Go now, a child of God. Choose well the road you take,
And the decisions you make. Keep in mind always that The God you serve continues to call to you, making you more and more every day into the faithful one God wants you to be.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

One hundred thirteen

I know I missed a few days, but I am still with God.

Today as I started my day one word I heard over and over again as I watched Christian T.V. shows this morning and as I listened to Christian radio today and that one word was “Joy.” It was said that we cannot seek Joy. Joy comes from God; from knowing God. Joy comes from inside. I admit I have struggled with Joy this past year and the last six months of my life have had such an impact (with my marriage being so confusing) I prayed for more Joy. I have admitted to not having much joy and tried my best to find the tiny everyday joys that are blessings that we all take for granted for time to time- like seeing the sunshine, or freedom to go where we want to go, or breathing and good health. All those things are joy and are blessings from God. God is still on the throne. He is still giving out blessings.

I think Joy and Faith are the ying and yang of a relationship with God.  For every little bit of joy, you have to have a whole lot of faith, and for a little bit of faith, you can have a whole lot of joy. Thank God!  Thank God for faith and joy! God is the giver of all things seen and unseen.  Glory to God! How blessed we are when God is Lord of our lives. 

I have been in my bible seeking God for direction in my life and that is where I need to look for answers to my questions. On this EVE of the new year my thoughts are of Adam and Eve. God made the first couple of one flesh. He made Eve from the rib of Adam and they were forever joined. Adam and Eve both had their own roles and they were one flesh. When Eve sinned, she got Adam involved and when they were banished from Eden, it was not just Eve that got banished, they both got banished and both had to suffer the wrath of God. For the first man and wife there were no other choices for any other partner. Adam couldn’t say to Eve, you did this terrible thing and I am divorcing you. He ate of the fruit also. They were bound to endure each other’s burdens. Nothing was easy ever again for them. Adam lived for 930 years. I did not read an account of Eve’s years on Earth but the bible did say that during Adam’s life he had many more sons and daughters. I could get dizzy reading Genesis 1-7; creation and man on Earth and populating the earth, and direct communication with God. What a time to be on the Earth!

I wasn’t blessed to live during that time, I am here now, during this time, in the final hours of 2009 looking back and not wanting to linger there.
I want to seize some joy.
I want to live present in the moment.
I want to take the time it takes to listen to a friend.
I want to take the time to say a prayer- immediately.
Spontaneous prayer. It is through Jesus Christ that I am allowed to talk directly to God once again.
I want to give love even when it is not given back.
I want to act instead of react.

O.K. I know I am getting off the subject- back on track – about marriage, I know that God will bless my marriage if we stay committed to it. I am still seeking God’s direction. Divorce is final. God is at work in my marriage- even more so God is at work in me.

Yesterday my daughter had her 16th birthday. In my joy I thought back to sixteen years ago when I was in labor, I was sooo ready for her to be born I was only in labor for five and a half hours. I didn’t sleep a wink even after labor because I was so excited to have her where I could see her, and hold her.

I spoke to her on the phone on the eve of her 16ht birthday about how I spent the day she came into the world and how beautiful she was when she was born. I loved her from the moment I found out I was pregnant. I even knew when she was in the womb, without being told, that she was a girl. I know that beginnings are important – beginnings remind us of the wonder in new things and what transforms from beginnings to now.

Sixteen is a milestone for kids and usually it means a drivers license and a car and new independence. My daughter will be getting those things from her father and it is a blessing that he will be able to provide those things to progress her into this next stage of her life. I wanted to give her something to mark this birthday special, and I took her to buy a ring. She picked out an age appropriate heart shaped gold ring with three diamonds across the middle of the heart. I tell her all the time she is my heart. I had a very full day of joy that continued on into today.

Remembering the beginning and that overwhelming joy makes the tough times hard to remember.  Love endures. 

I am thinking of the beginning of 2010 and I have a feeling that it will be significant to remember the beginning and this time next year I will say without a doubt 2010 is one extraordinary year full of God’s blessings and miracles.

Philippians 3: 13-14
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal.”


God bless you and your family in the coming year. I have so much hope for God’s grace and blessings in this new year.

May God give us all joy in 2010.

Friday, December 25, 2009

One hundred twelve

We give presents because the wise men did. We put up stars to remind us of the one at Bethlehem. We light candles to celebrate the light that came into the world.
Today is the most celebrated birthday on the planet. I lift up my praise and worship to the Lord Jesus Christ! I am thankful for all the gifts He has given in love, through family, friends and talents. I know that all things are from God and today I am blessed to have a savior and that in knowing Him I will also have everlasting life in heaven when this life on Earth is over.

God still has a great and mighty work to be completed here on Earth until Jesus second return. May we all look forward to that day as we celebrate and worship our Lord today all days forward.

Philippians 2:7
“He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant.”

God became a man in the Lord Jesus Christ. God was on the Earth in the form of someone that we could see, feel and hear. He came with a message. That message was to accept Him and to live with Him in eternity.

I am blessed this Christmas day and am surrounded by love.

God is love.

Blessings to you and yours today.

Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

One hundred eleven

Luke 2:13-14
“and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest/ And on earth peace, good will toward men!”

Today it is my prayer that everyone can experience Jesus Christ this Christmas eve.

Traveling mercies to those traveling to visit loved ones near and far.

May God give us all peace this Christmas.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

One hundred ten

This morning I woke up late and I had wanted to begin my devotionals first thing in the morning.
So what happened? I got in from my second job at around 10 PM, went directly to bed and awoke several times in the early morning 2:30, 3:45, and 4:30 I think it is the noise of my upstairs neighbors bouncing around causes me to wake fully up and look at the clock to see what time it is. I was able to drift back to sleep and I woke to the sound of a loud thump when my upstairs neighbor’s feet hit the floor hard at 7:00 AM.
I have to be at work at 7:30. I made it. Thankfully my work does not require I meet a dress code.
Last night between my jobs I sat looking at the lights on my Christmas tree. I have an ornament that says “Joy.” Where was the joy in my Christmas so far? It wasn’t gifts under the tree. I didn’t have to shop for relatives, or any baking, or social engagements that usually have me in a tizzy here two days before Christmas. This Christmas I admit is not like Christmas past. As a whole Christmas is different this year.

For a lot of people they will be going through the same kind of separation from Christmas past; illnesses, job losses, death of loved ones, broken families, natural disasters and other tragedies that are life changing, made this season different for many. I don’t know if I am more aware of these things not only because I am going through some, but also because I am getting older. Growing up someone else is there to protect you from the full brunt of the situations of struggle, but when you become a grown up, there isn’t anyone there to change the weight of the situation. We all need God. He can keep us from collapsing from these struggles, if we allow Him to.

My feeling this morning is one of defeat. Stripped of all the things one normally does at Christmas, did I neglect to do the one thing that is required of the season? That one thing is to honor Jesus Christ, our one and only reason for the season. It is my hope that my gift of myself, will honor him, with my devotion, with my thoughts and prayers(even though I missed a few days of blogging and I can’t seem to wake up early). I don’t know that I will ever be worthy of all God provides, but stripped down to the bareness of who I am with all my faults I have to give thanks that God still loves me. I have to put all my trust in God.

Psalm 119: 147
“Early in the morning, before the sun is up, I am praying and pointing out how much I trust in you.”

It is my prayer that we can be joyful and thankful and not let defeat overwhelm us to the point that we are not able to rejoice in Jesus Christ. Jesus was a gift of Love and that is the gift I am giving and I am asking for nothing in return.

Love and blessings to you this Christmas.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

One hundred nine

I took four days off of blogging for a vacation. I spent a few days with my husband. We went to Nashville, TN. The lights were nice and we saw the Rockettes at the Grand Old Opry. We also saw carved ice sculptures of Charlie Brown characters. The trip as a whole was good.

My marriage is still a very emotional area of my life. I have a lot to gain if we reconcile. I can regain all the security and stability of having a partner to share in all the events of our life. I will have my best friend back. I will have someone that will be affectionate, respectful , share laughter, share trials and the ever present comfort of love. I will also live in our home that we remodeled together. My dog will be less stressed. I will be able to calm down emotionally and not cry everyday feeling the weight of what I am loosing if we don’t reconcile. My marriage is still very much in crisis.

