Saturday, September 10, 2011

People

Our relationships with people must be second so that our Love for people can come first.

When we gave our lives to live them for Jesus something was suppose to change. We are no longer our own to govern, rule, and determine. It is not about just us any longer. We have victory living as His; our life's standard is set in our very being. So in reaching our victorious destination as His, we begin our new life lived for Him by loving people. All People! His People, lost people, smelly people, puffed up proud people, people in charge, people who want to be in charge, happy people , and sad people. I could go on for ages but you get the point.

Our relationship with the Lord can give us the unique ability to see others through His eyes and not rely on our own. We can get past the "What's in this relationship for me?" Our petty human standards. Instead we can ask, " How does God desire me to bless this person through using me?" or "What does God want me to learn from blessing this person?"  Using God's eye view the impossible becomes possible. Past hurts and wrongs done unto us in relationships can be forgiven. By His grace filling in our gaps it is possible when we remember that He who forgave us much, has asked us to do the same for others.

Matthew 6:14-15 says pretty clearly how important forgivness is.
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Read Matthew 18:21-35 The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, For more study on this.

When we put loving people first and relationship with people second it frees us to love them how God would have us love them.  It keeps us in the right perspective in reality. We live to please God, not ourselves or others people. Speaking truth in love can happen more proficiently when we are not self indulged in keeping our own reputations in relationships intact. When we know where our allegiance is in the Lord we can freely forgive, speak up, stand up, direct, correct, and love the people he has called us to love.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Why? Why not?

Why do we do the things we do? Why do we enjoy memorizing lyrics to songs and lines to quote from movies but make a chore out of memorizing life giving scripture?

Why do we say the things we say? When life gets tough we let hopeless complaints pour out like rain on a sunny day. Instead we could practice speaking truth and know that God works all things for the good of those who love him. We could speak hope and know that the love of our Lord abidith in all things and is stead fast, unshakable and with us at every moment.

Why do we act the way we act? We are shy, lazy, and sometimes a bit crazy. We speak up when it is not important to be heard to be known as funny or special, puffing up our pride. We get choked up when the Lord's words come into our throat and His name is to be glorified. We feel it is a heavy load instead of an honor to carry God's message to be told.

Are we honest when it matters? Do we shine forth our faith when people are looking or only when we are safe from ridicule, safely tucked inside our church shaped box?

In public  He was ridiculed,  stripped bare, and spit upon.

Isaiah 53:4-6

4 Surely he took up our pain
   and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
   stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
   he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
   and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
   each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
   the iniquity of us all.

Surely if the Lord our God can stick up for us, live his life on earth for us in such a profound way... We can boldly step up our walk with Him. We can claim victory in His name that he has paid for by His blood. Surely we can remember to place God's will above our own and Gods ways before our comfy cozy ways. I pray each of us would learn  to step up our walk with the Lord. That we would learn what it means to Glorify His name with our life we live. May we seek his face and desire his presence. May we know that in Him and our life lived for his Glory is where true freedom, joy and peace begins. May we remember that to love him is to obey him. He has called us to love the lost, share the good news,  and make disciples of all nations. May we live life on purpose, His purpose for the applause of one, the One that matters, God!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Choices

Life is full of choices; decisions to go to the left or to the right, up our path or down. There are bad choices and good ones; joyous out-comes and deteriorating consequences. Each day we will choose when we rise and when we lay down, when we smile or frown. We choose to love or hate, to be graciously kind, or to complain. We choose God to rule our day or try and force things to go our way.  

Isaiah: 66 3-4
They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”

Today I choose to live in victory and not let life's circumstances negate my positive state. Today I choose to be healthy in my body, my spirit and my mind. I will not let stress be my excuse to desecrate my health. I choose to meditate on the word, on things above, things that are excellent and worthy of my contemplation. I will take my thoughts captive that are not beneficial to my joy, my peace, my happiness that God so wonderfully gives.  I choose to live my life in the moment that I am, giving my loved ones my full attention they seek.  I choose this day to not stand on my tight rope of self reliability, but rather I choose to stand on the strong shoulders of God who holds my feet and keeps me from falling even when I am weak. I Trust in the Lord, my God to be my all in all this day and the next. This day I give to Him to help me succeed in the choices I have made. I f today I stumble and fail to comply, if I compromise and forget, tomorrow I will start again. I will learn to keep my word to myself, my loved ones and my God! Each day we are given is a new day with no mistakes in it....yet:)

Thank you Jesus for your ever Faithfulness! Praise you for your embrace and grace! Guide my steps today
 Help today be victorious and not another disgrace. Amen

Isaiah 30:21 "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Saturday, August 27, 2011

In Whom Do You Place Your Trust?

