Conversations With My Father

Status Update!!

2013-06-24T22:33:00.000-04:00

Wow, where do I begin... As I look at my Blog that I started almost two years ago and have not posted to it in almost a year now, as I go back and read my posts I am humbled. It is amazing how within just less than a year and in a moment how things in our lives can change. I surely have changed and still am changing daily. I have experienced quite a lot in such a short time. As many may know, this year began to be one of the worst years I have ever experienced. My mother became really ill back in January right after Christmas and was admitted into the hospital. I was faced with the fact that our mortal bodies don't live forever and that I just may lose my mother, my confidant, my counselor, & my best friend. For nearly 5 months my mother was in and out of hospitals. At the same time, my husband who had always had heart problems found out that his heart was blocked and needed another stint put in in February. In March we were told that we had to move out of the house we were renting and I was to start a new job and moved my family closer to where I would be working and we moved into our dream home, with a new dream job and I thought that it was going to be the best time of our lives and that we may be able to recover from all the emotional stress and sickness that our family had been hit with. I just jumped, I didn't pray, neither did we seek & ask God if it was his will. We were impulsive and just needed change and thought that it would be good. We moved, I started my new job, my mother came home from the hospital, the kids were in school, and things seemed to be getting better. I was in expectation of better days ahead. In April, my husband passed away in my arms, my mother went back into the hospital, I lost my dream job, and I lost my dream home. I felt as if I had no one. I struggled with depression, anxiety, guilt, and anger. If it had not have been for my children I would have killed myself. I was in pretty rough shape. Few events in life are as painful as the death of a spouse. I was uncertain if I would survive this overwhelming loss. At times, I was uncertain if I even would have the energy or desire to try to heal. I was beginning a journey that is often frightening, overwhelming and sometimes lonely. I went back to the ONE...the one who made me...the one who loved me unconditionally...I knew all these things but for some reason I felt like I could not connect with God. Like He was not hearing my cries. Or either I was not able to hear His voice. Isaiah 40:29 says, "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." I couldn't understand why in my weakness He was not there... or at least I didn't feel like He was. Until one day I read the scripture again and again and again and I saw it "they that wait"! I didn't understand waiting, I was so impulsive in anything that I did. If I wanted it I bought it....didn't matter if I had the means to or not I managed to get it. "Wait, you say? What do you think I have been doing all my life? All I know how to do anymore is to wait!" I can see nothing developing but a deferred hope, and my heart has been made sick!

Most have probably been waiting in the manner that this English word implies: "To be in expectation; as, to wait for sunrise. To remain in readiness for some action...." (Webster's Dict.); in other words, to just simply sit back in an easy chair and wait for something to happen whether they have any part in it or not.

The word wait in this verse comes from the Hebrew word qavah which means "To bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect" (Strong's). It is the binding together that we want to first take note of, especially with the indication that it is a binding as a result of twisting (Genesius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament's first word for its meaning is "to twist"). It is akin to chabal (meaning to twist) from which "cord" is translated. It is in this thought, of a cord or a rope, that wait speaks of in the above verse (Isa. 40:31). Genesius also says that qavah means "to be strong, robust (for the notion of binding fast, tying fast, is applied to strength...i.e. ropes...."

We have all been, and some still are, like individual strands of a fiber, dangling freely, and of very little use in God's kingdom, and will remain so until becoming one with Him. Before we wait upon Him, i.e. until we are bound together with Him, we will be void of any quality strength, we will be unable to ascend like the eagles, we cannot run without becoming weary, nor can we walk any distance at all without fainting. We may have been waiting for many trying years for God to do something in our lives, hoping to be liberated from the bondage of flesh and the world. The truth of the matter is, we could wait until the dusty blanket of earth is laid over our faces and skin worms devour our mortal bodies, and we would still remain void of the majesty of Christ Jesus. Simply waiting for it to happen will not produce the overcoming union with Christ that the creation is waiting to see in the Sons of God, that glorious appearing Paul spoke of in Romans 8:19-21. I knew right at that moment what I had to do and why these things were happening to me!

Just like the rope maker, God will firmly place His strong right hand on one end of the rope, and in a vise like grip He will begin to twist the strands in the direction of righteousness. This would not be painful at all, that is, if pressure was not being applied from the other end, and in the opposite direction. You see, in order for the twisting to work, the left hand of the adversary must oppose the Spirit. The circumstances of life that are so tremendously adverse to our comfort and well being are part of the left hand of twisting. The adverse desires, goals, imaginations, lusts of the flesh, or any carnal thing that opposes God will consist of that evil hand.

