The Rebel

CRAVINGS

2012-01-22T16:53:00.001-05:00

Cravings

Cravings: a word that I am very familiar with. In fact, I would venture to guess that most people would say they understand fully what I am talking about without saying anything else. Am I right?

It's funny how cravings work. I have found that they are all different. They happen at different times, last for different periods, and take a different degree of commitment to satisfy. But with all their differences, there is one thing that is the same; they consume you.

With me, I don't crave everything I like; I crave things that I have deemed as "necessary to survive". Here are examples: chocolate (more specifically frozen M&M's), diet vanilla coke, and running/exercise. Now you may have chuckled over my list. It is not complete, I assure you, but it gives you an idea of what I am talking about.

Now let me describe what happens when a craving hits. I am going through my day doing a range of things: dishes, laundry, mentoring, book work, devotions, etc. It never fails, right in the middle of one of them, I have a small little thought enter my head, or I get a headache, or whatever. I literally go from a little thought to a NEED in 60 seconds. There are times when I get so consumed with my cravings that I feel that there is no option left except to abandon what I am doing and go satisfy it. I call them my "breaks" during the day. I just need a little break…ha!

I want you all to stop and think about what you crave during your day. Is it people, drugs, food, sex, basketball, coffee? That list is small, it really could be anything! But I want you to stop and think about the feeling you get when you just WANT something right now. What happens to your mind? Where does it wander? I also want you to recognize the items that were in the list I typed. It ranges from "normal" to serious. The reason I slapped some major topics in there is to show you that it doesn't matter the severity, they all have the same effect, DISTRACTION. Those of us that don't struggle with the more "heavy" topics listed just justify that what we do crave isn't bad because they aren't the "bad things". But the truth is this: anything that consumes us and controls us, even if it isn't all the time, is an idol. Period.

As I was thinking about how I obtained the cravings that I did, I realize that it wasn't overnight. Nope…I started slow at first. A first taste, you could say. I really liked it, so I continued to enjoy it, all the while not realizing that my body was becoming dependant on it. Slowly but surely, I find myself where I am now, needing them to get through my day or week. When put that way, it really is sad.

What makes me sad is the fact that many times we go through our day craving, giving into cravings and satisfying our cravings. We find ourselves always needing something else and something more, all the while not ever needing or craving Jesus.

Isn't it funny that we claim Him as King. We put our salvations in His Hand and proclaim that we are His and will be with Him for eternity, but when it comes to our day to day life, He isn't the one consuming our thoughts.

It says in His Word that He is the bread of Life. We are so confused. I am convinced that so many of us are starving spiritually. We don't recognize it for that of course; instead we see it as this emptiness that we just can't seem to be able to fill. So in our messed up human way of thinking, we try with everything we got to fill it with things that just become cravings, and addictions, and ultimately distractions away from the truth of the only thing that will fill the void that has become who we are.

Do we hunger and thirst for righteousness? Do we crave His Word? Do we get a small thought of Him and can't do anything else because it consumes us until we get our fill of Him? My guess is that most of us would answer no, if we were honest, even though we want our answer to be yes!

Let's step out of our confused state. Even though a withdrawal period is scary and hard, we can't be afraid of it! We need to rid ourselves of ourselves. We need to remember that we are bought…we are His. He is the only ONE that can fix us, forgive us, fill us to a capacity that is overflowing and keep us in a state where we do not need ANYTING else!

It's time! Do NOT think that you can live without cravings…just change what you crave. Taste and see that HE is GOOD! Him and Him alone!

Jesus. It's that simple.

The End ;)

2012-01-09T09:01:00.000-05:00

what an incredible week! I can't thank God enough for answering the prayers that have been sent up over the last couple of months and this past week! Protection, unity, love, patience, growth and surrender are the words that pretty much wrap up this week! We split into 3 different groups and went 3 different ways, but we all worked so hard and fell into bed exhausted every night.
We started off the week with the word surrender and God just took it from there. We ended the week writing what we needed and wanted to surrender on a rock and chucking it into the ocean. as i stood back and watched the team take their turn, i was in awe. it might seem like it wouldn't hit you hard to watch someone do that, but it did! it was a very powerful time. we ended that night singing, how He Loves us, and amazing Grace, amongst others.

encouragement night is that finale of the week where every single person has a turn and people just get to tell them what they saw during the week that was awesome. i squirm every time it's my turn but it is awesome to hear at the same time! and with 32 people, it only lasted about 3.5 hours!! but it was amazing!

i thank every one of you who prayed us through, i simply can't believe it is over! it went so fast, as it always does! now we are looking forward to what is next!

Alabama mission trip at the end of march with 30 people and jamaica again in july with 50 going! what a year! please keep praying for Rebel Ministries!!

in HIM
Tina <><
Joshua 1:9

Thursday

2012-01-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

I'll start and end my sharing with one simple phrase: A simple journey can change a life. It has been a really awesome week to watch God work in the lives of our young people! We've just finished the evening here with listening to Pastor Watson for the second time this week. He has really challenged the young people to have a vision and passion for a life lived for Christ. Tonight, he ended his challenge with a passionate, "Be strong and courageous!" We will all be anticipating how Christ's words through him will take shape in their lives.
You would all be proud to see the physical work of your young people. Every one of them has been incredibly amazing! You would not believe they would work this hard at home. We look forward to finishing the week strong.
A simple journey can change a life....
In Him,
David

We were challenged in several ways today. First, it was a challenge to awaken to Hannah (on the top bunk of her bed) holding onto the table lamp. How she got it up into her bed, I'll never know! We had a fun time giggling in the early morning hours as I put the lamp back where it belonged. Since the sun was soon to rise and we were on KP duty, we all decided to stay up. Doing our morning devotions in this beautiful location is so special! Tina prepared a week's worth of devotions from the Old Testament. The story this morning was Noah's journey from Genesis 6-9. Out of all the people on the earth, he was the only one in which God chose to recreate the human race. "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." (Gen. 6:8) Is that how God sees us? What a huge aim!
After our breakfast, the next challenge came when we broke into three groups to go to our various worksites. One group went back to the "pit" - an outdoor mountain septic system built for one of the school families. Another went to the farm to clear land and turn it over for planting. A third team--mine--stayed at the base to do concrete work for an addition to the hotel. Since I haven't shoveled stone or sand for a while, and since lifting buckets ladened with wet concrete is not part of my usual things to do, I had a day of very hard work. Along with my team, we mixed by shovels and hauled fourteen 80 lb. bags of concrete in buckets all day.
Our last challenge was tonight with Pastor Watson. Pastor loves God's Word and God's call on our lives to tell those around us of His saving grace. His one desire is for us to live so passionately for Christ, that lives are changed and Christ is glorified.
I pray that I remember all three of these impacting events, so my heart will be ready for God's work, and He will find me a good and faithful servant.
God Bless!
Lauri

Today was by far the most challenging day for me and many others in our group. It was the fourth day in a row of hard physical labor and it had definitely taken a toll on me. The first challenge of the day for me was waking up even earlier than usual to do our KP duty which consisted of us making PB&J's for the whole team to have for lunch, and then serving breakfast. After this the day got off to a fast start and did not slow down. We got to the farm where my group was working and instantly noticed that it was going to be a much harder day of work. One thing I learned on this trip is that clay in Jamaica is no different than the clay back in good old Indiana, and with the rain that the farm got the night before it made it even harder. I thought it was amazing how well our group worked even though we were faced with fatigue and harder working conditions. Through it all our group did not whine, or complain. We simply worked hard for the entire time we were there, and this is something that I loved seeing the entire week. Our group was unstoppable. No matter what happened we kept on working. No complaining or anything. Even though it may seem like such a small thing, I found it as such a blessing to have a group who not only loved serving the people, but did it with such amazing attitudes. I think this is something that everyone can take back home and even you reading this can take away. A simple change of attitude can completely change the experience.
In Christ...
Colson Herman

Day Five

2012-01-04T21:24:00.000-05:00

Over the rocks and through the trash to children's houses we went. Clinging to our hips, the children wept as we said good-bye. It was one thing working in the infirmary for the first two days, taking care of those who were seen as obscure; but when seeing our future living in conditions worse than poverty level and walking down the "street" praying with people who were desperate for the healing hand of God, the reality of what it means to truly depend on God was evident. What an honor to be able to be the hands and feet of Christ!
Keep praying! The Spirit is present!
Alitza

This is my first time in Jamaica and it has been such an amazing journey with my awesome team and God. He has taught me so much about myself and the Jamaican people. It's been really cool to spread God's love to the kids and the people at the infirmary and see their faces light up when they saw us :) I still can't believe I am in Jamaica and experiencing God in a whole new way. It's been such a great week and I don't want it to be over ;)
Jillian

Words cannot even describe how AMAZING my first trip to Jamaica has been so far! I have learned SO much and am so in awe of what God is doing. :) I love serving and helping others and absolutely LOVE visiting the infirmary. It has given me a completely new perspective and attitude! I am still amazed that I am here! God is good and I absolutely cannot wait to take what I've learned and apply it to my life not only for the rest of this trip, but also when I return home (even though I'm not quite sure if I'm ready to leave) ;)
Alexandra

This week has an infinite array of words to describe it but none that include ready to go home. Joy. Perseverance. Compassion. Guilt. All words that have affected me and my team over the last 4 days. We have visited the infirmary the last three days and I continue to hear this phrase repeated in my head, "God is good all the time." Those were the words of a schizophrenic, elderly woman who had nothing but the clothes on her back and lived in a place that would give the mindset of no hope. The people here in Jamaica have an amazing sense of community. Walking through the town of Homestead today people were always greeting you and waving as you passed by. We stopped by the homes of three sponsored children to socialize with their families and give them packs of rice for meals. The kids were shy at first but the families welcoming us and willing to open up to us. Even the security guards and staff of the base we are staying at have been very willing and open to share about the culture and learn about ours. You could see God coming through and teaching about his will even through the people and places you would least expect. God is good all the time. Easy to say. Easy to doubt. Easy to see when you open your eyes to what is truly surrounding you, even if it is a dirty, smelly infirmary, a poverty ridden town, or the place that we all call home. It is going to be very hard to get onto that plane on Saturday because I truly believe a piece of me will always be here, but it is good to know that God will be with me and joy can always be found no matter where I am and that it does not only include me but the people of my team and the people I am leaving here. 3 days in counting and cherishing every minute.
Jenna

Day #4

2012-01-03T23:06:00.000-05:00

For all the folks back home, I thought I would let you know how it is going in Jamaica. We have had such an amazing experience already! I had the opportunity to work at the infirmary both days. To see the joy in those peoples hearts and their eyes as we arrived was so heartbreaking. I cannot wait to see what other activities God has in store for us throughout the rest week. I miss you Mom, Grandma, and Cooper!

Love, Court

While at the infirmary, the "screen team" was made up of Courtney, Brittan, Olivia, Lauren, David and Lauri. We were in charge of replacing all the old, broken-down screens with new screens. For two days, we worked hard to accomplish our goal of completing 57 windows in the women's side of the infirmary. We had a blast working together, and we felt great success after our long, hard work. In addition, the "screen team" loved helping people who could not help themselves.

Thank you for all your prayers!

Love you and miss you,

Brittan

I honestly am still in awe that we are all here. I praise God for the incredible opportunity to get outside of the norm for a week and gain a greater perspective and understanding of God's heart for the world. Honestly, a year ago I could not have left the country because of my health. I have been so humbled to see how God has moved in my life this past year and has shown Himself faithful by providing me this blessing. The joy and attitudes of the Jamaicans have been both convicting and refreshing. People that have so little (at least from a worldly perspective) have such immense joy because they have learned to appreciate the little things in life. More importantly, however, many we have worked with have come to know Jesus as personal Savior--they have a hope that is eternal and a heavenly abundance that will last forever! So excited to see how else God is going to move here amongst these people and our team. Love and miss you all back home! Thanks for all the prayers. We sure can feel them!

In Him,

Lauren W.

This week already has been incredible. We all started as individuals on this journey and now we are all united as one body of Christ. There is so many friendships being made, it is more than we could have hoped for. To talk a little bit about what my(Lauren B.) team did today, we were digging a pit toilet for one of the sponsor kids. This team consisted of Leah, Hannah, Laurel, Jill, Tina, Jacob, Austin, Colson and Jared. Leah got a new nickname this week. It is killer. Apparently her tattoos make her a scary hardcore killer. So of course if you all know Leah and I, They had to give me a nickname too. Mine was KA. Killers assistant. We had to carry rocks from the top of a huge hill to the bottom to fill in this pit we dug. We also made cement to fill in the cracks of this pit. We had a really good system going of assembly lining it down the hill. Even though we all were drenched in sweat, and so tired we had a really good time! The jokes and laughs never stopped. I can say the pit did get finished in two days, which they didn't think would happen. The team did great!! We are all learning so much and the Lord is blessing us all so much. Everyone thank you for the support and prayers. We love you all. Mom, Dad, Logan, and rest of the family and friends i love you and miss you guys!

Love,

Lauren B.

Eyes opened

2012-01-02T22:15:00.000-05:00

We live in a culture that is so incredibly focused on themselves, achievement and success. But we're so used to it that we see nothing wrong with it. That's the societal norm.
Going to the infirmary was like a kick in the rear. I realized how wrong my attitude is. Mixing the cement for the pot holes, I realized that in my mind that I was writing these people off like there's nothing we could do to impact them. That anything we could do wouldn't produce visible fruit. That it wasn't productive. But that couldn't be more wrong. I got a taste of loving them between concrete trips, but when we came back it really hit me. I had the privilege of bringing the gift of music to the people there and it was a huge attitude check to realize the impact even simply holding their hands makes the world of the difference, let alone singing and listening to them sing.
Then I realized that it's the most beautiful thing when we don't rely on seeing fruit to motivate us to do God's work and we seek only to please the Lord by simple obedience rooted in love. There's so many more things that went on, but I shall stop it with this: I have been praying for unity in this team, and boy did God bless us by uniting us as the body of Christ. This is just the third day and mountains are being moved.
-Laurel

2012-01-02T22:02:00.000-05:00

The only word that comes to mind about today is togetherness. There was not one task that could've been done by one persons strength.. it took us all relying on each other to get things done. This is the best example of the body of Christ working together in unity. Something about this stuck out in my mind.. maybe because I am constantly being reminded that I cannot do this walk on my own, by no means can I rely on others to be my strength.. but understanding that it is through Christ only that I am strengthened and therefore we need HIS people to walk alongside of us.
-Kristen

Day One; Betsy's Perspective

2012-01-02T21:33:00.000-05:00

Today was AMAZING! Our first day in the community thus far and everyone as far as I could see was filled with excitement and joy - even after a long, hard, hot day. Personally, I worked at the Infermary with some elderly, some handicapped (some mentally, some physically and some both) with a group of four other wonderful young women. I think that we were all profoundly affected by the things we saw there and also the things we saw and learned about and from one another. What a wonderful team I am fortunate to be a part of!
Betsy M

Day one

2012-01-02T21:25:00.000-05:00

i am going to let some of the team write tonight about the day but i honestly can't help but to ramble and brag a bit...
ummm seriously these people that make up rebel ministries this week are simply amazing. God always rocks me with the dynamics of the team and this trip is no different. it is day three and what i heard in group tonight was, i can't believe how much i love you all and how much we connect and how awesome everyone is. i prayed for unity and that prayer was abundantly answered.
the day was hot (sorry, i heard you are having snow ;))...humid, tiring, dirty, hungry and just exhausting on every level. BUT....and the but is the reason why i stand here fired up, fueled up and just plain passionate, but...this team did nothing but smiled through it, laughed everything off, loved, discovered the true meaning of joy, and just plain rocked today...i wish you all could have a little window to watch your people just simply love each other and love these jamaicans. God is doing crazy things and i am more than honored to have a front row seat. i am beyond sure that when you see your loved one, they will have been stretched into a person that will love deeper and fight harder for those that they love. because the battle is fierce and what i have with me this week is a group of people that are learning to fight like never before... for each other! we are winning...it is awesome and everyone is doing great! thank you for letting us take them!
in HIM
Tina <><

2012-01-01T09:06:00.000-05:00

Good morning from Jamaica! Happy new year! I am not above gloating so let me just tell you how my first morning of the new year has been. Even thgh we were up till 12 last night after traveling all day with hardly any sleep the night before, my spot on the rock was beckoning... And it was beautiful! Nothing like waking to the sound of the ocean crashin around you...it is so peaceful and at the same time so treachorous. Explain tht to me!
Enough about me...
The team is great...barely any headachs or hiccups... We have had a few moments of homesickness appear but everyone quickly change their thghts around and r doing great!
A funny story tht happened in the airport. I was walking down the hall when i see carston bolting down the hall in the opposite way travelng back to the plane...i wasnt too concerned until he said tht he had left his passport on the plane!!!! O my lanta... Everything worked out thgh and he is with us :)...
Please keep praying... I cant tell you how many of the ppl on this team have come up to me and said tht they just want to surrender something. Surrender is the word of the week tht is slamming me in my face...so if you can pray for something pray for surrender and unity! Ok two things ;)... I dont know what everyone is holding onto but i would love to bring back a whole bunch of ppl who are FREE!
Hope you all have a great week! Ill try to have some of the kids update later!
In HIM
tina

Tracking the Deer

2011-11-13T18:37:00.001-05:00

Tracking the deer

It's hunting season. A time of the year that, in my opinion, should come with a warning. If you have never experienced it, you are probably rolling your eyes right now. If you fall into the category of not understanding hunter talk, then bare with me here. I will try to set the stage in a way that you will understand too!

Opening day. This might make you scratch your head and wonder what is exactly opening? A new store? School? A new restaurant? But if you ask "one of us", our hearts start pumping in anticipation. Opening day is a national holiday to some people. They take off of work, they skip school, they are not seen for a good 8 hours that day. They wake at 4:30 a.m., get dressed in layers, grab their weapon and climb a tree. They sit there patiently for hours on end in hopes of seeing "the one". About 2 hours into it though, their extremities go numb from the cold and they start getting fidgety. I know, this sounds so exciting doesn't it? I don't think I am convincing any of you to try it out, am I? Anyhow, it is about the time when all patience has worn out that you are rewarded with your first look at a deer. It is hard to explain exactly what happens next, but in the span of about 10 seconds, your heart is beating out of your chest, and your body is burning hot. You start shaking and talking to yourself. It goes something like this: "holy cow, calm down, be patient, wait till it stops!" It is crazy, but it is a thrill! And it is just the start of months of the same thing!

Now that I have painted the picture, I am sure you all can't wait to hear of our hunting experiencesJ!

Yesterday earned the coveted title of "opening day". It was such a gorgeous morning. One thing that I love about hunting is that you get out there so early, and get to slowly watch everything wake up! The sunrises hardly ever disappoint me and I get to spend hours just talking to God. It is amazing.

I had just settled into my stand, when I realized that just off to my right, I had a perfect view of another hunter across the creek. It was my oldest son, and I could see everything that was coming in and going out of the field around him. There hadn't been much activity in his direction for a while, so I had started looking the other way. It was about the time I thought our day was done, when out of the blue a gunshot scared me to death. We had been hearing them all morning all around us, but this one was so close that I knew it was someone on the same property as me. I raised my optics to see my son staring at me with thumbs up. It was awesome to be able to watch his excitement! After waiting for a while, my husband met me and we went to see what he had gotten. Luke is one of those people that can spot a deer from a mile away. It is one of those things that makes me shake my head in amazement. As soon as we entered Jared's field, Luke spotted it. You could tell by the smile on his face, that he was excited about something. He ran right to it. It was the best kind of hunt. We didn't have to track it at all!

Not all hunts go like that though. This was picture perfect. There are times that we have to track the deer. Now I am a person that really likes to be good at everything. It actually drives me crazy to be 2^nd fiddle. I can tell you, that when it comes to tracking a deer, I am 2^nd fiddle, actually maybe 3^rd fiddle; I don't really know, I just know that my husband has a skill. If this was a spiritual gift, he could completely claim it as his! I am not joking when I say that he can find a pin drop of blood amongst a field of overgrown weeds! It is crazy to watch him. I have learned that I just need to follow his lead, a position I don't do very well at all. The times that amaze me the most, are when he is tracking in the dark. If you have never done this, is may seem impossible. Actually, it seems impossible to me and I have done it a million times.

