ANNOUNCING MY NEW BOOK – “UNWALLED POETRY – A DIFFERENT DEVOTIONAL EXPERIENCE”

May 7, 2017May 18, 2017Kim Sweeting 7 Comments

Good morning all!

Are you looking for a devotional that’s different and that will give you a different, yet meaningful devotional experience; a devotional that’s relatable, enjoyable, and based on life’s realities, yet grounded in the Word, challenging and impactful to your spiritual growth and practical understanding of God?

I am pleased to announce the release of my new book, Unwalled Poetry – A Different Devotional Experience published by Christian Living Books.

In February of 2010, I started “Unwalled” to encourage, edify, and inspire the Body of Christ in the Bahamas and beyond.

To vary the blog’s content, I occasionally posted original poems birthed out of my own experiences as well as those of others that spoke to various spiritual, personal, and social issues in an easy-to-read relatable way.

The result was that God used the poems to minister to and bless the lives of persons all around the world.

Unwalled Poetry is a collection of poems from “Unwalled” compiled in one volume just for you.

Apart from its content, what makes this book unique is that unlike other poetry books, it is specially formatted for you to read and meditate on one poem and its related scripture a day, making it a different and exciting devotional.

After reading each poem and scripture, I invite you to reflect on and answer the following two questions:

What do you believe God is speaking to your heart?
How will you apply this revelation to your life?

Taking this additional step will further enrich your devotional experience, challenge you to a deeper walk with the Lord and increase your spiritual growth.

Unwalled Poetry also works well as a group devotion/discussion tool. A poem and accompanying scripture can be chosen for the group to read, then each person can share what they believe God is saying to them and how they plan to apply the revelation to their life.

In short, Unwalled Poetry is a book for persons who are looking for a devotional that’s different and that will give them a different, yet meaningful devotional experience.

Unwalled Poetry is available online in paperback and as an e-book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Google Books and other distributors worldwide.

(Remember, you don’t need to own a Kindle to read Kindle books or a Nook Tablet to read Nook books, you can use free apps on your phone or device, or just read it using an internet browser.)

It’s available locally in the Bahamas at The Bible Book & Gift Center – Palmdale Shopping Plaza, The Hallmark Store – The Mall at Marathon, and Logos Bookstore – Harbour Bay Shopping Center, East Bay Street, or from me personally.

It is my prayer that God uses Unwalled Poetry to encourage hearts, edify spirits, and inspire souls all around the world…that He uses it to lead persons into a richer, deeper, fuller relationship with Him and with others…that He uses it to birth indelible change in lives for His honor and glory.

Whether used for morning contemplation, afternoon stimulation or evening relaxation, individually or in a small group, Unwalled Poetry will be a blessing to you.

Be encouraged to buy your copy today.

Here’s the Amazon link allowing you to buy, share and preview Unwalled Poetry.

Here’s the publisher’s link as well as those to Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.

http://christianlivingbooks.com/clbookstore.html#!/Unwalled-Poetry/p/80989160/category=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/unwalled%20poetry

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/710522

Abundant Blessings,

Kim

https://www.amazon.com/author/kimsweeting

TRUST GOD MORE THAN EVER IN 2017

January 1, 2017January 1, 2017Kim Sweeting

TRUST GOD MORE THAN EVER IN 2017

“IT’S CRITICAL TO TRUST GOD IN 2017”

Happy New Year to all!

I did not intend to post anything today, but I feel impressed to share that this year, it is more important than ever before for us to trust God.

To trust Him, particularly concerning the following 5 areas:

1) The infallible truth of His Word…..

2) The unmatchable greatness of His power…..

3) The irrefutable goodness of His nature…..

4) His indisputable sovereignty, knowing He has the final say on all matters…….

5) His unchangeable love for you as His child…….

We have officially entered the unchartered waters of 2017 and we do not know what this year will bring, but we can make a decision today to trust God.

We can make a decision to trust Him and to show our trust by our obedience and submission to Him, and in our attitude and posture toward Him no matter what we face.

