Do you ever feel like your stumbling through life? Some days are better then others, but all in all it's just not what you expected of yourself and of life in general? Do you run the race everyday only to find yourself exhausted at the end? Do you feel like you are leaving a trail behind you of people whom you let down, usually the ones you love most?
Are we trying to do it all on are own? Do we honestly lay our day before the Lord and listen for his direction in it all?
We all talk about our busy schedules and crazy lives. We all live by our calenders and have that cell phone with us at all times. Our pastor said the other day, "God is calling, are you going to answer or send him to voice mail?"
This is what I mean when I say lets get REAL. The Bible really does give us everything we need to know about living life real. Not wearing the super women masks, not being everything to everybody, etc. God never intended that for us.
I want to be REAL as God intended. I want a genuine peace to my everyday life. How many people do you know, that you would say live a life of peace? Yet God in his word talks so much about peace. Philippians 4:4-9 says
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Why aren't we living this way? What is stopping us? We say we are Christians, yet do we live our life this way?
As a missionary, our son had the privilege of being in a foreign country that was translating the Bible into their language. He told us stories of people who would walk many, many miles just to get a few pages. They would take it back home and study every word in detail and memorize it. Only to return in time, excited for a few more pages to exchange for the ones they had.
God help us. We sit with many Bibles in our home, and yet take it all for granted. We do devotionals because it's quicker and makes us feel better about ourselves. We set our dvr's so we don't miss our favorite shows. We memorize the words to that favorite song. How about that favorite Bible verse?
If this Bible passage above, was our only page we had, would we memorize it? Would we cherish it as Gods word? Why don't we?
We are getting REAL, and I mean we which includes me. As I wrote the part about the stories our son told, my heart truly ached. I want to be so passionate about God that I live my life this way. Where I would walk many, many miles just to have a sheet of Gods word. Where I would read it over and over with desire to know, understand, and memorize so that I would always have it, no matter what.
What's keeping you from this kind of life? Ask God to show you. I know I will be. When he tells us the answer, will we answer his call or will we put him to voice mail. Are we willing to give up what ever is standing in our way? I would love to hear your thoughts.
In Him
Lets get REAL!!!
Does it matter what others think of you? So many times in my life I have been told it shouldn't and part of me agrees. Yet there is another part that doesn't. Maybe your not like me. Maybe your one of those people that gets up in the morning, every morning, seven days a week, and showers, does your hair, make-up, etc. before anything. Not that that's bad, I'm just not that way. I get up, make my breakfast and COFFEE, and sit with the Lord for about a hour or so. If I'm going to be cleaning and so, I don't get a shower till I'm done. If you stopped by my house during that time would I answer the door? Honestly it probably depends on how bad I look and who you are. How's that for honesty. Yet it is so true. Right now you may be laughing because it is so you or gasping that I put that out there for everyone to read. I guess as I'm getting older I feel a strong need to be REAL. I think God wants that from me. So I'm going to camp here for a while. We are going to get REAL!!
How about you, is God calling you to realness? I honestly don't know what God has in store for me on this path, but I'm willing to take you along if you want to come.
As I look at this path, I kinda see a metaphor of life. The grass looks green, yet spotted with snow. The path looks like it might be slippery. Just past that first set of trees there is a path that goes to the left. It appears much darker up front and yet further down there seems to be a brightness and maybe a clearing of sorts. It definitely is not a perfectly straight path.
Isn't that true with life it may appear to others and maybe even ourselves that it is green grass and yet sprinkled in is the cold hard facts of bills, loss of jobs, death, loneliness, heartaches, smashed dreams, etc. Our paths can be slippery and we turn our eyes away from God and we fall. Try as we may to get up and carry on, we struggle. Some cry out to the Lord and he lifts us up out of there and puts us on a better path. Some decide to stay down and wallow in their pity. Some curse God and ask how could you. Others say "I can do this" and they count only on themselves. Yet even others cry out to God and he lets us know he has allowed this in our lives for our own good. As a good parent would for a unruly child.