One night in particular, we were tracking a deer at night. It was my deer, so I was very impatient. He had told me to go to the place where I thought I had shot it, and find some blood, (sorry if this is gross), and so I went searching. I couldn't find anything, and I was getting anxious. Luke finally got there and immediately found it. As I was walking up to him, I saw that he was using different color lights. I was shining my bright light all around and walking in every direction, when patiently he asks me to keep my light away and stop walking around so much. I asked him why he was using the colored lights, and he told me that the blood shines when he used the special lights.

Have you ever been to a point when you just can't find Jesus? It doesn't happen every single time you hit a low spot. There are definant times when you can just walk right into His arms. But there are those times, when you go to where you think He should be, and He's not. Ever felt this hopeless anxious feeling? It becomes an almost panic! You shine your light in wide circles, frantically looking left and right. You know that He can't be far. But yet, the trail is nowhere to be found. At this point, what do you do?

It amazes me how quickly we can forget how to get back to the cross. You may think that Jesus is just over that next hill, but what you don't know, is that you wandered over 3 hills and across a creek and around a bend. You were so distracted with everything that you call "life", that when the time came to come Home, you finally took a breath and looked around. It is at this point that your blood goes cold. The scenery has changed so much, and the trail has been cold for so long, you quickly realize that there is not one thing recognizable! You panic. Your heart races. You are frozen with fear. You are alone; at least it feels that way.

I have had messages from people before that have said this same exact thing. People that feel they have fallen far from God. They are empty, hungry and scared. They ask for help finding their way back. This is the key. Your light isn't working…but someone else may be able to shine a new light on your situation. You can't remember how to use Jesus' Power, so you must find someone who can help guide you to the right path! There are people all around you that know Jesus. They know where He is and they know how to get you there. Allow them to lead you, be the 2^nd fiddle and use their light. Remember that the path back to Jesus is sprinkled with a substance that under a special light will shine. His Blood. It might be a pin drop, but He will never hide it from you. You might just be in a spot where you have become rusty in your skills of seeking Him, you may not recognize Him anymore at all.

John 1:9 "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him."

Jesus hasn't left. You may just have moved. The cool thing about Him, is that if it took you 2 years to stray far away, it will take a far shorter trip getting back to His Feet; a trip consisting simply of hitting your knees. You may need a reminder, and in these times, seek out a friend who can help you light the path. Take it from me, if you try searching by yourself, you may find that what you have armed yourself with is the wrong kind of light. Find someone who knows the "true light" that will lead you back to the cross. He is waiting for you!

Private Property

2011-10-23T21:29:00.001-04:00

Private Property

For the past couple of years we have contemplated building a home. We have pushed around several ideas, and have had to make countless decisions. One of which is where on our property would it be best to build it? Because of the location of our out buildings, pond and current home, we are kind of limited. We have tried to angle it just so, then swap it here and then turn it there. Through all of the moving around, we never once considered building it on the ground surrounding our property though. Why? Because it was owned by someone else. This may seem like a "well duh, who would?" kind of statement, but I am just making a point here.

There is NO way that anyone would ever build their home on someone else's property. Is that a pretty accurate statement?

So if you are not loving God, have never accepted Him as your Savior, repented and turned your heart towards Him, you are not His property. Again…this is an accurate statement. (I'm not asking a question this time…just making the point). Why would you think that He would "build a house" with you?

Let me unpack that a little. (You may know someone who makes the following statements. I don't want you to picture them though; I want you to think about YOUR own life. After examining yourself, if God lays someone on your heart to go talk to, then do it. But not before self-examination is done.)

I have heard countless times some of these statements:

"God just isn't doing anything in my life"

"Why does God do so much with so and so and nothing with me?"

"I do so much good stuff, I volunteer, I am a nice person, etc…why don't I hear God talking to me?"

"I want to do something for God too…but He never uses me"

"Why are you the one getting all the "assignments?"

Trust me when I say that these are just a few. And to be honest, I personally cannot answer the question with a blanket response. The reason God is not responding or speaking in a person's life can be because of different reasons. But I want to look at just one of them.

It really is a simple question. Answered by a simple yes or no:

Are you His property?

There is no hesitation…it's yes or no! Period. (Or maybe exclamation point!)

There are no, well maybe's. You will hear either "get away from Me, I NEVER knew you", or "well done good and faithful servant!"

God will not build with you when you are not even His. He WILL pursue you, and desire you to be! But until that time of surrender, until that time of purchase, when the deed is signed by His Son's Blood, He will keep His tools in His belt (not literally…ha!)

Do you blame Him? Because if you go back up to the first question I asked you, you would respond the same way! There is just too much at stake, too much was paid. He wants you…oh so badly…but He will not trespass without permission. Maybe it's time to take those private property signs down. Let Him put His own signs up…ones that will ensure that you have been bought, that you are His. Then be ready for the construction to begin!

Matthew 7:24-27 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

Detour

2011-10-20T09:20:00.001-04:00

Detour

Ever since I got my iPhone, I have been addicted to the maps app. I absolutely love knowing that my phone will tell me exactly where I am and exactly how to get to where I want to go! I feel so much safer. Isn't that weird? A little dot that flashes and moves along a colored path on a handheld screen makes me feel safe. Huh. But it's true! Sometimes, especially in towns that I don't know, one wrong turn and I can't find my way out.

That is exactly what happened the other day, except I guess it wasn't a wrong turn, but rather an unexpected one way road that had my dot routed off of the intended path. You should have seen me. My eyes did not leave my phone (don't worry, I have gotten really good at driving without looking…jkjk) The whole time I was desperately trying to get back on course. Once I finally did, I could breathe so much better! Again…weird huh?

The detour lasted o about 5 minutes, but for that time, I couldn't think of anything else except the safe way that I knew would take me straight to my destination.

So now comes the question for you…are you so focused on the safe route that if God interrupts your life, you freak out or refuse to go any other way except your carefully planned out, comfortable, straight path?

And that then leads to another question…who is controlling your life anyhow? Is it all about your plans and at the end you want to waltz into the pearly gates? Do you think you will ever hear "Great job dodging all those people that needed help! Man that one time, that was a close one…I thought that you might have no other choice except to stop and talk to your friend that was having a hard time! You did SUCH a great job fitting in with everyone around you! You were just the perfect American (or whatever you are J). You got the perfect job, the house, wife, kids, dog, vacations, yada yada. I am just so glad that you let ME come along for the ride. GREAT JOB! WELL DONE!" ????? Because if you know anything about Jesus, you would know, that this would never be the words that you hear! Maybe I should let you fill in the blank…what is your life like? And what do you think Jesus would say about it?

So many people tell me that they love Him and have accepted Him as savior, but then they don't follow Him. They follow a "flashing dot", traveling along a well designed road, choosing the route with minimal traffic, bypassing the large crowded areas, construction and anything else that might slow them down. They are on target with where they want to go, how they want to get there, and NOTHING is going to get in their way. If a little hiccup pops up, as quickly as they can, they fix what needs to be fixed and nicely slide right back on track.

But the problem with all of this is: Jesus says FOLLOW ME! And the crazy thing about Jesus, is that He just doesn't tell you where every step is going to be. And sometimes it feels as if He put a blind fold on too. He may take you to some pretty uncomfortable places where you may not have many comforts. He may ask you to even live without some things that you have done nothing but strived to get. He will ask you to deny yourself and He will ask you to think of others first. He will ask you to Love HIM with not half of your heart but with ALL of it! He will ask you to not be NORMAL! You will have to go against the flow, you will ruffle feathers, you will stand out and apart and at times you may just be lonely. This life will not be easy. BUT…when others fail you, Jesus will NOT. He will NEVER leave you or forsake you; He will fight for you, and comfort you. He will NEVER EVER allow you to go through anything that you can't handle because He will be right beside you the whole way!

I really don't know why we want to settle for only the things that we can do. We are so limited it is crazy! God working through us is the most exciting thing I have ever experienced! You get to watch Him move people's hearts in ways that would be impossible without Him! You are a witness to His awesome power desiring a relationship with us humans, and then using us to accomplish His purposes. Seriously! … Why would you want to settle for less?

I'll leave you with one more thought. I may be wrong but I can only recall 2 different responses recorded in the Bible of what we will hear when we get to Heaven. The difference between the two will make you weep:

WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

GET AWAY FROM ME…I NEVER KNEW YOU!

You have one shot…there are no do-over's on that day. And there will be no hesitation. Are you living life FOR Him, or for yourself? Don't get stuck following the dot…

Are you ready for the detour??

For Sale

2011-10-15T01:46:00.001-04:00

For Sale

Isn't it funny how you can drive by someone's house every single day, but not really look at it until they make a change? I did that not so long ago. My neighbors had repainted their barn. It was funny just how much I never really noticed their barn before that day. But man, it sure looked nice! I started remembering back to our first house. The siding…not so nice. And when I say that, I really mean not so nice! But it was livable and we endured it for about 5 years. We re-sided, and then you know what we did? We MOVED! I still look back and think about how nice it would have been to have done the work a few years before so we could have actually enjoyed it!

I see this happen over and over. You drive by someone's place and really notice how they have cleaned it up and all of the sudden gotten things looking nice. The next week…a for sale sign.

The thing that happens, and I think you can relate, is that we just get comfortable where we are. Our property doesn't all of the sudden get run down and cluttered, it usually happens over time. It isn't until we want to really impress someone, proving to them that they would like to buy it, do we get crackin on cleaning things up!

I was talking to some high school kids the other day, and funny thing was, they have the same perception of their life! The even funnier thing is, us adults do too!

How many of you have, in the last year, taken a really good look at your life? Take a challenge to stop and really think about who you are and what you are doing with your life. I would venture to guess that you will realize you're in a place and it happened so fast and you don't know how you got there and it's been such a whirlwind and you just got busy and and and…

Am I close?

Distractions…they get you every time! If it isn't the kids, it's the job, or the sports, or the homework, or the parents, or the church activity, or the friends, or the promotion you are working towards, or the laundry, or the office work, etc… the list can go on and on. There is always something to fill your time with! And the more you fill the more you focus on that "stuff" and the less you notice the state your life is in!

Let me ask you all a question…what is your birth date? Easy one right! O.k.…smarty…you answered that pretty quick…try this one:

What is the date of your death?

You don't know?? Well here's one last question…

If you don't know when you are going to die, how can you live like you have all the time in the world before getting ready to meet Jesus?

Look at it this way…if Jesus was coming to "buy your house", what condition would He find it in? Have you neglected yourself so long that several things need trimmed, and some just plain need replaced?

What will Jesus say on that day you stand before Him?

"I never knew you!" or "Well done!"

These are the only two options. There will not be one that says, here is a list of hints of the things that I need you to work on. Go back and try again. Do we understand fully what the options are! You will NOT get a second chance!!

I will challenge you with one last thing. Take your life and match it up against the WORD! That will be the true test to see where you really are, and what you really need to do! Don't get caught assuming that just because "Jesus loves me this I know", you get to live like you don't care! Because like it or not, there is a for sale sign for your life out there, and only two buyers interested. You get to choose. Let His Love change you…then make sure everyone that passes by knows exactly who the purchaser is!

John 3:19-21

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Colored Hair

2011-10-13T19:45:00.001-04:00

Colored Hair

Hebrews 4:13

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account."

Everyone has seen someone with their hair dyed. Most of the time it is a new highlight or a touch up here or there. Once in a while you will get a brave soul who decides to change their whole head of hair all at once! I remember some ladies who would chuckle and proclaim that they have been dyeing their hair for so long they can't even remember what their original hair color is. I thought, "what do you mean, you are obviously a blonde?" The reality: they are brown as brown can be.

I started recalling that "I don't even know my natural color anymore" comment. Honestly, I think it is nothing more than a lie! There is NO way anyone will forget that they are actually a brunette. They may trick an awful lot of people, but inside, they remember!

I started thinking about how true this is with our hearts. We all put on a front for someone. When asked how we are doing, rarely do we say anything other than "good"! We can be bawling our eyes out on the way to church, but fully compose ourselves and be the smiling person everyone expects by the time we hit the doors.

We learn early on to hide our true emotions. We learn early on to hide a lot actually. Along with our suppressed feelings, lie our sins. We all are pretty good at keeping those hidden too, aren't we?

The thing I am realizing is that we have "dyed" our lives so many times that others may think they know us but really don't have clue.

2 people. That's what this is all about!

YOU AND JESUS!

You can stand here and convince me you love Him, I can witness you "doing" a lot for Him, but in reality, He is the ONLY one that knows the true state of your heart!

So now the question becomes: why do we spend our time trying to impress others when really, the audience that counts consists of only ONE!

Who are you really? How far have you let your heart get away from the truth? How hard are you trying to disguise the true state you are in?

Friend, stop running! The truth is this: you can disguise all you want, but my opinion of you...doesn't add up to anything! The only opinion that matters is the ONE who already sees you for who you are anyhow!

Here's the reminder again in case you read it too fast before:

Hebrews 4:13

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account!"

Fire

2011-09-20T06:51:00.001-04:00

Fire

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

Several years back, while doing some water sports, I took a bad fall and broke my nose. Now it wasn't one of those: "I think I might have cracked the bone a bit", but rather: "one side completely dented in and my nose is in a different place on my face", kind of breaks! J

I went to the doctor the next day. He took one look and wanted to schedule surgery. There is just something about me that hears the word surgery and automatically starts calculating how much money it is going to cost. I requested not being put under to save some. The doc agreed and we set up an appointment for later in the week.

I was facing a situation that I was dreading! But the thing was…there was no going back. If I wanted a crooked nose the rest of my life then I could cancel out, but if not, then there were no options…get it done and over with! They tried to lessen the pain. I got 500 shots and they shot something up my nose to numb it, but I can assure you, when it came time to set it, the meds didn't touch it! I can honestly say that I have never had pain like that before. It felt like the doctor put all his weight into pushing my bone back out. The noise of crunching bone was horrible, I still cringe thinking about it.

The crazy thing was that partway through…he stopped. He looked at me and asked if I was o.k. All I could say was, "just finish it". He wondered if I was sure…again "just finish it". Had I not been able to stand it any longer, my nose would still be crooked today. Had I quit before every piece of jagged broken bone was put back into place, I would still be dealing with the effect. I had to endure the pain all the way through to be completely fixed.

This makes me think about a story I once heard about a person that works with gold. A lady wanted to understand how everything worked so she went in to watch. After several minutes, she raised her hand with a question. "Sir", she asked, "why do you sit so close to the fire?" The goldsmith easily answered that he sat so close because he would only know the gold was done being refined, and all the impurities were out, when he could see his reflection in it.

Wow!

Does it feel like you are walking through the fire right now? Has it only increased in temperature rather than cooled off? Does it feel like you can't stand it any longer?

All I can say is "just finish it"!

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:2

Those are just two of the many promises that are given over and over in the Word. Promises that He WILL be with you. He will NEVER leave you. You will never be alone!

I don't know what you are dealing with today. It might be a fire that has lasted for a very long time. You might be standing on the edge, still in the ashes. All I can say is that the promise is the same: He will walk through it with you!

Please don't quit, when you are weary, lean on His shoulder. And when you are finished, with Jesus walking beside you, it will be His Face reflecting out of you!

Grit your teeth. Get stubborn to finish it out. Do NOT quit!

The end result will be the desired one. His desired one!

One more thing to remember…o how He loves you! Cling to him my friend…he will bring you through this!

Sink or Swim

2011-08-30T10:52:00.001-04:00

Sink or Swim

Have you ever been to swim lessons and watched a new swimmer's face as they stand on the edge of that pool? Maybe you can remember what you yourself felt as you peered into the water wondering if the person looking back at you was really ever going to jump in? Left by yourself, I am pretty sure several of us would have simply talked ourselves out of it! Would you agree?

But thankfully, there was always that person already standing in the water encouraging us to just get our toes wet, then when our hearts would settle down, they would encourage us to come a little further. You may end up holding onto the side of the pool that whole first day, but there was a little part of you that felt so accomplished and a little braver, totally ready to take another step the next week! And you know that it would have never happened had someone not helped show you how to succeed at it!

Never ever would you find a swim teacher standing on the side line letting someone drown, nor would you see them sitting there telling them just to get in, they will be fine. Every teacher I have ever known, even though they could swim laps around me, walked right beside, encouraging me the whole time. Teaching me the right way to breath, float, move my arms and kick. They never sat on the side line as a spectator, they got wet too.

How many of us know Christ? Many of us have for several years! We could easily tell people all about His Love and lead them to the Cross. Am I right? But the problem is, we often just sit there as spectators. Not one of us would ever literally let someone drown. I have watched grown men jump in fully clothed to get a kid that was sputtering in the water. But I have also watched people accept Christ and struggle to stay afloat because no one will come alongside them and teach them how to swim.

We are all called to make disciples. When I think about Jesus making His disciples I realize just how much time He put into them. He taught them how to stay afloat didn't He? He didn't stand on the sidelines and watch them sink…He got right into that water with them.

Is there someone in your life right now that just needs encouragement to keep going? Or maybe someone that needs to know how to even take the next step? Is there someone looking at his reflection wondering if he should even get in the pool when all he needs is someone telling him how awesome it is? Is that person you?

We are all here for a reason. You are all right here right now for some REASON! Could it be that there are people around you that need what you have? Take some time to pray for God to open your eyes to who may be ready to jump, clinging to the wall, or even sinking. You are called, and you are equipped, don't let someone drown on your watch!

Grocery Store

2011-08-27T08:13:00.001-04:00

Grocery Store

The other day I went grocery shopping. It is one of my most dreaded pastimes, but something I am stuck doing. Inevitably, my list gets longer and longer the more I travel through the aisles. It is a challenge some days to see if I can get all the way through the store without adding anything to my list! One thing literally leads to another. I remember that I have to have another ingredient to make the recipe that I all the sudden have a craving for. 15 ingredients later, I am set for the week (o.k. that isn't true…I will be back 3 days later)!

This particular day, with my cart loaded with 7 extra items, I swipe my credit card, grab my bags and head home. I start unloading them into my kitchen when I am struck all the sudden with the realization that I have no clue how much I spent. Most of the time I could guess, round about even, but this time I seriously had no clue! The trouble is that just because I don't know, I still will have to pay for it in 30 days. No getting out of it, I bought the stuff, stocked my shelves with it, it's mine.

So let me ask you a question. How much did your sin cost you today? Have you stockpiled it, one after another without thinking? Did one sin lead to another until your load is too heavy to carry? Are you at a place where you really don't even know how you got here?

It's so funny how quickly that can happen. Just like in a store, there is something in you that is almost on autopilot. A certain smell, and you are at the bakery buying a cake. Which triggers your memory to something your friend made and you want to try, so off to another aisle to buy more stuff. Your mind almost just takes over and you feel as if you were in the twilight zone…30 minutes later you are standing in the checkout line with no recollection of how you got there. Yep, that describes how quickly unrepentant sin will take you down.

How many times do you find yourself thinking about someone in a negative way? Assuming that you know exactly what they are thinking about you? Assuming you know their motives because you just know. That little thought left unchecked will slowly lead into you getting mad at them, which left unchecked will lead into bitterness, which will lead into chains and pits and captivity. Wow that went fast didn't it?

Or how about this scenario: your buddies want to go have a good time! (We've all heard this before) They choose a bar, which you really don't want to go to because you know the temptation, but decide you can just shoot a few games of pool and leave. No harm done, right? Well of course you get thirsty, so you justify that one beer won't take you where it did last time. You WILL stay in control. But slowly and surely, the night goes on and on, and you find yourself being helped to a cab, worse yet, that cute girl is sitting beside you, taking you "home". The morning comes, the regret sets in and once again, the chains are wrapped tighter and tighter.

We can run through a million scenarios here. Every one of us has our vices that love to squeeze us tight! And every vice offers one thing: slavery!

But Jesus Christ is standing there, with His Hand held out offering us something quite different! He is offering a payment. Whether we want to admit it or not, all those little unchecked sins that we just do without even thinking, come at a cost. And the time is coming or has come to pay them. Most of the time we don't even realize what the price of accepting each of those sins is. We don't realize how high of a tab we have run up. But imagine getting a credit card bill in the mail that makes your stomach drop. That is what is facing us now. We don't have the "money" in the bank to pay it, the price is too high! The sins have literally piled up!

You are being offered a free payment coupon! All you have to do is look at Jesus, take His Hand and spill your guts! Tell Him what you are sorry for ask for forgiveness, He already knows what you have loaded your cart with. But man, aren't you ready to get rid of it all?

Take Him up on the offer! Take back your life, but giving it to Him. Stop running, stop trying to fix last week's mistake, stop piling up more and more sin! Just Stop! You really don't want the bill that is going to demand payment. HE is the only way to pay it in full. Now it's just your choice whether or not you will let Him pay it!

