Sunday Bible Verse

Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
He turned the sea into dry land;
They went through the river on foot.
There we will rejoice in Him.
Psalms 66:5-6

Merry Christmas!

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7

Merry Christmas!
Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You!  <3

Sunday Bible Verse

Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.”  Selah.   Psalms 66:3-4

Sunday Bible Verse

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious.  Psalms‬ ‭66‬:‭1-2‬

Sunday Bible Verse (delayed)

But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.  Psalms 59:16-17

Sunday Bible Verse

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let your glory be above all the earth.
Psalms 57:11

Sunday Bible Verse

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.  Psalms 115:1

Sunday Bible Verse

Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.  Psalms 30:4-5

Sunday Bible Verse (Delayed)

This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalms 118:24,29

Sunday Bible Verse

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  ‭Proverbs‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬

Adventures Island Index

All 7 parts to the pilot season of Adventures Island are now available to read!  To read each part, click on any of the links below, and they will automatically take you to that page of my blog.

As always, you can leave any comments or share my posts with your friends.  Enjoy!

Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You! <3


Adventures Island: Part 1: Initiation

Adventures Island: Part 2: Introduction

Adventures Island: Part 3: Ignition

Adventures Island: Part 4: Intell

Adventures Island: Part 5: Inspection

Adventures Island: Part 6: Intersect

Adventures Island: Part 7: Interrogation

Sunday Bible Verse

Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD.
Psalms 31:24

ADVENTURES ISLAND: PART 7: INTERROGATION

Fred and Bill were lounging in their office when Serina, Kate, Alan, James, Jessica, and Patrick came to confront their employers.

Alan held open the door, and James bursted in first.

"What is the meaning of this?" James demanded.

"I'm sorry?" Fred asked with a startled countenance

"This not a natural island, is it?" Patrick continued.

"Of course not.  That is why you were hired to search it out," Bill answered.

"You told us it was some sort of strange island that could have been the sight of many adventure books," Serina said, "this was put together by people.  It didn't just happen to turn out this way on it's own.  What is the deal?"

"There is no 'deal', miss McPatch," Fred replied, "it is as we have said, a place we discovered and wanted explored."

"Stop lying," James commanded.

The two men looked at each other in fright, for James was a man of great stature, and he intimidated them.

Bill pulled out papers from the desk and laid it out for them to see.

"What's that?" Alan asked.

"They're plans for an amusement park," Patrick answered, "they were sold this island, and they needed someone to test the sights."

"They were going to earn a lot of money for this place, too," James observed.

"Why would you lie to us, and put our lives in danger like this?" Kate asked, upset.

"You were not in danger," Bill started, "we took precautions.  You were very much safe."

"This island is way too dangerous to make into a tourist attraction," said James.

"That is why you are here, to test the facility, and to improve its safety features," Fred replied.

"Lions, wolves, and creatures of unknown species does not classify as being safe," Patrick upsettingly proclaimed.

"I was not hired as an scout, I was hired as a guinea pig," Alan continued, "being lied to makes this even worse!  Why couldn't you have just told us what we were actually doing?  If you had only told us, we would not have come in here so upset like this."

"Please accept our most sincere apologies," Fred begged.

"We may forgive you, but you have lost six employees," James answered.

Everyone left Fred and Bill, all alone, in the office.

Serina was in dismay.  She had no job, no money, and soon would have no place to call home.

"What do I do now?" She said aloud.

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"This job was the only way I was going to keep my apartment," Serina explained, "I prayed to God, asking if this was from Him.  I believed it was.  But after all that has happened, I don't know what to do."

Nobody had an answer for her.  But then, Fred and Bill came rushing out of their office.

"Wait!" They called, "Don't leave!"

"Why not?" James asked, still angry.

"We have a proposition for you," Fred started," we did not do this right, and we would dare ask if you will permit us to try again."

"You may continue," James replied.

"We really need you to work for us.  You would be hired as testers for our exhibits.  You would safe-proof the attractions and adventures."

"We are not ..."

"Wait."

Serina cut James off, and did not let him finish what he was about to say.

