Nov 7, 2020 … Are You In HIS BOOK?!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 312 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Casting Crowns, featuring Matthew West, singing  … Nobody … powerfully singing of how we need to feature sharing the reality of Jesus being the focus of our life’s testimony … so that we can help others to be found in The Lamb’s book of life. 

Is Your Name in His book? ... 

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Highlight Passage:  Luke 10:20 [ESV] ... 

20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 

…   Jesus shows His charged disciples that the importance of them sharing with others is to bring them to be written into God’s Book of Life.    

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Luke 10:1, 17-20 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus shows His disciples that sharing His grace with others has the power of bringing lost souls into God’s kingdom. 

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Reference Passage: …  John 3:16 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  You know this passage; but sharing God’s love and grace with others as Jesus did with Nicodemus is the most important thing we can do in life because the outcome results in souls being listed in the Lamb’s Book of life.   

Reference Passage: …  Romans 10:9-13 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  The Apostle Paul shows that ANYONE who declares openly that Jesus is their Lord will be saved and listed in God’s Book of Life.    

Reference Passage: …  Revelation 20:11-15  [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  In John’s revelation, he saw the Great White Throne Judgment where anyone not written in Jesus’ Book of Life was thrown in the eternal lake of fire.     

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, David H Roper, AT THIS LINK told of a nervous young Christian who was asked to share his testimony at a rowdy fraternity event, …the ultimate result being that a number of those young men were saved and written into God’s Book of Life FOREVER.  

Having taken in today’s ODB entry, …  remembering and re-listening to the linked song, … and then meditating on the Bible verses called to my mind/heart today, I’m under conviction that I could do more to share what Jesus has done in my life; … how I am found in the Lamb’s Book of Life and desiring that all who do what Paul wrote about in Romans 10:9-13 might also confess and repent of their sins and be written eternally in that same Book [see photo]. 

I’m praying that all reading here are listed in that Book and we do all we can to share that joy of salvation with others, … especially those we love whom we feel are not yet listed in the Lamb’s Book.  

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for writing my name in Your Book. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to do all we can to show others how to call on Jesus to write their names in His Book of Life.   … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Nov 6, 2020 … Fruitfulness in Christ

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 311 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from an anonymous worship group singing  … We See the Fruitful Harvest … joyfully singing of how we can expect to see fruitfulness in our lives when we live obediently in an abiding relationship with the Lord. 

Fruitful on the vine ... 

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Highlight Passage:  Isaiah 5:7 [ESV] ... 

7  For the vineyard of the Lord of host is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant planting and He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry! 

…   Isaiah cries out for God’s desire to see fruitfulness for His people … but the Lord will let the harvest go unfruitful when He sees disobedience, injustice and bloodshed.    

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Isaiah 5:1-7 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Isaiah’s picture of the fields going unfruitful when God sees disobedience amongst His people. 

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Reference Passage: …  Jesus 15:1-7 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Jesus shows His inner Disciples in the Upper Room that they will never be able to be fruitful in life without a deep/abiding relationship with Him.   

Reference Passage: …  Romans 1:18-32 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Jesus shows His inner Disciples in the Upper Room that they will never be able to be fruitful in life without a deep/abiding relationship with Him.   

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Lisa M Samra, AT THIS LINK uses the word picture of the grapes in a vineyard going sour because of the way the vineyard was not properly tended.   

And this was the analogy that the Prophet Isaiah used in the OT (see highlight passage) to describe that God would allow His vineyard, i.e, God’s chosen people in Israel, become unproductive if He saw disobedience, injustice, and bloodshed amongst His people.  And we know from biblical history that’s exactly what happened to bring down Israel to Babylon.

And again in the NT, both Jesus, (see John 15:1-7), and the Apostle Paul in  (see Romans 1:18-32), warning God’s people, i.e., His Church, that He will let them become unfruitful if they disobey Him and turn to their own flesh and wicked ways.  But God, in both Isaiah’s imagery and thru Jesus in the NT, promises fruitfulness for those are willing to abide with the Lord. 

And it’s my prayer today that all reading here are among the remnant of those who are tending God’s fields by having a close and abiding relationship with our Lord, … the Keeper of God’s vineyard. 

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving me an opportunity to work in Your vineyard. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to do all we can to be fruitful in tending to Your vineyard.   … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Nov 5, 2020 … Cleansing the Temple

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 310 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Matt and Joanna Black singing  … The Body Is Your Temple … poignantly singing of how we, as born-again disciples of Christ, become His Temple.    

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Highlight Passage:  John 2:18-19 [ESV] ... 

18 So the Jews said to Him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 

…   After Jesus had cleansed His Father’s house, He confused the Jewish leaders with His reference to Himself being the temple which would be destroyed and rebuilt in three days.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  John 2:13-25 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… The Jewish leaders and the people didn’t understand why Jesus was cleansing the Temple and why He made reference to Himself being God’s temple. 

