I love it when we read the Word of God and it speaks to us so obviously! It's just so plain and clear what we, as Christians and believers of the most High and Awesome God, are supposed to do.
Isaiah 12: 4-6 breaks it down for us!
v4 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name!
I am the first to admit that there are times where there is nothing resembling "thanks" coming from my lips. Life can be hard! I know that all too well. But, I will also be the first to say that if all we can do is Thank Him for saving us from our lives of sin and emptiness, isn't that enough!?!? I mean, WOW! Thank you, Lord for that alone!!!
v4 make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted.
I love looking back on my life and remembering all of the amazing ways that Jesus has moved~ for little 'ole me! Sometimes it is awesome writing it down in a journal or even posting it in on your fridge or mirror to remember that GOD MOVES and will continue to move. So, when we have that ever before us, it makes us excited to tell people what God has done in our lives!!!!!! Share your testimony~ do not be afraid or ashamed. Be Bold!!! He did it for you~ Praise Him!!
v5 Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world!
Worship. Worship the Lord for the amazing things He has done in your life~ that only He could do!!! Think about all the times you sing around your home, or in the car... take time to sing to Jesus! Psalm 22 says He inhabits the praises of His people!!! Praise Him, friends, for all He has done in your life! :)
v6 Shout aloud and sing for JOY people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you!
When we take our mind off of what is going on in our life and focus on Him (by worshiping Him)~ everything becomes peaceful! He is a God of peace!!! Shout for Him my friends!!! 1 John 4:4 says, "Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world!!!" Shout for the one that is GREATER!!!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
"I Surrender All... I Surrender All... wait- WHAT?!?!
How many times have I sung that song in church~ hands held high~ telling Jesus that I surrender all?!?!? It is pretty amazing what I am truly saying, and then I think~
Do I really surrender all?
Me~ a borderline control freak~ can I really surrender ALL?
When I tell the Lord~ I surrender all~ I really do mean it, as hard as that is! But, I will admit to you, there are many times that I try it my way first... why can't I learn the first time that my way is NOT the best. There have been some very NOT SO FUN moments lately in my life that I have had no control over. Oh, believe me, I wanted to take control, but it was futile. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." He has our best interests at heart. If that means that I have to go through some not so fun times to stay on His path for me, then I accept. Sometimes I get scared, but I realize that my hope is in Him and Him alone~ all these other things will fail me and fade away, but He is always there! Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
I encourage you, my friends, to surrender the things in your life that you really have no control over anyway. Trust in the Lord who loves you and wants amazing things for your life! I think that most people only quote Jeremiah 29:11, but there's so much more to it... starting from 11: "11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD...
He wants to be found by us!!! Put your trust, put your "ALL" in the creator of this universe b/c He has grafted you in His MIGHTY hands!
Do I really surrender all?
Me~ a borderline control freak~ can I really surrender ALL?
When I tell the Lord~ I surrender all~ I really do mean it, as hard as that is! But, I will admit to you, there are many times that I try it my way first... why can't I learn the first time that my way is NOT the best. There have been some very NOT SO FUN moments lately in my life that I have had no control over. Oh, believe me, I wanted to take control, but it was futile. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." He has our best interests at heart. If that means that I have to go through some not so fun times to stay on His path for me, then I accept. Sometimes I get scared, but I realize that my hope is in Him and Him alone~ all these other things will fail me and fade away, but He is always there! Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
I encourage you, my friends, to surrender the things in your life that you really have no control over anyway. Trust in the Lord who loves you and wants amazing things for your life! I think that most people only quote Jeremiah 29:11, but there's so much more to it... starting from 11: "11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD...
He wants to be found by us!!! Put your trust, put your "ALL" in the creator of this universe b/c He has grafted you in His MIGHTY hands!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
REVERSE THINKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is such a true depiction of who I was and where I am now!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgFU5Ak88-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgFU5Ak88-k
Friday, March 4, 2011
Feelings... WO,WO,WO,WO Feelings!
Feelings~ man am I full of them!!!
There are times that I have had to call some of my friends to make sure that I am not being too sensitive b/c I definitely can be~ ugh! There are times when the anger is boiling inside that it's hard to contain, and there are times that the love and joy are overflowing!
I have witnessed feelings on so many levels just by observing my children. Watching my oldest daughter sing and dance around the house because we are going to the store to use her birthday money. And then the very next hour, having her grumble and complain about having to do her schoolwork. My son complain about not wanting to go to the zoo and watching his feelings change when we get there and are able to feed the giraffes for free!
I have found that this can even have an impact on the one area of my life that should stay consistent~ my walk with the Lord. When I am upset because I forgot to pay a bill and now have a late fee or the house is a mess and I am desperately trying to get it under control or my kids are having some "moments" I would much rather them not be having, I often find myself feeling far away from the one person who is always near~ Jesus!
Does this mean that He is indeed far away? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!