As people, we tend to get nervous placing all our eggs into one basket. We want plan A B and C all the way down to plan Z, all worked out just in case. We want to know for sure what's ahead so we rely on our GPS instead of the memory in our head.  In whom do we place our trust through out the days we live going by one by one. In whom are we relying on? Each day we crawl out of bed and begin to walk our days tight rope act, but not until our imaginary safety nets are complete and intact.

 

Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. 

 

Have you found yourself basking in perfect peace lately? No? In whom are you placing your trust? 

 

Isaiah 30:1-18 “Woe to the obstinate children,”    declares the LORD, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine,  forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,  heaping sin upon sin;  who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge. But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace. Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes, everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace.” Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’ backs, their treasures on the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation, to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore I call her Rahab the Do-Nothing. Go now, write it on a tablet for them,  inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness. For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD’s instruction. They say to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!” Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant. It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern.”This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’ Therefore your pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,  like a banner on a hill.”Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! 

 

We want to go about our own business and feel good about what we do. We want things to be easy and simple yet we continue down the roughest route. We compromise our health with feel good sweets, TV sitcoms instead of a healthy work out, or quality time with actual friends. We want to be happy so we read self help books and romance novels to give us the momentary fixes we think we need. We start feeling stuck and wonder why we can't seem to just get a grip. Life starts unreeling, because with tangled fishing line on your pole, making the big catch can't quite happen yet. We place lines the media feeds us in our hearts replacing Gods word. Such as " You want the Truth? You can't handle the truth!" When the Lord tells us in John 8:31-32  “If you live by what I say, you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  

 

Perhaps you are like me and you place your trust in yourself and soon every little thing that needs to be done seems unending, mundane and even unnerving. Big things, little things, ginormous things, we try and carry on our own. Pretty soon our schedule is all upside down and those that matter the most are swept aside down to our last priority instead of our first. Our families constantly learn to get by with what is left of us at the end of the day instead of the best of us that they need to feel loved by their mom or wife.  By the weight of the world, begins our crushing defeat. When we place our trust in people and things rather than God we loose sight of whose we are, why we are and where we are going in life.

 

I have always said when you put God first in your life he places everyone else and thing in the order it belongs and that means family is next in line. But there are times I try too hard to place God first by getting busy doing things to prove my love for him, instead of just knowing He loves me and I love Him and letting Him take charge of my day and the rest of my life.

 

Proverb 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

 

If you like me have had trouble placing all your eggs in one basket, all your trust in the Lord your God. Please Join me in praying this prayer.

 

Lord God I ask you to forgive me for placing my trust in people and things more than I have placed my trust in you. I ask for your help to continue to open my eyes to the ways in which I sin toward you, especially when I lack faith in my one True God. I ask for forgiveness for when I have turned away from your word looking for something that made me feel better in the moment instead of what I needed to be nourished and grown up in you. I pray that you would teach me how to place you as my first priority in my life. Only then can I begin to feel the peace of balance in my life. Then my loved ones you have blessed me with can have the time they need from me. Lord help me to keep my quiet dates with you a priority. I want your words guiding my life. I want to be your disciple and your truth to continue to set me free. Lord my God, my King I praise you! In you I can find perfect peace. I choose to wait on the Lord for you, my Jesus, have been so good to me. AMEN

 

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength...The LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! 

 

Isaiah 12:1-3  In that day you will say “I will praise you, LORD.  Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

 

Thursday, August 25, 2011

We all like sheep have gone astray.

Isaiah 2:22 

"Stop trusting in mere humans..."     

 

So often we try and fail. So often we seek and pursue things of our own choosing with out asking God's advice at all and wonder why things just seem to be going all wrong. We try and try and start feeling like with all our effort put forth we deserve success in at least one endeavor we seek. 