I have been in mourning the whole time I have been out of the house. I am ready to stop mourning. I am going through some very personal and emotional things. I pray and seek God’s will, I am trying to be patient. I want peace. Divorce is such a final thing with me. It will be the end of my relationship with my husband. We have remained close and not dated anyone else during our separation, so in that aspect I have retained hope that we could reconcile. He is not in any rush to reconcile or divorce.
I am emotionally torn.


David felt the same way I feel in Psalm 13
1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

I surrender to God’s will. My efforts have been useless. I have to be patient. I know that God loves me. I have prayed about my marriage every day.

I took a few days off from blogging and broke my promise of blogging every day. I prayed every day and I am needing Him more. It is still a couple of days before Christmas and my focus can turn once again to the season and songs that celebrate Christmas.

Let go and let God handle my situation and if a reconcile in my marriage doesn’t happen, I pray that I have a peace about it and thankful for the mercy God gives.

"Away in a Manger" is the song I am singing.

Friday, December 18, 2009

One hundred eight

Today marks Christmas being one week away. May all our thoughts turn to Jesus Christ.
Yesterday I posted about how Hanukah began for the Jews, today I want to tell you that the Catholics also began a week of prayer.

THE LAST PART OF ADVENT
In the Catholic Church's traditional cycle of prayer, Evening Prayer, also called Vespers, always includes the great song of Mary known as the Magnificat. This song is preceded and followed by a short verse or "antiphon" that links it to the feast of the day or the season of the year. In the last seven days of Advent (December 17-24), the Magnificat antiphons are very special. Each begins with the exclamation "O" and ends with a plea for the Messiah to come. As Christmas approaches the cry becomes increasingly urgent.

These "O Antiphons" were composed in the seventh or eighth century when monks put together some of the key Old Testament texts and phrases looking forward to our salvation. They form a rich, interlocking mosaic of Scriptural images; in the Middle Ages the custom grew of ringing the great bells of the church each evening as they were being sung.

A particularly fascinating feature of the O Antiphons is that the first letter of each invocation, when read backwards, forms an acrostic in Latin: the first letters of Sapientia, Adonai, Radix, Clavis, Oriens, Rex, and Emmanuel in reverse form the Latin words: ERO CRAS. These are understood as the words of Jesus, responding to his people's plea, saying "Tomorrow I will be there."


I am looking forward to the return of Jesus. If it happens in my lifetime, I will marvel in the events that will happen and if I die before, I know that with my salvation I will be with Him in heaven. I wish He would return tomorrow. His second coming will not be like the celebration of His birth with a day marked on the calendar. When Jesus returns it will be without any time to prepare, He will return when it is God’s will for Him to return. By using the Advent season to point us day after day to the coming of Jesus,  we must  focus on our true home. That true home is, of course, life in eternity with God. The time is now to declare Jesus Christ is King. Our King, that still reigns.

Today it is my prayer for Jesus Christ to return. Salvation is for every person. May many be filled with the Holy Spirit and feel Jesus Christ calling them home, home being living a life in which Jesus Christ is the center of their lives so that they will know Him and He will know them when He returns.

Dear lord and savior Jesus, I am in prayer that you will reveal yourself in my life, lead me in the way that I am to go, direct my heart, my hands, my thoughts and my actions. I depend on you for all my needs and in You I have my faith for an extraordinary tomorrow.
I have faith in Jesus return.

Grace and Peace to you from God our father.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

One hundred seven

Luke 1: 39-45
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

Mary and Elizabeth were blessed with so much joy being 1st time mothers, but that is not the reason they were so joyful. They were both carrying children that were both being born for God’s specific purpose.
John didn’t even meet Jesus until he was well into his ministry speaking about the salvation of Jesus.

Today is the start of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. They will have eight days of celebrating and each day light one candle of the Menorah. The Menorah came about because there was this guy, Antiochus, the Greek king,that destroyed a temple and demanded that everyone sacrifice pigs only in the temple. The priest, Judah Maccabee, who was over the temple, fought against Antiochus and killed him, and when Maccabee went to honor God to burn a lamp, all they could find was a small bottle of olive oil. The bottle of oil was not supposed to last long as fuel for the lamp(some thought it to be a drop of oil, some say it was only engough to burn for a day), but the small amount of oil lasted for eight days.

Today’s menorah that celebrates the miracleof the lamp burning for the Maccabees, it has nine candles, the center candle is the “servant candle” It is used each night to light the other candles. It stands taller than the others and is to signify Jesus Christ as “the servant.”That is an abbreviated version how the menorah and the lighting of the menorah came about.

I’m not Jewish, but Mary was a Jew and Jesus was a Jew. It is good to know other religious customs so that we can know and appreciate the life of Jesus and celebrate with others, no matter if the religion is Jewish, Catholic or Baptist. We are all celebrating Jesus Christ.

Peace and Mercy to you from God our father.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

One hundred six

James 1:17
“Every good action and every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the creator of the sun, moon, and stars, who does not change like their shifting shadows.”


Did God give us salvation because we deserved it? No. There is no way on Earth that we could ever deserve salvation. It is a true gift from God. It is a gift of love. God knows we are all sinners. We came into this world as sinners, we have sinful natures, but once we accept salvation, we accept the gift of Jesus Christ forgiving us of our sins.

I got a letter from my brother over the weekend. He rarely gets to write, but he had some good news. He is now in a half-way house out of prison. His jail sentence was supposed to be until 2015. My brother had a problem with drugs and has been in and out of jail since he was 18. He is two years older than me, so it has been about a 20 year journey of incarceration. He has a daughter that is a senior in high school this year. He has missed a lot of her life because of the lifestyle he chose. I understand about addicts because of my brothers life. Addicts they don’t realize the lives they really destroy are the lives of their loved ones. It has been really tough for his daughter to not have him around and that is all she wants, even now.

For my brother to be in a half-way house there is hope that he might be able to make it to her graduation. It will be an important day for her. We will all be in prayer that he will be able to go.

God is the giver of joy and He is with us.

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ – which means , ‘God with us”
- Matthew 1:22-23

I am praying today that God will be at work in my brother’s life so he will be able to beat his addiction and I am praying for his daughter and her mother. Her mother is a single parent with three children. I am always amazed at how supportive she has always been towards my niece and the relationship with her father. She always made sure that she could visit him, write him and keep that connection over the years.

Does he deserve her mercy? No. His drug problem is why they divorced. Does he deserve her forgiveness? No. I know that she doesn’t support the relationship because of him, it is because of the love she has for her daughter.

Does God have to forgive us each time we sin? No, but it is because of His love and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we can have forgiveness. It is love from God. I am thankful that God loves us enough that we can be forgiven.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

One hundred five

Each day I have thoughts of God and of Jesus.

Today I am wondering what He is thinking about me.

John the Baptist said of Jesus Christ-
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
-John 3:30

“When God intends to make something wonderful he begins with a difficulty. When he intends to make something very wonderful , he begins with an impossibility.” – Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Coggan

Each day I ask God to tell me what to write about in these devotionals. I have a whole bible for Him to reach into and make some words speak to my heart. I write those verses down and study then write the devotional. I am writing this blog purely out of my devotion to God. Each day I spend some time with God throughout the day listening to Christian radio and sermons, but lately you can notice by the time most of my posts happen, they are written at the very end of my day.

I wanted to change that this week. I tried to plan to write first thing in the morning and change my routine. I set the alarm yesterday, when it went off I turned it off said a quick prayer and went back to sleep. I didn’t write the devotional and I had all day yesterday, again I worried over things I should not have and when I got around to my devotional the weather was so bad that I was not able to post. I wrote it, and could have posted it first thing this morning, but honestly I overslept again this morning. Gettin up early is difficult for me.