"We are not qualified safety inspectors, and the adventures you have here are not safe for the public, even with any changes you might make.  But, I believe that if you were to make other adventures less dangerous for the general public, that would be better.  And, you could set apart a VIP section for adventures that would require a guide.  You could rehire us as testers, and guides, for those sections.  This is my offer."

Everyone silently thought about Serina's offer.  Then, Alan said, "I second her offer."

Fred and Bill looked at each other, and then told their former employees that they agreed to the terms.

Everyone else agreed as well.

And so, the adventures began.

Sunday Bible Verse

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!  Psalms 27:14

ADVENTURES ISLAND: PART 6: INTERSECT

As Kate and Serina were trying to find a way to the surface, Alan was leading Jessica, James, and Patrick to the place where he left his group.

"What's that?" Patrick asked, pointing to a rock. 

This was the rock Kate and Serina had found earlier, that stood out of the ground, and looked like a door.

"It sure is strange," said James.

"Is it possible that your teammates went through this door?" Jessica asked Alan.

"I suppose," Alan answered.

James opened the door, and said, "I don't think they went in here."

"Why not?" returned Jessica.

"There's nothing here."

Patrick took a peek.  "There is something," he said, "but it's hard to focus on it."

"It's stairs!" Alan gasped.

The four of them went down the stairs, but came to a dead end.  They turned to go out, but couldn't see.  The door had shut, taking away their only source of light.

Alan quickly pulled out a flashlight from his back pack.

The small party of explorers started to search for a way out.

Meanwhile, Serina and Kate made their way to the castle, that the other team had found before.  They sought the exit, but something unexpected happened.
As the two of them were walking, Kate noticed that Serina was very quiet.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

There was no answer.

Kate looked to her left, but Serina was not there.  She turned to her right, but she was alone.

"Serina!" Kate exclaimed.

Serina had disappeared.

Kate continued walking, hoping she would find her friend.

As she walked through the castle, she saw that she was still below ground.  Then she heard noises.

"Serina?" She said.

More noises sounded, and it was not Serina.  Creatures came out of the shadows, from all directions.

Kate held up her sword in defense, as she backed into a corner.

She seemed trapped, and these creatures were not friendly.

She looked in all directions for an escape, and realized she was standing on Jell-o-ello.  She looked up, to see a shaft leading straight to the surface.

She waved to the creatures, and jumped as hard as she could on the Jell-o-ello.  She went flying to the top, and landed gracefully above.

The creatures did not know how to do the same, but they were learning.

Kate quickly looked for a way to stop these creatures.  She saw Serina run from the castle, she had found a way out.  Kate then saw a pile of the explosive dust.  She stuck her sword into it and ran away.

"Serina!" She called out.

"Kate!" Serina returned, "where were you?"

"Run! Run!" Kate shouted, "it's going to blow!"

"What?"

"Under here."  Kate picked up a sheet of Neo.

Kate and Serina got under it, and the castle exploded!

"How much powder did you ignite?" Serina asked in surprise.

"A whole lot more than we tested."

Kate's sword came flying from the fire, being propelled from the explosion, and landed right beside Kate and Serina.

"That sword is indestructible!" Serina exclaimed.

"Another souvenir," said Kate.

"Another?" Serina asked.

"Come on, we have to find Alan," Kate said, as she helped her friend to her feet.

"What was that?!" Alan asked in surprise after the explosion.

The ground shook, and dirt fell on their heads, as Alan and the other team were still under ground.

"AAH!  We have got to find a way out of here!" Patrick exclaimed as he frantically searched for anything that might lead to an exit.

"Calm down, Patrick," James comforted as he put his hand on Patrick's shoulder, "panicking is not going to help."

"What's this?" Patrick said.  He found an electrical panel in the wall of the tunnel.  He began to work on it, and the door up top opened.

Alan and the team came to the surface, and saw smoke coming from the direction of the castle.

They ran towards it, and met up with Serina and Kate.

"What happened?" Alan asked.

"All sorts of crazy things," Kate answered, "who are your new friends?"

