Check out this new website I found. There is a lot of encouragement here for women and young ladies. I hope you will take time to check it out: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/
"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her worth is far above rubies." ~Proverbs 31:10
Showing posts with label Personal Growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal Growth. Show all posts
Friday, May 25, 2012
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving!
May you be grateful for the ultimate gift this year--Salvation through the Grace of God!! This has been a precious thing to me this year. I have been trying to notice small ways to be thankful and I feel that salvation is one that I have mostly taken for granted in the past.
I am learning to fall
to my knees in tears
as a result of the outpouring
of my heart
in gratitude to the King
for His grace for me.
I don't deserve Him,
yet He loves me.
I have turned my back on Him,
yet He loved me and waited for me
to get into muck & mud
& for me to reach out to Him.
I called to him,
hands raised,
through tears,
for healing,
for restoration,
for help,
for Him...
His arms
His grace
His mercy
His compassion
His love
His GREAT NAME!!!
WORTHY is the Lamb that was slain for me...for you!!
PLEASE WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gbBrlAVm20&feature=related
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
What type of Peace-person are you??
I don't recall where I first heard the term "peace-maker" vs. "peace-keeper", but I connected with it right away. It was a "wow" thing for me to hear. Then I started to notice the difference between the two types of peace-people when I saw people around me. I have always been aware of this and tried to be one over the other. Anyway, at my recent Bible study it was talked about in a video by Beth Moore. "Wow," is all I can say. Here are my notes and hers from the video session...
Friday, October 28, 2011
Martha or Mary?
Mary and Martha were two sisters in Luke 10:38-42 whose story was important enough for us to know and learn from...
Monday, October 3, 2011
How is your heart?
If a friend came up to you and were to ask "how is your heart?" then what would your response be?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Trials
Do you ever think how we can set ourselves up for trials, almost knowingly? For example...I am beyond busy for the next 3 months. The events taking place are things that my husband and I have chosen to put into our days and on our calendar. Yet, the more things that are happening, the more that CAN go wrong, therefore, putting myself into a trial of how I will handle it and what I will do IF things go wrong or plans change.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
A Good Friend
I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately. Already this week I have had two other people I know tell me how they need serious girl-time or a friend. For some, friends are annoying and for other they are a life-line. "Being a good friend is not just about having a good time with others, it's also about how willing you are to put your friends first or point out when they're doing something you don't agree with. Have a read through the following checklist and see how good a friend you really are."
What are your friends to you?
What makes a good friend? This might look different from person to person in definition, but I think there are some things we can all agree on. Are you a good friend?
A friend should be/ the type of friend you should be...
Harvard and The University of California did a STUDY on friendships and found that "The happiness of our friends is infectious."
The Observer in Europe reported a STUDY done by the University of Leipzig, which found that,
"Friends can be our best weapon in times of adversity, as they strengthen our resolve. One study asked people to rate the gradient of a hill, and anticipate how difficult they would find it to climb. People who rated the hill in the presence of a friend saw the slope as less steep - and the closer they felt to the friend they were with, the easier the climb appeared."
Shilpa Gupta wrote a great article about the Importance of Friendship. Be sure to read it!
I hope this helps you to ask about the kind of friend you are to those around you.
In seeking friends, be open--don't focus on a particular person or group of people (like the popular kids at school) because you could sell yourself short of a great friendship.
Choose wisely! Friends are influencing so don't choose friends who life lives or behave in ways that are contrary to God's Word and your parents' rules. That will not be fruitful, but fruitless.
Pray! Ask God to bring friends into your life and ask Him to teach you and show you how to be a good friend.
What are your friends to you?
What makes a good friend? This might look different from person to person in definition, but I think there are some things we can all agree on. Are you a good friend?
A friend should be/ the type of friend you should be...
- A Good Listenter--Has 2 ears and one SMALL mouth. We all have times when we just need someone to ONLY listen.
- Approachable--can go to them when in need
- Trustworthy
- Doesn't Gossip--keeps secrets and important information to themselves
- Selfless--thinks about others before themselves
- Honest--can tell you what they really think without offending you (and you can do the same)
- Reliable--you can count on them to be there when they should be or when you need them
Harvard and The University of California did a STUDY on friendships and found that "The happiness of our friends is infectious."
