| Greetings!
As 2009 quickly passes, do you find that your ability to believe God for the supernatural is diminishing? Are you weary of the struggle, tired of hoping in vain?
Easter is fast approaching - the time when we celebrate the Lamb who shed His blood, the veil that was torn, the tomb that is empty...and yet at this very season, the faith of many believers is at an all time low. Why? After all, our faith should naturally surge when we consider the victory that we have in Christ Jesus?
The enemy's number one target is your faith! In John 6: 28 Jesus is asked what we must do to work the works of God. He answers, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." - To BELIEVE!
Beloved, the way to victory in your life is through faith. Everytime we see God move from Heaven to earth in the Bible it is because He found someone who believed - someone who exercised real faith. Wherever faith waivers, God's hands are tied.
When Jesus visited his own home town, He was unable to do mighty works there because of the people's unbelief. "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith" (Mark 6:5-6). If Jesus came to your home town today, would He be amazed at your lack of faith?
Honestly, if we saw an instant healing today, we would consider that a mighty miracle. And yet Jesus longed to do so much more in Nazareth...but He could find no one who exercised real faith. I say "real" because many of us think we are walking by faith, when in reality we are walking by a spiritually suffocating substitute.
The way to victory in our Christian life is through faith:
- More than through prayer. We can pray until we are blue in the face, but unaccompanied by real, Biblical faith, our prayers will accomplish nothing.
- More than through works. Success does not come by the amount of work we do for God. Only faith makes it possible for God to operate in our lives. Unless God operates in him, man operates in vain. Even Jesus said, "Of myself I can do nothing."
But tragically, the majority of Christians today who profess bold faith have no idea what real, Biblical faith is, much less how to exercise it in their lives.
To be completely candid, even though I have known and lived by strong faith in years past, I still find myself becoming complacent, and lazy in faith. Even slowly adopting a standard that I accept as faith, but is really a fake out - sure to cause me to flake out! And fast!!!
Recently, God strongly convicted me of gradually substituting hope for faith - a spiritually fatal pattern. After a while, I no longer distinguishsed between the two, mistaking my hope for faith.
Hope says, "I believe God can. I believe God will." But it does not say, "I believe God has." BIG difference! Hope does not possess. Faith does! Hope does not move God. Pleading for sympathy does not move God. Just as God saved us by grace through faith - not through hope, or mental assent, or human effort, or fear of hell, or pleading upon God's sympathies, but by FAITH alone - God continues to work in a Believer's life by the same mechanism of faith.
Sadly, we have come to substitute many things in our lives for faith - buying the enemy's deception and fooling ourselves into thinking that we are operating in "faith", when in fact, we are living a lie according to God's standard.
, if I thought I were departing for Heaven on April 3rd and I could say but one last thing to you before I go, it would be the message God has laid upon my heart for Passionate Pursuit on April 2nd. "Don't Flake Out! Get Rid of the Fake Out: Move beyond powerless substitutes to effective, Biblical faith."
There is nothing that can radically change your life like the concept of real, Biblical faith. No matter how often we have studied it, heard it, or even taught it ourselves, we all need frequent refresher courses from God in how to live by faith.
I urge you to come to Passionate Pursuit Thursday, April 2. Bring a friend, your Bible and paper for taking notes. This word from God will rock your world! It is gloriously rocking mine!!! Join me in a Passionate Pursuit and let's experience God's promised reward.
"...for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" Hebrews 11:6 (emphasis added).
I look forward to seeing you there!
Your Sister in Christ,
Natalie Nichols
President,
Shades of Grace Ministries
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 Passionate Pursuit
A Joyful Journey to
More of Christ
Ladies, join us every first Thursday of the month - 6:30 p.m.
Above: March Passionate Pursuit
The Hotel Fredonia (see more below)
200 North Fredonia Street
Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
You are invited to share coffee, dessert and an uplifting time in God's Word with Natalie Nichols, founder and president of Shades of Grace Ministries.
Join us as Natalie leads us on a Passionate Pursuit to know Jesus and the power of God's Word more intimately each day.
Mark Your Calendars Now!
April 2
Music by Grateful Heart
With beautiful harmonies, humble hearts
and soaring songs, Grateful Heart leads
listeners in sincere and true worship.
Vein of Silver with Sandra Nichols. With effortless humor and engaging candor, Sandra shares nuggets of godly wisdom.
Faith in Spoken Times - Developing Effective Faith.
Don't Flake Out! Get Rid of the Fake Out: Move
beyond powerless substitutes to real, Biblical faith.