Alan introduced everyone to each other, and then they each told what had transpired on the island.

"All I know is, God has kept us safe through this whole trip," Serina summed up.

"Amen to that," James returned, "but I think we need to speak with our employers."

So the teams made their way back to base.

Wednesday Post

Thank you for continuing to read the Adventures of Serina and her new acquaintances, and the Sunday Bible Verses.  There are only two parts left to Adventures Island, Intersect and Interrogation, which will be posted the 16th and 23rd of this month.  I hope continue to read and enjoy!

Elizabeth :)
Jesus loves you! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.  Psalms 18:30

ADVENTURES ISLAND: PART 5: INSPECTION

Serina and Kate were exploring the caves more, discovering the different abilities of the substances Kate had found.

The first one they checked out, was the flexible orange stuff, that was in the form of sheets.  They played around with it for quite sometime, throwing things at it, trying to cut it, and lifting it.  It was light and durable.

Serina, who was very excited, promptly named it "Neo."

"Why that?" Kate asked.

"It's a bright neon color, and it's cool," Serina explained.

"I suppose it could be useful.  Too bad it's all too big to fit in our packs," Kate thought aloud.

Serina put her hands together.  "What's the next thing?" she said.

"Over here."  Kate led her to the next room.

"Hmmm... It's silver, and powdery," Serina examined.

"Yeah.  You got a name for it?"

"Nope."

Kate stood the sword on its end, the sharp tip of the blade down, going into the floor of the cave, and... BOOM!!!  A small explosion took place, right at Kate's feet!

"Whoa!" Kate screamed, as she jumped back, nearly falling over.

"What just happened!?" Serina yelled.

"I don't know," Kate squeaked.

"Is this gun powder?" Serina asked.

"No," Kate answered, "this is something different."

Kate pinched a small amount of the silver dust, sat it aside, and then touched the blade of her sword to it.  Two seconds, and the pinch of dust ignited.

Soon, Kate and Serina were experimenting with the dust, in the empty cave room.  They tried all sorts of other items, like plastic, wood, and fabric, to see if they could set it off. The only thing that made the dust explode was metal.

They tried different amounts of dust.  The bigger the amount of dust, the bigger the explosion, and the longer it took for it to ignite.  The smaller amount, less bang and less time.

Earlier, they were not able to cut the sheets of "Neo," it was impossible with their equipment, so they placed a sheet in the room with the powder.

Kate set off the bomb like material.  After the fire stopped, Kate and Serina checked out the Neo.

"It's a little warm," Sernia observed, "and still intact.  It didn't blow up!  It doesn't even have damage!"

"Okay, this stuff could be useful after all," said Kate.

"So, the Neo seems to be indestructible, and this silver dust is ignited by metal only!" Serina continued, "We still need a name for it, though."

"Explosive Dust?" Kate suggested.

"No, that's not it."

"We have one more to look at," Kate told Serina, "Then we can find a way out of here."

The two walked into the room where the third substance was.  It looked like giant mushroom-shaped bubbles, and it was purple, and in several different sizes.  They discovered that it was very bouncy.  They could jump from it, quite far, or, if they were gentle enough, walk across the purple lumps, in an airy sort of way.

"Jelly!" Serina exclaimed, "No, Jell-o! No.  Um... Jelly Belly, Jelly Lilly, Jelly Pad.  Oh! Wait, I've got it.  Jell-o-ello."

"What?" Kate was confused, "Jell-o-mello?"

"No, ello.  Jell-o-ello."

"Okay, if you say so.  How about we look for a way out of here?"

"Which way should we start?" Serina asked.

"Let's start with the tunnel that spirals upward," Kate answered.

So, their journey continued.

Sunday Bible Verse

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10

ADVENTURES ISLAND: PART 4: INTELL

Alan walked on the island for a long time, all by himself.  He liked it, being alone.  So many things were going on back home, that he took the job as an escape.

But this quietness would not last long.

He climbed into a tree.

"They didn't give us a time limit," he thought, "they just wanted us to map the place."

He closed his eyes.

He soon opened them again, when his arm was poked.

