that occupies Hell and found his way to the door that would lead him to the outside world.

Louise dreamed that the messenger walked to her house, came inside, and gently but firmly woke Louise. He gave her the message, saying only that a friend had written it to her from Hell.

Louise, in her dream with trembling hands, took the letter and read:

My Friend,
I stand in Judgment now,
And feel that you’re to blame somehow.
Never did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim;
You could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together on the earth,
You never told me of the second birth,
And now I stand this day condemned,
Because you failed to mention Him.
You taught me many things, that’s true.
I called you “friend” and trusted you,
But I learn now that it’s too late,
You could have kept me from this fate.
We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet you showed me not the Light.
You let me live, and love, and die,
You knew I’d never live on high.
Yes, I called you “friend” in life,
And trusted you through joy and strife.
And yet on coming to the end,
I cannot, now, call you “My Friend.”
Marsha

After reading the letter, Louise awoke. The dream was still so real in her mind and sweat dropped from her body in pools. She swore she could still smell the acrid smell of brimstone and smoke from her room.

As she contemplated the meaning of her dream, she realized that as a Christian, she had failed in her duty to “go out to all the world and preach the gospel.” As she thought of that, she promised herself that the next day, she would call Marsha and invite her to church with her.

The next morning she called Marsha, and this was the conversation:

“Hello Bill, is Marsha there?”

“Louise, you don’t know?”

“No, Bill, know what?”

“Marsha WAS KILLED LAST NIGHT IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I thought you knew.”

—————————————————–

Fellow Christian, is this your testimony? Are you witnessing to your friends that you are with everyday? Or will there be friends of yours in Hell, asking you why you did not tell them about JESUS?

As your friend. . .

If you don’t know Jesus, here’s how:

If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 – 10)

If you have not done so, just pray this prayer:

“Dear God, I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is your son and that He died on the cross for my sins. Jesus, forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and become my personal Lord and Savior. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”

PS. If you are a believer – new or old, send this to others and let them know you are a true friend.