Will you make that decision today?

Will you say, Lord, by Your grace I will trust You this year?

Father, thank you for allowing us to see 2017. As we enter this new year, we declare our desire and decision to trust You and ask that You enable us to do it by Your grace, Your divine enabling power, in Jesus’ Name, amen.

“TRUST HIS HEART” – BY BABBIE MASON

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.”

(Proverbs 3:5,6 – The Message Bible)

“Those who trust in the LORD Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.”

(Psalms 125:1 – NKJV)

Be encouraged,

Kim

Image “CATCHING TRUST WORD” by Stuart Miles courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

Video “TRUST HIS HEART” – by Babbie Mason, courtesy of lovemenot1802 – http://www.youtube.com

2016……2017…..

December 31, 2016Kim Sweeting 8 Comments

2016…..2017…..

2016’s about to end…..

2017’s about to begin…..

the old is leaving…..

the new is coming…..

“this year” is becoming “last year”…..

“next year” is becoming “this year”…..

transitions……

changes…..

uncertainty…..

God remains the same….

trust Him!

He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.

You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”

(Hebrews 1:10-12 – NIV)

Selah!

Image “2016 INSCRIPTION WRITTEN IN WET YELLOW BEACH SAND” by Serge Bertasius, courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

THOUGHTS OF THANKS ON THANKSGIVING DAY

November 24, 2016Kim Sweeting 4 Comments

THOUGHTS OF THANKS ON THANKSGIVING DAY

“BE THANKFUL TODAY AND ALWAYS”

This Thanksgiving Day, again I thank God for many, many things.

Just off the cuff, I thank Him for life, health, strength, peace, joy, rest, salvation, His love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, provision, protection, Word, Spirit, Name, and Blood, my husband, children, mother, brother, family members, friends, pastors, the church, laughter, living in the Bahamas, my pets, ……..just to name a few.

But above all things, I thank God for being who He is to me, for our relationship, for drawing me unto Himself, for allowing me the privilege of being a part of His family through faith in Christ and because of this, having hope and a glorious future to look forward to in an ever darkening world.

Thank You Father!

Also, this Thanksgiving Day, just like the past Thanksgiving Days, I thank God for every mountain He’s brought me over and for every trial that He’s seen me through.

I thank Him for my experience of being sick because it was through sickness that I got to know Him as Jehovah Rapha, my healer.

I thank Him for encountering times of need because it was in those times that I got to know Him as Jehovah Jireh, my provider.

I thank Him for seasons of loneliness and unconnectedness because in this “empty place”, I got to know Him as Jehovah Shamma, the Lord who is present, the One who is always here.

I thank Him for the times when the enemy rose against me through persons, places and things because this is how I got to see Him fight on my behalf and know Him as Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts.

I thank Him for the people in my life who did me wrong and upon whom I sought no revenge because it allowed me to know Him as Jehovah Gmolah, the God of recompense, the One who repays.

I thank Him for encountering confusion, stress, turmoil and unrest because it was in those times that I got to know Him as Jehovah Shalom, my peace.

I thank Him for the situations where people in high places set out to disadvantage me in some way but He intervened in my favor showing who really rules and carries the clout thereby allowing me to know Him as El Elyon, the Most High God.

I thank Him for restraining me from going certain places I wanted to go and doing certain things I wanted to do because it enabled me to know Him as Jehovah M’Kaddesh, the Lord who sanctifies and sets apart.

I thank Him for the times I’ve failed Him and fallen into sin, exposing my inadequacies and my inability to do right in my own strength, allowing me to know Him as Jehovah Tsidkenu, my righteousness.

I thank Him for the times when I was lost and needed direction and spiritual insight because it allowed me to look to Him and get to know Him as Jehovah Roe, my Shepherd.

I thank Him for the “close scrapes” in my life because it was through them that I got to know Him as Jehovah, Nissi, my banner covering me, keeping me and preserving my life.

Thank You Father!