Why do we all handle things differently? Why do we "handle" them at all? Do some of us believe God is not capable? Do we think we can do a better job, or we just don't want to bother God with this one? Do we not even believe there is a God? Maybe some of us think that "God just doesn't work that way for me, you don't know my past." " I'm just not really that nice of person and you have to be a nice person for God." "My path is very busy I don't have time for God." " Ya, I tried God, but he let me down." We hear many excuses everyday, even out of our own mouths or at least in our heads. Yet isn't the real truth we don't want to get REAL. We don't want to make that time in our schedule. Were afraid of what we may have to deal with. Were afraid of what God might ask of us. Are you ready to get REAL?
Remember, we are walking this path together, if you choose to do so. This gives me lots of food for thought. How about you? I don't know what I/we are in store for tomorrow. I have agreed with God that its time to get really REAL and I can't imagine any better way to do it, then with your accountability. Please pray about this.
I pray you will choose to become a follower so I know I'm not just talking to myself. Looking forward to tomorrow.
In Him
How about you, is God calling you to realness? I honestly don't know what God has in store for me on this path, but I'm willing to take you along if you want to come.
| Source : Google Images |
Isn't that true with life it may appear to others and maybe even ourselves that it is green grass and yet sprinkled in is the cold hard facts of bills, loss of jobs, death, loneliness, heartaches, smashed dreams, etc. Our paths can be slippery and we turn our eyes away from God and we fall. Try as we may to get up and carry on, we struggle. Some cry out to the Lord and he lifts us up out of there and puts us on a better path. Some decide to stay down and wallow in their pity. Some curse God and ask how could you. Others say "I can do this" and they count only on themselves. Yet even others cry out to God and he lets us know he has allowed this in our lives for our own good. As a good parent would for a unruly child.
Why do we all handle things differently? Why do we "handle" them at all? Do some of us believe God is not capable? Do we think we can do a better job, or we just don't want to bother God with this one? Do we not even believe there is a God? Maybe some of us think that "God just doesn't work that way for me, you don't know my past." " I'm just not really that nice of person and you have to be a nice person for God." "My path is very busy I don't have time for God." " Ya, I tried God, but he let me down." We hear many excuses everyday, even out of our own mouths or at least in our heads. Yet isn't the real truth we don't want to get REAL. We don't want to make that time in our schedule. Were afraid of what we may have to deal with. Were afraid of what God might ask of us. Are you ready to get REAL?
Remember, we are walking this path together, if you choose to do so. This gives me lots of food for thought. How about you? I don't know what I/we are in store for tomorrow. I have agreed with God that its time to get really REAL and I can't imagine any better way to do it, then with your accountability. Please pray about this.
I pray you will choose to become a follower so I know I'm not just talking to myself. Looking forward to tomorrow.
In Him
Loving them to the Lord
This morning I was picking up around the house and I have a place where i display any cards that we receive, invitations, etc. and I picked up a card we had gotten from our daughter and son-in-love, who live about four hours away, thanking us for taking care of our six grandchildren while they went away for the weekend. Then a post card from our son and daughter-in-love, that has their picture on it. They are missionaries in Germany working with the military youth. Usually I accept that God has a plan for our Children and they are so following it, and we are very proud of them, and wouldn't have it any other way. Yet today was different. I broke in to tears, I miss them all so much. Maybe it is this time of year, I don't know. You see we homeschooled, and so every Fall we would take a day off for "school pictures" and go to a near by lake and a park etc. and just take pictures of them. It was a great time, lots of laughs, etc., such good memories. I'm so glad I have those pictures.
They are 28(Daughter) and 26(Son) but you see they are still my babies. They brought so much fun, laughter, joy, blessings, the list is way to long. Oh ya they also brought us some tough times, but a momma's heart seems to kinda forget that stuff. I marvel at how God has worked in their lives and how they have grown into such wonderful people. We weren't the greatest parents, no one is. We made many mistakes, lost our temper, said and did things we wish we could take back, etc. So very grateful that God's grace covers that. We are not alone when we parent. Cry out to the Perfect parent when you are going through the tough times. Ask for forgiveness from God and your child when you know you have messed up.
