Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Do you trust God? Do you know in your heart that He is in control? If you said yes to these questions and still worry over things in your life, then you just told a really BIG one. When you worry, you are saying that you don’t trust God or feel like He can handle a situation. And we worry over everything! We worry over our finances, our health, our job, projects, finding a husband, having a baby, dealing with others, getting the dishes done….. The list can go on and on. If there is nothing big in our lives ready to be worried over, you’ll find something in our worry-closet. There is always something minor stuffed in there ready to use for a worry-free day. Then we chew on it. Our heart rate increases. Our tempers flare. No one wants to be around us. Then we come up with ways to get out of it. Our own wonderful ideas that land us in a world of trouble each and every time. Instead of a straight path, we find hills, dales, valleys, rocky mountains, and messed up roads when we choose the path to take. Let God do the navigating. When you do that, you are allowing the only one who can really see around the next bend work out your finances so that all will be well. Only then will the unknown be met head on with surety. Only He knows what your future holds. Let go and give God your troubles. Let Him fix it all. Let Him show you the straight path. I’m sure He can find other uses for your worry-energy.

Romans 10:9

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

A very powerful verse. One as black and white as they come. This very verse can end many debates. The very verse should be one you are extremely familiar with. Many people walk this earth saying that they believe. They believe many things. Most of them will even say that they believe in God or that they believe Jesus was the Son of God. That is well and good, but according to this verse and other Scripture references it is not enough to just believe. Even the demons believe and they are not guaranteed a place in heaven, so why should we expect otherwise? Believe is a starting point, not the finish line. You have to go beyond the believe stage and enter the confession/submission stage. So, there is a God. What is He is your life? Is He your Lord? Is He really? What does it mean for Him to be your Lord? To have a lord of any kind, means that you have someone that you are subject to and you give homage to. Do you do that with God? Are you subject to His commands and directions? Do you give Him appropriate acknowledgment and honor? More than likely not. So many of us might open up the Bible and casually read the words. But to implement them in our lives, that is another thing. To stop and think of God before opening our mouths, is another thing. Do you believe? Is He LORD of your life or is He a place to blame everything? Before you do anything else today, stop and think of what your relationship with God really is and where it really should be.

Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Who are the meek? What are the meek? The meek are the ones who have learned humility and know what a servant’s heart really is. They are the ones who are acknowledging Christ first and following His commands quickly and obediently. But inheriting the earth? How will those that are not out front or taking charge be the winners in the end? That doesn’t make any sense at all. It is when it doesn’t make any sense that God can shine the brightest. They are the ones that God will be putting in charge of His new kingdom. They are the ones that know what good servitude and stewardship is. Now, the question lies in where we are on the meek-o-meter. Do we have a servant’s heart? Are we familiar with humility or more with arrogance? Are we good stewards and obedient servants? Will we inheriting the earth or watching on the side lines?

Learning So Much

My children teach me so much. They make me look at things so differently. My son is the expert at that.

We were watching the movie Ben Hur. He is studying Latin and the history of Rome. As we are watching it, he begins to make comments. Leave it to an eleven year old to find historical errors that not even adults find. He begins to ask questions that we have trouble answering. Here we are with five degrees between us and we cannot answer these questions. So humbling.

Humility is something we never want to experience and never want to advance through. It means that we are not as "good" as we thought and need to correct a few things. It means that we are not perfect and need guidance. For an adult that can be painful especially from a child. What could they possibly teach us? More than you could guess. Their insights are amazing because they do not contain ideas that are "concrete" or "the norm". They have imagination and thinking out of the box is the norm for them.

My oldest taught me that I need to slow down and spend more time with her. She is the tender age of 13. She needed more one on one time with her parents. She is struggling getting our attention from her brother and sister and work and life in general. She needs us. She taught us to stop and smell the roses. She is the rose in our life that is blooming against our will. The child is becoming a young lady who still needs love and attention.

I haven't learned it all yet. I've got a long way to go.

Being Honest With Ourselves

I recently was having coffee with a friend when she announced that she had been doing a lot of internal reflection. She determined that she was too selfish and needed to focus on someone other than herself. During the rest of the conversation, she demanded to know why I did not pick up my phone earlier in the day when she called. Looking right at me she said that she expected me to answer whenever she called me. As I was telling her about the stress we were under in answer to a question she asked, she interrupted me and began to tell me how she was redecorating her house. Hello? Did you just not say that you were realizing how selfish you were and was going to work on it?

This all caused me to reflect deeply. How often do we go through life thinking that we are honest with ourselves? We talk about honesty with others, but what about to ourselves? Are we really that honest? If we are honest, no!

To be honest means that we would have to actually take steps toward improvement! We cannot do that. OK, I know that this sounds too sarcastic and maybe I need to reflect a little more about my honesty, but we are really like that. To change means that we have to work on it. When you go on a diet, you have to work at it, right? The same goes for our character diet. We have to evaluate, assess, plan, act, reassess, make corrections, and repeat. We hate the dieting because of it. Therefore, we hate doing it in any part of our lives.

What stops us from improving our character? Is it pride, selfishness, or just plain laziness? Maybe it is a combination of all of them. We are too busy. It is just the way we were made. I have more important things to do. It is too much work. Sound familiar? Deep down inside these might be exactly when you tell yourself. If you were honest....

Learning Not to Assume

It is easy to assume things. We assume what people are thinking. We assume other people's intentions. We assume that we know what we are doing. But in the end you know what happens when you assume? Nothing good.

I had a chance to be put in a position where I was assuming what someone was up to. I was really torn trying to decide of they were telling me truth. I wanted to believe them, but I began to assume that they could not be since they seem to always fall in that area. They were adamant that they were on the right path and telling me the honest truth. I feared otherwise.

What did I learn? That they were telling the truth and that they needed to be given the chance to prove themselves. How else will any of us learn and grow if we are not given the chance to succeed or fail? Yes, they might be lying. Give them the chance to stand tall or hang themselves. How else would we grow into adulthood and know firsthand pitfalls and correct decision making?