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
   to proclaim freedom for the captives
   and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
   and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn"

ISAIAH 61:1,2

Crippled Christian

2011-08-19T11:34:00.001-04:00

Crippled Christian

If I gave you the option to choose between being blind, deaf, mute or crippled, which would you choose? Not great options, right? But you HAVE to choose one…so go ahead and think about it.

Now if I gave you one last option and that being NONE OF THE ABOVE…would you change your choice? Of course you would! I would venture to guess that you would even pay a lot of money to not have a disability. Am I right?

No one willing chooses not to see, or to hear, or to talk. No one volunteers to not be able to walk. Now, there are people that live with it and even have amazing lives, but I would guess that they would change it if they could!

So, here's something to think about: if we would do anything to have our physical bodies whole, why do we walk around spiritually blind, deaf, mute and crippled?

Does that sound harsh? It's kinda true though isn't it? That still small voice that tells us not to do something (or to get moving and do it), we ignore don't we? That person that may have needed a hug or a word of encouragement…do we walk right past like we don't see them? Are there people in your life that you know do not have Jesus? If you have Him, why do we NOT tell people about HIM? And why do we act crippled when Jesus clearly says "Go!"?

How have we become comfortable as a crippled Christian?

I want to challenge you to pray for God to open your eyes to see what He sees, your ears to be alert to His voice, your tongue to be on fire with the Word that saves and your feet to be fitted with a readiness to go win a world to Christ!

Are you ready to be healed? The price has already been paid, it won't cost you anything…just a simply answer of yes!

SUNSCREEN

2011-08-18T21:17:00.001-04:00

SUNSCREEN

We are told that we will get wrinkles when we are older if we don't put on sunscreen...right? I know this to be true but yet I make all these excuses why I don't want to....stupid...you don't have to tell me that! There are times though that I put on SPF 4 or 8 just to feel better about myself. In reality those might help a little but I will still be pretty wrinkly later on in life. What would it be like if I wore SPF 80 all the time? Well I wouldn't be tan... But I also would have awesome skin later, no sun damage, and ultimate protection! Right??!!

Would it be fair to say that if we don't read the WORD there will be spiritual damage occur? Yes! You will be left totally unprotected with nothing to fight off the attacks of satan! Just like using NO sunscreen!

But you might be thinking , "I read a devotion every day"...I'm not saying that is bad...but it is kind of like putting on SPF 4 or 8. It will help but will only do so much!

The Bible, now that is SPF 80 kind of protection! And honestly, it's the only thing strong enough to actually work!

So are you applying it? Or are there more excuses of why you don't have the time? What is more important in your schedule that you seriously don't take 15 extra minutes to read a living Word? If I offered you a million dollars and all you had to do was read it every day for a year, I bet you would do it! So what if I promised you protection and help, peace and fulfillment…is that not good enough? It's time to rearrange our schedules and realign our priorities! It's time to make a change! Who do you want fighting for you, protecting you? I choose the ONE who we already knows wins! The odds are better that way! How about you?

What kind of "sunscreen" did you apply today??

Hidden Puddles

2011-06-26T22:27:00.001-04:00

Hidden Puddles

I was walking through my barn the other day with no shoes on. This really is not unusual because you will find me barefooted half the time. What was different about that day though, was the fact that I kept my socks on. Weird huh? I am still trying to figure that one out. But anyhow…I was walking through, minding my own business when all of the sudden a water puddle appears. Now, if you are anything like me, you understand how annoying that is! A perfectly good pair of socks are now ruined. I mean, I can wear them again, but only after washing them first!

As I stare in disgust at an obvious puddle, I realized that I seriously had no clue that it was there. At that point, though, there really was nothing more for me to do except strip my socks off.

I now have a choice…be disgusted and ticked off by the distraction or shrug it off and just run around barefoot. What would you have done?

I know this is an obvious statement but…if I have shoes or socks on and step in a puddle, I will get them wet. There is not an option there. It will be a distraction. So why not just run around barefoot. Seriously…what happens if you step in a puddle? You keep running and eventually your feet dry. You don't take time out to go get a towel…you don't sit a while waiting for the wind to blow dry them. You just keep going! Nothing slowing you down!

Can you imagine what it would be like if every time God threw something in your path, you would be "barefoot" and just take it in stride and allow it to be who you are and not get distracted or annoyed at it?

Think about it for a minute. Assume that the sock on your foot is protecting your desired life. You use it to seal in your ideas and to cover your well planned out detailed agenda. You are walking along feeling pretty comfortable and BAMM…God throws a water puddle in your path. What do you do? Do you get annoyed that your plans are not working out? Frustrated that everything you wanted to happen isn't as planned? Do you pout because you are not really in control? Have you found yourself running inside to just replace it and get on with your schedule?

Is that water puddle viewed as a huge inconvenience that you can't tolerate? Or do you instead slip your socks off and run through it again?

Who do you want to be? A person who holds so tightly to his or her own plans that when something better comes along you don't recognize it? Or are you the barefoot Jesus lover who, at any moment, welcomes new direction with excitement and anticipation, actually walking so close to Him that you seek out the puddles rather than have them sneak up on you?

You are one or the other there is no doubt! And the question that is slapping me in the face is this:

Do you want to leave footprints behind?

If so hit your knees and ask for God to open your eyes to the puddles that are all around you! Then just start running!

Hold MY Hand

2011-06-21T20:35:00.001-04:00

Hold MY Hand

Nothing can touch my heart quicker than when a little kid reaches up and grabs my finger with their hand. They wrap their fingers around and hold on tight. It is easy for me to guide them, and they follow just as quickly. But there is one problem…as soon as they see something that grabs their attention, they let go and run off. This has happened several times with my own kids, you can almost predict the exact moment that they will let you go. They start straining against your pull and finally can take it no longer, and then they are gone.

Just as quickly as they grabbed tight, they let loose. Most of the time without so much as a backwards glance. There have been moments when I just watch them wander away, wondering when it will hit them that they are no longer as brave as they thought. They stop. Turn in circles seeking a familiar face and then start bawling! You know what I mean….it happens every time! The next time though; I take their grubby little hands and completely enclose mine OVER theirs. That way there is no way to escape!

I wonder, as I thought about this, how many of us walk with the Lord much as these little ones walk with us. Running up to Him and grabbing His Hand, actually letting Him lead us at some points, but then getting totally and completely distracted. Something or someone grabs our attention and sways us from the path we are heading…just like that, we let go. Can you just see it now? At first it seems exciting…like nothing is going wrong. But it doesn't take long to realize that you are completely lost, desperate for comfort and you don't know which way to go! How many of us have ever felt that way? So we go running back to Jesus, grab His finger and repeat the process. Most little kids will walk away eventually; there is always something that will grab their attention. Do we find ourselves in that same rut? Over and over we run to Him, cling to Him, follow Him, and over and over we walk away…

Is it time to stop running? Is it time to trust that He Knows which way is right, best, straight? Is He enough?

For me, I no longer cling to His finger, but rather beg Him to hold tight to my wrist and enclose my grubby little hand in His. If there is one thing I am SURE of, He will NEVER let me go! And THAT is all the security that I need!

How about you? Sick of being drawn to a place where there is only desperation and regret? Then run back to your daddy…He is waiting, watching for that moment of recognition when it hits you that you NEED Him! He has not left you! Just follow your tears back to His everlasting arms!

Wild Stallion

2011-04-16T22:53:00.001-04:00

Wild Stallion

I love to watch movies. Chick flicks are my favorite, but I can also tolerate a good, clean action film. There is not a chance for war movies, and anything with any kind of scary music, scary person, scary theme, etc…don't even bring it into my house. I have people laugh all the time when they see me closing my eyes and plugging my ears. There are just some things I can't tolerate!

I love so many, but the bad part about my getting old (O.K.….only 32...but still, my memory is going) is that I can't for the life of me remember titles. So I don't know what particular movie this was in but there was an awesome scene with horses. I know, narrows it down a ton, doesn't it? Let me get to the good part. There was a rebellious girl, yes, that it why I connected so well with her, that loved horses. There was a wild stallion, which was just gorgeous, on the ranch. She was instructed not to get close to it, but when coming face to face, she couldn't hold herself back. The stallion of course, stayed still long enough to lure her in and then spooked and took off. Are you on the edge of your seat yet? In the seconds that followed, fear, dread, and regret all settled into the girl's stomach as she watched the stallion sprint across the land, attracting allllllll the other horses' attention and beckoning them to follow. The next scene flashes tons of horses running full speed, following the big brave beautiful stallion. It was actually a remarkable view. I love horses and love to watch them run. But this story obviously had a very big chance to end badly. The horses were following a leader all right, but the leader was running stupidly right towards the cliff. It was blind to what lay right ahead, and did not slow down one bit as it lead tons of horses to their death. Thankfully the dad swooped in on his horse which ran faster than the stallion; they got ahead of it and turned them around. The horses stopped running, all were safe and the daughter breathed a sigh of relief, until of course her dad got a hold of her. But that is another story…

Do you understand the analogy here? That ONE stallion had the power to lead hundreds of horse to their death. Not one single horse that was following ever questioned whether or not they were going in the right direction, they just followed. And if the leader wouldn't have gotten turned around, they would have all just died…just like that. He was leading them to their grave.

The question that burned in me as I remembered that scene was what are we following?

How many of us find ourselves lacking passion for Jesus? Do you find your flame has burned out? Do you have a million other things that are taking HIS place? Do you even think about Him during your day? Has life become chasing distractions that will only lead to death, or are we running so hard towards the only one to keep us from falling off the edge?

Who is leading the pack that you find yourself in? Is it a wild stallion that runs blindly to wherever they want to go? Whatever they want to do, no matter the cost? Or are you following your own leader, who leads you beside still waters, who restores your soul, who never forsakes you, who comforts you, do I need to go on?

I am tired of this rat race….seriously…I am tired of watching people get on fire, then quit, then want to be passionate, then let their passion die, who really armor up, then forget to even pick up their sword, who commit, then renege. I am tired of satan stealing, lying, destroying, and just plain killing.

Who do you want to be? Do you really want to surrender to death? Do you really want to run blindly off that cliff? Let me be perfectly clear…that horse may not have known what was right in front of him…but satan does! And he will deliberately run you right off that edge!

Stop right now. It is not too late to change direction! Jesus is screaming your name and holding His Hand out. All you have to do is stop running and grab it! That is one cliff you do not want to plunge over…hold tight to the only thing that will keep you on solid ground!

Jamaica 2011

2011-03-18T10:17:00.000-04:00

It has been FOREVER since i have last posted a devotion and i am truly sorry! my life has been chaos lately. not without a ton of God things...one included a mission trip with 17 other incredible people including my hubby and kiddo's! huge success and we loved it...

the next week will be spent in Jamaica on another mission trip with 35 of us! 28 kids! super excited...God has done amazing things in all of our hearts this past year and we are pumped to go! some prayer requests are to please pray for safety, team unity, God to be able to use us whenever and whereever...the hearts of the jamaicans as well as our hearts! also...several of us woke up SICK today! so pray for super natural healing!!

the goal is to update this blog every day...GOAL....it may happen...might not! depends on the internet and if the kids want to help ;) might be me up typing at 11 while everyone is asleep (yeah right;))

so keep watching this week!!! pray hard too!

thanks!
in HIM
Tina <><
Joshua 1:9

Stuck Food

2011-01-28T07:15:00.001-05:00

STUCK FOOD

I do not have a dishwasher. I know, I know, many of you can hardly believe it. Trust me, I can hardly believe it. The pace of our life is so fast, a dishwasher, seriously, would make my house 10 x's cleaner. That is not even an exaggeration! What seems to happen all too often is that we eat and leave. The dishes usually make their way off of the table, but not into the dish water until the next morning. I wake many days to a pile of plates and pans with food hardened into place.

I have 3 kids, so I know that some of you are telling me to put them to work. There is one little problem to that equation: I am an extremely picky washer. I cannot stand even a speck of food left on any plate or in between a fork prong or in a pan. I wash and wash and then run my hand over the utensil until I am confident all the grease, grime and food are gone! It, at times, can take me forever! I have washcloths with a special scrubbing side, I have special sponges, I have special degreaser and special soap. You can just say that my dishes are special. Just kidding. But I use all of those things so that they will be clean and completely ready for use the next time. You may think that I am over the top on this, but not one of you would eat off of a plate that was still dirty, or use a fork that still had last nights lasagna on it. I'm right aren't I?

Why is it that every single one of us would not put a plate away until it was clean, would continue to soak it if the food wouldn't come off and even go as far as using extra soap to help with the cleaning process? We would take that pan and, with perseverance, make it sparkle. We wouldn't throw it away just because it took extra work, nor would we leave it sit on the counter for 2 more weeks. We would immediately get to work on it.

Why are we satisfied walking around with "stuff" stuck to ourselves then? Why does a plate or spoon get more of our energy and attention than our spiritual lives do? I know that it is a weird analogy, but if you think about it, it is so true! We will leave pride plastered in place, or ignore the big chunk of selfishness that is there! We seem to not care that our hearts are getting hardened by sin every day! We leave it sit "on the counter" and not really take any special care to make sure we completely wash it away. We become mean, unloving, unforgiving and refuse to give grace when grace is needed! Read that last sentence again…does that sound like someone whose heart is loving Jesus? It actually sounds like someone who has never met Him! But how many of us find ourselves with at least one of those traits stuck firmly in place?

In Hebrews 3, it states this:

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Sin will deceive us and if we do not take care of it today, you will become hardened. Who are you surrounding yourself with? Are they willing to help you remove what is hardened in place? You have to remember that sometimes, it takes more than just one thing to get all the "junk" off! You need several to get the job completely done! Friends, The Bible, prayer, church, etc….don't think that you can do this yourself!

Don't be stubborn, and don't get comfortable in your sin! Get the soap out, degreaser, sponge and whatever else it takes! You will not ever be fully used unless you are completely clean! Plunge into that water and start washing!

Who Am I?

2011-01-25T09:38:00.001-05:00

Who Am I?

I was struck with something on my way home from church today.

God is so big and we are merely nothing. But too often, we act like we are so big and God is nothing. How did things get so messed up?

Have you ever had an experience with a person who tried to tell you how to do your job and had no clue what they were talking about? How did you or would you react? Being the insensitive person that I am, I'd be afraid that I would laugh in their face. You may be someone who would patiently listen, then when they left, do it the right way anyhow.

How do you think God reacts? I personally have felt Him get frustrated at me. Don't get me wrong, He is so patient! The frustration usually comes after I repeatedly insist that I know what I know, and that what I know is right. I just wonder if I ever just make Him laugh out loud and shake His head!

I found this passage tucked in an amazing book. (yeah the Bible J)

Job 38:4-21

¶ "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—

7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

8 "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,

9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,

10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,

11 when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?

12 ¶ "Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place,

13 that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?

14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.

15 The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.

16 "Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.

19 "What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?

20 Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

21 Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!

At what point did you start feeling pretty small? If it didn't hit you at the beginning or the middle, the last verse surely smacked you across the face!

How have we become so enthralled in ourselves and our own lives that we have forgotten how mighty and powerful He is? Right now, if you are saying that you haven't forgotten, then let me ask you another question: when was the last time you were worried sick over something? Or when was the last time that you made a decision by yourself? I think that I could ask a million "when was the last time" questions. The reality is that we all forget at times our position. We all forget that the God, who did everything described in Job 38, is the same God that is there for us too. We think that we can handle things on our own. One of the most horrible mistakes that I have ever made was thinking that I could fix a problem by myself, and in my own power. That mindset got me stuck in a pit so deep, I am sure that God's arm had to be completely extended to help me climb out! But you know what? His Hand was there the instant I asked for help! That of course does not mean that I decided to hold on to it until I got to the top. When I would let go, there, thankfully, were ledges in the pit that I fell onto; I never fell all the way back to the bottom. But only when I surrendered to the fact that I am nothing, and only God could fix me, did I get fixed! I am talking years of trying to do it on my own! It took God only a couple months with me completely surrendered and I could again see the light of day instead of the dingy walls that had become all too familiar to me!

Don't take God for granted! He is there and always will be, but we need to not live our lives with Him on the back burner; ready to use Him when we are desperate!

Every day He wakes us with the sun. We expect it, and He comes through. Every night, it gets dark. We expect it, and He comes through. Every promise that He has ever made, He has come through on! What about that kind of God makes us want to forget Him when we wake? Forget to thank Him for the food that He provides? Go days without talking to Him at all? I am going to ask the question again: How did things get so messed up? Why is God not on the pedestal that we put our "things" on? Why are "things" more important than God who simply has to speak and the winds stop?

We are crazy, we are confused, and we are messed up!

There is a praise song that is called "Great are You" by Downhere

The Chorus goes:

"Because I'll never hold the picture

Of the whole horizon in my view

Because I'll never rip the night in two

It makes me wonder

Who am I, Who am I, Who am I

And great are you

How I love Your Word

My God, My King

How I love Your Word

My God, My King"

We are nothing, but amazingly the creator of the whole universe, wants to have a relationship with us! I shake my head in wonder at how amazing He truly is! He not only wants to have a relationship with us but He pursues a relationship with us! What are we doing?! We have got to get things straightened out and put things in the right order! God first and EVERYTHING else second! If we can get that right, then our minds will finely be without any arrogance about whom we really are and who God really is!

Random Question

2011-01-13T06:45:00.001-05:00

Random Question?

Our lives are pretty crazy. Many of you probably can "amen" that statement, can't you? We each have our tightly packed schedules that we keep, even if my schedule is chaos. I have a friend who color coordinates her calendar! Each of them gets a different color so she can remember who goes where. I have another one that does nothing but chauffeurs, sometimes having 3 games in one night! She can recite exactly when, where, and what she is doing each day of the week! Then you have some people like me, who can't make plans because her calendar is not in front of her, and she can't remember what is going on the next day without looking at it. Are you relating? All of these add up to one truth…life is b-u-s-y!

Is there anything in your schedule right now that you could imagine cutting out or cutting short? … NO???... I am thinking that many of you could not imagine getting rid of anything. Each one is just "too important". Is this true? So here is a random question: What if someone offered you a million dollars, would you take it? Wait…it does come with a couple of strings attached (of course). You have to, for 2 weeks, fit into your day 20 minutes of reading about their products on the internet. Could you do it? OF COURSE YOU WOULD! For a million dollars, there isn't much that we wouldn't do. I believe that almost every single one of us would, without hesitation, be able to find the time to get that done!

So here comes the big question: Are you willing to do the same thing for God?

1 Timothy 6:9-11 " People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. (Who would sign up for that??)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.(NO THANKS!)

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."

Could it be that money is not everything? Is it true that it will not solve all our problems? We spend so much of our time and energy running after something that promises us happiness, security, and comfort. It's true isn't it? We just determined that we would, most likely, be able to change our crazy schedules around to have those green pieces of paper, even knowing that we can't take any of it with us! Do you realize that even if we are rich, we still die? Money tempts us into thinking that just a little more and you will be happy, or that you won't have worries anymore, or that you will finally be able to relax! The truth is: money is deceitful. And we could put anything into that little equation. Sports for instance. Sports are NOT going to make you happy forever! You will eventually have to quit playing them, with probably a worn out body, in which you will have to spend all your money on anyhow! But yet thousands of us devote all our time and energy trying to get better! We spend countless hours pouring all we have into a game that will be over in a few short years. Then what?

What are you building your foundation on? And another very important question, what are you teaching others to build their houses on? You can build it on the foundation of money, sports, friends, etc… you can! For a while it will do really well for you…maybe even years! You will be standing tall and you will feel like everything is perfect and life is just awesome! But what happens when that storm hits (because it will!). What happens when you get that dreaded phone call that there has been an accident or that someone (maybe even you) are sick…really sick. What about a basketball game, or a million dollars, or cards with your friends, could EVER get you through a time like that? A million dollars would NEVER bring a loved one back to life…trust me…I know! Just one more game of basketball will never cure cancer! All the money in the world, can't repair a sports injury completely…I have lived it, it's true!

There is only one thing that can ever keep you from sinking…JESUS!

It's time for an inventory check. What are you making a god in your life?

There is only one true God that will hold you now and embrace you later. Only one true God will NEVER leave you (that means when you die too!). Are you running hard after Him? Or are you stuck in the rut of running hard after something that ends? God is clear…where you place your treasure, there your heart will be. Is your heart with Him?

Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

20/20 Vision

2011-01-05T19:26:00.001-05:00

When I was young, I constantly heard "20/20" every time I visited the eye doctor. My brother and I were both blessed with great vision while my 2 sisters couldn't go a single day without putting on their glasses or contacts.