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Reference Passage: …  Isaiah 53:6 [ESV] … 

6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 

…  We’re all sinners; and God laid on Jesus ALL our Sins.

Reference Passage: …  Romans 12:1 [ESV] … 

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship  

…  We, as Christians, are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice [as God’s Temple] to/for our Lord.  

Reference Passage: …  1Corinthians 6:19-20 [ESV] … 

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 

…  We, as Christians, are the Body of Christ, bought with the price of His blood.   

Reference Passage: …  1John 1:9 [ESV] … 

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

…  God can - and will - cleanse our “Temple” (i.e, our surrendered hearts) if we’re willing to confess and repent of our sins.    

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Mart DeHaan, AT THIS LINK writes a story about a house that was torn down mistakenly, and unjustly, … somewhat vaguely illustrating the confusion the Jewish people experienced when Jesus cleansed the Temple (see highlight passage).  

I would hope that all reading here know of the John 2 story of Jesus confusing the Jewish leaders, claiming that The Temple would be destroyed and rebuilt in the three days, which, of course, was a reference to Him dying and bring resurrected in three days.  And it calls attention to the point of the ODB devotional entry today.

And that point, my friends, is that you and I, being born-again disciples of Christ, are - in reality - God’s temples on earth (see 1Cor 6:19-20), bought and sealed by God’s Spirit (Is. 53:6); and we, as Christ’s disciples, must surrender our lives to become living sacrifices to our Lord (Rom 12:1), and do all we can to keep God’s temple (i.e., our lives) as clean as possible (see 1John 1:9).  

And though that process is way too involved for my blog discussion here, I’m stopping to pray that all reading here are doing all we can to keep our Temples as clean as possible … so that Christ can use us - as His living sacrifices - for His glory. 

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for allowing me to become a living sacrifice in Your temple today … and tomorrow. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to do all we must to confess and repent of our sinfulness so that You can cleanse our Temple to become a living sacrifice to/for You.   … Amen

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Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Nov 4, 2020 … Work & Rest Time

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 309 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...     …   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Kari Jobe singing  … Be Still … poignantly singing of how we, as diligent disciples of Christ, must learn to use some of the time we have to be still and rest.   

A time formula for burnout ... 

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Highlight Passage:  Proverbs 30:25 [ESV] ... 

25   … the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; …

…   Solomon shows that ants may be small but their diligence provides them with provision for their family, showing the balance we all must have in life.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Proverbs 30:24-31 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon’s poetic picture of the balance and purpose in life … 

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Reference Passage: …  Psalm 127:2 [ESV] … 

2  It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 

…  God gives us the time, we have to choose how to use it wisely … for His glory.  

Reference Passage: …  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  God, thru Solomon, shows us that there is a time for everything in life; but we must choose to  make the time for everything …  

Reference Passage: …  Acts 1:8 [ESV] … 

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

…  Jesus charges His disciples (that’s us!) to be His witnesses in our lives for His glory. 

Reference Passage: …  Philippians 4:19 [ESV] … 

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  

…  God supplies the time we need in life; … we have to choose how we’re going to use it for His glory.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Mike Wittmer, AT THIS LINK writes of a diligent, witnessing Christian, whose hard work in evangelizing in his community led to physical and mental exhaustion, demonstrating the need to balance our hard work for God’s kingdom with our need for rest.  As Solomon reminds us (see Eccles. 3:1-8), God gives us a time for everything in our lives.  

Anyone who is diligently committed to using our time, talents, and treasures for God’s kingdom must learn the lessons of the Scriptures above; … that God provides us with the time we need in this life to witness for Him as God’s word calls us in Acts 1:8.  However, His word also tells us that we must choose to balance our hard work for the Lord with the time for rest that He also gives us.  

How about it, fellow witness?  Are we choosing enough of our time to be still and rest, as Kari Jobe sings in the linked song?  The attached photo illustrates a formula for burnout to avoid.  So, … I’m praying we find balance between our work for the Lord and being still to rest our souls today … and onward into our tomorrows.   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving us the time we have to work hard and to rest hard for your glory.    

My Prayer Today Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to use the time You give us today to work … and to rest, … balanced for Your glory.   … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Nov 3, 2020 … Fruitfulness

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 308 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Kim Hill singing  … Psalm One … poignantly singing a song of God’s blessing on those who are planted to be fruitful for God's delight and His glory.  

Tony Rinaudo - "Tree Whisperer" 

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Highlight Passage:  Psalm 1:3  [ESV] ... 

3   He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.

…   Blessed is the man who is planted deeply in the soil of God’s truth and becomes fruitful for His glory.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Psalm 1 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… A song honoring God’s blessing on those who’re planted deeply into God’s word to become fruitful for God’s glory. 

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Reference Passage: …  John 15:1-8 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Jesus shows His disciples how they must be connected to (i.e., “abiding in”) Him to become fruitful.  

Reference Passage: …  Matthew 12:33 [ESV] … 

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.  

…  Jesus shows that the way we live will show our fruitfulness or NOT …

Reference Passage: …  Galatians 5:22-23 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK ... 