When someone you love and trust begins to second guess you and doubt you, you begin to doubt yourself. You second guess your decisions and actions. You become so dependent on others that you cannot seem to find your own way in life. Parents will not always be there for us. Elders in our family and community will not always be around. Friends will not be there every time you need them. There will come a time when you have to grow up. And I need to let them. No matter who they are.

My children have to learn that they will have to make decisions in life and face the consequences of those decisions. More immature people in my life will have to realize that they need to become mature and my interference will not help them in any way.

How do I help them? In reality, I need to grow more and obtain more Godly wisdom. When I do that, they will seek me out instead of me interfering in their lives. They will look for advice because I do not push it on them. They will seek my counsel because it is not mine but Someone higher.

Assuming does not get us anywhere. It only hinders our journey through life. Trust and acceptance have to be the key.

Love Can Be Bought

Today is my little one's second birthday. My little one is my puppy. I laugh at my husband and tell him all the time that love can be bought. She loves me like no one else does.

I get up in the morning and she welcomes me with a tail that will just not stop wagging. The excitement she has for me is indescribable. I step outside for a few minutes and she welcomes me with the same excitement as if I was gone for hours.

Mocha is the best Christmas present I've ever received.

I spent the last two days not feeling good. I don't have the flu, but my body is achy and I'm so tired. Who lays with me? Mocha. Who cuddles up to me when I doze off? Mocha.

I came home the other day to pick up the mail. She welcomed me and licked my face off. After a few minutes, she just laid herself against me. She was content to just be there.

There is an old saying like, "I can only hope to be half the person my dog thinks I am." How true it is. She does not see my faults. She does not see my issues. She sees the person she loves.

Why can't people learn more of this? Why can't we see beyond problems and faults? Why can't we see to the heart of the person? What would their dog see?

I'm going to start this week and learn to look at people more like Mocha does with me. I'm going to begin to look deeper. I've got to look beyond the surface.

Lessons from a Loose Tooth

It’s been a few years since I’ve lost a baby tooth. We won’t go there about how long. But it has been awhile. This past week my youngest lost her first tooth.

I was getting a little bit worried. She is seven and a half years old and no loose teeth yet. One day she found that her front bottom tooth was loose. The excitement she had is totally indescribable. Every other sentence was about her loose tooth. She had heard tales of my brother pulling my first one. I never felt a thing. She asked if he would do it for her. A few days later the tooth was extremely loose.

My brother agreed to pull her tooth. It was so successful that she never felt a thing and the tooth went flying. About twenty minutes or so later we found it hiding in the carpet. She was so excited. The fear of it coming out never entered the picture. She was ready for the change.

This really got me to thinking. How often do we embrace change? How often do we meet it with excitement and tell everyone about it? Very rarely.

When change enters our lives, we usually run from it. We fight it. We try to stop it. We like things the way they are. There are some things we actually try to bring change in. Many of us look for relationships and even embrace the changes it brings into our lives. When we decide to get married, the change is usually received with excitement and the whole world is informed. Now others around us might fight those changes, but the general rule is that change is fought.

Why do we do that? Why are we so satisfied with the ways our lives are? The changes before us could bring us growth, blessings, new opportunities. Change can be one of the best things that enters our lives. Maybe we should all receive change the way my daughter did with her tooth. Take some joy in it and jump right in. You never know what you will find.

Romans 5:8

  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

 Romans 5:8

Wow!  We don’t have to get out lives straight first?  We don’t have to quit drinking before entering a church?  We don’t have to stop eating excessively before having Christ as our Lord?  We don’t have to be perfect before being accepted?  That is what so many people tell us and imply.  We need to first get our lives straight before we walk into a church?  Boy, do they have it wrong.  Jesus did not wait for the prostitute to stop selling her wares before speaking to her and pouring out forgiveness.  He did not wait for the leper to be healed before touching him.  He did not wait for the corpse to be removed before entering the death room and prove death powerless.  He did not wait on purity.  He waited on us to turn toward Him.  That is all.  He waited on us to cry out to Him and to bring that dirty filthy life before Him.  He can clean your life like no cleaner on the market today or in the future.  Only He can make your life pure.  The churches cannot.  Ministers cannot.  Christians cannot.  Only Christ.  So you have to have the Great Cleaner do the work.  But to do that you have to come dirty to Him.  Come to Him and let Him clean your life.  The relief you feel will be like nothing you’ve ever felt.

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he mediates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither,
whatever he does prospers.
(NIV)

How many times do we tend to listen to advice from those that are not wise? We mainly do this because we like what they have to say. We don't always like what we hear that we should listen to. Why do we do this? Because it is easy. We don't want to have to rethink our ways or be serious about it.

A sign of maturity is when we turn to God and listen to His words instead of those that want to influence us for selfish reasons. When we go the Bible first and on our knees in prayer, we seek out the most perfect of wisdom. When we go to a friend or someone who has deceit in their hearts, we seek destruction. Very little will come out of it.

Today, I pledge to seek out God's counsel more and to spend more time with Him. What better wisdom could I ask for?

Obstacles are Opportunities

I can honestly say that I go up against about a dozen obstacles a day. Most of them are huge. I'm not exaggerating. They are enormous. But the last huge one I faced, brought me back to the realization that God does not see them as we do. He sees them as opportunities.

I had just written an article on Barnabas. When I got to the point where Barnabas and Paul had a disagreement over taking (John) Mark with them on their next missionary trip, I noted how their disagreement was actually giving God the results that he needed. It might not have been in the best manner, but the missionary efforts were doubled. We see a problem at first. God saw an opportunity. That was written two days ago. I didn't realize that God was preparing me for the next "opportunity" in my life.

