~Jenni's Joy~

Who am I imitating?

2012-01-27T13:06:00.000-06:00

I so often get tickled watching my 9 year old son imitate his daddy. From the things he says, to how he acts, and how he dresses.... His boots have to sit the same way and his clothes even have to hang the same way.

It blesses me to see that he wants to be just like his daddy. A few years ago we were in my moms empty church getting ready to do some pictures of the kids and Bub was all dressed in a suit and tie and marched up behind the pulpit and even began to preach, "just like his daddy"

He sets up his farm in his room and takes care of the animals, builds barns and fences, and sells and trades cattle, "just like his daddy"

Children want to imitate those they look up to. They want to be just like the ones they admire the most.

What about the times our children say things or do things that break our hearts? Their ugly attitudes, harsh tones, evil looks. Who are they imitating then?

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

We call ourselves "Christians" but how often do we actually imitate CHRIST?

Does Christ shine when we overslept and are running late in the morning, get stuck in traffic for longer than planned, get another bill in the mail that we don't have the money to pay, have a fight with our spouse, or just lost our job? Or does it reflect we have been imitating someone else?

When your kids get hurt, mad, or frustrated, how do they react? Is it the same way you react to less than desirable circumstances? Do we follow God's Word when it says in Ephesians 5:20 to give thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ... or are we grieving the Holy Spirit with bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking?

I know more times than I care to count I see responses to circumstances in my children that is like looking in a mirror that I am not proud of. As I begin to fuss and scold them for how they are acting or something they said or the way they said it, conviction begins to set in that they learned that from me.

Sweet Jesus Please Forgive me for the many times that my thoughts, speech, and behavior has not imitated You! Your Word instructs me to be filled with the Spirit and that is not an occasional process. Just as we need food for our physical bodies to function at least three times a day if not more, so much more do we need Your filling for our spiritual bodies. Daily we are drained from all that the enemy tries to attack us with and Daily we must refuel.

Help us Father to walk worthy of the calling with which we were called (Eph 4:1) and live in a way that honors and pleases You!

I want my family, friends, coworkers, and everyone I come in contact with to see me imitate my ABBA (Daddy) Father.

Working to imitate You,
Jenni

Where is my focus?

2011-10-09T07:36:00.000-05:00

Recently God got my attention on where my time was spent and what I was focusing on throughout the day. A normal routine when the kids are in school consisted of getting up and heading straight to the shower, fixing breakfast, getting ready, taking kids to school, feeding horses, heading to work, picking kids up from school, basketball practice, or football practice whichever came first, or if it was a game rushing to ballgames, trying to find something for supper, feeding horses, trying to get homework finished, maybe a load of laundry or cleaning a few things around the house, making sure everyone got baths, and then to bed.
WOW!! Where did God fit into this picture? What was my mind focused on throughout the day when I was driving to and from all these places or while I had downtime at work or sitting at ball practice? He kept knocking on my door for a closer relationship with Him but my mind was to cluttered. I was to busy thinking about the next activity I had to get to or the new vehicle I needed, the new horse trailer I wanted, the house I wanted to sell so I could build a new one, the sales I needed to make for the day/month so I could pay the bills.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
As Jesus Christ began to deal with me I quickly came to realize I had put him on the back burner and my heart was focused on earthly treasures. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Matthew 6:24 Who was I serving? It's easy to call myself a Christian and go to church on Sunday and Wednesday but the true test is who I serve all week long. Where is my time spent? What is my mind focused on?
"Go therefore and make disciples...." is Jesus' command to us at the end of Matthew. Who have I discipled today? This week? This month? This year? Who have I told about Jesus Christ lately? I have the opportunity to share the Gift of Eternal Life but am I concerned? Am I too busy? Do I even care? Is my focus even on growing God's kingdom? (Matt 6:33)

Please forgive me,
Jenni

Overwhelmed

2011-10-07T08:04:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? You feel like you are having the worst trial you have ever been through and it seems to go on and on and never end.

Why do we allow our lives to become so busy and so cluttered that we become overwhelmed? The overwhelming feeling takes over, we feel so empty inside and it drains everything within us. We have no energy, no motivation, no desire to do anything.