Enjoy your little ones, teenagers, adult children, they grow up so fast and leave a huge hole in your heart and life when they are not close by physically. Yet the most important job you will ever have is to make sure they know our Lord as their personal savior. As long as they are close spiritually they will be fine in this old world. When our children left to be missionaries, we all had to come to a understanding that we may never see each other again on this earth. God has been so gracious to allow us many times since then, but it is always a reality in the back of our minds. Yet it is a reality for anyone anywhere, they don't have to live in another country. When you all know the Lord as your savior, you have the wonderful promise of seeing each other again in eternity. What a wonderful blessing!!!!! Yet if you don't know the Lord....wow what a devastating thought.
Just heard this morning about a young man 18, who was in a car accident and is paralyzed from the neck down. He doesn't know the Lord nor does his family. My heart just cries out for them. I haven't enough space in the world to write my feelings about this situation. They have been given another chance. I pray with everything in me they take it. I pray they find God through this and focus on what could have been and not what they have been dealt. Please pray for this family.
Don't take this day for granted, it is a gift from God and he has a plan for it. Surrender it to Him, so that He may use it as He pleases. I had no plans in writing this today. I was cleaning, so I pray it blesses someone, and God uses it.
In Him
Are You Feeding an Idol?
| What idol are you sacrificing too?
I have struggled with being over weight most of my life. Not really because I have a strong appetite, that could be curved by some sort of appetite suppressant. I wish it was that easy. Oh ya I admit at first I bought into all the many diets that promised to be the answer. After many years of failing, I realized this wasn't about appetite, it was about my relationship with food. I ate when I was happy and things were going my way. I ate when I was angry, sad, lonely, discouraged, etc. I knew I needed to get control of that, but how. White knuckling worked for a short time, but then something would happen and I couldn't control it any longer and now I would even eat more. Justifying that I deserved it because this wasn't fair to me. The lies satan tells us! I really do have reasons I could blame it on, PCOS, heredity, etc. and yet deep inside me I knew it was much more then this.
Today God revealed to me a new thinking and insight that I truly felt convicted to share with you on here. As I'm doing my time with God every morning, I ask him to let me understand what he has for me this day and apply it to my life that I may grow as He would want me to. So as I was beginning Revelations; anticipating the many stories of the end times that I had read multiple times, He revealed something huge to me. Now this might be something He had just for me, but I don't think so.
As I think, I have mentioned before on here, I have never felt I had a problem with having another god, or idol, or bowing down to anything. Yet God continues to show me that it isn't just believing in Him as my savior that he's talking about in these verses and through out His word. I believe we can have idols or gods without even realizing it. That is how satan wants it.
In Revelations 2:14 God is telling John what to write to the churches. He is talking about the Israelites sinning by eating food sacrificed to idols. Normally I would have whipped right on by this. I've read many things about that subject, but not this time. The Holy Spirit said to me when you eat out of anger, stress, etc. you are sacrificing to idols. He went on to explain to me, that what ever is causing the emotion is the idol. Now stick with me here. The best way I can explain it is when we go to God with a problem, request, we really want Him to answer it in the way we want it to go. If we are truly mature in our relationship with Him we want His will. So we are relating to Him in expectations or acceptance. So if you are hurt that your husband forgot your anniversary you are relating as a expectation. An expectation of him to please you by remembering your anniversary. God is truly the only one we have to please. So if we are replacing God with ourselves to be pleased we have become our own idol. If we go stuff our face because of our hurt, then we are sacrificing food to our idol. Yet if we could look at it more mature, with acceptance that he is human, and that it is not all about me, etc. satan can't have that foothold on us and cause us to sacrifice food to our idol. Imagine if we would look at everything this way and take it all to God as we are suppose to do, how much better our life and our weight would be.
If your stressed out because you are trying to go to school, work, take care of a family, a home, etc. ask yourself why you are doing all this is it because you are trying to please your parents who always dreamed of you graduating from college, build your own self esteem or worth, etc.? Who just became the idol...your parents, you, etc.? Is this what God wants you to do? Then we add insult to injury by stuffing our face and sacrificing food to our idol. Also you're sacrificing yourself, your health, your marriage, your children,(Ezekiel 16:20 & 23:37)
The next time I feel some emotion that makes me want to stuff my face, I will be looking at it very differently. Is God on the throne or is it someone or something else?
