God's Will Week Thirty- one

  This is what I got for Christmas last year. 

I spent Christmas day with my dad and my brother.  They had not seen each other in over six years.  I was blessed last year to spend the day with the three people I love the most in the world, My dad, my brother, and my daughter (who took the picture)  I was so blessed, with this priceless gift.  If you read this blog, you know I lost my brother in Febuary; this Chistmas he will still be with us, forever joined in love.   

This year I have been blessed with so much. Yes, memories of having my brother home last year make me a little sad, but I get overwhelmed with how much love I still feel when I have those memories.  Christmas day this year will include a handful more of people.  Instead of a feeling of void, I am looking forward to sharing  the day with even more people I love, and in return they love me back. 

Its great to hear the words, "WE are going to get through this." 

Last week I had the trial of having my car not crank. The engine would spin but not crank.  The car is 8 yrs old and has been well taken care of and only had 54,000 miles on it.  I thought it was the starter going bad.  Not risking the car not cranking at home I drove it to the dealership as soon as it started after four tries.  Mid-morning I got a call from the service department and I heard, "You need a new engine."  After I hung up the phone I wanted to lay in the floor for awhile and contemplate my life while I figured out where the money for this engine would come from. I am already working two jobs and my budget is streached beyond what I make.  I was overwhelmed. 

Laying comatose in the floor is what I wanted to do.  What I did was, lock myself in the bathroom at work and got on my knees and prayed.  I must have been in there for 30 min in constant prayer turning it over to God.  I didnt come out until I heard over the PA that I had a call.  It was the dealership again, bracing myself for more bad news, I answered.  The voice on the other end of the phone said, "Mazda is going to replace the engine. You will need to pay for the new spark plugs." 

You can imagine the elation I had!  I said, "Thank you God!" immediately and returned to my knees once again. 

Not only did God provide for a new engine, he also provided me with a carpool to and from work- for both jobs since I am without a car until the first of the year.  When I get the car back it will be like having a new car. 

God does meet our needs.  In this time of gift giving, someone asked me, "What do you want for Christmas?"  This year I do not want for anything.  I have a very blessed life and I know that all of it came from God.  Even in the difficult situations, God is ever present and I am ever present with Him. 

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

I will celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Birthdays are kind of a big deal.  Me and my BFF celebrate our B'days all month long in the month of August.  I celebrate Jesus' birthday with the ones I love through Advent.  I give  my child advent gifts to open; one everyday to remind her of the gift God gave to all of us, JESUS. 
I made three advent package gifts this year, I gave one to my daughter, one to my boyfriend's daughter to share with her sisters, and one to a sweet child of a co-worker.  I know what an impact these can make in a life and children share with their friends. These Advent gifts work as a ministry, sometimes its not about how many people you reach, its about reaching the right lives, the lives who Jesus is seeking and those seeking him.

Santa is cute in his red and white, as a symbol of the season, but what I believe in is not Santa; I believe in Jesus and that he was born. I'm posting this four days before Christmas.  I have been celebrating Jesus' birth for the past 21 days and counting... Merry Christmas to you and yours.   

God's Will week Thirty

“Let your Haters be Motivators!” I read this quote this morning. I like it. Sometimes confrontations with others can get the best of us. Then all that is left is the worst of us and that “worst” isn’t pretty. I have a co-worker who has little patience for calls from the public. She gets very irritated when people hem and hum and umhhhaam before they get to what they wanted to say. She said it wastes her time. I understand, I take these same calls. I realized that a lot of these people are lonely and can keep someone on the phone for an extended period of time to talk to someone. I have sense of developing relationships with customers, sure I may only see them a short 2-5 minutes, but within that time I have small conversations. I’ve noticed that a lot of people purchase things from us that are solitary activities. There is not a day that goes by that someone gets excited when I ask what they are making. I enjoy seeing pictures of what people make and I am able to appreciate the work that goes into making anything.

I notice that some of my customers are hoarders. They will admit it. They buy things that they will not use, but have to purchase just to have. I’m guilty of it myself. I sometimes get a glimpse into tiny places they don’t let anyone else see. These tiny places are happy places.

How can this bring out the worst in me? I lose my patience. A full day of questions, can really wear someone down. I noticed on the weekly report, I had over 600 people come through my register. Sometimes I lose patience with the volume of items that people purchase. 100 sheets of paper that are sold individually and are all different can take a little time to ring up. Or several hundred Christmas ornaments can make me a little impatient. My attitude can drastically affect the people around me.

