Thanksgiving Give Away–My Signature Fragrance!
On a recent speaking trip I had the great honor of spending a few nights with a new ministry friend who graciously opened her home to me.
Her hospitality was especially precious as she too was flying in from some back to back travel. We actually drove to her home from the airport together. Hosting guests is a challenging enough process without adding not having been home yourself for 10 days.
As we stepped up to her front door a big FedEx box waited to greet us. My friend squealed with delight as she realized it was some perfume she had ordered online. “It’s my SIGNATURE scent” she announced. “They don’t carry it in stores much anymore so I have to seek it out and order it”. That particular scent mattered so much to my friend that she took the time to SIT and SEARCH and INVEST in wearing it.
I remember as a brand new follower of Christ I attended a Bible conference with a friend. At some point during the conference a woman who was seated behind me, tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a piece of paper with 2 Corinthians 2:15 written on it. She said, “The Lord told me to give this to you and to tell you that you smell good to Him.
Wow! I was stunned.
I was brand new to God’s Word and had never read this verse. It not only blessed my heart to think that Jesus thought I smelled good but that He TALKED to this lady!! I knew she must be somebody really special.
I still have that note marked in my Bible 30 years later.
I have learned so much since that day, about “smelling good” to Jesus and to others. I have learned that becoming and being “the aroma of Christ” requires many of the same things my friend experienced in securing her “signature scent”.
It requires taking time to STOP, to SEARCH and to INVEST in time with Jesus.
His Signature Scent is worth everything to me.
Has there ever been a time when someone shared a verse of scripture with you that you STILL remember?
I am going to take a tiny blogging break to take some set apart time with the Lord this month to STOP-SEARCH and INVEST in the Lord.
While I am quiet, I would love to hear your voice!
I would LOVE to send someone my favorite store bought SCENT this month as an act of Thanksgiving. I will run this until November 19th!
It is SO easy to have a chance to win!
Just share your favorite scripture and I’ll enter your name in my drawing 🙂
My favorite bible verse is a toss up between Acts 18: 1-17, and Ephesians 3: 20-21.
I had to glorious opportunity to go on a mission trip with Praise Choir from Lubbock Christian University, in May 2011. We partnered with Eastern European Missions to hand out bibles and sing for Ukrainian/Greek people whom had never head the word before.
While in Athens, Greece my choir and I had the privilege of visiting the Parthenon, hearing Paul’s speech on Mars Hill (in ANCIENT Greek), and also visit Corinth. While in Corinth, we visited the actual place that Paul was tried and acquitted, as written in Acts 18. Seeing the remains of buildings, and walking on the same dirt as Paul, himself, did not only fascinated me, but I was brought to tears. While seeing the site of this historic place, my choir and I began to sing “Now to Him”, a song written about Ephesians 3: 20-21. My life had changed completely because I knew from that moment on I knew that God really was capable of doing more than we imagined. Saving my heart after an abortion, and even saving Paul from a town of angry sinners.
He is so awesome.
Oh my Shannon, thank you for this beautiful story. Isn’t it amazing to find God all over the world 🙂 I am honored ot have your story here first!!
Blessings,
Pat
Well, my scripture story is just a miracle, really. In 1 Peter 2:24, “But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds (stripes) we are healed”. About 5 years ago, my mom got really sick. I remember her calling to me when she was in the bathroom. She was spitting up blood. I rushed to call EMS. She ended up being in the hospital for 2 months with something the doctors could not figure out. The hospital kept calling around to see if they could get another gastro doctor involved. Finally, a great doctor found something. She had a small hole behind her stomach that needed stitches and care asap. She got that care she needed and I really believe that God used that doctor to find something nobody else could. She is doing very well now. I just praise God for her healing and I believe Jesus healed her by his stripes. I will always believe that and tell the world that Jesus heals!
I love that scripture also Amy. Praise God for your Mom’s healing. I have seen God as Jehovah Rapha so often! Blessings to you!!