He looked to his side and saw three people looking at him.

They scared him, and he fell out of the tree.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"We were hired to explore the island," the woman answered.

"That's what I'm here for," Alan said.

"That's what we are all here for," one of the men replied.

"What's your name?" The second man asked.

"Alan."

"Well, Alan," the second man continued, "My name's James, this is Patrick and Jessica.  We were hired to map out one third of the island."

"Were you teamed up with two other people?" The woman named Jessica asked.

"Yes," Alan replied.

"You must find them immediately," said Patrick, "this is a dangerous place, and should not be explored alone."

"What do you mean?" Alan asked.

Jessica told him their story.

They were hired to map one third of the island, just as Alan's team was.  But this team was put on a different section of the island.

The team walked around for quite sometime, and then they found a castle.

"Uh, should we go inside?" Patrick asked.

"I don't know," Jessica answered.

"I guess we could, just to see what's in there," said James.

They were still a small distance from the castle, and as they walked towards it, a lion came to them, from behind a tree.

"A lion?" Alan interrupted.

"Yes," Patrick said, "strange, isn't it?  A lion on a tropical island; I have never heard of such a thing.  That was our first clue that something was wrong."

They continued their story.

The lion stared at the three of them, and growled at them.

"What should we do?" Jessica asked quite frightened.

"I don't know," James replied.

As they stood there, two lion cubs walked out from behind the tree and kept going.

"Perhaps the lion is protecting his babies," Patrick stuttered.

Jessica slowly reached into James' back-pack and got out an energy bar, then she threw it past the lion.

The lion turned around to check the bar out.

The three explorers backed away, and then ran to the castle.

When they were safely inside, they saw that the castle was very dirty, and seemed very old.  There was overturned furniture covered in cobwebs, dust and dirt everywhere.

They called out for any persons who might be in the castle with them, but there was no answer.

They explored some more, and found an access to underground tunnels.

They decided to keep exploring above ground, and was soon confronted by bats and wolves.

They quickly made their way to the tunnels, finding safety under ground.

They walked down the tunnels, finding open spaces like rooms, with different colored substances in each.

They eventually found an exit.  On their way to the exit, they heard noises.

"What was that?" Jessica asked.

"Nothing like I've ever heard before," James answered.

"I suggest we continue towards the exit," Patrick said as he jogged to the exit.

They quickly came out, and found themselves nowhere near the castle.  They had walked only a few minutes more when they found Alan.

"Lions, wolves, bats, these should not be on a tropical island where the climate does not match that of their own habitats," Patrick stated, "This island is not natural.  There is something going on here, more than we were told."

"We must find the other two on your team, and confront our employers to tell us the truth," James said.

Sunday Bible Verse

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

ADVENTURES ISLAND PART 3: IGNITION

Serina and Kate were going down the mysterious stairs they had found.

After having taken only ten steps, Serina focused her eyes towards the top of the staircase, where the door was, and it looked as though they had taken twenty!

"Kate!" Serina uttered in amazement, "Look!"

Kate turned up her head and saw the same sight.

"How strange..." Kate gasped.

"Should we keep going?" asked Serina.

"I don't know."

Kate was a little disturbed by this illusion, and began to lose her excitement for adventure.

"Maybe we should go back up," Serina suggested.

Kate agreed. 

They began to climb the stairs.  But then, something went wrong.

As they tried to ascend, the top got further away.

They started to run up the stairs.  Suddenly, Kate and Serina fell into a hole in the wall.

They rolled down a dark tunnel, and came to a stop, about 25 feet from where they started.

Kate got up, and found one of their flashlights.  She looked around, but there was no climbing out.  It looked as though there was more tunnel that they could walk through.

Unfortunately, Serina was knocked out from the fall.  Kate thought to wait for Serina to wake up, but after about 15 minutes, she got an idea.

She got out some rope from her backpack, and some from Serina's.  She tied the two together,  and then to Serina's arm, and to her own.

Kate started walking through the tunnel, and then came to what seemed like a room.  On all sides of this hollowed out area, there were more tunnels, each one leading to somewhere different.

