Spring in Charlotte - THANK GOD!

THANK YOU GOD!

BEAUTIFUL CREATION 

AGAIN!

 

Photos by Steve Martin

Charlotte, NC

March 1, 2014

“Five Fingers and a Paw” - Ahava Love Letter (Steve Martin)

                    

                    “Five Fingers and a Paw”

“Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Prov. 7:3 NKJV)

Dear family of friends,

Sleeping next to me in my favorite rocker, I again am amazed at her paws. Each has a full pad, to protect her from the heat, the cold, and even sharp fallen tree objects as she walks the paths we take her on. Created in an extraordinary way, our Dachshund Zoe fascinates me. She is among all the creatures the Lord God of all has made. Awesome. Glorious.

There are so many breeds of animals. Each with specific features unique to the purpose He designed them to have in this world. What a mind He has, to have thought of so many different ones, and to place them in our lives. So much pleasure these creatures have brought us, both great and small, given to mankind since the beginning of time.

And then I look at my own fingers, five on each hand. That too is something that causes me to think of His glory. So different from the other mammals. Superior in many ways, given to us to work, to play music, to hold another’s hand.

When I take time to just stop and consider Him, how can I not call Him God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe? We have our super heroes, our exciting sports champions, our strong leaders who have guided us on to many good results. But when I think of our Father’s heart and His purposes for each of us, nothing and no one can compare to Him.

Five fingers and a paw – just two simple pictures of His love expressed for us. Thank you Lord Jesus for creating these, and for all Your creation that we often take for granted.

We appreciate You and Your mighty works done on our behalf.

Ahava to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People. Inc.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

Please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless known families in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. 

Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH  OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

Please share this Ahava Love Letter with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin and  Love For His People  

  

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter 

Blogs: Love For His People

           Ahava Love Letters

           

  Full website: Love For His People

YouTube: Love For His People Inc.

Ahava Love Letter #102   “Five Fingers and a Paw”   Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (01.25.14) Saturday at 4:00 pm in Charlotte, NC).

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog, and our newest website: Ahava Love Letters

Dachshunds rule on Hanukkah's last night!

Zoe driving to the party for the final night of Hanukkah.

She will get an extra doggie bone and treat tonight!

(Photo courtesy of Hannah Martin Avalos!)

Ahava Love Letter - “What Do You Want” (Steve Martin)

“What Do You Want” 

“Your word is a lamp for my foot and light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105 Complete Jewish Bible) 

“By Your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.” (Psalm 119:105 THE MESSAGE)

Dear family of friends,

Our dog Zoe, a miniature Dachshund, will sometimes give me that look she does at times, which is a puzzling stare at me. My response often is, “What do you want?” as I smile at her. She will then tilt her head the other way as if to say, “You don’t know? Why not?”

I can only imagine what our Lord does when we ask Him the same question, “What do you want?” as we come to a place along the journey when we are uncertain as to the next step. Maybe He will respond back the same way, “You don’t know? Why not?” After walking with Him for many years, I guess we should know more than we let on. Or maybe we really do need further direction and don’t have that solid foundation in our spiritual building yet.

As the Scripture is written, His Word is a light to my feet. Whether King David or another wrote that centuries ago, it still holds true for us today. Guidance is given when we ask, and seek Him in His Word, which has been so carefully and diligently preserved for us since compiled through the hands of the Jews.

A daily reading of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) words will build up a reservoir in our hearts and our minds, so that when we do come to a crossroads on the path, or a possible turn that will be needed up ahead, we will have that internal map, along with the current inspiration of Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) guiding us along the way.

A major house purchase, a career changing decision, a relationship adjustment, or something as small as the need to know  what to make for dinner that night (don’t laugh, many of us ask that question every day!)…the Lord wants to be involved in our decision making. He is ready to guide us in the next step, if we but seek Him and ask.