Pat
A long time ago a lady from my church gave me a birthday card with Is.61:1 written inside. I didn’t understand it at the time but after God brought me to a place of healing I now think of this verse when I head out to the pregnancy vented each Thursday. Isn’t that neat?!
Oops- pregnancy center. Its hard typing on my kindle!
Love these stories Amy and Anita, thank you for sharing!!
Pat
Jer 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Those words are on a plaque over my head in my office Jackie, LOVE that one 🙂
Blessings,
Pat
I am about half way through Surrendering the Secret through a group at church….I am so grateful for this healing journey, as hard as it is. The verse I’d like to share is Isaiah 43: 18-19. I have loved this verse for years
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Thank you Pat!
Kim, thank you. God IS doing a new thing isn’t He. I will stop and say a prayer for your STS experience. Please let me know how you feel when you cross the “finish line” my sister.
Blessings,
Pat
I remember learning of this beautiful gospel. It was the most wonderful thing my ears, my heart, and my soul had ever heard. Three weeks into learning about it, I had to confess my secret to the campus missionary who had been bringing the Gospel to me. I was so worried that this secret would be what held me exempt of this good news that I had been devouring. I had always expected to be exempt. (That’s what we do, right?) Then she showed me this verse, and some others. It was like this water that had been so refreshing to my parched body, was again delivered to me, and in a gold cup. Isn’t God abundant like that?
This is the verse:
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12.
It was what God used to silence the lie then whispering lie that I had heard previously shouted in my ear for so long, and it was done! Praise God. The power is in HIM and His Word!
Oh my Kristie, this verse gives me sweet chills 🙂 if you know what I mean.
Just Imagine—He FORGIVES my wickedness and does NOT remember my sin!!!
Oh my.
Love this verse, Thank you!
Pat
When our children were ages 5 and 2, I began reading Isaiah 41:10 to them when putting them to bed. Within 2 weeks the 2 year old was reciting it to me. I had petitioned our Lord for a verse to calm their fears at night. As they grew and faced “life”, I have repeatedly reminded God of His promises to them in that verse…and realized they were His promises to ME for my children!!!
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
Debbie, don’t you love how scripture clings to the hearts and MEMORIES of our babies.
My daughter still teases me today about leaving the house each day with “Whatever you do in Word or Deed do it ALL to the Glory of God”. Col 3:17 ringing in her ears!
Love this!! Blessings,
pat
Before I got this job, my Bible Study leader told me to make a list of everything I wanted in a job, then ask for it. The day I made my “wish” list, I received an email from a friend who told me he had been praying for me and the Lord gave him a Scripture for me. Guess what the Scripture was? Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
God is faithful – He gave me everything I asked for in this job – in fact, He gave me more than I asked for just because He loves me! Thank you, Pat, for this opportunity. You are awesome and such an inspiration!
Cindi,
I am so thrilled that God placed you in the right place! Your faith walk inspires me!!
My love to you lady,
pat
Hello Pat:
Since following CHRIST I truly see how GOD has always had HIS hand on me…I was abandoned by my mom when I was 2 1/2 was in various bad situations, made lots of bad decisions, and have various medical conditions. But I know I would not be able to have the compassion and heart for GODs people that I have without these experieces so I am thankful for them and thankful for how they have shaped me into what GOD would have me to be…so my favorite scripture passage is
Romans 5: 1-5 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith we have peace with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHIRST, through whem we have gained access by faith inot this grace in which we now stand. And we REJOICE in the HOPE of the GLORY of GOD. Not only so, but we also REJOICE in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perserverance, character, and character HOPE, and HOPE does NOT disappoint us, because GOD has poured out HIS LOVE into our hearts by the HOLY SPIRIT whom HE has given us.”
Thank you for all that you do!!!!!
