Who me?

Tonight someone told me I was a warrior. I don't feel like a warrior. I heard someone say we trust God with our eternity, but not with everyday things. I know that's me...ugh! I heard it preached that God already knows what we are going to pray for and he has already answered. WOW! God is speaking to me. He is using people around me to speak his words. I am going to listen!

Right now I am praising God because of what HE told me tonight. He is going to change the dynamics of my family and PRAISE GOD I cannot wait!!!! I am going to BELIEVE IT, and CLAIM IT! God has promised it to ME! HALLELUJAH!

Our GOD is an awesome GOD. He reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power and love, our GOD is an awesome GOD!

What's good enough?

Who decided that just being a good person is enough? Someone recently told me, " I know that you want to do a lot at that church, but you are doing a lot by just being who you are." While people seeing God's light in me is an example to the lost world, I believe it is soooo not enough. I have learned over the past year that just existing isn't enough, just being a good Christian isn't enough. Jesus commands us to go out into the world make disciples. I can't do that by JUST being an example. I have learned that it is my job to WORK, to be about my Father's business.....every day. I love my GOD. I know it is my job to share HIM with the world.

I know what God is calling me to do. I am praying that I listen to His voice and wait for His perfect timing. It IS NOT ok just to be a good Christian. Please get mission-minded....listen for God's calling...He has a plan and a purpose for your life! I love you!!!

Happy Birthday, Dylan!

Today is my son's birthday. Eight years ago I became a mother. This morning Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been on my mind. She was such a strong woman, in my opinion. I look into the eyes of my son and my heart just wants to burst with love. I love my husband, but the love between a mother and her child is so different. I truly believe that the love of a mother and son is unique. I am thinking of Mary and I wonder what her thoughts would be today of her experiences. I cannot imagine the agony of watching your child in horrific pain and suffering...to know that he did it all willingly, to know that his love for mankind went exceedingly beyond anything we could ever imagine or ever, ever deserve. I am sure that as she stands in his holy presence today, she knows it was well worth every agonizing moment. Praise God!

Mary...the mother who held that baby in her arms, looked into his eyes, smelled those baby smells. Mary...mother of our Holy God. Mary, I thank you.

Praise God this morning for my salvation. He is my rock, my ever present help in trouble. He is my all in all. I praise him this morning for my son. Thank you, God, for blessing me beyond my wildest expectations, more than I ever deserved. Lord, help me to be like Mary. I give you my son. Use him Father for your honor and glory. May he grow in your grace and knowledge, may he follow your perfect will. Use him, Lord Jesus, to share your salvation with the nations. All I have and all I am I give to you. AMEN.

Miracles

Do we as 21st century believers believe in miracles? That's my burning question. I wonder if we expect to see a man walking on water or water turned to wine before we think of a miracle. Do we just believe in miracles when we have a loved one sick or dying? We take so many things for granted that just living and breathing no longer seems like a miracle in itself. I look into the eyes of my children and I wonder....how do I explain miracles to them?

A miracle.....
the fact Jesus loved me enough to die for me.
four healthy, wonderful children that love me no matter what.
a church family that opens their arms for anyone and everyone, never judging, just loving
friends that listen to my constant yapping
a husband that I love beyond belief that is slowly coming to the realization that he needs
my Savior, too.


Miracles.....they happen everyday in many different ways. Will you be able to recognize your miracle today?

"My Savior lives. My Savior loves. My Savior's always there for me. My God he was. My God he is. My God is always gonna be."

Voices in my head

This week as been a particularly trying week for me. I have been "off my game" so to speak. I have been struggling to pray, struggling to get up to spend my time with my Savior, and struggling to have a postive attitude about my life. I guess we all have "down" weeks. My struggle really began on Sunday when I had to miss worship. We all have reasons why we have to miss church. I don't like missing and I feel lost when I do.

Finally, it hit me. Light bulb!! The devil will fight us in many different ways. I have seen his power in the big battles of my life. Battles that I know, with God's power, I have been victorious. I have felt like a warrior. A warrior with God's power, that is ready for battle and is strong. This week, however, satan has worked against me in a quiet manner. The voice saying, "sleep a little longer, you can read your Bible later." The voice telling me to feel sorry for myself. The voice saying "you deserve this or that." This week I have chosen to listen to that voice instead of the voice of my GOD. My GOD who has been on my side in thick and thin. My GOD that loves me above all. Why do we choose to listen to satan's voice???

"Choose ye this day whom ye will follow..." Sometimes it's easy to know who we are following. Other days it's a struggle. We quietly follow the easy road and don't realize it. Wake up!! Listen to GOD's voice. His is the only one we need to follow. Make your choice today. Follow GOD.

Following God

I have purposed in my heart to follow you, GOD, and to live healthy. I draw my strength from you.

"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your GOD, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and your soul." Joshua 22:5

On this day I have committed the rest of my life to serving GOD with all my heart, mind, body and soul.

Weekend of Power

I wanted to share a note that a friend gave me this weekend. I have been in a battle with the devil since Saturday. I just wanted to share with you what the Holy Spirit shared with her for me.

Greater is he that is within me than he that is of this world. Remember Jesus left us with the same power and authority to even great things like he did (truth and promise!) We do this to bring glory to the SON, so he can bring glory to the FATHER. The enemy will put up a fight but we have victory. That victory was and is ours, when JESUS rose from the grave. The enemy doesn't have the same authority that we have been given.

Her advice to me and I'm passing it on to you. Write scripture down. Keep it close, read it, pray it, believe it, claim it.

The Power of our God

I am truly amazed (and I shouldn't be!) every time I see the power of GOD. Believe and pray in faith. Pray for God's will, not for your own gain. God does answer prayers. This weekend I saw the absolute power of praying in God's will. Rebuke the devil in God's name and the devil will have NO power at all. Yes, I am smiling. I feel like shouting for joy and praising the name of our God. Just believe. How can you not???

