Blog entries from cookie

Cookie's Crumbs

Cookie Gray — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:45:28 +0100

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

A great part of the ministry of LifeCare is giving hope to those facing what seems like impossible circumstances. Some of those circumstances might include the shock of an unplanned pregnancy, lack of a job, disappointment at what a young woman thought was love but her baby’s father abandoned her, living in an abusive rRead More...

Twenty two years: the story of one client's baby

Cookie Gray — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:21:27 +0100

In the Christian church we call attention to the sanctity of human life in the month of January because almost forty years ago a law was passed that made abortion legal. It is so heartbreaking to think of the thousands of babies that have died at the hands of abortionist since that time. We at LifeCare have been seeing to the needs of young single women experiencing unplanned pregnancies for almost twenty-five years. Our purpose is to help them choose life for their babies by giviRead More...

The Christmas Card

Cookie Gray — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:24:44 +0100

I read the Christmas card. The printed part was very nice, and then I got to the part that was written by the person who sent it. The words caused a lump in my throat, you know, the kind that lets you know that you’re about to cry. This is what it said, “I love you, sweet friend! I don’t know how to express how much you mean to me!” It’s really hard sometimes to say or write words describing your inner most feelings about someone whoRead More...

EXTRAORDINARY* By Max Lucado

Cookie Gray — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:29:47 +0100

God did something extraordinary.

Stepping from the throne, He removed his rob of light, and wrapped Himself in skin: pigmented, human skin. The light of the universe entered a dark, wet womb. He whom angels worship nestled Himself in the placenta of a peasant, was birthed into a cold night, and then slept on cow’s hay.

Mary didn’t know whether to give Him milk or give Him praise, but she gave Him both since He was, as nearRead More...

THANKSGIVING IS HERE…

Cookie Gray — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:31:09 +0100

I don’t know when I noticed it, but the Thanksgiving holiday has gotten lost between Halloween and Christmas. I remember, as a little girl, this was a very special family time. Relatives would come. The table would be filled with wonderful home cooked food.

The Thanksgiving menu was pretty much the same every year. It included turkey, dessing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, butter beans, collard greens, lime congealed salad, sweet potato soufflé.&nbRead More...

Teach Your Children To Fear The Lord

Cookie Gray — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:11:51 +0100

Fearing God means that we honor, revere, worship, obey, serve, and respect Him. Fearing God also means that we do not want to displease Him. We fear the consequences of sin and doing that which God says is evil, wrong, hurtful, or dishonoring to Him and to others. John MacArthur writes that in order to teach children the fear of the Lord, we must teach them God’s attributes (holy, faithful, good, all-knowing, all present, all-powerful, loving, sovereign, unchanging, meRead More...

Truth………………

Cookie Gray — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:58:39 +0100

I’ve lived a lot of years, seventy-four to be exact. I’ve encountered many circumstances that required me to decide what was true or false, or right or wrong. How does one choose? Well, I was privileged to live in a home where my mother and father used the Bible as the standard for truth. Questions like “What would Jesus do?” or “What would Jesus say?” would come up when trying to make good decisions.

In our world we seeRead More...

How can we say thanks……..

Cookie Gray — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The GALA (our fundraising banquet) far exceeded our expectations! The total donations were $172,000. We, the Board & Staff, had set a goal of $130,000; the speaker asked for $150,000; so you can see the amount went far above what we were asking of God.

Our prayer for every person who gave from their heart is that God will open the windows of Heaven and pour out great blessings. The client stories that were shared affirmed our misRead More...

THE CLOCK IS TICKING….

Cookie Gray — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:12:01 +0100

TWO DAYS AWAY, Thursday, September 22nd, 7:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel is GALA evening. We’re so excited because nearly 800 of you wonderful folks are attending the “TOGETHER FOR THE HARVEST GALA”. The GALA is our largest fundraising event of the year. This is just a friendly reminder to get ready for a very elegant evening with excellent food, fellowship, and program. There will be opportunity for you to bless LifeCare of Brandon with your genRead More...

Pretty is as Pretty Does

Cookie Gray — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:00:00 +0100

When I was a little girl and dressed up to go somewhere I would ask my grandmother, “Nannie, how do I look?”

She would smile at me and say, “Pretty is as pretty does.” I would come back with, “No, no Nannie! I want to know if you think I’m pretty!”

