Friday, June 29, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 30TH IS TEST!
My word for June 30th is TEST
Lauren began nursing school two weeks after she graduated
from the University of Arkansas.
She ventured straight from one goal to another. At nursing school, all of the classes
are in-group segments, each segment lasting 4- 5 weeks. She completed her first round and did
great. Of course she wouldn’t want
me to brag on her, but she is naturally smart. She studies like she isn’t, but she is. I decided that after her last test I
would drive over and take her to dinner.
When I got there I asked her about her test, the format, was it easy,
was it difficult, etc. I am always
amazed at Laurens thinking, but I want to share her response. Lauren said that her friends always are
teasing her on how long it takes her to finish her test, but this is why. Before she begins every test she never
clicks the start button until she prays.
She prays that God gives her the patience to read every word on the test
and that she has the knowledge to answer every question correctly. She said that if she hasn’t studied
like she should have she never asks for a good grade, because it is her fault
that she isn’t prepared, not the Lord’s.
We are all tested in our lives. It may not be an educational test; it may be a life
test. Tests are presented to us in
many forms. They are all just that,
a test. A test of our knowledge to
pass or a test to see if we are at a different level in our lives. No matter what, most tests are
difficult. They challenge us. Tests bring out what is in us. Tests show whether we have comprehended
the material that has been taught. They show what is in us, what we are made
of. Tests let us know about
ourselves and what we are capable of doing. God wants to see how we react when we are tested. Will we be impatient and break under
pressure? Or will we go to God and
be patience and endure the test?
When we take educational tests we have books to study from, with life
tests we have God’s instruction book, the bible, to study from. When we are tested it is for our
benefit. It is for us to see how
much we know or are we ready for the next life venture. Testing is necessary and beneficial for
everyone. God doesn’t test us to
hurt us; He tests us so we will know if we are ready for responsibility. God’s tests aren’t like the trials of
the devil and temptation, God’s test is to see if we will act on His word and
trust Him.
Receive tests and trials with joy; this is God working on us
to strengthen our faith. When we
are hit by the storms of life don’t run, find safety in the storm shelter of
God. Through God’s word we can
with stand whatever test comes our way.
We can pass any test if we have faith in the Lord.
James 1:2-4 New International Version (NIV)
2 Consider it pure
joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you
face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know
that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that
you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Dear Lord thank You for the good things that happen in our lives, but
also thank You for the tests.
Please give us guidance and direction. Help us to know where we need to go and what we need to
do. Refine us by guiding us
through your book of knowledge.
Give us courage as we walk through the trials of life refining us and
purifying our hearts. During 2012
we pray that we learn from Your tests of life, strengthening us in faith.
http://www.believers.org/believe/bel159.htm
Does God Test Us?
http://www.getchristiananswers.com/articles/does-god-test-us Get Christian Answers, Bible Answers,
DOES GOD TEST US?
http://so4j.com/why-does-god-test-us-scriptures-on-testing.php#why_tests
Why Does God Test Us?
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 28 IS CHRISTMAS!
My word for June 28th is CHRISTMAS
It may be odd that I am writing about Christmas in June, but
it is time to celebrate half Christmas.
Katie’s boyfriend and some of his friends decided they wanted to have a celebration
the other night. What a better
occasion than to celebrate June 25, half Christmas? They got dressed in everything Christmas they could
find. Christmas colors, Christmas
pajamas, Christmas elf shoes, and of course jingle bells. They toasted and listened to Christmas
music. What fun? Who wouldn’t want to celebrate
Christmas on Jesus’ half birthday?
Mary and Joseph traveled by donkey to an inn to give birth
to our savior. An angel brought a
message of hope, the message of joy and of peace. Three wise men traveled following a star to see this bundle
of hope. Because of this Immaculate
Conception we have secure for our future, confident direction, a brighter
tomorrow, safety during life’s storms, and ultimate victory. Christmas gives us hope for a greater
and better tomorrow. Remove all
barriers; anchor yourself with God’s grace that was made available to you
through Jesus. Let everyday be
Christmas, celebrate by celebrating Jesus.
God wants us to celebrate Jesus’ birth everyday and we
should. God saw what mankind could
conjure up, many problems, so He sent His son Jesus to be the solution. It is time for you to yield to the desired results God
has for you. The reason for
Christmas is your restoration. Let
today be a new beginning, a new beginning between your old self and your new
person. Celebrate Jesus everyday!
Luke 2:14
Peace on earth and goodwill towards men!
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Dear Lord thank you for giving your Son, Jesus, to give us
hope for a brighter tomorrow. We
pray that we see your expanding purpose for us. Christmas brings us a new sense of self, peace and joy. We should see it as the end of our
struggles and the beginning our walk with You. We know that you have given us Christmas to lead us to the
promised potential of heaven.
During 2012 let us celebrate the birth of Your Son, Jesus, everyday,
allowing us to see the light for our future.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 27 IS PARENT!