She decided to check each one out, as far as the rope would allow her to.

The first tunnel spiraled upward, and the second led to a room filled with an orange substance that was flexible.  The third tunnel led nowhere, and came to a dead end, but the fourth was full of silver powder.  The fifth had giant bubbles of purple, bouncy stuff, and tunnel number six spiraled downward.  The last one seemed to continue forward, but had a sword, lying in the walkway.

Kate tried to pick up the sword, but the rope was not long enough for her to reach it.  However, she was determined to get it.  She tried getting on the floor to grab it.  When that did not work, she reached out her leg, stretching as far as she could, only touching the edge.  She kept reaching, trying to scoot it with her foot, and she got it.

She returned to Serina, who was just waking up.

"Hey," Kate said, "are you alright?"

"My head hurts pretty good," Serina answered, "where are we?"

"I don't know.  But there is some weird stuff down here.  Can you get up?"

"I think so."

Serina tried getting up, she was rather stiff, but she made it to her feet.

Kate and Serina traveled down the tunnel to the hollowed out area.  Kate explained what was in each tunnel, and Serina wanted to see the orange, purple, and silver substances for herself.

So Kate took Serina to check them all out.

Mid-Week Update

Hello again!  I hope you are having a great week, and enjoyed Friday's episode of Adventures Island. There will be a new part to the story this Friday, the 25th, titled Ignition.

Also, today is not only "Humpdaaay!!"  But this is also the first day of Fall!  That means colder weather, falling leaves, Thankginving, football, sweaters, scarves, and Winter and Christmas will be coming soon!

Have a great rest of your week, and enjoy this Fall season!

Elizabeth :)

Jesus loves you! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7

ADVENTURES ISLAND PART 2: INTRODUCTION

Serina McPatch flew in a private jet to Adventures Island.  She had just hit rock bottom, and now she was flying in luxury.

She couldn't wait to meet the two other travelers she was told about, or for their new journey to begin.

Serina peeked out her window to see the large, green mass, floating in the water below her, that she was about to explore.

After landing, Serina was introduced to Kate Lou and Alan Terrell.

Fred and Bill, the two who offered Serina this job, gave the explorers a map, a compass, survival gear, food and drink, and special clothing to keep them protected from the elements.

"The map is incomplete," Bill explained, "it is your job to add to it."

"We are not asking you to complete the map," continued Fred, "but to simply add to it, as much as you like.  When you complete a third of the map, you will get your payment in full."

"Yes," said Bill, "anything extra, and you get paid extra."

The explorers agreed, then they were on their way through Adventures Island!

"Which way should we start?" Kate asked.

"You two can start where ever you want," Alan answered, "I'm going in the opposite direction."

"You're not coming with us?" Serina was upset.

"No," said Alan, "I wanna do my own thing."

Kate and Serina were somewhat offended, but there was no changing his mind.  So the girls went West, and Alan traveled East.

Serina and Kate walked through quite a bit of trees and flowering plants.

To pass the time, the girls introduced themselves further, so that they would get to know each other more.

Kate had tried her hand at many things, but could never get away from the city.  She leapt at the chance to explore an island.

Serina was just the opposite, with one occupational interest, and a ton of experience in the outside world.

After two hours of the same plants, and hardly anything added to the map, they came across a large stone with a door in it.  There were unlit torches on either side.

They went around it, and the stone was barely two feet thick.  It stuck out like a sore thumb, amongst the greenery.

The two decided to check it out further, by opening the door.

"Nothing inside," Serina said.

"No," Kate replied, "there is something, but it's hard to get my eyes fixed on it."

The girls stared at the space in the stone for a minute or two, then they saw it.

A staircase, going down into the ground.

"Uh... should we check it out?" Serina asked.

"I came for adventure," Kate answered, "I want to check it out."

"How are we supposed to add to the map?"

Kate was ready to go in.  "We can map what's down there."

Serina didn't know if they should, but she could not think of a reason not to.  They did come to explore the island, after all.

Serina agreed and the girls went down the stairs.