Our lives, like the strands of a rope, are first soaked in cool, refreshing water. Once we have been made soft and pliable the tranquility comes to an end. We are then jolted to the adverse realities of life as we are subjected to tremendous pressures. On one end of the rope of our lives, the right hand of God takes a firm grip and begins His twisting in the positive direction of holiness, while the left hand of adversity on the other end twists in the opposite direction, toward the negative desires of our lustful flesh and carnal reasoning. There are many other types of pressures that we will not notice; suffice it to say, during the time of our waiting upon the Lord, we may wonder what is happening, for it will seem as if our very life is being wrung out, and it is, but it is necessary for a season.

This, however, is not the end of the process, for once everything that we had cherished so dearly is pressed from us, like the rope, we are then laid upon a hard Rock in order for the burning rays of the Sun to dry us even more. We remain there, and still under pressure, until it is thoroughly dry. Once the rope is parched and seemingly void of life, the pressures of the right and left hands can be removed, for the rope will then hold its form. All THREE STRANDS, the Spirit, the soul, and the body, have been formed into ONE CORD which is not quickly broken. The Master can now use it for the purpose it was designed, and He will have no concern of it breaking or any of the strands unraveling and becoming independent of one another. When it is used in the Kingdom, when it is subjected to heavy loads, we will find that these adversities only cause each strand to draw closer together -- strengthening one other. The purpose it was designed for soon becomes evident, and we rejoice! We then not only know that we can, but we begin to mount up with wings as eagles, we run the race and never grow weary, and we walk the straight and narrowing way without fainting! Praise God for all those who WAIT!

My Confession...

2012-07-17T10:59:00.001-04:00

I am alert and active, watching over my word to perform it. Jeremiah 1:12

One of the most powerful things we can do as believers is to confess God's Word. His Word is truth, and when He hears us speaking His truth and living our lives according to it, great things happen. I encourage all of you to confess the Bible-based truths below repeatedly, so they can become part of the foundation of a strong self-image in your life.

1. I know God created me, and He loves me.

2. I have faults and weaknesses, and I want to change. I beleive God is changing me little by little, day by day. While He is doing so, I can still enjoy myself and my life.

3. Everyone has faults, so I am not a complete failure just because I am not perfect.

4. I am going to work with God to overcome my weaknesses, but I realize that I will always have soemthing to deal with; therefore I will not become discouraged when God convicts me of areas that need improvement.

5. I want to make people happy and have them like me, but my sense of worth does not depend on what other think of me. Jesus has already affirmed my value by His willingness to die for me

No matter how often I fail, I will not give up, because God is with me to strengthen and sustain me. He has promised to never leave me or forsake me. I like myself. I don't like everything I do, and I want to change but I refuse to reject myself. I am right with God through Jesus Christ. God has a good plan for my life. I am going to fulfill my destiny and be all I can be for His glory. I have God-given gifts and talents, and I intend to use them to help others. I am nothing, and yet I am everything! In myself I am nothing, and yet in Jesus I am everything I need to be! I can do all things I need to do, everything God calls me to do through His Son Jesus Christ.

I am who He says I am......Not who everyone, including myself thinks that I am!!

True Forgiveness

2012-07-17T10:40:00.001-04:00

I discovered something very powerful this past weekend about the power of forgiveness. All my life I have been willing to forgive, or so I thought, and to forget instances where I had felt that I had been wronged. I felt in my heart and in my soul that I truly did forgive people who had hurt me and was a bit arrogant that it seemed to have come so easily for me. Since I have been forgiven of much, why not forgive others. I watched unforgiveness rip apart the lives of other people around me and decided that I wouldn't allow that to happen to me because after all my unforgiveness would only hurt ME in the long run. What about those who have hurt us? They know that they have wronged us in some way....what feelings do they have...how do they react if they pass us in the grocery store or when we see them at the doctors office? What do they feel inside their hearts? This never concerned me before until now. My vision was clouded by the thought that they went along living normal lives not caring whether or not they hurt me or not. This is true for some, but not for most! We all want love and harmony. No one wants discord and bitterness or wrath. To let someone who has wronged you know that you forgive them and love them no matter what they may have done allows "them" to be free from the weight of unforgiveness and not only us. After all this walk in life is not about us! ME ME ME ME!! It's about us connecting to and being transformed in our hearts, minds, & bodies. To hear the words, "Thank you for forgiving me," and seeing their heads rise and the smile on their face is one of the greatest rewards for us as children of the Most High God. #justathought

Get the devil back!