My perfectness didn't last forever though (I know…you all are shocked that I am not perfectJ). The difference was so gradual that I became accustomed to seeing a little bit fogger and fogger. I first noticed things were getting a bit worse when I would have to squint a little bit to see things farther away. At night, when the darkness closed in, was my worst, but still not bad enough for me to want to go and get glasses! I could still see pretty well, and even at my worst, I could pass my driver's test without any help. I probably still would be without glasses, except I gradually began to develop headaches. Not just normal headaches, but ones that wouldn't go away with a couple ibuprofen. I call them my "eye headaches".

This was enough to make me see a doctor. I found out that I had what they call a stigmatism: an irregular eye curvature. To correct it, I would need to wear glasses. As I was trying to get myself to be o.k. with this, the doctor began to put different lenses in front of my eyes. My reaction was one that I will never forget. "Oh my word, I can see clearly!" I couldn't believe how accustomed I had gotten to seeing blurry. It had happened so slowly that I didn't even know what clarity looked like anymore! But all of the sudden, there it was! Perfect vision again.

Since that first visit to the eye doctor, the pattern has repeated itself. I wear my glasses for a couple of years, and not realize that my vision is getting a little blurrier and blurrier. All of the sudden, my headaches start, and I know it is time to clear things up a bit. I get my new glasses and have the same reaction. I simply can't believe that things can look so clear and crisp!

I have noticed the same thing happening to Christians across America. When we are little kids, we want to love Jesus and get to Heaven. Throw in a slumber party here and there and we are good to go. As we enter into our teen years, that pretty much flips. Our life is more about us and our fun and desires, and less about loving and pleasing God. When we finally get out of this stage, we have a "stigmatism" of sorts on our perspective. We now become driven more by what we want to see get done, and the steps that are "normal" to take, and less about seeking out what God's plan is for each and every one of us. God is an afterthought of sorts and is invited to tag along as long as He lets us do what we want. Our worship consists of going to church for an hour or two every Sunday (maybe), possibly Wednesday night service, you know…going through the motions. We know what we are supposed to do, and we, for the most part, stick to the rules. But there is a sense of the world creeping into our hearts. It is something that has happened little by little, that we aren't even aware that our "vision" is cloudy. It is just the way things are and too many of us are fine that way. We don't see a need for spiritual glasses.

But I am very aware of a headache that is starting. God wants to get our attention! We need to wake up and grab our Bibles. There is an urgency about this situation. I whole heartedly feel that we are becoming lukewarm in our beliefs and in our faith. Even worse, I feel that we are spreading it around to others. If you have ever been around someone who is passionate, you feel something contagious about them. It is the same way with someone who has no passion at all. We are influencing others to just be normal, plain Jane kind of Christians. We are setting the bar so ridiculously low, that people are content in a place where the goal is to put in the "time" at church and check it off their lists. No one feels the need or want to do anything else.

Blurred vision is not so bad…when you don't realize what you are missing. But I am here to tell you that you are missing a lot! Don't settle for every day ordinary life. God is so much bigger and has so much more planned for you! He wants you to step up and step out. Our call as Christians is to bring glory to His Name, not ours! This life is all about Him not you or me! We should be living to make Him famous!

Are you beginning to realize that your way may not match up to His way? I hope that you can get a fire started and motivate yourself to want more. Expect more! Raise that bar and challenge yourself to get to know a God who wants more for you than you yourself do!

3 Meals

2010-12-31T16:36:00.001-05:00

3 Meals

How many times have we been told to never skip a meal? And further, the meals we do choose have to be balanced and nutritious; not just a fly by kind of meal. You can't just grab the first thing you see and consider it good, Snickers and Tootsie rolls just don't count! If you know that your eating habits aren't the best, you will probably agree with me when I give you the symptoms of what will happen to you if you don't listen to what you've been taught all your life. Weight gain, feelings of being bloated, crabby moods, no energy, etc. Sounds great doesn't it? There is nothing about missing your daily fill that sounds appealing.

Why is it that many of us would never skip our food, but daily, weekly, monthly, even yearly, we skip out on feeding our spiritual lives? How many of you would tell me that there is NO way that you can "fill up" spiritually 3 times a day? A lot of you may not even find it possible to do it once! There may be some that are reading this and will confirm that they checked Bible study off of their list today. But my question to all of you is that when you sit down to a "meal", is it meat, vegi's and fruit that you are eating, or is it candy and junk food? Do you really get fed or are you just getting by?

We all know what happens to our physical bodies when we don't eat right, what you may not have thought about before is what exactly happens to us spiritually when we don't.

Jesus says:

John 6:35 "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty."

How many of you feel that hunger ache all the time? I am not talking about your physical bodies, I am talking about that ache that you just aren't satisified with life but yet you just don't know how to be. You find yourself looking and searching for "the answer". But everything new you buy, or weight you accomplish, or friend that you make, or promotion you get, etc…just doesn't seem to cut it. You, sooner than later, find yourself dissatisfied and hungry once again.

So are you ready to stop searching? Want me to tell you the secret you have been dying to hear? Go back up to John 6:35…see it mixed in between those words? Yep… there it is…JESUS. Amazing how He seems to be the answer for everything huh? Now imagine for a minute filling up on Jesus 3 times a day! Not just open your Bible and read something quickly without digesting it kind of Jesus. I am talking about real conversation, pouring your heart out, hands wide open, surrender kind of time with Jesus. Imagine taking every single care, worry, and problem of your day and laying it at His Feet! Not just once a month…I am talking about all during the day.

Jesus says that HE is the bread of life. He is not just another bread of life…He is THE one and only. He says that if anyone comes to Him and believes in Him, they will not be hungry or thirsty! But there is a catch in that verse that we can't overlook. The word COME. You have to COME to Him!! It is not enough to just believe (even the demons believe). NO!! You have to come to Him to receive the bread!

I don't know about you, but I am feeling hungry! Want to stop searching for other avenues to walk down and walk down the path that leads to Him? I'll go with you…let's go fill our plates!

I'm Yours Lord…take me, shape me, fill me…I'm done running and I'm done searching! You are it for me!

Wet Waders

2010-12-24T17:21:00.001-05:00

Wet Waders

Many of you have heard the story of my husband and his little swim last weekend. We can joke a little about it now, but at the time, I assure you, it wasn't anything to laugh about. The reality is it changed our lives forever! Our perspective has been slammed into place and not anytime soon will I take for granted just how powerful and in charge MY GOD is!

I will recap a little bit for you…

Luke was stranded in the middle of a lake in December (we are in Indiana…which equals...FREEZING!)!

Luke was wearing waders. Not just hip waders but rather chest waders with boots. He has assured me that even when they are dry on land, the waders are super hard to get off; being wet while still in the water, the waders became impossible to remove!

While simply sitting in the boat, the waders aren't extremely heavy. I mean, they obviously add more weight and are bulkier, but nothing unbearable. It became quickly obvious though, that when submerged in water, the waders became a huge problem. The problem didn't occur at first. The problem occurred the longer he sat in the water. As they began to slowly hold more and more water, the waders became so heavy, Luke new that eventually they would pull him under. Even with a lifejacket on, he felt sure that the waders would be what caused him to drown if he did not secure another way to stay afloat. Praise the Lord (I do not say that lightly!) that he was able to swim 40 yards and grab a couple bags of duck decoys. The decoys were able to hold his weight and keep him afloat until help arrived!

I was struck with the similarities between this story and the story that every one of us face when we deal with sin. It really isn't that different!

Just go with me a moment as a draw a mental picture. Imagine that sin is like those waders. You fall into sin and choose not to get rid of it. You "put" sin on like Luke put on those waders. They may seem funny to walk around with at first, but after a while, they get comfortable. You may even forget that they are heavy. This is exactly where satan wants you! He wants you to think that it is no big deal and that you can handle holding onto whatever is actually weighing you down! But it doesn't stop there. Eventually the weight of sin will increase. As you get more and more tired, the "waders" become heavier and heavier. Sin will be so sneaky just like this. It won't just drown you instantly; it will be a slow fade. Sometimes so slow that you won't even notice it until you are at the point of drowning. You may think that you have things in place to help you out. You put your "lifejackets" on and feel a false sense of security. You bank on the fact that you won't drown because you can handle it! The truth of it is: you need a savior. Luke would not have survived if he was not rescued and to be honest we are the same way!

Listen to me carefully…you cannot get yourself to shore when satan has his claws around you! The
only way to freedom is by accepting help from Jesus!

What is weighing you down? Do you have something that you are hiding in hopes that you can just ignore it and that no one will ever find out? Do not be the fool who thinks that they will be fine no matter what. Sin will eventually take you under. And if you have walked around with it for any amount of time, I am sure you will understand completely the weight that I describe. Aren't you sick of it? Don't you just want to strip it off and "run with perseverance the race marked out for you?"

It teaches us in Hebrews 12:1-2

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw of everything that hinders and sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS…"

This is a loaded verse! We have people watching…your life can either be one where people watch you drown or they will watch you run to Jesus. Each one will powerfully affect others and possibly lead them down the same path that you choose!

So what are you going to choose? Are you sick of treading water yet? Are you sick of feeling that heaviness on your chest? Doesn't solid ground sound good about now? Then fix your eyes on Jesus…the author and perfector of our faith! The answer is simple and it will never change…if you want freedom, if you want to rid yourself of the heaviness that is weighing you down then you have to make a choice…life or death?

It's time…Reach out your hand and take His!

Flickering Light

2010-12-18T19:03:00.001-05:00

Flickering Light

I got the privilege of putting lights on our Christmas tree today. Many of you will gasp when I tell you this, but today is December 17^th! Yes, I know, there is only one more week before Christmas! It never fails in our household though, the days fly by and before we know it; we have to get our tree up before it's too late.

I am the kind of person that doesn't like to fuss much with decorating. I have walked into people's houses where their trees are absolutely perfect, the decorations all match and the lights are like a million little twinkling stars. Our tree will never be that. But it reflects us so much I wouldn't change it for the world! As I watch my kids hang their homemade decorations, I see holes where a decoration could go, but I keep my mouth shut and just enjoy the masterpiece they are creating!

Before they went to work, I took 2 strands of lights and started wrapping. I hate doing this because I get poked a million times trying to put the lights where they should go. But the most annoying part is when you come to the ones that are burnt out! But even that was not what made me stop and think. My focus was caught on one little yellow light; a little yellow light that was flickering. We do not put up flashing lights, or blinking lights. We put up colorful lights that stay on all the time. So to have one flashing, made me wonder what was wrong with it. I watched it for a few seconds and tried to wiggle it to make it come all the way on, but my attempts were worthless. In the end, the light burnt out.

And just like that it made me wonder if this is what it's like when one of our spiritual lights "burn out".

Mt 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Do you let your light shine so brightly that men can actually praise God by just witnessing it? Or do you find yourself flickering? Will people walk into a room and know that that there is no way that you are burning out or do they not even realize that you love Jesus?

Where is your walk at right now? Plug yourself into the source that will continually power you to show His Light! The longer you are away from Him, the quicker you will burn yourself out. Don't be flickering on and off, don't be satisfied to be anything other than full wattage!

Chosen

2010-12-18T17:30:00.001-05:00

Chosen

What do the following names mean to you?

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali

Now what does this name mean to you?

Joseph (the coat of many colors)

All of the men that are mentioned here are brothers. They all were born to Jacob and they all ended up in Egypt. But there is one word that separates the first 11 from the last one: CHOSEN. (You can read about this account starting in Genesis 37.)

Joseph was the brother that no one liked, so they sold him into slavery. Thinking that they would never see him again, they covered up what they did by lying and telling their father that he was killed. Never in a million years would they have thought that God would turn what they did into the biggest miracle they ever witnessed!

Hard times came and the brothers had no option but to go in search of food. What they found was much more than simple grain. They came face to face with the reality that God had chosen one of their own to work a miracle through. All HE had needed for that to happen was ONE person saying yes to Him even when things weren't going their way! Joseph was that man.

A really amazing friend of mine told me recently that he wanted to see a miracle this year. But more importantly, he not only wanted to witness it, he wanted to be a part of it! He doesn't want to be one of the brothers, he wants to be a Joseph.

Which brother do you find yourself most like?

Can you see the vast difference between the two? If a miracle is to occur, many of us will find ourselves as mere observers. Sadly, a percentage of those people will be content to be just that. Can you believe with me for even just a second that our amazing God wants to blow you away with something that can only be explained by His power? More than letting you be just a witness, though, He wants to use
you for it!

This is exactly what God wants to see happen in all of our lives! But He won't use just anybody. He wants to use people that are willing to give Him their whole lives, no matter what, saying "Use me for Your Glory!" That is when you will find yourself smack dab in the middle of a miracle! Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God---this is your spiritual act of worship."

I want to challenge you to rethink how you want to live your remaining years on this earth. If you are happy not seeing anything amazing happen, or don't really care to see how big God can be, then there is nothing more that you really have to do…it will probably happen just like that for you.

But if you are anything like me and my friend and want more, you want to see things happen that can only be explained by God, then say yes to HIM right now! Don't get caught doing things your way, but surrender everything to God's plan and purpose. Every step of the way!

Say yes to God in everything He asks, and you will find yourself standing in awe of what He will do with you, through you, and to you. No doubt you will also find yourself repeating the words of David in 2 Sam. 7:18 "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"!

Don't waste an opportunity and don't get caught being left out! A miracle is waiting for you!

Happy Birthday Jesus

2010-12-12T22:31:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Have you ever watched a child on Christmas morning get so excited to open presents? There was one year when my oldest was the only grandchild, and he literally had a stack to open that was taller than he was. Sadly, that was only one house…he had more to come from other places. By the end of the day, he didn't even feel like unwrapping anymore things.

Can you remember what you got for Christmas 5 years ago? How about 4? Oh come on….surely 3 years ago? If you are like most people, you probably can't recall at all. My son wrote down candy, but that doesn't count. The point of that line of questioning is to show all of us what Christmas has become.

Every year I try to get my shopping done before Thanksgiving. I hate the rush, the crowds, the pushy people. It all just gives me a headache. So it is much easier if I just avoid it all by shopping early. Inevitably though, it gets to be about 2 weeks before Christmas and I begin to feel that "I haven't gotten my kids enough" feeling. So I go back out and get them the little things…you know…movies (which we can rent), more candy (that gets thrown away), little $1.00 toys to fill their stockings (they always break). Just useless "stuff". I can bet a million bucks that they can't name what I went out and bought them last year either!

Why do we do this? Why is it such a thrill for us to give worthless gifts? Is it really worth that 30 seconds of excitement that lights up their faces? As I have gotten older, I realized that my parents always tried to make Christmas really special. But you know what I remember most about my childhood Christmas's? I remember being really excited about a game that I had gotten, and I even remember playing it for a little while, but most of all I recall a huge cardboard box that gave us endless hours of fun! A cardboard box! I know that many of you are shaking your head in agreement right now. You know that it is true! A simple cardboard box would have been all that my parents would have had to give us!

Besides reading the title, how many of you have thought about Jesus throughout the story so far? My guess is that your minds were probably going back to bits and pieces of memories that are floating around in your heads. But Jesus…yeah, happy Birthday Jesus, I guess.

Have you ever had a party or been to a party where some guest totally upstages the host? When everyone is supposed to be celebrating your big day, and instead, all attention is on someone who is just being louder than everyone else?

How do you think Jesus feels?

Especially about those who call Him Savior?

We praise Him for giving His Life, and count on Him to pull us through the hard times, but when it comes down to the ONE specific day that we get to actually proclaim as His, we make it about ourselves. Are you depressed yet?

We had a sermon on Sunday that had an awesome quote in it. Imagine God asking you to "redeem Christmas like I have redeemed you!" What a challenge! Every year I hear people say things like, "I spent so much money on toys that aren't even going to get played with", "I can't believe I have to give a gift to that person", "maybe I can just give her something out of my closet, she will never know". We spend so much time rushing, griping & wanting, that we forget the most important question yet: "what do you want Jesus?"

You know what His response will be? It's the same whether you ask it in July or in December…He will undoubtedly answer "your heart". I can easily have a dialogue with Him about this one. "You have my heart Lord…", "No, I want it ALL, hold nothing back from Me!", "But Lord, I love You, and I live for You daily!" He takes both of my hands in His and looks me directly in my eyes and whispers. "Then feed my sheep…" (John 21:17). Whoosh…all the air goes out of my lungs as I realize my mistake. I am not feeding His people. I am leading them in a way that says: "stuff will make you happy, you need more things to make Christmas special!" Sure we teach our kids that Christmas is Jesus' Birthday, but really, is that what we make Christmas all about? If we truly love Him, we will feed His sheep…not feed our selfish hearts! Not feed our need for just wanting more! We will fill a need rather than fill our toy rooms and closets!

Let's really do it this year! Don't just agree that something needs to be done and vow to do it next year!

Please don't take this the wrong way and not give any gifts what so ever…I am not telling you to do that! I am just challenging you to change your mind set on what Christmas really is about, and how we can reclaim it to be the holiday that celebrates Jesus, the ultimate gift, not robo-man, the gift that will break and get thrown away in 3 weeks.

Christmas time is about giving, but make sure that first and foremost, you give Jesus what He wants! A completely surrendered heart will in turn celebrate this upcoming B-Day the way it should be celebrated; Christ as the honorary guest, with no one upstaging Him!

So how about it? Is this the year to change things up a little bit?

Instead of Merry Christmas you…what about Happy Birthday Jesus?

My Husband's Voice

2010-12-11T22:16:00.000-05:00

Yesterday could have been such a horrific day. It could have been one that changed our lives drastically for the worst. But instead, i got to watch my husband walk back into our home with our kids swarming him on both sides and his nephew in his arms!

All of my blog posts come from inspiration from God. I will never claim to be anything but a vessel. This post is no different. Without God's powerful Hands of protection, this post would not be happening. The following will be the story from my husband's eyes. Please remember that there is so much more to add when you consider each of the guys' perspectives. There may be a day in the future when I can write theirs also, but for now, this is Luke's. Please also note that this is the "quick" version with some details left out here and there.

Duck hunting in freezing cold weather, with windy conditions=perfection. The guys went out for one last really good hunt before the season ended. On board was Luke, Jay and Ray. They had a successful hunt and was ready to load the boat back up and head home. On their way to the boat launch Jay started yelling that they were taking on water. Luke, without any sense of fear, turned around to throw the boat in reverse and hit the bilge pump. As he turned back around he found that Jay was halfway under water. Luke remembers that it wasn't just a little water coming in, but rather gushing over the nose. Less than 10 seconds, and the boat was gone. Luke describes the feeling as if the boat just dropped out from under them. Thankfully they had their lifejackets within reach, because that is all they had time to grab.

The icy water literally took their breath away! Luke immediately grabbed his phone and dialed 911. The call got cut off, but then they called Luke's phone back. Unfortunately Luke couldn't open the phone and answer it! With virtually no hope around, Luke starts looking for a way to get out of the situation. Jay and Ray were closer to each other than Luke was. Jay immediately grabbed Ray and helped him get into his lifejacket. As Jay was yelling for Luke to help hold Ray up, Luke knew that the only chance for him to stay afloat at all was the drifting bags of duck decoys. Luke was the one out of the group to have waders on that day. In one sense, he believes that the boots and neoprene helped keep his body temperature warmer, but all of that wouldn't have mattered if he didn't get to those decoys, because the waders were taking on water and becoming extremely heavy. With no hope of getting them off because they virtually suction cup to your body, Luke had to start swimming because he knew that his lifejacket wouldn't have held him up. As he reached the bags, he turned around to take them back to the guys and realized that they had floated 50 yds. apart. Luke starts back paddeling. He is being guided by Jay's voice. He gets to within 10 feet and simply can't get any closer. If you know Jay and Luke at all you will understand how tired they both had to be to say that they simply couldn't get any closer. Luke's arms had gone numb at this point and all he could do was drape himself over the bag, pray, kick and wait. They start screaming for help and wonder if anyone can hear them.

At this same time, I was at home doing the office work, and a physical feeling came over my knees, prompting me to pray. I had no idea what God was prompting me to pray for but i just kept praying, going a couple times back to Luke and protection over him. It dumbfounds me how much God was in control. Something i totally know, but in a moment like that, ALL of His Promises become a reality!

