Have you ever heard someone say, "Well I was just in the right place at the right time?" What did you think of when you heard them say it? I always think about someone who has won something, someone who received something by chance or someone who witnessed something spectacular. Is this really a good definition of "being in the right place"?
I would venture to say that when most of us think about "being in the right place", we probably think abour our home, our job, our relationships, our circle of friends and our church. Have you ever thought about what it would mean to "be in the right place" with your heart, your mind and your spirit? I would like to ask you to think about this for a moment............. Now I would like for you to honestly answer the following questions: When I am in my home, how do I feel? When I am in the right job, how does it affect my home life? When I am in the right relationship, how does it make me feel? When I am surrounded by the right group of friends, how does it affect me? When I am in the right church, how does it affect all area of my life? Now, answer these questions: Whey my heart is in the right place, how much love, compassion and help can I give? When my mind is in the right place, how much clearer can I think and how much more can I understand? When my spirit is in the right place, how much happier and fulfilled can I be? I know that was a lot of questions and some of them very hard to answer, but I want you to really spend some time thinking on them. If we are not in the right place in ALL areas of our life, we will continue to battle ourselves and not be free enough to fulfill our purpose.
Even though I did not really know the subject for this post, I have just had a very heavy heart in regard to my writing. I actually began to work on this post about 10 days ago, but was unable to finish it until today and as you will see later, it was timing. God's timing. When I looked at the date of my last post, I couldn't even believe that it had been six months. Really, six months? Where has the time gone. Of course, I started trying to figure out why it had been so long. Then I read some of the old posts. Then as I felt that "butterfly feeling" in my stomach I decided to go back a little further and do some self-evaluation. It then hit me like a Mac truck, I had not been in the right place. You see, I had let my heart, my mind and my spirit wonder and get away from me. I let other things remove me from the right place. I did not do what I needed to do in order to make sure that I remained in the right place.
Let me explain a little further. As most of you who follow my blog know that I have always given credit for this blog to God. I am simply the writer and He is the author. I have always wanted to write and about one year ago, I had that "butterfly feeling" in my stomach and knew that God was calling me to write. My writing was going really well while I was "in the right place". This place included my discipline in attending church, reading my bible and prayer. As I gradually began to cut back in some of these areas, my heart began to harden, my mind became cloudy and my spirit could not detect that "butterfly feeling" anymore, it was gone. You see, that "butterfly feeling" was what I always felt when God was trying to reach me, whether it be in prayer, while I was reading or while writing. Although I kept going to church, praying and reading my bible, I was still so far away from the place that I needed to be. I allowed my flesh to overrule my spirit and to turn my mind and heart off. I can honestly say that I didn't even know it was happening. On May 13, a very dear friend from church prayed with me. (she had also prayed with me on March 11 as well) This time as with the previous time, she said that she felt something was holding me back from receiving everything that God wanted for my life. Then 12 days later on May 25, I went to see the doctor who has been treating my neck and shoulder pain. As we were talking about my pain, she said that she just felt that she needed to tell me that my pain could be caused by something that I was holding onto and that I needed to let go of it. As tears filled my eyes that day, I knew that it was time for me to start taking a look at some things. I figured, ok, I have heard this three times now, so I better do something about it. Even though it still took me almost a month to figure it out.
What caused the change? I began to realize that I really missed my writing, but most of all, I really missed that closeness with God that my writing brought me. I missed that "butterfly feeling" and the beautiful words He gave me. As I mentioned above, I began writing this 10 days ago (although not much of the original writing was included), but the true turning point was this past weekend, both Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Our church had our anniversary service Saturday evening. The sermon was amazing, but it was what happened afterword that made all the difference. I was in a very bad place and had been for about a week. My pastor came over and began to pray with my husband and I. As he was praying, I realized the message from God in his prayer. This is a new beginning, He wants me to get my joy back, He wants me to realize the plan and purpose that He has for my life. We sang a song Saturday night, that was sung at our mother church about this time last year when I first had that "butterfly feeling" to begin writing. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed. I was even more overwhelmed when I looked back at the date of my first blog post, July 25, 2011. Then after an amazing sermon yesterday, our pastor shared with us his vision for our church. He mentioned that in order for our church to grow, we would all need to do our part in the different areas of the ministry. I was completely overwhelmed by the "butterfly feeling" to accept that challenge. As I moved to the alter to pray with my pastor's wife, I began to weep uncontrollably. I did not even realize that my husband had moved to stand beside me until once again our pastor began to pray for us. He began to pray for each of us individually and together. I truly began to feel that there is something that God is wanting to use us for within our church. God is so good.
Why did I tell you all of this? I wanted you to see how important it is to be in the right place. My husband and I were "in the right place at the right time" this weekend. If we had not been there we would have missed out on two life changing events. We would have missed out on the blessings that God wanted us to receive. I was in the right place when I heard the same message three times that I needed to take a look at some things. I was in the right place almost a year ago to hear a sermon and a song that would give me that "butterfly feeling" that I needed to write. Thank God that I was "IN THE RIGHT PLACE".
Monday, June 25, 2012
Friday, December 30, 2011
Just a Thought
It has been way to long since I have sat down at this computer to write. As I look back and see when my last blog was, I realize how much I truly miss writing. Sometimes, I just think we get so absorbed in the things going on around us and trying to please everyone, that we truly forget to do what it is we love and what pleases us. I think we take things for granted so much that we sometimes lose sight of who we are and what we like to do. We all seem to get caught up in the rat race of life.
We must always remember that if we are not happy, how can we expect to make those around us happy and treat them with the love and respect that they deserve? Think about this for a minute: at the end of the day, who is the one person or people that mean the most to you? Most likely, this is your spouse, your children, your parents and your family. Why is it that we sometimes try to hurt those that are closest to us? We should always strive to be happy around, love and respect those closest to us, because no matter what, they will always be the ones still there at the end.
We must enjoy the time that we are given. We must enjoy those that God has chosen to bless us with in this life. We must never take for granted what we have, because at any moment it can be taken away from us. We must remember to be true to ourselves, so that we can be true to others. We must take care of ourselves, so that we can take care of others. We must love ourselves, so that we are able to love others. We must do what we love, so that we are an inspiration to others to do what they love and what they are called to do.
May you all have a wonderful and blessed day. Remember, God has given us each a purpose in this life, don't be afraid to fulfill that purpose.
We must always remember that if we are not happy, how can we expect to make those around us happy and treat them with the love and respect that they deserve? Think about this for a minute: at the end of the day, who is the one person or people that mean the most to you? Most likely, this is your spouse, your children, your parents and your family. Why is it that we sometimes try to hurt those that are closest to us? We should always strive to be happy around, love and respect those closest to us, because no matter what, they will always be the ones still there at the end.