The other day I lost my patience. I was short with someone. I had a bad attitude. I said some things I shouldn’t have said. I told someone I couldn’t do what they asked me to do. I lost control. I had to repeat myself over and over. I’m sure I would have been punished if my boss had seen me. It was probably posted all over the social networks what a bad cashier I am, within minutes of the confrontation. “Good manners is measured in how we are able to deal with others who don’t have any manners.” I admit I was a horrible example of anything resembling good manners.
In my position I am to see this in others and intervene. No one intervened in my situation. I was in the wrong. There is a feeling of guilt that I can’t seem to shake. Its knowing that I can’t right the wrong. I don’t get a do over.

Today’s verse:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
Colossians 3:23

Remember that Christ is ever present.

I am thankful for God’s mercy and grace, especially the times when I am someone who gives little grace or mercy to others and am not deserving. I don’t like being the person, others hate.

God's Will Week Twenty- Nine

frightened sad happy surprised angry

anxious jealous joyful annoyed excited

tired proud confused worried scared

afraid bored grumpy nervous cheerful

lonely loving embarrassed guilty shy

silly curious

Above is 27 emotions.

Last week I had every one of these.

Which equaled one big

CRY.
Thanks Eve.

If you read this blog you noticed I was absent last week. I tried to get a grasp on something, anything to write the blog. I read my bible, I prayed. I had emotions, but I couldn’t get to where I wanted to be to write the blog. I always remind myself, what I write is about recognizing God’s will.

Last week God wanted to search my heart as I searched for Him.

There are times of solitude, but I also know these times are when God is close, ever present, taking care of what we are not able to handle in our moments of being human.
I never got a grasp on what to write last week.
This week I want you to check out the biblical reference to the “12 days of Christmas”

http://www.crivoice.org/cy12days.html

Keep Christ in Christmas.

God's Will - week Twenty- seven

Giving Thanks

If you have been following the past few months, I have been in the bible study of Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. Last week the class finished the study. The final chapter put forth examples of how God changed lives. It posed a question- How is your love for God going to be reflected in your own life and actions?

I have a co-worker who is an amazing Christian. She and I have shared how God is at work in her life.
A year ago she was in a very different place, she was without a job and had applied for school. Time passed and she was not accepted into the school, she got a job that only was few hours each week. She still held on to her faith. In the past two months, God put a man of God in her life to love her. She has fallen in love. The man encouraged her to bring her desires to God and to pray without ceasing over what she wanted God to help her with. She desired to go to school. Her boyfriend supported her decision. She had concerns about working and going to school, that would leave little time for their romance. He assured her, that he loved her, wasn’t going anywhere and would be with her to support her any way he could. So they prayed. Within a week, the admissions director found her application and called her, told her she was accepted and eligible for financial aid and would like to meet with her next week to do the paperwork. I love my co-worker and rejoiced with her when she shared with me. I can’t help but get excited about the Lord’s blessing on lives and how He can change everything.


In my own life I do not feel God calling me to do any one thing. I feel like right now we are getting to know each other and strengthening my faith and love in God. There isn’t a day that goes by that I do not thank God for at least one thing in my life. God is faithful. God’s timing is perfect.

Someone asked me the other day about my own romance. Other people feel disheartened when I don’t say, “I can’t live without my boyfriend;” the truth is he lived four hours away and I know I can live without him. I don’t know that I will ever feel that way about another human being.

I do feel that way about God. I feel that God is the one that won’t let me down. God proves his existence in my life daily. I can't live without God.

Even in the little things, I am reminded that God is merciful, loving, and ever present. In all things God deserves my love, my devotion, and my thanksgiving.

This week I give thanks to God, for everything.

Five verses to know God is God.
1. A child of God
Romans  8:16
 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

2. Forgiven
Colossians 1:13-14
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

3. Saved by grace through faith
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

4. Casting all my cares on Jesus
1 Peter 5:7
 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

5. Filled with laughter and rejoicing
Job 8:21
 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.


It is my prayer any of you reading this, that will be traveling, will have safe journeys and blessed precious time with your loved ones. If you are like me and working through the retail holiday, know that God will bless the time and give us all opportunity to be missionaries on that day to those who need to know the King we worship.

Blessings and love to you this Thanksgiving. To God be the glory, honor and praise for what is He is at work doing in our lives.

God's Will Week Twenty Six

Belive it!  I am half- way through this year. 

“‘Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.’ Thomas S. Monson

God's Will week Twenty-Five

The love fern. 

Almost died from the extreme heat in the car, (see the brown?)

from the nursery to home, but with care and attention

It lives!!

Thankfulness.
Through something terrible, great blessings can come. That is what hope is.