2012-06-27T09:41:00.001-04:00

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you. Proverbs 25:21,22

on the way to work this morning, part of my morning ritual is to stop at the store and buy something for me to drink. This morning while I was in line this older woman was fumbling through a change purse trying to get enough money to buy herself a cup of coffee. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to buy her the coffee, so I informed the cashier that I would get it to put it on me. The woman turned and gave me a disgusted look, and I said "it would be a privilage for me to buy you a cup of coffee." She again looked at me harsh and flatly refused. Actually, she made a big scene so much that it embarassed me, and at first I thought, Lord, I know that didn't come from you telling me to buy her a coffee and I won't do that again ever! The Holy Spirit rose up within me that instant and spoke, "that is exactly what the devil wanted you to say," so I changed my mind. That was a very difficult moment, but it made me sadly aware of how many people don't know how to receive a blessing-probably because it never happens to them.

Each act of kindness is my way of obeying God and overcoming the evil in the world. I don't know what bad things happened to people, and perhaps my acts of kindness will help heal the wounds in their souls. I also believe that kindness toward others is a way for me to get the devil back for the pain he has caused in my life. He is evil to the maximum degree; he is the perpetrator of all the evil we experience in the world, so every act of love, goodness, and kindness is like stabbing him in his wicked heart. If you've been mistreated and wished you could get back at the devil for the pain he has caused you, then be good to as many people as you can. It's God's way, and it will work because lover never fails. Don't get discouraged like the devil would want you to do...just press on and keep being nice anyways. What is that old saying after all, you can get more bees with honey than with vinegar!

To my Daddy!

2012-06-22T11:28:00.001-04:00

Dad, there are not enough words to express
How much I have longed for you
and tried not to be depressed

Many years have passed us by,
But God has given us time to really see
what matters most and that is
you & I

I no longer look at us with hatred in my heart
I am so very thankful for we've been given
a brand new start.

We will talk about the things that fill
a life with love and pain
but through timeless golden time
the unspoken still remains

Remembering the way you would hold me
and sing sweet songs of Jesus

A little girls needs her daddy
for many many things

Like holding me high up off the ground
Where the sunlight sings

Like being the deep music
That tells me, all is right

When I awakens frantic
with the terrors of the night

Like being the great mountain
that rises in my heart
and shows me how to stand up tall
when all else falls apart.

Like giving me the love
that is my sea & air
So diving deep or soaring high
I'll know you always care.
I want to get to know you more, your thoughts and your desires
and share with you my love
For you are my daddy, NOW
Thanks to God Above.

I love you James Dennis! Happy Fathers Day!!

A Father's Love

2012-06-22T11:16:00.001-04:00

Throughout the Bible a person is always identified as the son—or daughter—of a certain man. This is expressed also in many English family names, such as Williamson, Jackson, Thompson. In each case, a person’s identity is derived from a father. The breakdown of the family in many nations today has produced what has become known as “generation X.” X represents the unknown quantity. Many young people in this sad generation have no significant relationship with a father. Consequently they have an identity crisis. They do not really know who they are. The unspoken cry of their hearts is for a father. I believe that if the Christian Church of today can effectively communicate the reality of God as a Father, multitudes of young people will run into their Father’s arms. We can do this in the same way that Jesus “manifested” the Father’s name to His disciples: by demonstrating in our daily lives the reality of our own personal relationship with the Father. Picture a little child held securely by his father’s arm, with his face pressed against the father’s shoulder. There may be great confusion and distress all around. The world may seem to be falling apart. But the little child is totally at peace, unconcerned by what is taking place all around him. He is secure in his father’s arms. We, too, are securely held by our Father. Jesus has assured us that our Father is greater than all that may surround us and no one is able to snatch us out of His hand. To His disciples Jesus also gave this assurance: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”We may be just a little flock, surrounded by wild beasts of all kinds. But if our Father has committed Himself to give us the kingdom, there is no power in the universe that can withhold it from us.

Rejoice!!