We must enjoy the time that we are given. We must enjoy those that God has chosen to bless us with in this life. We must never take for granted what we have, because at any moment it can be taken away from us. We must remember to be true to ourselves, so that we can be true to others. We must take care of ourselves, so that we can take care of others. We must love ourselves, so that we are able to love others. We must do what we love, so that we are an inspiration to others to do what they love and what they are called to do.
May you all have a wonderful and blessed day. Remember, God has given us each a purpose in this life, don't be afraid to fulfill that purpose.
Monday, November 7, 2011
A Rock Facade II
I have been thinking about my previous post for the last several days. It seems as though there was more that God wanted me to share with you. Please bare with me as I follow the Lord and what He wants from this post. I am going to review some of the original post and expand. I know that Part I had several things missing, but I just wrote what I felt God was wanting me to say at that time. I hope that you will enjoy Part II.
With each rock that my husband removed from the facade, we were able to see clearly what was underneath. There were holes, cracks, bricks that were charred from smoke, dust, dirt, cobwebs, you name it and it was probably in there. It was amazing. I have never seen the inside of a fireplace, so it was kind of cool. As he kept removing the rocks it became very evident to us what was causing the cold air to make its way in. It was all the cracks and holes that had developed overtime. Remember, this house was built in 1973. So for 38 years this fireplace has endured, rain, heat, cold, snow, hail and all of the other wonderful seasons we have here in Oklahoma. (On a side note, I am thankful that he tore it down before the earthquakes this past weekend.) It has maintained itself fairly well, but it has encountered some wear and tear.
With each rock that my husband removed from the facade, we were able to see clearly what was underneath. There were holes, cracks, bricks that were charred from smoke, dust, dirt, cobwebs, you name it and it was probably in there. It was amazing. I have never seen the inside of a fireplace, so it was kind of cool. As he kept removing the rocks it became very evident to us what was causing the cold air to make its way in. It was all the cracks and holes that had developed overtime. Remember, this house was built in 1973. So for 38 years this fireplace has endured, rain, heat, cold, snow, hail and all of the other wonderful seasons we have here in Oklahoma. (On a side note, I am thankful that he tore it down before the earthquakes this past weekend.) It has maintained itself fairly well, but it has encountered some wear and tear.
Now lets take a look at how this relates to us. As we begin to look at ourselves, our hearts, our minds and our spirits, we may come up with some of the same issues our fireplace had. As we begin to tear the walls down in our hearts we will begin to see the junk that is there. Depending on our age, there could be many holes and cracks in our hearts caused by things that have happened to us over time. These holes will allow feelings of unbelief into our hearts. There is also room for negative and bad things to enter. We may find that our spirit is charred with years of hurt and loss. We may find that our mind continues to tell us everything is ok and looks great, but in reality it isn't. You see we have been able to put up the "facade" and make everyone think that we are strong and without any defects.
My friends, God does not want us to live this way. He wants us to fulfill the purpose that He has for our lives. He wants us to succeed and not fail. He wants us to bring joy and not sadness. He wants us to serve Him and no other. He wants us to receive all of the promises that He has for us instead of receiving nothing. Psalm 145:13 (NIV)-The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
Like I mentioned before, my husband will fix our fireplace and it will be beautiful. As we sit around our fireplace this Christmas, we will be thankful that it is no longer cold and know that behind what we can see are the holes and the cracks that were filled to make our fireplace strong and perfect. We will enjoy what we can see and over time will forget what we cannot see.
The same can happen in our lives. First, we must believe in Jesus. He has the power to fix everything. Psalm 147:3 (NIV)-He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. His love will fill those holes and cracks. His teachings and promises will allow us to believe and bring us words of promise. He will heal our charred spirit and allow His spirit to flow in us. He will take our faith to a new level. He will do everything that He has promised us He will do. We must simply choose Him and we must choose to have faith and believe. We must approach His throne with holiness, praise, thanksgiving and confidence. Jesus is full of love and grace. He doesn't care who you are or what you have done, He just wants you to tear down that facade or tear down that wall and allow Him to come in. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)-Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Are you ready to tear down that facade? Are you ready to do what it takes to fill those cracks and holes? Are you ready to enjoy life again? If so, He is waiting for you.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
A Rock Facade
I have spent the last couple of hours watching my husband dismantle the rock facade on the front of our living room fireplace. This fireplace has been a part of this house since it was built in 1973. However, over the last couple of years we have noticed that during the winter time it seems that there is a lot of cold air that comes from it. Since we have been doing some remodeling we decided to go ahead and take down the rock and see what might be causing the air to come in.
This whole process got me to thinking about how sometimes our outward appearance seems so strong, safe and without any defects. Then when we begin to tear down the facade that we have put up, we find large gaps that are not filled in. We find areas that have been charred by years and years of damage and neglect. We discover that everything that we thought was strong and safe really wasn't.
However, it can be fixed. My husband will fill the holes and cover up the charred bricks with mortar and then put up sheet rock to attach our new mantel too. We will have a wonderful and beautiful fireplace to enjoy this winter and in a few years we will only vaguelly remember what we uncovered when we took down the rock.
Just like the fireplace, we can fix ourselves. It is very simple, we must trust and believe in Jesus. He is able to fill our gaps and repair the charred areas. He is also able to repair any other damage that we may have encountered along the way. All you have to do is ask Him. Are there repairs that you need to make? If so, you can call on the one and only fixer of everything, and His name is Jesus.
This whole process got me to thinking about how sometimes our outward appearance seems so strong, safe and without any defects. Then when we begin to tear down the facade that we have put up, we find large gaps that are not filled in. We find areas that have been charred by years and years of damage and neglect. We discover that everything that we thought was strong and safe really wasn't.
However, it can be fixed. My husband will fill the holes and cover up the charred bricks with mortar and then put up sheet rock to attach our new mantel too. We will have a wonderful and beautiful fireplace to enjoy this winter and in a few years we will only vaguelly remember what we uncovered when we took down the rock.
Just like the fireplace, we can fix ourselves. It is very simple, we must trust and believe in Jesus. He is able to fill our gaps and repair the charred areas. He is also able to repair any other damage that we may have encountered along the way. All you have to do is ask Him. Are there repairs that you need to make? If so, you can call on the one and only fixer of everything, and His name is Jesus.
Friday, October 28, 2011
From Frustration to Rejoicing
Do you ever have a day when you just want to throw in the towel? Well I have felt that way the past two days. It is not very often that I come home in the evening on the verge of tears. I feel as though I am emotionally and physically drained. I haven't felt this way in a long time. My frustration meter has been at a 10+ and I have had a hard time dealing with some things.