 

Isaiah 40:7-8 The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” 

 

I believe this is saying man in all his glorious triumphs will fade away and God's word is what is left standing in the end. Man in all his ways will try in vain to succeed but those who give all glory to God and humbly live simply His will live victoriously.

 

Isaiah26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.

 

Oh how we have fall again and again. We place our trust in man and self rather than God. How many years in the dessert during Moses's day in vain did the Lord, teach us to simple follow His lead?

 

Exodus 13:21 The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.

 

The Lord is our shepherd and we His sheep. When will we learn that life lived to the fullest is a life lead by our shepherd; Not  a life lived gone astray, with our shepherd following our trail of destruction, coxing us back to Him and our flock again and again?

 

Isaiah 31:1-2 What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteer and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

 

Isaiah 30:15-16  This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’ Therefore your pursuers will be swift! 

 

Isaiah 50:10-11 Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God. But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.

 

There is hope! Though we have given up on God time and time again He has never given up on us!

 

Isaiah 9:6 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

 

Isaiah 53:5-7 But he was pierced for our transgressions,  he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 



Isaiah 12:2-3 
Surely God is my salvation;
   I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD himself, 
is my strength and my defense;
   he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water
   from the wells of salvation. 






Saturday, August 20, 2011

Remarkable Distraction

The Lord almighty made Adam as a companion for himself. The Lord desired a relationship with Adam. However Adam walking in the Garden chatting with God alone was not satisfying enough. I imagine it going something like this.

"So mm  God you know what I named that animal with the flappy wing a things?"
"Eagle....right?" 
"mmm Yes... How about the four legged furry little jumper over yander?"
"Rabbit"
silence....silence...."SO you gave me this task of naming the animals to make me feel important. Some how it loses that effect since you still know every thought that comes to my mind thus knowing what I am naming them before I do myself."  " Do you think you could just humor me and pretend I know something you don't when we chat?

"What did I call that furry hehaaing hooved creature?"
"Adam what did you call it?"
"MMM well I called it....an an...oh you already know."

" Yes Ass is an unusual name. You were riding it at the time of naming it weren't you?"

"You know everything!"

"Yes I do."

Genesis 2:18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Have you ever had a best friend? Or perhaps a brother that you loved dearly and wanted to keep all for yourself forever? I had a brother who got married young. I adored him and he was the one I always wanted to spend my time with. I wanted to hate his new wife. I wanted to despise her. She not only took the time that my brother used to spend with me. He moved out of our home and I no longer saw him hardly ever. He was too distracted by the love of his life to keep a little kid sister the center of any part of his life. Sure, I knew he loved me somewhere down deep in my heart. I mostly felt I had lost him.

How amazing of God, knowing man through and through to make for him Eve. The greatest distraction ever created. God made Adam a help mate to keep him company. God loved both Adam and Eve. He walked and talked with them in the garden. But you can bet that things were not the same ever again. God was not the complete center of Adam's world any longer. But the love of our God is so great, So wide and so deep, truly no one can fathom it. He put the love for Adam first before the reason he created him in the first place, to have a relationship with him. God loved Adam so much that he made for him someone to love, someone that if he so chose, he could love even more than God his father, his creator, his reason for existing.

I learned to love my new sister inlaw. How can you hate someone that makes someone you love so happy. And so it is with God. He is a jealous God. He desires us to put our relationship with him first. But he also knows us through and though and understands our need for a helpmate in our life. He is and always be our first love, love baring through all our hard times, ups and downs. Our Daddy is always there waiting for us to chat with him, longing to hear our voice, longing to be the center of our world again. 

How remarkable of God to create us such a profound distraction from him, just because he cares about whether or not we are happy!

Isaiah 55:8-9  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." 