I’m a grammie now of three granddaughters. I truly understand what Nannie meant. She wanted me to know that how I acted was much more important than my outwRead More...

And the Greatest of these is Love

Cookie Gray — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:04:45 +0100

The word LOVE is used in so many ways. I love food, or clothes, or shoes, or the farm, or the ocean, or red, or a movie, or someone. It can be downright confusing. What is love, really?

The biblical rendering in I Corinthians 13:4-8 gives a great understanding of love. This is what it says. 4“Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not seRead More...

Need Refreshing?

Cookie Gray — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:05:10 +0100

Sometimes I’ve found myself in an intense situation or season of life that seems to scream for God’s life giving words. So often we glide along like an ice skater on a smooth pond of ice, or we stay refreshed with water on a backpacking excursion, but then we hit something rough on the ice or we run out of water. Then comes that need for cleaning off the ice or supplying our need for water.

The same thing happens to us spiritually. For a long time we let Read More...

Old Wounds..

Cookie Gray — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:00:00 +0100

In my bible there are some study guides by Max Lucado. I read this one the other day and thought it would be good to share. The scripture reading was Matthew 18:23—35. (NCV)

Do you have a hole in your heart? Perhaps the wound is old…and you’re angry. Or perhaps the wound is fresh…and you’re hurt.
Part of you is broken, and the other part is bitter. Part of you wants to cry, and part of you wants to fight. The tears you Read More...

Are You Loved At 6:30 In The Morning?

Cookie Gray — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:06:05 +0100

If people love you at 6:30 in the morning, one thing is sure: They love you. They don’t love your title, your style, or your accomplishments. They just love you…….Sounds like God’s love.

“He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy,” wrote another. (Hebrews 10:14)

Focus on the word “perfect.” Note that the word is not “better.” Not “improving.&rdRead More...

Cherries & China

Cookie Gray — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 05:00:00 +0100

I recently heard this story on Moody Radio. A thirteen year old daughter was in the kitchen watching her mother dipping cherries in chocolate and placing them on wax paper to harden. The mother noticed her child admiring the cherries. She said, “Would you like me to serve you some?” With a big grin she let it be known that she thought that was a good idea.

The mother went to the garbage can and pulled out a stained plate covered with the Read More...

Disability – A Gift from God?

Cookie Gray — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:29:37 +0100

Have you ever thought that a disability could be a gift from God? As a child of 18 months of age I contracted polio which left much of my body paralyzed. I was in and out of hospitals until I was 18 undergoing several surgeries and therapy. During that time I learned to walk with the aid of braces and crutches. I've lived a lot of my life from a wheelchair.

I was blessed to have parents who introduced me to Jesus very early and when I was 8 years old- I walked toRead More...

*Laboring in Prayer

Cookie Gray — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:06:37 +0100

I am priviledged to be a part of sending out prayer requests from my church to around 400 people who are on the Prayer Chain. It dawned on me recently that when the requests come in I pray a quick prayer then, but often, I don't think of them again until another request comes through concerning them, or I happen to see them.

Scripture encourages us to pray for each other and to pray without ceasing. I wonder how serious God believes we are about our prayers for oneRead More...

Direct Their Hearts......

Cookie Gray — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:27:12 +0100

I was recently reading scripture and a devotion by Rosalie Willis when I happened on this verse, "You will prepare and strengthen and direct their hearts." Psalm 10:17
Immediately I thought - that's what we do at LifeCare. Rosalie expressed it so well. We teach others to be still and know God with an assurance of His love and care.

We endeavor to be a lighthouse of hope and freedom that helps our clients realize that with God's strength they can do whatRead More...

The National Day of Prayer

Cookie Gray — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:36:55 +0100

Prayer from the National Day of Prayer Committee:

Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Almighty God,

You are our Mighty Fortress, our refuge and the God in whom we place our trust. As our nation faces great distress and uncertainty, we ask your Holy Spirit to fall afresh upon your people--convict us of sin and inflame within us a passion to pray for our land and its people.

Make A Masterpiece Of Each Day......

Cookie Gray — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:32:09 +0100

I’m looking out the window at a huge oak tree robed in all its new foliage which is certainly one of God’s masterpieces. The things God has made are so awe inspiring, but none more so than man. It always amazes me to see how God works through man to make other masterpieces. When Coach Wooden, a very famous basketball coach was interviewed for a book, he was asked how his father influenced his life. His wRead More...