This evening I was so frustrated that I could not see straight. However, there must have been a reason that I didn't have time to finish my bible study this morning and had to finish it this evening. By the time I was done, my frustration meter had dropped to about a 1. I know I have said it before, but I will say it again, it totally amazes me how God knows exactly what we need to hear or see at just the right time. It never seizes to amaze me how I will always read exactly what I need when I need it. As I was finishing up my bible study reading tonight, I just felt all of the stress and frustration leaving my body. I am still very exhausted, but at least I am no longer frustrated.
God is so good!!! I just love how He can take us from a place of despair and frustration, to a place of rejoicing. I can honestly say that my faith has grown so much in the last few months. I know that no matter what may be going on in my life, all I have to do is call on Him and He will meet me where I am. He will listen to my prayers. He will listen to me through my tears. He will surround me with His love, protection and promises. He will teach me. When I have done all that I know to do and it is still not enough, I can cry out to Him for help and He will answer.
If you would like to go from frustration to rejoicing, just call or cry out to Him and He will meet you where you are. May He bless you as you go about your day.
This evening I was so frustrated that I could not see straight. However, there must have been a reason that I didn't have time to finish my bible study this morning and had to finish it this evening. By the time I was done, my frustration meter had dropped to about a 1. I know I have said it before, but I will say it again, it totally amazes me how God knows exactly what we need to hear or see at just the right time. It never seizes to amaze me how I will always read exactly what I need when I need it. As I was finishing up my bible study reading tonight, I just felt all of the stress and frustration leaving my body. I am still very exhausted, but at least I am no longer frustrated.
God is so good!!! I just love how He can take us from a place of despair and frustration, to a place of rejoicing. I can honestly say that my faith has grown so much in the last few months. I know that no matter what may be going on in my life, all I have to do is call on Him and He will meet me where I am. He will listen to my prayers. He will listen to me through my tears. He will surround me with His love, protection and promises. He will teach me. When I have done all that I know to do and it is still not enough, I can cry out to Him for help and He will answer.
If you would like to go from frustration to rejoicing, just call or cry out to Him and He will meet you where you are. May He bless you as you go about your day.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Start with a Seed
Over the last couple of weeks I have been attending one of Life Tabernacles satellite churches in the Paseo district of Oklahoma City. My pastor has been teaching on "Purpose". This teaching has struck a chord in me. I cannot begin to tell you how I have prayed and cried out to God to reveal to me my purpose in His kingdom. Yesterday at church, the sermon just kept speaking to me and when it came time for the alter call, I was ready. I cried and cried and asked God to please reveal to me what my purpose was, I just wanted to know.
Step back with me to a previous teaching on purpose. My pastor said that if we only start with a seed and water and nourish it, it will grow. Then that growth will take us to another level. Yesterday he was talking about how when a stalk of wheat grows, during the winter we will not see much growth on the topside. However, something amazing is going on underground. Not until the rain comes during the right season will the wheat finally grow to its full height. The same is with our purpose. We must be faithful to God and serve Him with all that we are and at the right time and at the right season we will begin to see all that we have been waiting on.
I spent the afternoon outside enjoying the beautiful weather and reading all of my blogs on "The Pantry". There were times when I was reading that I honestly couldn't remember writing some of those things. I also realized while reading, how free my spirit seemed to be. I could truly see in my words the words of God. Here is where it gets interesting. I have always wanted to write, so I started this blog. God gave me the name "The Pantry" and also showed me what the meaning was to be. Yesterday as I was praying and crying out for my purpose, writing kept coming to my mind. Last night after getting home from church I wrote my first blog in 40 days. Up until that point, my heart had been heavy and I felt as though I was carrying a huge weight on my shoulder and I was, the burden that I needed to write. After writing that blog last night I felt such a sense of peace and comfort that I cannot explain and my heart was happy once again. As I read the blogs earlier, I could see and feel in my spirit that this is my purpose or at least part of my purpose that God has for me.
So you see, I started with a seed, when I began this blog. I have tried my best to water and nourish it. I have remained faithful to God and He has rewarded me with this passion to write. Thank you Lord, for reveling my purpose to me. What is your purpose? Plant a seed in your life and see where He will take you.
Step back with me to a previous teaching on purpose. My pastor said that if we only start with a seed and water and nourish it, it will grow. Then that growth will take us to another level. Yesterday he was talking about how when a stalk of wheat grows, during the winter we will not see much growth on the topside. However, something amazing is going on underground. Not until the rain comes during the right season will the wheat finally grow to its full height. The same is with our purpose. We must be faithful to God and serve Him with all that we are and at the right time and at the right season we will begin to see all that we have been waiting on.
I spent the afternoon outside enjoying the beautiful weather and reading all of my blogs on "The Pantry". There were times when I was reading that I honestly couldn't remember writing some of those things. I also realized while reading, how free my spirit seemed to be. I could truly see in my words the words of God. Here is where it gets interesting. I have always wanted to write, so I started this blog. God gave me the name "The Pantry" and also showed me what the meaning was to be. Yesterday as I was praying and crying out for my purpose, writing kept coming to my mind. Last night after getting home from church I wrote my first blog in 40 days. Up until that point, my heart had been heavy and I felt as though I was carrying a huge weight on my shoulder and I was, the burden that I needed to write. After writing that blog last night I felt such a sense of peace and comfort that I cannot explain and my heart was happy once again. As I read the blogs earlier, I could see and feel in my spirit that this is my purpose or at least part of my purpose that God has for me.
So you see, I started with a seed, when I began this blog. I have tried my best to water and nourish it. I have remained faithful to God and He has rewarded me with this passion to write. Thank you Lord, for reveling my purpose to me. What is your purpose? Plant a seed in your life and see where He will take you.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Back on Track
Have you ever felt like a trail that has derailed? I have. I just looked back and it has been 40 days since I last posted. I guess on September 13, my trail derailed and it has taken me this long to get "back on track". Oh, how I have missed my writing and reading your wonderful comments. I have thought so many times about sitting here and writing, but I just never seem to have the time. (Or should I say, I haven't made the time.) I am here to tell you that now that I am "back on track", I plan to stay here.
Why do you think sometimes it takes us so long to get "back on track" after we derail? I know for me, it simply is ME. I have no one or nothing to blame for this, just myself. We are the only ones that are in control of what we do or don't do. We are given the opportunities, but we don't take them. We are given the resources, but we don't use them. We are given the time, but we don't take it. We are given the vision, but we don't see it. Why? Are we afraid of failure or disappointment? I can honestly say yes to both of those. I am always afraid of being a failure or being a disappointment to my family and friends. I am my own worst enemy. But I learned tonight that I must release the burden of ME and I did.
