Pen Pals

Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. (Matthew 7:7, GWT)

My nine year old has a pen pal who lives on the Mainland. Last Tuesday, she sent a letter to her pen pal. The same day she mailed the letter, she started checking the mail twice a day expecting a letter in return. 

Every day, without fail, she has checked the mail twice a day fully expecting a letter in return.

Every day, without fail, she gets excited that her letter may be in the mail today. 

When she checks the mail and discovers the letter hasn’t arrived yet, she makes comments like, “I’m sure my letter is on it’s way.” and “I can hardly wait to see what my pen pal has to say!” and “Maybe my letter will be here tomorrow.”

My child sent a letter to her pen pal fully expecting a letter in return. 

These pen pals have a sweet relationship. My daughter has confidence in her pen pal. 

When I ask things of God (1 John 5:14-15) on behalf of myself or my friends, I fully without fail, expect to receive. Every day, I check to see if the answer to prayer has arrived. Every day, I get excited to see how prayer is going to be answered. And if the prayer wasn’t answered “today”, I know tomorrow just may be the day our prayers are answered. 

I expect and believe until I receive. 

Why? Because we have a sweet relationship. I have confidence in Him. 

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

Tennis Balls and Tennis Racquets

From time to time we are blessed with a guest blog post. Today, please join me in welcoming my ten year old daughter as she blogs about her view of playing tennis. Enjoy!

The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong. (Psalm 37:30, NLT)

This is for all the kids out there!

Last night, my family played tennis. I watched as my parents were swinging their racquets. I kept my eye on the ball. I realized kids are like the tennis balls and our parents are like the tennis racquets. 

As I was watching them, I would see the ball about to hit the ground. Then my dad hit the ball over the net and the game went on. In life, kids are like the tennis balls and our parents are like the tennis racquets. When kids are about to stumble, we can always go to our parents. And if we don't want our parents advice, well, we just have to take it! Our parents know best! If they say we can't go to our friends house, then don't go!

If you want good advice, well, go to your parents. Obey Obey Obey!

Father, we pray for Your children. We pray each child (young and old) recognize the blessing of and heed godly counsel. Thank You for placing godly counsel in our path who give us good counsel and teach us right from wrong. We pray a special prayer for all young children right now, in the name of Jesus, we pray their hearts be flooded with light so that they can understand the confident hope You have given. We thank You God, that we are Your sheep. We listen to Your voice, You know us and we follow You. Thank You for eternal life! We are grateful we will never perish; nor, will we ever be snatched out of Your hand!

Ephesians 1:18

John 10:27-29

Overcoming the Wet Paper Towel

By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3, NLT)

The last few days I’ve had an issue. Those closest to me might ask, “Only one?”

Moving right along.

The other day, Mike and I had a disagreement. It was nothing major and we even laughed at one another throughout the "intense fellowship”. At one point I was laying on our bed and he walked in (while drying his hands with a paper towel) and he said something to me. Honestly, I don’t even remember what he said. I responded with something humorously sarcastic (Again, I don’t even remember…that’s how insignificant this disagreement was.) I don’t remember what I said; however, I do remember my comment was hilarious! At which point he (playfully) threw the wet paper towel at me. 

We went about our day and I forgot about the paper towel. When I went to bed, I was still a bit huffy about the whole incident so I threw the paper towel on his pillow. He threw it, I concluded he could dispose of it. 

He never even saw the paper towel. I wanted to say, “How can you NOT see that paper towel?!” But I didn’t, I just kept the paper towel’s existence to myself. Hummph. The paper towel bothered me and he was unaware it bothered me. The next morning, somehow, the paper towel ended up on the floor! For those who know me personally, my motto is, “A thing for everything and everything in it’s place.” I felt as if this paper towel was taunting me! Ok, not really but it was just a reminder to me (in my opinion) of Mike not doing what I thought he should do which was, just throw the thing in the trash!

Day three (Yes, I know...I allowed this to go on for three days. Petty alert!) and somehow the paper towel ended up in my hallway (from my bedroom to my bathroom).

I said (to myself), “How LONG must I DEAL with this paper towel??!” As clearly as I heard my own voice, God spoke to my spirit and said, “As long as you decide to deal with it.”