Finally they start seeing people on shore. They are desparetly trying to get some sort of boat in the water to get to them. One boat was without oars and the other was chained up. They were helpless to just watch. Finally the rescue team showed up with a boat and they were able to drag all 3 men on board. At this point Ray was unconscience so they flew him immediately to a bigger hospital. Jay and Luke rode in the same ambulance to the nearby hospital. Upon arrival, Luke's core temp. was at 86.1. The doctor assured me that it was "close" for Luke. He said that he hasn't seen too many people as cold as him.

All three guys took a couple of hours to warm completely back up. But by the grace of God, they all 3 went home that same night!

As I layed beside him last night, him and i both had the same thought, "what if this was the first night without him." what if this and what if that! The reality of it is, God just said "not today boys". Luke will tell you without hesitation that it is nothing but God's Hand that pulled them out of the water. Nothing else can explain why for 20-40 minutes in freezing cold, Luke was completely coherent, and Jay was able to hold a man up along with himself. All of these men wearing layerrrrrrssssss of clothing! I have talked to an ER doctor friend of ours and he said he can not believe that they were able to do that! ME EITHER!

I pray that through this story, God is glorified over and over...i am thankful beyond words as well as the rest of all of our families that we get to hear their voices ringing throughout our homes tonight! It is the best sound i've ever heard!

Keep Fighting

2010-12-04T00:15:00.001-05:00

Keep Fighting

Do you think that Moses ever got sick of fighting? What about the Israelites themselves? Do you remember the conditions that they were living in when Moses came to rescue them? SLAVERY. Not just slavery for a couple of months. No…slavery for years!

So Moses shows up and they take a whole bunch of stuff with them. They get out of their bondage and start their escape route. Not long after, they realize that they are being followed. Once again, God comes through and rescues them. 3 days later, they begin to grumble about the bitter water. It was 3 days after God parted a whole entire sea for them to walk through that they begin to grumble about water!! The pattern continues from there! God provides, they are satisfied, things get tough, they grumble. Finally, at one point they wish that they would have just died back in Egypt. They even question Moses as to why he ever rescued them in the first place.

You see, the Israelites had lost the desire to fight. What were they supposed to be fighting for? Their freedom!

You and I do this same exact thing. I look at the Israelites and question how they could have been so stupid. I have caught myself several times saying that "if I would have seen that sea part, then there would have been NO WAY I would have ever wanted to go back to slavery ever again." But the reality of my situation is that I have lived in bondage and God has set me free. Over and over again, in fact. He parts my sea, and I walk on through. But just like the Israelites, when the thrill of the victory goes away, I find myself not wanting to fight for the freedom that Jesus died to give me.

I read a quote yesterday that said "sometimes you have to fight the battle more than once to ensure the victory." I couldn't amen that statement more. There are struggles in my life that have held me captive for years. During those years, I would win little victories here and there, but for some reason, at some point, I would just quit fighting and feel a comfort in slinking back to the pit that I was continually stuck in. Do you know what I mean? I would find myself stuck, frustrated, and useless. Then I would wake up and pick the sword back up. I would fight my way back out…I could taste freedom. I would be pumped for a while, and then something would distract me…again I would forget to fight. The cycle can be endless!

How do we break the chains?

First get a desire to live out Romans 12:2

"Do not conform any longer to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."

Then (here's the action part) do 1 Peter 1:13-14

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, DO NOT CONFORM to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance."

It is all about the fight you guys! God has made a way and has ensured us victory! We have to decide every single day to never start grumbling because grumbling leads to defeat…defeat by surrender.

It's hard to fight; it's harder to keep fighting and still harder yet to never stop. It's a decision that is made every time you come to that battle line, whether you realize it or not. You make that choice over and over and over. The next time you come face to face with your chains, choose to cut them and run, just don't let yourself look back.

Your reward is coming…the battle is close to being over for good! Don't quit…and one more thing… I have a secret to tell you…

GOD WINS!!…keep fighting!

FLEE

2010-11-26T23:28:00.001-05:00

Flee

What do you envision when you hear the word flee? I first think about someone running away from someone else. The setting is usually a dark alley with a lot of shadows. The person running is constantly looking over their shoulder, sure that they are being followed. Running in a direction, they hope will lead to safety. Did I come close to what you envision?

I think of the story in the Old Testament of Joseph and his master's wife. The story goes that Joseph would not sleep with her. One day, she tried to seduce him and he fled from her. He literally ran away from her. He didn't try to reason with her, or talk her out of it. He knew danger was near and so he ran from it.

Isn't this a lesson for us? I whole heartedly believe that we have gotten too comfortable with our world. I don't even think that we recognize when something is dangerous anymore. I have heard more than once that the music listened to is not so bad, only one little bad part. Or the movie that we are watching only says the "s" word. Shoot, I have made these comments myself! No big deal. It isn't affecting us. I recently was told the story of someone baking a pan of brownies for their Sunday school students. Right before the brownies were ate; he stopped to tell them a little bit about how they were made. He informed them that he had picked out the best kind at the store. After putting all the ingredients in, he realized that he was a little short on one thing. He looked in his cabinets and found nothing to substitute for the missing ingredient. So he took a spoon outside and scooped up a little dog poop. It was just a little, no big deal. He finished mixing everything together, baked them and passed them out. You can imagine the kids' shocked faces when he told them this. Not one of them ate the dessert this time; just a little bit of something bad, ruined the whole batch.

You get my point? Why don't we treat the things we have become accustomed to like this pan of brownies. Instead of viewing it like it is no big deal, we need to view it like God sees it.

2 Timothy 2:22 "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."

We are to flee our evil desires. We are to run away. Far and fast! We are not to look back over our shoulder. We are to just run!

It's so hard though isn't it? "The evil desires of youth" says to me that I have had these desires a long time. And what do they say: "old habits are hard to break?"

I have for a long time, thought that if I was to flee; satan would be breathing down my back while chasing me. You can just picture it now can't you? He is the big bad wolf who is constantly stalking his prey. But I found another great verse tucked away in

James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

It's funny to see this word appear in both of these verses. One is a command of what we should do, and one is a promise of what will happen if we persevere against the devil and resist him. This is so reassuring to me.

It not only reassures me but also changes my view of satan. I think for a very long time, he has wanted me to believe that he had the upper hand. That I was scared and running and I needed to constantly be watching my back because he was just behind the next corner. I realize now that when I am in this mindset, I am not trusting in the power of the name of Jesus. I am telling myself that satan has power over me. The reality of the situation is that all I have to do is resist him. Resisting may include fleeing from him. Not because of how scary he is; but because we don't want to be close to anything of evil…we will eventually get too comfortable with it. Then we will eventually not even realize that it is harming us.

The most eye opening thing about this whole little lesson I have learned is that satan will flee from me. It's a promise that I intend to cling to! I am liking this turn of events. Instead of feeling that I will have to run forever and never stop because he is constantly running after me, all I have to do is stop and speak the name of Jesus, and resist him…and then he is the one who has to flee. It's awesome isn't it?

The word flee use to bring a sense of dread. It was always associated with something hidden, scary, and unexpected. The unknown is always a bit nerve wracking. But my view is changing drastically. I actually feel a bit empowered right now. I have decided to not believe the lies that I have lived under from the enemy. He does not have power over me. In fact, I think I am just now realizing the power that Christ has given us over satan! I know that this change in attitude is not always going to be easy to keep, but I know that this is the way God wants us to live! We might as well start somewhere, and it might as well start now! Let's start resisting him…how cool will it be to see him fleeing instead of us J!

don't give up on me!

2010-11-19T11:22:00.000-05:00

hey to all my followers and readers...i just realized today that there has been 10 days between posts! i am crazy swamped right now and sadly this blog got pushed to the back burner! DON'T GIVE UP ON ME!!!! please pray that i can find time...that i keep focused on God! for some reason He has given me devotions to write...this is the only reason that i can do it! so there must be a purpose right??!! please pray that these devo's can touch who they are supposed to touch and are used whenever and for whoever HE wants them for! thanks for being supporters! i love watching where those little red dots are going to pop up on the map next! (cluster map at the bottom of this page ;))

Extra Air

2010-11-19T11:11:00.001-05:00

Extra Air

Every day I start out by packing 3 lunches. It is something that I, at times, dread. It seems like as the school year flies by, there is less and less time to get everything ready in the morning. Most days, I find myself stuffing the baggies into lunch boxes as the kids are running out the door.

One day last week, this is exactly where I found myself. I started rapidly zipping shut baggies and tossing them into their lunch boxes. But in my haste, I realized that I left too much air in the bags and couldn't stuff everything in. It made me have to go back and open every baggie, release the air, and start over again. Frantic and frustrated are probably really good descriptive words to describe my mood that day.

After the kids actually get out the door, I have about 5 minutes where I feel completely relieved. As I was thinking back over my baggie problem that day, I realized that the Christian life can be so much like a packed lunch.

Aren't there days when you just feel like you can't fit everything in? Seriously, my life is crazy busy sometimes! I am sure I am not alone in feeling that way. You have a pile of "baggies" that need to be fit into a "lunch box" and some days, they just don't fit. Can you see my point?

The more air that you let out of those baggies, the more room you have to pile all the stuff in. But the problem that will happen, and the risk that you are taking is that without the extra air, your chips might get squished, your sandwich squashed and your cookies crumbled. You will end up packing everything in, but what condition will it actually be in by the end of the day?

What would it look like if we compared that extra air to the Holy Spirit? Are there times when we neglect to take the Holy Spirit with us, releasing Him out of our activities? Instead of using Him for protection, we don't take the time to spend with Him, and rather quickly shove as many things into our days as possible? I know that I have gotten into ruts where this is my EVERY day life! The end result is a whole bunch of activities that are done with ½ a heart and look like a crushed bag of chips. It may get done, but in the mean time, I get exhausted & drained, even burnt out at times. Have you felt that way too?

What is the solution? For me, I believe wholeheartedly that we just need to learn to re-adjust our focus. So many of our problems come when we try to take on too much because we can't say no. We worry about hurting someone's feelings or failing them, when in reality, by taking on too much, we actually fail God, because we can't do everything with our whole hearts for Him.

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

After reading this verse, do you feel that you do everything like you were doing it for the Lord? Or can you see an area that may be a baggie without any air? Are you in danger of being squished?

Check out what you put into your day. If the only way to fit everything in is by letting HIM out, I think it's time to reevaluate what is important and what is not. You don't want to end your day with a crumbled mess!

Do you belong with HIM?

2010-11-09T12:00:00.002-05:00

Do you belong with HIM?

Go with me just for a second to the stage of the Academy Awards. You can almost feel the electrifying air can't you? Now just picture me making an announcement that we need Brad and Angelina to come to the stage. Would you know who I was talking about or would you have to ask me to clarify? Most people wouldn't hesitate to get excited because they would immediately know that I meant Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

My question to you would be how do you know? What about those two makes it obvious that it was them I was calling? Don't you think that there were probably more Brad's in the audience than just him? Probably at least one other Angelina too! But they would know as would most everyone else, that I wanted Pitt and Jolie specifically.

The reason is because they are a couple. This equals spending time together, hanging out, going places together, talking all the time, etc. They have all the classic signs of 2 people that do life together.

Now go with me to a different audience. An auditorium filled with people, and at least 20 have the same name as you. The announcer comes to the front of the stage and grabs the microphone and announces that he needs "Tina" and Jesus to please come to the front. Would you know without a doubt that he was talking about you and Jesus?

Go through the checklist. Do you:

Spend time with Him
Seek Him out
Do you go places together
Do you talk all of the time?

Psalm 23 "A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the LORD forever."

Does He walk with you like He walked with David? Does He lead you, restore you, guide you, and anoint you? Do you let Him?

I think it's time to stop and ask yourself: Do people know that you belong to JESUS?

Starbucks

2010-11-06T14:44:00.001-04:00

Starbucks

Today is one of those days.

My little guy spilled his water all over his sister as I was doing her hair. My oldest son spilled his orange juice twice. This was all within 15 minutes of leaving for school. I of course am rushing to get 4 lunches packed and everything else that needs to be in the car before we head out the driveway. To make the day even crazier, I got called into sub; gym class. If you know me at all this is the perfect job! I get to wear sweats and a sweatshirt with my hair in a ponytail. I am thinking that this day is going to be a breeze; until that first class comes roaring through the doors. One class after another with a 5 minute break in between is how my whole morning panned out. I am typing this on a much needed break, the first I've gotten, in a hallway closet with the lights off. I am fighting off a headache and hunger. I need my Starbucks!

Many of you need the fix that I desire. It is spelled out simply: caffeine. As I walked through the school this morning, I noticed an abundance of high schools kids with coffee cups. I stopped one kid and told him that he was addicted. He not only readily agreed but told me that his dad is the one who got him hooked! It's crazy how your body can become so dependent on a substance; so much that without it, you simply can't function properly. How many have felt instantly better as soon as they see the Starbucks sign? It's like the cure is within sight!

Think with me for a minute…what would it be like if my Starbucks was replaced by my Jesus?

Are you addicted to Him like you are to your coffee? Do you need Him every morning just so you can properly function? Do you crave Him, seek Him, and virtually die without Him?

If you can't even imagine having that kind of a relationship, or think it is impossible, then it's time to take a look at what you are calling your rock.

Ps 62:2 "He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."

Ps 62:6 "He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."

Is He alone your rock? Because if He is then you will never be shaken. So I guess the question is: Do you get shook? Do you find yourself running for a quick fix: friends, alcohol, caffeine, books, internet, nicotine, etc? (The list goes on and on)

Or do you have a foundation that begins and ends with Christ and has you running to Him during the day?

Tomorrow, how about we try something different? Starbucks is great and I will always love their iced green tea, but I can't depend on them to help me through the day. My one and only fix needs to come from the rock on which I stand! JESUS!

I hope that this will make you stop and ask yourself what exactly your rocks name is.

And whether it might just be time for a switch.

Firefighter

2010-11-04T21:48:00.001-04:00

Firefighter

Have you ever watched a firefighter at work? It is amazing how quickly their adrenaline gets pumping when they get a call that there is a fire somewhere. It is only a matter of minutes before they are completely geared up and ready to take on any fire. They work so hard to keep the fire under control, eventually putting it out completely.

Have you ever had a firefighter fight for you? Not in real life fire situations, but in real spiritual life situations? Let me explain a little bit. I believe that we all have firefighters in our own lives. You may not be able to think of one right now, but let me try to change the path that I think you may be on. We all view firefighters as hero's who come and rescue us, which, when it comes to a fire raging through our house, that is absolutely the case! But when it comes to a spiritual fire that we get when we are so pumped about God, "firefighters" in our lives are not heroes at all, but rather robbers and thieves. Amazingly, the similarities are endless. They both arrive on the scene quickly. They aren't lazy about the job, instead facing it head on, not quitting until the fire is effectively under control.

I have seen so many people come off of a mission trip, come out of a revival meeting, or a praise and worship concert and are so in tune and on fire for God. Then in the next instance, literally it may take only days, they are back walking like everyone else. I can see immediately that they have had people come alongside them, and instead of encouraging, they throw buckets of water on them (in a spiritual sense). I have had kids make commitments to me that they are dead set on seeing through. Wherever they have just been, they are ready to take the next step with God. It becomes more than frustrating for me to watch friends try to convince them that what they want to do is stupid. It just doesn't look like "normal", and for some reason, everyone wants to be just that.

I want to take you to the scene of a different kind of fire. A fire that is purposely set. Have you ever driven past a whole field that had been expertly charred? Or, more than likely, you have seen side ditches completely black. These fields and grasses have been set on fire for a purpose. They want the dead grass from the year before to be gone so that the new can grow greener and healthier than it would have had the old stuff never been taken care of.

That is what God wants us to do too! He wants us to be on fire! He wants us to be His messengers that devour up the dead and old and help to bring healing and growth to this world!

Psalm 104:1-5 " Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent. And lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.

In the King James, verse 4 reads: "His ministers a flaming fire"! Ministers can also be translated as servants. So read it like this…"He makes His servants a flaming fire!"

I want you to read this passage again, out loud. If you are daring enough, read that whole chapter! Picture saying it to God's Face as you do.

Now you tell me…do you want to be a firefighter against that kind of fire?

I want to be someone who tries desperately to keep those flames from dying out. I will tell you from experience, that encouragement is the quickest way to make a spark into a roaring fire! We all have the ability to use our words to either hurt or help. If you hurt, it is so extremely discouraging that you will see dead grass from the previous year all around. But just as easily, you can be the biggest encourager to someone, and give them the energy to keep fighting with all that God has given them. The fruit may not be seen immediately, but you will soon be able to witness just how much good encouraging words can do. You will see a fire spreading throughout your friends, throughout your church, and eventually throughout your whole community! Can you imagine what God will do with people who refuse to use water?

It's time for a change. We need to prepare our ground for a new crop!

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

It just depends on what you want to see growing around you. If you like dead grass, well I guess that's your choice. But for me…I'm going for the flames!

Stop Sign

2010-10-31T07:50:00.001-04:00

Stop Sign

I stopped at a stop sign today; funny how that is just the obvious choice. Not many of us would purposely run right through it. As I was coming to a complete halt, I realized just how close I would have come to wrecking had I decided to go right on through. There was this cute little SUV coming right at me that would have simply plowed me over!

Why is it that a red sign with white letters has so much impact on our lives? Every single person that sees it knows without a doubt what it means. 99% of people don't ignore it, and 100% of people fear what will happen if they do. Everyone knows that the reason the stop sign is there is to protect you. No one questions that. They all stop and look, listen and proceed with caution.

In our lives, God has put stop signs along the way too. But sadly, the percentage is almost a swap. I would not hesitate to say that there are more people that run those than actually heed the warning. The result is exactly what you would think…they get plowed over. Except there aren't any cute little SUV's, but rather the schemes of satan.

Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

How many of us really, I mean really, actually put on the armor?

I have talked to a ton of people about what their habits are in a day, and a big percentage of them do not set aside time to spend with God. Are you in that group too?

Can't you just picture it now: satan scheming to take you down? It's like he has memorized your patterns, knowing everything that trips you up. He waits for you to get to a "stop sign" where God is trying to tell you that you need to be cautious. But because you didn't take the time to get in tune with Jesus that day, you don't even realize that the stop sign is there, or you think that you don't need to stop just this one time. But in reality what happens, is that while running right on through, satan slams into you without you even knowing what hit!

What it looks like is a confrontation with a co-worker that turns into a heated argument, you losing your patience or temper. It could be picking back up that addictive habit, after living free of it for weeks, just getting to your breaking point and feeling like there was no other option. Using the cheat sheet someone gave you rather than throwing it away. Joining the crowd while they make fun of someone instead of standing up for the weaker person (yes even you adults!). The list could go on and on. In a nutshell, it is just making bad choices over and over and not living set apart.

Are you feeling convicted? Even as I write this, I am picturing areas in my life where I totally get slammed. They are areas that are so common; I almost just quit trying to change them. It is just who I have become. But, to tell you the truth, I am miserable at times. I know that this is not the freedom Christ died for! He did not die so that I would live chained to some addictive habit, or some pit of worry! He did not hang on a cross so that I could just say, oh well, that is just who I am and I just can't change it! Those thoughts and feelings are not truth…and if they aren't truth, guess what you just bought into: satan's lies.

So now what? How can we change? First off, you have to make a deliberate choice to want to change! This can't be some half hearted 50% effort kind of change. You may think that that will work for you, but let me reassure you…it won't! You have got to be all in here or, you will fall back into where you are right now! All in means every day! There is no resting on this side of Heaven. The battle rages whether you want to engage or not! You can't just take a day off because you don't want to fight! Satan wants you to think that a nice long 2 week vacation is all you need, but when you are talking about spiritual matters, even on vacation, you better be packing your Bible!

Eph 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Do you realize that the past 2 verses both say to put on the full armor of God, and they both come from the same chapter! I think that there might be something God is trying to adamantly tell us! Let's listen! You can be different! You can change! You don't have to settle for the chains that bind you down, even if they have been there for the past 10 years! Don't buy into the lies anymore! It's time to throw off everything that blinds us to those stop signs and start slowing down before we even get to them!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right Hand of the Throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

– Hebrews 12:1-3

Cheap Grace

2010-10-26T22:08:00.001-04:00

Cheap Grace

My oldest son came to me with what he explained was something from God. It was this idea about a devotion, and I couldn't have been more proud of him. The following was his idea, he just asked me to make a devotion out of it.

Have you ever noticed that in a lot of families there is a certain order to which things are done? My son is 12, so he has more chores than my 7 year old daughter, who has more chores than my 4 year old son. Year by year, they are expected to help out a little more. This doesn't always go over so well. I hear a lot that "he doesn't have to help", or "I do allllll the work". I am sure that you have observed something similar in your own families or amongst your friends' kids. Without fail, though, amongst our kids, the youngest has got it figured out.