The Observer in Europe reported a STUDY done by the University of Leipzig, which found that,
"Friends can be our best weapon in times of adversity, as they strengthen our resolve. One study asked people to rate the gradient of a hill, and anticipate how difficult they would find it to climb. People who rated the hill in the presence of a friend saw the slope as less steep - and the closer they felt to the friend they were with, the easier the climb appeared."
Shilpa Gupta wrote a great article about the Importance of Friendship. Be sure to read it!
I hope this helps you to ask about the kind of friend you are to those around you.
In seeking friends, be open--don't focus on a particular person or group of people (like the popular kids at school) because you could sell yourself short of a great friendship.
Choose wisely! Friends are influencing so don't choose friends who life lives or behave in ways that are contrary to God's Word and your parents' rules. That will not be fruitful, but fruitless.
Pray! Ask God to bring friends into your life and ask Him to teach you and show you how to be a good friend.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Young Adults or Teenagers?
Young Adults or Teenagers?
Historically, people my age have been referred to as young adults. However, in our modern culture, we have been termed "teenagers." The world allows "teenagers" to live lives separate from intimate relationships with their families, as the people they primarily live life with and are most influenced by are their friends, rather than their parents and siblings.
Calling me a teenager identifies me with a group of young people that tends to be wild and free from parental guidance and supervision. I personally don't like to be unsupervised with people my age because I honestly don't trust myself to maintain the things I have downloaded from my parents' teaching. I don't say this in a religious way. I'm still growing and maturing into the woman my parents are rearing me to be.
Calling a young adult a teenager is like calling a child a "kid." The meaning of the word "kid" is "rebellious goat." Why would we speak that over children we want to be obedient, submitted lambs? It feels the same when we call young adults teenagers. Referring to us as teenagers puts a label of immaturity, childishness, and sometimes even rebellion, on us. I don't want my reputation to be based on the qualities often displayed by many lost or deceived young people our culture groups into the category of teenagers.
In our society, teenagers, as well as younger children, are often seen as an irresponsible bother that get in the way of the success of adults. If the majority of parents were asked to describe their teenage son or daughter's level of responsibility, most would not have positive responses. The young adults I want to be like go above and beyond the expectations of their parents' authority. God is teaching me, one day at a time, how to avoid anything less than God's best.
We were made by a perfect God in His perfect image to reveal His beauty and character. Part of our responsibility in this calling is to act the way He acts, talk the way He talks, respond the way He responds. If we as young people strive to do these things, but are labeled by society as "teenagers" who don't typically represent the nature of God well, it can sometimes damage the confidence we're building as we diligently serve the King.
For example, a small child creates a masterpiece of blocks and runs to get his mother so she can praise his marvelous work. However, he returns with her to find that someone is tearing it down before his very eyes. Of course, his confidence would go, right along with the blocks. We're just like the child. We act the way the Lord has called us to and run to show Him our work! But when we return someone slaps us in the face by lowering us down to less than we have faithfully attempted to be. I am not implying that we are as mature and as wise as adults, but we are trying to be more than our culture expects us to be. So when people speak to us as though we're no different from the young adults that aren't trying, it's degrading.
I believe that from the beginning of time God intended for this generation of young people to rise up beyond the norm. Why would lost people want to listen to us if we're the same as them? We need to be in this world, but not of it. God smiles when we speak about a different way of life, yet in a way that draws people in, when we dress in a modest, yet stylish way, and when we serve our families with a happy heart. These counter-cultural qualities, when spoken about in ways they can relate to, are intriguing, and model God's design for His children.
ABBIE SIMMONS (15 years)
Waxahachie, Texas, USA
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Last Updated on Friday, 21 May 2010 09:47
Historically, people my age have been referred to as young adults. However, in our modern culture, we have been termed "teenagers." The world allows "teenagers" to live lives separate from intimate relationships with their families, as the people they primarily live life with and are most influenced by are their friends, rather than their parents and siblings.