A good Bible teacher, Bob Mumford, in 1973 wrote a now classic book on my book shelf called Take Another Look At Guidance (recommended reading). I agree with the description written about it, “What a blessing the wisdom he shared in it has been to me through the years of my walk with the Lord! It provides biblically based counsel about how to find and follow God's guiding path through life.” Bob basically says the written Word, the rhema (Greek for “now” ) word and surrounding circumstances are three guide posts needing to line up to receive that directive confirmation we so often need.

Daily choices we make today will later become pivotal points in where we end up next week, next month, or ten years down the road. Erik Krueger, founder of Shiloh Fellowship in East Lansing, Michigan (later becoming New Covenant Christian Church) once said in a meeting in the early 1980’s that a decision we make today could take us down the road 20 years from now where we may or may not want to be. I will always remember that word, as I took it to heart. It is that important to make the right decision.

We had better make our choices and decisions based on solid ground, as given in His Word, and not make them based on our own understanding. Again, He has given us a road map, along with the Holy Spirit, to guide us.

“What do you want?” is more easily answered if our walk with the Lord is based on daily communication with Him. Grow in that communication today. He has, and He IS, the answer to every question and need. Call on Him today, and He will answer you.

Ahava (love in Hebrew) to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858.

Please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless Israel with our humanitarian ministry. 

Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH  OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: www.loveforhispeople.org/support

If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box 414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)

Be sure to get my two books The Promise (CreateSpace/Amazon 2013) and Ahava Love Letters (Xulon Press, 2013). Both available through Amazon.com and other website book stores. (Also by writing me!)

Please share this Ahava Love Letter with your friends.

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin  and  Love For His People    

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter 

Blog: http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com  

Full website: www.loveforhispeople.org

YouTube: Steve Martin (loveforhispeopleinc)

Ahava Love Letter #75   “What Do You Want”  ©2013 Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2013 (09/013/13 Friday at 5:35 am in Charlotte, NC)

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog:

 http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com   

Here are the last few:

The Hiding Place (#74)

Why Is A Gentile Like You Celebrating the Feasts of the Jews? (#73)

They Are Loved Too (#72)

Oskars Needed Again? (#71)

Little Orphan Chuckie (#70)

Demons & Fire Trucks (#69)

I Like Mike (#68)

Disappointed with Small Beginnings? (#67)

Rise Again (#66)

The Cities (#65)

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (#64)

Anxious (#63)

Hidden (#62)

Get Back in the Boat (#61)

Ahava Love Letter - "Little Orphan Chuckie - All Creatures Great & Small - Loved by the Creator" (Steve Martin)

"He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever." Psalm 136:25

Dear family of friends,

I found Little Orphan Chuckie in a church park in uptown Charlotte on my lunch hour. I had gone there to eat my bagged eatables from our supper before. At first I thought he was dead, since there seemed to be no life left in him, as he lay on the ground.

When I picked him up he started to move, so I carefully put him on my lap, after I sat down at the picnic table.

Once I had finished my lunch, and having read another chapter out of Morris Ruddick's great book, "The Heart of a King", I had to make a decision. I didn't want to leave this young one out there by himself (no mama or nest anywhere in sight), so I put him in my plastic container that had held my goulash leftovers. I first laid some Monkey Grass that I pulled out of the ground, and added my napkin to help keep him warm.

When I had gotten back to the office I added more soft napkin paper I had in my desk drawer.

              

After work it was suggested by my daughter that I try and see if PetSmart, the local dog, cat and more pet store, would care for him. They said no, and suggested I  call a wild animal control office.

    

I did call one listed in the county, whom I thought could help, but he said he only removed unwanted squirrels from homes - not take them in. So I took Little Orphan Chuckie home with me. He was still sound asleep. I made up a nice cardboard bed, with paper towels and such, until the next step was determined the following day.

And yes, I had been careful not to have Zoe Girl Martin, our miniature Dachshund, know we had company. She likes to sleep herself anyway.