You will often find him mysteriously quiet about the time I have handed orders out. Most of the time, there is a time limit. Or maybe they won't be able to do something until all the work is done. When my older 2 are scrambling to make the deadline, the youngest develops a strange case of "I need help picking up" syndrome. I always have two eager faces running up to tell me they are done, before the third decides to start. It is amazing how much of a mess one little boy can make, all by himself too. But when it comes to cleaning it up, he suddenly has no strength to go on. So inevitably, he gets help. You can hear a defeated sigh come from my oldest, as he patiently starts picking up hot wheel cars. When they are finally finished, Kolt hops up with a huge grin on his face, ready to play! It works every time!

Cheap Grace.

What does that mean? Ever make a mess and just take for granted that someone else will be right there to clean it up for you? You start taking for granted that all the pieces will get picked up! You even start using that person just a little bit here and there; to better fit your schedule.

Have you ever stopped and thought about the fact that that person may feel used? Ever wonder if that person will ever just say, "Enough! I won't do it anymore?"

Jesus fills those shoes, doesn't He? He offers us "grace" to make it through our day. He offers comfort and joy, laughter and tears. He stands beside us as we get bogged down with too much stuff to do, and cleans up the mess as we go onto the next project. The only difference that I have found in my life is that Jesus NEVER gives up.

It's something that I think I will never understand. How can He continually pick up my scattered pieces and put everything back together again? How many times have I done something with the thought that I know He will forgive me? What a dangerous mindset to be in. It is at this point that we just cheapened the Grace that He gives and have taken Jesus Christ for granted!

He had nails piercing His Hands and Feet. He hung on a cross with His Blood dripping off of Him. He was beaten beyond human recognition. He did that for me? He died so that I could live? And we choose to live lives full of sin and unrepentance because we know He will always take us back.

Can we for a minute fathom a life without God's Help? That's what Grace is, you know. God's Help. He offers it to us pretty much free. He already paid the price for us to have it. He got to have a front row seat to watch His ONLY Child suffer. He did the unthinkable for us! Then He gets to sit in that same front row and watch us trample all over His sacrifice! He watches us cheapen what He did for us. He pursues us and calls us back to Him, wanting so badly for us to live a life that brings Glory to His Name. Sadly, half the time (or more), He is left cleaning up after the messes we make.

What is your choice going to be? Who is ready to step up to the plate? Anyone feel like they live a life that cheapens the sacrifice that was paid? I dare you right now, to fall on your knees and repent of the attitude that so many of us fall prey to. The attitude of forgetfulness! Do whatever it takes every morning to remember the price it took to give you a ticket into Heaven. Don't fall prey to the lifestyle of cheapening it! Grace came after a pretty hefty price was paid! It's time that we repay Him with our lives! Take a good look at who you are and what you have become. Ask Him to give you a new and clean heart. Renew your Spirit! He will do it, every time! How great would He feel to find us trying hard not to make a mess in the first place! Imagine His delight to finding you cleaning up after yourself! Life is not about us and our pleasures and comforts. Life is about Him. He doesn't owe us anything; we owe Him SO very much! Let's just make sure we don't get that confused. Grace comes because He wants to give it to us. Let's accept the gift out of a humble heart, rather than an expectant one. We aren't the ones with a crown on our heads; let's not act like we deserve anything.

Grace came at such a cost, let's not get caught cheapening it!

Useless Story

2010-10-17T08:34:00.001-04:00

Useless Story

I took a book just the other day and decided to tape it shut with that heavy duty clear tape. I then passed it around the room and asked a whole bunch of kids what they saw. Most of the answers were obvious ones. "It's a book, it has pages, it has a title, etc..." I still hadn't heard the response that I wanted so I started prodding a little. When I asked them if they thought that there was a story in there they all answered yes! I asked them how they knew, and they told me that it was a book, and every book has a story. I begin to grin as my whole analogy starts coming together. I asked one last question: What would you do with this book if you had to clean your shelf off and throw something away? They all replied that this would be the book to go because it is pretty much worthless.

The point behind this story is simple. Each and every one of us has a title, has pages, and has some sort of story. If you are a Christian that story is laced with Jesus Christ and His story through you. But I am fearful that what many of us do is tape our stories shut so that no one can read them!

How do you know anything about Jesus? He has a story, doesn't He? And that story is in a book that is wide open for all of us to see! We were all changed because He never hid who He was but freely shared everything He was about.

Now how about you? Do you think that anyone out there could possibly benefit from reading your book?

A good question to ask yourself is whether or not you even know what your story is. My guess is that step one needs to be going back and recognizing where all Christ has put His Fingerprints. Go back and actually write down your story! That is a challenge I want you to take! You will find just how amazing God has been all throughout your life. How He has taken you from here to get you there. You will find redemption and restoration written all over your pages!

This week I want you all to pray for an opportunity to open your books and let someone be wowed by how awesome God is! Your story was not written to be put on a shelf, but instead to show someone else just how powerful He can be!

Borrowed Goods

2010-10-08T09:14:00.001-04:00

Borrowed Goods

I found myself in a frustrating situation many years ago. We had gotten a "new" truck and someone wanted to borrow it. If any of you know my husband, you know that there was no way he would have ever said no. He just has that kind of a heart. He will let anyone, anytime, borrow anything that we have. Most of the time, we usually get the object back in great, if not better condition. This time however, we got the truck back with an empty tank of gas. Instantly I was mad. How could someone ask to use something, then give it back after using all the gas that was in it up, and not even think to refill it? I couldn't comprehend how someone thought that it was o.k. and acceptable to return a vehicle in that condition.

Dumbfounded me actually.

Can you think of a time that you had to borrow something from someone else? What kind of care did you take to make sure that you didn't break it, or get it dirty? How many of you actually tried to return it in better shape than when you received it?

My parents rent cottages from people every year for vacation up at the lakes. It has been a family tradition since I don't even know when. Our whole family used to come up, but it has dwindled down to our immediate family now. But it is still a blast... until that final day. My mom is a stickler for cleaning those cottages. We would end up cleaning for hours. It used to drive us absolutely crazy! But in the end, her way won favors. The people we would rent from would take money off because they knew that they wouldn't have to come in and clean after we had left. I am sure that more than once, we were told that it was cleaner than when we first got it.

1 Cor. 6:20 "you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body"

What does this verse mean to you?

Well if you were bought, you were obviously for sale…right? And if there was one buyer, there surely was two…right? What did your buyer have to do to out bid the other buyer? Some of those sales get pretty ugly. I have seen people outbid others, and in the end, end up paying 3 times too much, just to win the prize. What price was paid for you?

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Wow! What a price huh? Christ died to "buy" us. So in essence, our bodies are just being borrowed…right? So do we do the rest of that verse? Do we honor God with our bodies? Are you living like you have something borrowed you are using? Do you view your body as something that you can use as you wish, or do you view it with a sold sign stamped across it?

Think about how you would feel if your truck came back empty. Would you be a bit upset too? Now think about how God feels to see us using our bodies for things that do not glorify His name!

The price He paid is matchless. There is no way we can ever repay the debt. He knows this too…so He has made a plan up. Honor Him with our bodies. He gave His Son's body and life for yours, the least you can do is dedicate your body to Him.

Just think, the day will come when you will have to face God. Wouldn't you love to hear to Him say, "WOW….I think it looks better than when I gave this to you. Great job!"

The battle is hard, and the road is long! Keep fighting to keep your "borrowed body" shined up good. You never know when you will be asked to "give it back".

Windshield Wipers

2010-10-01T10:18:00.001-04:00

Windshield Wipers

I have the worst windshield wipers ever. Even if there is just a tiny little sprinkle happening, without fail, as soon as I turn them on, it smears the water to a point where it would have been better if I would have left them off. You can just imagine how worthless they are when it is a down pour!

One thing that I realized the other day though, was that I have had the same wipers for a few months. Why I can't remember to change them, I don't know! When there is no storm, I forget all about the need. It is only when the rains come that I know without a doubt just how foolish I was in not preparing. I truly can't see a single thing through all the water that is clouding my view. I find myself trying to find the white line, the yellow line, or the grassy edge…anything to just keep my focus on the road! Sometimes there is no other choice but to stop completely in fear of wrecking.

How about you? What happens when the storms of life start coming down? It may start as a trickle and you may think that you have time; but just how many of us rush out right away and prepare for the true battle that is ahead?

In Ephesians it states "when the day of evil comes". In every study of that phrase it claims that there WILL be a day that comes when evil will hit! There is no maybe about it! God tells us to withstand satan, to persevere under trials, to constantly seek Him and lay all our burdens at His Feet! Do you do all of those things? Or are you like so many that don't even recognize satan or his schemes, therefore you don't engage in any battle, finding that you keep all your troubles heaped on your own shoulders, causing you to stumble and fall; leaving you exhausted and confused, without a hope in the world of persevering?

Are you in a place where you just want some clarity? Do you feel like you can't hear Him clearly? Today is the day when you need to refocus on HIM! It is a battle every single day, but I assure you that it is a battle that you desperately need and should want to win!

Psalm 9:10

"Those who know Your Name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You!

Do you KNOW His Name? The word "Know" in this verse means: to learn to know, to know by experience. It is about seeking Him with your whole heart so that when the storms do hit, you will have the confidence that He will be shining bright for you to focus on. You will KNOW that He is the rock you need to cling to! It is all about changing your wiper blades way before you need them to see through the rain! It is about being prepared to face any trial and struggle you have with the confidence that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do!

I want you to walk away from reading this with a renewed reminder that the day to get to know Jesus is not tomorrow…it is right now! The day to start fighting is today! We are never promised tomorrow and too often, we live as if we are!

Prepare yourself right now for the battle that is guaranteed to come! Fight with all you are worth and never take your eyes off of Him! Live with the confidence that when those first drops start hitting your windshield, you will, without doubt be able to wash them away and see clearly the rock that will guide you home!

Hot Water

2010-09-25T10:16:00.001-04:00

Hot Water

There is nothing like a really hot shower when you just need to relax. In fact, there are days when you could stand in there forever. The other day was one of those days for me. It was like I was closed off to the world and everything that was swirling around in my schedule. I had an appointment that was just looming…but I was willing the clock to stop moving. Finally there was no other option but to shut the water off and face the reality of the day!

So many times when God prods us to do something, we just stay in our little comfort zone and wish that we didn't have to step out into the "cold". We know what He is asking us to do, but man, the discomfort that we fear freezes us into staying right where we are and not taking a chance on God.

He has an agenda. He is calling the lost! He has people that He is pursuing (a lot!). He has a lost world that He is continually calling to Himself. He puts people in our walks every day that He wants us to talk to. He gives us opportunities all the time to engage in this fight. And every day, tons of people stay under that hot water and tune it out. You know, God is going to get done what He wants. It isn't like if we decide to not jump in, then all those people will never get reached. He will just enlist someone else. You will have to watch someone else get to do for God what you could have done. This has happened to me, and let me tell you right now…the regret is so thick, it makes me want to choke!

What is it in your life that God has prompted you to do? Is there something that you just kinda shelved and walked away from? The challenge today is to say yes! Don't get so comfortable in your little world that you miss the rewards that God wants to pour out on you! The opportunities are endless. If you think you are too busy to do anything for God, then you are in trouble at the heart of it all. If you don't actively pursue Him every day, I am afraid that one day you will look back and wonder how you fell so far from Him!

The hot water is nice, but the longer you stand in it, the harder it becomes to take a step away. But remember that the hot water is a diversion…it will soon run out. And probably about the time that the opportunity has passed you by. Get out before you miss out!

The only thing you need to be totally comfortable about is not being comfortable at all! Get to a place where you are ready and willing to change whatever needs to be changed, whether it's plans, schedules, routines, or your heart and attitude! Then you will be right where you need to be, to be ready to jump when God starts calling!

Do something for me right now…ask God to move you out of any area where you are "too" comfortable. Then get ready! The ride is way worth it!

Stuck Pages

2010-09-21T09:29:00.002-04:00

Stuck Pages

I love to read. On most of our trips, I take 500 books and constantly have one in my hands. It helps my hubby out a lot because then he doesn't have to constantly hear me jabbering, or screaming that he needs to slow down ;). On more than one occasion he has calmly asked me to just keep reading.

The other day I was doing just that. We were almost to the hotel and I was getting into a good part of the book. I flipped the page and just kind of sat there, a little confused. The page that I had turned to made no sense at all. It was like the story line changed completely around. I flipped back and forth a couple of times before I realized what the problem was. There were 2 pages that got stuck together. A full 2 pages of words that were skipped, leaving me with a story that just didn't completely make sense. After I unstuck them, I continued on and the story was crystal clear once again.

How many of us want to glue part of our pages together? Is there a place in your past that you would rather just skip over and not share with anyone?

I have learned along the way, that if you ever truly want to get to know someone, you have to know where they came from and what they walked through. Have you ever heard that phrase "you need to walk a mile in their shoes"? Well that is so much truer than you know. It is impossible to "judge a book by its cover". But yet, so many of us do exactly that!

If you look back on your past, how many of you really ever have shared everything? How many of us glue maybe ages 16-21 together and pick back up at 22? We may summarize a whole 5 years into one simple phrase: "those were my rebel years". Or something like that! Our books will never make sense to anyone except those people that walked through it with us and actually watched you write those pages. So everyone else only sees bits and pieces. They have a distorted view of who you really are and why you are the way you are!

So if you have glued your pages together, don't you think that the person you maybe can't stand might have a few stuck pages too? It might be surprising to you to really get to know them before snap judging who they are. (I, by the way, am the worst at this!)

Jesus came for not just you and not just me! I heard part of a Casting Crowns song this morning that says "Jesus paid way too high a price, for us to pick and choose who should come". Wow! I find myself picking and choosing…what about you?

I want to challenge every one of you to change our mindset on a couple of things! First off, what would it take for us to go back through our own books and tear apart any pages that may be stuck? I know that it may be painful…definitely more for some than others. But, I want you to think about how freeing for you and eye opening for others that may be! One thing with testimonies that I have learned: they are not for my pats on the back! They are so powerful when we openly share everything because it shows the redemptive powers of Jesus! It shows that He can love a wretch like me, pick me up out of the mud, wash me clean, and USE ME!! It shows that no one is helpless and no one is worthless! It shows Jesus' story through you!

So think about that as you change your mind set on one more thing. How we view others and how we love them too! Remember that they have things hidden just like you. Something in where they have been has made them who they are today! Before you write them off, look for the hidden pages and after reading everything, you may just find that their story makes so much sense!

Let's all remember why we are here: for Jesus! We aren't here for ourselves or to bring ourselves glory. If you want to keep the selfish mindset, then keep those pages glued together! But if you want to fully live out the purpose of bringing glory to God…start tearing apart any and all pages that you have tried to hide! You will see the effects reaching so many! They too will see just how powerful Jesus can be!

Green Light

2010-09-17T21:29:00.001-04:00

Green Light

The other day I was sitting behind a truck at a stop light. The vehicle in front of me was big enough (or maybe I was too close), either way, I couldn't see the light. All of the sudden, I hear the truck start to take off and instinctively, I put my foot on the gas pedal too. It wasn't until I was half way through the intersection that I thought about how stupid that was. I did not even look to see if the light had turned green. I just watched the person in front of me and did what they did. The results were fine this one time, but just think of the tragedy that could have come out of that had someone been coming and I wasn't really supposed to go yet!

This same habit is something that many of us do in our spiritual walks too. We sit behind someone that may be a "leader" and just wait until they start moving. Without even second guessing whether it is right or not, we start going when they do and assume we are going to make it through the intersection without crashing.

If you are not a natural leader, I am not dogging you. I am not saying that everyone has to lead. Every situation has a leader and followers. It is just the way it is! But what I am saying, is that we have got to make sure God has given us a green light at the same time that He gave them one too! Not always is God saying "this is the path that I have for you". He may have given clear direction for the person you follow to start walking. But He may want to mold your heart a little more before sending you out. Or whatever the case may be!

Once we get into this habit of walking without first looking, we start to depend more and more on what we want to do and less and less on what God wants us to do! Our purpose becomes to look to see where the leader is going and doing that, instead of stopping to look at where God is working and joining Him!

Let's put the brakes on, and for some us, put it in reverse! Each of us has to take time to seek Him out on our own! That is why it is called a PERSONAL relationship with Jesus. Someone else's won't get you into Heaven, my friend! You are going to have to learn to "Be still and know that I am GOD." Not follow the person that you think is a Christian and do what they do. He made us all with special gifts and equipped us all with unique talents. If you wait on Him and His timing, you will be right where He wants you to be and will be able to use all those specials things He has given only you! The joy, peace and fulfillment that you will have will make you hesitate before ever plowing through the next stop light! God's purpose is right; His timing is never late or early! Follow Him and there is no way that you will ever be in danger of getting blindsided and crashing!

I love you THISSSSSS much!!!!!

2010-09-14T07:05:00.001-04:00

I love you THISSSSSS much!

The other morning I was watching my 4 year old little boy playing in the sink. I was overwhelmed all of the sudden with just how much I loved him. I told him, "Kolt, I love you!" Without even looking at me, he said, "love you too." It just wasn't enough for me! I said, "No, Kolt I mean I REALLY LOVE you!!!". Again without even looking at me, he repeats, "love you too mom." I was hit with the realization that he had no clue how much I really love him, or what I would do for him.

How many times a day does God get overwhelmed with the thought that He REALLY loves us? I look back over my day and realize that He was trying to truly tell me, and I must have responded with a simple, "love you too", if I even responded at all.

I wanted to grab Kolt and make him look me in the face until he realized that I really, really loved him. But I think even then, he wouldn't be able to fully understand. He can't fully understand because he doesn't fully know the whole story. He sees Luke and I for who we are supposed to be; his parents. Our jobs are to feed, clean, and play with him. If we are doing that then he is good to go. Not too much more to think about. But on our side of it, it is about sacrifices. The more we sacrifice, the more we love. That is my theory at least.

Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34 both say the same thing:

"where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

My heart used to be wrapped up in things that I wanted, places I wanted to go, games that I wanted to play. Now my days are wrapped up in fruit loops, candy land, and swing sets. But you know what? I love it! It has come at a cost, though. The cost is giving of yourself for the happiness and goodness of another person. It is hard not to get selfish and greedy. But in the end, it is worth it. I know that none of my 3 kids can comprehend until they have given of themselves as we have for them.

It is because of this that I know that I will never be able to understand God's Love for me either! I try. I certainly feel it at times! But when He is really trying to tell me, I know that I probably make Him frustrated when my answer is nonchalantly "yeah I know!" But He still keeps on loving me!

Psalms 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.

Do you know how many times the phrase "His Love endures forever" is mentioned in the Bible? 41! There are times that I don't feel like loving. I get hurt and disappointed. I get frustrated and mad! It makes this verse so much more impactful doesn't it? When we don't feel like loving, He never quits! When we feel like walking away, He promises to always be there!

I understand more clearly now why the first part of the verse is there. Thank You ~Thank You~ Thank You~ that Your Love endures forever! What would we do if He got upset and reacted like we do? This thought alone, makes me want to praise Him for being who He is rather than who I am!

Most of us would lay down our lives for our kids, wouldn't we? At all cost we would protect them! You would, most likely, not even need to think about your reaction. It would just happen, without regret. Sacrificial Love.

Now think about laying down your own child's life for the life of someone else. Could you volunteer to do that? Even if you knew that the people would not even be thankful for your sacrifice? Even if you knew that people would forget all about it? I honestly can say that I don't think I could ever do that! But God did! There was no one else standing in line and raising their hand to go first! He knew what needed to be done and He did it!

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

This is why I know without a shadow of a doubt, that I can't comprehend how much He loves me! I can never give what He gave! He gave the unthinkable because He loved me and you! Even knowing that we would reject His gift and spit in His face! The truth is: you and I were worth it for Him! How can we ever truly thank Him? A lifetime of loving Him is all He requires, but it doesn't seem even close to being able to cover the cost!

You hear of parents giving up on their kids. You hear of parents leaving them behind. I personally can't even imagine. I can see kids getting so mad that they leave you, but never a parent. Sadly, it happens every day. Thankfully with God though, He promises that nothing can separate us from Him. Romans 8:39 "neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We can get mad, we can wander away, we can say hurtful things. But He still will fight for us and love us like crazy! Just like the prodigal child, He will be waiting with open arms! Satan will try his hardest, but he can't separate us! Others may laugh and point and call us names, but they can't separate us! We serve a God that pursues us and wants nothing else but to have us walking in His truth! He has given the greatest sacrifice for us to have a glimpse of what true love is.