When God is at work in our lives He is searching us and revealing things that He wants to change about us. I know that God doesn’t mind me having Him in my last thoughts of the day, but instead of reporting each day about how God is at work in my life, He would rather have a talk with me in the morning and increase my faith in what He wants to show me in my day. I start my day with a prayer, giving my day to God and I see changes, but I feel like He wants to give me something to start my day to face all that I have to face.

What if God started each of my days saying, “Be where I assign you, when I assign you. There are new connections coming into your path this week. You will begin to experience life in a way that you’ve not known in the past. So be where you are to be, when you are to be there, and watch me work on your behalf.” Chuck D Pierce, Stay connected to God.
 

Today I felt God saying to me not to put this devotional and Him last in my day. This week I will discipline myself to wake by the alarm early, study and write this devotional fresh each morning. Can I believe that He will take this ordinary life, nothing special life and make it extraordinary?

Ephesians 3:20-21
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more that all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Yes, I do believe He can take an ordinary life, and make it extraordinary.
I am in prayer that everyone that reads this will experience a miracle of God in their life. I pray they will experience the miracle of the life of one man, Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers for each of us.

Grace and peace to you from God our father.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

One hundred four

Romans 5:15-17


15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one
man, Jesus Christ.

Yesterday I went out in the rain and did some Christmas shopping. It was a rainy wet day. I shopped more because of obligation than with joy, because money is tight this year. I admit it is easier to give when you have plenty.

I went over to my mother-in-laws yesterday to help her decorate her tree. She has a home based sewing business. She decorates her tree as her showpiece each year. I help her with making bows for the tree, and decorating. Last year she said she wanted something different and while I was out shopping, I had seen trendy decorated trees and she allowed me to buy the decorations. Usually we draw names at thanksgiving and the name we draw is who we get a gift for. This year she said her tree would not have gifts under it; we are not exchanging gifts. Times are tight for everyone. We forget that the gifts don’t matter, it is the fellowship and getting together with family that makes the season special. My helping her with her tree every year is my gift to her.

This Christmas keep Jesus in your celebrations. Jesus birth is the greatest gift ever given, by the greatest gift giver of all, our wonderful God and father.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

One hundred three

Psalm 22:26
“Those who look to the Lord will praise him.”

Hundreds of years before Christ birth prophets told of his birth, his life and his salvation of sinners. During his lifetime Christ proved many to be true.

The book of Revelation tells of the second coming of Christ. Prophecies foretold – prophecies yet to come true. Praise God!

Each day of advent my thoughts are of Christ and his return.

“The bridegroom is coming, to take us all away; maybe tomorrow but I hope that it is today.” Those are words to a song I sang in the choir when I was younger and I have those words in my head.

Praise God!

May you know the Love of God our father.

Friday, December 11, 2009

One hundred two

Luke 2:8
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

A friend told me of being in a program and had to sing the verse above- the verse was changed to “washing their socks by night all seated on the ground, the angel of the Lord came down and said, ‘will you wash mine?”

How many Christmas programs will you attend this year?

My daughter is a teenager and her school doesn’t put on a program, but I used to look forward to making the costumes for her part. One year she was the partridge in the pear tree in the twelve days of Christmas. It was an excellent costume. A cardboard tree with a bird without a head; a hole cut out for her head and she wore a feathered mardi gras mask. I glittered it up and it was beautiful on the stage. She was so proud of her costume, we donated it to the school afterwards and I’m sure they used it in future productions. Later in the song she forgot her part because she turned to watch her classmates and the crowd got a laugh about it. Also we didn’t tell her dad which part she was playing so he had to figure it out, he said he kept looking for her and the song was half over before he realized she was the partridge- the lead part!

She and I used to also make up our own version of the twelve days of christmas, putting in our own items- "5 cubic zirconia gold rings, 4 cheap sunglasses, 3 pairs of boots, 2 tubes of lipstick, and a camera!" to which we would sing as loud as we could in the car on the way to school.   Every day the items would change and it would always be funnier each time we sang it. 


Laughter and memories are gifts of the season.

May you be blessed with laughter and wonderful memories this Christmas!

Peace and mercy from God our father.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

One hundred one

Six months before Christ’s birth, John the Baptist was born to the prophet Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. I am not accurate of their ages but I think Elizabeth was about 90 yrs. old and Zechariah was about 100 yrs. Old The Angel Gabriel came to Zechariah in the temple and told him the good news of John’s birth. John was to be a great man in the sight of God. He was chosen to go to Israel to preach before the coming of Jesus. Zechariah was in disbelief and Gabriel took his voice from him until the day of John’s birth.
Elizabeth became pregnant and knew it was divine because she had waited so long for a child and a woman during that time was disgraced if she was barren. She thanked God for His favor on her.

For a woman to have a child at her age was big gossip. Word even got to Mary and she traveled to see her cousin and rejoiced with her. Herod also heard about this birth and thought he could also be the messiah, and sought after him. Elizabeth went on the run protecting her son, she prayed out to God and he had a mountain open up and hid them from Herod. Herod had Zechariah murdered because he preached of the coming Messiah. Herod did not want to lose his kingdom. Elizabeth died 40 days after, how, we do not know.

Then John was in the wilderness until he appeared and went out to preach.

John’s life of solitude- It is hard to think of what age he was without his parents, but I think it was fairly young, but even the Angel Gabriel said John would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
John spent his childhood solely with God and nature. He did not live in the world.

I have been reading “A search for Solitude, the Journals of Thomas Merton Pursuing the Monk’s True Life.” Merton wanted nothing more than to be alone in nature with just God.

September 15, 1952
Out here in the woods I can think of nothing except God and it is not so much that I think of him either. I am as aware of Him as of the sun and the clouds and the blue sky and the thin cedar trees. When I first came out here, I was sleepy (because we are in the Winter season and no longer have meridienne) but I have read a few lines from the Desert Fathers and then, after that, my whole being was full of serenity and vigilance.”

Desert Fathers 

Dec. 29. 1052
“Not solitude for the sake of something special, something exalted: solitude as the climate in which I can simply be what I am meant to be, and live in the presence of the living God. Solitude in order to be a simple Christian. Like climbing down from a mountain or a pillar or starting over again to behave as a human being- I need solitude for the true fulfillment which I seek-that of being ordinary.
Life in the world was utterly abnormal.
Life in the monastery if not ordinary. It is a freakish sort of life. The freakishness is not St. Benedict’s fault, but maybe it is necessary. In solitude, at last, I shall be just a person, no longer corrupted by being known, no longer creating myself in the image of a slightly unbalanced society. Living in the likeness of the God who is my life: that is to say, living as unknown. For a Christian is one whom the world does not know.
‘Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God, and such we are. This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
1 John 3:1

I am not Catholic, but I have attended Mass a lot of times with my mother. I don’t have any reason for choosing this book from the library last week, but as I began reading it, I began reading it aloud. I am halfway through it and some of his words brought me to tears. I did not know why I was reading it, but now I know it is to better understand the solitary life of John the Baptist and his relationship with God, and also the constant seeking of God. Even a monk – a bible scholar- seeks God and a deeper spiritual life with God. One would think just choosing the life of a monk would be sufficient but that was not so with Merton.

Just the same, choosing life as a Christian is not enough, we have to seek God and a life with God.

John the Baptist and Jesus Christ - two children born specific for God's purpose.  Two childhoods very much a mystery, both lived a life of ministry, both murdered.  One resurected- Jesus Christ.  One to return again- Jesus Christ.  Praise God!

On this tenth day of Advent, I am humble. 

Peace and Mercy from God our father.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

One hundred

Yesterday my thoughts were of the three kings that traveled to bring gifts to Jesus when he was born. These Kings left their families and kingdoms to bring him gifts.

In today’s world, usually monetary gifts are what we bring to God each week as the offertory plate is passed down the aisle. This can become routine. I go to the bank each week with my payroll check and I get cash for my offering keeping true to first fruit, before I spend any money for any of my needs or wants, I take the first cash out and put it in my bible for Sunday morning.

Do I sacrifice from my giving?

I really don’t think of that money as a could have, would have, should have.

I could have bought a new shirt.
I would have went to the football game and out to eat with my friends.
I should have put that money into savings.

