When most people are asked what their favorite holiday is Thanksgiving is usually not the at the top. For me it is and always has been. I love Thanksgiving!
Thinking back a few years or more the reasons I remember loving it was for the time with family and the food and the memories I think I loved about it. As I have gotten older there are much more precious things that my heart takes notice of.
There is just something about giving thanks for all our wonderful blessings that fill my heart with joy and love. I try and be thankful each day of the year, but when everyone around you in this world is giving thanks in abundance at once this time of year there is no denying the love of Christ that draws near to us all.
As I see people post things on the Internet about what they are thankful for each day it reminds me that I too would like to show where I give thanks. I thought about doing something daily but to me that doesn't just seem like enough. This week at Sunday School I really found so much speaking to me that I want to just ponder on it more and felt led to share it. I love God's word for this. It is always renewing and refreshing my soul...just when I need it most.
In the Bible you have probably heard it said in James 4:8 "Draw near to God and God will draw near to you." (which is by the way one of my new favorite passages) but did you know that in John 15:4 Jesus says to His disciples, "Remain in me as I also remain in you?" I'm sure I've read it before but never heard it to the point where it is really being written on my heart. Paralleling these two phrases together shows that Father God draws us near and Jesus is what keeps us there. He never leaves. We are a dwelling where God lives by His Spirit! (Ephesians 2:22)
Sometimes I catch myself reading backwards. At John 15:3 Jesus tells His disciples that they are already clean because of the word he has spoken to them. Isn't it awesome that God's words cleanse us? There was a point and time in my walk that I was surrounded by Christians that were reciting Bible verses in response to some of my questions. I never understood how they remembered them until now that I have had my own experiences in God teaching me through His word.
As a growing Christian I am so thankful for God's word. It is one of the many keys to a growing relationship with Jesus and speaks truth and love.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Cleaning Day
Before I began my house cleaning today I opened the windows to let the fresh air and morning light in. As I started I became overwhelmed to see how much dirt was lurking in my house! Oh I knew it was there but not until seeing it I didn't realize how bad it was. It then occurred to me that without the fresh sunlight shining in through the windows I never wanted to really do anything about it. Out of sight out of mind have you but nonetheless still there.
My house is naturally dark, there are a lot of windows but there is also a lot of shade so not a lot of light shines through except in the mornings and I am rarely up as early on the weekends as I was today.
Later on as I was mopping I was reminded that in my own life I have a lot of dirt hiding in corners of my heart as well as in my thinking and my actions. I know these things are there but without Christ's light I do not see them enough to want to do anything about them. Deep strongholds have created so much dust and dirt over the years I am in need of cleansing so that I may be a better representative of Christ's love. I am so grateful to have the light shine in my darkness so that I may see and ask for the Lord's helping hand in cleansing my heart.
Did you know that the word heart is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible? It is a pretty important part of our lives that don't you think we should keep them cleaned? I know for me it is pretty important.
Psalm 51:10 KJV
My house is naturally dark, there are a lot of windows but there is also a lot of shade so not a lot of light shines through except in the mornings and I am rarely up as early on the weekends as I was today.
Later on as I was mopping I was reminded that in my own life I have a lot of dirt hiding in corners of my heart as well as in my thinking and my actions. I know these things are there but without Christ's light I do not see them enough to want to do anything about them. Deep strongholds have created so much dust and dirt over the years I am in need of cleansing so that I may be a better representative of Christ's love. I am so grateful to have the light shine in my darkness so that I may see and ask for the Lord's helping hand in cleansing my heart.
Did you know that the word heart is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible? It is a pretty important part of our lives that don't you think we should keep them cleaned? I know for me it is pretty important.
Psalm 51:10 KJV
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Friday, August 16, 2013
Come to Me
I can still hear Him say,
"Come to Me."
Even though it was 3 years ago, I can still remember where I was, what I was thinking (which occurred to me later that I wasn't thinking, but was praying) and how His voice echoed in my heart as it still does to this day when he spoke those three words to me. So I asked Him, "How?"