The way that I feel has no impact on whether the Lord is walking with me. The Bible says that He will never leave us nor forsake us. It says in 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." Often times when I look back on situations, I have found that He was carrying me... my mother dieing and my friend dieing are two instances where I was confused and unsure and my faith waivered. It was the hardest time in my life. I talked with God, but barely... I was angry and sad and hard! I am so thankful that I stayed consistent in talking to Him, because, looking back, I can see Jesus was carrying me!
It is amazing how many feelings bombard our day... the one thing that absolutely helps me is when I am having a moment~ happy, sad, angry, etc... I sing to Jesus... I thank Him for all that He has done in my life, even when it feels like nothing good has been done... there is always the fact that He chose me, He loves me, He never leaves me, He died for me, He forgives me... It says in Colossians 3:2 " Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." When I take my mind off of what is going on in my life and focus on Him~ the creator of my life~ my feelings are then FILLED with His awesomeness and power!
I encourage you, my friends, that whenever you are feeling happy, sad, angry, loved~ sing to Jesus, talk to Jesus~ stay focused on Him!!! It is amazing how quickly our feelings will change into one of thankfulness, love, joy and peace!
There are times that I have had to call some of my friends to make sure that I am not being too sensitive b/c I definitely can be~ ugh! There are times when the anger is boiling inside that it's hard to contain, and there are times that the love and joy are overflowing!
I have witnessed feelings on so many levels just by observing my children. Watching my oldest daughter sing and dance around the house because we are going to the store to use her birthday money. And then the very next hour, having her grumble and complain about having to do her schoolwork. My son complain about not wanting to go to the zoo and watching his feelings change when we get there and are able to feed the giraffes for free!
I have found that this can even have an impact on the one area of my life that should stay consistent~ my walk with the Lord. When I am upset because I forgot to pay a bill and now have a late fee or the house is a mess and I am desperately trying to get it under control or my kids are having some "moments" I would much rather them not be having, I often find myself feeling far away from the one person who is always near~ Jesus!
Does this mean that He is indeed far away? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!
The way that I feel has no impact on whether the Lord is walking with me. The Bible says that He will never leave us nor forsake us. It says in 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." Often times when I look back on situations, I have found that He was carrying me... my mother dieing and my friend dieing are two instances where I was confused and unsure and my faith waivered. It was the hardest time in my life. I talked with God, but barely... I was angry and sad and hard! I am so thankful that I stayed consistent in talking to Him, because, looking back, I can see Jesus was carrying me!
It is amazing how many feelings bombard our day... the one thing that absolutely helps me is when I am having a moment~ happy, sad, angry, etc... I sing to Jesus... I thank Him for all that He has done in my life, even when it feels like nothing good has been done... there is always the fact that He chose me, He loves me, He never leaves me, He died for me, He forgives me... It says in Colossians 3:2 " Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." When I take my mind off of what is going on in my life and focus on Him~ the creator of my life~ my feelings are then FILLED with His awesomeness and power!
I encourage you, my friends, that whenever you are feeling happy, sad, angry, loved~ sing to Jesus, talk to Jesus~ stay focused on Him!!! It is amazing how quickly our feelings will change into one of thankfulness, love, joy and peace!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Toilet Paper and Abundant Blessings
So... how do toilet paper and abundant blessings go hand in hand?
My friends~ I will tell you! :)
I was at the grocery store today and was walking down the toilet paper isle trying to find cheap toilet paper for a game I was going to do at a Valentine's Day Party. As I was walking, I saw a woman from our church at the other end of the isle. I was about 90% sure it was her and for some reason did not want to have to deal with chatting with someone that I don't really know, but should definitely stop to say "Hello" to~ pathetic... I know!
So what did I do... I did something that anyone would have done...
I turned around and went the other way... again~ pathetic!
Well, as you could have guessed, the next isle I was in, there she was. I laughed to myself and went to say hello. As I was approaching and we happened to look at each other at the same time, I noticed the TONS of toilet paper she had in her basket. I think she noticed my eyes' direction because she started talking about it. Apparently there is a website you can go to that lets you know all sorts of deals that are going on and different coupons you can print out. This toilet paper~ the good kind, not the paper thin kind~ was only on sale for the day and did not even have a sign posted to recognize the sale.
That's when it hit me~
MY GOD WILL CHASE ME DOWN TO BLESS ME! :)
At first I was not really wanting to chat with the woman, but God put her in my path again, and because of that, I also bought a ton of toilet paper~ which we needed~ on an amazing sale. I wasn't looking for a great deal and would not have found it either because there was no sign for it, but God knew about it and wanted to bless me.
That same day, my husband went to Caribou Coffee totally unaware of the "buy one get one coupon" that was out there. When he arrived, the woman in front of him told him that she wanted to bless him and use her coupon to get him a coffee. Apparently she came into the store with the intention of whoever was behind her in line would receive this blessing. My husband started to order something small, but the woman said, "Come on, you can do better than that~ order anything you want!"