I know that God has a plan and a purpose for my life. I know that He wants to use me in a way that I have not yet discovered, but I am working on it. He has made my life anew. The last few weeks have been very trying for my flesh, but my spirit has been learning and being filled with God's word. So even though I have been derailed, I have been being repaired.
There is so much more I want to write about, but I will close for now. I would like to leave you with this, think about a time when you were "derailed". Was it hard to get "back on track"? Did you have the opportunity to have some repairs done? If not, it is never to late to make those repairs to your life, all you have to do is ask Him.
Why do you think sometimes it takes us so long to get "back on track" after we derail? I know for me, it simply is ME. I have no one or nothing to blame for this, just myself. We are the only ones that are in control of what we do or don't do. We are given the opportunities, but we don't take them. We are given the resources, but we don't use them. We are given the time, but we don't take it. We are given the vision, but we don't see it. Why? Are we afraid of failure or disappointment? I can honestly say yes to both of those. I am always afraid of being a failure or being a disappointment to my family and friends. I am my own worst enemy. But I learned tonight that I must release the burden of ME and I did.
I know that God has a plan and a purpose for my life. I know that He wants to use me in a way that I have not yet discovered, but I am working on it. He has made my life anew. The last few weeks have been very trying for my flesh, but my spirit has been learning and being filled with God's word. So even though I have been derailed, I have been being repaired.
There is so much more I want to write about, but I will close for now. I would like to leave you with this, think about a time when you were "derailed". Was it hard to get "back on track"? Did you have the opportunity to have some repairs done? If not, it is never to late to make those repairs to your life, all you have to do is ask Him.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
You Reap What You Sow
Wow, has it really been 11 days since I last posted? It just seems that time is going faster and faster these days. A lot of things have been going on. My son celebrated his 22nd birthday on September 7 and on September 5, he proposed to his beautiful fiance Brittany. I am so happy for both of them. Just this weekend my precious little grandson spent the night with us. Who ever would have thought that playing Peek-a-Boo at 3:00 in the morning would be so much fun? Needless to say I was very tired the next day. Also, my husband went to church with me for the first time on Sunday and I was so happy. So it has been a wonderful and blessed month so far. I can't wait to see what other wonderful things the Lord has in store for me and my family.
Which brings me to the topic of this segment of "The Pantry". During my bible study the last couple of days, this topic has come up again and again in different contexts, but the point is still the same, You Will Reap What You Sow. 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)-Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. The following is from Joel Osteen's website: If you believe in faith and keep speaking victory, favor, health and wholeness, you will see positive changes happen in your life. You will reap a good harvest from the seeds you are sowing. Wow, doesn't that make you stop and think?
I can honestly tell you that in the last few weeks, there have been times when I have not sown good seed. There were things that happened that really brought me down and I did not treat my loved ones the way that I should have been treating them. Why do we always try to hurt the ones we love? They are the ones that will be by us no matter what. Trust me, it does not feel good when you realize that the seeds you have sown are not becoming fruitful and the reason for that is because you have not been taking care of them the way that you should.
But as you can tell from the first paragraph of this post, there were some seeds that were sown well and they produced a bountiful harvest. I never gave up praying that my husband would come to church with me and he did. Was it when I wanted it to be? No, it was in God's time. I was not even expecting him to go with me this past Sunday, so it was such a blessing. Being a Mom, I have always prayed for my son and that he would have a wonderful life and he is. My grandson is so very precious to me and I am so grateful to have a wonderful step daughter. I have wonderful parents and a sister and of course all of my other relatives. I love my family and I pray daily for them. I like to think that I am sowing a seed on their behalf no matter what they may need. So when they are blessed, I give all of the honor and glory to my heavenly Father.
I would like to challenge you today to, think about the seed that your are sowing. Will you reap a bountiful harvest? Or do you need to make changes in your sowing? May God bless you today and bring you joy and peace.
Which brings me to the topic of this segment of "The Pantry". During my bible study the last couple of days, this topic has come up again and again in different contexts, but the point is still the same, You Will Reap What You Sow. 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)-Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. The following is from Joel Osteen's website: If you believe in faith and keep speaking victory, favor, health and wholeness, you will see positive changes happen in your life. You will reap a good harvest from the seeds you are sowing. Wow, doesn't that make you stop and think?
I can honestly tell you that in the last few weeks, there have been times when I have not sown good seed. There were things that happened that really brought me down and I did not treat my loved ones the way that I should have been treating them. Why do we always try to hurt the ones we love? They are the ones that will be by us no matter what. Trust me, it does not feel good when you realize that the seeds you have sown are not becoming fruitful and the reason for that is because you have not been taking care of them the way that you should.
But as you can tell from the first paragraph of this post, there were some seeds that were sown well and they produced a bountiful harvest. I never gave up praying that my husband would come to church with me and he did. Was it when I wanted it to be? No, it was in God's time. I was not even expecting him to go with me this past Sunday, so it was such a blessing. Being a Mom, I have always prayed for my son and that he would have a wonderful life and he is. My grandson is so very precious to me and I am so grateful to have a wonderful step daughter. I have wonderful parents and a sister and of course all of my other relatives. I love my family and I pray daily for them. I like to think that I am sowing a seed on their behalf no matter what they may need. So when they are blessed, I give all of the honor and glory to my heavenly Father.
I would like to challenge you today to, think about the seed that your are sowing. Will you reap a bountiful harvest? Or do you need to make changes in your sowing? May God bless you today and bring you joy and peace.
Friday, September 2, 2011
F.R.O.G.
How many of you know what F.R.O.G. stands for? Several years ago, this was all over the place. On bracelets, cups, jewelry, you name it and it had F.R.O.G. on it. It stands for Fully Rely On God. Take just a minute to reflect on that. Do you fully rely on God? If not, what is holding you back?
The bible studies that I have been reading lately have been fantastic. I am so glad that I make the time to get up everyday and read my bible. It is so awesome to start your day off on the right foot and with a positive message. Doing this has helped me to rely on God more than I have in a really long time. I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoy just talking to Him while I am driving to work. It is so freeing.
On August 28, we had one of our church members preach because our Pastor was out of town. He did an awesome job and preached in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. My favorite verse from that chapter is verse 58(NIV): Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. God will give us the strength to stand firm if we will let him.
Another reading from Joyce Meyer on the same day reads as follows: Your weakness is God's opportunity to show His power! He is not surprised by them and actually knew all about them before you did. So you can relax and enjoy your daily while God continues working in you. Even in our weakest moments, God is there to hold us up and watch over us.