I did not get my answer right away but from time to time I would ask Jesus, "I know you say to 'Come to Me', but how? How do I come to you?" And the thought of prayer occurred to me and I didn't do much other than acknowledge to myself that yes, prayer was how. After all, what else was there? And I left it at that and didn't seem to continue to pursue it any longer until I had struggles of course.
You see my whole prayer life has been only when I struggled, I didn't know how to pray at any other time other than when I was at my wit's end. So naturally this is why His timing seems so slow. It is because I have been slow in understanding His encompassing love and how to relate and converse with him in all things.
After this when praying I heard him speak, "I will show you," and "I will teach you." These words would burn deep in my heart and echo back to me when I had struggles, but yet I didn't even ask "How? How will you teach me and how will you show me?" any longer. I simply knew He would knowing all the answers were there in the Bible and seemed to be content with leaving it at that.
Then one night I was dreaming a vision of me in the front room of our house, and there sitting was a Bible wide open and the only words I could see plain as day in all capital letters were, "YOU WILL SEE" - and at the moment I read these words it was His voice speaking to me just as loud as if I were awake. No sooner than I read this, I quickly woke up and new God was confirming to me. But being in the flesh I thought, "Okay, someday I guess," and then the next day didn't think much of it since I didn't see any results and didn't take it too seriously.
Again another "my timing not His" and now hindsight is 20/20. God has His way of leading us to places we don't understand about until later....at least not for me. Is it just me that always seems to "get it" after the fact? So that brings me to where I am now in my walk...
We have been attending a new church for the last year and prayer and praying in the Spirit are something God wanted to show me through a Spirit filled church. I had no idea prayer could be so fulfilling on a daily basis. Most of all my other prayers in my life I didn't know how to tune in spiritually so as to hear and be comforted so quickly by the Spirit - let alone finding that others' prayers hit spot on without my telling them of things I needed prayer about. The true work of the Spirit is stronger than I ever have known and while it is something I am not used to, I am however very excited about growing it!
My prayer language has never really been developed. Its only been since January since I've been baptized by the Holy Spirit and even since then time spent with God praying in the Spirit is one that I knew was important but I didn't really make time for - I was listening to so many lies that praying was selfish.
I always knew the way to "come to Him" was through prayer but I never seemed to understand much more than that. Now I am learning in a much deeper way how to walk with Him by being able to "come to Him" - and now I must continue to learn so that I may follow him as he says to me today, "Come to Me before you do anything."
He promised he would show me, and to teach to me, and while it isn't in the time I'd like it to be, it is something precious to know that He always keeps His word. I have not arrived at perfection by any means, but I can come to Him in a much deeper relationship than I had before - through Spirit, Son, and Father.
"Come to Me."
Even though it was 3 years ago, I can still remember where I was, what I was thinking (which occurred to me later that I wasn't thinking, but was praying) and how His voice echoed in my heart as it still does to this day when he spoke those three words to me. So I asked Him, "How?"
I did not get my answer right away but from time to time I would ask Jesus, "I know you say to 'Come to Me', but how? How do I come to you?" And the thought of prayer occurred to me and I didn't do much other than acknowledge to myself that yes, prayer was how. After all, what else was there? And I left it at that and didn't seem to continue to pursue it any longer until I had struggles of course.
You see my whole prayer life has been only when I struggled, I didn't know how to pray at any other time other than when I was at my wit's end. So naturally this is why His timing seems so slow. It is because I have been slow in understanding His encompassing love and how to relate and converse with him in all things.
After this when praying I heard him speak, "I will show you," and "I will teach you." These words would burn deep in my heart and echo back to me when I had struggles, but yet I didn't even ask "How? How will you teach me and how will you show me?" any longer. I simply knew He would knowing all the answers were there in the Bible and seemed to be content with leaving it at that.