I do pray over my paycheck and give thanks for it and I know that my tithe is going towards Gods work through the church. God has blessed me and made it so that the amount I tithe is not a financial burden, I do not give it without some sacrifice.

I don’t go without necesities, by tithing. That is a blessing from God.

I am trying my best to get out of debt, I set that goal a few months ago and as an example $55,678.25 (this is not my real debt).
I took the first five numbers of the total debt and prayed about it I prayed that If I could pay $556.78 this month and followed that formula, I wouldn’t have to pay that amount again, the amount I paid would be less and less next month my debt would be $55,121.47 so then that payment would be $551.21 Sure it doesn’t look like that much of a change when you have a large debt but through the process it is positive because the payment is less every month.

God will be faithful to helping me to meet my needs by helping me keep focused on the goal.

Now when the devil hears about me and God working to get out of debt, he likes to push thoughts of the could have, would have, should have done with my tithe money instead of giving it to God. Or what I could have, would have, should have done with the payment amount that is twice the amount of my required monthly payment. And that is where the real sacrifice comes in.

I don’t have premium cable television or high speed internet or go out to eat every day for lunch with my friends. I don’t spend without putting it to prayer. I feel guilty spending for extravagances like sodas (a 24 pack of cokes cost almost $5) or things I don’t really need but want. I wouldn’t be so aware of my spending if I didn’t already know I had a financial goal to be able to make my payment, but this is the sacrifice I have to make because I created my debt from not being so aware of my spending.

2 Samuel 24:24
24 But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

This was king David asking God for mercy to stop the plague on his people.


I am sacrificing to not only tithe, but also to get my debts paid off and have the financial freedom God wants for me.

The magi brought gifts to the Lord, and I am thinking this Christmas what gift can I give to Christ?

 I am thinking of a very special gift just from me to him, it is something personal that no one else needs to know about and I am letting it be a sacrifice, and pray that it will be pleasing to the Lord.

What personal sacrifices would God find pleasing?

Forgiveness- forgiving someone that you feel anger towards or have needed to forgive for a long time.
Or giving time to God each day- Setting aside one hour of solitude with God- just you and God.
Maybe it is giving something up- like smoking, or drinking, or cursing, or saying hateful things.

Seek the goodness of God in your life.

Make the sacrifice gift you give to God your most important gift of the season.

Peace and mercy to you from God our father.

Remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Ninety-nine

Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Faith- sure and certain.

Sure and certain of God.

Faith in the coming of Jesus Christ.

The days leading up to Christmas turn our days to worship by singing Christmas carols and looking forward with excitement and anxiety.
When we were young we had the same feeling towards our own birthday. It would be a day of celebration and we would feel the love from our family and friends as we gathered
For cake and presents. We know all about the first time Jesus Christ came into the world, but in thinking of Christmas I can not help but to have the same feeling of excitement and anxiety awaiting His return.

Faith is knowing that Jesus lived his life as a man and the Bible is certain of the details of his life. We have faith in knowing when the bible says that the Lord Jesus Christ will be returning.
Celebrating Christmas is celebrating Christ birth. I have a lot of faith in his second coming. I am in anticipation of his return with the same feeling of joy that knowing our birthday will happen once a year.

Jesus will come again, and I have faith that it will be a day of celebration, just as his first birthday. Until that day we have to seek him, just as the magi did, and offer love just as he loved us.

Faith.

Faith in the Lord.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Ninety-eight

Question asked of me is what ways does Christ want to use me to touch the world?
That is not a question I can answer. I am making it God’s choice in how he wants to use my life. I think of my hopes and what God will reveal what he wants for me.

My thoughts for Advent today are of Mary. I think of how God chose her and how it was all divine. From choosing a virgin mother to the nine months that the baby grew inside of her. I am thinking we are the same being God’s children. When we are in God’s will (womb) He fills us with the Holy Spirit and our faith grows and it shows in our speech, in our actions, and in our decisions.

I watched my daughter at dance tonight. I see myself in her. I see how she moves and how she smiles and how she has a bit of shyness but doesn’t hold back when it comes to her stubbornness. My friends say that they see me when they see her, and they can’t deny that she is my child, even her father can not distinguish the difference in our voices on the phone.

To be like JESUS is a big task. But like my daughter, she has no choice to be so much like me. It is not only her DNA but also in all the years we spent every moment together. I feel that when God takes our lives in his will, we begin to reflect his characteristics. We have forgiveness, compassion, empathy, love, and concern for others, when we are growing in Christ, it’s natural that others start to see the resemblance of God in our lives.

1 Col. 1:27
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Grace and Peace to you from God our father.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Ninety-seven

Jesus lived for thirty-three years on the earth. His days and life all had a time line. As a child in the temple he learned and he taught, as a man He left Nazareth because it was time for Him to spread his message, He died because it was his time to go.

To think of God and Jesus as one and the same, He came to Earth but only had a short lifetime to complete what he had to do.

This morning Pastor Anderson preached about how there is not any time to put off your own salvation. Will you be ready? Will you be in the right place when God calls us home?
Only with the Holy spirit and our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our savior can we be at peace about our eternity.

Job 36:26
“God is …greater than we can understand. No one knows how old he is.”

Peace and Grace to you from God the father.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

ninety-six

The root word for adventure is advent, which means beginning. And with every beginning there is anxiety.

I am thinking about Jesus’ life and how it began, born to a virgin mother, his parents having to make the journey for the census in her time of labor. Because of the census there was no room at the inn, so they had to find a retreat and Jesus was born in a manger. The three kings sought him by following his star. Herod asked who they were going to see, it angered him that he was not the one they were seeking. To save Jesus life they had to keep it a secret, Herod wanted the kings, on their return journey to tell him where this “King of the Jews” was so he could kill him. The kings were careful not to return in a way that Herod would know. Herod was so mad he ordered death to all male boys in his kingdom of a certain age. They flee to Egypt and then to Nazareth to escape the rule of Herod.

Some of us may be in a time of advent in our own lives.. A new beginning. A new adventure. Some of us are making plans, some of us have no plan. Some of us are having to adjust because the plans we made are falling apart.

Where are you in your ADVENTure?
In my own life I am seeking God, and His guidance. I am trying to be present in every moment. Being present is hard for me, I live inside my head a lot of the time with my thoughts and I am sometimes distracted from what I really need to focus on.

Yesterday was a busy day for me, everything I planned fell apart, and when they did, I allowed whatever to happen happen, I admit I struggled with it. I wanted to do what I had planned, but something else happened. I got a call from my daughter around 8:30 pm I had resigned to the fact that the plans I had made were not going to happen and I had already put on my pj’s and washed my face. My daughter wanted to go out and be social with her friends and she needed a chaperone. I was tired and could have said no, but I jumped at the chance to be mom. I got dressed, we spent some time being social but most importantly, we spent some time together, we laughed, we talked, we had a mini retreat sharing a meal together. Of all the people I had the chance to spend the evening with, I know I spent it with the most important one.

I like hearing her voice, spending time with her and strengthening our relationship. I am glad she tells me about her friends and is concerned for each of them. I am able to just love her during this time and we are rebuilding our relationship. I thank God for this blessing.

I encourage you to look at your own ADVENTure and seek what God has in store for you. Live in the moment, seek God’s direction, go where God wants you to go.

Psalm 18:30
"The ways of God are without fault."

Joy to you from God our  father.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Niney-five

Today I am listening to Christmas music and the thing about Christmas music is – unless you have lived under a rock- most of us know all the words – Away in a manger, Joy to the world, the Christmas shoes, and Silent night, ect. Nothing can lift your spirit like singing along, raising your voice and singing praises (even out of tune)

Today’s verse is an attitude adjustment for those of us feeling anxious about the season and how we are going to get through this tough time and knowing that Christmas this year will be more of what we give of ourselves than what we can give as a physical gift.

Philippians 4:8
“Fix your thoughts on what is good and true and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about it.”