Calling me a teenager identifies me with a group of young people that tends to be wild and free from parental guidance and supervision. I personally don't like to be unsupervised with people my age because I honestly don't trust myself to maintain the things I have downloaded from my parents' teaching. I don't say this in a religious way. I'm still growing and maturing into the woman my parents are rearing me to be.
Calling a young adult a teenager is like calling a child a "kid." The meaning of the word "kid" is "rebellious goat." Why would we speak that over children we want to be obedient, submitted lambs? It feels the same when we call young adults teenagers. Referring to us as teenagers puts a label of immaturity, childishness, and sometimes even rebellion, on us. I don't want my reputation to be based on the qualities often displayed by many lost or deceived young people our culture groups into the category of teenagers.
In our society, teenagers, as well as younger children, are often seen as an irresponsible bother that get in the way of the success of adults. If the majority of parents were asked to describe their teenage son or daughter's level of responsibility, most would not have positive responses. The young adults I want to be like go above and beyond the expectations of their parents' authority. God is teaching me, one day at a time, how to avoid anything less than God's best.
We were made by a perfect God in His perfect image to reveal His beauty and character. Part of our responsibility in this calling is to act the way He acts, talk the way He talks, respond the way He responds. If we as young people strive to do these things, but are labeled by society as "teenagers" who don't typically represent the nature of God well, it can sometimes damage the confidence we're building as we diligently serve the King.
For example, a small child creates a masterpiece of blocks and runs to get his mother so she can praise his marvelous work. However, he returns with her to find that someone is tearing it down before his very eyes. Of course, his confidence would go, right along with the blocks. We're just like the child. We act the way the Lord has called us to and run to show Him our work! But when we return someone slaps us in the face by lowering us down to less than we have faithfully attempted to be. I am not implying that we are as mature and as wise as adults, but we are trying to be more than our culture expects us to be. So when people speak to us as though we're no different from the young adults that aren't trying, it's degrading.
I believe that from the beginning of time God intended for this generation of young people to rise up beyond the norm. Why would lost people want to listen to us if we're the same as them? We need to be in this world, but not of it. God smiles when we speak about a different way of life, yet in a way that draws people in, when we dress in a modest, yet stylish way, and when we serve our families with a happy heart. These counter-cultural qualities, when spoken about in ways they can relate to, are intriguing, and model God's design for His children.
ABBIE SIMMONS (15 years)
Waxahachie, Texas, USA
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Last Updated on Friday, 21 May 2010 09:47
Thursday, December 16, 2010
What is in your heart?
Luke 6:35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Matthew 15:18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.
Plain and simple...what you speak or talk about is a reflection of what's in your heart. Sometimes we can hid it by using other words, but it WILL come out...somewhere and someway! So what are you talking about today?
Shopping?
Love life?
Friends?
Your weight?
Your clothes?
Helping others?
What you heard about in church?
What you read in your Bible today?
How fat you think you are?
How much or what make-up you think you need to wear to be beautiful?
How a worship/praise song humbled you?
How your hair should look for tomorrow's day at school?
Who is texting who?
What you talk about is what you care about most, whether you agree or not.
Psalm 10:1-6
1 Why, LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
5 His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”
Yet for those who hearts are unto the Lord, fixed upon Him, striving for Him and His ways...
Psalm 37:30-31 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.
Psalm 71:8 My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
James 3:9-10 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Ask yourself what is REALLY in your heart. If it is on yourself, then find ways to put the focus on building up others and on God.
Matthew 15:18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.
Plain and simple...what you speak or talk about is a reflection of what's in your heart. Sometimes we can hid it by using other words, but it WILL come out...somewhere and someway! So what are you talking about today?
Shopping?
Love life?
Friends?
Your weight?
Your clothes?
Helping others?
What you heard about in church?
What you read in your Bible today?
How fat you think you are?
How much or what make-up you think you need to wear to be beautiful?
How a worship/praise song humbled you?
How your hair should look for tomorrow's day at school?
Who is texting who?
What you talk about is what you care about most, whether you agree or not.
Psalm 10:1-6
1 Why, LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
5 His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”
Yet for those who hearts are unto the Lord, fixed upon Him, striving for Him and His ways...
