While we CANNOT control what others say and do...we CAN control how we choose to let it affect us. Have you ever watched a toddler throw a temper tantrum? It’s a crisis for the moment until the parent catches their attention and changes their focus to something else. We don’t have to let a bad moment become a bad day! Just because some person, place, thing, or situation is neither kind, nor going the way we expect, we don’t have to let it take us hostage for the rest of our day and control our attitudes and actions towards ourselves and others. "We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions." Big Book pg. 88. Lord please bind this thought into our hearts so that in time of stress, pain, or emotional imbalance we don't let the words and actions or others take us hostage with fear or anger, AMEN. "Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger." James 1:19 Have a blessed day y’all! Furniture Bank has helped many folks this year with a HAND –UP as they worked with various organizations to gain skills and jobs to escape homelessness and, helplessness to gain self-respect and self-sustainability!! Your gifts, donations, prayers, and financial support made this possible! Families, veterans, elderly, physically and mentally challenged, as well as others are now enjoying homes filled with furniture and furnishings as they rebuild their lives. MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ALL donations to Furniture Bank are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and 100% goes toward helping the families, veterans, elderly, and other individuals in need. You can donate any amount for a tax deduction and tax receipt, BUT…. a gift of either $400 as an individual or $800 as a couple to Furniture Bank, Inc. a 501c3 public charity, can also reduce your tax bill to the State of Arizona by that amount dollar for dollar! It’s easy and you can make a big difference on how Furniture Bank can further help our families and individuals in need. http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

When WANTS overpower NEEDS…. There are few rules of life that I try to go by to keep my wants from overpowering my needs. For instance, I don’t go to the grocery store hungry, and I try not to make big decisions until I have had a chance to think it through, pray about it, and get advice from those I trust. I also try to respond instead of react. Now perhaps it’s different for you, but I have learned that my WANTS seem to be fueled by my pride, fear, resentment, and or greed. That puts me deep in self-will and away from God's will for sure. Check your experience… "The greatest enemies of us are resentment, jealousy, envy, frustration, and fear." Big Book pg 145 Lord help us to check our motives and efforts so that our self-will does not lead us to fear, resentment, or greedy actions, AMEN. "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it." James 4:1-2 Have a blessed day y’all! Hey friends please check out Servants Hearts! http://ServantsHearts.us it’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! Furniture Bank, Spiritual Solutions Group, and Advocate Phoenix are please to share the newest free service from Faith Through Works Fellowship! It’s Phoenix based for now. Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! http://ServantsHearts.us

We become a product of the environment around us. Some of the things that influence our thoughts, actions, behaviors, and lives are good for us. Some are social, cultural, and even spiritual. Fashion, clothing, fit eating and living are a few of many good influences we experience. I am still waiting for Leisure suits and mullets to come back into style! Then there is the environments of peer pressure, self-serving desires of the ego, pride, and negativity. These environments can lead to bad choices, poor decisions, and hurtful habits. What actions, attitudes, and behaviors are we tolerating and allowing to influence us? What are we feeding our hearts, minds, and spirit? Check your own experience folks... To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worthwhile.” Big Book pg 66 Lord open the eyes of our hearts to show us the things we need and the illusions we don't, AMEN. "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance." Luke 8:15 Have a blessed day y’all! New Year - new outlook! Grab a daily shot of positive and inspiration with daily devotions with the Big Book and Bible combined looking at the things we face daily! Paperback and Kindle versions are now available!! Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries! Please order yours today and help us help others!https://smile.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Pastor-Mark-Devotionals/dp/1980273847/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_3905707922?_encoding=UTF8&fbclid=IwAR3RLzbmtLsgcZTuXS6qO1oPfeZffMfyIyEnZD3fc8XmyDIO8CqmnS1tRGA&ie=UTF8&keywords=pastor+mark+farley&qid=1524849607&sr=8-3