Christmas songs help to focus on Jesus Christ just hearing the words “Do you see what I see… do you hear what I hear…a song a song high above the trees with a voice as big as the sea… do you know what I know… a child a child shivers in the cold let us bring him silver and gold… Listen to what I say… A child a child sleeping in the night will bring us goodness and light!

Praise God for our Savior Jesus Christ.

Joy to you from God our father.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Ninety-four

Isaiah 42: 6
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles.”

God has plan. His plans will be carried out. God had a plan for Jesus Christ to come even at the time of Adam and Eve, and before that.

December has met me face to face with joy and trepidation, a little grief and helplessness. I have to realize that misery is optional. I said this a few days ago and it is a hard thing to do- but we have to cling to Jesus and repeat as needed-“In every circumstance- Choose Joy!”

And if you can’t laugh at least once today, lie on your back eating apples using your naval as a caramel dipping bowl!

Joy to you for we are celebrating the birth of our Lord all month, not just the 25th.

Joy to you from God the father.

Ninety-three

Psalm 40: 4
“Happy is the person who trusts the Lord”

These are words I really needed to hear today. I had a lot on my mind and I feel I need some direction from God on the matter because I don’t have the answer or know how to make something happen. I am putting it to prayer and will see what God can make happen and I will trust in the Lord for His provision in the matter.

I will put my trust in the Lord.

Today is the second day of advent and my thoughts of Jesus today are of hope. I think of his birth and today we are in expectation of his return. To God be the Glory and we worship God almighty,

Lord, may my tomorrow be extraordinary. Thank you for the trials and the rebuilding of my walk with Jesus so that I will know him better.

Keep Christ in Christmas.

Love and blessings from God our father.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Ninety-two

As I begin December I am thinking of the days that lead up to Jesus’s birth and the days that followed.  Jesus lived an extraordinary life.

There is so much to learn about Jesus the boy, and Jesus the man, and Jesus the Messiah. What would it have been like to know Jesus as a boy? What teachings did Mary and Joseph have on his life? In today’s society everybody and their mother is writing a book about their own lives. What if Mary and Joseph had gotten a book deal and wrote what it was like to be the parents of Jesus? In the Bible we are given small glimpses of who they were. Would Mary have listed 10 of Jesus’ favorite foods? Funny things he said? How he interacted with his siblings? What would Joseph have told? Would he tell of how he would take Jesus to work with him? Would he have told about Jesus’ first fishing trip?

I wish there was a photo album of Jesus’ life where we could look and see his baby picture, and a picture for every year after.

The most memorable image of Jesus we have is of him nailed to the cross and seated at the last supper.

I am thinking of the time that we will see him face to face for the first time. It brings me joy to think of that, in the same way that an expectant mother awaits to see her unborn babies face for the first time. Mother’s can hardly wait for that moment, now with technology mothers can see their babies face more clearly in ultrasounds but not even that image replaces looking into the tiny face and having those baby eyes look back.

There isn't a photo album but the Bible tells His story and for us to know Him, we need to read the word and  love him; as a baby in a manger, as a boy who taught in the temples, as a man that selected men to be fishers of men, and as the Messiah to be worshiped. 

Jesus Christ’s birth was a gift of divine love from God.

Jesus had many gifts we can experience every day; His love, unconditional; His Sovereignty, Lord of Lords; His energy, I can do all things in Christ; His work, in his teachings and he death for our sins and his resurrection so that we don’t have to fear death.

Every day can be Christmas as we experience Christ in our lives. Each day is a gift from God.

Psalm 9:11
“Sing praises to the Lord… Tell the nations what he has done."

May we all know Jesus Christ and one day look into his face and hear his voice for the first time, what a joy that moment will be. 

Hoping for Joy to you from God the father.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Ninety & Ninety-one

Yesterday I didn;t post because I didn't have internet service. 
Pastor Anderson gave a great sermon about Hope. 
He is preaching about HOPE PEACE LOVE and JOY over the weeks leading up to Christmas.
I am thankful in the Hope we have in Jesus returning.
Isaiah 42:1-9


1 John 4:10
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

God knew Jesus’s fate before he ever came to Earth. Jesus life and death is an example of God’s love. No other father would ever want to look at us and say, “here is my son, he will die so that you will live.”

God’s love is greater than any love on Earth.

God is good all the time.


My dad got to come up today and we got to talk about our business a little today. It always lifts his spirits when we end things on a positive note. I like to see him smile and hopeful. I love my dad and I do hope that we can prosper in the future.

My friend K had to leave work today because her dad was having some health problems.  I pray that he is well and for strenght for k during this time of uncertainty. 

I am thankful today for Fathers. I am thankful for God our father and my Earth father.


I am hating all the uncertainty in jobs. My neighbor got fired today. He is a young man that may not have a lot of job skills, he was a furniture delivery guy, until today.

I pray that he will get a job and have a better tomorrow.



May you know the grace and peace from God.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Eighty-nine

John 15:10
I have obeyed my father's commands, and I remain in his love. In the same way, if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love.

Jesus lived his life as an example. 

Yesterrday I was crafting and after dinner I went out to the local craft store to look for a manger scene to complete a craft I had seen and wanted to make myself.  I wandered around the whole craft store, I saw many chistmas decorations but I did not see a single "Christ" in the whole store.  No Mary, No Joseph, No Jesus 

Usually I can go into the craft store and find anything I need.
Today I went in search of Jesus and I couldn’t find him in the craft store. I wondered if this was a trend. The next store I went to was the largest retail chain in the U. S. and wandered through their Christmas decorations. They had a lot of decorations, I again was disappointed in my search for Jesus. The only thing I found with Jesus on it was a small 2 ft. x 2 ft. display of religious ornaments.

I know perfectly well that you can not go into a store and just buy a manger scene to have Jesus in your life, but I was wanting to display a manger scene and display Jesus Christ as my symbol of Christmas in my home and anyway isn’t that the real reason we are celebrating Christmas? I know it is the reason I am celebrating Christmas in my home.

I do have a very large nativity scene that takes up about a 6 ft by 2 ft area. I made it out of ceramics the year before I was pregnant with my baby girl so I have had it seventeen years. It is large and is the focal point of our decorations. Truthfully I haven’t shopped for a manger scene over the years. But yesterday I was working on a craft project and I wanted the baby Jesus to be in it.

I was saddened that Jesus has been obsolete in the general retail industry for Christmas. The general public are the people who could benefit from knowing Jesus.

As I was walking around the craft store I was vocal in the fact Jesus was not to be found. “Did you find everything OK?”
“No, I did not. There is not a single manger scene in this store.”
“Really?”
“Really.”

Usually a cashier is supposed to get a manager if a customer is negative and make the customer happy, but that didn’t happen. No one but me was concerned the true symbol of Christmas was no to be found in the craft store.

If a person goes in search of Christ they do not seek him in retail. They have to seek him in their hearts and in the bible and that is where he can be found.

I hate that the word “Believe” has become the symbol of believing in Santa.

As for me and my house we will believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and worship the Lord as we celebrate his birth this coming month.

Today I am thankful Jesus is in my life and I am reminded that as Christians we may be the only Jesus some people will ever see.

Keep Jesus Christ in Christmas.

Lord, give us all thankful hearts.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Eighty-eight

When someoone says,"Have a wonderful day!" What would wonderful be?

Wonder begins in the senses, smelling, feeling, seeing, hearing.

What do you hear right now?
What do you smell?
What do you see?
What do you feel?

I hear my neighbors moving about. I hear my dog snoring. I hear a basketball bouncing outside.

I smell my fabric softner and my apple juice.

I see my keyboard, my bible, and the sun shining outside.

I feel content. I have my day planned to stay at home today. I don't have to be anywhere or do anything and to have the day to myself I am going to make the most of it.

Today I am working on my homemade christmas decorations. My husband gave me a huge pile of white felt and I have made an advent calendar and some doves and a few other things for my tree. I am making a banner and some centerpiece christmas trees all from the felt.

I am going to let my imagination guide me today in what I create with the felt and think of Jesus as I craft.

Psalm 90:12
"Teach us how short our lives really are so that we may be wise."