Blessings
Maria
Revelation 12:11 Seriously, Pat, before my training for STS I hadn’t really taken in what that verse means. It has become my life verse now. It is even on the back of my Jeep now. The least that I can do for my Lord and Savior and for my child awaiting me in heaven is to share our story. What an honor it has been to be a STS leader for the past year. I have had the opportunity to walk beside 19 women as they trek that mountain. What a blessing it is every time I make myself vulnerable and share my testimony, so that others can come to know TRUTH, GRACE, and FORGIVENESS.. what an awesome year it has been!!! I prayed for this opportunity for 8 years, and I’m so very thankful that God lead me to you, to STS and to the woman’s center I volunteer at. God is so very good!
Pat,
My husband has spent several years in poor health and has had many emergency room visits and close calls. One night after taking him in for chest pains I was sitting outside on the curb at UCH crying out to the Lord and opened my Bible to Psalms 91:14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.” I find myself still reciting it two years later frequently. It was a tangible answer to my prayer and a reminder that God is with both of us.
Blessings,
Ellyn Lastinger 🙂
What a beautiful story!
My favorite verse is Habakkukk 3:17-18…Many times God has blessed me through it, and the one instance I remember happened just a few weeks ago when I lost both my wallet and my student ID at the same time. Without the student ID, I wasn’t be able to enter back to my dormitory and without my wallet I couldn’t drive since it had my license in it. As soon as I realized the loss, I began praying.
In less than fifteen minutes, I got two phone calls.
One was from a maintenance man who found my ID and returned it to the nearest dorm and they found my number in the directory, and the second one was from a stranger who found my wallet, recognized me on the photo on the license (I used to work at the library and many people knew me) and returned it there.
Even if the grapevine does not bud, even when the wallet gets lost, I will rejoice in the Lord my Savior 🙂
First, I love all the inspiring stories! My favorite verse .. I have a hundred (ha) but I will choose one … mine would also be Ps. 91:14-16 (NIV) that the Lord placed on my heart regarding my son in 11/01.
The Lord had been working on my heart in Spring 2007 … I told the Lord I wanted to have faith like Abraham and during that time the Lord asked me two questions: 1) Who do you say “I Am?” And I told him what I knew in the Bible and how he has worked in my life. 2). Remember what I have done. Then in the beginning of June, 2007, on my way home from a trip, the Lord told me He was going to “revolunize” my prayer life.
After we got home my son called and came over as soon as we got home. He shared he was diagnosed with brain cancer, a malignant gioblastoma multiforme. A doc. app’t was scheduled with a surgeon that next week. I spent alot of time talking with the Lord and crying. I remembered what the Lord had told me to “remember” I remembered what He told me about my son years before … now this was my “faith” test. We had two baby fawn laying under our apple trees which has never happened and not since. I felt like the Lord was showing me “peace” … I had met with my mentor and a prayer group that prayed over him … I told the Lord that I loved my son and he was all I had (I had aborted two children) … and then I said okay Lord he is yours to do as you will for your glory. I continued the conversation that no one can share his story like he could or reach the people like he could. The Lord had given me peace. He told me to speak “life” over him .. so I bought a recorder and recorded verses of life in it as well as an.other recording then I prayed over him and had him listen to it before he had surgery He had also told me to “pluck the fruit form the waiting room”. There were some people from my church waiting with us. I told them they could go pray for other people or witness (I was looking for the ripe fruit). Doc. came and said they removed half of the tumor and would treat it with chemo and rad. and they said it was a astrocytoma grade 4 did all they could. I told them that is what I needed to hear that that’s all they could do because now it is in the hands of my God. He said he hoped so … When he was in ICU recovery, he had three seizures and it finally stopped. I stood over him praying and I felt the grip of a hand on my shoulder thinking it was my husband … and I looked and there was no one.. it was my Heavenly Father there with me. My son was in so much pain … he got to come home where he did well for a few weeks and then the pain was so bad I had to take him to the hosp. as he was in with the doc. a man was sitting next to mei n the waiting room. I didn’t feel like talking but the Lord nudged me to start a conversation and I did … I spoke with him about Jesus and then my son came out and he began to share Jesus with this man and the man asked Jesus to be the Lord of his life (he was the fruit in the waiting room 🙂 ) A month later, my son decides to take a college class although the doc. didn’t want him to but he did well (yes he was taking chemo and radiation). Spring semester he took a class and did well. It is now 2012 and by the Grace of God, he is doing well and lives out of state … still single but truly inspiring .. he goes to the Int’l House of Prayer. He sent me two trees this fall one for his sister Julianna and brother Matthew that was planted in their memories. Faith … Like Abraham, hold on to what God has told you and Remember His Faithfulness. God bless each of you and thank you Pat for leading the way. Carolyn
Hey Pat, right now, my favorite is the end of Philippians where Paul ends with “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your spirit.” I love that! We’ve suffered several sudden deaths in my family this year and sometimes there are no words or deeds that are comforting but knowing the grace of the Lord is with my spirit and my loved ones brings sweet peace. That’s my favorite right now! God bless you!