2012-06-22T11:12:00.000-04:00

One of the most important lessons we can ever learn is to enjoy every day of our lives as we look forward to the future. One of my greatest desires is to see people thoroughly enjoy the quality of life Jesus decided to give us- not to just read about it or talk about it, but to walk in it and experience it as a daily reality. Many people, including myself are extremely goal oriented. We are so focused on tomorrow that we often fail to appreciate and enjoy today because we are always thinking ahead, looking to the next event, working to complete the next assignment, and seeing what we can check off of our to-do-lists. Our fast-paced, high pressure society urges us to accomplish as much as we can as quickly as we can-so we can then accomplish even more. Over the years, I have learned that the intense pursuit of one goal after another can cause us to miss out on some of the enjoyment life offers us. God does have purposes and plans He wants us to fulfill during the course of this life but He also wants us to enjoy and make the most of everyday we live. I thank you Lord for reminding me this morning to recognize the small things and take joy in each moment. I repent for letting it all rush by me and not noticing the importance of each moment that you have blessed me with. Today is the day You have given me and I will rejoice and be glad in it!

VICTORY IS SWEET!!

2012-04-25T16:21:00.001-04:00

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed". I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus. I won't look back, let up, slow down, look away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chancy giving and dwarfed goals!

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by presence, lean on by faith, love by patience, live by prayer and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the image of mediocrity.
I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up till I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up and stayed up for the cause of Christ!

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops.

And when He comes to get His own, He'll have no problem recognizing me...my colors will be clear!

Author Unknown

2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Serving Christ Together,
Trish Maddox
Worship Leader
Triple Crown Cowboy Church

SALT OF THE EARTH

2012-04-25T16:12:00.000-04:00

In the days before artificial refrigeration, sailors who took meat on long voyages used salt as a preservative. The process of corruption was already at work before the meat was salted. Salting did not abolish the corruption, but it held it in check for the duration of the voyage so that the sailors could continue to eat the meat long after it would have become inedible. Our presence on the earth as Christ’s disciples operates like the salt in the meat. The process of sin’s corruption is already at work. This is manifested in every area of human life—moral, religious, social, political. We cannot abolish the corruption that is already present. But we can hold it in check long enough for God’s purposes of grace and mercy to be fully worked out. Then, when our influence is no longer felt, corruption will come to its climax, and the result will be total degradation. This illustration from the power of salt to restrain corruption explains Paul’s teaching in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12. Paul warns that human wickedness will come to its climax in the person of a world ruler supernaturally empowered and directed by Satan himself. Paul calls this ruler “the man of sin [or lawlessness]” and “the son of perdition” (verse 3). In 1 John 2:18 he is called “Antichrist,” and in Revelation 13:4 he is called “the beast.” This ruler will actually claim to be God and demand universal worship. Emergence of this satanic ruler is inevitable. Paul says with certainty, “Then the lawless one will be revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Paul also declares in the same verse that the true Christ Himself will be the one to administer finally judgment upon this false Christ—“whom the Lord will consume with the breath [or spirit] of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” Unfortunately some preachers have used this teaching about Antichrist to instill in Christians attitudes of passivity and fatalism. “Antichrist is coming,” they have said. “Things are getting worse and worse. There is nothing we can do about it.” As a result, Christians have all too often sat back with hands folded in pious dismay and watched the ravages of Satan proceed unchecked all around them. The attitudes of passivity and fatalism are as tragic as they are unscriptural. It is true that Antichrist must eventually emerge. But it is far from true that there is nothing to be done about him in the meanwhile.As the salt of the earth, we who are Christ’s disciples therefore have two primary responsibilities. First, by our presence we commend the earth to God’s continuing grace and mercy. Second, by the power of the Holy Spirit within us we hold in check the forces of corruption and lawlessness until God’s appointed time.

What Do You Want?

2012-04-03T13:13:00.001-04:00

..Show me now Your way, that I may know You (progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly)...And (Lord,do) consider that this nation is Your people.
Exodus 33:13

I believe there are two things that reveal more about character and our personal relationships with God than anything else. One is the way we treat other people; the other is the desires of our hearts, meaning the things we want most in life.

Several times in Scripture, people ask God to give them the desires of their hearts. God gave Moses the opportunity to ask for his most fervent desires in Exodus 33. Moses' response was that he wanted to become more and more "deeply and intimately acquainted" with God and that God would "consider" His people, the nation Moses was responsible for leading.

Think about this for a minute. Moses had witnessed breathtaking, historic miracles. He was there when God parted the Red Sea and brought water from a rock. But Moses didn't ask to see greater miracles; what he wanted most of all was to know God better.

Part of learning to love anyone is getting to know that person. The same is true with God. The more we become acquainted with Him, the more intimate relationship with Him we can enjoy. This happens as we hunger for His presence, seek His truth through His Word, show love to others, and spend time with Him every day. The miracles, signs, and wonders will follow you. The closer we become with God the more we will experience. Do you hunger more than anything else to know God more intimately? God has no favorites, but He does have intimates. Are you one?