When I checked on him later that night Little Orphan Chuckie seemed to be doing OK. I would try again to find him the proper care he needed. I hoped he would hang on until then.

In the morning I brought Chuckie with me to work, knowing that he needed food and water, but not knowing how to give it to him. He wouldn't suck on the sponge I had tried the night before. If only his mama had been around, but maybe she had been killed by a car or something. I didn't know.

During my lunchtime I checked on him where I had kept him in my car, in the cool parking deck. He was still sleeping in the small box lined with the toilet tissue. I felt his own warmness as I held him in my warm hand. I was thankful for the Lord giving him continued life.

After I got off work at 4 pm, I took Little Orphan Chuckie first to the Humane Society, a few miles down the road. They said they only took in dogs and cats, but gave me a map to the Charlotte-Mecklenberg Animal Care and Control Center, near the Charlotte airport. So I headed there.

On the way I held Chuckie in my hand, to keep him warm. His heart was barely moving, but at least it still was. I spoke life into him, asking the Lord Jesus to keep him alive so someone could really care for him. I prayed; I breathed onto him; I spoke the Lord's Name into his being - believing for his ongoing life.

Once I got to the care center, the lady at the counter had a young girl take Chuckie from my hand, and then they would contact a rehabilatator. I asked if he would live, and she said they would try as best they could.

My heart was a bit heavy as I left. I know this was just a little baby squirrel, maybe just a few days or week old if that, but my attachment to him was more than a guy my age, at 58, would normally have. Maybe it was just the Lord showing me that His heart is for all His Creation - those unborn, those living a hurtful life, or many having grown old and then being all alone in those aged years.

Maybe He was showing me that my having a heart for this little one would continue to enlarge my heart for His full purposes for all creation. I am grateful for that.

Maybe He had something bigger in mind, and this was just a step in that direction that I needed to take. I didn't want to miss His direction. You know, many missed the little baby born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, because they were expecting more of a grand entry from the long-awaited Messiah.

On the way home, the Christian song of MercyMe,  "I Can Only Imagine" came on the radio. The Light 106.9 FM radio announcer in Asheville, NC said his grandfather had just passed. He choked up. I couldn't hold it much either.

And then, as is so common with the Lord, out of His abundant love, there was a beautiful cloud formation in the sky. That spoke a lot to me.

After all is said and done, the amazing love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, shines down upon all of us. He shares new creative life with us daily - in the small things and in the large. We just have to have our eyes, and heart, open to see them.

Be blessed in sharing your love today with someone. Be blessed in knowing of His love for you.

Ahava (love in Hebrew) to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

P.S Two days later I went back to the church park. I thought I'd look around for mama squirrel, just in case I missed her before. Instead, I found two of Little Orphan Chuckie's siblings. They didn't make it, and had a horrible death.

This little incident was just an entry way into something bigger the Lord had planned. I will share that in my next Ahava Love Letter (#71). Just as a hint: Oskar.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858.

Please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless Israel with our humanitarian ministry. 

Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH  OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards:www.loveforhispeople.org/support

If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box 414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)

Please share this Ahava Love Letter with your friends.

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

             martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin  and  Love For His People    

  

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter 

Blog: http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com   

     

Full website: www.loveforhispeople.org

YouTube: Steve Martin (loveforhispeopleinc)

Ahava Love Letter #70   “Little Orphan Chuckie"  ©2013 Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2013 (08/22/13 Thursday at 7:555 am in Charlotte, NC)

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog:

 http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com   

     

Here are the last few:

Demons & Fire Trucks (#69)

I Like Mike (#68)

Disappointed with Small Beginnings? (#67)

Rise Again (#66)

The Cities (#65)

How can You Mend A Broken Heart (#64)

Anxious (#63)

Hidden (#62)

Get Back in the Boat (#61)

Need Money? (#60)

Rejected? (#59)

In Your Building – Guard Against Distractions (#58)

Connections (#57)

Your Name (#56)

Lost, But Not Forgotten Friends (#55)