Psalm 37:30-31 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.
Psalm 71:8 My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
James 3:9-10 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Ask yourself what is REALLY in your heart. If it is on yourself, then find ways to put the focus on building up others and on God.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Pure Generation
A PURE GENERATION
This is a cool website to refer to if you want some encouragement... http://www.apuregeneration.com/
This is a cool website to refer to if you want some encouragement... http://www.apuregeneration.com/
Purity: "Happily Ever After"
What is "purity"?
According to Merriam-Webster, it is the quality or state of being pure.
According to Dictionary.com it is...
–noun
What is "pure"?
According to Merriam-Webster, it is...
–adjective, pur·er, pur·est.
Answers in Genesis has a great article that talks about purity and a program called Happily Ever After. Happily Ever After, started by Julie Hintz, is an educational program designed to inspire students to save sex until marriage and to equip parents to guide and protect them.
The article says, "Purity—it’s much more than just saving sex for marriage. It’s a way of life. In 1 Timothy 4:12–16, the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy, the young preacher, to strive for purity in all areas of his life—including speech, conduct, love, and faith—so that Timothy’s ministry would not be despised by his hearers. Today’s generation of young believers desperately needs to be inspired to live pure lives—to be a remnant of purity in their generation and bring glory to their Creator and Savior."
"...purity is the foundation for a God-honoring marriage..."
Biblical stories of reference are
■Become educated. For many, when it comes to sex, trying to guide our children toward a healthy future is like the blind leading the blind.
■Share the blessings you have received from abstaining or the consequences you have suffered from partaking. If you did partake, ask God to show you why He has placed sex within the protection and exclusivity of marriage. Fully understanding the blessing that obedience brings will motivate you to regain those blessings for your children.
■Have a vision for your child, grandchild, youth group, etc. Paint a picture of a healthy future for him or her. Keep that vision squarely before your eyes and weigh every decision against it. Be strong for your children by developing a reminder such as “Hate me now, thank me later.” They will thank you.
■Speak up against pornography and promiscuity. Speak up for the beauty of sex as God intended. Applaud television shows that promote married, monogamous sex. Turn off television shows that promote unmarried sex.
Read the entire article HERE. Visit the Happily Ever After website for more information HERE.
According to Merriam-Webster, it is the quality or state of being pure.
According to Dictionary.com it is...
–noun
- the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes, etc.: the purity of drinking water.
- freedom from any admixture or modifying addition.
- ceremonial or ritual cleanness.
- freedom from guilt or evil; innocence.
- physical chastity; virginity.
- freedom from foreign or inappropriate elements; careful correctness: purity of expression.
- Optics. the chroma, saturation, or degree of freedom from white of a given color.
- cleanness or spotlessness, as of garments.
According to Merriam-Webster, it is...
- unmixed with any other matter <pure gold>
- free from dust, dirt, or taint <pure springwater>
- spotless, stainless; free from harshness or roughness and being in tune —used of a musical tone
- of a vowel : characterized by no appreciable alteration of articulation during utterance
- being thus and no other : sheer, unmitigated <pure folly>
- abstract, theoretical <pure research>
- a priori <pure mechanics>
- not directed toward exposition of reality or solution of practical problems <pure literature>
- being nonobjective and to be appraised on formal and technical qualities only <pure form>
- free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes
- containing nothing that does not properly belong
- free from moral fault or guilt
- marked by chastity : continent
- of pure blood and unmixed ancestry
- homozygous in and breeding true for one or more characters
- ritually clean
- having exactly the talents or skills needed for a particular role <a pure shooter in basketball>
–adjective, pur·er, pur·est.
- free from anything of a different, inferior, or contaminating kind; free from extraneous matter: pure gold; pure water.
- unmodified by an admixture; simple or homogeneous.
- of unmixed descent or ancestry: a pure breed of dog.
- free from foreign or inappropriate elements: pure Attic Greek.
- clear; free from blemishes: pure skin.
- (of literary style) straightforward; unaffected.
- abstract or theoretical (opposed to applied): pure science.
- without any discordant quality; clear and true: pure tones in music.