What do your eyes focus on?... Have you ever considered that our eyes have the ability to not only help us see, but also to direct our actions based on our vision? We also make adjustments based on what our eyes see. When something is hard to see we increase our focus. We either put on sunglasses to shield our eyes from intense light or we turn on a light to see through darkness just to name a few. The point is, we naturally react to what our eyes see. We even look away when we see something unpleasant or uncomfortable. When we constantly see negativity with our eyes and do nothing to adjust our focus, this in turn, affects our thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Ultimately, repeated negativity can influence the spiritual eyes of our heart causing it to harden and block out the Holy Spirit. How are you adjusting your focus away from negativity and chaos?.. Check your experience…“The outlines and the promise of the New Land had brought luster to tired eyes and fresh courage to flagging spirits.” Big Book pg 53 Lord, let us direct our eyes away from negativity and chaos to allow the spiritual eyes of our heart to show us Your grace and love in each situation we face, AMEN. “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:2 Have a blessed day y'all! Furniture Bank has helped many folks this year with a HAND –UP as they worked with various organizations to gain skills and jobs to escape homelessness and, helplessness to gain self-respect and self-sustainability!! Your gifts, donations, prayers, and financial support made this possible! Families, veterans, elderly, physically and mentally challenged, as well as others are now enjoying homes filled with furniture and furnishings as they rebuild their lives. MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ALL donations to Furniture Bank are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and 100% goes toward helping the families, veterans, elderly, and other individuals in need. You can donate any amount for a tax deduction and tax receipt, BUT…. a gift of either $400 as an individual or $800 as a couple to Furniture Bank, Inc. a 501c3 public charity, can also reduce your tax bill to the State of Arizona by that amount dollar for dollar! It’s easy and you can make a big difference on how Furniture Bank can further help our families and individuals in need. http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Renewal notices… In the midst of all the posts, communications, and statements concerning New Year’s resolutions, there is another movement taking place. Folks are renewing stuff too! In our home we have car tags up for renewal along with a few memberships. Heck at 57 I can now RENEW my AARP membership and get discounts! Aside from all this fiscal and physical activity, we can also take this time to renew …get it…RE – NEW…our spiritual life and relationship. New Bible studies and devotions are a great way to start just to name a few. What are you doing to RE-NEW your spiritual life?... Check your experience…“Renewing my resolve, I tried again” Big Book pg 5 Lord, let us renew our relationship with you as this new year begins. Help us to open our hearts and minds to seek and do Your will, AMEN. “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” Ephesians 4:23 Have blessed day y’all! Furniture Bank has helped many folks this year with a HAND –UP as they worked with various organizations to gain skills and jobs to escape homelessness and, helplessness to gain self-respect and self-sustainability!! Your gifts, donations, prayers, and financial support made this possible! Families, veterans, elderly, physically and mentally challenged, as well as others are now enjoying homes filled with furniture and furnishings as they rebuild their lives. MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ALL donations to Furniture Bank are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and 100% goes toward helping the families, veterans, elderly, and other individuals in need. You can donate any amount for a tax deduction and tax receipt, BUT…. a gift of either $400 as an individual or $800 as a couple to Furniture Bank, Inc. a 501c3 public charity, can also reduce your tax bill to the State of Arizona by that amount dollar for dollar! It’s easy and you can make a big difference on how Furniture Bank can further help our families and individuals in need. http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Remember the story about the 3 little pigs and the big bad wolf? If you don't then Google it, but if you do then you will know the moral of the story. We are only as safe and firm as our foundation and the materials we choose to use to build with. I have seen this throughout my life. From the choices I have made to the habits, rewards, and even consequences that have come from them, I have learned that I have to make sure I am building onto my foundation with solid spiritual principle materials to protect me from the challenges that can and will come my way. What is your foundation built upon? What spiritual materials are you using? …Check your experience…. "It has been repeatedly proven among us that upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built." Big Book pg 47. Lord let us build our foundation of faith with the materials of Your Word, AMEN. “I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” Luke 6: 47-49 Have a blessed day y’all! Furniture Bank has helped many folks this year with a HAND –UP as they worked with various organizations to gain skills and jobs to escape homelessness and, helplessness to gain self-respect and self-sustainability!! Your gifts, donations, prayers, and financial support made this possible! Families, veterans, elderly, physically and mentally challenged, as well as others are now enjoying homes filled with furniture and furnishings as they rebuild their lives. MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ALL donations to Furniture Bank are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and 100% goes toward helping the families, veterans, elderly, and other individuals in need. You can donate any amount for a tax deduction and tax receipt, BUT…. a gift of either $400 as an individual or $800 as a couple to Furniture Bank, Inc. a 501c3 public charity, can also reduce your tax bill to the State of Arizona by that amount dollar for dollar! It’s easy and you can make a big difference on how Furniture Bank can further help our families and individuals in need. http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Didja make a New Years Resolution or a DECISION?.. These is a huge difference between a resolution and a decision. Resolutions allow us to claim a change and support a thought while requiring little or no action. DECISIONS are based on actions that come from thoughts that motivate us to apply changes to our thinking, behaviors, and actions. Resolutions sound good but DECISIONS bring about the needed action required for change. We have a fresh slate of 365 days folks, what’s it gonna be for you?...Check your experience… “To be vital, faith must be accompanied by self-sacrifice and unselfish, constructive action.” Big Book pg 93 Lord, let us apply the actions to bring about the needed changes in our lives, AMEN. “See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness.” Isaiah 43:19 Have a blessed day y’all! Furniture Bank has helped many folks this year with a HAND –UP as they worked with various organizations to gain skills and jobs to escape homelessness and, helplessness to gain self-respect and self-sustainability!! Your gifts, donations, prayers, and financial support made this possible! Families, veterans, elderly, physically and mentally challenged, as well as others are now enjoying homes filled with furniture and furnishings as they rebuild their lives. MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ALL donations to Furniture Bank are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and 100% goes toward helping the families, veterans, elderly, and other individuals in need. You can donate any amount for a tax deduction and tax receipt, BUT…. a gift of either $400 as an individual or $800 as a couple to Furniture Bank, Inc. a 501c3 public charity, can also reduce your tax bill to the State of Arizona by that amount dollar for dollar! It’s easy and you can make a big difference on how Furniture Bank can further help our families and individuals in need. http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html