My GOD and me...

It continues to amaze me how God works in my life. I am embarrassed that it took me 31 years to be at the place I am now. God led me to an amazing church family. At first, I was just occupied a seat on Sunday. I love the vision of our pastors and their wives. It's amazing to be their age and already know God's purpose and mission. It took me a while. Now I know God's vision for me. I know that I have a purpose and that God is going to use me. The problem is ME. I am a planner. I am a doer. I like to be in control. However, I am learning to let God lead. I want to do God's work now. I am learning that I have to just let God do HIS work and quit trying to do it on my own. My prayer is that God will continue to change me from the inside out. I desire to be more like him. Fill my heart, O God, with a more perfect love for mankind and a deeper knowledge of your will and way. I love you, my God, my Father, my Savior, my KING. Amen.

Leftovers NO more

Today's message really convicted me. I want to glorify and honor my GOD but how can I do that if all I give to him are leftovers? I'm trying to "surrender all" to HIM everyday. Now I know that even my best is not good enough. I struggle with money management. Anyone that knows me, really knows me, knows that I am NOT a good money manager. I have gotten better, but it's not enough. I am trying to do all these things that I'm supposed to do, but no matter how hard I try if I don't give it ALL to him it's just scraps.

God, my God, I cry out! Take it all...I surrender! I give to you my money and my addiction to food. Take my sins, Father, and cleanse me. Make me wholly thine.

Prayer

Today I learned a huge lesson. I know that prayer works. I know that. I have been a Christian for what seems like my whole life. However, I think that the longer we've been Christians we tend to forget that praying works!

We've been studying the Lord's prayer. I have never looked at each individual verse piece by piece the way we've been doing it. I am learning so much!

Today I saw with my own eyes that God listens to and will answer my prayers. Sometimes it seems like I've been praying for some things forever, but I know that God will answer in HIS time, not mine. Today I truly believe that GOD allowed my prayer to be answered because he wants to remind me that I need to be praying ALL day. I need to be so in tune with him that my mind lingers on HIM and HIS word all day. Oh, GOD, make me and mold me, use me. I am YOURS.

Self-control

Proverbs 25:28

I like what it says in scripture. A man or woman without self-control is like a city with broken walls. We must make selective choices everyday. That includes what we eat, what we listen to, what we watch. I am horrible at making good choices, epecially when it comes to what I eat. However, I am going to make the choice to make better choices starting today. There's no day better than the present, right?

Who am I?

Today I realized that I want to be known as a worshipper of Christ. When people think of me, I want them to say "Oh, yeah! I know her, she is a follower of Jesus." How do we get to that point? Everyday living, moment by moment wrapped in the arms of Jesus Christ. I want to be so in love with him that my world revolves around him. I desire to be like HIM from the inside out. I want to surround my children and my husband, my friends, my family and the students in my classroom with the light of Jesus that radiates from the depth of my heart. I want to do all things through Christ. That is not only who I am, but who I am longing to be....to be set apart.

Quote of the Day

Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell;
I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell.
C.T. Stud

This alone should be our goal as Christians!

An angel on one side, devil on the other...

We got into a discussion Wednesday night about living in peace. It is SO hard sometimes to be peaceful. I don't think of myself as a fighter. But, recently I have discovered a fighter down in my soul. I guess when I had kids and a wonderful husband that I felt the need to "protect," the fighter in me came out. Hahahaha! Visions of baseball bats and the posse I would create kept rolling through my mind.....Anyway! Our discussion about living in peace really stepped on my toes because as Christians we are called to live in peace with everyone. "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of GOD" Matt 5:9 Ouch!

There is a constant battle going on inside of me...the human one that wants to judge, be angry, and seek revenge. Then there's the part of me that desires to follow God's will and let his light shine through me. A picture of a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other comes to my mind. Which one will I listen to today? A constant battle! ugh!! I may stumble and I will fall in this battle, but I know the one that will pick me up.

And, for today I will remember that even the God of impossible knows that it is not possible to get along with everyone...thanks Donna Partow for sharing that with me. However, today, this day and everyday I will CHOOSE to live in peace with others as long as is up to me!

Leaning on Jesus

I am on my knees today acknowledging the fact that I cannot survive without Jesus. He is my rock and my salvation. I have no hope in this life without him. How can I live one day without his breath of life?

The words of a song keep coming to my mind "O God you are my God and I will ever praise you...and step by step you lead me and I will follow you all of my days..."

No matter what happens in my life or to me I choose to follow my savior, my LORD Jesus Christ each and EVERY day. I love you, LORD, thank you for saving me everyday. Amen.

The Jouney we found ourselves on......

Hello, Ladies!
It's hard to know what to say on the first posting of this new blog. I guess I could let those of you that don't know about us in on our secrets...lol. We are a group of women that decided we needed to get together, EAT, and talk. Most people know women are good at those things! We realized that each one of us has a need and a desire to be closer to our heavenly Father. We have learned that none of us are perfect (of course!), we each struggle in our daily lives with our families and jobs, and we realized that we need accountablity and friendship. When we finally all got together we realized that many of us were craving friendship within our own church family.


We started meeting at the end of May and began the journey of becoming the women God wants us to be. This has been a road to self discovery and soul searching. Each one of us is leaning something different. God is doing a magnificent work within our hearts and lives.

It is our goal to be so much more than we are now. God has big plans for each one of us and this group. We are praying that God will expand our group and draw more women to us.

I am anxious to see the postings of women that are already going through the study and attending the meetings. All women are invited to join us on this journey! May our God richly bless you this week!