BOOM. Hello. Wake up. I choose. (Deuteronomy 30:19 and Ephesians 5:2, ouch…)

I gently walked up to the paper towel, picked it up, threw it in the trash, and said, “Your days of bothering me are o.v.e.r.” 

A paper towel may be insignificant compared to what you may be dealing with today. But by His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. (2 Peter 1:3) How did I overcome the paper towel and how do we overcome every obstacle that we face? We make the decision to overcome and then we use His Word to walk out our overcomingness. Yes. I know that is not a real word; however, it is very effective and I like it!

Father, again, thank You for this life lesson. Thank You for speaking so clearly to us, we need You every second of our lives! (2 Timothy 3:16, John 10:27) I pray for every reader right now. Please empower them to make the decisions they must make in order to deal with their “paper towels”. And please order their steps by Your Word into victory in the name of Jesus! (Psalm 119:133, John 14:14)

Sparrow's Last Lesson

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT)

From time to time, we are blessed by a guest blog post. Enjoy the following by the love of my life, Mike Fulton, who wrote this blogpost the night our butterfly was dying. This month, we’ve been writing about lessons God has taught us through the life of one little butterfly. To catch up, please read the previous blogposts for January. We never dreamed God could touch our lives so significantly by one tiny butterfly. Thanks God, for all the lessons!

Sparrow was our beloved friend. Tonight is most likely Sparrow’s last night with us. He has been a most excellent guest. I will truly miss him and his quiet little self. You see, he never once complained or whined or even cried, but he lived! (Philippians 4:6, John 10:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Thanks to my girls, especially Mikea, who did an amazing job taking care of him! She checked on him all throughout the day, made sure he had fresh flowers, and even warmed up fresh fruit for his meals. 

I am truly saddened by his departure from this earth, goodnight little one and thank you for being such a blessing to my family! You will truly be missed!

What has God taught you today? We love to hear from you! Comment below about how God has taught you a life changing message!

One Sparrow. Many Lessons

The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you". In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.” (1 Corinthians 12:22, NLT) 

All this month, we’ve been posting blogs about our recent butterfly experience. To catch up, please read the previous two blog posts.

During my time with Jesus today, He revealed to me the same three steps from yesterday’s blog post need to be revisited with all our relationships in mind. 

Our:

• Marriages
• Friends/acquaintances 
• Family (Biological and Church)
• Parental
• Child
• Siblings
• Extended family
• Pastor
• Congregation
• Pastor's family
• The family at church who, from all outward appearance, has it all together.
• The family at church who, from all outward appearance, is really struggling. 

I listed these separately, hoping each reader will not just race through but actually stop and ask God, "Lord, which people on my list, can I contact and minister to today?"

As born again believers, we are all critical to The Body. Has someone (or a few "someones") treated you as if you are insignificant? Haven’t we all had that happen to us? Now is a good time to forgive. (Matthew 6:14) There is not one, no not one who isn’t necessary to the Lord God Jehovah’s Body! (1 Corinthians 12:22) After all, His eye is on the sparrow! (Matthew 10:29-31) He says we are significant,  and He’s all we need! (Romans 8:31)  Let’s all ask, “What can I do for you today?"

Right now, let’s all take time to:

• Pray and ask God to show us our place in our relationships. (Matthew 7:7 & John 14:14) 
• Commit or recommit to our place working heartily unto Him. (Proverbs 16:3, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:23, & )
• Never, ever, ever, give up our place in our relationships. (Galatians 6:9)

Then let’s all commit to walk in His fullness in all our relationships, thus glorifying He who sent us! The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon us! The Lord has anointed us to bring good news to the poor! He has sent us to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed! (Isaiah 61:1)

We are working heartily unto God, not man! (Colossians 3:23) We don’t need to question it, all we have to do is do it!  (Matthew 21:22)

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray for ever reader right now as well as myself! You have already given us everything we need for life and godliness, thank You! You have called each and every one of us for a very specific purpose, thank You! May each and every one of us fully realize what Your purpose for our lives and may each and every one of us fully walk in Your call all the days of our lives! Our lives are all about Your Kingdom King Jesus, may each and every one of us, walk according to Your call on our lives, in the name of Jesus!

