Poem I like

I haven't been inspired to write much lately.  However, I came across this poem today and just wanted to share it.  The devil has done a pretty good job of beating me up about that, as well as making me feel like no one wants to read what I write about anyway, and I have considered deleting my whole blog.  Then the voice of truth creeps in... it's louder and stronger and it won't leave me alone.  That's when I know it's the voice of God.  I think if I could take more time to just clear my head and truly listen to the things that the Lord wants to teach me then I would not find myself in such depression at times.  I am such a work in progress.  I am so thankful that God never lets go of my hand no matter how far away I may run from Him.

Testing Times "I asked the Lord for a bunch of fresh flowers but instead he gave me an ugly cactus with many thorns. I asked the Lord for some beautiful butterflies but instead he gave me many ugly and dreadful worms. I was threatened, I was disappointed, I mourned. But after many days, suddenly, I saw the cactus bloom with many beautiful flowers, and those worms became beautiful butterflies flying in the spring wind. God's way is the best way." Chun-Ming Kao, Written from prison Have you ever felt like this?  Sometimes I feel like I always get the short end of the stick.  Sometimes I feel like everyone around me is blessed with many things that I "want" and I struggle with feelings of jealousy and depression.  Lord, help me to remember that your way truly is the BEST way.

What's Beautiful?!?!

I've struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence for as long as I can remember.  I have patches in my life that are better than others, but it's definitely a struggle! 

This song is amazing and speaks to my SOUL!!!  Click the link to hear the song, I promise it's not a virus.  :)

http://youtu.be/6b71zuACxJg

Being Me

I used to watch the Dr. Phil show a lot when I was a stay at home mom.  Although this was some time ago, I still remember something he used to always say to the guests on his show.  He said, "You tell people how to treat you".  Those words have stayed with me and tend to surface in my mind whenever I feel I've been treated unfairly, rude, judgemental, or just downright mean.  Yet, after all this time of hearing those words over and over in my mind, I still can't figure out what exactly he means, or better yet, what exactly to do about it.  You see, the problem is that I believe in being myself, and being the person God commands me to be.  It is a struggle in a world filled with people wo do not care about what God commands us to be.  I struggle at times to maintain the values that I hold to be true and struggle with saying or doing things that are not of my character because I want to fit in with "the world".  I want to be accepted, to be loved; I want to be sweet and kind and FUN, and yet...I want to be ME. 

The Me I want to be is patient, is kind.
The Me I want to be does not envy, does not boast, is not proud.
The Me I want to be does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered,
The Me I want to be keeps no record of wrongs.
The Me I want to be does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
The Me I want to be always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Lord, please help me to always be the ME I so desperately want to be!!

It Matters to God

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." ~Psalm 56:8 

Jesus taught us to pray as follows: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread . . ." (Matthew 6:9–11).

In this template for all prayer, Jesus is effectively saying, "When you pray, always acknowledge the greatness of God. Pray for the will of God, and pray for the provision of God."

So when we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," we are, in effect, acknowledging that everything we have comes from God!

This is what we need to remember: God can take care of our needs. Do you believe that God can take care of you, even when the odds are against it? Maybe you work very hard. Maybe you save your money and invest wisely and have done well for yourself. And you say, "Well, I know it has come from God, but I played a part in it." No, it all came from God. The ability to think clearly came from God. The beat of your heart came from God. The blood coursing through your veins came from God. Everything you have is from the Lord, including the clothes you are wearing, the car you drive, the home you live in, and the spiritual gifts and talents you have. They are all from the Lord.

So when we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," we are acknowledging that everything we have has come from God. And we are also saying that everything we need in the future still will come from God.

If it matters to you, it matters to God. If it troubles you, it is a concern to God. So bring it to Him. He is interested in detail.

Learning to Trust

One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from Hebrews. 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
         “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”   (Hebrews 13:5)

Meditating on this verse brings me a sense of great hope.  I use this verse to encourage myself whenever I have concern about whether or not God will come through and meet my needs.  In this passage, the Lord is letting us know that we do not need to have our minds set on money.  We do not need to worry about how we are going to take care of ourselves, because He will take care of those things for us.  He has promised never to fail us or forsake us. 