When that time came, I was angry at first. I mean, come on, God. What next? (By the way, don't ever seriously ask that question. You might get an answer.) After a while during the whole conversation, my anger turned from being a hurt and angry anger to one of determination. Does that make sense? I began to see the opportunity that someone else wanted to make and obstacle. My anger turned to wanting to get going and show them that God is the one we answer to and who is in control. No one else. No one can derail His plan. No one can mess up His mission. Ideas began to pour in through me and others as we realized that the true obstacle had been removed. We now had such a sense of freedom and purpose. The weight around our neck was gone. We were free to stop living the drama around us and focus on the opportunities in front of us. They are multiplying.

When you are faced with an issue, stop and think of how God is looking at this. Is it derailing His plan for you life? Is He really a God in control? How powerful is He if this obstacle can stop Him? Nothing can prevent Him from doing anything. He is God. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is!

Philippians 2:13

for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Don’t forget that God resides in you. I’m not saying that you are God, but that when you come to Him in complete surrender, you give Him a place in your heart and soul where He can work on you and connect with you. He doesn’t leave you. He is there working with you many times, working for you all the time. You don’t have to struggle alone. He is there for you helping you make the right decisions and give you the strength when you have to say no. Remember that you are not alone.

Learning Daily

I love the psalms of David. They are raw. They are honest. Yet, I always felt that I could not always relate to what he wrote. God has a way of growing us by allowing us to eventually experience many of the same feelings that the saints in the Word felt.

Recently, I experienced betrayal. It hurt like a knife in the heart. I had trusted someone that I considered a friend and someone that I respected. I found out that much of it if not all was a lie. They had gotten close to me and encouraged me to confide in them. None of that is wrong, but when they stored up in the information to use against me at a later date I was devastated. The truth was distorted and twisted to make anything I said or did to look ugly and horrible. I could not believe it. Now, I understood David.

David was a man who had so many people after him. They chased him. They slandered him. They laid traps for him. They thirsted for his blood. He cried to the Lord in his innocence. Was David perfect? No. Did he sin? Yes. Yet, his enemies could not attack him in those areas. They made up lies and tried to bring him down. He constantly asked God to let them fall into their traps.

These Psalms now take on new meaning for me as I hear how this person is claiming that I lie and steal. Do I have faults? More than I care to look at. Yet, they pull ones that have no prove to slander me. A so-called friend.

I have wished like David that they be wiped from the earth. I have wished that they fall into their own traps. I lift up all this before God. I hurt yet I need to learn to pray for them. This is hard especially when it comes from someone with enough Christian years and knowledge under their belt. They do know better.

Discovering the world includes learning of the ugly and painful. We cannot go through life without experiencing some of this. We will have betrayal. We will have disappointment. We will have disappointments. Only through experiencing these can we grow and become stronger. I know that I will rise out of this stronger and wiser. That does not negate the pain nor does God wish us not to feel the pain. He was betrayed. He knows how it feels. He knows more than anyone. Yet, He rose out of it in such majesty. We can do.

Growing is painful, but I thank God everyday for these experiences that make me a better soldier for His army.

Too Long

So sorry that it has been so long since I last visited you. It has been crazy. My harddrive died which took me out of the virtual world for almost a week. Then I discovered more of the world around me.

I was saddened this past week as I realized how low some people will go in this world to be on top. They do not mind lying, cheating, or stealing to get what they want. So much of this I hear in books and movies, but I lived it this week.

What have I learned? That I need to be more aware and alert of everyone. God asks that we be like innocent children yet keep our street smarts. That can be difficult but when we walk in the Spirit it works. Only when we walk with God daily and let Him guide us can survive the perils of this life.

So what am I going to do? I'm going to spend more time in the Word and more prayer!

I'm Not in Control

Life can be humbling. I had our move all planned out. It would have gone so smoothly if my husband hadn't hurt his shoulder, the car didn't decide to get sick, and work needed overtime. If it could go wrong and interfere with my carefully laid out plans, it did. Or did it?

My computer decided to quietly die. The hard drive after 1 year decided to commit suicide. What was I to do? I needed it. Or did I? Without the computer around I was able to work more on the move and help my husband. Work had to take a backseat.

I'm not always in control and my plans are not always the best. I discovered that I need to be more flexible and willing to go with His flow much more easily.

I think I'll begin to turn the electronics off a few more times!

Luke 15:11-32

This is one of the most well known of Jesus’ parables. What always amazes me about this story is the patience and love the father shows. He willing hands over the inheritance probably knowing that the young foolish man would squander it. He knew that the boy would never fully appreciate his own home and the love he had there until he experienced life without it. So he let him go. What love! What support! What forgiveness! Then after all this, he welcomes him back with open arms. That is what God does with us. Whenever we stray and seek other lands and other entertainments, He waits patiently for us to learn our lessons and come running back, tears running down our face, arms reaching out for security. Many ask why He allows us to do it in the first place if He really loved us. Those same would ask why He doesn’t let us make our own decisions. We always want to eat our cake and have it, too. It doesn’t work that way. He loves us so much that He lets us make decisions, even bad ones, and then welcomes us back to heal us and to help us grow. God’s arms are open to you no matter what you’ve done and no matter where you’ve been. Who else would do that for you?

Beginning to See the Promised Land

Many of you know that lately I have been in the desert. Depression, trials, and stress have abounded. Every now and then I think that I'm out, but I discover that it was an oasis. Those moments of rest and restoration are dear to me, but I cannot stay there. I have to go on toward the Promised Land.

I got a glimpse into the Promised Land tonight. It might be closer than I thought though I still have some terrain to travel.

Why do we spend time in the desert? We need to be prepared. We need to be trained and ready to work hard. Though we will be in the land of milk and honey, it is not a green light to lay around and be waited on. We will be working but it will be in total sync with the Spirit. The trials will be less and anything that comes our way will seem like nothing because we have been through the desert.