Wednesday Post

I hope you enjoyed reading about Serina's humble beginning in Adventures Island Part 1.  This Friday I will have part 2 up for you to read.  In "Advenuters Island Part 2: Introduction", you will meet two new characters, Kate and Alan.  Mean while, feel free to browse this blog, and read any of my other posts.

Elizabeth :)
Jesus loves you! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

ADVENTURES ISLAND PART 1: INITIATION:

Serina McPatch walked into her apartment and fell into the couch, one of four pieces of furniture in the whole place.  She sighed and looked around, then she dropped her head into her hands and began to cry.

Serina was fired from her job two weeks ago, and she had been searching for a new job, but no one wanted her.  On top of that, she was told she had two days to leave the apartment, just a couple of minutes earlier.

Where could she go?  What would she do?  She had no one to turn to.  No one to accept her skills.  She was part of an expedition team, now under new management.

"God," she said, with tears, for she was a Christian, "Dear God, what am I to do?  Why have You brought me to this point?"

The next day she searched for a place to stay, but how could she find a place that would take her in, with no money?

She packed all of her things, so that she would not lose any of it when it was time to leave.  But her furniture would have to stay behind.

She just got the idea to sell the furniture when she heard a knock at her door.  Fright fell over her, like a blanket.  She was afraid they were kicking her out early.

She opened the door to find two odd men.

One was tall and thin.  The other was just as thin, but short, with glasses.

"Can I help you?" Serina asked.

"We would like to think that we could help each other," said the shorter man.

"Um..." Serina gave them an odd look.

"I am Fred," continued the taller man, "and this is Bill.  We are here to give you a job."

If Serina had had something in her hand she would have dropped it at that moment; she was shocked!

"What kind of job is it?" She asked after shaking her head.

"Reconnaissance."

"Exploration."

"Gathering intel."

"Uh... please, come in," Serina said, "I'm sorry I didn't invite you inside sooner."

"That is perfectly alright, ma'am.  No worries," Bill replied.

The men told Serina that they had discovered a new island that had been hidden for centuries.  It was the sight of many great, fictional adventures.

When asked how such a thing could be possible, they said that it was hidden from satellite, and it was so large that many different adventures could have been had there, all at the same time.  The adventurers must had written the stories themselves based off of what they had experienced, or had others do it for them. Adventures such as Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, and The Mysterious Island.

"We want you to explore the island for us. You will be with two other people, and you will be paid.  What do you say?"

"I will take anything."

"How does $20,000 sound?"

Serina's mouth dropped.

"Can I be excused for a moment?" she asked, then stood from the couch and walked out of the room.

She fell to her knees and said, "Is this from You, God?" then she thanked God for this opportunity.

She came back into the living room, five minutes later, and said, "I accept."

"Good," the men said at the same time.

"But you have to do something for me first," Serina continued.

"Yes?" asked Bill with a tilt of his head.

"I need an advance of my pay check, so I can keep my apartment."

"Yes, of course.  Right away."

Fred pulled out a check and handed it to Bill, who wrote it out for a thousand dollars.

Serina was soon on her way to Adventures Island.

An Update from Elizabeth

Hello!  I hope you have had a great Summer.  However, the season is not yet over.  While I hope the Sunday Bible Verses have encouraged you, I am excited to announce that my 7 part mini series, "Adventures Island," will have its debut, right here, this Friday.  I will have a new part each week with an illustration to go with it.  I hope you find the story exciting, and I plan to have another "season" soon.  As always, you can follow me by email, leave a comment, or just tell me what you think by clicking one of my reactions buttons below each post.  Thank you for reading, and come back for Adventures Island on Friday.

Elizabeth :)
Jesus loves you! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.  Galatians 6:9-10

Sunday Bible Verse

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17

Sunday Bible Verse

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Sunday Bible Verse

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Sunday Bible Verse

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. -"  Luke 11:9-10

Sunday Bible Verse

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”  Matthew 21:21-22

Sunday Bible Verse

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7

Sunday Bible Verse

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!  Psalms 27:14

Sunday Bible Verse

Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:4-5

Sunday Bible Verse

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ..."
Colossians 3:23

Sunday Bible Verse

I (King Darius) make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

For He is the living God,

And steadfast forever;

His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,

And His dominion shall endure to the end.