Be blessed by this video of:

Karen Wheaton Live – Exhortation I, the song “For Every Mountain” and Exhortation II

“Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].’

(I Thessalonians 5:18 – Amplified Bible)

Be blessed by this video of:

Judith McAllister – “O Give tHanks Unto the Lord”

“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!”

(Psalm 107:1 – Amplified Bible)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE – ENJOY YOUR DAY!

Blessings,

Kim

Photo “HAPPY THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION” by David Castillo Dominici courtesy ofhttp://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Video “FOR EVERY MOUNTAIN” by Karen Wheaton courtesy of MinstrelProphet3 – http://www.youtube.com

Video “O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD” by Judith McAllister courtesy of Devin Boone – http://www.youtube.com

STORM REFLECTIONS

October 19, 2016Kim Sweeting 10 Comments

STORM REFLECTIONS

The Event

We have three large trees in our front yard, one of which grew more than three storeys tall and had many branches with plush green leaves and when in bloom, lilac flowers.

During the passage of Hurricane Matthew, the wind pushed over this particular tree and it fell onto the front wall and windows of our house obstructing the walking path and preventing the windows from opening……unfortunately, we did not take a picture of the tree in this state.

After the storm passed, one of my sons and my husband proceeded to cut off the downed tree’s branches so that a path of passage could be made and the front windows opened.

PILE OF NOW DRIED BRANCHES CHOPPED FROM THE TREE

During the last part of this process, my husband climbed up on the tree trunk to chop off the remaining obstructing branches and when he finished and jumped off, an amazing thing happened.

After being in an almost fully horizontal position for more than 2 days, the tree stood back up.

Once the branches were cut off or pruned, with the excess weight gone, the roots that remained in the rock were so strong that they were able to pull the tree back up as if it never fell.

I found that pretty amazing.

TREE RETURNED TO A FULLY VERTICAL POSITION

My Reflections

Sometimes in life, just like that tree, we find ourselves in the midst of a raging storm and the hurricane-force winds of adversity topple us over then move on, leaving us in a compromised position.

And just like my son and husband did with that tree, as we lie in that compromised position, God comes along with His pruning shears and starts pruning branches off our lives.

During this process, it is very obvious to us why some branches are being removed. There is no life in them; we know they are dead and need to go.

However, for other branches, it is not so readily apparent why they are being removed because they seem okay. But a closer look through the eyes of the Spirit reveals they are dying and have become a hindrance to our growth and/or the growth of others and so they too need to go.

Then for other branches, their removal is a total mystery. They are healthy, flourishing, beautiful, productive, beneficial to us and to others, yet they are removed and we really do not understand why.

In an article entitled “Pruning Trees and Shrubs” by Mike Zins and Deborah Brown, posted on the University of Minnesota’s Extension Website, they list the following key reasons for pruning:-

To promote plant health, e.g., to remove dead, dying, diseased or infested branches, branches that rub together, branch stubs etc.

To maintain a plant’s intended purpose in a landscape, e.g., to encourage flower and fruit development, maintain a certain density, maintain a desired or special form, etc.

To improve a plant’s appearance, e.g., to control, size, shape, proportion, density, to remove unwanted and undesirable aspects of the plant, etc.

To protect people and property, e.g., to remove branches that are hazardous, weak, overhanging, interfering, that obscure vision and/or entry etc.

(Source: http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/pruning-trees-shrubs/)

God, our Father, the Master Pruner knows why He prunes branches off of our lives even when we don’t. We need to always trust Him and believe that He is doing a good and needed thing…..Selah!

Even though it fell, the tree had some roots that remained anchored in the rock throughout the storm and now that the branches were cut off and the excess weight gone, the tree was able to draw on the strength of those roots, and that strength enabled the tree to be lifted up out of its compromised position and once again stand vertically.

The roots that remained anchored in the rock were so strong that they enabled the tree to be pulled back up as if it never fell; they enabled the tree to rise again, and although in another form as a result of the pruning, be repositioned for new growth and greater productivity.