My desert is stress at a job that makes you want to be put away. My desert is my three children bickering non stop. My desert is my husband in full ADHD mode. My desert is my phone ringing every three minutes by the same person. My desert is other people demanding time of me. My desert is conflict. My desert is disappointment. My desert is betrayal of friends. My desert is missing a loved one. My desert is yearning for my dreams to come true and wondering if they won't.

But the Promise Land is full of hope, peace, and excitement. Promise Land, here I come!!!!

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

How can you approach God if you deny His existence? You can’t. You have to acknowledge His existence and earnestly seek Him. What does it mean to be earnest in seeking Him? It means to be serious in looking for Him and to be intently doing it. You don’t do it on whims. You don’t do it for the moment. You seek Him because you desire Him with all your being. When you do that, He hears your prayers and answers your calls for help. He doesn’t want a sometimes believer. He doesn’t want a maybe I’ll believe if He answers me believer. He wants someone who sincerely believes and desires Him.

Taking It All For Granted

We are spoiled. Believe it or not it is true. We take so much for granted. How do I know that? Because I learned the hard truth is a very unique way.

Almost a decade ago, I met a woman and her daughter who were from Iran. They were seeking religious asylum here in America. The mother had begun to question her native religion, Islam, when her brother returned in a coffin from the Iran/Iraq war. How could Muslims justify killing Muslims? She couldn't accept that. Over the years she balked at many of the traditions imposed on her that seemed oppressive. She refused to carry through in an arranged marriage. Instead, she married for love. She questioned authority and began searching deeper into the Koran. As the answers were not coming forward she looked into other religions. That alone is reason enough to be executed. She found Christianity and felt that this was the right way to go. Despite what the country's leaders were saying, it gave hope. But conversion was a death sentence to her and her whole family.

She had to sell her entire life and run away with her teenage daughter while leaving her husband and son behind to come later.

It took 2 years before she would see them again.

How can I complain about my life? How can I say that I am oppressed or that rules are not fair? I cannot get arrested for just having my head uncovered or my sleeves above my wrist. I can walk into any church of any religion. I can question (preferably with respect) my government. I can protest. I have true freedom.

Puts my "problems" into perspective.

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Have you lost someone close to you? It could have been a parent, child, husband, wife, brother, sister, or close friend. It hurts. It hurts more than any words can describe. Do you know that even in those darkest and most painful of moments, you are blessed beyond measure? You are blessed because when you are in your deepest despair, you cling to God more and more. You pull yourself closer and closer to Him as you cry harder. When you mourn, you seek out comfort. The same comfort you might reject otherwise, you accept today. Only then can you throw yourself into His arms and accept the full amount of the comfort that He can give you. What wonderful comfort to know that in my darkness, He brings the light.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have you ever felt the love and bond that a mother/father has for their child? That love can be so strong. In fact, parents have sacrificed their lives for their children and thought nothing of it. Christ did that for us. OK, so you’ve heard that before. What of it? Death could not separate Christ from you. Death took Him and He kicked it right in the face. Death might take your physical body, but you have handed over your heart and soul to Christ, death runs in terror and fear. It will not touch those. Life cannot separate Christ from you. He is everywhere. He speaks through nature, through others, through books, through His Word, through your heart. Supernatural powers cannot separate Christ from you. Though they are powerful, they have nothing compared to the love He has for you. They tremble at the sound of His name much less His presence. What is happening today in your life cannot separate Christ from you. He knows all about it. If He can conquer death and demons, why couldn’t He conquer your problems for today. The future cannot separate Him from you. He knows the future already. How could it possibly prevent the All Powerful from loving you? Can anything come between Christ and you? No. He loves you so much that He has already moved heaven and earth for YOU. I’ve never had a physical person in my life give up their life for me, but I know of some who had. During wars it was not uncommon for comrades to sacrifice their own lives for those of a fellow soldier. The ones that survived carried those memories with them forever and never ever forgot the sacrifice. Christ did that for you. Because He placed Himself in a position of pain, torture, and agonizing death you don’t have to spend eternity screaming in anguish. He loved you that much – more than your parents ever could, more than your spouse ever could, more than anything on this earth could.

Luke 17:33

Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

When you try to keep control of your life and dictate the terms and conditions, you can only lose it. You cannot control all the aspects of your life. When you get right down to it, you cannot control any part of it. When you think that you can beat habits on your own time, you are wrong. When you think that you have the power to conquer addictions, change others, create your own tomorrows, you lose out in the end. You cannot do that. But when you give you life (lose your life) to God, you gain so much. Giving Him control of your path, your decision making, your future ensures you a victory in the end. It doesn’t make sense? Why would I want to lose to gain? Because you are not God. You cannot see what is around the bend. You cannot control the winds and the waves. You cannot create the miracles. You cannot determine the days. Why would you want to continue being in control when your power is so limited that you are fooling yourself that there is such a thing as control when you could be giving the driver’s seat over to the One who knows no bounds and can take you to places you could only dream about?

Oasis in the Desert

tiFor the last few weeks I've been struggling through the spiritual desert. Days of not wanting to pray. Times of fighting with God. Wondering where He is and where I am. Fighting depression. Every now and then a small oasis appears.

This past Monday I felt like I was at the lowest. Where are You, God? If you were really watching out for your children, You would give some chance of a rest right? Where are the still waters and pastures to lay my head? You say that I can come to You as I am weary and find rest. I am more than weary and I'm finding NO rest.

He showed me the pastures today. I visited with a dear person who changed my life eight years ago. I was reminded of how He provides and in the most unusual ways. Through this woman from a foreign country I was shown humility, love, respect for my country, and gratefulness for all I have. After visiting with her, I felt humility before my Provider again. I had been wallowing in self-pity and frustration. And here was a person who had been through so much more. Here was someone who had more "right" to yell at God and fight with Him. Who was I?

Going through the desert is required for all of us. It is only through those miles of sand that we begin to toss off the yoke of pride that led us there in the first place and begin to rely more heavily on Him. He leads you to the oasis to rest and replenish. He keeps you in the desert to be refined and prepared for the job that awaits you in the land of milk and honey.