I can assure you that once you choose to Rely on God, nothing in your life will be the same. He loves you so much and wants you to trust Him with all of your problems, insecurities and weaknesses. He wants to share in your joys, miracles and happiness. He does not ever want any of us to go through these good or bad things alone. He always wants us to trust and rely on Him.
Will you F.R.O.G. today? If you do, you will be amazed at the wonderful blessings you will receive.
The bible studies that I have been reading lately have been fantastic. I am so glad that I make the time to get up everyday and read my bible. It is so awesome to start your day off on the right foot and with a positive message. Doing this has helped me to rely on God more than I have in a really long time. I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoy just talking to Him while I am driving to work. It is so freeing.
On August 28, we had one of our church members preach because our Pastor was out of town. He did an awesome job and preached in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. My favorite verse from that chapter is verse 58(NIV): Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. God will give us the strength to stand firm if we will let him.
Another reading from Joyce Meyer on the same day reads as follows: Your weakness is God's opportunity to show His power! He is not surprised by them and actually knew all about them before you did. So you can relax and enjoy your daily while God continues working in you. Even in our weakest moments, God is there to hold us up and watch over us.
I can assure you that once you choose to Rely on God, nothing in your life will be the same. He loves you so much and wants you to trust Him with all of your problems, insecurities and weaknesses. He wants to share in your joys, miracles and happiness. He does not ever want any of us to go through these good or bad things alone. He always wants us to trust and rely on Him.
Will you F.R.O.G. today? If you do, you will be amazed at the wonderful blessings you will receive.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Catching Up
Wow, I cannot believe that it has been three days since I have posted on this blog. Crazy thing is that I had to catch up on some bible study stuff as well earlier today. I am telling you the days are just going by faster and faster each week.
I believe that sometimes we are put in the situation of getting behind for a reason. What that reason is, I really don't know. Most of you know that I am very OCD and I hate to get behind on anything. I always have to have things planned in advance because I am not one of those, "fly by the seat of your pants", types. Funny thing is that when I was going to school a few semesters ago, I would procrastinate until the last minute to get papers written, homework done, etc. I always said that I did it because I worked better under pressure, but I really don't know why I did it.
So since today was the end of the month, I wanted to get everything done today. Just in time to start all over again tomorrow. Do you ever wonder why we tend to wait to do things sometimes? I do, but I still haven't figured it out. In fact, I need to start working on my To Do list for the next time I have some days off. There are several things that I need to get done around the house.
One thing that I hope you will not procrastinate on, is trusting in God to take care of all your needs. Remember that He loves you and all you need to do is invite Him in.
May you all have a wonderful and blessed day. Thank you for continuing to read "The Pantry".
I believe that sometimes we are put in the situation of getting behind for a reason. What that reason is, I really don't know. Most of you know that I am very OCD and I hate to get behind on anything. I always have to have things planned in advance because I am not one of those, "fly by the seat of your pants", types. Funny thing is that when I was going to school a few semesters ago, I would procrastinate until the last minute to get papers written, homework done, etc. I always said that I did it because I worked better under pressure, but I really don't know why I did it.
So since today was the end of the month, I wanted to get everything done today. Just in time to start all over again tomorrow. Do you ever wonder why we tend to wait to do things sometimes? I do, but I still haven't figured it out. In fact, I need to start working on my To Do list for the next time I have some days off. There are several things that I need to get done around the house.
One thing that I hope you will not procrastinate on, is trusting in God to take care of all your needs. Remember that He loves you and all you need to do is invite Him in.
May you all have a wonderful and blessed day. Thank you for continuing to read "The Pantry".
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Frustration
I am just going to be very honest with you: today has been very frustrating for me. Because of that I feel like I am having a really hard time writing. So, I thought I would just write a little something about frustration.
It amazes me how the smallest things can make us frustrated. To be honest again, it really doesn't take me long to get frustrated sometimes. I did get my bible study done and I had hoped that would help, but it didn't. Even though I absolutely loved my bible study, I still keep going back to the things that I have been frustrated about today.
God had a different plan for me this afternoon then to be frustrated. As I was going back through some of my notes trying to find something to write about, I came upon something that I had written down yesterday. This is from the book of Psalms. Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV) 23) Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24) See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. This was also in our message at church this morning. God wants us to allow Him into everything that is going on in our lives. He wants us to call on Him in our times of trouble. He wants to bless us with His might power. He wants to heal us. He wants to deliver us. All He wants us to say is "Here I am Lord, search me and lead me. I want to follow You all the days of my life. I want to do Your work." God does not want us to stay in the pit of frustration or any other type of pit that we may be in. He wants us to receive all of His promises.
My personal prayer, "Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank you for helping me to see that being frustrated is not really warranted in any of my situations today. Lord, I pray that you will help me to be more able to control my frustrations and spend more time bringing honor and glory to You. Jesus I thank you for the blood that you shed for me. You are my King."
Will you let God help you today and get you out of your pit?
Friday, August 26, 2011
Watching God's Plan Unfold
I sit here tonight in amazement. Amazed that I am watching God's plan unfold. Sometimes it almost feels as if it is not even real. I sometimes feel like I have to pinch myself in order to make sure that it is all not a dream. Two weeks ago I wrote on "God's Plan"; in that blog I wrote a little about my son, but tonight I am going to write a little bit more.
When my son first started attending church with his girlfriend, I could immediately tell that there was something in him that was changed. I still remember the day that he told me he was going to be baptized. Of course, I was there for his baptism and cried my eyes out with tears of joy. Since that time, he has never looked back. He has given it all to God.
I had the privilege of listening to him speak to the youth group last Wednesday. He has such a love for God that you can see it all over his face. I cannot even begin to explain what it is like to watch your child preach to a group of young people. I could hear and feel the love that he has for God. Tonight I got to watch him play bass guitar in the youth band, worshiping with music. He has also spoken one other time to the youth and is also a member of our church puppet team. Yes, I am a very proud Mom. I am so proud of the man that he is becoming.
God has a plan for my son's life. I am so blessed and honored that I can be a part of watching this plan unfold. I am so honored to watch him become the man that his Heavenly Father wants him to be. I may be his mother, but God can give him so much more than I ever could. I have always said that God gave me my son for a reason. Part of that reason was I needed to change the path my life was taking back then; and he is still helping me now. His faith has led me back to church. I have renewed my faith and commitment to God, I have been baptized and I am allowing God to do His work in me.
God has a plan for you and He wants you to be able to watch it unfold. All you have to do is give Him permission. He will bless you beyond measure. He will show you things that you never even knew. Most of all, He will love you like no one else ever has. Won't you allow Him to unfold His plan for you?
When my son first started attending church with his girlfriend, I could immediately tell that there was something in him that was changed. I still remember the day that he told me he was going to be baptized. Of course, I was there for his baptism and cried my eyes out with tears of joy. Since that time, he has never looked back. He has given it all to God.