My word for June 27th is PARENT
Katy Perry is releasing an upcoming concert-documentary
movie “Part of Me in 3D”. This
movie shows behind the scenes of her concerts, her costumes, her songs, and her
life. Perry grew up in
a very conservative family. Both
of her parents are pastors. While
growing up, Perry and her two siblings weren’t allowed to listen to any rock or
popular music. They
couldn’t watch certain cable channels, such as MTV and VH1. Perry started singing lessons
around the age of 9 and learned how to play the guitar when she was 13. It was around these teenage years when
she began to rebel. She started by
piercing her own nose. As she got
older and was in high school she aimed at being her own person. She was friends with every social group
and was very flamboyant and theatrical.
You can definitely tell by her videos what type of personality she
has. Perry went through many
hardships of living on her own at the age of 17 before she finally got signed
with Capitol in 2007. For six
years she borrowed money, sold her clothes for rent, and wrote bad checks. Now eleven years later Perry is loved
by all groups of people. The young
pop star has great ambitions for her future.
While watching an interview with Katy Perry and Elizabeth Vargas
there was a segment about her parents.
Elizabeth asked Katy what her parents thought about her, her life, her
changing hair color and etc. At first Katy’s parents thought that some of her songs
were going to ruin their 30-year ministry career, but it has never been a
problem. They have learned how to
accept the lifestyle choices of their daughter. “It’s been an incredible journey of acceptance and
tolerance, my whole family has grown up and evolved and broadened our mindset,”
says Perry.
Isn’t this a problem that most parents have with their children? At some point in their lives they
rebel, maybe in different ways other than that of Katy Perry, but as a parent
we all deal with our children.
Don’t you think at times God feels that way about us? God has to deal with everything that we
do. He shakes his head in wonder
if we are going to ruin His ministry.
Just as Perry’s parents, the Lord is very tolerant and accepting. He is waiting for us to realize how we
need to be. He is accepting of us
testing the waters. He is hoping
that we will realize what plan we need to follow through with, His plan. God is patient and kind, just like many
parents are. He has unconditional
love for us just like our parents had for us or just as we do for our children. He wants us to be truly happy and not
have to suffer, however some of us may make decisions that will cause major
problems. God will step back and
see what decisions we will make, letting us dig our own hole and praying that
we will remove ourselves from it.
As our children grow help us to be like the Lord, laying a foundation
during our children’s young impressionable years, so that they will always
desire to fully seek god. We want
to lead them and direct them to make the right decisions.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Dear Lord thank for loving us conditionally. Guide us to be better children living the way we should live
for You. Thank You for being
gentle and considerate but yet firm and watchful. Grant us grace to guide others, whether it be our children
or the children of others. Give us
the virtues we need to lead by word and by example. During 2012 keep all of Your children safe.
CONTINUED READING: http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/booklets/successful-parenting-gods-way
Tomorrows World, Successful Parenting: God’s Way, Jeffrey Fall
http://global.christianpost.com/news/katy-perrys-christian-parents-thought-i-kissed-a-girl-would-ruin-ministr
ENTERTAINMENT, Katy Perry’s Christian Parents Thought ‘I Kissed a Girl’ Would
Ruin Ministry
http://www.biography.com/people/katy-perry-562678
Katy Perry. Biography
MY WORD FOR JUNE 26 IS VACUUM!
My word for
June 26th is VACUUM
I vacuum every other day. Since I have a dog that sheds, the hair drives me
crazy. I vacuum everywhere, under
everything and around everything.
I will even vacuum the furniture.
My vacuum has all those different attachments, one for floors, one for
small areas that are hard to reach, one for furniture, one for blinds, and one
for carpet. I use all of
them. I haven’t been able to
vacuum for a week, so I called Go Momma today and asked her if she could come
out and help me. She is a vacuum
freak also; she vacuums as much as I do.
While she vacuumed I dusted, cleaned the bathroom, and washed all the
laundry. There isn’t anything
better than clean floors, a clean bathroom, clean sheets, and clean
laundry. I am ready for the
week.
It is not just time to vacuum our homes, but to vacuum out
of our lives. Some of the dirt is
visible to the human eye. This
dirt is vacuumed up easily, just one swipe of the vacuum wand and up it goes. Then there is the dirt that you can’t
see. Those dust mites on the
furniture, the hair that blends in to the floor, or the dirt hidden underneath
those hard to reach places. The
utensils may have to be changed from one to the other to suck up this
mess. What a sucktacular time
vacuuming up the dirt that leaves our lives in disarray.
We need to be rid of the filth seen or unseen. To be healthy it is important to clean
around us. The filth in our lives
can weigh us down, trap us, or even make us sick. Through cleansing our surroundings, we are better able to do
what God wants us to do. The
cleaner our lives are the smoother our lives will be. It is a vital part of staying healthy to get rid of the
dirt. Cleaning the dirt means to rid
your mind of sadness, guilt, anger, resentment, dissatisfaction, the past and
any other negative aspects that hold us back. God doesn’t want anything to hold us back from fulfilling
His plan for us. Plug in your
vacuum and get to work.