I'm being prepared for a special job. I'm going to another level in my spiritual growth. It is painful here in the desert, but it will be so worth it as I commune with my Lord.

Feeling the Breeze

We are always on the run! I don't know anyone who isn't. It spills over into every aspect of our lives. When we do that we get all hot and focus on the discomfort of the heat.

Tonight I could not sleep for the heat. After a few minutes I felt a caress of coolness over me. I realized that the temperature was dropping outside and was trying to meander its way in. I forced myself to just lie there and focus on the cool and not the heat. It was amazing! I began to feel so much more comfortable. The temperature inside had not changed much, but my focus had. I was feeling the coolness and therefore was cooling down.

Sometimes our perspectives need to be changed and we have to force them to go through the change. We get too fixated. If we would only slow down and look around us!

Stop! Breathe! Relax! There are wonders just waiting for you.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Christ did not come to take anything that you need from you. He was wanting to make sure that you have life, that you knew what it meant to truly live, that you learned to live life to the fullest. Many think that becoming a Christian and walking right with God means that you have to give up all fun things and go through life moping around. Only someone like a thief who is only out for themselves comes in to take against your will what is yours. Only someone devious would come in set on killing and destroying your life. Christ did not sneak in with ulterior motives. He never concealed His intent. From the beginning He came for you personally. He came so that you could know firsthand what true living is. When you follow Christ, you learn what is in your life that is killing you and stealing your joy. You get a chance to kick it out and find true pleasures that give life and joy. When you begin to take an inventory of your life, you begin to see all the things that you once thought were fun were in reality destroying your heart, your soul, your body, your relationships, your life. Those are the thieves. Turning to Christ and letting Him toss those items far away might be the freeing thing you’ll ever do.

Ephesians 4:26-27

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

But when I’m angry I want to scream.

Alright, go press your face in a pillow and scream as loud as you can.

But I want to hit something.

Alright, go get a pillow and start punching.

But I want to hurt something.

Not alright.

Anger is a very strong emotion. It is not a sin to be angry. It is an emotion God gave us. He even expresses anger at times. But what we do when we are angry makes all the difference in the world. There can be huge effects that go way beyond your personal feelings. Go ahead and feel the anger. Let it out, but make sure that you don’t sin in the process. Hit the pillow. Scream into the pillow. But don’t cuss your children out. Don’t use them as the punching bag. Don’t spread false rumors about someone out of anger. Don’t betray a confidence. The Apostle Paul wrote the words we are reading today and he reminds us that though we can feel that anger it should be short lived. Don’t go to sleep still angry so that it can fester. When you do that, the devil is gleefully rubbing his hands together. Oh, once you are asleep the whispers start. He’ll help that anger fester. Before you know it the next day has arrived and you are angrier and more vengeful than you were before. Stop it now before it gets out of hand and you make a fool of yourself. If at all possible, try to reconcile with the person before sleep claims you. If you cannot do it, reconcile your anger with God. Release it to Him and let the devil moan and wail. Let him be angry instead and you have a peaceful night’s sleep.

Children are Sometimes Wiser

We are adults. We've got it all figured out. Right? Sure. Until a child opens his mouth.

My son does say the darnest things. Out of the blue he'll make a joke that sends you rolling or a profound statements that shuts you up. You just never know with him.

One day my husband was driving along and living to public radio. A man was on there talking about his latest book in which he states that in 20 years gas will be over $20 a gallon. The results will be no more mega supermarkets and chains, no more cars, no more long distance traveling because we will revert back to the way our great-great grandparents lived and it will be better for all. If you want a gallon of milk, you will ride your horse or walk to a neighborhood grocery story and buy it.

A farmer called in and stated that what the guy missed is that if gas is that high, a gallon of milk will be $20 a gallon to reflect the high cost of the gas that was needed to process and transport it.

All of these were very good points and something to talk about. But my son was pondering something so obvious that no one else got it. You have to keep in mind that he is only 10 years old. He looked at his dad and said, "But couldn't $20 be nothing in 20 years? After all a $100 is worth less today than it was in our grandparents day."

My children teach me a lot. On that day my son made me realize that I don't know the future. I have no idea what it really holds. Therefore, as the good Book says, why am I worrying about tomorrow when today has enough to worry about?

Ephesians 5:13-14

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Why do you want anything exposed? Because when it stays in the dark the problems grow and fester. They get uglier and uglier. The big problem is that you don’t see all this because it is in the dark. While things are hidden we think all is well. We think that there is nothing wrong. But just a little light shone on it exposes a lot. With Christ in your life, you can see all that ugliness. All the festered parts of your life. Why would you want that? Because only then, when you can actually see it, can it be cleaned up. Only then can you get rid of all the hurt, guilt, all the burdens, all the anxiety. Let Christ clean up the festering wound. Let the light shine in and before long all will be spotless and clean.

Luke 12:2-3

There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.

What you have said in the dark that will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs? These verses are not saying that all your darkest secrets are going to be on the front page of the local newspaper. They are not saying that they are not either. The intent of these words is to say that in reality you do nothing in secret. It is known and will eventually be made known to others. These verses were directed at the leaders of the religious community in Jesus’ day and it was to let them know that their lies and hypocrisy would eventually be exposed. Might not be today or tomorrow, but they would be exposed. Many of us live a life of lies. Most of them told to ourselves and those closest to us. Most of them about ourselves. We say that we don’t surf the web that much (only 18 hours a day), that we don’t eat much (just 24/7), that we can quit smoking anytime (though we crave it daily), that we only drink at social occasions (and in the backroom when no one is looking), punching our spouse happens rarely (every Friday night). These are not secrets that will stay hidden. They will be made known. Are you ready to make them known to yourself? Acknowledge what you do in secret and allow the light to shine on them to cleanse you of these and more.