I had the privilege of listening to him speak to the youth group last Wednesday. He has such a love for God that you can see it all over his face. I cannot even begin to explain what it is like to watch your child preach to a group of young people. I could hear and feel the love that he has for God. Tonight I got to watch him play bass guitar in the youth band, worshiping with music. He has also spoken one other time to the youth and is also a member of our church puppet team. Yes, I am a very proud Mom. I am so proud of the man that he is becoming.
God has a plan for my son's life. I am so blessed and honored that I can be a part of watching this plan unfold. I am so honored to watch him become the man that his Heavenly Father wants him to be. I may be his mother, but God can give him so much more than I ever could. I have always said that God gave me my son for a reason. Part of that reason was I needed to change the path my life was taking back then; and he is still helping me now. His faith has led me back to church. I have renewed my faith and commitment to God, I have been baptized and I am allowing God to do His work in me.
God has a plan for you and He wants you to be able to watch it unfold. All you have to do is give Him permission. He will bless you beyond measure. He will show you things that you never even knew. Most of all, He will love you like no one else ever has. Won't you allow Him to unfold His plan for you?
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Change II
I wrote a little about "Change" five days ago, but the Lord has been showing me more about change in the last few days. So I am going to do a little more writing on this subject. This will even tie a little bit into my post from last night.
From Joyce Meyer on August 24: Change requires change! Only a foolish person thinks they can keep doing the same thing they have always done and get a different result. From Joyce Meyer today: Don't be afraid of change because it is always necessary for progress. All I can say is WOW. I hope those words spoke to you as they did to me, because they spoke volumes to me.
Last night I spoke about "My Temple", which is my body. I want "My Temple" and everything within "My Temple" to be pleasing to God. This will require some change. Change in how I pray, how I worship, how I spend my time with God, how I act, how I speak, how I dress, how I treat others, how I eat, how I take care of myself and how I take care of my family. I cannot continue to do things the way I do now and expect a different result. I must sacrifice some things to make the changes if I want progression in the plan that the Lord has for my life. I must learn to submit everything that I have to Him and know that He will keep His promise to me. I must learn to accept the change and allow it to help me grow in the areas that are being changed.
We must not be afraid of change. We must know that God will be there to help us through the rough times and allow us to continue you on our path. We must always remember to thank Him for everything that He is doing for us and the changes that are taking place in our lives.
We serve an awesome God and He is worthy of all our praise.
From Joyce Meyer on August 24: Change requires change! Only a foolish person thinks they can keep doing the same thing they have always done and get a different result. From Joyce Meyer today: Don't be afraid of change because it is always necessary for progress. All I can say is WOW. I hope those words spoke to you as they did to me, because they spoke volumes to me.
Last night I spoke about "My Temple", which is my body. I want "My Temple" and everything within "My Temple" to be pleasing to God. This will require some change. Change in how I pray, how I worship, how I spend my time with God, how I act, how I speak, how I dress, how I treat others, how I eat, how I take care of myself and how I take care of my family. I cannot continue to do things the way I do now and expect a different result. I must sacrifice some things to make the changes if I want progression in the plan that the Lord has for my life. I must learn to submit everything that I have to Him and know that He will keep His promise to me. I must learn to accept the change and allow it to help me grow in the areas that are being changed.
We must not be afraid of change. We must know that God will be there to help us through the rough times and allow us to continue you on our path. We must always remember to thank Him for everything that He is doing for us and the changes that are taking place in our lives.
We serve an awesome God and He is worthy of all our praise.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
My Temple
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 19)Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, 20) you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
I read this scripture during my bible study this morning and it spoke volumes to me. My husband has always said that we should take care of our bodies because they are a temple for God. I guess I never really realized the importance until I reread this again tonight prior to beginning this post. Once again I am amazed at the way that God will show us something at the time that we really need it in our lives.
Just today, I was thinking about how much I really need and want to lose weight. The last few months have been very emotionally hard for me. I have tacked on about 30 unanswered pounds. It seems like the more I gain, the more I seem to be losing control of the battle. The last few months have been very trying for me and I guess that I have chosen to allow food to comfort me. I have struggled with my weight for many, many years. There are times when I have lost weight and then I will gain it back, lose it again and gain it back and on and on and on. That is why after reading this scripture again tonight I realized that it is time to do something about it. I know that I must surrender "my temple" to God and allow Him to have total control.
This is going to be quite a challenge for me. I know that it will require a lot of discipline and hard work, but I am ready to give it all I have. I also know that I need to do this for me and my family. I want to be here to enjoy my children and my grandchildren. I want to be able to do things with my family and not feel tired anymore. I want to be happy again about who I am and the way I look. I want "My Temple" to be pleasing to God. I know I have said this many, many times, but I want everything I do in my life to bring honor and glory to Him.
Take a look at "Your Temple" today. Is there anything that you need or want to change? If so, give it to Him and He will take the journey with you.
I read this scripture during my bible study this morning and it spoke volumes to me. My husband has always said that we should take care of our bodies because they are a temple for God. I guess I never really realized the importance until I reread this again tonight prior to beginning this post. Once again I am amazed at the way that God will show us something at the time that we really need it in our lives.
Just today, I was thinking about how much I really need and want to lose weight. The last few months have been very emotionally hard for me. I have tacked on about 30 unanswered pounds. It seems like the more I gain, the more I seem to be losing control of the battle. The last few months have been very trying for me and I guess that I have chosen to allow food to comfort me. I have struggled with my weight for many, many years. There are times when I have lost weight and then I will gain it back, lose it again and gain it back and on and on and on. That is why after reading this scripture again tonight I realized that it is time to do something about it. I know that I must surrender "my temple" to God and allow Him to have total control.
This is going to be quite a challenge for me. I know that it will require a lot of discipline and hard work, but I am ready to give it all I have. I also know that I need to do this for me and my family. I want to be here to enjoy my children and my grandchildren. I want to be able to do things with my family and not feel tired anymore. I want to be happy again about who I am and the way I look. I want "My Temple" to be pleasing to God. I know I have said this many, many times, but I want everything I do in my life to bring honor and glory to Him.
Take a look at "Your Temple" today. Is there anything that you need or want to change? If so, give it to Him and He will take the journey with you.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
What a Ride
I cannot believe that yesterday marked the fourth week that I have been writing "The Pantry". It honestly does not seem that long. It seems like only yesterday when I decided to give it a try.
I cannot even begin to tell you how I feel. I forgot how much I love to write. This blog has brought so much joy and purpose into my life. Each time I sit down to write I just feel so blessed and excited. There is such a feeling that comes over me when I write that I cannot explain and there is such a beautiful peace that surrounds me. On those few days that I haven't written, I feel really bad; like I am letting down my best friend.
