_Blog Post - Summer Book Club - Punky Tolson

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02 Jun _Blog Post – Summer Book Club

Posted at 21:13h in by Michelle Earney

Are you on Instagram? C’mon and do a little life-on-life with me!

So… every day is #NationalPetsDay in Gigi’s Wo

So… every day is #NationalPetsDay in Gigi’s World!!

@bluegrassfrenchies

♥️ The fool says in his heart, “There is no

♥️ The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1

♥️ The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

♥️ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3

♥️ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

xo P♥️😎

Lorica of Saint Patrick
From the breastplate of Sa

Lorica of Saint Patrick
From the breastplate of Saint Patrick
I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,  Through a belief in the Threeness,  Through confession of the Oneness  Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today  Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,  Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,  Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,  Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom…

I arise today Through God’s strength to pilot me;  God’s might to uphold me,  God’s wisdom to guide me,  God’s eye to look before me,  God’s ear to hear me,  God’s word to speak for me,  God’s hand to guard me,  God’s way to lie before me,  God’s shield to protect me,  God’s hosts to save me  From snares of the devil,  From temptations of vices,  From every one who desires me ill,  Afar and anear,  Alone or in a mulitude.  
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,  Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,  Against incantations of false prophets,  Against black laws of pagandom,  Against false laws of heretics,  Against craft of idolatry,  Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,  Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.  Christ shield me today  Against poison, against burning,  Against drowning, against wounding,  So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,  Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,  Christ on my right, Christ on my left,  Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,  Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,  Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,  Christ in the eye that sees me,  Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,  Through a belief in the Threeness,  Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation
St. Patrick (ca. 377)

Your soul needs… desperately craves… “breath

Your soul needs… desperately craves… “breathing room.” Breathing Room is the place we make and the time we take to be with our God; to sit in silence in the presence of our Abba Father; listening to him first.

But the world is fighting against us in this. The enemy of your soul would love nothing more than to keep you and me from intimacy with our God.

So we’ve got to practice, as the Psalmist writes:

Waiting
in *silence*
for God—

Your heart needs it.
Your mind needs it.
Your soul desperately needs it.
And your spiritual strength depends on it.

Get away from the noises.
Put away the distractions.
Practice silence in the presence of God.

It will not be easy.
You will have to fight for it.
But your soul is craving it.
Your God is craving it for you.

It will be worth it. Start small—5 minutes…and keep at it. A little every day will begin to make a big difference in your heart, mind, spirit… and your intimacy with the Lord!

I love y’all!
xo P♥️

Happy 11th Birthday, sweetest little Gigi Girl! Yo

Happy 11th Birthday, sweetest little Gigi Girl! You’re our hilarious little smidget and we love you so much! #lifewithGigi ♥️
@bluegrassfrenchies

This girl is on her way— and golly, are we ever

This girl is on her way— and golly, are we ever going to miss her! @aliciakientz has been an absolute blessing to our lives, personally, and to the Tolson Group ministry for the past 2+ years where she has served wholeheartedly with an amazing array of God-given gifts, talents and abilities; working with excellence in all she’s done in the realms of social media, marketing design, writing, and creative media production, in addition to helping coordinate the Gathering of Men events. Her work has impacted many lives and enriched the work of this ministry tremendously. What Alicia has contributed will continue to “bear much fruit,” and we are truly grateful to God for her.

Personally, Alicia has been a joy to get to know and spend time with— office chats and rich conversations about the deep things of life and faith; laughing, sharing life together; swapping recipes, health and nutrition tips… she’s just a lotta fun to have around!

We knew this day was coming as we watched Alicia pursue her Masters Degree and then graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary. And here we are, with such mixed emotions as she leaves us— sad to not have her in the office, but beyond thrilled for her to launch out into what God has called her to do as a Licensed Professional Counselor!

We are so proud of you, Alicia, and we love you dearly! As Dr. Seuss said, ‘Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.’ And we do 😃…and we will keep you in our prayers, thanking God in our every remembrance of you for your friendship and sweet partnership in his Gospel— and now as you serve Him in this new and very important work (Phil 1:3-5).

God bless you, sweetheart! You are greatly and dearly loved by The King!

xo Punky & John, Michelle and Emily ♥️♥️♥️♥️

{From Team Punky}

Happiest of Birthdays to you,

One of the more comforting verses to me is “I wi

One of the more comforting verses to me is “I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of righteousness and justice… For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, who says to you, Fear not; I will help you! Fear not… I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:10, 13, 14).

