Have you ever been so focused on your mountain (challenge, trial, tragedy) that you couldn’t see the Mountain Mover to save your life?
 
Thanks for joining us for Faith Filled Friday with Debra Dolce and Trench Classes United. Today’s love letter is a great reminder that when we focus on all that is right, whatever is wrong won’t take us down or lead us astray.
 
Love Letter~
 
My warrior, keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable, and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on My every glorious work, praising Me always.
 
Now this will be a full-time job. I desire that you are so filled with Me that all of these are your first response to everything that comes your way. This all begins with the time you spend with Me. One church service a week will not create in you a pure heart.
 
These are choices that you must make in a continual basis as you set your desires aside and be filled with Me. Scripture says to deny yourself, there is no hidden meaning, it actually means to deny yourself, study this. Scripture goes on to say, pick up your cross daily and follow Me.
 
Picking up your cross is about crucifying your own desires, your own way. Which one your ways is better than Mine? Train your thoughts to continually praise Me because this will be the help you need to accomplish everything else. Beloved, remember I am your all in all. 
 
~DebraDolce

May all that you are grateful for be a reminder of all that is good in all your tomorrows.
 
Happy Thanksgiving
Thankful for you
Kim-Evinda

As is our custom at CPM, and Trench Classes United, I’d like to say thank you to all who have continued to support us prayerfully and/or monetarily and those who have been in any of our trenches. I pray that this season of thanks will find your heart and burdens lighter and your perspective about it all brighter.

May you enjoy this poem and may it bring a smile to your face and a giggle to your heart. And despite what 2021 has been, or hasn’t brought, may you find something in your heart to be thankful for.

Twas the night before Thanksgiving all through the house
Every creature was stirring, including the mouse
Everyone was working on all of the fixings
The noise and smells were coming from the kitchen

The children were busy with their tablets and toys
Captured in their games, they made not a noise
While the adults laughed and worked all collectively
What a beautiful sight it was for any heart to see

When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter
Mom ran to the kitchen to see what was the matter
She looked to the left and she looked to the right
She couldn’t believe what was in plain sight

There was broken glass from a favorite platter
And at first glance, she knew it didn’t matter
Everyone was frozen, waiting for her reaction
But she didn’t give the devil that satisfaction

The counters were a mess, preparations everywhere
It looked as though a tornado had just gone thru there
The turkey had flown from the platter to the floor
The poor thing looked like it just couldn’t take no more

The stove was a disaster waiting to happen
full of pots and pans, handles overlapping
The old mom would have immediately gotten on her broom
And painted the atmosphere with a bit of doom and gloom

But the new and improved mom was no longer that way
For she had learned the true meaning of Thanksgiving Day
She stared at each of them and the mess they surrounded
Knowing her response would leave them astounded

Now sons, now daughters, in-laws and friends like family
Is this ever a sight for the eyes of my heart to see?
More than the chaos, the mess on the floor
The memories we’re making are worth so much more

So grab a rag, and a dishtowel too
Here’s one for each and every one of you
Let’s work together in cleaning up this mess
It will only take a few minutes or less

Pick up the turkey, and we’ll wash him off
We’ll stuff him but good and put him in the trough
We’ll baste him all over, and get him ready to eat
No one will ever know we stepped on his feet

And when the morrow comes and we gather for the meal
We’ll be able to discern what matters and what’s real
Faith, family, friends, love and laughter
Help to bring us all the happily ever after

I looked to each of them with tears in my eyes
And said something I had just realized
Oh, why can’t it be Thanksgiving every day?
Loving each other in a Christ-like way

Patience, self-control, love and joy too
Are there for the asking for each of you
We don’t have to wait for a holiday to see
That Christ’s greatest gift is that of family

Joyfully,
Kim-Evinda

​Especially in this season of gratitude and Thanksgiving let us focus on all that is right in our world instead of  The little that is wrong that we may receive the full blessing of Thanksgiving

What would it look like if we practiced gratitude all year long?
Thanks for joining us for Monday’s Message with Abigail Rice and Trench Classes United. May her words fill your heart with unending gratitude
 
Let gratitude set the mood
For I once thought that simply giving thanks
For all the Lord has done and made
Was just a thing you say when you pray
 
But really gratitude is more
Than saying thanks for opening the door
 
Gratitude must be written
Practiced
and listened
To the drops of the dew
As they fall from the roof
While the sun slowly moves
Showing the softness of the grass
Wet with morning damp
 
and here
Here I am
 
Giving thanks
But still feeling torn
Like an old ratty sweatshirt
Tired and worn
 
So I release every thought
and lay every burden at His feet
 
and I let my mind know
He is in control
 
and I am grateful
to have a seat at His table
 
I am grateful
To have a body that moves
and love that proves
That all things are possible
 
Just heed to His cues
 
I thank the Holy Spirit
For walking beside me today
and for the words of guidance
That will not lead me astray
 
For this is the day
The day the Lord has made
and I will rejoice
and be glad in it
 
For today I am great
Grateful
Faithful
and ready to receive all the blessings He has in store for me
 
Lord, let your love run deep
Wash your blood over me
 
Lord, let me see
The vision you have set for me
 
Give me a heart that gives thanks
At each break of day
Until the stars go dim
and we meet once again

~Abigail

When you read the words “to be kissed by mercy,” what comes to mind? I don’t know about you but it’s hard to picture since The One displaying the mercy is unseen.
 
