3 Purposes of God That Will EMPOWER Your Life

January 2, 2016 Effie Barba

I have so wanted to just sit down and talk with each of you. If I could take your hand and tell you that in the midst of whatever circumstance you are in, God has a perfect plan of love. So, I have decided to do the closest thing I can to that for now. I created this video—this will be my first video podcast just for you. I have spoken on a subject that I find very dear to my heart and believe that watching it will transform your Christian Journey. Learning of these truths certainly transformed mine. My desire is to begin this new year with at least monthly podcasts for you. I will be open to questions or suggestions as to what subjects we may discuss or explore together.

My book, ULTIMATE INSPIRATION, GOD’S PLAN OF LOVE is a more in-depth exploration of this very subject. I will be giving away one signed copy to someone chosen at random from those who leave comments below. Feel free to contact me via the contact page above, leave your comments or place comments on my Facebook Author/Speaker Page. For those who wish to purchase a copy of the book, you may go to http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000465113/Ultimate-InspirationGods-Plan-of-Love.aspx or at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Inspiration–Gods-Plan-Love/dp/1477205918/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1451747889&sr=8-4&keywords=effie+darlene+barba

If indeed, you wish a copy and cannot afford it; please email me. Depending upon the response, I will try to honor you with a copy. Understanding that in the modern book market; I, the author, must purchase my own books from the publisher. So, as I am able and God permits, I will try to fulfill those requests.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2015

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned with of course the exception of my own book for which I receive a small commission from Authorhouse, the publisher. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Christian Blog

5 Secrets to the Happiest Year of Your Life

January 1, 2016 Effie Barba

5 Secrets to the Happiest Year of Your Life

Today, I want to pause to give you 5 secrets to having the happiest year of your life. Ah, but once you know them; they are no longer secrets and be the steps to your best year ever.

The Five Secrets to Your Happiest Year Ever are:

Secret #1: God’s Mercies are New Every Morning

Secret #2: Forget your past failures

Secret #3: Forgive yourself and others

Secret #4: Trust God’s Hand of Love

Secret #5: Recognize that in every trial God has a wonderful, joyous gift that is being unwrapped

That’s it? Yep!! You might think that unusually brief for me; but, those steps are what keep my heart singing with joy and a smile on my face through every circumstance that life’s journey may have thrown at me. So, simple and to the point; yet, so filled with power and truth. Everything else I write points to these secrets of living the Christian life. Everything I write is about helping us abide in Christ. It is about knowing who we are in Christ. It is about finding and fully living a life that is filled with Joy in Christ, Strength in Christ, Grace in Christ, Love in Christ, and Hope in Christ. It is the truth of Christ abiding in us, through us and around us. In Christ, we are set free from all the chains that bind us so that we can live a life which shines forth the joy of knowing, embracing and cherishing God as our greatest and highest treasure. No longer must we be chained to our desires for someone to validate us or love us; He loves us with perfect love setting us free to love others. No longer are we chained to our needs for encouragement; because He is our encourager. No longer are we chained to our guilt or despair; because our guilt and shame died on the cross upon His shoulders—never to be resurrected again. We are free, each morning to seek His face- free from fear, guilt or shame. We are free to march up to His throne of Grace every evening to lay our burdens there at His feet of Mercy and leave them there. We are covered by His Calvary Grace for all of yesterday’s sins. We are given new Grace for this moment and this second. And We are promised future Grace for every moment that lies before us. [bctt tweet=” In Christ, we have all we need to live a life fully alive. “][bctt tweet=”In Christ, our lives can be ever overflowing rivers of JOY, HOPE, LOVE and WONDEROUS GLORY.”]

The song I chose for you today is JOY UNSPEAKABLE by Mandisa. Let this be your song today.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2015

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Christian Blog

How Can Suffering Be The Path To Exuberant Joy?

December 30, 2015 Effie Barba

How Can Suffering Be The Path To Exuberant Joy?

The Bible speaks a lot about Joy—true joy that is found in Christ (Romans 5:11), a joy that will never leave us (Isaiah 35:10) and joy overflowing (John 16: 22, 24). We want that!! Yet, what we sometimes don’t realize is that often it is found through suffering, sorrow and many trials. Our human hearts are born filled with sin. We want to seek happiness and to do it “our way”. Even for those of us who truly seek after Christ as our joy, we fight against the truth that many times our journey to understanding and experiencing real Joy in Christ leads us through great trials, pain and suffering.