I know that I have shared with you that my brother’s death changed me. I appreciate the people in my life and I try not to take anyone for granted. I say, “I love you.” Every chance I get.

“I’m so glad you are reading this right now because it means you are still alive. I’m really glad.”

Someone said this one statement saved their life. Suicide prevention isn’t something I know how to do. I feel like I failed my brother, who died from suicide.  Friday, I had to share that he had passed with one of his friends. Usually I’m strong, but for some reason, it was harder to talk about. I’m still grieving. I’d love to have him here with me. I know he is with God. That one thought comforts me. Knowing he is with God, restores joy in my life.

We can be in the habit of holding on to the sadness and bitterness grief can bring, or we can dispel Satan to be gone, and not steal our joy, by changing our focus to the things of God.

In our “Crazy Love” Wednesday night study, last week we read stories of people who submitted to God. I would like to be submissive to God. It is my hope that I may be someone God can use. I am still in search of God’s will in my life. I am in constant prayer about God revealing a direction to me for my life.
I am humble to admit, that I fully rely on God. I don’t just take God’s hand, I cling to it, knowing he is leading me to where he wants me to be. There will be times we hesitate. There will be times we move fast, and times to move slow. I want to be a life transformed By God.

I hope you will continue on this journey, as I discover what God will do. I also would like to encourage you to seek God and question what he will do in your own life.

I will tell you that deciding to follow God will be the easiest part of the journey. The rest will be full of removing from your life what is not useful to God, and replacing it with everything that is useful.

This week’s verse is from my morning e-mail devotional: ( I'm sharing the whole devotional)

SERVING THE LORD WITH GLADNESS
by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

God desires that we be so convinced of His tender love, so persuaded He is at
work bringing us into His best, that we will have continual joy and gladness in
our walk with Him! Moses warned Israel, “Because you did not serve the Lord
your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things,
therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in
hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of all things” (Deuteronomy
28:47-48).
God is saying to us today, “Be glad and rejoice in what I have already done
for you! If you go around moping, murmuring and complaining, you will forever
be spiritually starved and naked, a prey to your enemies!” God wants us to so
trust in His love for us that we will be testimonies of gladness and good cheer!
He wants preachers who are glad at heart, filled with a gladness that is based
on truth.


His truth produces a wealth of gladness that flows naturally outward from the
heart: “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with
singing” (Psalm 100:2). “He brought out His people with joy, His chosen
ones with gladness” (Psalm 105:43). “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you
righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:11).
“Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them
rejoice exceedingly” (Psalm 68:3).


You may ask, “How long can I expect to maintain joy in my service to the
Lord?” Many believe that it lasts only as long as seasons of refreshing come
from on high or as long as things go right. No, we are to have joy at all
times! That is exactly what the Bible says: “Oh, satisfy us early with Your
mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!” (Psalm 90:14). “But
be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as
a rejoicing, and her people a joy” (Isaiah 65:18). We are “the Jerusalem
from above”—reborn and living for Him with a spirit of gladness and
rejoicing! Trust the Father, believe His Word about Himself, and see His
gladness pour forth from your life.


I am so glad my faith, hope, and joy is of God. 

God's Will Week twenty-four

Don't we like to change things to suit ourselves?

Ever have one of those weeks where stress is high and for every accomplishment you feel you had, something happened and destroyed it?


For me, it has been one of those weeks. My finances stress me out. My outcome is more than my income, and the unexpected things come up and just when I had a dollar, I couldn’t keep it because I had to spend ten more dollars to cover the unexpected thing.

For instance, sickness. Unavoidable. Doctor visit. Pharmacy. Day of no pay.

I had several other personal things come up, that are not in the budget. I stress.

I forget to thank God for the things I do have. I forget to thank God for meeting my needs. Finances are tight, and getting tighter. I forget to rejoice in these things, because I am learning to manage my money better.

I am well. Thank you, God for my health.

I have a home. Thank you God, for my home.

I struggle with saying thank you in all things, to God.
Everyday challenges are renewing my faith that God is in control of all of this.

Thanks to God, I have a lot of other activities that are in ministry, like mentoring a friend going through divorce, being a friend and listening to problems, and rejoicing with my friends in new relationships, sharing the grief of losing a loved one,  and being able to speak on all of these with the word of God directing my thoughts and my words. I feel like my prayer time is stronger, and my focus is not so much on my life, but how I can be used by God in a day.
More and more I am in prayer.

This month known for the holiday of Thanksgiving.  I would like to encourage you to give thanks to God daily for at least one thing, even if it is breathing and blinking. I know such a simple thing, but sometimes it is the little things we take for granted.

Colossians 2: 6-7
Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.