Love never fails

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, often known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta or Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, is one of Deb Smith's role models of the Christian life. In Deb Call to Worship 4, Deb reads a passage often attributed to Mother Teresa, commenting that when she reads it she often thinks, "Here's how you're supposed to look if you want to be like Jesus."

”People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people might be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see in the end, it was between you and God. It never was between you and them, anyway."

Sort of like 1 Cor 13:4-8a:

Love is patient, (Eph 4:2; 2 Peter 3:9)
love is kind. (Prov 14:21)
It does not envy, (Job 5:2)
it does not boast, (Eph 2:8-10)
it is not proud. (Ps 131:1 ; Rom 12:16)
It is not rude, (Gal 5:22)
it is not self-seeking, (Phil 2:1-11)
it is not easily angered, (Eph 4:26)
it keeps no record of wrongs. (Ps 103:11-13)
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (Rom 12:9-21)

It always protects, (Ps 116:5-7)
always trusts, (Prov 3:5-6)
always hopes, (1Pet 1:21)
always perseveres. (Heb 10:36 ; Heb 11:27 ; James 1:12; James 5:11)

Love never fails. (1John 4:16)
(1 Cor 13:4-8a)

Deb Smith Ministers to the Universe ... or ... Too Much Fun with Ring Tones

Here's a way to help Deb bless the socks off your family members, co-workers, fellow bus riders, folks at the grocery store, etc. Download the individual Deb Call to Worship .mp3 files contained with the Loving Deb Smith podcast, then set them as ring tones on your cell phone. To do so, you can:

1. click on this link to subscribe to the Loving Deb Smith podcast as an RSS feed, or
   
2. click on the "Get Podcast" button on the Loving Deb Smith podcast player in the left side bar, and follow the directions given, or
   
3. use the links below to download the files directly to your computer.

Once you have done this, you can use the .mp3 files as ring tones on your cell phone if your cell phone supports this functionality.

Deb's Call to Worship 1 is an excellent choice. Imagine you and your peeps hearing:

"Alright, alright, alright, we're having too much fun here.
We just love each other too much, huh. That's right."

and then Psalm 139 every time your cell phone rings. Many blessings all around!!

The direct links to download the other Deb's other Calls to Worship are here:

• Call to Worship 2
• Call to Worship 3
• Call to Worship 4
• Call to Worship 5
• Call to Worship 6
• Call to Worship 7

Please use the Comment link for this post if you do this, and share how Deb is using your cell phone ring tone to minister to you or others.

MANY BLESSINGS!
Peace and All Good!

Plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope

The following is a transcription of a Call to Worship given by Deb Smith at Grace Community Church in Mt Vernon, IL, and featured on the podcast player that you can find in the left side bar.

Good morning, good morning, I am reading from Jeremiah.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
(Jeremiah 29:11-13, ESV)

Let's pray.

Thank You, LORD. I thank You for the rain. And I thank You for the storms of life. And I thank You for the peace of life. And I thank You, LORD, that this is a sanctuary and that it is a safe place, and that You abide with us in this place. And I am so grateful for that, LORD, because sometimes the storms of life are real scary, and we are afraid. Thank You, LORD, that You walk with us during that time, and that You bring us to a safe place, and that simply abiding with You is a safe place. Thank you, Jesus, for the promise of a future, and the promise of hope to get there. We love you, Jesus, with all our heart, and now we come and worship You. Amen.

A Call to Worship: In Him we live and move and have our being

The following is a transcript of one of Deb's Calls to Worship featured on the podcast player that you can find in the left side bar:

Halleluiah!

That used to be my Grandma Ida's favorite song. My little Grandma Ida used to sing that song. Whoo--

I want you to get a pencil out, and I want you to get a piece of paper.
Because I have something I want you to write down, to remember this week. OK?
Sorry! I didn't mean to make you work! (LOL)
You can actually use the bulletin, you know; you can write on that, (LOL) OK.

Now, I am reading from Acts 17 and I have just been enjoying reading that this week. Because it tells a story...and I like to read. So, I've been reading Acts. This Scripture, really, I have been meditating on it all week. So, write down Act 17, verse 28. Now, this is Paul and he is talking to some unbelievers about Jesus and who Jesus was, starting in verse 26:

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. God 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.
[and this is what I want you to write down]
'For in him [that's in Jesus] we live and move and have our being.'
(Act 17:26-28)

Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus!
LORD, I am aware that there are many needs out in this congregation this morning ... many needs and many joys and there are many needs. And, LORD, this is a sacred time ... that we pray that you will come and touch us. Whether we have a joy ... whether we have a need ... if we are unsaved. Please come and touch us, because we know that you care about us, even as you care about the little sparrow.

Thank You, Jesus. We love You, Jesus. We love You, Jesus...

A Call to Worship: Sing to His name, for he is gracious!

The following is a transcript of one of Deb's Calls to Worship featured on the podcast player that you can find in the left side bar:

Welcome.
...
Gonna read from Psalm 135.

Praise the LORD.
Praise the name of the LORD,
give praise, O servants of the LORD,
you that stand in the house of the LORD,
in the courts of the house of our God!
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing to his name, for he is gracious!
For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.

For I know that the LORD is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the LORD pleases he does,
in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good!
(Psalm 135:1:7 RSV)

Let's pray,
Yes, LORD, we do say that you are good.
We know that you are the one in control; we give you that permission.
Thank you, LORD, for thinking about us as your chicks under your wings and that you care for us that way.
You shield us and you shelter us and care for us and provide for us, LORD.
We love you, Jesus!
Now help us come, LORD, and give you praise that is pleasing to you, for that is our desire.
It is in your name the we pray.
Amen.

A Call to Worship: O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

The following is a transcript of one of Deb's Calls to Worship featured on the podcast player that you can find in the left side bar:

Alright, alright, alright, we're having to much fun here.
We just love each other too much, huh. That's right.
...
I am going to read to you from Psalm 139.
I've been meditating on this this week,
and it has really had a lot meaning for me,
and I thought I would share it with you.

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
(Ps 139:1-10 NIV)

Let's pray.
Thank You, LORD, that you do hem us in,
in the front and in the back, You take care of us.
Thank You, LORD, that You know us so well;
You made us, You are our creator.
LORD, help us to bring Glory to You as we worship.
It is in Your Son's Name that we pray.
Amen

----------------
Dear Ones,

When you listen to this Call to Worship on the podcast in the left side bar, you realize that Deb is so in Love with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Glory to God! Alleluia!