Thanks for joining us for Faith-Filled Friday with Debra Dolce and Trench Classes United.
 
How do we know when we’ve been kissed by mercy? Today’s Love Letter addresses these things. May we all receive daily His kiss of mercy.
 
Love Letter~
 
My dear one, so now draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy's kiss and discover the grace you urgently need to strengthen you in your time of weakness. This is such a good Word for you.  In your time of need, in your time of weakness, to receive mercy's kiss. Isn't that exciting?
 
Sometimes you feel alone or separated but meditate on receiving mercy's kiss. Think of My mercy and grace being poured out upon you. Meditate on My love being lavished upon you. Imagine how you being soaked in My love would change your whole life.
 
Some of your issues are because your ideas; but your thinking doesn't line up with My Word. Lay all those aside and step into the discipline of walking according to My Word. Spend time with Me and in My Word and I will instruct you; I'll guide you along the best path.
 
When you do this, you will continually choose My way and you will know My peace beyond measure and that will bring you the greatest joy that you could not explain.
 
Beloved, My peace and My joy will be with you in the deepest darkest storm so you will know I am with you. 

~DebraDolce

Wasting energy on thinking about a mistake creates yet another mistake but to learn from a mistake…well, that’s now a lesson learned.
Learning and un-learning is the journey of life.
Drop us a comment about what lesson you are learning or unlearning

Love,
Kim-Evinda

She watched her little Aniesi bury her bone, her nose to the ground, pushing leaf after leaf in hope to cover it up so I wouldn’t see it. As I stood there mesmerized by her, I couldn’t help but giggle as the breeze removed a leaf or two, exposing parts of her treasure.

Thanks for joining us for Wednesday’s Word with Kim-Evinda and Trench Classes United.
​
Ahh, she’s a smart one, this Aniesi girl, because she saw right away that a couple leaves had exposed her bone so back at it she went to cover it up. As she watched the 4.7 pounds of pure sweetness scurry almost frantically to re-bury her treasure, the words “bone,” and “truth” wafted to her soul ever so gently. She couldn’t help but smile, knowing that God was whispering to her thru her new fur-baby Aniesi that no matter what others do to cover up the truth, HE would bring it to light.

The assurance settled in her soul and as it did, another truth came crashing into the revelation: God doesn’t need help in exposing the truth!
Talk about a piece of humble pie!

I don’t know about you, but when I know something or someone is deliberately hiding the truth to deceive, I struggle to not run ahead of God and “help” bring it to light for EVERYONE to see! But in my current SOAR (Season of Adultery Recovery) journey, I am learning that to do this is to go against so many of our Father’s principles and promises. He longs for me to live like I believe, to wait on the Lord and in the waiting, He will renew my strength. In other words, if I’m not waiting on Him, why should I receive from him?!

Friend, together let’s ask Father God to grant us the courage to continue to move forward in our circumstances with our focus on Him and not our circumstances that send us running ahead of Him, trying to do damage control. He’s got this!

Love,
Kim-Evinda

Thanks for joining us for Tuesday’s Trench Truth! I’ve been part of a Bible Study for several weeks now, and wow…. love how it is refreshing and strengthening my spirit.

How often do we look at God in times of pain/sorrow thru the lens of pain/sorrow? What if we were to look at Him, to Him thru the lens of His truth, His Word? In other words, instead of me looking to Him, at Him thru the eyes of my recent betrayal, seeing Him thru the eyes of His truth which says that He hurts when I hurt; that He will not be mocked, that He will never leave me or betray me!

Can I encourage you friend to try this exercise? It’s guaranteed to take you to higher ground!

Love,
Kim-Evinda

Though my eyes may slip
My feet wander
They drift
 
My soul always knows
The place it calls home
 
A place where We can meet
Face to face
Cheek to cheek
 
and as the wind blows
I know
That’s You embracing me
 
Taking me into the palms of Your trees
Where the moon shines
A different shade of the night
 
A constellation
As deep as the sea
 
That's where you and Me
We often meet
 
Until this side of Heaven
Becomes Your repossession
and we can finally see
Those that guided our feet
Dear old friend Wisdom
and Spirit of Peace
 
But for now
We just give thanks
 
For each passing moment
Each break of day
 
Relishing in those sweet seconds
Destined
God-breathed
This moment in time
When your heart is finally beginning to see
The good work He has started
and He will finish indeed
 
So hold on
And steadfast
For He will call first
Those that are last
 
So stay humble
But do not hurry,
hasten, or hustle
Let this moment in time
Be when your ego finally let go of your pride
 
and you truly realize
How freeing it is
To step over that line…
 
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness” - 1 Corinthians 3:19

~Abigail