Put freshener in your vacuum bag and clean the air. Remove all the dirt and dust particles
and find a fresh life with God. Vacuum the filth from your life, become fresh
and clean.
Dear Lord help us clean out our filth, removing the dust and
debris from our lives. We want
your presence in our lives and in our homes helping us to maintain
cleanliness. Open our eyes to see
what is filth. With You our lives
will be clean. During 2012 we
promise to remove the filth and live a clean life for You.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 25 IS WEEKEND!
My word for June 25th is Weekend
This weekend was full of many different emotions. I spent Friday night with a long time
friend where we spent hours talking, visiting and laughing. We ate and talked, ate and talked. Now we both need to begin a diet. Saturday morning I got up, got my coffee
going, went outside on the back porch, when I heard a motorcycle pull up. My brother drove two hours to see
me. We sat out on the back porch
looking out across the lake relaxing and visiting, something that we don’t ever
do. Much needed talk time for both
of us. Then of course all the
college kids started to pour in, what’s to eat, where are we going, do you have
enough life jackets, be careful, being a mother of college kids SCARY!!!! Then the high school kids are off, not
as much to worry about or so I thought.
Our youngest a senior and her friends decided to try out a new rope
swing, only for her to be left hanging.
Her boyfriend and another kid on the bank jumped in to lift her and somehow
get the rope untangled. How? He
doesn’t know. The adrenaline went
into play as it does in a critical emergency situation. That is one of those freak accidents
you hear about, you don’t want to experience. Not the relaxing non-excitement weekend I had hoped for,
however many blessings. Blessed to
have family, blessed to have children that are smart and kind, blessed to have
friends, blessed for my children to have good friends, blessed to have a place
to go to escape, blessed to be blessed.
Today we could have been dealing with something tragic after
yesterday’s events, however we all made it home safely. We were discussing the rope accident
and Anna just knew there was someone else that helped Regan get the rope off,
but Regan says, “no”. Anna finally
looked at me and said, “Mom it must have been Jesus!” Praise God for Jesus.
If Anna thinks it was Jesus let her think it was Jesus, who knows. It was defiantly a God thing. God has more in store for this little 5 foot 3, 100 pound spitfire. When things like this happen it stops
us in our tracks, stops us and makes us thankful for the little things in
life. Today I am thankful,
thankful for Jesus lifting my little girl out of the water so that Regan could
get the rope off her neck. She is
left with a scar around her neck and the remembrance of fear, but also the
faith that Jesus was behind her living.
Dear Lord thank you for blessings, thank you for being here
for us always. Thanks be to Jesus
for saving my little girl. Your works
are amazing and wonderful. We are
thankful for your angels that wrap their shining wings around us in days of
trouble. During this
year of 2012 may we be blessed with abundant blessings.
Hebrews 10:9 NIV
Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will,” He
sets aside the first to establish the second
Psalm 24:5 He
shall receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his
salvation.
MY WORD FOR JUNE 24 IS WEED
My word for June 24th is WEED
As in my new favorite book the author, Anna Quindlen said, “it
is said that as we grow older we need to weed out our friendships the way we
clean out our closets”. I like to
think of it as the way I clean out my flower garden. There are those plants that are pure weeds (I am laughing as
I write this and know that Sherri and Laura are laughing with me). There are those plants that do harm, the
plants that aren’t good and those that aren’t even pretty to look at. Those plants that choke out the other
plants. These plants, weeds, steal
the nutrients that help the good plants grow. When weeds grow the garden suffers. But then there are the flowers of
life. They bloom, they are
beautiful and they bring freshness and gladness to your life. You can look at them and they bring a
smile to your face. They make you
happy just by there presence. The
only choice you have is to get rid of the weeds. Whether you need to roundup or pull those suckers get them
out of there.
Weeds will take over your garden and choke out what is
beautiful. This is like our
lives. If we let the weeds take
over they will choke out our good works, they will hinder us from moving
forward, and they will keep us from what God wants us to do. Get rid of the weeds. Get rid of what makes you
unhappy, what chokes out your sunshine.
God wants you to be happy.
When you are happy and healthy you will do good work for Him. When we are being choked out by a bunch
of weeds we won’t grow. Grow is
what God wants us to do. Grow in
His word, grow in the spirit, grow and blossom spreading your flowering
disposition with everyone that visits your garden of life.
This is a great idea for the year 2012. I give this challenge to you. Take time this year to weed out what
isn’t beneficial, what isn’t making you feel good, what isn’t positive and what
isn’t making your life productive.
Your heart is your garden; fill your garden with love not weeds. Weed out your life.
Dear Lord pass us the roundup to get rid of the weeds in our
lives. We know that with weeds
growing around us we won’t prosper.
We don’t want anything to hold us back of fulfilling the plans you have
for us. Keep our garden free of
things that kill it. Bring to the
light what is a weed and what is a flower; help us to see the difference. During 2012 we are cleaning out our
gardens for You.