Friday, August 19, 2011

Rivival of Hope, God's Promises: Then, Now, and Forever

Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

The book of Isaiah Teaches us Reverent Awe for our GOD. God uses Isaiah to make known the promise of Salvation through Jesus. We discover a nation much like ours being judged and God's longing to Forgive his people rather than punish them. Through the pages of this book we are whispered the sweet character of our Jesus Messiah. Every page of Isaiah rings one promise we hold to, that hope in the Lord, waiting on the Lord brings us comfort, and strength. We know we will be called his chosen, his precious children, his holy nation, dwelling in a new heaven and earth, where tears are shed from joy and cries burst forth from bellies full of laughter running over! And so begins my study of Isaiah.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

So much

So much has been going on in my life since my last blog. I had a most rejuvenating retreat with the Women of our church. I was filled to the brim with love. At one point I had 5 friends praying for me and speaking into my life meaning, clarity, and wisdom. I came home refreshed, healed and ready to take on the world. I chose to leave my sickness at the alter and claim prayers already answered. Though I still have bad days of pain I can push the pain and frustration from it behind my head most days and continue on with life, living it fully and laugh with my family through, yes, even migraines. God is for us not against us and I know he is healing this me one step in his direction at time. The more I open up myself to my past, memories, unfortunate circumstances and let go of lies I have claimed as truth, I find I am more and more victorious in my everyday life and health struggles as well.

The testing always comes or rather we are filled to the brim before the storms of life hit so as to be able to hold strong and make it through. Our basement has been a project ever since we moved into our little home 11 years ago. We finished it..well good enough to have our kiddo's with their own separate rooms and for the rest to be used as well. My husband had a gaming/star wars toy collection room, me my exercise area and laundry folding station. Oh and yes we have no garage, so our storage was kept down there all neatly stashed away out of sight:) A few months after we moved my daughter down the stairs officially our basement flooded with City sewer backup water from a clogged drain caused by a ridiculous storm. Our insurance does not cover acts of God, nor does the city for that matter. So we were stuck with the blow our selves. The clean up was atrocious, not to mention gross. The amount of stuff the kids and my husband and I had to throw away came to 9,000.  The repair estimate was 7,000 plus. However, we have a family of people related by blood and by the cross. We were given 1,500 by friends and family. People donated dressers throw rugs, shelves, their time. There were a few days of complete shock where I did not feel like I could move from letting pain back to the for front of my vision and the circumstances over whelm me. I would pray. I would pray some more. I prayed for God's healing and praised him for his help and his hand in keeping us safe. I praised him for the plan I could not yet see being in the eye of the storm. Yes I praised him through tears and sobs and pain. He surrounded us and held us tight as a family. We worked endlessly to get my kids rooms back to them. They slept on the couch, at grandparents houses, and then in a room that only had enough room for their bunk bed that's it. They had no space of their own for two and a half months. But we pulled through. No the basement is not finished but they have their rooms back. No they do not have as many toys as they used to. But believe me when I tell you what they have is enough. There is peace in our home again.

God is so much more than a genie in a bottle to call upon when we are board or in trouble. God is so much more than a friend to talk to when we are feeling down. God is so much more than a ruler setting morals to follow or be dealt with. He is more than my dad, and more than my counselor. God is, God was , and will always be. He is my all in all! He is my past, present and future. I praise him for being GOD Almighty creator of the universe yet the holder of my hand and the shoulder I cry on and the one who wipes off the dirt from my skirt, after picking me up in his arms of comfort time and time again! Praise God For he is. HE IS! and always will be! 

2Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

The healing I pray for is with in my own body and the bodies and spirits of others I love. Though this land of people we live in needs so much healing as well. If we would but humble ourselves, know we do not have all the answers. If we would pray and seek His face. If we would turn from our selfish tasks we fill our days with instead of pursuing God's will for our lives. He promises to heal our land. Imagine as a nation if we would fall on our knees again what the results could be. Oh, that God would bless America again. That America would stop running from the protection of the God she once served and fall an her knees and be healed. It can happen and it starts one person's surrender to God at a time:)

My His blessing be yours!




Friday, May 6, 2011

How

"Lord How do I  switch off my focus from myself and the pain I have in each moment and stop just surviving the days going by?"
By thinking on things above, my darling. By changing your focus from inward to outward, from present state, to all that I have in store! Dare to hope and dream. Come join me up on the mountain top where you will find rest, peace, comfort and be restored. Breathe in and taste and see that I am your one Good thing you can trust completely.  You are never alone. Cast out all fear. Know who you are. You are mine and I am Yours.
Living as Those Made Alive in Christ
Colossians 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Joy comes in the Mourning?

When a light is too painful for one to endure it, is the cause of the pain the condition of ones failing health? Could it be rather, the constant conscience thoughts of one's self, worsening their state with every pain, alerting ones soul to shutter?