I have said this many times, but I truly believe that God is the co-author of this blog. There are times when I am writing that I don't even remember what I just wrote. I know that He is with me and that there is something that He wants me to say. I have learned to listen for Him. I also pray before I begin my writing, which has allowed me to spend more time in prayer and bible study. I have learned a lot in the last few weeks.
I hope that you will decide to continue following this blog. My prayer is that you will be blessed by "The Pantry" and that what you read will inspire you. I know that God will keep stocking it so that we will remain filled with His precious teachings and words. Thank you so much for your continued support. Remember you comments are always welcome and I read every single one.
Thank you Lord, for all of Your blessings and Your continued help with this work. May all honor and glory belong to You.
I cannot even begin to tell you how I feel. I forgot how much I love to write. This blog has brought so much joy and purpose into my life. Each time I sit down to write I just feel so blessed and excited. There is such a feeling that comes over me when I write that I cannot explain and there is such a beautiful peace that surrounds me. On those few days that I haven't written, I feel really bad; like I am letting down my best friend.
I have said this many times, but I truly believe that God is the co-author of this blog. There are times when I am writing that I don't even remember what I just wrote. I know that He is with me and that there is something that He wants me to say. I have learned to listen for Him. I also pray before I begin my writing, which has allowed me to spend more time in prayer and bible study. I have learned a lot in the last few weeks.
I hope that you will decide to continue following this blog. My prayer is that you will be blessed by "The Pantry" and that what you read will inspire you. I know that God will keep stocking it so that we will remain filled with His precious teachings and words. Thank you so much for your continued support. Remember you comments are always welcome and I read every single one.
Thank you Lord, for all of Your blessings and Your continued help with this work. May all honor and glory belong to You.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Hitting the Brick Wall
How many of you have hit brick walls? I don't necessarily mean a real brick wall, I am just talking about a point where you just cannot go anymore, and you are stuck? I can tell you, I have hit many a brick wall. This is also a term that we use at work, which means that we are beyond tired. I must tell you that today I hit the brick wall at work about 1:00. Since this was my first day shift, I was a little behind the 8 ball anyway. But I did make it through with flying colors.
Do you ever stop to think about how this "brick wall" came into your life? Sometimes I think it is just a circumstance of life. We are all going to hit "brick walls" at some time or another. How we deal with these walls is another story.
A few days ago, I received this message on a daily message site I belong to called, God wants you to know. Here is the message from 8-15: God wants you to know.....that when you come to a wall, you can either climb it, or you can simply walk around until you find a door. Don't make life so hard, - look for the doors!!! How true that statement is. Sometimes we tend to become so focused on one thing, that everything else just passes us by. We use the wall as an excuse; an excuse for not wanting to work, not wanting to go to school, not wanting to go to church, etc. We become so obsessed with this wall, that we lose focus of how to remove all the things that don't belong there. We also will walk right by some of the open doors and never peak in.
I am so thankful that God has a plan to get us away from these "brick walls". Please step out today and take that step to be the person God wants to you be.
Do you ever stop to think about how this "brick wall" came into your life? Sometimes I think it is just a circumstance of life. We are all going to hit "brick walls" at some time or another. How we deal with these walls is another story.
A few days ago, I received this message on a daily message site I belong to called, God wants you to know. Here is the message from 8-15: God wants you to know.....that when you come to a wall, you can either climb it, or you can simply walk around until you find a door. Don't make life so hard, - look for the doors!!! How true that statement is. Sometimes we tend to become so focused on one thing, that everything else just passes us by. We use the wall as an excuse; an excuse for not wanting to work, not wanting to go to school, not wanting to go to church, etc. We become so obsessed with this wall, that we lose focus of how to remove all the things that don't belong there. We also will walk right by some of the open doors and never peak in.
I am so thankful that God has a plan to get us away from these "brick walls". Please step out today and take that step to be the person God wants to you be.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Change
Tomorrow I begin my new shift at work. I am excited but a little nervous. I have been working the night shift for the last year and a half. I know that going to the day shift will be a lot better for my family and probably my health, but I have liked the atmosphere of working at night.
I work with some fantastic people and I know that the transition will be pretty painless. The only thing I am worried about is getting up in the morning. I am really not a morning person. I am use to staying up until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning, but now I will have to be going to bed at 10:00pm, because believe me, I need my beauty sleep. I am sure that it will take me a couple of weeks to adjust and I will be fine.
I truly believe that God has us go through some of these "changes" in life, so that we can see what we are made of. He also wants to see how we react to certain situations and if we will follow His will. I know that the Lord has had his hand in this from the very beginning. Just the way everything worked out, I know that it could not have been for any other reason. I hope God will continue to make changes to my life and continue to allow me to do His will.
I am willing to make the changes that the Lord sees fit for me to make. Are you willing to allow him to make changes for you?
I work with some fantastic people and I know that the transition will be pretty painless. The only thing I am worried about is getting up in the morning. I am really not a morning person. I am use to staying up until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning, but now I will have to be going to bed at 10:00pm, because believe me, I need my beauty sleep. I am sure that it will take me a couple of weeks to adjust and I will be fine.
I truly believe that God has us go through some of these "changes" in life, so that we can see what we are made of. He also wants to see how we react to certain situations and if we will follow His will. I know that the Lord has had his hand in this from the very beginning. Just the way everything worked out, I know that it could not have been for any other reason. I hope God will continue to make changes to my life and continue to allow me to do His will.
I am willing to make the changes that the Lord sees fit for me to make. Are you willing to allow him to make changes for you?
Friday, August 19, 2011
Gracious, Righteous and Compassion
Have you ever felt that everything was closing in on you and you had no where to escape to? Have you ever been given a diagnosis by a doctor, and you wonder if you are going to make it? Well, I have and I can tell you first hand that it is not fun. This October will mark my 17th year of being an Ovarian Cancer Survivor. I can tell you first hand that getting that "C" word diagnosis will bring you to your knees in half a second and totally set your world into a vicious spin that you think will never end.
As I was doing my bible study this evening, I came across a chapter in Psalms that meant so much to me when I was going through my cancer treatments, Psalm 116. I would love for you to take a moment and read this chapter. There is such a powerful lesson to be learned in this chapter. Verses 5-6 really spoke to me today: 5-The Lord is gracious and righteous; and God is full of compassion. 6-The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. God is so good.