Giving The Gift of Freedom

2012-04-03T12:49:00.001-04:00

On the way to work this morning God was speaking to me about my relationships. The relationships with my friends, my family but most of all the relationship with my children. We know that being parents is a mighty task and it does require the grace of God and we are all guilty at some point of losing our cool and saying things that should have never been said. In Jeremiah 34:15 it says "Then you recently turned and did what was right in my sight-every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. The Bible says we can "proclaim liberty" to others. We should encourage ourselves to give the gift of freedom to others. People will love us for it, and it is in its own way a show of love to them. Obviously, this does not mean letting others do whatever they want to do. But it does mean that we stop trying to control people and situations. For years I have tried to control and remold my children and those close around me. Finally, just last night I realized that my efforts were acts of selfishness, not love. I told myself that I simply wanted God's best for them; however, I had decided what His best was and was trying to force it on them. I just turned the situation that I was facing over to God and believed that He would rectify the injustice that was done. HE DID!!! I sat back and watched it unfold right before my eyes and it was so beautiful. When we give God complete control, our joy increases and we can enter into His rest. Keep your atmosphere free and relaxed knowing that through your faith God will move on your behalf. When people make mistakes, do not make them feel rejected, but go the extra mile to make them feel forgiven, accepted, and free. You will notice that as you do this, they will recognize how you treated them and they in turn will treat others in the same manner. TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.

Meaning Of Life?

2012-04-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

What is the meaning of Life?

For so many, life consists of going to work 5 days per week, getting that pay check, paying the bills and looking forward to retirement. That's mundane at least, boring at best at best, but, and this is an enormous 'but', if you don't know any better, then that's perfect for you.

Imagine the exciting life the earthworm has, but he/she never complains.Now it could be that the earthworm does not complain because it can"t speak, or a more simple explanation is that the earthworm is unaware of any other possible life. Occam's Razor suggests that the earthworm does not have a clue as to what it is missing, and so the meaning of life for the earthworm is doing what it's designed to do.

You on the other hand are reading this blog, comprehending the implications of this and suddenly you realize that your life should have more purpose, more meaning than what it has at present. (For all you earthworms out there, just go back to Facebook and post something.)

If you are still with me, then lets explore some options to change your present situation. I suggest that life's meaning is found in your purpose. Once you are actively fulfilling your purpose on this earth, life, your very existance has meaning, depth and fulfillment. Fulfillment is inherent in purpose. Key to a fulfilling life is to find your personal purpose and then fulfill that.

Are you ready for your personal adventure?

Pastor Tim Edwards

Tim Edwards Ministries

Power To Overcome

2012-03-30T12:05:00.001-04:00

But you shall receive the power ( ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...Acts 1:8

No one's life is everything he or she wants it to be. We all have challenges and struggles, sometimes even heartbreaks and tragedies. I have never met one person who could honestly say, "My life has always been every bit as wonderful as I always dreamed it would be."

God's job is not to make us happy or to give us the lives we've always hoped for. often, we so desperately want unsaved people to become Christians that we tell them their lives will be better if they will just receive Jesus. In many ways, this is true, but sometimes we paint such a rosy picture that we lead people to believe they will never have another problem again if they will simply ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. This is not true. Jesus did not come to give anyone a life of leisure; Jesus came to give us abundant life, but not a trouble-free life. Part of the abundance He offers is the power of His Spirit to overcome what others cannot.

As believers, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us deal with circumstances differently than nonbelievers do. When we are in Christ, we are supernaturally anointed to live our natural, ordinary lives in supernatural ways. We can be at peace in the midst of a crisis, and we can be positive when everything around is gloomy and depressing. Why? Because we can choose joy, peace, positive attitudes, and stability. We can overcome the negative situations that are part of life, but we must CHOOSE to do so....Lord, we thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit to help us deal with any circumstance that comes our way."

Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Taken!!

2012-03-20T08:45:00.000-04:00

He fashions their hearts individually, He considers all their works. Psalm 33:15

God created everything about us to be unique, and He wants us to build an honest relationship with Him based on who we really are, not who we think we should be or who other people say we should be. We relate to God as individuals. When we talk to God, we are not supposed to check our individuality at the door of our prayer closets.

We need to go before Him just the way we are and give Him the pleasure of enjoying the "original" He has made each one of us to be. God enjoys meeting us where we are, developing a personal relationship with us and helping us grow to become everything He wants us to be. God has fashioned our hearts individually and as we develop our individual styles of communication with God, we will be able to learn from other people who just may be more experienced than we are, but always be careful not o make them our standards, because God has specifically designed us for His use.