Galatians 5:19-21
New
International Version (NIV)
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and
debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,
selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the
like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not
inherit the kingdom of God.
EXTRA READING: http://scripturenuggets.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/when-weeds-grow/ WHEN WEEDS GROW, June 13, 2011, George
Belobaba
MY WORD FOR JUNE 23 IS GIRLFRIEND!
My word for June 23rd is GIRLFRIEND
For all of the women reading this go right now and get the
book, “Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake”.
When I escaped from life on Friday I called one of my girlfriends and
she recommended this book. I
purchased it on my kindle and it has given me great insight, many laughs, and
left me with that “I so get that” feeling. The funny thing is my girlfriend that recommended the book
was recommended the book by another girlfriend of ours. What is also ironic is that Friday night
another one of our childhood girlfriends came out and visited for five
hours. We talked non-stop. After getting up this morning I
continued to read my new favorite book only to find the upcoming chapter to be
entitled “girlfriends”.
Girlfriends are the people in our lives that are there when
we get a bad test result, they are there when our parents get ill, they are
there when we have a catastrophe, they are there when we need a shoulder to cry
on, they are there no matter what life has thrown at us. They are like the joists that hold up a
house; they hold us up no matter what.
It has taken years of experiences and circumstances to realize who and
what real girlfriends are.
Everyone goes through stages of life and we are defiantly to a different
stage now. The stage of older
children and aging parents. During
these times in our lives it is those old girlfriends that I lean on. They are the friends that give me a
personal pep rally every time I answer the phone. They are the ones that don’t judge me. They are the ones that can say
something that I need to hear and I will listen. They are my chosen kin.
God is like a girlfriend. He knows all about you, but loves you just the same. He is there to listen when you need an
ear. He will speak to you the
truth. He will tell You what you
need to hear and try not to do it harshly. He will lead you in the right direction and help you follow
through with His plan. God is your
biggest fan and your loudest cheerleader.
All you have to do is decide to listen to Him, trust Him and lean on
Him.
Dear God thank you for giving us girlfriends. Thank you for blessing us with special
people to comfort us through life.
Thank you for being a friend to us, being here when we need you. Guide us in being a good friend
to those who need us, giving us the proper words to touch their hearts. During 2012 let us be those friends
that come through the door when everyone else is walking out.
James 2:23
King
James Version (KJV)
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and
it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Thank you Barbara for sharing this book with Laura, whom
shared it with me. Thank you
Sherri for spending much needed girl time. Love you all ~you go girlfriends!!!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 22 IS SHELL!
My word for June 22nd is SHELL
Have you ever thought how many different definitions a shell
has when used as a noun? It can be
the hard outer covering that encases certain organisms. The outer covering of an egg, fruit, or
nut. The protective or enclosing
case of an object. An exterior or
framework of a building. A thin
layer of pastry or even the external part of the ear. It may even mean the hull of a ship or a light, long, narrow
racing boat propelled by rowers.
Or you can look at it as an artillery projectile containing an explosive
charge. An attitude or a manner
adopted to mask one’s true feelings the list goes on and on. Shell can even be the outermost layer
of a lined garment such as a coat.
It can also be a company or corporation with few or no assets.
We have an outer shell. Our outer shell is made up of our flesh. This outer shell protects us from the
outer influences of the world.
Many times it doesn’t protect us because the outer being is always being
in contact with the obstacles that the world deals with. Our spirit however, lives on the
inside. In order for us to work
for God we must release our inner self through the shell, break through the
outer person. Our inner person is sometimes
imprisoned by the outer shell, stuck someplace where we really don’t want to
be. The whole time the Lord is
working within us, working on the spirit that lives waiting to break through
this tough membrane and work for Him.
All the breaking through takes time; it takes time for the Lord to
dismantle our shell in order to make way for our inner self to step free. As soon as our shell is broken our
inner self is released and will touch many people blessing them with our
goodness.
Release your inner self break through your shell. Even though our shell is good for
protection look at how explosive our inner self can be. Work for the Lord and share your
spirit.
Dear Lord help us to break through our shell and enable the
world to see the beautiful spirit that is within us. Work with us to bless those around us. During 2012 we want to let go of what
is holding us back and step through our exterior layer to share how much we
love You.
Romans 7:22
“For I delight in the law of God according to the inner man”
MY WORD FOR JUNE 21 IS SHOW!
My word for June 21st SHOW
I was searching the Internet to try and find something to
write for today. I am somewhat off
my schedule due to medication and my mind isn’t what it usually is. I went to one of my favorite websites, www.joelosteen.com, for some help. I read Victoria Osteen’s blog for
today. It was titled “Let Your
Love Show”.
Victoria was discussing how the little phrase, I love you,
can never be heard enough. We
should say it over and over again to our family. We want to pass down a legacy of love to our children. Encouraging them with love. Many times we take for granted the
people we love. We nag about
shortcomings, things that get on our nerves and ignore what we really like
about them. We should look for
opportunities to speak words of blessings over the people we care about. Showing them we care.