There it is - right there in the God-breathed, living-and-active, authoritative and inerrant, very Words of YOUR GOD… 3 times: “I WILL HELP YOU!” and He will!

You do your part, do your best, and God will do His part to help you. So, kick that panic to the curb and relax into this year with God’s help, under His loving and watchful eye. He always does what He says He will do, and He’s already told you that He will help you. That’s His promise to you. Believe Him. Take some time to just… be. Be with Him. Let Him set your pace for this new year. Run YOUR RACE at YOUR PACE and don’t try to keep up with everyone else. FOLLOW the Good Shepherd and He will lead you, not chase you. He will set your pace - a pace that enables you to FLOURISH; to be what He created you to be, and to do what He purposes for you to do in this new year.

I love y’all!
Xo-P❤️

Happy Birthday to the G.O.A.T. !!!!! My man… gos

Happy Birthday to the G.O.A.T. !!!!! My man… gosh, I love him! And I won’t tell you how old he is because you would just accuse me of lying (and I can’t have y’all calling me a liar). Happy birthday, John Tolson! Our lives are better because of you! Thank you, Lord! ♥️

@drjohntolson

What if you prayed faithfully, daily, for one year

What if you prayed faithfully, daily, for one year to put God first… What do you think your life would look like?
Think that through. Putting God first is not just a novel idea; it’s a command. And Jesus said it’s the most important—the greatest—command in all of Scripture: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:36-38). In essence Jesus is telling us that you and I are to love God first, most, and best- with all that we are and all that we have.

Begs the question: do I?

Do you?

It’s not natural to love God or anybody else first, most, and best. What’s natural for you and me is to love ourselves first… and we are outstanding in that effort, aren’t we?

As I thought this through it made me wonder, as Christ’s follower, shouldn’t I be continually asking for this—to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind? Isn’t that the response we should have? (It is.) Since it does not come naturally to do the most important thing God has commanded me to do, I clearly need some supernatural help—by the power of the Holy Spirit—to do so. Because if God’s Word says to do something, we are to pray for the Help to do it…and then actually do it.

So, we ask for the Help we need to do what God’s commanded us to do. About ten years ago I made it my prayer to love God m
ore than anything; I wrote it out and I prayed it every day for that year, and it has stuck with me ever since.

I love y’all!
Xo-P❤️

I love this quote from Jim Elliot. Reminds me of a

I love this quote from Jim Elliot. Reminds me of a verse I pray nearly every day— I’ve personalized it below:

“Satisfy us [me] in the morning with your unfailing love, that we [I] may sing for joy and be glad all the days of our [my] life.”
Psalm 90:14

The fat of this world (Egypt) can never satisfy us—but only leaves us wanting. Only in Christ can we find true satisfaction— “…in wells in a famished land, not the river of a fat one.”

♥️ In what are you trying to find satisfaction?

“There is a river which does not fail; seemingly Egypt is without famine. But God wants me to find my satisfaction in wells in a famished land, not the river of a fat one.”

**Excerpt from The Journals of Jim Elliot pp. 14-15

xo P♥️

Hey Orlando Friends! A NIGHT TO REMEMBER is almost

Hey Orlando Friends! A NIGHT TO REMEMBER is almost sold out… and we don’t want to miss seeing you! So, grab your ticket quick!

Make checks payable to
The Gathering
PO Box 541537
Orlando, FL 32854

Happy New Year! xo P♥️

Happy New Year! xo P♥️

How are you going to make the most of 2022? What’s your plan for living the most effective life that God has purposed for you?

Download The Four Priorities Planner and then join me as I walk you through how to use it. It’s a very practical and doable tool that will set you up to live out Ephesians 5:14-17 and take aim at what matters most in 2023.

You can download it from The Tolson Group website or my website! Also check out my podcast episode, #70 | Using the Four Priorities Planner, to hear some tips on how to make the most of this planner and why it matters!

I love y’all!
Xo- P❤️

We created The Four Priorities Planner to help you

We created The Four Priorities Planner to help you do the best you can with your own life — with God’s help, with God’s power, and for God’s glory. Download from the link in my bio!