I wrote these questions 10 years ago. This little note to myself has remained stuck to my refrigerator ever since. I was struggling with migraines trying to keep me in the dark. Sure, the darkness helped, but as soon as I walked into the light again or took the shades off, they were back. I chose to stop letting myself dwell on the pain. I chose to take back the light and not let darkness claim my days. It reminds me to not think on myself and my health conditions so much as to miss out on life, light, love, joy, happiness:)

Is it possible to find joy through and during the mourning of physical ailments? Is it possible to ignore the pain, by remaining in the light and still enjoy life to its fullest? It is! With God, praying friends and loved ones.

 It is not like I have cancer and am dying, but yet the pain I deal with everyday has consumed me in the past just as if I had received a death warrant. I can tell you that dealing with fibromyalsia takes its tole on your mental well being as well as physical. Waking up to feeling like you've just been run over by an 18 wheeler, again, is no inspiration to get out of bed and conquer the day.

One day not so long ago I was ready to give the dr.'s advice a try and take some medication to raise my serotonin level.  Thus, treat my depression that comes with dealing with pain all the time. I am still willing if need be. However, I found that St. Johns Wart works to help me handle the pain I get dished out to me each day. I cry less, feel like crawling in bed and giving up less. This is not a vitamin add. I thank God for giving me something that helps me be able to fight back!

God promises to make all things Good, for those whom love Him. I know He wants me healed more than I want me healed. In the meanwhile He has grown my relationship with my husband, as we pray with each other more, cry out to God together more. My children have learned the value of praying for others as they pray for me and those they care about earnestly. They have learned compassion at a young age. Jesus has drawn me close to Him and comforted me time and time again. He has proven He is my God, my Daddy, my Best Friend, my Counselor, my Saviour and Redeemer. He gives me strength when I am weak, and joy in my mourning. He is helping me everyday to take back what he has given me to live to the fullest... life. My life which I lay down for God to use, and use and use to make some kind of difference in peoples lives.

I want my children to know what's most important in life is to love God, obey Him and let God love them in return. I want My husband to know how precious a gift from God he is to me. I want my brothers and sisters to know there is hope and joy in the Mourning. That sorrow may last for the night but God makes all things new and He is for you not against you! I want to live to breath in God and exhale Him out again for others to know His existence, His love and His faithfulness.  
Joy can come in the Mourning! It does everyday if we let Him in to pull open the shades and light up our day!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Patience, Some are gifted with it, Some need to be!

 Those who lack patience lack love . 

Yes, I know that statement sounds harsh. But does it help that the one typing these words is speaking to herself as well?

 

Think about a time in your life when you felt truly loved. Yes right now go a head.

 

Was it when someone you were talking to seemed to just be tolerating your rambling, while hoping you would soon shut up, so they could be on their way?  We have all had those conversations with people. We have something on our heart, that really needs to be let out and the one in front of us, we think cares about us, proves other wise by shutting down, dazing off, as if your words are a pathetic waist of their time. Sure, we have been the one speaking, but are we truthful enough to admit we have been the impatient one; the one with our own agendas that are more important than our friend or loved one who needs us in the moment?

 

The times I feel most loved are when I am listened to intently, and I know that the one I am speaking to takes interest in not just the words I say but in me as a person. When someone is patient with me and forgiving I feel loved. I feel loved when someone waits for me with out complaining, but rather lovingly, as if I was worth the wait.  Love truly is patient and kind. I feel loved when someone gives me the time of day I need to feel special. 


God gives us this freely! We are His special children, each and everyone of us, and He treats us as such. Patience is His beautiful gift. He loves us this way everyday. His love is the most patient of all. Through his grace and forgiveness He teaches us patience. Through His way of always being there to listen to our rambling on prayers, He teaches us to be patient with others, who need what we have just received, a patient listening ear.
 

 

Some of us have the gift of patience planted deep with in our heart. Just as some can pick up an instrument and just begin to play it, others can be patient in most circumstances and with all kinds of people. Others, such as myself, have to constantly pray for God to grow this gift in them. With out this gift those around me will not know the depth of my love for them.  With out patience my love for others can not grow to the depth that God and I desire my relationships to grow. Love is a beautiful thing to be treasured, grown, and sought.  Patience is the water that grows love up in us.