My kids have taught me many things, but none with the same meaning as when they spread their arms really wide and say, "mommy I love you THiSSSSSS much!". I think, at this point, that they might, just might understand how much I truly love them! It's with this analogy that I kind of begin to understand just how much God loves me too.

He watched His only Son spread His arms on that cross. It was as if He was saying right to me: "I love you thissssss much!" Amen!

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Protein Shake

2010-09-09T09:50:00.001-04:00

Protein Shake

For me, every morning starts out the same…a chocolate protein shake. Now before any of you tell me that that isn't so bad let me assure you…I hold my breath the whole time! I like my chocolate, but this just isn't the same. The protein part is what gets me every single day. I have been taking this for a couple of years, you would have thought that I'd be used to it by now!

So, the next question many of you might be thinking is "why?". Why would I put myself through that if I really didn't like it? The answer is simple…because of the effects it has on my body. There are, on rare occasion, a day that I might miss. It would be the day that I spend the night somewhere and forget to bring it or something like that. Never do I miss if it is in my house…NEVER! If I do, by about 10:00 I am craving carbs like crazy! Then about 2:00 I crash and can hardly go on. Give me a couple of days in a row of skipping, and I am a mess! My body needs the nutrients that that thick, chocolaty, protein, gaggy shake gives! The results are so drastic without it that I choose to make it a part of my routine, without hesitation!

Do you ever have those days, or weeks, when you just don't want to read the Bible? I ashamedly have and I fully admit that it is a struggle to open the Word of God! I hate that about myself, truly I do! Why can't I just stay on fire and crave it every single day? But instead, I find myself facing mornings when I would rather clean then sit and be still for a while! Do you know what I'm talking about here?

You know what I have found though? That just like those protein shakes, if I skip out of getting "fed" in the morning (or whenever you have your quiet time), by mid morning, I am unfocused and a little crazy. Then by mid afternoon, I am stressed and grouchy! By bed time, my kids have been yelled at, my house is a mess, and I can't relax as I finally get to bed. I fall asleep with a million different concerns running through my head. You can just imagine how I actually sleep that night! I literally wake up exhausted!

This scenario is so true I am embarrassed to admit it! After putting it down on paper, I realize even more the NEED that I have to make it a priority to seek Him daily! And for me…that is first thing in the morning!

What about you? Does this at all look familiar to anyone else but me? I have found that some days, God's Word feels like a chore for me to read! I can't believe I just said that, but in all honesty, that is what it feels like! I have to force myself to open it and read, and read, and read. At the time it seems like absolutely nothing is getting in. I feel like nothing stuck and it was a waste of time. But something crazy usually happens. Even if I have to "hold my breath and just drink it down fast", sometime during the day, what I read comes back to me. It is like it is sustaining me and getting me through. I will end my day and realize that I am not insaneJ.

The trick of doing anything that is good for you is that you have to, have to, have to commit to doing it even when you don't feel like it! So when you have those days that you feel like hitting the snooze for 15 minutes, or you pack your day so full, there "just isn't time", MAKE time! The end results will be better! The Bible is such a better filler…you will find yourself actually able to survive and thrive rather than just barely making it through.

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty."

Small Load of Laundry

2010-09-06T13:47:00.001-04:00

Small Load of Laundry

I hate doing things small. I hate doing things half speed. It has to be all or nothing with me. For instance, if I am cold; I put the heater on full blast. Then in about 2 minutes, I am sweating so I turn it completely off. There is no in between, it is either everything or nothing.

Laundry is the same exact way. I either do an extra large load or I don't do one at all. If I have 10 pieces of clothes, I will wait until there are enough to do the bigger load.

The other day, I had several big loads washed, dried and folded. Just when I thought that I was done for the day, I found a small pile of whites. I was so annoyed because I just didn't want to do a small load for a couple of pieces of clothes. So I didn't…I just let them sit for a while. I quickly realized how stupid that thinking was. The stains that could have easily been washed out when the clothes were freshly soiled were now set in and it took a lot more effort to make them white again.

Sin is the same way. It is like we let the pile of different sins get big before we deem it necessary to get clean. We don't take care of the daily ones until they have sat there for a while and really get set in. If we take this approach, I promise you, the effects will be way harder to get rid of. You may have dug yourself a pit where as it could have simply been a mud puddle you could have easily stepped out of.

Jesus does not ask us to wait until we have several stocked up before coming to Him. He does not turn us away because it is a waste of time to deal with one at a time. The exact opposite is actually true of Him! He knows the damage that one little white lie can do. He knows the lasting effects one sin gone unchecked can cause. The thing is…I know too…I have lived it and have had to dig myself out of PITS that were dug because I refused to just wash the mud off my boots. I would walk around until I was stuck and couldn't get out. I would cling to those things and become comfortable with them clinging to me. Finally they would become too heavy and I would surrender them to Him, but not before the damage was done.

Jesus is the forgiver, the healer, the Grace giver. There is nothing in Him or about Him that says "wait until there are a lot to confess, I don't have time to take care of each one individually." He calls us daily to Him! He offers to take the burden right off of our shoulders! His Blood flowed to wash you clean right now…not every 3 days or so!

Do not fall into the pattern that I have found myself in. Don't think that you have to wait for a big pile of stuff to confess before you do! Take care of it right away so that your heart doesn't get stained. The pits that we fall into are because we have unchecked sin that has been sitting in a pile just waiting to be confessed. Don't make life harder than it is! Just throw those sins at His Feet…even if there is only 1!

Gas Station

2010-09-02T11:33:00.001-04:00

Gas Station

The other day as I was driving past a gas station, l looked to see if I needed to stop. I was at half a tank so I drove right on by. I don't know why I am like that, because inevitably, I will be scrambling the next day to make it to the pump before running out. Almost every single time I stop for gas, the light on my gauge is on. I barely make it sometimes, and embarrassingly, I have run completely out before!

Do you know how many opportunities that I had to fill up before getting to the frantic point? Most of the times, I have at least 20. I drive through town a lot and do not even think about stopping until the needle is pointing to E. As I type this out, I am realizing just how stupid that mindset probably is!

How many of you get "filled up" at church? I know some days, for me, it is like water to a thirsty soul. I just crave to get inside those doors to fellowship and worship! It is refreshing. I walk out ready to hit the week!

Now another question: how many of you only get filled at church?

How many of us find ourselves sitting faithfully every single Sunday inside those church doors, yet during the week, not doing anything to grow closer to Jesus? It is like we are filling our tanks on Sunday, then slowly watching the needle reach empty, and as we putt into the church parking lot, we realize that we are running on fumes? Sound familiar to anyone?

I have learned along the way that I have to keep topping off my tank as often as I can! But do you know how many opportunities to get filled that I pass on? How often do I turn off Christian radio, or how often do I substitute time with HIM for TV, or how often do I skip out on a spiritual conversation to keep cleaning? These are all examples of times when I am running on half a tank, and think I can easily make it another day without a big fill up! Once again, I am realizing just how stupid this thinking is!

Jesus says to follow Him, put your armor on and seek His Face. He never once said to do that only on Sundays! In fact, He never specified a day, which in my eyes means TODAY! Today seek Him, follow Him, and fight for all you're worth! Then by the time Sunday gets here, you might actually pour out what you are already overflowing with! Instead of just sitting in the pews and being a sponge, you will give back to God. You will lift your voices with praise; you'll be able to fellowship, encourage and lead others to a life that is filled with the Spirit, not just running on empty most days!

God is just waiting to pour more into you…stop running long enough each day to receive the portion that will keep your "tank empty" light from ever coming on! Don't run out of gas when there are so many gas stations just waiting to fill you up!

Deformed Cinnamon Rolls

2010-08-31T22:11:00.001-04:00

Deformed Cinnamon Rolls

The other day, the most amazing thing happened. An Amish bakery opened up in the little town close to where I live! If you have no idea why this is amazing, then go Google Amish and see what it says about their cooking! I just can't describe it! So you can guess my excitement when I saw several shelves full of homemade cinnamon rolls (with icing!!!!). You would have thought it was Christmas! I have gone in there 4 more times since then…they are like nothing you have ever tasted.

Many of you may be rolling your eyes and wondering what the big deal is. Wal-mart sells cinnamon rolls with icing too! Honestly, if you were going for looks alone, Wal-mart would win every time. Every one of their rolls are perfectly shaped and evenly frosted. You would have a hard time picking out which was the bigger or better roll if you had to choose just one. But let me tell you, the Amish make theirs all different shapes. Some are a little bigger, some more oval, some pop more out the top and some have frosting dripping down all sides and around the bottom. They all look completely different. But without a doubt, when compared to perfection, the deformed ones are the best!

I had to laugh, as I was stuffing my face. It would figure that God would give me a comparison to us and our body image right as I am packing in a couple hundred calories! HA!

In reality it is probably the best comparison He has ever given me! If you haven't already listened to my testimony you may not know this, but I have a huge issue with the way that I view myself. It started years ago, and it is one of those stupid little pits that just won't go away! Right now at this exact moment, I am doing really great with not focusing on it, but that doesn't mean that I won't get slammed next week and feel like I need to lose a million pounds.

Why is it that we have such a hard time accepting who God made us? There were times when I tried endlessly to lose 20 more pounds so that I could wear a size 4 again. Guess what…I am not a size 4 body! I never will be! But yet there have been times when I desperately wanted to look like someone else.

Isn't it funny that we all will see someone that looks "just like" what we want to be and we will do almost anything to get their image. But when it comes down to it, we realize that after working 10 weeks on it, we still haven't accomplished it.

Do you believe that God does not make mistakes? If you believed it yesterday, then believe it today too, because you are not a mistake! You are beautiful to the God of the universe! Nothing satan says to you can take away the fact that God made you just the way you are!

We have got to realize that perfect little Barbie dolls or muscle men are never going to compare to the amazing things people can do who just happened to be different shapes and different sizes. When God looks down on you, He does not see you against the backdrop of what America's standards are; He sees you against the backdrop of a cross. He sees someone that He wants to use to bring others to Him! He sees someone that He loves enough to sacrifice His Son for! He sees the REAL you!

Let's stop running after something that will just die with these bodies. The real you is what draws people to Christ! Not the perfect little, everyone looks the same, everything is in place you! It's time to find a new store and pick out the rolls that are slightly imperfect. It's time for a head and heart change! Stop believing the lies that satan wants you to believe and start claiming with authority the truth that you are God's child and He did NOT make a mistake on you! You are You for a purpose and NOTHING is going to change that! The quicker we accept it…the quicker we claim freedom over yet one more area that satan is trying to distract us with! Fight it, fight Him and love Jesus!

P.S. …. God's crazy about YOU! (Just so you know! J )

Imitators

2010-08-30T09:41:00.001-04:00

Imitators

If we took a poll of all the little boys in our church, I would venture to guess that most if not all have some sort of super hero underwear or p.j.'s at home. The same for little girls, they have dress up clothes and princess shoes. They run around the house dancing and twirling or jumping off couches. Their dreams of being superman are constantly on their little minds….one day prince charming will rescue me is the dream of every little girl. We use to dream pretty big didn't we? We use to think that our dads were the strongest and our moms the prettiest. We would put our dads' boots on and play with our moms' jewelry or makeup. All the while dreaming of who we wanted to be when we grew up. Who did you use to imitate? There has to be someone. Everyone had someone that they used to look up to and strive to be more like.

More importantly though, who do you choose to imitate now?

What I have begun to realize is that the older we get, the more warped our "hero's" are. Let me explain. Most little kids will automatically say their mom or dad. Where does it change so drastically that when we hit oh say 13ish, our parents are now complete idiots and know absolutely nothing? Superman and our favorite princess are no longer cool and revered, rather, we look at the pretty cheerleader or popular quarterback and wish that we could be like them (o.k. so I never wanted to be a cheerleader….but you get my drift) we want to stand out. We want to be popular. We want everyone to notice us and think we are cool. So we strive to impress. We go to great measures to look "good", and go into meltdown if we have any sort of blemish on our faces. We think we will be forever remembered as the zit faced kid or the girl who didn't have Guess jeans or Nike shoes. Disaster is spelled out like this: "I don't have a date".

That same warped mine, shifts a bit, but never entirely goes away. We begin to want to impress different people as we grow. The situation may change, but our motives hardly ever do. We need approval. We seek to be like the popular people.

At what length have you gone to get the approval you desired? Have you compromised your moral standards? Decided to look cool and go out drinking with your buddies? Starved yourself to lose a few pounds, to look skinnier than the next girl? Ignored someone beside you because she just didn't fit your idea of what a friend would look like? How can we as adults really fall into the "I want to be cool" category…..aren't we suppose to be passed that?

Let me throw a verse at you and have you think on it a bit….

Galatians 1:10

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please, men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Pretty convicting huh???

Take a quick look at your life. Can you say that you are spending your life trying to win the approval of God? Think about the lengths we go to fit in. Think about the lengths we go to so that people will like us more. Think of the lengths we go to so that people will be impressed with us. Now think about how amazing it would be if we tried that hard to impress God. If we did all things for His Glory. How amazing would that be? From experience I can testify that God's approval fills you in a way that makes others approval unnecessary. God would not only fill you, but would keep you filled to a point that nothing else mattered.

Paul, Silas & Timothy wrote to the church of the Thessalonians and said this:

1 Thessalonians 1:5-8

"You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere."

The Thessalonians chose to imitate men of God. The men of God chose to live among them and be models to imitate. The result? The Thessalonians became models to other Christians and their faith was known everywhere! There is one part of the verse though that I don't want you to overlook…..they imitated men of God in spite of SEVERE suffering! Can we do that? We imitate people so that we are more popular and have more "fun". Can we model people of God even if we know that there may be suffering involved? Can we step out of our comfortable living to say to God, "even if it means suffering, I will follow you completely"? Is it worth to you?

He wants our praise. He wants our devotion. He wants to be #1 in our lives. Are we going to let Him? Are we going to love Him so much that we want to only impress Him? Living like the models He desires us to be? The result will be a ripple effect. You will affect others, who will affect others, etc……

One final thought: it may be surprising to see how many people want to be like you. If you are imitating God, then you are a person worth imitating. Whether you want it or not, there will be someone somewhere that is a follower.

Are you living a life worth imitating?

The Pretender

2010-08-26T12:44:00.001-04:00

The Pretender

Have you ever stood in front of the apple display at the store and searched for the perfect ones? I brought home a bag of the shiniest, reddest, biggest apples the other day. I am pretty picky when I am choosing. If there is even a slight cut or bruise I won't get it. They have to be near perfection!

One of my kids wanted one of the apples that I had brought home, so I started peeling it and got such a surprise that my perfect apple had brown streaks all throughout the middle! I thought that I could just trim it off and it would be o.k., but the further that I cut, the more brown that I saw. It went all the way through to the core! There was nothing that I could do but throw it away. I was super annoyed!

It was like that amazing little apple was just pretending to be amazing…the reality was that as soon as you peeled back the layers, the meat was no good at all.

Isn't it just crazy how we can compare ourselves to so many different things? Many of you know the exact comparison that is coming…

are you like that apple?

It is sooo easy to claim that you are a Christian in this day and age! But did you catch that 6^th word in that sentence: claim! So many people (I mean soooo many) say that they are Christians, yet refuse to walk in the light of Christ!

It says clearly in 1 John 1:6

"If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth."

What exactly would you define darkness to be? My definition is that it is the absence of light. Who is Light? Jesus! So anything that we do that is not what Jesus would do, would it be safe to say that He is not going to be shining His light on it? And if He isn't shining His light on it…then we are in darkness.

I want to challenge you with this question:

Do you claim that you love Jesus but live like you don't need Him around?

Here is a really easy test if you are questioning yourself at all!

John 14:15

"If you love ME, you will obey My commands."

What would we find if we started looking into your life? I mean really digging into the heart of who you are and what you think, feel and do! I would never guess what some of you are really like by just looking. I see people go to church, sing, pray, and give. Is there anyone out there right now that does all of those things, but goes home at night and feels like a fake? Are you pretending because you want others to accept you? Do you put on a front because people's expectations of you are something that you aren't even close to? If you can say yes to these…then aren't you exhausted with playing this game? I will tell you plain and simple without hesitation…you CAN NOT pretend with God! Nothing that you did while trying to look good on this earth is going to amount to anything when you are standing before the Lord if you don't have Jesus!!! He is going to look you in the eye and either say "welcome my child", or "I never knew you, away from me you evildoers"…Matthew 7:23

Please take these words to heart! Don't get caught up trying to be someone that you aren't! If you need to find Jesus…go find Him! But don't sit on that shelf rotting, hoping that because you look good, you will get picked! I promise you that you will one day have the peeling ripped back, and your heart will be the only thing exposed!

What is God gonna find?

Just Jump

2010-08-24T22:40:00.001-04:00

Just Jump

Remember the feeling of standing on the edge of a dock, contemplating whether or not you wanted to jump into the water? How many times did you hear from the others that were already swimming: "just jump, it'll feels like bathwater!" Countless times I hesitated, but was finally convinced to take the plunge. I don't know what kind of bath those kids were taking, but the water was always about 20 degrees off of my kind of bath water! The shock of sun kissed skin meeting cold water, at times, took my breath away! But I soon realized as I joined the fun, that indeed, the longer I swam, the warmer it got. We would end up trying to convince the next person to jump and then swimming until our fingers were little raisins.

Are any of you faced right now with a situation that has you standing on the dock hesitating to jump in? Why is it that in one breathe we breath how great God is and how much we trust Him, then in the very next one, hesitate to do what He asks us to do?

We are commanded in Psalm 34:8 to

"Taste and see that the LORD is good."

If you truly believe God is good…

If you truly believe that God is good…

If you truly! Believe that God is good!....

Then take it from someone who has been swimming for a while…

Just Jump!...He will catch you every time!

Back to the Grindstone

2010-08-23T11:49:00.000-04:00

I apologize to everyone who reads these regularly! I have been missing writing the last couple of weeks! But now the chaos is over and I have lots of time to finish all the devo's that God has given me! look for several more to be posted soon! hope you enjoy Cops! As always comments are welcome and needed! It keeps me encouraged to know your thoughts!!

COPS

2010-08-23T11:45:00.001-04:00

Cops

A couple of weeks ago, I was driving along in usual Tina fashion…a little too fast! I came up over a hill and saw the red and blues come on instantly. You all know the feeling that happens in that moment of time. My stomach dropped and I pretty much slam on my brakes. You can imagine my relief when I realized that it was one of those signs that just tracks your speed. I got lucky…this time.

I don't know how many times I have had that stomach dropping instant of fear. I came face to face with a real cop not long after my sign incident. I thankfully wasn't speeding, and realized just how good it felt to know that I was safe.

With all of my cop experience, I look back and realize that every time it is completely unexpected! There is never a time when I intentionally set out to get a ticket. I may know that I am speeding, but I don't try to go find a cop and ask him to please pull me over. But without fail, they always seem to find me. It will always catch up with me! Not every time I speed (or I may be without a license). But eventually, it all comes slapping me in the face!

Does that sound anything like what you are living right now? Are you involved with sin in a way that you are constantly trying to dodge the radar? Let me be perfectly clear about something…you will one day get stopped!

Every one of us has at least one thing that will happen no matter what: we will all stand before the Lord when we die. Some may anticipate the end nearing, some may get a countdown because of sickness, but many of our lives will be snuffed out before we even realize that it is over. In that moment where we will be standing before the Lord…what will your reality be? Will it be the fact that you just got busted? Will everything you ever did and never repented for coming rushing forward in a great big wave of regret? Or will you hear without hesitation "well done good and faithful servant!"

When are you going to die? What??? You don't know? Well know this: God knows! God loves us and wants us with Him! He will be there just waiting for us to stop "speeding" and decide to do things His Way. He will wait until the day we die. Then….it's too late to change your actions!

Don't get caught doing something you know is wrong! Sin does nothing but separate us from the only ONE who can save us. When you face Jesus on that unexpected day…I pray that you won't have that sinking stomach feeling, but rather will walk with confidence into His Arms as He welcomes you Home!

The unexpected will happen one day! Don't get caught daydreaming! Live with purpose and intention! Wake up each day determined to following His Ways! When you mess up, admit it and tell Him you're sorry! Don't be stubborn and prideful, because I will guarantee you won't want the ticket God hands out…the price to pay will be too much to handle!