Most people are afraid to not be like everyone else; many are more comfortable following specified rules than daring to follow the Spirit's leading. When we follow man-made rules, we please people, but when we step out and follow God's Spirit, we please Him, So remember....BE THE REAL DEAL....Come as you are..... and don't stress to impress !! Don't even try to impress God, YOU CAN"T, He is God!!

Positively, Possible With God!!

2012-03-12T09:38:00.000-04:00

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11

God has a plan for each of us, a plan that should give us hope for our futures. The Bible says it's a good plan that will bring us "welfare & peace," not a plan for evil. God's good plan is His destiny for our lives. It's what He wants for us; it reflects His heart and His desires for us. However, His plan for us is a possibility, not a positively." God's wonderful plan for us cannot and will not come to pass if we refuse to cooperate with Him. He will not force "welfare and peace" on us; He wants us to find them as we choose to follow Him. We have to participate in God's plan for it to come true.

God is not likely to do anything in our lives without our cooperation. We need to cooperate with God. Every day we ought to grow. Every day we ought to discover something new. Every day we ought to be a bit further along than we were the day before. We should be "lifetime learners." We must understand that no one else can develop our potential for us. We must discover our own God-given gifts and talents, and put ourselves to the task of developing those gifts and abilities to their fullest extent.

God has a plan for each of us. It is a good plan, an uncommon plan, a great plan; it is not an average, mediocre plan. Commit yourself today to search out the plan God has designed specifically for you. Ask Him, "What do you desire for me today, Lord?" He will answer, and that answer may not be something we want to hear or it may even be something that we have never given thought to. Something that we may have never pictured ourselves doing or saying, but that should even prove to us more that It is God's plan for us because He is not going to give us a plan that we can fulfill on our own. It will require a deeper relationship with Him. In that intimacy, the gifts and callings of our lives will become fulfilled.

Change It Today!!

2012-03-07T10:04:00.002-05:00

If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again ♥

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.

I'd do less correcting, and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less, and know to care more. I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I would do more hugging and less tugging.

I would be firm less often, and affirm much more. I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd teach less about the love of power, and more about the power of love. ~Diane Loomans

Come As You Are...

2012-03-07T09:54:00.002-05:00

It is through Him that we have received grace.. And this includes you, called of Jesus Christ and invited (as you are) to belong to Him. Romans 1:5-6 I just love, love this verse. How marvelous it is and the message of acceptance that it brings. It makes me think of the fact that when we are invited to a party, one of the first questions we ask is, "How should I dress?" Most of us like it best when we feel we can go "as we are." We like it when we can relax and be ourselves. God will work in you by His Holy Spirit and help us to become all we need to be, but we need to know that we can come to Him just as we are. We don't have to stand far off and only hear the music of the party; we are invited to attend. We have joy and peace! We are the redeemed, accepted, and made right with God because of the way He sees us in Christ. We ARE ALREADY loved and accepted by Him. Not " we will be someday!" "Someday when I lose enough weight, or when I start disciplining myself more, or when blah blah blah......" We are destined to be molded into the image of Christ, and nothing can stop that from happening as long as we simply cooperate with the Holy Spirit and spend time with God. We don't have to clean up our acts first. He wants to do that for us, just as we lay back and love on Him. We can come as we are, and God will make us what we ought to be. I have heard many stories from many people who came to know God when they were in all kinds of bondage. Some were alcoholics & addicted to drugs; some were prostitutes; some couldn't keep their anger under control; and some were deeply wounded because of the pain of their past. These people are now completely transformed because they were willing to go to God as they were. When people come as they are God will work miracles. I know, because I am one of them and to think He still has a lot left to do in and through me!! Praise God!!

Are you a Overcomer?

2012-03-02T13:24:00.000-05:00

Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

An old movie entitled El Cid tells the story of the man who united Spain and became a hero because he chose to overcome evil with good. For centuries, a battle raged between the Christians and the Moors in Spain. These two groups hated each other, and much killing took place on both sides during their conflict. In battle, El Cid captured five Moors but refused to kill them because he realized that killing had never done any good. He believed that showing mercy to his enemies would change their hearts. Although, his actions initially earned him the label of "traitor," they eventually worked and he was honored as a hero.

One of the Moors who had been captured said of El Cid, "Anyone can kill, but only a true king can show mercy to his enemies." Because of El Cid's one act of kindness, his enemies offered themselves to him as friends and allies from that point on.