Isn't that like our God~ He wants to bless us HUGE!!! Not just with a small amount that could satisfy our craving, but an OVERFLOWING that knocks our socks off!
I have no doubt that our God wants to bless us with what I like to call "His little hugs". It says in His Word in Philippians 4:19~ " My God will supply all of my needs according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus!"
My friends~ I will tell you! :)
I was at the grocery store today and was walking down the toilet paper isle trying to find cheap toilet paper for a game I was going to do at a Valentine's Day Party. As I was walking, I saw a woman from our church at the other end of the isle. I was about 90% sure it was her and for some reason did not want to have to deal with chatting with someone that I don't really know, but should definitely stop to say "Hello" to~ pathetic... I know!
So what did I do... I did something that anyone would have done...
I turned around and went the other way... again~ pathetic!
Well, as you could have guessed, the next isle I was in, there she was. I laughed to myself and went to say hello. As I was approaching and we happened to look at each other at the same time, I noticed the TONS of toilet paper she had in her basket. I think she noticed my eyes' direction because she started talking about it. Apparently there is a website you can go to that lets you know all sorts of deals that are going on and different coupons you can print out. This toilet paper~ the good kind, not the paper thin kind~ was only on sale for the day and did not even have a sign posted to recognize the sale.
That's when it hit me~
MY GOD WILL CHASE ME DOWN TO BLESS ME! :)
At first I was not really wanting to chat with the woman, but God put her in my path again, and because of that, I also bought a ton of toilet paper~ which we needed~ on an amazing sale. I wasn't looking for a great deal and would not have found it either because there was no sign for it, but God knew about it and wanted to bless me.
That same day, my husband went to Caribou Coffee totally unaware of the "buy one get one coupon" that was out there. When he arrived, the woman in front of him told him that she wanted to bless him and use her coupon to get him a coffee. Apparently she came into the store with the intention of whoever was behind her in line would receive this blessing. My husband started to order something small, but the woman said, "Come on, you can do better than that~ order anything you want!"
Isn't that like our God~ He wants to bless us HUGE!!! Not just with a small amount that could satisfy our craving, but an OVERFLOWING that knocks our socks off!
I have no doubt that our God wants to bless us with what I like to call "His little hugs". It says in His Word in Philippians 4:19~ " My God will supply all of my needs according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus!"
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Haven't Been Here In A While
I just got done reading over my last post which was 3 years ago and I am still being Changed From Glory to Glory!
In my last post, my mom was healed of cancer. Such a precious gift to have for that time. I have read about so many other families that get the CLEAR sign and are so thankful for that added time they have with their loved one while they are feeling well again! I can't even begin to express to you how greatly I want for my mom to still be healed HERE on this Earth. We had 2 1/2 years more with my mom~ truly a gift that I know not everyone gets. I had wonderful visits and conversations with her, but I YEARN for more. I miss her more than I can even explain.
With things like my mom's death, my friend's death the year before, and heart wrenching other stories about people losing spouses, children, grandparents, friends I have come to realize one thing... life can be short.
We hear that enough don't we?
But, what I am getting at is this... I am not doing exactly what I know I am supposed to be doing with my life and it starts NOW. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am to tell people about Jesus! Even as I write this, the Spirit inside of me is EXCITED for the journey we are about to go on. I repent to the Lord that it has taken me this long, Father forgive me.
I want to be a woman that the devil says as I wake up in the morning, "Oh crap, she's up!!!"
AWAY WE GO...
and remember~ Jesus Love You! :)
In my last post, my mom was healed of cancer. Such a precious gift to have for that time. I have read about so many other families that get the CLEAR sign and are so thankful for that added time they have with their loved one while they are feeling well again! I can't even begin to express to you how greatly I want for my mom to still be healed HERE on this Earth. We had 2 1/2 years more with my mom~ truly a gift that I know not everyone gets. I had wonderful visits and conversations with her, but I YEARN for more. I miss her more than I can even explain.
With things like my mom's death, my friend's death the year before, and heart wrenching other stories about people losing spouses, children, grandparents, friends I have come to realize one thing... life can be short.
We hear that enough don't we?
But, what I am getting at is this... I am not doing exactly what I know I am supposed to be doing with my life and it starts NOW. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am to tell people about Jesus! Even as I write this, the Spirit inside of me is EXCITED for the journey we are about to go on. I repent to the Lord that it has taken me this long, Father forgive me.
I want to be a woman that the devil says as I wake up in the morning, "Oh crap, she's up!!!"
AWAY WE GO...
and remember~ Jesus Love You! :)
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Update and Praise the Lord
I just want to give a HUGE shout out to all my family and friends that our God is an awesome God and He has heard all of our prayers! Thank you so much for praying! My mom, who during Thanksgiving was pretty muchly on her death bed is now up to 94 pounds. That's almost a 20 pound increase! AND, She got her results back and she is CANCER FREE!!!
PRAISE THE LORD!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!
PRAISE THE LORD!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!
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