Isaiah 48:18 "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea" Lysa Terkeurst points out in her book "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God" "God is the peace that rushes through the soul of the one who is attentive to the Lord's commands. God chose such a unique word to describe His peace--a river! A river is not calm and void of activity. It is active and cleansing and confident of the direction it is headed in. It doesn't get caught up with the rocks in its path. It flows over and around them, all the while smoothing their jagged edges and allowing them to add to its beauty rather than take away from it."

If we would begin to take the examples all throughout the Bible of rising early to seek God we would start seeing a difference in our everyday life. We would begin to experience that peace instead of just reading about it. If God is truly first in our life then why do we jump out of bed and start our day without Him? If Jesus needed to rise early and pray, then why don't we? "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." Mark 1:35

We need to get alone with God and rest in Him. Just as our physical body can't go all day without eating, neither can our spiritual body. We need to feed on God's Word daily and then have time to listen to Him. Then and only then can we experience that rest in Him and that peace that we long for.

I challenge you to get alone with God every morning for one week before you begin your day and spend time in His Word and in His presence. Begin to feel that overwhelming feeling fade away and peace rush in.

God Bless,
Jenni

What would your response be?

2009-12-31T11:42:00.000-06:00

What if God said: "Ask! What shall I give you?"

Can you IMAGINE??? God is directly asking you What HE shall give You?? The Creator of the Universe! The Creator of Mankind!!!

What kind of SELFISH answers would we give?

Solomon asked for ONE thing: An understanding heart to judge God's people, that he may discern between good and evil!!

We have so many choices to make day in and day out. We have so many people to deal with day in and day out. Do we even bother to ask God to guide us in those choices? Do we ask for Daily Wisdom? Do we ask God to give us an understanding heart? Or do we just make all the decisions on our own and then ask for God's help when we screw up and make the wrong decision?

Matt 6:33 But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Psalm 34:10

We bring so much undue stress and problems on ourself because we try to do everything on our own. We ask for so many selfish things and we use our time so selfishly and just give God what is leftover.

God told Solomon "If you walk before me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statues and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over all Israel forever, as I promised David your father... But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statues which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel form the land which I have given them;...... 1Kings 9:4-7

How many other gods do we put before GOD? A god or and idol can be anything we put before our one true God!! How often does He call our name longing to spend time with us and we say: "not now God I'm watching a movie, not now God I'm on Facebook, not now God I want to sleep just a little longer, not now God I have another load of laundry to do, not now God...."

O God you are my God;
Early will I seek you
My soul thirsts for you
My flesh longs for you
In a dry and thirsty land
Psalm 63

How many opportunities are we missing? How many special moments alone with God are we missing? How many blessings are we forfeiting?

What would your response be, if God said: ASK!! What shall I give You?

Blessings in 2010,
Jenni

Why are we Here?

2009-12-30T20:59:00.000-06:00

As I sit here and ponder Why am I Here? I have no where else to turn but to the Living Word of God. In Genesis He tells me that I was created in His image. What is that Image? Do i reflect that image? If I was created in His image, do others see Him when they look at me?

WOW!!!

How do I even begin to answer all these questions? I can't unless I spend time in the Word of God!! His Love letter to ME!! In Colossians Chapter 1, I am told that Jesus Christ (God's only Son) is the image of the invisible God and that all things were created for Him. So I must have been created for Jesus Christ!

Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

My study Bible defines Ambassadors as more than messengers. They are representatives of the sovereign who sent them. Christians have been called by their King to serve as ambassadors in a world that is rebellion against Him. God has given His representatives a message of peace and of reconciliation. In this way, believers are God's ambassadors, whose mission is to implore people to be reconciled to God, to listen to the forgiving voice of their Creator.

How AWESOME is that!!! We were created and placed on this earth for a PURPOSE!!! Psalm 139:14 tells me that "I am fearfully and wonderfully made;"

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;"

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

All these things tell me that God created me for a reason and a PURPOSE!!!

                               ~Am I fulfilling that PURPOSE?
                               ~Are YOU fulfilling that PURPOSE?

Why am I Here?
      Jenni

The Ultimate Gift

2009-12-29T20:40:00.000-06:00

I love to watch Christmas movies from Thanksgiving to New Years!! That is one of my most favorite things to do over the Holidays is to snuggle up on the couch in front of the Fireplace with the family and watch movies.