2 Peter 1:3

Romans 8:28

Matthew 6:33

Romans 4:11

Laid to Rest

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:4-12, NKJV)

Tonight is a sad night at our home. Sparrow, our beloved butterfly is going home to be with Jesus. As Mike and I console our little girls (and one another) during our loss, I have to share with you the most amazing lesson God taught me through the life of this sweet little butterfly.

To understand Sparrow's background, please read the previous blogpost entitled, "Sparrow, Our Little Butterfly", dated Saturday, January 4, 2014. 

Sparrow didn’t live the full life that all the other butterflies we observed during this project. Initially Sparrow had wings only on one side. Sometimes it was very difficult to watch him struggle. He was very strong at times, but grew tired and weary from not having full use of his body. We helplessly watched Sparrow as he tried to fly but could not take flight without full use of his wings. He fluttered about in his habitat, trying so hard to be all God created him to be, but couldn’t fully function in all his glory with only half his wings. The constant pressure of dragging his body around began to break his thorax down until he was left with only two legs. Continually dragging his body around caused the rest of his body to become very fragile. His wing began to lose it’s vibrant colors as we slowly watched them go from brilliant orange to dull and lose it’s sheen. 

As I observed Sparrow during his short stay with us, the importance of the body of Christ kept coming to my remembrance. Have you ever seen churches unable to live the full life that God intended? It is very difficult to watch that struggle. Those churches can be so strong at times, but can become tired and weary from not having full use of it’s “body". Committed members of those church bodies helplessly watch as they try to “fly" but can’t "take flight" without full use of it’s wings (members). Those churches flutter about, trying so hard to be all God created them to be, but cannot fully function in all it's glory with only half it’s wings (members). The constant pressure of half a church body can begin to break it’s body down until it is left with only two “legs". Continually dragging half a church body around will cause a body to become very fragile, losing it’s vibrant colors as we are left to watch a church go from brilliant to dull and lose it’s sheen. 

As born again believers, we are all gifted for His glory and now is a great time to:

• Pray and ask God to show us our place in His body. (Matthew 7:7 & John 14:14) 
• Commit or recommit to our place working heartily unto Him. (Proverbs 16:3, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:23, & )
• Never, ever, ever, give up our place. (Galatians 6:9)

Good bye sweet Sparrow, you will never be forgotten.

Built on The Rock

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25, NKJV)

Recently, I was chatting with one of my close friends and as always, our conversation turned to the wonderful goodness of God.

During our chat, God brought a situation to my remembrance that had happened almost twenty years ago that I had forgotten. 

I had just moved to Alaska and was being hard headed about trading in my car. I had a very cool, red, Daytona. Very fun car, just not an Alaska car. 

My manual transmission (stick shift) tended to freeze up in the Alaska temperatures and at times, I couldn't put my car in reverse. 

One night, after working late at the office, I couldn't get my car in reverse. It was dark, I was cold and tired. All my co-workers had left hours ago so no one was there to help.

I got out of my car, and tried to push it back into the parking lot so that I could pull forward and leave work. I slipped on the ice and almost fell down. I got back inside my car and tried to put it in reverse but couldn't force it. 

I repeated this process four or five times. 

Finally, very frustrated and out of desperation I cried out to God, "God! Help me, please!"

I saw a big rock in front of my car. I put my foot on the rock for leverage and...as sure as my name is Genice, my car moved backward! I was able to easily move my car! Almost effortlessly. It was at that instant God spoke to my spirit and said, "See what happens when your foot is on the Rock?"

Lesson learned.

Most gracious, loving Heavenly Father, thank You for never leaving or forsaking us...even in cold, dark, parking lots. Especially, in cold, dark, parking lots. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for helping us when we cry out to You. Thank You for being in every aspect of our lives when we invite You. And thank You for bringing to our remembrance the many, many ways, You have and continue to deliver us. Your Word tell us the hairs on our head are numbered...how very specific and intricate You are! Great is Your faithfulness! All glory, honor, and adoration to You my God!

Sparrow, Our Little Butterfly

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31, NKJV)

My girls and I have been observing, researching, and documenting monarch butterflies for a homeschool project. One of my girlfriends was kind enough to share some caterpillars from her backyard. We brought them home, set up a very cool habitat, and watched our caterpillars eat and eat and grow and grow. They ate so much it seemed they nearly doubled in size every day. (John 6:35) Then, one by one, they formed their chrysalis and it was beautiful. The outside was green with gold dots all the way around the top. They looked like tiny little space ships. Each chrysalis was attached to a leaf or stick by one very delicate looking tiny string. It has been quite an amazing transformation to watch. 