This verse reminds me to do my part (tithing, sharing, praying and trusting), but not to do God's part.  The load is too heavy to bear!  If we are not careful, we will break under the weight of all the worry and stress.

Opening Doors!!!!!!!!!

My verse for today, "“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."  (Revelation 3:8)

It says in this wonderful verse that God is going open a door that no man can shut. It says that God knows and sees all the things that we do and have done in our life and that He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him. God is faithful. If you keep His word and don’t deny Him by giving Him everything you have, he will reward you openly. Open doors will begin to come before you and supernatural blessings will follow! It’s in His word!

AND... I feel this happening to me!!  Not going to give details JUST YET but I see a door that is "ajar" right now and it's so exciting!  Hopefully I will be able to reveal more of this soon.

Empty Places

Do you have empty places in your heart?  I know I sure do.  There are times that I feel so overwhelmed with hurt and pain, frustration, and thoughts that I'll never be "enough".  There are times when the enemy whispers his lies so strongly that it's hard to tune them out.  The voice of Truth tells a totally different story!  Did you know that God longs to fill our empty places, if we would just seek Him out and ask Him to? 


Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us"


I love how Henry T. Hamblin so beautifully describes the abundance from which God longs to fill our empty places with His fullness:

            "The abundance of God is like a mighty ocean, so vast you cannot possibly exhaust it or cause a shortage for others.  You can go to this inexhaustible ocean with a small cup and bring away only that small cup of bounty and blessing.  Or, if you have faith, you can take a bucket and bring away a bucketful.  It makes no difference to the ocean.  Nor does it matter how often you go...God's abundance is always there."

If you have empty places you are needing filled up today I encourage you to join me in seeking God's abundance, and don't forget to bring a BIG bucket!

The Promise of Spring

As of this Sunday, March 20, 2011, Spring will officially be sprung!  My heart can't help but be filled with joy as spring comes forth each year.  I love saying good-bye to bulky sweaters, winter coats, chapped lips, static electricity, goose bumps, and pale skin.  I love the promises that spring brings!

No other season displays such profound testimony to the beatuy of the Lord!  As I sit here writing, I can hear the beautiful melodies of gentle birds singing their glorious tunes.  The sun is shining brightly, and there is a perfect, crisp, cool breeze.  I can hear the laughter of children outside playing, dogs barking, and lawnmowers mowing.  The smell is enchanting.  As the flowers and trees blossom in earnest, you just can't avoid the sweet smell on the wind of growth.  The grass greens, buds swell, and a few brave bulbs blossom. How bright the colors are, and the fragrances! All of creation is shouting for joy!

May we all enjoy the beautiful weather and find inspiration, relaxation, and fun in Our Father's world this spring.

Answering the call

I never thought I would write a blog.  The thought of putting my thoughts out for the world to see used to seem so tedious and intimidating,  Yet, lately, the Lord has opened my heart and my mind to this area.  I have always been a writer.  It all started around the 2nd and 3rd grade when my teachers would ask me to write stories for them, then they would read them to the class as examples.  This continued up until college, when even my professors would read my papers aloud to the class.  Somehow, though, along my journey, I've allowed that gift to be hidden, deep inside, and essentially wasted.  I've always thought that "someday" I will write a book, and that "someday" my voice will be heard.


Although this isn't a book, this is where the Lord has called me for now.  The past few months have been filled with a yearning in my soul for "more".  More of God.  More of His purpose for my life.  More service and love towards others.  More hope.  More joy.  Sitting back on the sidelines watching the lost drown is not acceptable to me.  There are so many hurting people in this world and I refuse to just sit back and do NOTHING.  In the past few weeks the Lord started opening my eyes to the idea of writing a blog.  I prayed and asked for confirmation. Since that prayer, everywhere I went something about blogs seemed to scream at me, it was as if the whole universe was pointing me in this direction. 


So here I am, writing my very first blog post.   I do not claim to "know it all".  I am learning and growing along with everyone else.  We are all travellers in this world, each with our own talents and gifts, yet we are all here for one unified purpose, to bring glory and honor to God.   I pray that those of you who decide to follow me on this journey are blessed and uplifted by the words He will place upon my heart. 


  "A cup that is already full cannot have more added to it. In order to receive the further good to which we are entitled, we must give of that which we have."  - Margaret Becker