Then one night I was dreaming a vision of me in the front room of our house, and there sitting was a Bible wide open and the only words I could see plain as day in all capital letters were, "YOU WILL SEE" - and at the moment I read these words it was His voice speaking to me just as loud as if I were awake. No sooner than I read this, I quickly woke up and new God was confirming to me. But being in the flesh I thought, "Okay, someday I guess," and then the next day didn't think much of it since I didn't see any results and didn't take it too seriously.
Again another "my timing not His" and now hindsight is 20/20. God has His way of leading us to places we don't understand about until later....at least not for me. Is it just me that always seems to "get it" after the fact? So that brings me to where I am now in my walk...
We have been attending a new church for the last year and prayer and praying in the Spirit are something God wanted to show me through a Spirit filled church. I had no idea prayer could be so fulfilling on a daily basis. Most of all my other prayers in my life I didn't know how to tune in spiritually so as to hear and be comforted so quickly by the Spirit - let alone finding that others' prayers hit spot on without my telling them of things I needed prayer about. The true work of the Spirit is stronger than I ever have known and while it is something I am not used to, I am however very excited about growing it!
My prayer language has never really been developed. Its only been since January since I've been baptized by the Holy Spirit and even since then time spent with God praying in the Spirit is one that I knew was important but I didn't really make time for - I was listening to so many lies that praying was selfish.
I always knew the way to "come to Him" was through prayer but I never seemed to understand much more than that. Now I am learning in a much deeper way how to walk with Him by being able to "come to Him" - and now I must continue to learn so that I may follow him as he says to me today, "Come to Me before you do anything."
He promised he would show me, and to teach to me, and while it isn't in the time I'd like it to be, it is something precious to know that He always keeps His word. I have not arrived at perfection by any means, but I can come to Him in a much deeper relationship than I had before - through Spirit, Son, and Father.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Thinking too much
This year we had a series of sermons of why we are here on the Earth.
Pharisees asked Jesus what one of the commandments are the greatest?
To love the lord your God with all your Might, Mind, Strength and Heart - he replied.
I can relate to the sermon that focused on our mind.
Since I am a big thinker and have always been told I think too much I of course really responded to this with what else but a lot of thinking.
I don't think thinking too much is problematic - it is very productive in fact. It causes a person to seek answers to questions they have. To ponder on things at all perspectives. And more so to develop a response to something that someone might not otherwise acknowledge.
To think is great, but what you do with your thinking is even more important.
If I don't put my thoughts on paper they seem to live in my head and have no fruit. What good is that? However I also tend to write my thoughts more so than I do to speak them. Someday I'd like to have both intellect and dialect occurring at the same time.
For now my blog will be full of many thoughts and I pray they will be fruitful and read some day if not today.
Pharisees asked Jesus what one of the commandments are the greatest?
To love the lord your God with all your Might, Mind, Strength and Heart - he replied.
I can relate to the sermon that focused on our mind.
Since I am a big thinker and have always been told I think too much I of course really responded to this with what else but a lot of thinking.
I don't think thinking too much is problematic - it is very productive in fact. It causes a person to seek answers to questions they have. To ponder on things at all perspectives. And more so to develop a response to something that someone might not otherwise acknowledge.
To think is great, but what you do with your thinking is even more important.
If I don't put my thoughts on paper they seem to live in my head and have no fruit. What good is that? However I also tend to write my thoughts more so than I do to speak them. Someday I'd like to have both intellect and dialect occurring at the same time.
For now my blog will be full of many thoughts and I pray they will be fruitful and read some day if not today.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Riding a Bike
I read something the other day in a book by Cherie Hill...that our walk with God is like learning to ride a bike.