I am very blessed to be loved by three little girls, I say
three little girls, they aren’t little anymore. While in the hospital they were there everyday. Anything I needed they brought it. Even sleeping on the floor to be with
me. As I was preparing to leave
they all came parading in my room ready to carry out all my things. The girls loaded everything up as the
nurse finished giving me my orders.
She looked at the girls out the window loading the car and then looked
at me. She said, “You have three girls that really show
you they love you, you can really tell they love their mother. It must be a blessing to you that you
all are so close”. I looked at her
and responded, “Yes I am blessed”.
Let your words and actions say, “I love you” today and every
day. Never miss the opportunity to
let someone know you care. God
blesses us with love.
Dear Lord help us to show and say we love you to those that
we care about. Those three little
words that so easily can change a life need to be used more often. Thank You for loving us
unconditionally. During 2012
remind us daily to say I Love You to those we love.
John 13:35 NIV
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another”
http://www.joelosteen.com/HopeForToday/Pages/BlogItem.aspx?item=094c5f13-6be9-4067-a37b-a7ad099aca
Let Your Love Show Posted by Victoria Osteen on 6?19/2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 20 IS BRUISED!
My word for June 20th is BRUISED
I am bruised all over.
Bruised in my hand where they placed the iv, bruised in my stomach where
they gave me a blood thinner, my lip is swollen and bruised, it looks like I
got into a fistfight with the vent tube.
I am also bruised where the doctor made the incision; it is large and
black, blue and red. It seems that
it is growing. When bruised, the
bruising begins with our skin. The
skin is not broken, but the force does injury to the underlying soft
tissue. It begins with blue
bruising than will change color and even move down the area of damage. When a person sees bruising one knows
that something has gone wrong with this person. Sometimes when bruised a person may not feel the bruise; in
other cases it may be caused by much pain. The bruising may last a few days or maybe even a week or
two. Even after the bruising has
gone there may still be pain left in the underlying tissue that causes the
person to be very careful, moving slowly and taking precautionary measures in
every situation.
Life is much like bruising. We can move along through life and all of a sudden we are
hit out of no where leaving us scared with a bruise. At times we may look down and see a bruise and not even know
where the bruise came from. Or we
may have bruising that we still feel and know why the discoloration is
there. We can have a deep bruise
that even damages us on the inside or just a surface bruise that doesn’t do as
much damage. No matter what type
of bruise, bruising takes time to heal, some longer than others. But the good thing to know is that
bruises do heal and they don’t’ need help. All it takes is time and patience.
Bruising is for a purpose. It allows us to look at our lives and ourselves
differently. Bruising is a way for
our body to heal. Many times
bruising drives us to a more Christ centered life. When bruised it is critical for us to focus on what we
should do to heal ourselves, what will lead us to complete wellness. While one is bruised Gods grace, mercy
and justice will prevail. He will
heal us. Healing enables our
hearts, our minds, our thoughts, and our strength to work together with God
communicated to our natural selves.
Toning us as our pain blossoms into what God has prepared for us. He allows us to conquer all our pains
and fears.
Bruising goes through a rainbow of colors leaving us with
the sunshine after the storm.
Embrace the bruise, the discoloration of the pain, learn from the
experience and take in God’s healing.
He heals us no matter what color the bruise.
Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely
He hath borne our griefs (Hebrew: sicknesses) and carried our sorrows (Hebrew:
pains) yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But He was
wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the
chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed."
Dear Lord thank you for taking care of us. You are always here during our times of
need, our times where we are bruised on the inside or the outside. Help us to heal quickly and stay close
to our hearts and ease our pain. We
pray to You to turn weakness into strength, suffering into compassion, sorrow
into joy, and pain into comfort.
We trust that You will provide us with Your healing touch. During this journey of 2012 keep us
close to You helping us give comfort to others who need to be healed.
http://www.bruisedreedfoundation.org/3/miscellaneous1.htm
Bruised Reed Foundation
Thursday, June 14, 2012
OUT FOR A FEW!
I will be out for a few days recovery from some much needed repair on my body. Be back soon! :)
MY WORD FOR JUNE 15 IS PREWARN!
My word for June 15th is PREWARN
As you are reading this I am going under the knife to have
some much needed surgery. I wasn’t
that nervous because I know that I will feel better after the procedure and I
am healed. However, after I went
to my pre-op visit, I have been scared to death. The doctor had to tell me all the, if this happens this
could happen. Oh my, makes you
ready for surgery. Before I left I
told my Doctor, “Since I am your
first surgery you be sure you have a good nights rest, I don’t want to be the
percentage that the bad happens to”.
I know that doctors have to tell you those accidental things
that could happen to protect them, but it is very scary. Wouldn’t it be nice though if when we
were old enough to comprehend and understand, God would have appeared and said,
“Now if you do this, this is going to happen. If you are friends with certain people this will happen, if
you go this way it will be the wrong way.” If we had been pre-warned of the adversities that may occur
in our lives, we may have traveled a different road or been prepared for them.