In the same way, like the tree, when we go through a raging storm in life, even if the hurricane-force winds topple us over and we have to endure a pruning process, once our spiritual roots remain anchored in The Rock, in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, at the end of it all, the strength that we draw from Him will enable us to rise again in another form, repositioned for new growth and greater fruitfulness for His honor and glory.

The key is for us to anchor our roots of faith in The Rock, in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord before the storm, and to keep them anchored in Him during the storm and in the aftermath of the storm during the pruning process.

That is the key…..Selah!

HYMN – “WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD IN THE STORMS OF LIFE”

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:”

(Isaiah 26:3-4 – KJV)

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

(John 15:2 – NKJV)

Be encouraged,

Kim

“WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD IN THE STORMS OF LIFE” courtesy of THENBA – http://www.youtube.com

AN IMPORTANT TRUTH TO BE MINDFUL OF

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016Kim Sweeting 4 Comments

AN IMPORTANT TRUTH TO BE MINDFUL OF

“The voice said, “Cry out!”
And he said, “What shall I cry?”
“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:6-8 – NKJV

“A voice says, “Call out [prophesy].”

Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”

[The voice answered:] All humanity is [as frail as] grass, and all that makes it attractive [its charm, its loveliness] is [momentary] like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

Most certainly [all] the people are [like] grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:6-8 – Amplified Bible

SELAH!

Be encouraged to live mindful of this truth.

Kim

“DANDELION FLOWER AND CLOCK BLOWING AWAY TIME LAPSE” courtesy of Neil Bromhall – http://www.youtube.com

FLASHBACK FRIDAY……WHO AM I?

July 15, 2016Kim Sweeting 4 Comments

FLASHBACK FRIDAY…….WHO AM I?

I bought my first Point of Grace album, “Steady On “, when it was released back in 1998 and the song that ministered to me the most, was called “Who Am I?”.

“Who Am I?” has been in my spirit all week so I just decided to post it.

When I think of God and who He is…..when I think of the eternal, multifaceted, glorious, awesome, wise, powerful, splendid, expansive, gracious, loving, magnificence of His being…….and then I think of me and who I am, it totally blows me away that He would want a relationship with me….who am I?

Be encouraged and be blessed as you listen.

Kim

“WHO AM I?” – POINT OF GRACE

LYRICS

Over time You’ve healed so much in me,
And I am living proof.
That although my darkest hour had come,
Your light could still shine through.
Though at times it’s just enought to cast,
A shadow on the wall.
I am grateful that you’ve shined your light on me at all.

[CHORUS]
Who Am I,
That you would love me so gently?
Who Am I,
That you would recognize my name?
Who Am I,
That you would speak to me so softly?
Conversation with the Lord most high.
Who Am I?

Oh Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost,
But now am found.
Was blind,
But now I see.
And the more I sing that sweet old song,
The more I understand.
That I do not comprehend this love that’s coming from your hand.

[REPEAT CHORUS]

Grace, grace.
God’s grace.
Grace that will pardon, and cleanse within.
Grace, grace.
God’s great grace.
Grace that is greater than all my sin.

[REPEAT CHORUS]

Lord, Who Am I?
Who Am I?
Lord Who Am I?
Who Am I?
Who Am I?

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”

(Psalms 8:3-4 – KJV)

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?”

(Psalms 8:3-4 – NLT)

“I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?”

(Psalms 8:3-4 – The Message Bible)

SELAH!

Lyrics of “Who Am I” – azlyrics.com

“Who Am I” by Point of Grace courtesy of kentish001Blessing – http://www.youtube.com

THREE DOGS & A CAT TOGETHER?????

July 11, 2016July 11, 2016Kim Sweeting 2 Comments

THREE DOGS & A CAT TOGETHER?????

IF WE CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head, Coming down on the beard, Even the beard of Aaron, Coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body].

It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon Coming down on the hills of Zion; For there the Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.”

(Psalms 133:1-3 – Amplified Bible)