"It’s like a parent teaching their child to ride a bike. In the beginning, they walk or run beside them; holding on to them, talking them through the process, and preventing them from falling. They’re working to build their confidence. But, at some point, the parent lets go. It’s not that the parent doesn’t care or isn’t there, it’s that they know they’ve shown their child how it’s done; in their wisdom, they know it’s time for the child to practice what they’ve been taught. So, God’s silence, at times, is preparing us for the road ahead. He’s building our commitment and perseverance. And through the test, those things that we’re trusting more than Him will be revealed. He knows that if we’re going to journey with Him, we’re in for the ride of our life, and we will need to have the faith that “doesn’t believe without proof, but trusts without reservation” (D. Elton Trueblood)."
Hill, Cherie (2012-08-17). WAITING on GOD (p. 18). . Kindle Edition.
I really liked this analogy. I remember how scared I was when learning to ride my bike, in fact I even put it off for quite some time. Even today I get scared off and on, but I know if I fall the best thing to do is to get right back on.
"It’s like a parent teaching their child to ride a bike. In the beginning, they walk or run beside them; holding on to them, talking them through the process, and preventing them from falling. They’re working to build their confidence. But, at some point, the parent lets go. It’s not that the parent doesn’t care or isn’t there, it’s that they know they’ve shown their child how it’s done; in their wisdom, they know it’s time for the child to practice what they’ve been taught. So, God’s silence, at times, is preparing us for the road ahead. He’s building our commitment and perseverance. And through the test, those things that we’re trusting more than Him will be revealed. He knows that if we’re going to journey with Him, we’re in for the ride of our life, and we will need to have the faith that “doesn’t believe without proof, but trusts without reservation” (D. Elton Trueblood)."
Hill, Cherie (2012-08-17). WAITING on GOD (p. 18). . Kindle Edition.
I really liked this analogy. I remember how scared I was when learning to ride my bike, in fact I even put it off for quite some time. Even today I get scared off and on, but I know if I fall the best thing to do is to get right back on.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
In his eyes...
The day started like any other day...being that it was Friday and the end of another work week there is always something to smile about. The weather here was still cold and wintry but since everywhere else on the map outside of Wisconsin was going through the same thing I didn't feel so bad.
As the day approached I had made plans to hit up the grocery store after getting home from work. Savannah and daddy had a father daughter dance to attend so I thought I'd make good use of the time and get some shopping done to eliminate one of many chores for the weekend. I also found it exciting to have a couple hours to myself uninterrupted and because of this I tried to think of something to do for just me.
Since I have recently been redoing the theme in my kitchen my mind has been preoccupied non-stop to look at every store I shop at to see if I could find any hidden treasures to add to my collection. It occurred to me that since we've moved out here I have not once shopped at a Goodwill. "What a great idea," I thought and in that same moment I remembered that I also needed to drop off a bag I had in the back of the car for a while of old clothes and some wall hangings. How cool was that I could take care of another chore and hadn't even planned to.
And there he was. On the corner of Main and Pecan street across from the Goodwill. I saw him standing there with his cardboard sign that said, "Homeless. Anything helps." He was an older man from what I could see. He looked cold and like he'd been there a while. I turned the corner and tried to catch sight of him in the rear view mirror to make sure I really saw him and didn't just imagine it. Most folks I see on the side of the road like this I don't look twice at but this one was different.
I parked my car in the Goodwill drop off area, handed the gentleman my bag and stood outside the car to wait for my receipt. The relentless wind had become flurries of snowfall and as I waited I began to feel worried and kept peering over to that intersection to see if the man was still there or if he left because of the weather.
I went inside found some wall hangings that I fell in love with and hurried out the door. As I drove across the street where I was planning on shopping I glanced over at him again and I knew I needed to do something, but what? I didn't have any cash, I found out while making my purchase at Goodwill that I had left my debit card at home by mistake...so what could I do? Then it hit me..if I was hungry then he must have been hungrier. I stopped to get myself something to eat using my spare credit card but added an extra meal onto the ticket. I remember trying to decide what to get him, what would he be hungry for? Then it donned on me that unlike me, he doesn't have the privilege to make choices like I do for what I want and don't want to eat.