May 7 - "For Promised Times" - How we develop rewarding faith.
Invite Your Friends!
Forward this email to a friend as their invitation.
Admission: No Charge
RSVP online or by phone at 936.569.8741.
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Scenes from March's
As the coming of Spring
promised new life and hope, we celebrated during March's Passionate Pursuit the new life that is found in Christ and the hope that it brings. We were encouraged as Natalie brought a message of how this new life enables us to demonstrate unwavering faith in hard times. |
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Above: Kelly Floyd, Chay Runnels and
Ruby Woodard |
Above: Paula Fenton, Haley Fenton
and Cortney Hooper |
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Above: Sandra Tyler, Charlene Rees,
Jessie Lanier and Margie Rodriguez |
Above: Betty Claunch, Pat Blacksher
and Kathy Williamson |
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Above: ReAnna Burnett and Tina
Whitehead |
Above: Deborah Kirby and Valerie
Murphy |
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| Above: Debra Brewer and Lori Pruitt |
Above: Portia Gordon, Wanda Russell
and Ruby Grant |
A time of fun, fellowship, and CHOCOLATE!
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| Above: Jessie Lanier, Sandra Tyler, Alex Berry, Charlene Rees, Lori Pruitt, Jean Pruitt, Angie Newsom and Debra Brewer |
Above: Julia Friel, Anne Thomas, Margie Rodriguez, Betty Claunch, Delores Block, Deborah Kirby and Amanda Beck |
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| Above: Ali Massingill, Deanna Thompson, ReAnna Burnett, Tina Whitehead, Michelle Calhoun, Lib Tuck and Dawn Schaeffer |
Above: Sandra Nichols, Natalie Nichols, Cindy Nichols, Jules Brooks, Adrianne Bentley, Brandi Brittain and Valerie Murphy |
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| Above: Vicky Dudley, Paula Fenton, Haley Fenton, Cortney Hooper, Bethany Stephens, Kelly Floyd, Chay Runnels and Ruby Woodard |
Above: Kathy Williamson, Sue Beavers, Pat Blacksher, Portia Gordon, Wanda Russell and Ruby Grant |
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| Above: Dayna Stanaland, Jennifer and Kathryne Horner, Gerry Morrow, Shirley Montagne and Mary Ellyson |
Above: Sandra, Elizabeth, and Joanne Cook, Sherry Barger, Nadine Townsend and Leigh Ann Dixon |
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Sherry Barger, Leigh Ann Dixon and Nadine Townsend blessed us through the song "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!" |
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Sandra candidly shared her wisdom during the "Vein of
Silver" segment. |
Natalie brought an encouraging message about developing unwavering faith in hard times. |
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Natalie led the women in song as they placed their prayer requests on the trees. |
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Door prizes were donated by Julia's Salon and Shades of Grace. |
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Above: Jean Pruitt and Angie Newsom |
| Natalie prayed over the women in attendance. |
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| Above: Nadine Townsend, Sherry Barger and Leigh Ann Dixon |
Above: Sandra Tyler and Ali Massingill |
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| Above: Melinda Malloy, Adrianne Bentley and Brandi Brittain |
Above: Valerie Murphy and Nadine Townsend |
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| Above: Shirley Montagne and Mary Ellyson |
Above: Jules Brooks, Ali Massingill, Natalie Nichols and Michelle Calhoun | | |
 Discover Natalie Nichols and
Shades of Grace Ministries In the midst of severe illness caused by undiagnosed Lyme Disease, Natalie Nichols came to rely on God's Word to comfort and sustain her. Now through Shades of Grace Ministries, she shares how you and your loved ones can experience God's comfort and grace through life's trials.
Our Mission
The core mission of Shades of Grace Ministries is to lead others to seek and apply the Word of God in every circumstance of life.
Our Vision
Shades of Grace Ministries desires to see a world where every Christian walks by faith and stands upon God's promises as found in His Word.
 Watch Natalie's Journey
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 Grateful Heart
With beautiful harmony, humble hearts and soaring songs, Grateful Heart leads listeners in sincere and true worship. |
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with Sandra Nichols |
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Natalie Nichols
Faith in Spoken Times: How to Have
Effective Faith
Thursday, April 2
6:30 p.m.
The Fredonia Hotel
200 N. Fredonia Street
Nacogdoches, TX 75961
Invite Your Friends!
RSVP online or by phone at 936.569.8741
Admission: No Charge |
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News and photos from
last month's
see below! |
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