- absolute; utter; sheer: to sing for pure joy.
- being that and nothing else; mere: a pure accident.
- clean, spotless, or unsullied: pure hands.
- untainted with evil; innocent: pure in heart.
- physically chaste; virgin.
- ceremonially or ritually clean.
- free of or without guilt; guiltless.
- independent of sense or experience: pure knowledge.
- Biology, Genetics.
- homozygous.
- containing only one characteristic for a trait.
- Phonetics. monophthongal.
Answers in Genesis has a great article that talks about purity and a program called Happily Ever After. Happily Ever After, started by Julie Hintz, is an educational program designed to inspire students to save sex until marriage and to equip parents to guide and protect them.
The article says, "Purity—it’s much more than just saving sex for marriage. It’s a way of life. In 1 Timothy 4:12–16, the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy, the young preacher, to strive for purity in all areas of his life—including speech, conduct, love, and faith—so that Timothy’s ministry would not be despised by his hearers. Today’s generation of young believers desperately needs to be inspired to live pure lives—to be a remnant of purity in their generation and bring glory to their Creator and Savior."
"...purity is the foundation for a God-honoring marriage..."
Biblical stories of reference are
- Cain in Genesis 4 to teach a basic principle of Scripture: If we live life God’s way, we will be blessed, but if we stubbornly insist on living it our own way, sin will have its way with us.
- The story of Esau found in Genesis 25:19–34 and Genesis 27 illustrates the ability to look ahead and anticipate the consequences of our actions. ...adolescents often “despise their virginity because they do not understand how precious it is until after they have squandered it.
- the story of Joseph found in Genesis 37–50 to show that God blesses patience and obedience. Joseph’s story gives encouragement to the young man who is being called ‘gay’ because he has chosen to exercise sexual restraint. It also encourages the young woman who is dumped by her boyfriend because she will not give him what belongs to her future husband.
■Become educated. For many, when it comes to sex, trying to guide our children toward a healthy future is like the blind leading the blind.
■Share the blessings you have received from abstaining or the consequences you have suffered from partaking. If you did partake, ask God to show you why He has placed sex within the protection and exclusivity of marriage. Fully understanding the blessing that obedience brings will motivate you to regain those blessings for your children.
■Have a vision for your child, grandchild, youth group, etc. Paint a picture of a healthy future for him or her. Keep that vision squarely before your eyes and weigh every decision against it. Be strong for your children by developing a reminder such as “Hate me now, thank me later.” They will thank you.
■Speak up against pornography and promiscuity. Speak up for the beauty of sex as God intended. Applaud television shows that promote married, monogamous sex. Turn off television shows that promote unmarried sex.
Read the entire article HERE. Visit the Happily Ever After website for more information HERE.
"I Am Crowned" by Nancy Campbell
I AM CROWNED!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
who forgives all your iniquities,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from destruction,
who crowns you with loving kindness
and tender mercies." (Psalm 103:1-4).
What a loving, tender-hearted and compassionate God we have.
Every day He crowns me with loving kindnesses. Every day He
crowns you with loving kindnesses.
Do I hear you say, "When was the last time God crowned me?"
Stop and think about it for a moment. God crowns you with His
loving kindnesses through people around you. When your baby
or your little child smiles at you, in fact when anyone smiles at
you, you are crowned with God's loving kindness. Every time
your husband embraces you, you receive another one of God's
loving kindnesses. Every time he helps you with the dishes or
baths the children, it is God's blessing to you. When someone
says an encouraging word to you, it is God's loving kindness to
you. He has not forgotten about you. You are graven on the palms
of His hands. He has forgiven your sins. He has healed you many
times.
When you sit down at your table and eat the bountiful food God
daily provides for you, it is His loving kindness to you. When
you reap the harvest from the garden you have planted, it is His
loving kindness. When you look up at the clouds and are
reminded of His faithfulness, you are crowned. You look at the
mountains, the ocean, the undulating hills and trees and you are
blessed that He has given you all these things to freely enjoy.
And you don't have to pay a cent. The world is yours to enjoy, no
matter how little money you have in your pocket!