…  The fruit of God’s Spirit for the Christian who abides in Christ. 

Reference Passage<>: …  2Peter 1:5-8 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK ... 

…  Peter teaches God’s truth on what it takes to become fruitful in God’s kingdom and for His glory. 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Raybon, AT THIS LINK writes of an Australian Agronomist, Tony Rinaudo (see photo), who showed Africans in the desert how to make small trees grow to be fruitful even in the driest of climates. 

And Rinaudo’s success in showing how to make trees thrive and be fruitful in the desert is a good life picture of the message of Psalm One, sung by Kim Hill in the linked song, … where God’s Psalmist shows how God blesses those with fruitfulness for God’s glory who are planted deeply into God’s truth [i.e, His word].  

And Jesus repeated those truths when our Lord taught that we must abide in Him and live out lives of Christlikeness to be fruitful in His Spirit … just as He and the Apostles taught (see reference passages above).  

Our challenge from today’s ODB entry is … what are we doing in our lives to connect more deeply into the soil of God’s truth to become more fruitful in the way we live?  That’s why I’m here daily, setting my roots more deeply into the truth of God’s word and praying to be more fruitful.  What about you?   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for setting me on a course of more fruitfulness.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to live our lives to be more fruitful for Your kingdom and for Your glory.   … Amen

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Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Nov 2, 2020 … He Hears

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020</u> - Day 307 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...     …   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Vinesong lsinging  … God Answeres Prayer … poignantly leading in worship and singing of how our God ALWAYS hears our prayers and answers within His will and His good time.  

We pray ... He hears !!! 

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Highlight Passage:  1Kings 18:37  [ESV] ... 

37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back.”

…   God hears and answers Elijah’s prayer.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  1Kings 18:25-38 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God answers Elijah’s prayer, showing the prophets of Baal the power of God. 

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Reference Passage: …  Psalm 66:17-20 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  God hears the Psalmist’s desperate prayer …

Reference Passage: …  Proverbs 15:29 [ESV] … 

29   The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous. 

…  God’s promise, thru Solomon, to ALWAYS hear the prayers of the righteous.  

Reference Passage: …  Mark 11:24 [ESV] … 

24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  

…  Jesus’ promise that prayers - in faith - are ALWAYS heard and answered. 

Reference Passage: …  Hebrews 4:16 [ESV] … 

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

…  We Christians can have confidence (i.e., faith) when we come to God’s throne of grace.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, James Banks, AT THIS LINK writes of a letter in the UK postmarked just after WW1 being finally delivered in 2008, to illustrate how our prayers may be answered long after we bring them to God in faith; but they are ALWAYS heard and answered.

That’s God’s promise repetitively in His word, isn’t it (see Scriptures above)? The question is … do we believe it enough to come with faith to God’s throne of grace and bring our concerns today.  Common, fellow believer, … let’s do it !!!    

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for hearing my prayer for the healing of a dear brother in Christ who has cancer?  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to pray with faith, KNOWING that our God hears our prayers.  … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Nov 1, 2020 … Tacos 4 Life

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 306 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Don Moen singing  … Give Thanks … poignantly leading in worship and singing of how we, as disciples of Christ are charged to give back to/for the Lord because of what He has done for us. 

A business feeding hungry children .. 

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Highlight Passage:  Matthew 10:42  [ESV] ... 

42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

…   Jesus charges His disciples to be wiling to give from the heart, especially to children in need. 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Matthew 10:37-42 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus challenges His followers to have a heart to give to those in needs … especially children.  

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Reference Passage: …  Proverbs 19:17, 28:27 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  God’s mind, thru Solomon, on giving to help the poor/needy.  

Reference Passage: …  Isaiah 58:10 [ESV] … 

10  … if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

…  God, thru Isaiah, charges us to shine our light of godliness thru our giving to the poor … 

Reference Passage: …  Matthew 10:35 [ESV] … 

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  

…  Jesus shows His disciples that when we feed the poor/needy, we feed Him.

Reference Passage: …  Luke 14:12-14 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Jesus, in a parable, tells of inviting in the poor and needy to help feed them when we can.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, John Blasé, AT THIS LINK writes of a young couple, just graduated from Christians college, who took the highlight passage and the reference Scriptures to heart and developed a franchise business [see photo] which gives food to needy children for every unit of food purchased in their restaurants. 

The couple who developed the “Tacos-4-Life” franchise [use this link to their website] is doing exactly what God’s word calls us all to do; and that is be willing - when we’re given the opportunity - to do what Don Moen sings in the linked song … and that is to give thankfully back to God’s kingdom of our time, talents, and treasures because of what our Lord has done for us.

So, I challenge all of us reading here to meditate on what God’s word calls of us in the Scriptures above; … and to go out and do what we can, with what God has given us, to serve our Lord humbly and thankfully today.     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for convicting me to do more to reach out and help those who need help.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to use our time, gifts, and talents to give back, with thankful hearts, to serve the needy when we can  … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.