Free Book

Win a free copy of my book, A Gift for a Mouse.

Sign up at the www.redemptiontalesseries.com website as a member and be automatically entered for a chance to win a free copy.

Once a member, others can sign up and email in your name as a referral to enter your name even more times.

This contest ends on 8/1.

Spread the word.

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.”

Familiar with facing impossible situations? There are so many situations that we find ourselves in that no human being could find their way out of. It can be financial, marriage, job-related, physical, mental. I’ll tell you an impossible story that happened recently. A boy that I grew up with was engaged and was having dinner with his fiancé. His acid reflux was worse than it ever was. So bad in fact, he asked her to take him to the hospital. They operated and found an almost black gall bladder. As they were taking it out, they discovered that one of his kidneys had some damage to it. Minutes later his aorta ruptured and began to fill his chest cavity. They rushed to repair damage. The doctor said that the odds were against him, maybe 1% of making it. He advised them to plan the funeral because he would not last the night if the next hour. The prayer chains kicked into high gear. That was 2 weeks ago. He is up walking around and will only lose two toes due to the circulation problem that arose because of it all. It was impossible. It was beyond impossible. But God thought it a piece of cake. He brought that young man back from death’s clutches and laughed in the Grim Reaper’s face. Never think that your situation is impossible. It might be for you and for others around you, but you are not God and neither are they. He has the power to do anything. Bring your situation to God, leave it at His feet, and let Him deal with it.

Jeremiah 30:17

Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord, “because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.”

Have you ever felt dejected, an outcast, abandoned? God, Himself, says that He will not only comfort you, but He will restore you and heal you. Don’t believe me? Listen to the testimonials of ones He has done just that for. He has done it for thousands and wants to do it for you. Don’t shake your head like that. He really can. He has cured others from addictions, abuse, past hurts, illnesses, and emotional damages. He has healed them. He has answered their calls of help, healed their wounds, and put them in positions of ministering to others. One well known one is Joyce Meyers. She suffered many things in her past including sexual abuse, divorce, and so many other emotional hurts. When she turned to God and cried out, He lifted her up. She is now one of the most well-known teachers of God’s Word and has a way to reach out and help others with their hurts. She is not an anomaly. She is one of many who He has touched and brought such strength, too. He can heal you. He can restore you. Are you ready?

Ephesians 4:25

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

You need to be honest with yourself and with those around you. You need to look your loved ones in the eyes and tell them the truth about your burdens and about your successes. None of us are alone on an island in this life. We are one body and as such we greatly affect each other. When we confess to others, we are cleansing ourselves and building stronger bonds with others. You cannot have lies and undisclosed issues between you and others if you want close healthy relationships. Let us look at it from this standpoint. We have had a plane crash on a deserted island and we each have been given our jobs to help the group survive. My job is to monitor and ration fresh water. When the leader of the group asks me how the water supply is, what does it do to tell him that all is well when in reality it is getting low and I cannot find any other sources. I’m not the only one this would affect. I’m hurting others as bad as I am hurting myself. My actions, my falsehoods, go beyond my personal world. What lies are you telling yourself? What things can you be truthful about though it be painful and build the bond with those close to you?

Genesis 3:7-8
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Adam and Eve had disobeyed God. They had eaten of the fruit they knew was forbidden and they were ashamed. They were exposed and then they thought that they could hide from their closest friend, God. How many times do we do this? How often do we think that no one will know what we are doing? They’ll never know that we snuck that cigarette (though our hair holds the smell). They’ll never know that we can’t help but sneak a drink (though our breath betrays us). They’ll never know that we smoked a little weed (though our eyes are glazed). You cannot hide from God. He already knows. Admitting to Him is not going to shock Him. Admitting to yourself might be the hardest thing you do. We think that we are hiding it from others, but are we really hiding it from ourselves?

New Technology

I was not raised in the age of computers. Though I love my laptop and can do many things, the virtual world is a whole new creature to me. I had the help of a friend in setting up my website and things, but we ran into a glitch. Whenever anyone wanted to order more than one book, it was charging them the shipping per book. That could get extremely high. For two weeks I fidgeted with it. Finally I found a forum where the issue was discussed and fixed it.

Because of that I'm extending the 5.99 sale through July 25th. After that it goes back up to 7.99.

I'm learning so much which is exciting and scary. But this old dog can learn a few new tricks.

Smoothing the Rough Edges and Growing

God likes to help us learn. I was originally going to say that he likes to teach us lessons, but wanted to be more optimistic. I've been struggling lately just dealing with particular people. We cannot lie. There are just some people in this world that are hard (no, impossible) to get along with. None of us escape them. I was once told that God gives us sandpaper in our lives to smooth our rough edges. I do believe that. But what is rough about me that I see in these people? Am I just hiding from an issue that I need to address? The more I prayed the more I realized that it was not necessarily that I had those same characteristics (thank goodness), but more like I needed to grow in dealing with theirs. Can I change them? No. Only God can. But I can work on me. I can grow instead of focusing on their lack of growth and stopping my own progress.

God, You take care of them. You are much more creative than I am and much more impressionable. I'll focus on getting myself where I need to be. Just don't take too long :)

Devotion

2 Peter 2:19

They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity – for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Do we really understand what freedom means? If I took a poll around your town, how many different answers would I get? “Freedom is when I get to do whatever I want.” “Freedom is not having to answer to anyone.” “Freedom is when I don’t have to follow rules.” “Freedom is being released from bondage.” But are we ever truly free? I don’t get to do “whatever” I want because there are laws in place to prevent me from doing that. I have to answer to the law, my parents, my boss….. I haven’t found a place yet where there are no rules for me to follow. Do we ever get rid of bondage even the bondage of TV, selfishness, arrogance? We are always slaves to something. There is always something that masters us. The first thing we need to do is find out what we are bound to, what do we call master. It could really be the TV. It could be our job, our relationships, a drink, a drug, food, satisfying any of our personal urges, being in control, money, being in the spotlight, always needing to be right, needing control of everything, depression…. The list could go on for 10 pages. Find that master of your life and evaluate if it is a truly good, merciful, and loving master. Does your master love you, desire only the best, do anything for you to protect you, is there for you at ALL times when everyone else abandons you? If you cannot say yes to every one of those, is that really who you want to call master? Find who your master is, evaluate their actions toward you. Then decide if you should stay bound there or find the most desirable and sacrificing master. There are other masters out there. But don’t just jump to another one so that you can brag that you took that leap and changed masters. You could be jumping from the fire into the inferno. Evaluate them all before choosing. Who does love you no matter what? Who guides you through the tough times? Who would die for you? Who already has? Before directing others to a life of your version of freedom, check your freedom barometer. Where does your “freedom” lie?