Start looking for God's loving kindnesses. They are all around
you. They are happening to you throughout the day. Instead of
focusing on your problems and disappointments, look out for
God's blessings. Learn to be aware of them. Do not forget one of
His benefits. Not one! Gratefully thank the Lord for every tiny
one. I am starting to do this more and more. In fact, when I read
this Scripture about being crowned I was very convicted. I
realized that I had been taking God's blessings for granted. Now
I seek to thank the Lord for crowning me every time I receive a
blessing-a hug, a smile, a word of encouragement, the blessing
of children around me and the joy they give with their antics and
funny things they say. The blessings of God's creation-the
flowers, the birds, the butterflies and the beautiful colors of the
fall which I am beholding as I look out of my window now. It
makes such a difference to your life when you become grateful
for every little crowning from the Lord.
Because God is crowning me through His people (and maybe
even those who are not His people), am I letting Him use me to
be his vehicle through which he can crown others? This is a
challenge for us, isn't it?
Recently my daughter, Serene faced a difficult trial, a little more
difficult because her husband was overseas fulfilling a contract
with the military. In the middle of being weighed down by the
problem, her car ran out of gas in the middle of a busy lane of
traffic. She had all the children in the car and the car wouldn't
budge another inch! She put on her blinkers and decided to call
the police, but her phone suddenly went dead! She was stuck!
She cried out to the Lord. He nudged her to try the car again.
Miraculously it started and she managed, weaving through
traffic, to get to the side of the road. She was still stranded, but
then God showed her His loving kindness. People stopped
their cars to help her. She had more help than she could use.
Some were people she would normally be scared to talk to.
One big burly guy with tattoos all over him drove to a service
station and bought gas for her and filled up her car. She knew
God was sending His angels to her. Not only did she get gas
for her car, but the loving kindness of strangers and this big,
scary tattooed "angel" caused Serene to feel God's loving
kindness pouring all over her. She forgot all her problems and
filled the van with praises the rest of her journey.
We can be used by the Lord to crown our husband, our children
and many others with the loving kindness of the Lord. Let's be
on the offensive to give love-hugs, smiles, affirmation,
encouragement and practical help wherever needed.
What a blessing to be the instrument of God's loving kindness.
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
"Thank you, dear Father, for constantly crowning me with your loving kindnesses. Help me to be aware of them and full of gratefulness to you. And please anoint me to b a messenger of your loving kindnesses to others around me. Amen."
AFFIRMATION:
I will not forget a single blessing!
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Saturday, July 17, 2010
Guest Post: To Many To-Do's of My Own
The following is a guest post from Amber over at Beauty in the Broken:
To Many To-Do's of My Own
I tend to be the kind of person who always has tons of ideas rolling through my mind. I am also the kind of person who writes down those thoughts (like, try all of them) =D Things like ideas I have, things I want to learn, things I need to do/want to do, ect.... I am always afraid that I will forget all the things I am thinking, so I guess writing them down helps. So at the end of the day I sit at a desk covered in sheets of paper/notebooks that I have filled with all the stuff I have written throughout the day. The problem with that is that I also have the tenancy to get to ambitious and write down WAY to many things that I want to get done that day... so I sit down, and read all the things that I DIDN'T end up doing that day and disappoint myself. Now I realize that no human being could get done HALF of the stuff I write down in one day, but it still would feel better if I at least knew that I could.
So last night, (while reading all the things I didn't do) I began to think of how I do the same thing in my relationship with God. I get over-ambitious and write I mental list of all the things I "have" to do to...often things that are not humanly possible. And what happens at the end of the day when I sit down and look back on my mental list? I fall short. Again & again....
So what should I do? Stop thinking of ways to please God? Not write "to do lists" anymore? I don't know that is the answer I need (though it may help) So after much thinking, I decided that the smart thing to do would probably look in the handy-dandy book (you know, the one that had been sitting open in front of me the whole time) with all the answers. And what did I find?
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:3)
Surprisingly, not something totally new.