Pat, I always remember having to write a report on love when I was in about high school.
I graduated in 1979; so around that time frame!
You introduced me to Corinthians 13:4-8:
Love is Patient; Love is Kind. It does not envy; It does not boast; It is not proud. It does not dishonor others; it is not self -seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects; always trusts; always hopes; always perserveres.
Love never fails. But where there are phophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
I remember you helping me and encouraging me to not be scared to speak to the class; it was God’s words; not my own!
I don’t necessarily remember giving the speech (blocked that out, and have not done public speaking since! but you handle that part very well! 😉 ) but those words and that encouragement have always been with me….
just saying! 😉 And I remember getting a good grade and a comment from the teacher that it was brave of me to stand up and speak about my faith!
Love you big sis!
P4
Oh ladies, Thank you so much for your input and precious stories.
I am going to let my Julianna draw a name from a bowl on Monday. I think I will video tape her doing it and post it on Monday.
I wish I could “sweet smell” everyone of you!!!
Love and Blessings,
Pat
Pat, I am a Surrendering the Secret trained leader. You may remember I won your poetry contest last year. I recently wrote a book called My Big Dead Rabbit all about my healing journey. The night before it was published I was having anxiety about revealing my dark secret to the entire world. I was doing a prophetic journey in my church called The Esther Experience and that night we were supposed to be treated to perfume. I don’t wear perfume so I prayed and asked God if there was one scent I would wear for Him, what would it be? I walked up to the altar and I told the girl I wanted her to chose. She pressed into my hand a little vial that said OUTSPOKEN. It is now MY signature scent and it is how He created me to be. It also led me to finish the back cover of the book.
“Her pregnancy was unspeakable. Her abortion was unspeakable. This is the story of the journey that gave her the courage to be oustpoken.”
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
One of the verses that was shared with me – was done so indirectly. When my grandfather was dying, my grandmother and brother claimed Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Years late, when my brother was also dying (of the same cancer), my grandmother sent him a clip with this verse on it and told him to remember the time they held on closely to the verse.
We had it engraved on my brother’s headstone – and it’s a verse that has not left me since. It means so much for me to know this was a special verse between my grandmother and brother and a promise that God made me and has, of course, been faithful to the promise.
Oh my Cathy, precious. Many blessings girl!
Pat
A very special lady gave me a note card once with Ephesians 1:17 printed on it. “I have asked God to give you the Spirit of WISDOM and REVELATION so that you might know Him even better!” I love how God reveals Himself to us through His Word. How you can come across a verse you’ve known for years and suddenly it jumps right off the page and you see it in a way you never have before. It delights my soul!
I am so THANKFUL you prayed that verse over my life and still keep that note card in my Bible all these years later!
Kelly,
You made me cry in my Prayer Chair today 🙂 Love you girl! YOU are delightful!
Pat
BTW–EVERYONE pray for Julianna today–she has an important test; we will draw this afternoon!
xoox
p
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My favorite Bible vs is “Trust in the Lord With all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Prov. 3:5-6
It’s so challenging to NOT lean on my own understanding, but when I acknowledge that God is directing my path, my life is lived according to HIS will (not mine – surrender, surrender, surrender!)