I was healed and know that God poured out His healing power upon me all those years ago. I am so grateful that He is gracious, righteous and compassionate. Although we are given battles in our lives, we must always remember that God will never give us more than we can handle. I know that God put me through that rough time in my life, so that I could use what I learned from that experience to help others. Sixteen years ago, I wondered "why" He spared my life. I knew what I was going through was for a reason, but I didn't know what. I can tell you, almost seventeen later, I am still trying to figure out the "why".
I have always tried to encourage others who are going through cancer or have family members going through cancer. I remember the way that I was treated by the doctors and nurses who took care of me, and I want to take care of the patients that I deal with now in that same way. I want people to know that no matter what the doctor says, God is the ultimate healer. I love being able to talk with someone about my experience and my journey and I hope that it will help them on theirs. So as I write this, I guess I am figuring out the "why". As you can see, God can use anyone to spread His word and be an example of His works. My God, you are so good. Isn't it great to have a teacher who will show you grace, righteousness and compassion? Thank you Lord for teaching us about grace, righteousness and compassion. May everything that we do bring all honor and glory to You.
As I was doing my bible study this evening, I came across a chapter in Psalms that meant so much to me when I was going through my cancer treatments, Psalm 116. I would love for you to take a moment and read this chapter. There is such a powerful lesson to be learned in this chapter. Verses 5-6 really spoke to me today: 5-The Lord is gracious and righteous; and God is full of compassion. 6-The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. God is so good.
I was healed and know that God poured out His healing power upon me all those years ago. I am so grateful that He is gracious, righteous and compassionate. Although we are given battles in our lives, we must always remember that God will never give us more than we can handle. I know that God put me through that rough time in my life, so that I could use what I learned from that experience to help others. Sixteen years ago, I wondered "why" He spared my life. I knew what I was going through was for a reason, but I didn't know what. I can tell you, almost seventeen later, I am still trying to figure out the "why".
I have always tried to encourage others who are going through cancer or have family members going through cancer. I remember the way that I was treated by the doctors and nurses who took care of me, and I want to take care of the patients that I deal with now in that same way. I want people to know that no matter what the doctor says, God is the ultimate healer. I love being able to talk with someone about my experience and my journey and I hope that it will help them on theirs. So as I write this, I guess I am figuring out the "why". As you can see, God can use anyone to spread His word and be an example of His works. My God, you are so good. Isn't it great to have a teacher who will show you grace, righteousness and compassion? Thank you Lord for teaching us about grace, righteousness and compassion. May everything that we do bring all honor and glory to You.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Freedom
If you read my blog yesterday, you will remember that I talked about being FREE. I kept feeling that the Lord wanted me to share a little bit more with you about freedom. I looked up the word freedom on dictionary.com and it gave me five different definitions. The fifth definition being: personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery. If you will also recall the following words that I mentioned from the song "Freedom" that I have been listening to: No more shackles, no more chains, no more bondage, I am free.
I cannot tell you how many times I have listened to that song over the last week. No matter if I am in my car or at home when I listen to this song, I have the same reaction. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, I get goose bumps and I feel an overwhelming presence of God. It is the most awesome feeling ever. It is awesome to know that we can be free from all of the things of our past. We don't have to hold onto to them anymore nor do we have to be tied down by them. God wants us to know that we can be free all we have to do is ask. He will free us from those things that bind us and make us new. Jesus died so that we could be Free, can you take a moment today to praise Him?
Now to switch gears to those who fight for our earthly freedom and our country. Our military men and woman make such a sacrifice to ensure that our freedom as Americans is preserved. I would like to say Thank You to all who have served and are still serving in our military for our Freedom. In the last few weeks there have been way to many of these fine men and woman who have been killed. My heart aches for these families and I pray that God will comfort them and pour His love out upon them. Please take some time in your daily prayers to pray for our military.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
His Plan
First of all, I would like to start off by saying that I am so happy to be FREE. I have been listening to a song called "Freedom" that we sing at church. Whenever I listen to this song, I can feel the Lord speaking to me and confirming to me that I am FREE. No more shackles, no more chains, no more bondage, I am FREE. Thank you my sweet Jesus.
If you have been reading my post the last few days, you will know that the Lord has really been speaking to me about "His" plan and trusting in "Him". It seems that everywhere I have turned, everything I have read, everything I have heard over the last few days, has led me back to the same thing: His plan in His time and learning to trust in Him. Although we may know what we want to do and how we want to do it; or where we want to go and how we want to get there, it may not be what is part of our plan. We must put all of our trust in God and we must commit everything that we do unto Him.
I had the wonderful pleasure of listening to my son preach to the church youth group tonight. His sermon even touched a little on what God is wanting from us. He spoke about the fact that we need to put on the Armor of God. We are here to serve God and it is our responsibility to do what He asks of us. If you would have asked me a year ago, or even 7 months ago, would I be watching my son preach to a youth group? I would have said no. However, God had a plan for my son's life and His plan is being revealed to him everyday. I cannot wait to see where it takes him. Praise God!!!
If you would have asked me a month ago, if I would be writing a blog, I would have said no. However, God had a plan for me and He is revealing it to me each and everyday. I am so honored and blessed. I don't know where this is leading, but I am along for the ride. Thank you my sweet Jesus!! I may be typing the words, but they are not always just mine. God has taken something that I love to do, which is writing, and used it for His glory.
Is there something that you are passionate about? Keep your spirit, your heart and your mind open to God's calling. You never know what His plan for you may be, so don't let it pass you by.
If you have been reading my post the last few days, you will know that the Lord has really been speaking to me about "His" plan and trusting in "Him". It seems that everywhere I have turned, everything I have read, everything I have heard over the last few days, has led me back to the same thing: His plan in His time and learning to trust in Him. Although we may know what we want to do and how we want to do it; or where we want to go and how we want to get there, it may not be what is part of our plan. We must put all of our trust in God and we must commit everything that we do unto Him.
I had the wonderful pleasure of listening to my son preach to the church youth group tonight. His sermon even touched a little on what God is wanting from us. He spoke about the fact that we need to put on the Armor of God. We are here to serve God and it is our responsibility to do what He asks of us. If you would have asked me a year ago, or even 7 months ago, would I be watching my son preach to a youth group? I would have said no. However, God had a plan for my son's life and His plan is being revealed to him everyday. I cannot wait to see where it takes him. Praise God!!!
If you would have asked me a month ago, if I would be writing a blog, I would have said no. However, God had a plan for me and He is revealing it to me each and everyday. I am so honored and blessed. I don't know where this is leading, but I am along for the ride. Thank you my sweet Jesus!! I may be typing the words, but they are not always just mine. God has taken something that I love to do, which is writing, and used it for His glory.
Is there something that you are passionate about? Keep your spirit, your heart and your mind open to God's calling. You never know what His plan for you may be, so don't let it pass you by.
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