Be wise in choosing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior who died so that we may live.

Today I am thankful that I can have a "wonder" ful day and God gives us imagination so that we can know true wonder.

For me, when I see God at work in what I see, smell, feel and hear, I know that God is wonderful. Each day doesn't have to be ordinary, they can be extraordianary with God.

May you know the wonder of God and have His peace.

Eighty-seven

Psalm 23:1
“The Lord is my Shepard; I have everything I need.”

God is caring for me and I am thankful that He is guiding my life.

To have the promise of heaven is equal to nothing on Earth.

Today I am thankful for love.


Lord, give us all thankful hearts.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Eighty-six

2 Corinthians 12:10
“For Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

No one in their right mind would ask for weakness.
No one likes to be insulted.
No one takes joy in hardships.
No one wants to be persecuted.
No one revels in difficulties.
But would we – “For Christ’s sake?”

We all have had these things happen to us. Some of us today are feeling the stress of the Thanksgiving Holiday – preparing for family and food.
The holidays affect each individual. Sometimes when families get together we can experience all of the things listed above, weakness, insults, hardship, and persecution. Sometimes it is the people who are supposed to love us the most, do the most damage.

Remember to pray for these people. It is a easy as taking a silent moment locked in the bathroom and say, “Jesus, please bless him or her and help me control my attitude. And thank you for putting him or her in my life.”

Whoa! A thank you???

For someone that has done nothing but criticized and made your life difficult since they walked in the door? Yes, for someone to see Christ in you, you have to bring Christ right there to them. I know, not an easy task. Not a task we welcome.

Later, when the family has retreated and the dishwasher is loaded, take another moment and say another thank-you to God, even if it is only to be thankful that you survived. If you pay attention to God at work, I’m sure you will find a lot of other things to be thankful for that happened in the day.


Some of us will spend the holiday far away from family and food. Many people this holiday season won’t prepare a turkey and dressing. They will open a can of soup, if they have it, and maybe they won’t even eat it, but give it to their children instead. Many will be spending the holiday in grief because of the passing of a loved one, or because of divorce a family has been broken apart. Many will not have a home to have Thanksgiving in because of the economic times. 2009 has been hard for many people.

Many are away from home serving in the military.  Thank God for the people who serve and sacrifice their holiday so that we can celebrate Thanksgiving. 

May your holiday include God and true thanks giving in all you do and all God has blessed you with.


Today I am thankful that God can change perspective when He is at work in our lives.

“Count your many blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings and see what God has done.”

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Eighty- Five

Psalm 22:10
“I have leaned on you since the day I was born; you have been my God since my mother gave me birth.”


I’m struggling emotionally today. I’ve been angry at my husband for his words and actions. I said some hurtful things myself. I think it’s best if I don’t talk to him for awhile. I don’t think I forgive him. I don’t think he forgives me.

I know my mouth could use a filter sometimes but lately I haven’t slowed my emotions or my words. It seems like they get all mixed up and burst out of me. Part of me feels like I was silent for too long about things I should have not been silent about and now I would rather express every emotion than not express it at all. He doesn’t like this new me. Mainly because my emotions or words do not agree with him.
I decided today not to make him feel guilty any more for living the life he wants to live and one way to do that is to be silent and not talk to him. 

I have to turn my focus on other things, and my faith in God.

Thanksgiving is in a few days. I am going home and making brownies with caramel centers and working on my advent calendar. Usually I put up my tree the weekend after thanksgiving. I almost decided not to put one up since I am displaced, but then I thought, why shouldn’t I?

And am I really displaced or am I exactly where I am supposed to be?

I am the only one that can bring back my joy and find joy in my ever days – including the holidays.
I have a lot to be thankful for.

Today I am thankful that I can cook and have food to eat.

God is good all the time.

Lord, give us all thankful hearts through the good and the bad.

Thank you, God.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Eighty-Four

Last week my hard drive crashed and I lost everything I had on my computer.  I didn't backup my files. 
Today I got my computer back and had to recreate all my forms that I work with.  I feel like I have to start a lot of things over lately.  My boss was positive, he was glad I lost some forms and looked forward to something new.  that only meant more work for me,but all I could do is press forward and keep on track to make the new forms and continue on with my work. 

Everything is not as it was before.  I also have new updated computer functions and I am not sure how to use all the new functions.  I had to think more about how to make the applications do what I needed them to do.  Now is not the time to get frustrated that everything is much like having a deck of cards all in order and then tossed up in the air and the new game is 52 card pick-up instead of a neat shuffle.  On top of that I have to close out the month by Wednesday.    I could stress. I could be angry at myself.  I could whine and complain that I messed up, but I am not doing any of that.  I am taking one thing at a time.  That is all I can do.

Isn't that how life is sometimes, you have everything in order and planned out, then LIFE happens- that series of unexpected events that wreck out our schedule.    What caused the change in our plans?  crisis? chance? or a choice we made?  As women we take on the crisis, we don't leave things up to chance and we choose to do what needs to be done; we regain control. 

What if we took on a different approach- a God approach to our upset?  To do nothing in a crisis situation is unthinkable.  But in the case of my computer I couldn't fix it.  There was nothing to be done.   I had to live without my computer for four days at work.  I did some other things than my computer work and got some thing done that had been neglected. Praise God!

"Going with the flow" is not easy for women who are constantly in control of households, children and schedules.  We have to remember that God is the one who is in control. 

Remember that God is in control this week as we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, cooking, families, and travel. 

Psalm 62: 1 & 2
1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.


Today I am thankful that God is in control.
Lord give us all thankful hearts.

Eighty-two and Eighty-three

Over the weekend I was without my computer, but I was not without God.

Saturday I worked on my advent calendar and thought of everything I was thankful for.

Sunday I went to church at Logos Baptist church and Pastor Anderson gave a powerful sermon on Psalm 100; a psalm about giving thanks to God.

Psalm 100
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.


Pastor Anderson's challenge this week was for us to take 30 min and write down everything we were thankful for. He wrote over 120 items in his list and shared about half with the congregation.

I have been saying each day one thing I was thankful for this month. I have a lot more things than 30 that I am thankful for. Maybe I will come up with over 120 within 30 min.

I will share the top two things as Christians we should be thankful for,
1. Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for our sins
2. Our salvation

Today I am thankful for Jesus Christ and for my salvation.

I am in prayer for healing for hearts that are broken, new friends and new beginnings.

Dear Lord give us all thankful hearts.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Eighty-One

Today I read I Kings 21. In this chapter Naboth did not want to sell the king his vineyard.When King Ahab was enraged that he couldn’t have what he wanted. Jezabel had Naboth unjustly accused and killed so that her husband King Ahab could have his vineyard. King Ahab and Jezebel had a lot of greed and they wanted what they wanted.
Ahab made bad choices time and time again. He also engaged in idol worship.

Today I am thinking about people who take and take from others for their own benefit and hurt others with lies and deceit to fulfill their greed.

I am praying for release of a friend that has had this done to her.

I pray that anyone in a situation that they feel they can not escape, that God will intercede on their behalf and give them peace that they need to know that there is hope for their situation.

We all could use some hope in these uncertain times.

With the recession we all have to keep ourselves in check about what we idolize. Is it shoes, clothes, expensive things to impress others, and sometimes it is just the way we spend our time?

Living like no one else sometimes makes us stand out. It is the nail that sticks out is the one that gets hammered.

Living different is the life of a Christian. If you are having a hard time, please look to hope in God.

Psalm 129: 2-4
2 they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the LORD is righteous;
he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.


Today I am thankful that God provides for my needs and I know I don’t have to live a life to impress others. I hope that I can live a life that impresses God and I can live in his favor.

Lord give us all thankful hearts.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Eighty

Thinking of Jesus today. 

verse of the day:

Hebrews 4:16
"We will find grace to help us when we need it."


Thankful for the grace of God.