He delivers and rescues,

And He works signs and wonders

In heaven and on earth,

Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

Daniel 6:26-27

Sunday Bible Verse

"...But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."

'...So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things.'

Acts 15:11, 17

Sunday Bible Verse

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

Sunday Bible Verse

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Sunday Bible Verse

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8-9‬

Sunday Bible Verse

‬Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.  ‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭34-35

Sunday Bible Verse

Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright. The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.  Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭31-33

Sunday Bible Verse (different translations)

Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.  Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭29-30‬ (NKJV)

Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse anyone for no reason— when they have done you no harm.  Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭29-30‬  (NIV)

Sunday Bible Verse

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ” When you have it with you.  Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭27-28

Sunday Bible Verse

Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.  Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭25-26‬

Sunday Bible Verse (Delayed)

My son, let them not depart from your eyes— Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.  Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭21-24‬

Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Two thousand and fifteen years ago, a young Man, with no possessions except the clothes on His back, no place to call home, no position in society, no political standing, died.  Why am I talking about this?  I have not even given a name.
Many people wanted to see Him, to hear Him speak, to get just a tap on His garment.  Why?
There were people who wanted to kill Him, and others who swore that they would die for Him.  Have you figured it out, yet?

"Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.' "  Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭30-31‬

His name is Jesus.  He was born in a humble stable, where the cows, ox, sheep, and possibly other farm animals were kept; among hay, and most likely dung.  He was never rich, and learned to make things of wood.  But when He was only 33 years of age, He was executed, in a horrible way, after being tortured and mocked.  Everyone deserted Him, even those whom swore their life for His.  Just a week before, people were cheering for Him, praising Him, throwing out their clothes on the ground for the animal He rode upon to walk on.  Then He was wrapped up like a mummy, and put in a small cave for a burial.
Why is this important?  Why do we remember it?  Because it is not the end of the story.  There was a beautiful new hope that blossomed from all the ugly horrors that many cried out for.

"But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.' "   Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭5-6‬

He is risen.

Why is this important?  Why should we care He came back from the dead?  Others were said to have been brought back to life.  This is important because this Jesus is the Son of God, the one true God, the creator of you and me, and all this world, and everything in the universe.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  John‬ ‭1‬:‭1-5

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  John‬ ‭1‬:‭14

"No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."  John‬ ‭1‬:‭18

So, if this Jesus is the Son of God, why did He die so terribly?  Why didn't He keep Himself from going to the cross?  A very simple reason.  To save us from our sins.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."  John‬ ‭3‬:‭16-17‬

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭23‬

"For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus)."  ‭II Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬

" 'Who (Jesus) committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth;' "  ‭I Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭22

If death is the judgment for the things we have done that were bad, whether willingly, or unknowingly, then someone would have to die that never did anything bad, literally.  Who would do that?  Who could do that?

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"  Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬‬

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."  I John‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬

"And you know that He (Jesus) was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin."  I John‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬

"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭7-8‬

Jesus lived the only, truly, righteous life on Earth, and then died for us.  But then God brought Him back from the dead.
Jesus is now in Heaven, the true Heaven, preparing a place for each of His children to live.  Not only does He reside in Heaven, but He also lives within each of His believers, through the Holy Spirit.

"If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.  A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."  John‬ ‭14‬:‭15-21

God has not left us alone.  He is full of Mercy.  He loves us so much, that He made a way for us to live with Him in Heaven.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."  ‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭1-3‬

All you have to do is confess you're a sinner, repent of your sins, and accept Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior.

" 'And where I go you know, and the way you know.'
  Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?'
  Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' "  John‬ ‭14‬:‭4-6‬

"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God."  I John‬ ‭4‬:‭15

"-that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.' "  Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9-13‬

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."  ‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭23‬

That is why we celebrate Easter, because of the promise of everlasting life in Jesus Christ.

Happy Easter!  I hope you had a blessed one, and pray that you have the same joy in Christ as I do.

Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You! <3