Focusing on Devotion

Jeremiah 6:14
They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.

What happens when you have an injury and you just ignore it? It usually gets worse. Infection can set in. If it is still not addressed, gangrene and death could await you. All this could have happened from a small innocent cut on the finger. We do that in the other areas of our life, also. We pretend that we don’t have any problems. We find ways to make the ugly pretty so that we can bury our heads in the sand and pretend that it is all a rose garden. We ignore the beatings, the extra drink or two, the inappropriate touches, the persistent desire for more and more, the urge to express our anger instead of our love, the extra 6 helpings of food, the fact that we never exchange polite words in our marriage anymore, anything that is dragging us down and hurting us. We apply dressing to the wound instead of medicating and seeking the much needed help to prevent more serious side effects. We think we’ve got it covered and all looks good. But when there is war, and you refuse to say there is anything but peace, the whole world sees the bombs exploding behind you and the fires of destruction burning. We lie to those in front of us. But worse, we lie to ourselves. Stop! Look at your life and see where you are hurt. See where you have been ignoring a “small” cut that now is swollen and infection is residing. Find where you need the help that only God can give. Find where you cannot cure it and find the ultimate cure. Stop living a fantasy. Start living a strength filled eternity.

A Night to Appreciate

Last night we had our weekly Friday meal and it was great. 25 people showed up which was our second highest number. There were 3 new people and everyone of them are planning on coming back next week for homemade ice cream. It was wonderful. Everyone seemed to have so much fun. And the number of kids there was high. Of that 25, 10 were kids. It was so much fun to see them all running around.

Sold three more books!! It is great. The second book, The Nightingale in the Garden, is with the illustrator now. The third book is in first draft mode. I'm hoping in a week or so review that one again before sending it to the editor. I have such a new found respect for writers as we go through so many versions and corrections.

Today's Devotional:

Matthew 5:3

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

This verse always bothered me. In reading it, I took it to mean that you had to have less faith or less of the Holy Spirit, if you could quantify it. But upon deeper study, I found that my use of the words were not the way the original message was intended. The Message interprets it in a way I get as “You’re blessed when you are at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” The Amplified says that blessed are the humbled. That makes sense now! At the end of my rope…… I’ve been there many times. Kind of hang there sometimes, too. Never knowing where to go from here. Only seeing the abyss beneath me. That’s when I’m blessed? At the end of your rope, do you have any friends left to help you? Is there an escape plan waiting for you? By then, do you have the strength to swing to the edge of the cliff? What else is there left for you to figure out on your own? What else can you do? Notice what is emphasized in those last two questions. What can “YOU” do? It is only when we are at the end of our rope, or poor (humbled) spirit, do we stop looking inside at “ME” and begin looking up at HIM. That is when we can realize and confess that we cannot do anymore and that only He can. It is only then when we surrender unto Him and release into His capable hands. You are blessed when you get there because you know total helplessness and total crying out to your Father. It is not a matter of how much of the Holy Spirit you have, it is how humble you are to realize that YOU are not in control. That is when you become poor in spirit.

What a Wonderful Day!

The devil got a black eye yesterday. Let's be honest, he got it 100 times over. Yesterday was a stellar day. It didn't start off so good. Work was frustrating. When you are trying to teach someone and they just don't get it no matter how simple you make it, it gets tiresome. Then the other half wasn't listening to me at all. So I began to go over the edge with it all. Then a guy walked in who had been struggling finding a job. He found one that morning and started today. What a praise! Then two people from another church showed up to help us clean up from a remodeling project. The blessings from that were amazing to see brothers and sisters join up and get a job done. Then later that night we held our Celebrate Recovery meeting and had one new person show up. She is already a believer and seemed to have enjoyed herself. She has no church home. That was another praise. Then during the small group time, a man who has only been coming a couple of weeks accepted Christ!!!!!! What more could we ask for? Then a friend of ours made several of her milestones which was a huge celebration. Someone else celebrated 9 months sobriety! This is great. Tonight we could conceivably have 30 people with all those that have expressed an interested. God is really pouring out His blessings on us after the week of attacks that we had last week. I even sold three more books in the last two days. I'm on cloud nine.

Article of the week - Apples - More Than a Pie

Baby Steps of Success

Yesterday was kind of a blah day. Nothing bad happened, but all the things I wanted to happen just didn't go as planned. But at the end of the day, my phone blinked letting me know that I had an email. Since my computer was up, I just glanced at it to see what it was. It showed two messages. My phone said three. I refreshed my webpage and it still said two. I looked further at my phone at it was from the book email address and not my personal. I was so excited. It was an order!!!! That makes three books I've sold so far and the marketing is still barely existing. Some more well-known authors might laugh at the excitement I felt, but that one sell made my day. I was on cloud nine. Then my mind began to whirl and how to make it six books and then twelve and so on.

Yesterday I learned that I need to be patient and wait on God. It is not easy, and it is not fun. But it is SOOOOO worth it.