Maybe it isn't food you run to to feed your idol. Maybe it is shopping, pornography, work, exercise, etc. It still is against God.
In Him
|
Putting on the Armor!!
A lady and I were talking last night, after Bible study, how frustrating it is that we let satan get the best of us without even realizing it sometimes. We think we are going to do something like pray with someone, or send a card of encouragement, sign up to teach Sunday school, etc. and satan tells us how stupid we are, and what others will think of us, etc. and soon we are agreeing with him and then we don't do it and he wins. Later you kick yourself for allowing it to happen. Just like this blog, I really feel like Christ has called me to it and yet every time I go to write you won't believe the struggle I go through. Even to the point I haven't told anyone yet I'm doing it. I'm getting closer.
He even fights us physically by making us not feel good on Sunday mornings, telling us "who do you think you are wearing that", "Don't you realize, nobody there likes you", etc. Lies all lies. John 8:44 tells us he's the father of lies.
In Bible study we were also talking about the distractions, when you are trying to have your quiet time with Christ, and how the phone will ring, even when you got up early to avoid that. Or you can't seem to shut your mind down and listen to His voice. All of a sudden it is flooded with your to do list, the children wake up, your extremely hungry, etc.
So ladies we really have to learn to pray for strength before we even get out of bed. Put on our armor daily. Ephesians 6:10-18 says
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
I am going to turn this into a prayer and try to memorize it so that I may start each day with it before I even get out of bed.
Lord, today I ask you to allow me to be strong in You and Your mighty power. Let me put on my full armor, that You have so graciously given me, so that I can take my stand against the devils schemes. Let me always remember my struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Let me stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around my waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and my feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Father may I have the strength to take up my shield of faith, so that I may extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Always remembering to take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is your word, God. May I be allowed to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Father I ask you to keep me alert, and always praying for all Your people. So that when the day of evil comes, I may be able to stand my ground. For without You Lord I am nothing. In Jesus name, Amen.
It is satan's joy to keep us down and not realizing the truths that God has given us in his word. 2 Samuel 22:33, 2 Samuel 22:40, 1Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 18:32, Psalm 18:39, Psalm 28:7, and many more.
I know it sounds like we need to be some kinda wonder woman with all sorts of ninja moves etc., but ladies admit it don't you feel like that is what you are up against everyday. The news is full of headlines. Satan is after us, our marriages, our children, our families, our church families, etc. We have no choice, we have to fight this battle and it can only be won with Christ as our leader. Yet how wonderful to know it can be won.
In Him
He even fights us physically by making us not feel good on Sunday mornings, telling us "who do you think you are wearing that", "Don't you realize, nobody there likes you", etc. Lies all lies. John 8:44 tells us he's the father of lies.
In Bible study we were also talking about the distractions, when you are trying to have your quiet time with Christ, and how the phone will ring, even when you got up early to avoid that. Or you can't seem to shut your mind down and listen to His voice. All of a sudden it is flooded with your to do list, the children wake up, your extremely hungry, etc.
So ladies we really have to learn to pray for strength before we even get out of bed. Put on our armor daily. Ephesians 6:10-18 says
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Lord, today I ask you to allow me to be strong in You and Your mighty power. Let me put on my full armor, that You have so graciously given me, so that I can take my stand against the devils schemes. Let me always remember my struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Let me stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around my waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and my feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Father may I have the strength to take up my shield of faith, so that I may extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Always remembering to take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is your word, God. May I be allowed to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Father I ask you to keep me alert, and always praying for all Your people. So that when the day of evil comes, I may be able to stand my ground. For without You Lord I am nothing. In Jesus name, Amen.
It is satan's joy to keep us down and not realizing the truths that God has given us in his word. 2 Samuel 22:33, 2 Samuel 22:40, 1Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 18:32, Psalm 18:39, Psalm 28:7, and many more.