In a way God has pre-warned us for what lies ahead. It may not be spelled out in front of
us, but it is there. He gave
us His words of what to do and what not to do. We can read the stories of people in the Bible and see the
outcome they had when they crossed the wrong roads or when they didn’t follow
God’s word. While researching
“pre-warned by God” I read several things that were interesting. Most of the pre-warned topics were
about natural disasters and how these disasters would grow in frequency and
intensity as the end approached us.
God does pre-warn, we just may not listen or pay attention. When we are pre-warned it is to shake
us up and lead us to Him. He wants
us to live a peaceful life with Him.
When God takes the time to warn us, when he puts up the caution
tape and tell us to stay away, we need to listen. When God says proceed with
caution do just that. He knows
when danger is ahead.
Dear Lord thank you for your words of wisdom. We know that You pre-warn us in many
situations, but many times we don’t listen. Open our ears to hear you when you say proceed with caution. We want to stay away from the
unpleasant and the undesirable and stay close to You. During this year of 2012 keep us out of danger and pre-warn
us when we are crossing into the danger zone.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 14 IS DIRECTIONS!
My word for June 14th is Directions
The town that we live in is only 9800 people, it is a place
where you can call the wrong number and still have the right one. You will never get lost and if you do
you just keep going and you will finally run in to where you want to go. Today Anna and I had to go to Conway
for a Junior Classic Softball Game.
After pictures we decided we wanted Chick Filet ice-dream, “yum”. We got on the interstate and took a
right, what I thought was the exit.
Soon we realized there was no Chick Filet around. Anna looked it up on her phone and the
little blue dot was telling us where to go, only it said go left, we did and it
was the wrong direction. So we
turned around and headed back the other way. Finally after going through a few lights and a few streets
we found the Chick Filet that was on the first road that we are on in the
beginning. I was laughing, Anna
didn’t think it was too funny.
Have you even been lost? You even thought you had the directions, but the directions
led you to the wrong place? There
are many people that are searching for God, but have the wrong directions. They think they have the right ones,
but they make a few wrong turns and find out quickly that those directions got
them to a dead-end. God gives us
the way, he give us the right road map.
We don’t need to search for directions or ignore His directions. The truth is there is only one
direction to God. The one way to
God is through His son Jesus. God
will lie out the path in front of you.
He will map out the way with the correct twists and turns. Even if at times you make the wrong
turn he will guide you back to where you need to be, if you will let Him. If you follow His route for you, then
you will experience a life of joy and peace.
Turn on God’s GPS system it will never lead you astray. It will keep you on the path to Him; He
will lead you to the way.
God has the correct directions!
Dear God thank you for giving us directions. We realize that many times we take some
detours, but with Your help we end up on the right track. Assist us in following Your GPS during
2012 so we are led to our worthwhile destination.
John 14:6 (AMP)
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the Truth and the Life;
no one comes to the father except by (through) me.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 13TH IS DISCONNECTED!
My word for June 13th is DISCONNECTED
Yesterday the weather blew up a windy rainstorm. The wind was outrageous. My lawn chairs were blown all over the
yard and the trampoline flew into our house. Of course we stood by the windows watching everything fly
around. That wasn’t very
smart. About 10 minutes into the
storm there was a loud crackle of thunder and out went the lights. We sat an hour in darkness, no TV, no
computer, the only thing you could hear besides the rain were our voices. Finally the lights came back on, back
to the world again. Even though
the electricity had been restored our cable and Internet had not. In the technology savvy world of
today many can’t live without computers or televisions. You seem disconnected from the world. I myself had a difficult time with no Internet
connection. I put myself on a
deadline for my posts and if I am late it bothers me, however I can say that
today it is soothing to only hear the wind chimes outside my window.
It is very aggravating when we lose power, when we are disconnected,
when we are unplugged from the world.
One thing we can be certain is this, God in never unplugged. He never loses power and He is never
disconnected from us. We are always connected to him. Through weather storms or life storms
He is never absent. We may feel
that He has flipped the switch and turned off our connection, but it is during
these times that we are learning a lesson. God may decide that He needs to blow a fuse to get us to
regain His power again. If the
power of God goes out it isn’t Him that has disconnected from us, we have made
the choice to disconnect from Him.
Do yourself a favor and stay connected to God. Keep plugged in to His outlet, replace
your fuse if it blows. The power
of God will always stay plugged in lighting the way for us to follow. We don’t have to worry about Him ever
disconnecting from us.
Dear Lord we know that at times we are disconnected from You,
but we want to thank you for always staying plugged in. We need you in good times and during
our storms of life. Assist us in
replacing our fuse if we blow it.
Thank you for restoring us with your love, mercy, and grace. During 2012 we will keep our connection
with You alive.
1 Peter 5:7
New
International Version (NIV)
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 11 IS CLOSED!