I tried to tell myself that I would wait to give him the food after I did my grocery shopping, if he was still there when I drove back past the intersection. If he wasn't I was sure my son would eat the food later that night. Then I felt a silence come over me. No, I thought. I need to take this to him now. No being scared like the last time. I can do all things through Christ.
I quickly ordered and anticipated getting back to that corner of the intersection, planned where I would park to make sure I was out of the way of traffic. I prayed to the Lord to help me the whole time and wasn't sure what I was going to say but yet I didn't feel at lack either.
I parked the car, checked traffic, grabbed the food and quickly walked up to him. He saw me coming but he didn't look to see what I had, he just looked me straight in the eyes. As I approached him I noticed his face was red, his skin was weathered, he had shoulder length white hair, and he was wearing a long winter coat that wasn't buttoned up. I got closer and as I did I will never forget how sad his pale blue eyes looked as they reflected off of mine. He took off his gloves, took the bag of food and I remember saying, "It's cold out here, you should have some dinner. God bless you," and he returned a genuine "God bless you" to me and finished with a "Thank you."
I quickly walked to my car in the wind and noticed the driver of the car passing me by turned to look back at me. I drove back into traffic and was so flourished in the Spirit that I almost ran a stop sign. After I made it to the grocery store I ate my own dinner in the parking lot and thanked God. I felt as if people were staring at me knowing what I did, but I didn't care, it wasn't between them and me it was between me, Jesus, and the homeless man.
As I drove home from grocery shopping that night the sun was setting and I remember feeling bummed out because I had spent more than anticipated. Just as quickly as I thought this I passed that intersection and the homeless man was gone. In that same instant I felt so awful for feeling sorry for myself about what I just spent when he was probably trying to find somewhere to sleep for the night. I started weeping and couldn't stop - not even after I got home.
My heart broke that night and Jesus walked with me right through it all teaching me His way. I will never be the same because of it.
As the day approached I had made plans to hit up the grocery store after getting home from work. Savannah and daddy had a father daughter dance to attend so I thought I'd make good use of the time and get some shopping done to eliminate one of many chores for the weekend. I also found it exciting to have a couple hours to myself uninterrupted and because of this I tried to think of something to do for just me.
Since I have recently been redoing the theme in my kitchen my mind has been preoccupied non-stop to look at every store I shop at to see if I could find any hidden treasures to add to my collection. It occurred to me that since we've moved out here I have not once shopped at a Goodwill. "What a great idea," I thought and in that same moment I remembered that I also needed to drop off a bag I had in the back of the car for a while of old clothes and some wall hangings. How cool was that I could take care of another chore and hadn't even planned to.
And there he was. On the corner of Main and Pecan street across from the Goodwill. I saw him standing there with his cardboard sign that said, "Homeless. Anything helps." He was an older man from what I could see. He looked cold and like he'd been there a while. I turned the corner and tried to catch sight of him in the rear view mirror to make sure I really saw him and didn't just imagine it. Most folks I see on the side of the road like this I don't look twice at but this one was different.
I parked my car in the Goodwill drop off area, handed the gentleman my bag and stood outside the car to wait for my receipt. The relentless wind had become flurries of snowfall and as I waited I began to feel worried and kept peering over to that intersection to see if the man was still there or if he left because of the weather.
I went inside found some wall hangings that I fell in love with and hurried out the door. As I drove across the street where I was planning on shopping I glanced over at him again and I knew I needed to do something, but what? I didn't have any cash, I found out while making my purchase at Goodwill that I had left my debit card at home by mistake...so what could I do? Then it hit me..if I was hungry then he must have been hungrier. I stopped to get myself something to eat using my spare credit card but added an extra meal onto the ticket. I remember trying to decide what to get him, what would he be hungry for? Then it donned on me that unlike me, he doesn't have the privilege to make choices like I do for what I want and don't want to eat.