I love y’all!
Xo- P❤️

He has come to us. He has come for us… this Holy

He has come to us. He has come for us… this Holy God wrapped in flesh… this Prince of never-ending P E A C E! Get to know him and you *will* love him! Read the Bible. ♥️

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:6-7‬ ‭

I love y’all!
xo P♥️🎄

In all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, let’s not forget to remember the REASON for this season! The Gospel is GOOD news and is God’s JOY to this world!

I love y’all!
Xo- P❤️

Only one woman in history has had the experience t

Only one woman in history has had the experience that Mary had. The blessed Word of God leaves enough room in her story to make me wonder what on earth that young, unmarried pregnant-with-God’s-Son girl must have been experiencing? The mental weight of what she was bearing is unimaginable to me. How did she hold it together? How could she even breathe?

I believe the answer is there for us in the Scriptures. Mary’s prayer in Luke 1:46-55 shows us that this young girl knew her God personally, trusted and believed Him fully— in breathless awe, fear and wonder. And yet, so much of what she experienced she couldn’t even put into words. Some things are best left pondered, treasured deep within our hearts, shared only between God and us.

Maybe, like Mary, you’re carrying the weight of something that is overwhelming. Maybe you need the Breath of Heaven to hold you together today? Jesus is here, now, ever near you, holding you together.

“He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him” (Colossians 1:17). xo – P ♥️

Life is hard and often hurtful— and no doubt som

Life is hard and often hurtful— and no doubt some of you are not so very happy on this thanksgiving day. But we can still have a thankful Thanksgiving no matter what.

I’m glad that in Christ Jesus, happiness or unhappiness does not determine my ability to be thankful. The Bible says that “in every situation, no matter what the circumstances— be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Regardless of our circumstances, there is always something— many things...many reasons, in fact— to give thanks to God. I know that if you start right now and recite some of the things it will shift your heart upward, starting with the first and greatest thing: The gift of salvation that God has given us in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is everything, friends… every reason to be thankful is right there in that name: JESUS!

Do you know him? Have you received God’s gift of grace to you in Jesus Christ, to set you free from sin that wants to kill you eternally, and give you new life now and for all eternity in the presence of our very good and loving God? Today would be the best day to do that— to make him your Lord, your Savior, your Redeemer, your Friend. He will give you 10,000 reasons to be thankful… forever.

And you can pray right now—
Lord God, I confess that I am a sinner in need of salvation, that I have offended you with my sin, and that only Jesus can save me. I receive your gift of grace, to forgive me of all my sin— past, present, and future— to reconcile me to You, and to give me a new life, a new way to live by the power of your beautiful Holy Spirit, with peace in my heart and mind knowing that my eternity is certain and secure with You. Thank you, Father God, for my salvation and for your great love for me. I now put my trust in my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Help me, everyday, to follow him, to know him better, and to love him all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please see my notes below in comments! And know that you all are greatly dearly loved by The King!

God bless you and have a THANKFUL Thanksgiving!
xo P♥️

Life is hard and often hurtful— and no doubt som

Life is hard and often hurtful— and no doubt some of you are not so very happy on this thanksgiving day. But we can still have a thankful Thanksgiving no matter what.

I’m glad that in Christ Jesus, happiness or unhappiness does not determine my ability to be thankful. The Bible says that “in every situation, no matter what the circumstances— be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Regardless of our circumstances, there is always something— many things...many reasons, in fact— to give thanks to God. I know that if you start right now and recite some of the things it will shift your heart upward, starting with the first and greatest thing: The gift of salvation that God has given us in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is everything, friends… every reason to be thankful is right there in that name: JESUS!

Do you know him? Have you received God’s gift of grace to you in Jesus Christ, to set you free from sin that wants to kill you eternally, and give you new life now and for all eternity in the presence of our very good and loving God? Today would be the best day to do that— to make him your Lord, your Savior, your Redeemer, your Friend. He will give you 10,000 reasons to be thankful… forever.

And you can pray right now—
Lord God, I confess that I am a sinner in need of salvation, that I have offended you with my sin, and that only Jesus can save me. I receive your gift of grace, to forgive me of all my sin— past, present, and future— to reconcile me to You, and to give me a new life, a new way to live by the power of your beautiful Holy Spirit, with peace in my heart and mind knowing that my eternity is certain and secure with You. Thank you, Father God, for my salvation and for your great love for me. I now put my trust in my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Help me, everyday, to follow him, to know him better, and to love him all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please see my notes below in comments! And know that you all are greatly dearly loved by The King!

God bless you and have a THANKFUL Thanksgiving!
xo P♥️

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