I have grown up in a christian home all my life. I have heard "Jesus loves you" more times than I can count and don't ever remember a time when we didn't go to church. Don't get me wrong, those are all GREAT blessings from the Lord that I am thankful for. But since I have never NOT been surrounded by the truth of God, I hear them over and over. You would think that they would be sinking into my head better and better and that I would be putting them int practice more and more, but no. I let the exact opposite happen.... I stop thinking about them as a new truth and they become "normal", just another sentence spoken form the mouth of God. No big deal, right? But then after a while of these things just being spoken as empty words on a page, are given BACK there true meaning again. He brings them BACK to life for me (he is known for that huh?). He says "hey, Amber... I think you kinda forgot what that REALLY means, so why don't I remind you?" Often times I am reminded the hard way (haha) but the reminder is needed. All of the things I have learned about that specific truth come flooding back. That is what hapened when I read this.
ALL of my plans need to be coming from God. How else can they be his will? I am pretty sure that if I thought up my own plans for my life and said "God, now lets see if they line up!" mine would be QUITE off. But if I let HIM make the plans, let HIM make the to-do-list, then they will ALL succeed. Every last one of them.
So I think that instead of making my OWN to do lists and disappointing myself, I am going to let HIM make the list and do the thinking. =)
To Many To-Do's of My Own
I tend to be the kind of person who always has tons of ideas rolling through my mind. I am also the kind of person who writes down those thoughts (like, try all of them) =D Things like ideas I have, things I want to learn, things I need to do/want to do, ect.... I am always afraid that I will forget all the things I am thinking, so I guess writing them down helps. So at the end of the day I sit at a desk covered in sheets of paper/notebooks that I have filled with all the stuff I have written throughout the day. The problem with that is that I also have the tenancy to get to ambitious and write down WAY to many things that I want to get done that day... so I sit down, and read all the things that I DIDN'T end up doing that day and disappoint myself. Now I realize that no human being could get done HALF of the stuff I write down in one day, but it still would feel better if I at least knew that I could.
So last night, (while reading all the things I didn't do) I began to think of how I do the same thing in my relationship with God. I get over-ambitious and write I mental list of all the things I "have" to do to...often things that are not humanly possible. And what happens at the end of the day when I sit down and look back on my mental list? I fall short. Again & again....
So what should I do? Stop thinking of ways to please God? Not write "to do lists" anymore? I don't know that is the answer I need (though it may help) So after much thinking, I decided that the smart thing to do would probably look in the handy-dandy book (you know, the one that had been sitting open in front of me the whole time) with all the answers. And what did I find?
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:3)
Surprisingly, not something totally new.
I have grown up in a christian home all my life. I have heard "Jesus loves you" more times than I can count and don't ever remember a time when we didn't go to church. Don't get me wrong, those are all GREAT blessings from the Lord that I am thankful for. But since I have never NOT been surrounded by the truth of God, I hear them over and over. You would think that they would be sinking into my head better and better and that I would be putting them int practice more and more, but no. I let the exact opposite happen.... I stop thinking about them as a new truth and they become "normal", just another sentence spoken form the mouth of God. No big deal, right? But then after a while of these things just being spoken as empty words on a page, are given BACK there true meaning again. He brings them BACK to life for me (he is known for that huh?). He says "hey, Amber... I think you kinda forgot what that REALLY means, so why don't I remind you?" Often times I am reminded the hard way (haha) but the reminder is needed. All of the things I have learned about that specific truth come flooding back. That is what hapened when I read this.
ALL of my plans need to be coming from God. How else can they be his will? I am pretty sure that if I thought up my own plans for my life and said "God, now lets see if they line up!" mine would be QUITE off. But if I let HIM make the plans, let HIM make the to-do-list, then they will ALL succeed. Every last one of them.
So I think that instead of making my OWN to do lists and disappointing myself, I am going to let HIM make the list and do the thinking. =)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Gladness by Debi Pearl
Gladness is defined in the Bible by its association with:
More verses about gladness: Psalms 68:3; Isaiah 35:10; Isaiah 51:11; Deuteronomy 28:47-48
- Joy
- Shouting and singing
- Rejoicing and thanksgiving
- The voice of mirth and the voice of melody
More verses about gladness: Psalms 68:3; Isaiah 35:10; Isaiah 51:11; Deuteronomy 28:47-48
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