We learned once the chrysalis becomes transparent the butterfly soon emerges leaving it’s dead, empty shell behind as it had become a beautiful new creature! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

During this project, of course, my “blog postiness tendencies” screamed at all the bible studies that kept spinning through my heart! I kept waiting for “the" lesson straight from Heaven.

Early Thursday morning, our last butterfly was due to break free from it’s chrysalis. We knew the time was at hand because the chrysalis was clear and we could partially see the butterfly's wings inside. But for some reason, our last butterfly did not develop correctly and was not able to completely break free from the chrysalis. Once we saw there was a problem, my girls got very upset and starting saying things like, “Oh something is terribly wrong!”, “He is going to die!”, “He can’t make it out!" and “He’s so tired from all the pressure of trying to break free."

I said, “You can choose life, or you can choose death. If I were you, I’d speak life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19, Psalm 118:17, Proverbs 18:21)

Immediately they began cheering the butterfly on. For over half hour, they repeated, “You will live! You will not die! You are strong! Come on little butterfly, you can live!" Once their decision was made to speak life, they never wavered. (Deuteronomy 30:19, Psalm 188:17, James 1:6)

Every few minutes, he got tired of fighting and it appeared the little butterfly gave up. After monitoring him for several hours, we learned during this process he wasn’t giving up at all. He was resting. (Isaiah 40:31) The butterfly hung with one wing still attached to the chrysalis as the weight of most of his body (which was free) pulled in the opposite direction. (Romans 7:15, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, James 5:16) Just when it appeared all was lost, he’d come alive and fight as hard as he could to break free. The butterfly repeated this process for approximately five hours. He was able to get his left wings and body out of the chrysalis in less than five minutes but the wings on his right side never broke free. The wings on his right side had dried to the chrysalis. What had protected and nurtured him for a season, now bound him and restrained him from becoming everything he was created to be. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, Colossians 1:16) As hard as he tried, he could not break free alone. 

Late Thursday night, my girls decided to take matters into their own hands. They couldn’t stand watching the butterfly struggle any longer. They were confident if they removed the butterfly from the chrysalis, he would live, even though it meant losing two of his wings. My girls decided, a living “half butterfly” was a better alternative than a whole dead butterfly. They, as gently as possible (given we didn’t have any butterfly anesthetic readily available) cut the butterfly free from it’s chrysalis where his wings attached to his body. 

Not only did the butterfly survive it’s “surgery”, he started to eat right away and my girls decided to name him, Sparrow!

Today is Saturday. Sparrow began his struggle to break free on Thursday. Sparrow survived the ordeal and is alive today but doesn’t have the two wings that dried to and never broke free from the chrysalis. All outside appearances tell us Sparrow is half a butterfly. He isn’t exactly what we thought he would be when this whole process began but he seems happy and content to be who he is in his new habitat. My girls carry him everywhere in his little house made special just for him, feed him fresh fruit, have introduced him to everyone in our neighborhood, and continue to tell what the LORD has done. (Luke 8:39)

Have you ever:

• Had something go terribly wrong?
• Felt as if you were dying?
• Thought you’d never make it out?
• Grown tired from all the pressure?
• Felt like “half a butterfly”? 
• Struggled to get free of something or someone trying to hold you “captive"?
• Felt like you had been cut in half?

Outside appearances can lead us to believe something completely different than what is going on in someone’s inside. If this is you, I have a good report for you today! Your life may not be exactly what you thought it would be, but you can be happy and content beyond anything you can think of or ask for, leaving you to tell the wonderful goodness of God! (Ephesians 3:20-21) You can overcome by the word of your testimony and the Blood of the Lamb! (Revelations 12:11)

If any of the above describes you, please email us at keytovblog@gmail.com or connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/keytovblog, we want to pray with you and refer you to help if necessary.

Father, in the name of Jesus, thank You when Jesus is our portion, a constant friend is He! His eye is on the sparrow, and we know He watches over us! ( Lyrics, His Eye is on the Sparrow)