MY WORD FOR JUNE 11TH IS CLOSED
As I have said many times, “Joel Osteen always says what I
need to hear”. To continue on my
word CONFUSED and DOORS Joel did just that. His message today was directed towards the closed doors that
we face. One of my dear friends
has been in the middle of a swinging door the past few months. She had to decide what to do with her business. She felt the Lord had placed her where
she was and her recent place of business was the perfect space for her. Her area was a stress free environment,
or so she thought. One thing led
to another and that calm environment shifted to something that was full of dissention. Visiting with her one day I said,
“There is something better for you out there and the Lord will lead you to
it”. Indeed He did. She has now established her own business
by herself. Her place of work is
calming, stress free and peaceful.
It is a place where people can go to relax and escape from the hustle
and bustle of the world. Not only
can they go there to relax they can go to have their own personal pep-rally. The door closed on her, it just didn’t
close, that door was locked and the lock was changed. She can never reenter that place of business again. Lucky her, the Lord has removed her
from a dark place and let her live in the light. What a blessing.
My friend had a choice to make, live in the darkness or
accept the closed door and move on.
She made the best choice to move on. When we run into a closed door we shouldn’t get
discouraged. We can’t see what is
on the other side of the door, but God can. He can see the whole picture. He can see, long before we do, what is on the other side of
the closed door. On the other side
is definitely something that isn’t good for us. It isn’t anything that will lead us down a positive
path. It may include people that
aren’t in the same place we are. It may be an idea that isn’t ready to be
exposed. When the door is closed
God has something better in store for us, he has the right ideas and the right
people in line to help us. God is
directing your steps, be confident when the door closes, God is waiting around
the corner with an open one.
Closed doors are no accident. God knows what he is doing. We must trust God, be content with His
closed doors. Thank God for closed
doors that are locked. These
closed doors are just as important as the open doors. God isn’t hindering you He is helping you. The closed doors are the
stepping-stones to the wonderful life God has planned for you.
Joel Osteen used (Proverbs 20:24 “A mans steps are directed
by the LORD. How then can anyone
understand his own way?”) To explain his closed doors analogy. Quit trying to figure things out. God see’s things that we can’t
see. When his whole plan unfolds
you will see what he has behind the door for you. Part of trusting God is saying you don’t understand. Move forward in faith, believing in
closed doors just as much as we believe in open ones.
Dear Lord thank you for testing us with closed doors. We understand that You know what lies on
the other side. It isn’t up to us
to figure out, You already have everything lined out for us. We trust You to open the doors that
need to open and close the ones that need to be closed. Help us to never give up on our
dreams. We put everything in Your
hands letting You give us the key to doors that we can open during 2012.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 10 IS CONFUSED!
My word for June 10th is CONFUSED
I struggled today with what to write. Words usually jump
into my head and out onto the page, but today the word wasn’t there. I began to think about yesterday and it
hit me, yesterday I had a meltdown!
I was driving through the car wash and just broke down in tears. I have no idea where it came from, but
the flood was flowing down my face. I have many things going on right now and I
think I am just confused.
Have you ever been confused? Confused to the point where everything you do you
question? You ask, “ what are you
really suppose to be doing?” Then
after I question I will second-guess myself. “Maybe the Lord doesn’t want me to get involved in this
situation? Am I doing the right thing?” I have many times begged the Lord to please tell me
what I am to do, just give me a sign.
If the Lord would just give me that peace sign I would be glad to follow
through with whatever it is I am to do.
As I was trying to figure out what to do with this piece, I
prayed, “Lord lead me to the words.”
As I prayed I opened my Joyce Meyer Bible and turned to page 1690. On the top in bold letters were the
words, “believe and achieve”. The
first two sentences read, “So many times I have said to the Lord, “Father, what
do You want me to do? If You will
just show me what to do, I will gladly do it.” Here it was right on the page of my favorite Bible where the
Lord has led me. That always
happens and the answer to the question of confusion is this, all you have to do
is believe!
To achieve and do what the Lord wants us to do we must first
believe. We have to get rid of the
doubt that runs through our heads.
If we believe it frees us from worrying and reasoning. God has work for us to do, but faith
must come first and then our work will follow. The people in John 6:28 wanted to know what God wanted them
to do, how could they please God.
In John 6:29 God gave them an answer. “This is the work (service) that God asks of you that you
believe in the One Whom He has sent…”
When we are confused and we question what we are to do,
remember we are believers first.
If we believe then we will achieve.
Dear Lord help us not to be confused. We know that apart from You we can do
nothing. Assist us in remembering
that achieving comes from believing.
With faith in You and Your Son, the Holy Spirit will live within us
allowing us to do many good works. During our journey of 2012 never let us forget
how much You love us.
Friday, June 8, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 9 IS RELATIONSHIP!
My word for June 9th is RELATIONSHIP
While walking on this earth we will encounter many different
relationships. Work relationships,
friend relationships, Internet relationships, family relationships, romantic relationships
and many more relationships. These
relationships have an attachment, a bond to them. They each carry their own characteristics, their own
attributes that attract one person to another. These relationships
connect and bind us together. Some
are good and some are bad. Many
may start out being something wonderful and end horrendous. Do you have a choice whether you
continue in a relationship? Of
course you do. If the relationship
isn’t healthy or if it brings you sadness walk away from it. No I take that back, don’t walk,
RUN!