We bought the Ultimate Gift last year and I noticed it was on sale through Amazon. We just watched it again last night and it is an absolute Awesome Movie!! We know that Jesus Christ gave us the Ultimate Gift but what is your earthly Ultimate Gift? Many kids and teenagers I'm sure would name something material phones, games, music, something they could hold in their hand but the little girl in this movie truly understands what her ultimate gift is. Do we as adults have our priorities in order? Does our family know how much they mean to us? What consumes your mind throughout the day? What consumes your time each day? Are we fulfilling our purpose we were placed here for?

I would love to hear from everyone!! What would a perfect day be for you? Besides the Ultimate Gift of Salvation, what would your Ultimate Gift be?

I hope you have accepted Jesus Christ's Ultimate Gift to you!! The gift of Salvation, the Gift of Eternal Life!!

God is sooo Good!!

God Bless,
Jenni

Christmas 2009 Here and Gone!

2009-12-28T16:50:00.002-06:00

Well another Christmas is here and gone! As we get ready to go into 2010 I would like to reflect on so many blessings my Lord and Savior has poured out over 2009!

People come and go in our lives but God always has the ones we need the most at the time we most need them! I was blessed to be raised in a Christian Home with 2 wonderful parents who loved me more than anything! My dad was taken home to be with the Lord earlier than I would have liked but am so blessed and thankful to know that I will see him again in Heaven one day!! I have a wonderful Christian Husband who loves me and works harder than anyone I know to provide for his family. We are blessed with 2 precious children who both accepted the Lord Jesus Christ at the very young age of 4. We are in a wonderful spirit filled Church with an Awesome loving Church Family!! God Is SOOO Good!!

Everyone goes through trials and struggles but there is always something to be thankful for!! There are many struggles that came my way in 2009 that I won't go into detail about because I choose not to give Satan the glory. Anytime we focus on the trial or the struggle we are glorifying Satan instead of Jesus Christ who works ALL things together for good to them that Love God! Romans 8:28. If we would learn to ask God to show us what we need to learn from our particular trial and situation we would begin to place our focus on HIM and not on our problems! In turn we are drawing Closer to Him! Draw near to God and He will draw near to You! James 4:8 Satan uses all types of BAIT to draw us away from Jesus Christ and he always uses the ones we love the most! So as we finish up this year lets reflect on our Blessings and not on our problems! Lets begin to join together and defeat Satan and his work by not giving him the glory!! Christmas is about Jesus Christ and His Ultimate Gift to us!! Lets close out 2009 by spending time with Him and strengthening our Relationship with Him! Afterall, being a Christian is about a Relationship and not a Religion! 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and hela their land.

Lets join together in prayer and get God's attention!!

I would love to hear some of the many ways our Awesome Lord and Savior has blessed you and your family this last year!

Are you Hungry??

2009-03-12T11:44:00.000-05:00

As I was standing and praying in church last night. I began to question God, "Lord, Why don't we see the miracles today like we read about in Your Word?" He began to speak to my heart and the only thing I heard was No one is Hungry for me! Wow!! What a wake up call! I just began to break!
How often do we get so busy, in such a routine, church becomes such a habit if you will. Do we really go expecting God to move??? Are we really burdened for souls? Do we earnestly pray for those requests given to us by family, friends, church family, acquantances? Where is God really placed in our life; back burner, a few minutes here or there, maybe remember him before we lay our head on our pillow at night, what about in a busy restaurant with coworkers?
Is He the first thing on our minds? Do we meditate on His Word throughout the day? When something goes wrong do we immediately take it to God or grumble and complain awhile fuss and vent to our friends first and then maybe pray about it? When things go right, do we give Him the Praise he so deserves? Are we prayed up before going to church? Do we go in ready to Praise and Worship or ready to sit down and relax after a hard day at work? Do we put as much effort and energy into a Worship service as we do at our jobs, kids ballgames, favorite sports, Concerts, and the list goes on?
Is He really First in our Life? Are we Really Hungry for God? Do we Really Desire to see Souls Saved? Do we Really Have the Faith God can and will Heal?

Oh God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.
Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
Psalm 63: 1-4