Devotion of the Day:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Have you ever wished for pain and suffering to go away? Have you tired of dealing with it or putting on a strong face? I know I have. And in 2 Corinthians Paul was in the same boat. Paul! The man we at times put on a pedestal as one of the most holy of men. He struggled. He suffered. And he begged for relief. Many times God gave him relief. But this time, God said no. How can this be? It doesn’t make sense. But when God said no, he added that His very grace should be more than enough to get Paul through it. Maybe we need to look at what is grace. Grace is accepting consequences and the mercies all wrapped up in one bundle. An example I read was an illustration where a guy was speeding and slammed into a police car. He had to accept the consequences of a fine but he also had to accept the free coffee the policeman got him to help him calm down. Consequences and mercy all in one. Wow! We have to accept the consequences. They might be fines, embarrassments, loss of possessions, unemployment, jail, or sickness. But there is mercy in each of those if we just look. It could be a new friend, a chance to be a better parent, to learn new experiences, to see a different side of others, to understand those we hurt in the past. When we are weak, the power of God shines the brightest because we are not competing for the spotlight. Only His light can shine that bright. Paul accepted that answer and took it further by saying that now he was glad of whatever problem he was having. Glad? Yes, if it will cause the light of Christ to shine all the brighter and others see Him more clearly, then yes. When my father was diagnosed with liver cancer, so many people asked why. It just didn’t make sense to us. He had a history of heart problems not cancer. There was no cancer in our families. Heart problems plagued everyone and took all their lives. But God chose him to have cancer. Though it seemed a rapid way to die, it was slower than a heart attack would have been. As people watched how strong he was, they were amazed. His faith only grew. He knew there was a reason for the method of death. He discovered one of the reasons when a man, with whom he had been friends with for many decades, asked him to come over to talk about Jesus because he had to know about what drove my father’s faith. That 77 year old man accepted Christ that day. My father said that if that was the reason why he was given cancer, and he had to go through so many treatments, then he was glad to have been chosen. God’s grace. Accepting the results while accepting the blessings. How can you see God’s grace in the hardships you are facing? In the struggles you are enduring? In the conflicts that seem to be encompassing you? Open your eyes to what He is showing you. Open your eyes to His many mercies.

Marketing Frustration

Ok, I have to admit that those that do successful marketing are not getting paid enough. I'm working on getting the book out there and get some sales. Nada is happening. This is very frustrating. I've sold two in the last two months. Now, that is not bad but it is disappointing. I'm not expecting to see hundreds sold, but a few extra would just help me (at least mentally).

The second book in the series is already at the illustrators. He should be done in a few months. Then back to the editor. I've got the third book done in first draft. I'll probably review it again in a few weeks. When you let things age, you see areas of improvement.

I've started work on a new series for older children. I've got the first two chapters done. I really need to concentrate to do it and with a house full, it is hard. I need to find a place to get away to so that I can find that quiet that I need for writing.

Lessons to Learn

God has a sense of humor. He loves to see how we handle the brick walls we encounter that lead to our growth. We see them as major obstacles that cannot be overcome. He sees how short it really is and that with a little (ok, a lot) of patience we would see what He sees. Well, my brick wall yesterday about killed me (at least in my mind).

I work from home and right now the "regular" job is getting intense. I'm hourly so every moment counts if I want a decent paycheck. My computer decided that it wanted to act up. It kept shutting down and restarting. I did everything I knew to do. It did no good. I was so frustrated because all I could think of was not getting any work done on Tuesday. I was worried about what it would cost to fix it or if I would need a new one. Well, I finally breathed and realized that maybe this was God's way of telling me to relax. Take a night off work and actually go to bed on time. I did and God blessed me for listening to Him this time that when we went into the office the next day, my husband was able to fix it. I'm up and working which was a big relief. It was also a lesson to relax and let Him have control.

I'm not too old to learn. Thank goodness.

Yesterday was a very full day. My husband preached in the morning at a sister church that has always welcomed us so warmly. After church we were invited to a house on a lake for lunch and the kids spent so much time in the water. Our youngest has been afraid of water since she was born. In the last two years she'll get in the water but that is about it. Yesterday she actually went tubing and would jump in the lake all by herself. I do belief our little one grew up some yesterday. The weather was just beautiful. Needless to say, the kids got a little sun exposure but they declared very loudly that it was worth it.

That evening we had our church service. Being a pioneer church plant, you'll find that you don't know if you will have 20 show up or none. Right now we don't have many that you can count on to be at every function. But last night we were very blessed to see 11 people. That might not sound like much to many out there, but when you are only reaching out to those who are looking at drinks, drugs, divorce, and so many other issues as the primary focus of their lives, this is a huge number. We saw one who fell off the wagon come back determined to do it this time. What a praise! We had a another show up when he could have been too embarrassed to ever show his face again. He is wanting another chance. These are the ones Jesus spent his time with. He didn't fixate on the "righteous". He sought those that had to hope in their lives. And that is what we are trying to emulate.

That is one of the reasons I started writing my Redemption Tales Series. We seem to put God in this box and we forget the wonder it felt to see Him and realize that He was doing it all for little unworthy me.

How to Start Out.....

I was wondering how to start off blogging. Maybe I could talk about the challenge of learning new technology, or how I'm learning about search engines and keywords. I could even talk about the great guy who is helping me with the technology and doesn't laugh at my ignorance of it all. But, I discovered that that was not what was really wanting to jump out of me.

We are spending the night at a B&B on a lake. It is just beautiful. As the children were jumping in the water off the pier, I sat on the porch just savoring the quiet and light breeze. A chipmunk ran up to within a few feet of me and went to looking for any food we might have dropped. He was so cute, and not the least bit afraid of me. He then decided that I was stingy and went further into the lawn to see what he could find. He must have ventured too far when another chipmunk appeared running him off. They were romping in the grass and playing their version of hide and seek.

We can learn so much just by looking more closely at the world around us. I needed to relax a little more and have some fun. All this from a little own chipmunk.

I wonder what I could learn tomorrow?