I tried to tell myself that I would wait to give him the food after I did my grocery shopping, if he was still there when I drove back past the intersection. If he wasn't I was sure my son would eat the food later that night. Then I felt a silence come over me. No, I thought. I need to take this to him now. No being scared like the last time. I can do all things through Christ.
I quickly ordered and anticipated getting back to that corner of the intersection, planned where I would park to make sure I was out of the way of traffic. I prayed to the Lord to help me the whole time and wasn't sure what I was going to say but yet I didn't feel at lack either.
I parked the car, checked traffic, grabbed the food and quickly walked up to him. He saw me coming but he didn't look to see what I had, he just looked me straight in the eyes. As I approached him I noticed his face was red, his skin was weathered, he had shoulder length white hair, and he was wearing a long winter coat that wasn't buttoned up. I got closer and as I did I will never forget how sad his pale blue eyes looked as they reflected off of mine. He took off his gloves, took the bag of food and I remember saying, "It's cold out here, you should have some dinner. God bless you," and he returned a genuine "God bless you" to me and finished with a "Thank you."
I quickly walked to my car in the wind and noticed the driver of the car passing me by turned to look back at me. I drove back into traffic and was so flourished in the Spirit that I almost ran a stop sign. After I made it to the grocery store I ate my own dinner in the parking lot and thanked God. I felt as if people were staring at me knowing what I did, but I didn't care, it wasn't between them and me it was between me, Jesus, and the homeless man.
As I drove home from grocery shopping that night the sun was setting and I remember feeling bummed out because I had spent more than anticipated. Just as quickly as I thought this I passed that intersection and the homeless man was gone. In that same instant I felt so awful for feeling sorry for myself about what I just spent when he was probably trying to find somewhere to sleep for the night. I started weeping and couldn't stop - not even after I got home.
My heart broke that night and Jesus walked with me right through it all teaching me His way. I will never be the same because of it.
Friday, January 18, 2013
God Jealous?
Being what I consider a new Christian I have pondered God being a jealous God. I thought about it and couldn't understand how He could be jealous? Isn't He perfect? Aren't we taught to not be jealous? It was one thing I hadn't ever understood in the past 4 1/2 years in my relationship with the Lord. Until now.
So long ago I let it go but when it came up again the other day in conversation I found it interestingly enough a few days later the subject came up in church in a lesson. And WHAM. It hit me. I love how the Word of God does that! It just slaps me in the face and I know exactly what the truth is. No more disillusionment. This is evidence of the Holy Spirit that is at work in my life. He knows when I am pondering questions and seeking the truth and gives it to me just at the right time. Understanding the Word is a great gift of the Spirit and only by believing and accepting Christ does it come.
The Merriam Webster dictionary explains the word "Jealous" with the following definitions:
So long ago I let it go but when it came up again the other day in conversation I found it interestingly enough a few days later the subject came up in church in a lesson. And WHAM. It hit me. I love how the Word of God does that! It just slaps me in the face and I know exactly what the truth is. No more disillusionment. This is evidence of the Holy Spirit that is at work in my life. He knows when I am pondering questions and seeking the truth and gives it to me just at the right time. Understanding the Word is a great gift of the Spirit and only by believing and accepting Christ does it come.
The Merriam Webster dictionary explains the word "Jealous" with the following definitions:
1a: intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness
b: disposed to suspect rivalry or unfaithfulness
2: hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage
3: vigilant in guarding a possession
God has every right to be jealous when we are unfaithful to Him - He created us and wants to keep us as His children. Interesting how now something that was thought to be so bad is now a precious gift? That you and I are possessions of God.
Think of a time you felt jealous. It is a strong feeling and it is because you deeply care about someone and the thought of losing them hurts so much inside it can stir a bit of anger. Isn't that awesome that he loves us so much to feel this way about us when we choose to follow a path away from him? To know that He hurts and has a desire for us speaks strongly to my heart.
I don't know about you but it makes me want to be all the more close to Him.
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