 

I am most impatient with the ones I love the most, What? So the ones I love the most are the ones lacking in the knowledge of how deeply I love them? 

 

I am impatient with my family. I am praying for God to give me the patience to listen to my children when they ramble on just needing someone to listen to them, so they can feel special. They are special, and everyone needs to feel adored sometimes.  I am learning to stop and listen to my husbands day and take an interest in the distresses and the joys of his day, because he is special to me and I want him to know it. I can show him love by patiently putting his needs in the moment before my to do lists, that can truly wait. I can show my children I love them, by not getting upset when they do not move at the same pace as me, but instead choose to slow my pace and walk with them at my side and encourage them lovingly, instead of gripe at them for their lack of speed.  

 

A pastor once told me "Never pray for patience cause God will send you trials." He suggested the only way to learn patience is to learn it the hard way. I disagree. Patience is something God is teaching us everyday. We just need to pray that we are more in tune to the lessons God is teaching us already. God is Love! He is the greatest patient teacher of all.

 

So I encourage you, if you want to know how to love others more deeply and truly in a way that those you love can know how much you love them, pray for God to grow your patience. Pray and don't stop praying and putting into practice the lessons God teaches you.  Patience is a gift, whether we have it or not, depends on whether we know it is important enough a thing to be asking for it. As a child begs her parents for that longed for toy, I beg my daddy Jesus to fill me with the gift of Patience:) So that I can give the greatest gift He has already given me. True, absolute, unconditional Love!

 

Ephesians 4

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each others faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace

 

Thessalonians 5:14 "Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone."

2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.


2 Timothy 2:24
A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.


2 Peter 1:5-7 (New Living Translation)

 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to Gods promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient and kind.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Time a gift or a curse?

Time well spent is a treasured heirloom never to be broken, stolen or lost. Time let lie and slip away is treasure never sought, never found; a day of what could have been but never will be.

Swimming takes more effort than simply treading water...but in the end you reach the shore line destination and find rest. Treading water may at first seem effortless but slowly one begins to tire, muscles cramp up and the sea floor is the only place left to sink to.

I am ever changing and never satisfied completely with myself. Some might say this state is exhausting, unhealthy, chaotic and even medicine worthy to cure. I disagree! If I were completely happy with who I am I will be conceited, that I have arrived to my fullest potential. What use could I be to the world then? Why would I even still be around? I should be happy with me as in who God is making me in to being. I should be patient with the process that He is using to chip away the muck and mire to let out who I am suppose to be. With Christ as my center it is even possible to be content to just be who I am right now, knowing God is in control, not I, and that He is not finished with me yet.

How does the subject above correlate with the one prior? If I stop trying to improve, if I suddenly am satisfied with what I have, who I am and life in general... I then would be treading water. letting time slip away that is precious and meant to be lived and experienced. If I simply decide to in my faith, in my knowledge, in my services rendered, to be done and just stand still, my inner being would be at stake. The 'who I am meant to be in Christ', my sanctification process to make me who I am in Him, would be in question and perhaps even, heaven forbid, lost. I would be like a large stone, not yet a statue that doesn't  fit through heavens door way because the stone did not continue to surrender itself to the Master carver. Because the stone decided time was too precious to let Him have any more of it. Thus time began to slip away and not matter any more and laid to ruin and waist. Depressing to think about? Of course! But Not something to be pondered and worried over. Something rather to acknowledge and decide to keep swimming, keep pressing on toward the goal which is set before us. Keep loving the unlovable, keep doing the impossible, and keep getting through the toughest, stickiest, most frustrating, and irritating of circumstances. How? By leaning on Jesus; By choosing to trust whom I can not always see or even hear.  By knowing, believing with all my heart, that though I can't he can! Nothing is impossible with Christ Jesus. He has began a good work in me and you and He is faithful to bring his work to completion. All we have to do is trust and allow him to do the work in and through us making us shine like diamonds in the sky.

Time is not meant to be a capsule or an hour glass of sand slipping away. Time is a gift, each day a beautified box for us to unwrap and discover the treasure with in. There is value in everyday if we would challenge our selves to look a bit deeper, and sometimes open our eyes to who is standing right in front of us with out stretched arms. Hug more, love unconditionally, forgive everything often including yourself, Give God something to work with everyday...You:)

Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.