Lord give us all thankful hearts.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Seventy-nine

I am still a little out of sorts today... 
I am thankful for my family.
My Mom and dad call me regularly and I am blessed that they are interested in what is going on with me.  Not much to tell these days just work.  I'm feeling homesick.  I miss coming home to some one everyday. 
I lived with my parents for a few years in my adult life and there was a lot of comfort in having them as my support group.  I'm missing that comfort. 

a quick verse
Mark 8: 34
"If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want.  They must be willing even to give up thier lives to follow me."

Every thing in my life is different. 

Thank God!

God is at work in my life.

Tonight I got some part time work and I am praying that it will continue and be so much more. 

To God be all the glory honor and praise for the life I am living. 

God give us all thankful hearts.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Seventy-eight

I had a weird day and didn’t feel like I could concentrate on anything. I feel out of sorts.
I just have a short verse for today.

2 Thessalonians 3:5
“May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.”

We all can use God’s love.

 I have Christmas on my mind and I have started thinking of tree decorations. My husband gave me a load of white felt and I made some doves and some hearts and tonight I am making an advent calendar. I’ve never had one, but this year I plan to make a point to see the countdown and spend that time thinking of Jesus Christ and how his life began and give thanks that he died for my sins. I am not going to let the season overwhelm me and take it one day at a time.

As Christmas nears remember to include Jesus.

Dear Lord, give us all thankful hearts.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Seventy-seven

First thing this morning I have some prayer requests:

I am praying for God to send two of my single friend’s husbands. One has a child and the other friend wants a child. Husbands that will love the Lord and be great providers, partners and leaders in their homes, may they be men that are respectable. I pray that God will send the right person into each of their lives and they are receptive to the men the Lord sends.

I am praying for a friend that is seeking the Lord. May God help her find a church home. I am in prayer for her marriage because her husband is not a Christian. I pray that God will be with her in her struggles and provide protection and strength in her family. She also starts a part-time job to meet her family’s financial needs. Thank God for that blessing and give her strength for the long days ahead.

I am praying for a young unmarried couple that just found out they are having a baby. These two young people still have selfish hearts and do not know what the future holds for them. They did not plan on a baby. I pray that God will come into their lives and they will seek God to guide them to marriage and through their parenting journey. They are twenty five years old.

I am also rejoicing for another couple that has been blessed with another child.

I am praying for healing for my friends that are sick and struggling with cancer, kidney stones, surgery, and sickness. I pray also for their families that will uplift them and support them during their time of healing.

I am praying for salvation for several people.

I am praying that the Holy Spirit will come into the life of my husband and lead him in his actions.
I am praying for a couple that is very negative towards me. I pray that God will intervene in that situation and bring about changes.

I am praying about each and every one of us as Christians to seek and follow God, and keep our focus on our eternal salvation and the forgiveness of sin that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.

May we all strive for a relationship with God. I am thankful for God drawing me nearer to him through my recent struggles, I am being patient in the Lord and seeking his will in all areas in my life.

I could spend all day with God presenting Him with a prayer for every person I speak to today, already I have laid eyes on about 24 people that I could say a prayer to the Lord for each of them. My prayers could be endless today from the time I woke up to the minute I fall asleep.  May God bless each of those people and every person I come in contact with today.  Let us all have a heart of love and concern for everyone in our lives. Even if they are not someone we know. 

Letting go and letting God.

When God is at work in our lives, it is hard to have patience.

It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. —Luke 12:43

1. For God to do some good works, sometimes there are changes that have to be made within ourselves. God can be faithful while he makes us aware that some things are not right with us, like our fellowship with God, the choices we make, and our devotion to God. God does expect things from us, we are to worship, serve and love the Lord with all our hearts. Devotion is what God is seeking from his children.

2. God has some things for us to learn. For each of us the Holy Spirit can enter our lives and make us aware of sin in our lives, it could be envy, anger, hatred, unforgiveness, and blaming others.
If this is where you are in your walk, pray for the Holy Spirit to enter your life and change these areas in your life. The Holy Spirit can change the character of a person, if you allow it.

3. Give things time. Give God time. Patience is hard for all of us to accept. We live in a world of instant gratification. God is not an instant gratification kind of God. He allows things to happen in His time. Amen.
In our daily life the most we can do is seek God and study the word and draw nearer to God and get a stronger relationship with God to help us through the times we await what God wants for our lives.

I am thankful that God has all the power over situations and will work them out for His Glory.

To God be all the Glory, honor and praise.

Lord, give us all thankful hearts. 

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Seventy-six

Thank you King of kings, Lord of Lords, God almighty,  I worship you!

What if we are in situations that we feel there is no way out?

It is easy for us to leave some things, we can leave work, we can leave a store, we can leave the house. Some things are not easy for us to leave, like addiction, emotions, bad abusive relationships and the like.

Another thing we cannot leave is ourselves. When God is working on our situations we have to do our part too. God takes care of our situations, and he will also be at work within us.

Ephesians 1:18
“May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you.”

Letting go and letting God is hard, it is a choice.
I have a problem with patience. I sometimes pray about things then I take things into my own hands without patience. I tell myself to trust in God, but then I don’t wait on Him.

A few days ago I mentioned getting a part time job, I thought everything was ok, but a week went by and I didn’t get called for any more work. I sent a text to the person, but with no response. I prayed about it, I put it in Gods hands. Every time I pick up my phone I have the urge to call and confront the issue. I didn’t call. Maybe God is testing my faith. I know that I need God to intervene because it is a delicate relationship.
Maybe God is saying no to the situation. I am just lifting it up to God, and having patience about it.

Today’s verse is turning my eyes to God, my focus, my goal to be His goal.

Today I am thankful that God gives us a chance to repent, change our ways, and turn back to Jesus Christ. I am thankful God is at work in my life and I will let God be God and handle my concerns while I do my part by putting my focus on God.

May God bless us with thankful hearts.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Seventy-five

Hebrews 10:22
“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled cleanse us from guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

Let God remain in everything.

May God bless us with thankful hearts.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Seventy-four

I don’t have a verse for today. I have had faith on my mind lately.
Faith.

This morning I woke up and spent my time in prayer in silence again this morning.
I am thinking about faith in what God can do.

Today I want to pray for others.

I want to pray for God to touch the person who is hurting and struggling with their own emotional crisis and ask God to give them peace about the situation.

I want to pray for people who are having relationship problems, that God would resolve it according to His will. I pray for both parties, that God would touch the life of the unbeliever and that God would put in place a transformation in that person to stop the destructive behavior. And for that person that is hurt and confused that they would lean on God and be accepting of His will.

I want to pray for a couple that is wanting a child,
A person struggling with addiction,
A person that has been in a wreck and is having surgery.

I want to pray for someone that needs God.

I especially want to pray for lost souls.

I read a quote yesterday – “Grace is a sort of ecstatic fire that takes things down to the essentials.” Gilead, by G. Robinson

Listening to a sermon by Dr. Tony Evans “Revive Us again – Shaking things up for Revival”


He said that when God wants to change things he causes an interruption to give us a brand new experience.
Faith. “Shaking the visible to reveal the invisible.” Forcing us to deal with things we can’t see.
Everything can be shaking around you, but with God, He can make you unshakable.
If you get a chance click the link and listen to the sermon. It will speak to you about faith and fill you with some joy from the word of God.


May we all know God and strengthen our relationship with Him. May we all know grace from God our father.

Dear Lord, I am thankful for the shake-ups you cause in our lives for us to receive your blessings for us.

Lord, bless us all with thankful hearts.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Seventy-three

Just a short verse today…

Psalm 56:13
“For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of Life.”

I read a quote today-
“Each of us is in various stages of recovery from WHATEVER, and it’s important that we are able to laugh along the way. It’s kept me from insanity numerous times… Out of your heartache comes something beautiful that God has used, is using or will use.”

I started the morning laughing with a friend and it tickled our “funny Bone”

Today I am thankful for laughter. Thank you God that we can laugh.

Lord, thank you for your sovereignty. You are in control. I am thankful that I can present my worries to you and you will handle them in the way that they need to be handled. I can have peace about my life even in the time of trouble and that my friends can give and share laughter with me as we go through this journey.
May you have God’s mercy and peace in your time of trouble.