You may be fighting a different kind of battle, but at some point everyone runs into conflicts, hurt feelings, or disagreements. Sometimes people encounter pain of betrayal or deliberate disrespect from others. When these things happen, we have a choice to make; Will we obey God's Word or will we simply handle the situation as our emotions lead us? Jesus says; "But love your enemies and be kind and do good ( doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them)..." We all should encourage one another to obey God and overcome evil with good. Can you think of anyone whom you could show more love to by extending mercy? Is there someone who has treated you wrongly to whom you can be kind? You will find that as you operate in the Grace that Jesus has provided that these small acts just may be one of the most powerful things you have ever done!

What Does God Really Want...?

2012-03-02T12:42:00.001-05:00

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 Do you know what God really wants from you? We might think God requires us to do a lot of church work, read the Bible through in a year, or do a certain number of good deeds. Although all these things have their place, we may do them and still miss what God considers to be important. God's requirements have a lot to do with how we treat people, According to the Scripture above, we are to do what is just, love mercy and kindness, and walk humbly with our God. We should treat people justly and work to see that justice is done in their lives. Many people have been terribly mistreated and abused, and we have the opportunity to help them enjoy what Jesus died for them to have. We can help restore them to the knowledge of God and His love for them, as well as being practical help. God also requires us to love mercy. People do not need to be pressured to perform perfectly; they need to be loved and accepted. God is merciful and kind toward us, and He expects us to give to others what we have received from Him. Finally, God wants humility. We should never view ourselves as better than other people. "Lord, help us to love mercy, to do justly, and to walk humbly with You every day of our lives. Moment by Moment!!

Purpose To Enter His Presence....

2012-02-28T11:56:00.001-05:00

One of the most important lessons we can learn is to seek God's face (who He is) and not just His hand (what He can do for us). Learning this is vital to our strength as believers and to our love walk with God. We learn to enjoy God's presence, not focus on what He is doing or not doing with us. Just simply laying back in His arms and letting His love saturate our spirits, our souls, and our bodies. Sometimes taking the focus off of our problems and our wants is a tough thing to do. But as we make the transition and just relax in knowing that He is after all GOD, we will notice an awesome difference in our spiritual lives. Everything that may seem to be missing can be found in His presence, not in His "presents". God will establish a relationship with us by doing things for us and confirming His word but we must take the next step to maturity by seeking to do His will, not just seeking Him for what He can do for us. It's easy to enjoy God's promised provision and even easier to enjoy His awesome presence. We will go through times of testing, so that we will come to realize we need to lean on Him. During those testing times try praising and thanking Him, loving and adoring Him, sitting in His presence and enjoying Him. He does know the desires of our hearts and as we delight ourselves in Him, He will give them to us, just as He promised in His Word! Decide today above everything else, to seek His presence!!

Love is what it's all about!!

2012-02-24T12:12:00.000-05:00

Do you know that love is intended to flow to us and then through us? It begins with God's love for us and is brought to completion when we learn to love one another. Being able to love is a process that I believe God has put in place, and it involves four steps. First, God gives His love to us. Next, we accept and receive that love. Third, we love God in return. And fourth, we allow God's love to flow through us to other people. Without all four steps, love is incomplete. It all starts with Him, and it begins with the fact that He loves us unconditionally. Then when we realize this fact we have to respond and the only proper response is to receive God's love knowing it's something He freely gives, not something we can earn or in anyway secure for ourselves. His love is in us and it is ours and we will learn that loving not only others but loving ourselves properly is God's will. When we grasp this fact we automatically want to give our love to God. How do we show God our love you might ask? We worship Him with our lives, spend time in His presence, study and honor His Word, pray, praising Him, and giving thanks in all things, and of course the ultimate way to show God just how much we love him is to obey Him. This love perfected in us can't help but to flow out to those around us. The Spirit of God will lead us and prompt us to do things that will demonstrate love to all those who we come in contact with. Even just a soft smile, a kind word, a twinkling eye, a slight touch, and even a silent prayer. Who will you love on today? Just decide that every day, once a day, you will pick someone to give God's kind of love to! xoxox

Let Go Of The Old....