There is only one relationship that is required, the
relationship that is critical for us to make the most of our lives. This relationship is the one
thing that will bring us joy; it will enable the Holy Spirit to live within us. This relationship is the one that we
have with God. This relationship
begins when we realize that we need Him for our survival. When we have this bond we know that God
must be included in our daily lives.
We should pray to Him, read His word, and spend time with Him. When we have a relationship with God He
allows us to have the fruit of the Holy Spirit living within us. From this we will have love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control.
God is very interested in having a personal relationship
with each of us. He wants us to
know Him. It isn’t a choice for Him; it is
our choice. There is no secret to
develop this divine relationship. When
we put God in our hearts the Holy Spirit begins working within us. Just as in any relationship, it must
take root, sprout and grow. You
may not see the results immediately but over time the relationship with God
will blossom.
God wants us to know him. The Bible says God
is at work in everyone’s life. “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope
that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one
of us.”
Dear Lord help us to kindle the perfect relationship with You. Bring us closer to You through praying
to You and reading Your word. In a
world where many relationships don’t last, we know that our relationship with
You will last a life time. Thank
You for never giving up on us no matter what relationships we fall victim to. During 2012 help us strengthen the
relationship that will do nothing but help us to be full of the Fruit of the Spirit.
Great continued reading, http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/relationship.shtml,
How Do You Have A Relationship With God?
Thursday, June 7, 2012
MY WORD FOR JUNE 8 IS MERCY!
My word for June 8th is MERCY
Fathers Day is nine days away and many children are racking
their brains to decide what to do for their dad. Others are going to spend the day going back through fond
memories of their fathers. As I
reflect about my dad there are several things I think of such as, bomber pilot
in WWII, witty, and intelligent. One thing that my father blessed me with was the fact
that he was an alcoholic. I know
you are questioning right now in your mind, blessed, ok and how is that? Keep reading and you will figure it
out. From the earliest time I can
remember, Daddy would come home from work, take off his suit, mix a drink, and
sit in his recliner. By the time
the evening was over he was what I called snockered. However, after I had left home to go to college, my dad
decided to quit drinking. I
remember going to visit him in rehab and what a difficult time it was for
him. Even though difficult, my dad
did it, joined AA, and never drank again.
I only had my dad for ten years after that, but it was during those
years that my dad and I grew closer.
When he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and we knew he only had a
few months to live I wrote him a letter.
In my letter there was one thing I wanted my dad to know before
he died. That one thing was that
his alcoholism, even though difficult for a child to live with, gave me a gift. Living in that situation is what gave
me the gift of empathy and also the ability to have mercy for others. Our home
situation defines us, makes us who we are. We have the choice to use these experiences to benefit us or
destroy us. One day while teaching
some of my students were discussing their homes. My students looked at me in a way that said, “What do you
know about living in a dysfunctional home.” When you see me you would never think that I had lived in anything
but the perfect home. I decided
then that I needed to explain to them my childhood. After the conversation, their bottom jaw was on the
floor. I remember one of my guys
saying, “but you don’t look like someone who has been through that.” It was in that moment that my
relationship changed with my students.
I became real to them. They
were filled with compassion and kindness.
My dad’s alcoholism had blessed me.
In the Webster’s dictionary mercy is defined as,
“that benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to
overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves, the
disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive
trespasses and injuries and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or
justice will warrant. The word
mercy is translated thirty-nine times in the bible. In thirty-one of these it is used meaning, the kindness of
man toward man, the remaining eight it is used as the kindness of God towards
man. God is full of mercy. He is moved by compassion. God’s compassion flows to the lowest situation,
your greatest need, your greatest weakness, and your greatest failure. We should all have hearts that are
exploding with kindness and forgiveness, mercy. We have to look at every situation and see what we can learn
from it, not how it can damage us.
God will give you grace and strength. He will help you to be strong and overcome your
weaknesses. He will
enable you to be filled with mercy, for those that you feel you could never
show kindness towards.
There are two scriptures that show reference
to mercy that I am drawn too. One
is Psalms 103:8
~The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in
love. The other is Deuteronomy 4:31 ~ For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will
not abandon or destroy you. We
shouldn’t abandon people. Be
filled with mercy showing kindness and compassion towards those that have cut
you deeply or as I should say blessed your life through adversity giving you a
lesson in which you can turn into a blessing.
Dear Lord show mercy upon us. We want to be more like you showing
compassion and kindness towards those that have hurt our hearts. Guide us so that are hearts are
softened. We all know that times
in our lives we deserve punishment, but instead you give us mercy. During 2012 help us see that many times
in life the experiences that are difficult teach us the best life lessons.
http://www.whatthebibleteaches.com/wbt_110.htm
What the Bible Teaches, Chapter 110, THE MERCY, OR LOVING KINDNESS, OF GOD
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