Thank You God, to you I give all the glory honor and praise for the work that you are doing in each individual that believes and belongs to you, including me. Thank you also for love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ as we move from thanksgiving in the next few weeks, into the Christmas season, let us remember Jesus as we pull out our Christmas decorations and include Him in our holiday celebrations. If it was not for Jesus Christ we would not be forgiven of our sins. Help us all to live right in a world that is so full of wrong, keep our focus on the Lord so that we will know joy.

Lord, Bless us all with thankful hearts.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Seventy-two

Philippians 3:12-14
“12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Today I had an emotional day. I’ve been in a lot of conflict about living in my apartment separate from my husband. We had lunch together and talked.
I told him I hated my apartment, but I didn’t think I would be moving back in with him. I have become very insecure, very suspicious, very jealous, and very possessive. I was never this person before. I don’t like being that person.

I’m really sad. This was not an easy thing to admit. I didn’t want to admit that my life may move on without him. I love him. Some things just end. Some hearts just break. Some things can’t be undone. I will have to figure out what to do with the rest of my life, and not consider him or anyone else for a while. I will get to be completely selfish and not hold on to the past. He can have the freedom he wanted and keep our memories.I have to let go, forget, forgive and move on.

Dear God, this is really hard. I am stepping out on faith, because I have prayed and prayed about this for a long time. Please give me a peace about it and guidance about where I am going to live.

May God give us all thankful hearts.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Extra

I just had to post this link.
prayer blog - I cried.

Join in and uplift a prayer.
Prayer warriors are always needed.
Add a prayer if you like. 
Thank God for hearing our prayers and those who join us in our prayers. 

http://www.prayingforgodsblessings.blogspot.com/

Also if you want go here:
http://www.prayergates.com/

Seventy-one

Today I am thinking about moments- I saw a video yesterday just about moments-
Watch it here.  It will make you smile.

Since I watched it, I have been paying attention to the moments of my life. Moments I see, moments I share and moments I receive. We only have this one life to soak it all in and experience it.

Just this morning my moments went like this:
Heard the wind and rain- thanked God my upstairs neighbors were silent and I was able to spend my devotional time in quiet.

I got a text message from my husband: he had read my note and in his moment back to me – well I was disappointed. (in that small moment response he told me more in what he didn’t say than what he did say) Thankful that God is there when my heart breaks and will help me through this separation and help me handle my emotions and I didn't reply like I wanted to, I just prayed about it and will let God's will, happen. 

Had clean clothes to wear. Thanked God that I have plenty of clothes.

Peeled a ripe banana. The smell was wonderful. The flavor was exactly like a banana. Thanked God for making fruit and provision of food to eat.

Walked my dog and he was happy to be out even though the weather was bad. Thanked God for a great companion.

Saw that my daughter left her legwarmers in my car last night and I thought of her. Thanked God for the blessing of a child and the wonder of her. Thank God for the moments we got to share when I took her to dance and last night I even watched her dance.

I was early to work. Thanked God I arrived safely.

I had God on my mind this morning and he gave me a good feeling about something I needed. Thanked God that he will meet my needs.


I have to repeat what I said about my relationship with God at the beginning of this blog :

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6

From day ONE

“Next consider the weight of what God is asking, he is asking for a commitment, this is serious. If I consent to “let go and let God” the process will begin and I will see things shift, shove, and rearrange to guide my path for what he has planned. He is not asking me for some weak faith, He is asking me for something larger- God is asking me for an ENDURING faith, a faith that will be here daily- for the next 365 days, and the next, and the next- until my mission and my ministry is done. WOW”


Faith in the moments - God in the moments of my life.

Thank you God, for the moments of my life and making me aware that we only get this one chance to do it right. I’m glad I get this chance to do it right from this very moment on, moment by moment.

We can live- Really live in the moment if we include God!

May you know the peace and grace of God Almighty.

Dear Lord, bless us with thankful hearts.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Seventy

Worship
1 Timothy 6: 11 – 16
"But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen."

Today I am thinking about how we as humans strive to do our very best at what we do. I think about how important trophies become and the satisfaction of being a winner. Being a Christian, you get a certificate of Baptism when you are baptized, but other than that there isn’t any other physical symbol that distinguishes you being a Christian. As Christians we are God’s trophy.

We are the thing that people see the reflection of our invisible God. As Christians we are called to follow God. I thought last week I would stop this blog because of my actions, but I was called by God not to stop. I agreed that this blog would include the good and the bad. Maybe I am not completely at the point that others can see God in me yet, but if God is going to use me, I agreed for Him to break down barriers, change my character, and be honest about how God can change someone.

Even in the life of Timothy, there were struggles, and as this letter from Paul in today verses states, he warns Timothy that there is a lot that can tempt a person, disrespect, money, and false doctrines.

12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

The good confession:
Romans 10:9
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."


As a final note Paul stressed the urgency of Timothy’s example”
1 Timothy 6:20-21
"Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.
Grace be with you."

“God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”


I am thankful that God can use a broken life. I am also thankful that life will not always be broken.

Romans 4:7
“Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.”


Dear Lord give us all thankful hearts.

Jesus Christ is Lord! Proclaim it, rejoice, and revive our thankful hearts!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Sixty-nine

Today is a day of worship. I started my morning reading 2 Kings and the reign of Hezekiah. Hezekiah had a troubled reign, but he was a man that followed God and went to God for his needs.

2 Kings 19: 14 – 19
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
17 "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men's hands. 19 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."

What do you need the Lord to deliver you from?


Remember the Lord is Almighty and if you worship Him, there is nothing He can not do.

Some small things I would like deliverance from- noisy upstairs neighbors, and debt. Do these things seem petty to ask for? My neighbors were here before me and my debt was created by me. What is important here is that I turn the focus to God. I can say a prayer much like Hezekiah prayed, first worshiping God, acknowledging His sovereignty.

Here is a prayer I have prayed since I separated from my husband.

Lord,
You are the source of all my sustenance.
I pray that You hear my prayer and guide me in Your infinite wisdom.
My spirit is full, but my wallet is empty. I need Your help.
My finances and marriage is in crisis, and are causing me great pain.
Please uplift my heart so that I may appreciate all that I do have
so that I may also be blessed with more prosperity.
Money issues and the troubles in my marriage bring me down, and I forget to thank You for all that I do have thanks to Your blessings.
Please remind me of Your abundance, so that my money will once again flow in to me
And sustain me as does Your caring.
Heavenly Father, most Gracious and Loving God, I pray to You that You abundantly bless my family and me. I know that You recognize , that a family is more than just a mother, father, sister , brother, husband and wife, but all who believe and trust in You.


God, I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for me. I know You are aware of my needs and will bless me according to Your will for me.


I thank You in advance for Your blessings. God deliver me right now from debt and debt burdens and the trials in my marriage.


Release Your Godly wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have given me God, for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You and walk in Your word and have the faith of a mustard seed that You will pour out blessings.


I thank You now Lord for the recent blessings I have received and for the blessings yet to come because I know You are not done with me yet.
Amen.

God did not instantly answer this prayer.

There were some things in my life that had to change and I had to change. God is still working with me about these changes. He gave me a job that will allow me to make a decent amount of money and I will have to work hard, I know while I work I will be able to draw closer to God and spend time with Him, and He will continue to work in my life. God did bring changes in my husband, and it helped our relationship, we are not living together, and I am trying to adjust to perhaps God is saying no to that situation. I know He is saying no right now, because there are some things that both me and my husband still need to work on.


It is hard to accept when God says no to things. We sometimes do not understand, but we do need to know that God has a plan and trust in that plan. I feel God asking me to trust in Him more than I EVER have. More than trusting Him all those years not having my mother in my life? More than when I was alone with an infant? More than when my child moved out and my world collapsed? Maybe it is not a measure of trust- just simply trusting only in God- the Lord God Almighty.

Today I am thanking God for deliverance, for the things that He has delivered me from in the past and for the things He is at work delivering me from right now, and the things I will trust in Him to deliver me from in the future.


"O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen…”


Dear Lord give us all a thankful heart.