2012-02-10T07:06:00.002-05:00

“I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength.” Psalm 18:1

Have you ever tried to get a bone away from a dog? It’s not too easy, unless you have something better for him. Try offering a T-bone steak, and that dog will drop his bone like a bad habit.
In the same way, the writer of Hebrews tried to encourage the Jewish Christians, new believers who had a tendency to cling to the old customs of the Old Testament, to leave the dry bones of ceremonies and feast upon the delights of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s a lesson we all must appropriate in our lives. It can become comfortable for us to hold to our traditions, rather than try something new. But friend, there is no one and nothing that can compare with Jesus. You may learn to love Jesus better, but you can never love anything better than Jesus. Ask God to begin showing you the delights of a close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

God Never Forgets

2012-02-02T06:48:00.000-05:00

“You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book” (Psalm 56:8)

God has every one of your tears and mine in the bottle of His remembrance. God never forgets the pain that has crushed our dreams and broken our hearts. God keeps a complete record. A written document. A remembrance of the tears that filled our eyes and rolled down our cheeks.
In ancient history it was a sign of love and caring to collect tears in “bottle-like containers called lachrymatories.” Scientists have found that “tears contain more than thirty times the amount of manganese found in the blood. This suggests that tears may function to rid the body of certain toxins. Indeed, in seabirds such as cormorants and albatrosses, tear glands seem to serve this purpose; they are more powerful than the birds’ kidneys in ridding the body of toxic levels of salt. As I thought about the potential for cleansing as we release tears, I remembered words written by the Apostle John in Revelation where God assures us that in one of the most compassionate acts of love ever recorded in the Scriptures, He will “wipe every tear from our eyes.” Rev. 7: 17.

"Tears are the tips of those sorrows
we choose to let go.
And so, as I cry out to You, Lord,
I ask You to help me release
all that has been binding my heart.
As I feel yesterday’s sadness
running down today’s face,
my still moist eyes begin
to look forward to tomorrow.
And with Your grace,
I feel myself remembering
how to smile once again …”

Anne Calodich Fone

May the God who listens to our hearts and enters into our pain bless us and all who are in need with the comfort and quiet of His gentle presence, now and always. Amen.

God Made You Special!!

2012-02-01T12:52:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we are like the dog in the children's story who found a bone. He was so proud of it. He picked it up and started home. On his way home he crossed a bridge over a river. As he crossed the bridge he stopped, as usual, to bark at the other dog that he always saw down in the water. This time as he looked down, he not only saw the same dog, but that dog had a bone in his mouth, too. What made... him mad was that the dog in the water had a bone that appeared to be bigger than the one he had in his mouth. Therefore, he opened his mouth to bark at the other dog and lost his bone.
It is ok to better ourselves if we are not satisfied with where we are at in life. In fact, we should always be growing in our journey with Christ. But, we shouldn’t be measuring ourselves against others. God made you special and you cannot be compared to anyone else.
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving.
(1 Timothy 4.4 NRSV)

Independence! Really?

2012-01-26T08:05:00.000-05:00

Look where our “independence” has gotten us. Our nation is in debt. No economist or printing press will deliver us. "There is a way that seems right unto a person but the ends thereof are the ways of death. "Thinking we are too smart for the need of Divine direction has put us into a place that we cannot get ourselves out of without Divine intervention."The modern metaphors of independence: “If you want it done right, do it yourself,” “Pick yourself up by your own bootstraps,” “I am a self-made man,” etc., were not the attitude of our Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. We knew we were doomed without Divine intervention. "The government publicly declared days of prayer and fasting. "They had the "Thursday Lectures in Boston, where the local clergy was called to exhort and teach those elected “ministers of God for justice” how to govern according to the principles of Almighty God as found in His Word. "This was not a nation with a theme song, “I’ll do it my way.” Where did we go..what happened...we evidently have dropped the ball somewhere. "The Biblical mandate to provide for your own, to be diligent, self-governing and assume personal responsibility made Americans willing to take chances, work hard and reap the fruits of their labor. Self-government is impossible without dependence upon Holy Spirit. We cannot even live up to our own standards, let alone those of God, without the Holy Spirit. Biblical self-government is not self-discipline, time management or success skills. Christian self-government is allowing the Fruit of the Spirit to manifest in our lives. As a nation we have walked in the flesh too long and that has attracted a spirit of mammon. Not walking in the Spirit has resulted in a nation of wounded and damaged people. When they say that they cannot work, do not condemn them. Even though they appear able-bodied, they are not able because they have so many soul wounds. "The spiritual battle has left many marred who don’t even know that they are in a spiritual war. "They are literally “the walking wounded.” It is easy to blame these social problems on civil government, on the system, on the politicians, on the rich, the poor, the immigrants, the education system, the bankers, the legal system, global warming or whatever is in fashion. As long as we look outside of ourselves for someone to blame, we live in victim mode and are part of the problem, not part of the solution.