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  • 8 hours ago
    Posted by Dion Todd
    Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you." The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not yo...
  • Thu at 3:01 AM
    Posted by Dion Todd
    Yahweh said to Joshua, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?" Joshua 7:10 WEB.Joshua lay prostrate before the ark of the Lord all that evening. Yesterday, he had been a mighty warrior. Now Israel had lost the battle at Ai, all because one of the men with him had become greedy and brok...
  • Wed at 3:01 AM
    Posted by Dion Todd
    Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, "Don't fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel." When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel!" Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshap...
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  • March 25, 2022 - led by Lynn Brown
    This is a group for RHM sponsored events like corporate fasts. Everyone is welcome to join and participate in things currently going on in the ministry. We love you and thank you for being a part of Refreshing Hope!
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Puppy Dog Eyes

  • For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity. Proverbs 24:16 WEB

    I once adopted a little dog that no one wanted, and she had apparently been abused in the past. Whenever she did something that she thought was wrong, she would tuck her tail between her legs, walk away slowly, and hide behind the couch. If she even heard a loud voice on the television, she assumed that it was her fault, and that I was mad at her. No amount of coaxing would stop her or bring her back out. Because of her past, she wrongfully assumed that all communication aimed at her was negative.

    Eventually she would peek around the corner with those sad little eyes, so hurt that she had disappointed me. I would catch her peeking out, give her a warm smile, and she would bolt into my lap and try to lick me like I was a tall, delicious, lollipop. She was so overjoyed that she was accepted. Then she would claw her way under my shirt, curl up and go to sleep, happy and content.

    So many times when we fall, we just want to withdraw from everyone and everything. We hide, scared to face what may be coming, fearing punishment. Our past treatment causes us to only see more of the same abuse, and we can have a hard time trusting even God. We begin to feel like 'They all hate me.'

    Our God is not mean, and Jesus has already paid for every sin that you have committed, and every sin that you are going to commit in the future. He even paid for the sins of your great grandparents, and those of your great grandchildren. We only have to ask, and we are accepted.

    Failure is an event, not a person. It is a blip on a timeline, and not your life. There is nothing to hide from. Come out from behind the couch and you will find that you are accepted. You can happily be snuggling in your Father's arms again.

    When you fall, get up, keep going, keep moving forward. Jesus is not mad at you and He will welcome you right back into His loving arms with no condemnation at all. It is we that hide, just as Adam hid from God in the garden. It is up to us to come back out. God will call to us, but He won't force us to come out of our hiding place.

    Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your forgiveness today. Please forgive me of my past. This is a new day and I am turning over a new leaf. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, and I will live it for You, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

    Note: "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chron 7:14). If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network


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20 comments
  • 2
Kay Collinsworth
Kay Collinsworth

Amen!

November 21, 2018
  • 2
David and Dianna Wyles
David and Dianna Wyles

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your forgiveness today. Please forgive me of my past. This is a new day and I am turning over a new leaf. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, and I will live it for You, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen ~ Thank you

November 21, 2018
  • 2
Jim Jarrell
Jim Jarrell

Amen! I thank God every day for His loving Kindness!

November 21, 2018
Comment deleted
  • 1
Linda Clark
Linda Clark

Amen !praise God for his love 

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Joseph Adams, Jr.
Joseph Adams, Jr.

Amen

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Rose Sicilia
Rose Sicilia

Truth Amen ❤

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Lynn Brown
Lynn Brown

Amen, that is a good story Pastor Dion :)

November 21, 2018
  • 1
David  Earlywine
David Earlywine

Amen,let our lives be for you .

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Perry Robertson
Perry Robertson

Amen!

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Elaine Tomasello
Elaine Tomasello

Thank You Lord that Your mercies are new every morning and that i no longer have to hide. Thank You for Your forgiveness and thank You for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made so that I might be made righteous! Amen!

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Jose Simo
Jose Simo

Dear Father thank You for Your loving even though I'm a constant sinner. I love You and always trust in You, forgive my sins and lead me to where You want me to be. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 

Thank you Pastor for always being here for us.

November 21, 2018
  • 1
MP Taylor
MP Tayloredited: November 22, 2018

Thank you for this Pastor Dion.  It really hits home for me, not only because I've welcomed many rescue animals into my family,but also because I struggle with seeing myself and my life as a failure.  

Just a note about the scruffy happy lil guy in my profile pic. He had been abused and abandoned before I had him. He was year old, and being a fiesty terrier, he would growl to protect himself when he got scared and thought he was going to be hurt again. With love and positive training, it took time, but he became a happy lil dog who loved hiking and going to agilty and obedience classes with me. He was happy to greet people on walks who wanted to pet him because he looked liked Toto or Benji. lol It took years for him to realize he was safe and to trust other people though. He was a wonderful compaion for 18 years with me before he crossed the rainbow bridge a little over a year ago.  I know God brought him to me for a reason, because if he had ended up at the shelter he would have been put down for growling and snapping. God knew we needed each other. 

November 21, 2018
  • 2
Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd

Praying for you, sis <3! (((HUGS)))

November 21, 2018
  • 1
MP Taylor
MP Taylor

Thank you so much sis! <3 ((((hugs))

November 22, 2018
  • 1
Mari Kaufmann
Mari Kaufmann

Thank you for your everlasting love. Amen. 

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Wesley Paulus
Wesley Paulus

Amen!!

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Schalk  de Beer
Schalk de Beer

Amen Lord

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Sandra Colby
Sandra Colby

THE FIRST TIME I CAUGHT MY SELF IN A SIN , I WAS ONLY 9 YEARS OLD, WE LIVED ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN,I COULD SEE THE SUN ALL AROUND ME, BUT THAT DAY, I COULD DO NOTHING BUT CRY I HAD EATEN MY SISTERS PIECE OF BIRTHDAY CAKE, AND I FELT SO BAD ,I COULDN'T STAND  MY SELF, I WENT OUT SIDE , SET IN THE GRASS AND CRYED MY EYES OUT, ASK GOD TO FORGIVE ME ,THEN I  ASK  IF MY SISTER WOULD FORGIVE IF I TELL HER, MY ANSWER WAS YES ,MY SISTER WAS RIGHT BEHIND ME, SHE HAD COME OUT TO SEE WHY I WAS CRYING BUT PRAISE THE LORD SHE FORGAVE ME.

November 21, 2018
  • 1
Gail Sellu
Gail Sellu

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your forgiveness today. Please forgive me of my past. This is a new day and I am turning over a new leaf. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, and I will live it for You, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen

November 22, 2018