As a young Christian, I searched to follow Jesus. Little did I know that my journey would lead me through failure, divorce, abuse, cancer, illness, widowhood, single motherhood, financial disaster, pains, sorrows, loneliness, and so many surgeries! Every step of the journey, God was using to transform my heart. He had to deal with my pride, my selfish desires, my self-exaltation, and my desire to prove to Him that I was worthy of the salvation He had so freely died to give me. I could not truly understand that my Joy was in Him alone; until He swept away all the cobwebs hidden in the deep recesses of my heart. He continues to do that every single day of my life. He continues to reveal those dark areas so that they might be cleansed. As He does that, my view of everything changes. He is able to then fill those corners with a vision of His Glory. As I am able to see His Glory clearer, my heart enlarges to be filled with His Love and His Joy. It is an ever upward and transforming change.

Continue reading How Can Suffering Be The Path To Exuberant Joy? →

Christian Blog

How to Boldly Stand Firm in the Gospel with Love

December 28, 2015 Effie Barba

How to Boldly Stand Firm in the Gospel with Love

There was so much to teach and time was running short. Jesus would be betrayed by Judas within a few hours and He would be going to the cross to complete the Father’s command. He was the Messiah that they had so long awaited; yet, the priests and scholars did not recognize Him. So caught within their own prideful hearts they wanted someone who outwardly appeared more “kingly” by their definitions. They did not want some humble, loving Prince who questioned their authority. They were so wrapped in their own traditions and hunger for power and money that they could not see the truth. They did not really know God despite all the years of studying the scripture. “Remember, my dear friends;” Jesus spoke as He walked toward the Garden, “the world will hate you. It has hated me and because I have chosen you, it will hate you as well.” He continues this conversation from John 15:18 through John 16:3. Indeed, “²They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.³They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.” (John 16, NIV)

“Don’t let your heart be troubled, you will be hated and probably killed for knowing me as your Savior; but, remember this, they hated me.” Not the words of comfort we want to hear in our comfortable homes here in the United States. If we keep silent, maybe no one will notice that we are Christians! Yet, if I keep silent as to my faith; then, am I really a follower of Christ? We have heard the stories of Christians being beheaded in the Middle East. We have heard the stories of Christians being targeted, like the Oregon College Shooter who determined his victims by asking them whether they were a Christian. The early church faced imprisonment and execution because they named the name of Christ. Down through the ages of the church there were true followers of Christ who stood up against the “church’s prideful leaders” These brave preachers of the gospel faced imprisonment, exile and even death by the established church for speaking the truth of Grace.

Continue reading How to Boldly Stand Firm in the Gospel with Love →

Christian Poetry

Poetry Sunday-God’s Song of Love

December 27, 2015 Effie Barba

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing Zephaniah 3:14-17

Zephaniah was written to the nation of Israel during a time in which they had forsaken God. It was a call to repentance as King Josiah reigned. King Josiah had found the books of the law which had been ignored by the people and upon reading them wept bitterly—humbly He worshipped God and lead the people into a revival. Zephaniah also preached a revival song in which he declared that God would in mercy call forth a people of His own. His Love would provide the way of salvation. The Mighty Warrior who was foretold of is Jesus Christ. He would come with such Glory and Grace that all who believed would humbly bow before His throne of Grace—their sins forgiven. The power and the might of my salvation is firmly held in God’s Mighty Powerful Love—He will sing a song of joy over me. He it is that cradles me in His arms of love. I can rest assured in His Arms of love through any circumstance. He will finish all that He has started in my life. Cradled safe in His Arms of Love, I am filled with Joy, Hope, and Peace. I hear His voice singing over me His precious lullabye—victory’s song.

God’s Song of Love

by Effie Darlene Barba

I fell before your precious throne

With broken heart so all alone

My tears were falling like the rain

And then I heard this sweet refrain

CHORUS

I have loved you before the dawn of time

Desired to give my joy sublime

My love held tight

By my own might

Come, dear child, I’ll hold you near

Wrapped in my love there is no fear

Cradled tight within my arms

Safely kept from this world’s harms

I’ll sing my song of love for you

Your hope and joy I will renew

Amazed by grace, my hope did grow

Enlightened heart his love doth know

All fear now gone, I rise to run

For I am God’s dear precious one

As He sang

CHORUS

I have loved you before the dawn of time

Desired to give my joy sublime

My love held tight

By my own might

Come, dear child, I’ll hold you near

Wrapped in my love there is no fear

Cradled tight within my arms

Safely kept from this world’s harms

I’ll sing my song of love for you

Your hope and joy I will renew

So, as I walk this journey here

I’ll love and live without the fear

For I will stand with faith so strong

Because for me He sings this song

CHORUS

I have loved you before the dawn of time

Desired to give my joy sublime

My love held tight

By my own might

Come, dear child, I’ll hold you near

Wrapped in my love there is no fear

Cradled tight within my arms

Safely kept from this world’s harms

I’ll sing my song of love for you

Your hope and joy I will renew

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.