I know it sounds like we need to be some kinda wonder woman with all sorts of ninja moves etc., but ladies admit it don't you feel like that is what you are up against everyday. The news is full of headlines. Satan is after us, our marriages, our children, our families, our church families, etc. We have no choice, we have to fight this battle and it can only be won with Christ as our leader. Yet how wonderful to know it can be won.
In Him
A Make Over
I checked out many new patio sets but was amazed at the cost so I decided to make over our old one. Which by the way, we picked up on the curb several years ago. It is very well built and I'm sure was an expensive one in it's day. This is the best picture I had of it before. Also I get to show off my beautiful granddaughter. The cushions were worn a little and kinda smelled from years of weathering,and the umbrella didn't go up very well anymore. Most of all it was very rusted and almost all the straps were rotten and broke.
So we tore it all apart.
And then we primed it, painted it, and put new strapping on it. We were so excited to find the strapping at Lowe's. We had looked and looked for years with no luck. Now we find out you can order it online in colors. How I wish I would have known that. When we had looked before online we had no luck finding it then. (Once again sorry about the date on the picture as well as it is wrong. My hubby bought me a new one since I had dropped that one in the kiddy pool and it hadn't been right since. Also we were going on a amazing trip to Europe to see our son and daughter-in-law and didn't want to miss a thing. Pictures and stories coming soon. Totally off the subject.)
Here is a picture after we had painted them, but before the new strapping. It got dark and we wanted to get them finished so we brought them inside and hadn't taken any pictures till we were on the last one.
See how a brown strapping would have been nice. We have thought about painting them we will see. Also we made step by step pictures of how to do this since there was no real instructions in the package and the internet had some but only using water and we came up with using the hair dryer. So if anyone wants to see them, let me know and I will post them. We had to take the table all apart also and remove the glass, so we could paint it. I didn't get any pictures of that. It was time consuming I guess, but very well worth it. It looks like a brand new set and we are very happy with it.
We bought new cushions,
and a new umbrella. Makes me want to go get flowers for the pots and make it all pretty. I'll post new pictures if I get that done. Our yard is so shady it's hard to get a good picture. Just wanted to share my newest project. Can't wait to enjoy it.
Have a GREAT day
In Him
Have a GREAT day
In Him
Do you see that?
I'm so excited about how God is revealing his word to me in a way I have never gotten. I truly LOVE that about His word. Every time I read it, it reveals more of Christ's true character to me. So with that I know Him better and know how I need to grow in Him. The Holy Spirit allows me to understand it more. When I understand it more it gets me excited about reading it, and I hate to put it down. It hasn't always been this way for me.
In 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 Paul is talking to me and you if you know the Lord as your personal savior.(verse 2) 4.I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. As Christians we need to claim that daily, and his peace in verse 3. 5. For in him you have been enriched in every way-in all your speaking and in all your knowledge- 6.because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Do you see that? We have been enriched in every way, EVERY WAY folks. In all our speaking and in all our knowledge. So God is giving us the words and the knowledge, he just wants us to be willing. Be willing to speak that knowledge. I don't have to be worried about writing on here, he
Father God if for some reason someone has read this far in this post, and doesn't know you personally. I pray you will lay on their heart just how much they need you. I pray they will not be foolish enough to live one more minute without knowing your precious love. I pray that if they asked you into their heart today, that you will reveal yourself to them as you have me. I pray they will seek out the Holy Spirit and know your divine joy in their lives daily. Father we are all broken and not perfect in anyway. May they understand that you don't require that of them. That because of your son's death on the cross we are made perfect and clean in your sight. NO MATTER what we have done in our lives. In Jesus name I pray this. Amen
8.He will keep you strong to the end, so you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9.God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord is faithful. I have heard so many people say they are not strong enough to be a christian, or strong enough to keep the commandments, etc. Do you see that? He will keep you strong enough. None of us are strong enough on our own. He is faithful. In today's world how much can we say about that. Faithfulness is hard to find. We live in a world that really doesn't understand that word, but God created it.
In Him
Italics was mine.
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