Fill it Up

2010-08-14T17:27:00.001-04:00

Fill it up

Have you ever had to fill your boat up on the lake? It is one of the most maddening things to have to do. It is always way higher than the gas stations in town. Several years ago we started taking 5 gallon containers and filling them up with the cheaper gas, hauling it to the lake and filling the boat that way. It saved us a ton of money.

This year we started having trouble with our boat. At the marina, they told us that they have had so many problems come through because of the gas that people are using. There was something added to it that was literally destroying the engines. So when everyone thinks they are saving money by filling it with the cheap stuff, in the end, it costs more than they could imagine.

What are you using to fill yourself up? What exactly do you allow your mind to absorb?

So many people tell me that the music they listen to doesn't affect them at all. They listen to it mainly because they just like the beat. Or movies they choose to watch are for entertainment only. It just is fun to watch, it won't hurt them at all.

This past week I proved both of those theories wrong in the form of one 6 year old kid. My son is a perfect example of how wrong those people are that claim those things to be true!

The first example is when we were walking through the movie store. I was looking at some old movies, and Kolt comes running up with his choices. As I continued searching for something good, I look down to see Kolt with his hands over his face. I asked him what was wrong and he just said that he needed to get out of there fast because the cases were too scary on some. WoW! He hadn't even watched the movie…just one little picture and he knew that he needed to flee!

The second example came after we had been listening to the radio while in the boat. I think the channel of choice that day was country. We all enjoy it, so we were having a great time blaring it and singing along. A new song that I had never heard before came on and I loved it, until it came to a part about beer. I really didn't think anything about it until that evening. Right before bed, Kolt told me that there was this one part of a song that he just couldn't get out of his head. You can just about guess what it was; yep, the part about beer. It just shocked me!

If a little boy caught on that quickly, do not even stand there and tell me that it just doesn't affect you! You see, when we listen to crap music or watch ridiculous shows, it is like we are filling ourselves with the cheap gas. Yes we will go away in a good mood or relaxed or whatever, but in a short while, the cost of the damage that is done will be more than most of us are willing to pay.

When are we going to become a people that stand up and stand strong against this world? In Romans 12:2 it states "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world…". When this world's standards say that scary movies are o.k., or that sex scenes aren't that bad, or that vulgar music won't affect you, we need to take a stand and prove it wrong! Why would any of us want to be in a situation where the "fillers" in our lives are really slowly destroying us? In the end, you will pay a heavy price for filling your head and heart with the cheap stuff!

Don't let satan lead you to believe that all the stuff the world offers will keep you going! He will seem so right at times, and you will slip farther and farther away from the truth. You may slip so far that the truth looks too hard to accept. You may get to a point where Bible study is for the "Jesus Freaks" and you will be fine without it. There will come a day, though, when your engine will start having problems, and you may just have no clue where to go or how you will ever get out of the mess you got yourself in! Start now…catch it before it destroys you!

Don't let satan win…I am so extremely sick of that! Who out there is going to stand up and stand strong for God and the sacrifice He made? Who is going to stand for Jesus instead of for someone who so clearly hates Him and everything that He stands for?

It just comes down to a choice once again doesn't it? Your choice! What's it gonna be? Why don't we just fix it before it breaks and maintain it by putting the right kinds of "fuel" in it? No more cutting corners…when it comes to this kind of stuff, only the real gas will do!

Gone Fishin’

2010-08-07T10:12:00.001-04:00

Gone Fishin'

When we were little I remember the thrill of fishing, especially when we would find the spot! There were times that my dad got no fishing of his own done; as soon as one of us kids' catch was released, another one of us would have a fish hooked. We would be that way for hours!

Something happened to change the excitement that was felt over fishing. It was called growing up. For some reason, we got to a point where we realized that the fish that were being caught weren't really that big at all and the thrill over catching the little ones was gone. I guess we just got so used to it, that we were no longer satisfied with what we had…we wanted the bigger fish!

Some have continued to chase the bigger fish. My husband and son have never lost the thrill over fishing all night in search of the "big one". But for me, I pretty much just quit fishing all together. Sure I will head out once in a while, but it is a rare occasion.

I wonder how often this same scenario applies to the gifts and talents God gives us to use.

I was thinking the other day about how often we want to be able to do what someone else does. We want to have the spot light, or the recognition, or the "Big Fish". We try to be someone that we aren't, because we have gotten bored with whom we really are. It is like a domino effect. We may be content doing what we do for a while, but then we see someone else (who in our minds) has a better job, or skill, or talent. So we set out in search of something else. When we don't find it, we just give up and never return to diligently working where we were supposed to be working in the first place.

You know, there is only going to be so many Billy Graham's, Beth Moore's, or James Dobson's. If we are constantly chasing after someone else's calling, what will happen to ours?

Do you believe that God does not make mistakes? If the answer is yes, then you have to trust that He made you just the way you are for a reason. He has put you in the right place at the right time for such a time as this!

Who around you needs to see Jesus?

There is someone! I will guarantee that people are watching you. You may think at times that you aren't important, or really don't have an influence over anyone. You may even feel as if your life really has no meaning at all! If you stay in that mindset, I assure you, that satan is winning! You have a God that loves and pursues you! He laid the foundation of the earth and created everything that you see here! Do not let satan get an edge on what God can accomplish through you!

We all need to stop chasing and instead realize that we are sitting right over the biggest fishing hole ever! It is filled with a ton of fish that need to be caught! Your fishing hole may hold 50; someone else's might hold 5000. But if you try to sneak into theirs, then your 50 won't ever be caught!

Let's be content to be where we are. Let's work diligently to catch as many "fish" as we can. God can always move us, but if He says to stay, then let's keep our anchors securely in place. We have to remember that we all have a place in the body of Christ. If the feet try to be the hands, though, things get all messed up! Each and every one of us is just as important as the next! Don't ever feel like what you have been given to do isn't worth doing! That couldn't be further from the truth!

So whether it's little fish or big fish, 10 fish or 1000 fish, don't give up!

Luke 10:2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

The workers are needed…let's get back to fishing!

Boat Driver

2010-08-04T22:53:00.001-04:00

Boat Driver

I was driving the boat the other day while my 13 year old son and 8 year old daughter were tubing. She claims that tubing is "her thing" and jumps at the chance to do it any time she can. Her type of tubing is about 2 paces slower than his so I have to really change my mind set when I am driving them together. It is really hard to make both happy, it is either boring for him or horrifyingly scary for her.

This particular morning I apparently was favoring him a bit more because all I heard from her were screams and gestures to slow down. It was funny too because all it would take was for her to go outside of the wake or the rev of the boat motor. She was anticipating falling out by just those 2 things, without even hitting any waves or anything. Her comfort zone was a specific speed riding right behind the boat.

I realized that she did not trust me at all. I love her so much and would never do anything to hurt her. But every time I would change things a little bit by going just a bit faster or curvier, she would immediately freak out and want to have things back the way that they were. She was scared to death of falling out; but you know what…she was wearing a life jacket! Even if she fell out, she would just bob there in place until I came back to get her (which I would). She had absolutely nothing to worry about, but she still tried to control the ride.

You know what I'm gonna say next don't you? J

Doesn't this sound just like us with God?

We find ourselves telling Him that we can't do this or that because it would be too uncomfortable. We are constantly afraid of failing because we feel unqualified so we don't even want to take one step away from our safety zone. You know…the zone where nothing ever changes and everything is completely the way we like it. We try to control every inch of this "ride" we are on and in the end; it turns out to be a slow and uneventful journey.

We have a God that qualifies the called even if they aren't humanly qualified for the job. He empowers the weak to lead in a way that breaks through any kind of box that hinders the Spirit from working. God is mighty and strong and is in control of everything. You have a choice in which way you want your "tube ride" to go. You have opportunities to be used every day! You can sit there and tell God over and over that you can't do this or don't want to go there. You can deny Him access to use you if you want. Or…you can trust Him to know which direction is best, which speed is right, and to know without a doubt that He will pick you up every time you fall.

You have an opportunity right now to surrender your whole life to be used in any way possible to bring glory and honor to HIM. It will not be a smooth ride, but man, it will be a fulfilling ride! At the end you will look back and stand in awe that you were used in such a mighty way. You will find yourself jumping waves and crashing head first into situations you would have, at all costs, avoided before! But what you will find is that people have stopped and watched, noticing that there is something different about you!

We all will be done with our little boat ride some day. Many will never really do anything for Him at all. Some will follow, but will follow only a certain path. But there will be the few…the ones that jump on the tube, hold on tight, and take whatever the driver wants to hit them with! They are the ones that, without doubt, will be battered and bruised. But take notice because they will also be the ones experiencing a level of power that can be explained no other way except GOD!
Scared or not, I want to be that kind of person!

So tell me…are you going to be one of them too? The choice is yours! Hang on tight or tell Him to go slower. But remember, you only get one chance at this ride…don't end it with regrets!

Knock Knock

2010-08-04T09:29:00.001-04:00

Knock Knock

Imagine yourself for a second, 9:00 at night, at the end of a very stressful day. You actually had time to stop and grab a movie before you got home. Kids in bed (if you have kids), dishes done. You just settle on the couch with your favorite blanket around you and just as you get comfortable, someone knocks on your door. I can just hear the groans now! Who out there would actually ignore the knocks and act like you didn't hear them? Not many…although all of you may complain and not want to get up, you would push pause, unwrap yourself from your blankie, and go see who was there.

As I was thinking about this, I realized that the only way that many of us wouldn't go answer that door was if we knew that the person on the other side was going to harm us, or if it was someone we really didn't want to see. But other than that, it wouldn't matter what we were doing, we would stop and change our plans to see what that one person wanted from us.

Why in the world then do we ignore Jesus when He is at our door knocking?

Re 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

Jesus stands at our doors and knocks!!! He wants you to listen to Him calling. He wants you to invite Him into your hearts and wants to lead and guide you! Why do we treat Him like a stranger that we are scared of or someone that we just don't want to see!

I know personally that left alone; I can make a pretty big mess out of my life. If you are anything like me, you need help!

Jesus wants to be in control…He will never forsake us, or leave us, or dump us, or lead us astray. He doesn't make mistakes either. So what about that person makes us want to keep the door locked up tight? We are crazy sometimes, don't you think!

Today I want to challenge you to listen for that knock on the door. He is knocking…because that is what He does! Don't just sit there not wanting to see what the GOD of the universe has for you! Don't be scared of the change that He may want to see happen, or the things that He wants to do with you! Instead, embrace the fact that Jesus really does love you, know you and pursues you. He really does call people like you and me, and He really is waiting for you to let Him in!

Don't disappoint Him…Don't strand Him outside!

OPEN THE DOOR!!!

Buckets of Water

2010-07-28T08:37:00.002-04:00

Buckets of Water

James 4:17

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

Have you ever watched someone's house burn down? You probably felt completely helpless! There just isn't anything that you can do, is there?

Now think of this in a different way and picture yourself watching the fire with a bucket of water in your hands. Would you still find yourself just standing there watching or would you put action into those legs?

It isn't even a question in most everyone's minds. You would of course try to help!

So why is it that we are o.k. with standing on the sidelines and watching people destroy their lives? How have we become a generation of speaking our minds about this or that, but when it comes to truly needing to speak them about something life saving, we don't. We would rather keep our mouths shut in fear of offending someone, or butting in.

When I think about how many kids will walk out of high school unsaved, I am just literally sick. I shake my head in sadness and frustration almost every time it is the topic of conversation. I want more than anything to reach as many as possible, not leaving anyone out. Someone told me once, actually a couple of people did, that it isn't my responsibility to save these kids. I understand what they are saying because they think that it is the parents' job, which is so true, but on the other hand, if I have the tools to help, why would I choose to stand by and watch them crash and burn?

You and I both know that any one of us would use our buckets of water to try to save someone else's home. We would never stand there and tell them that it was their responsibility alone to handle that fire. We most likely would help in a way where bystanders wouldn't be able to tell who the true owner is. It would become our fight too!

Is this convicting someone out there? Are you looking down to find that your bucket of water is still full and you have someone around you that is on the verge of destruction? Do not waste your life by fearing someone's reaction to the truth! Your job is to bring Glory to God. If you speak the truth to someone in love, you have to trust that the Holy Spirit will do the rest! There will be people that are going to reject it and that will hurt more than you know, but you can't let those times of rejection define how you are going to live your life!

God puts people in your life everyday that just need to hear about His Love! Don't hide it or keep it to yourself! Help someone live, and then in return they will help someone else live! You might just get to watch just how powerful a simple Word can be!

Running Barefoot on the Stones

2010-07-27T22:35:00.002-04:00

Running Barefoot on the Stones

When I was a little kid, I use to take off down the stone lane, running the whole way, with no shoes on. People would always watch us sprinting in the grass then hitting the stones and not slowing down one bit. Whether it was soft and comfortable or hard and jagged, it just didn't matter, our feet could take anything.

I always remember the first day of summer though, and how it really hurt to step on the stones. It took many days to build up a toughness that could conquer any rock! By the end of summer, the bottom of our feet looked like a piece of leather. Something we were mighty proud of.

As an adult, I now get to watch my kids do the same thing! I am pretty sure that my little man could step on a nail and not have it puncture the skin at all, simply because his skin is so tough!

It doesn't faze him a bit! But you know what?... It now fazes me.

I don't want to build up a tolerance for rocks…I instead, slip on a pair of sandals every time I go outside. My feet are now sissified, I assure you, and you can see me doing a little dance across those stones, if I ever have to go without shoes.

Some of life's greatest challenges are extremely hard to accomplish. Sometimes what God asks me to do is just simply impossible in my eyes. It is at this point that I hit a crossroad. I have a choice whether or not I am going to get used to the hard stuff and actually get good at doing it, or am I forever going to bail out and not tackle anything that looks too difficult or challenging!

Sometimes God puts opportunities right in our laps. They aren't always fun and easy. I think in fact, a lot of times, they are completely out of my comfort zone! But if we never try anything with God as our power source, we will never do anything more than what we are doing right now. Is that o.k. with you?

I think that God wants us to tackle these challenges like we should tackle the gravel…with bare feet! I believe that He gives us opportunities to grow and change, but without pain, this can sometimes be impossible! The more that we say "yes" to Him and His challenges, the tougher our "feet" get. The more we have to walk through difficult challenges, the stronger and more confident we get in saying YES to Him every time He asks us to do something!

God says in Joshua 1:9

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

There is nothing to fear when it comes to walking with the Lord. You can't fear the seasons of change, or the times that He is molding you. If you fear, you will be frozen. You will find yourself either standing on the porch, or walking with shoes on. Either way, you will miss out on the change God is wanting for you!

What is stopping you from being the person God is calling you to be? It may hurt at first…but the more and more you say yes…the easier it will be to say it the next time too!

Is there something in your life that you know is holding you back? Trust God when He says that He will never leave you. That means that He will walk beside you every single step of every single day! You may feel like you can't do what He is asking, and to be honest, by yourself, you can't! But with HIM and His Power…it is impossible to fail! Step out on those stones and allow God to mold you into the person He wants! Say YES to whatever He is asking of you TODAY and every Day! Pain is always temporary…the prize… now that is forever!

The Hills aren’t the Problem

2010-07-22T09:04:00.003-04:00

The Hills aren't the Problem

Many of you know that I love to run. Some days it will be 7 miles, others I will barely make 2. Sometimes I have to pump myself up before I even take off and know exactly how far I am going just so that my mental attitude will be ready. It never fails though, I will hit that first hill and wonder what the heck I am doing.

Hills are never fun. I don't care who you are or what you are training for. They may be necessary to get what you want out of your work out, but never are they something that people want to do over and over and over. Especially at the end, who wants to climb just one more after you get to the point of exhaustion? Well at least I don't!

The other day I took a route that I don't often take. It was all back roads with hardly anyone around! It was pretty early still, only 8:00, clear skies, just beautiful. Something happened, though, in the last couple of weeks in Indiana. It is summed up in one little word: humidity! Even at 8, by ¾ of the way through the run, I was drenched in sweat and trying to suck down some pretty thick air. Not so much fun!

Something hit me that morning; this path that I took had hardly any hills on it. It should have been a piece of cake to run it through. The hills that I did have to run, I put my head down and just plowed through them. The hardest part this particular morning was the straight roads. I had a much harder time staying focused and determined to finish when I was just running the same pace for miles at a time. There were way more times of feeling ready to quit.

How often do you feel like quitting in your spiritual lives?

What is crazy, as I take a look at mine, is that I hit my knees more often, grab my Bible more frequently, and just plain fight more, when I am trying to "run up a hill". I get determined, cling to Jesus and just plow through until I get to the other side!

But what happens when nothing is really happening and life is just simply simple?

Are we just as determined to get up early and spend time with Him when our path has been without any bumps? Do we still put our armor on when it doesn't feel like there is a battle raging around us? How many stray off the path during a period of quiet, rather than when the going gets tough?

God says in Ephesians 6:13:

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

God says to put it on now, not when you are running up the hill. He wants you to be ready before you hit a hill!

Everyone is a runner, well some of us may walk a lot, but we are all in a race! There will be hills, and sometimes even mountains to climb, but more often than not, there will be miles and miles of nothing but straight paths to take! Do not get lazy! Don't take for granted the fact that you have to keep fighting, even when it seems like an easy ride! The straight roads may be the ones that everyone wishes for and waits for, but they can also be the most dangerous.

I don't know where you are at right now, or what path you are on, but I do know one thing: you have a God that is waiting for you to call on Him. Don't think that you can do this on your own, and don't try to do it without your armor on! Satan knows when you are ripe for the picking, and often, you will find that it is right smack dab in the middle of the times when we get a little too comfortable and forget the need to fight!

Whether you want it or not, the battle is raging for you and your soul! Fight up those hills with everything you got, but don't stop there…the hills are just the obvious battle; the straight paths are where you will have to deliberately make some choices!

Don't quit, don't let yourself stray or slow down…the finish line is just around the next corner! Your prize is waiting!

Nothin without Rain

2010-07-18T18:01:00.001-04:00

Nothin without Rain

I don't know about you but I love when the spring rains start and water the lawns all around us. There are some people that absolutely love keeping theirs looking perfect, and it shows. It is almost breathtaking at times. Every bush is pruned, every weed is killed, the lines in the grass are even and straight and the color of the grass is such a brilliant green that it is almost a shade you have never seen. All in all, it is a picture of perfection.

What happens, though, when those rains stop?

Today I got my first glimpse of a beautiful lawn gone brown. This particular lawn struck me because it is one that is always in tip top shape. Today was no different, the lines were mowed perfectly, and everything was looking exactly how it should be, except one thing: the grass. I realized that no matter how hard someone can try to make everything looking great, without rain, it will still die. It will be almost like all that work was done in vain.

Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your Name, and in Your Name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'

This is one of the scariest verses for me in the Bible. Not for me alone, but for so many that think that they can work their way into Heaven. There are people out there that treat their lives like a perfectly manicured lawn. They work hard to kill everything that isn't supposed to be there, and take extra care of everything that belongs. You will see them working even in the churches sometimes. They will spend hours trying to keep up appearances. On the outside, they will look like the perfect Christian. Let me stop right here and tell you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with working hard for God. But what I am trying to say is that if you don't add the rain, or the water, all those works will be in vain…you will simply not make it!

How many of us do good things? Or we are super nice people? How many even go as far as to say that we help others? I am figuring that there are probably quite a few! Which is so awesome…you are making this a better place to live! This world is not the finish line though! What we have to remember that our goal is Heaven! How worthless it all will be if you hear Jesus reply to you the words of Matthew 7: "I never knew you"! Jesus wants not only our muscles, but our hearts too. He wants you to be able to be like Mary and sit at His Feet and just listen to Him. (Luke 10) I believe fully that God gives us gifts to use, and missions to be on. I believe that He is working all around us and wants us to join Him! But if we try to do the work without adding Him to our hearts, we will soon be burned out and dried up just like that grass that should be green!

What is your heart condition today? Are you feeling like you have tried so hard and yet something is missing? I challenge you tomorrow to wake early before you have to even think about your day, and find a quiet spot to just be still. It is amazing that we have a God that will meet us there! I promise that if you decide to actively seek Him along with working with Him, your life will be one where people will stop and wonder what the difference is with you! Then you'll be able to share with them the only reason we are here anyhow…to make Him famous!

Remember that the "doing" is not a bad thing…but in the end, it will all be in vain if you don't have the rain!

REARVIEW MIRROR

2010-07-15T09:03:00.002-04:00

Rearview Mirror

Man, I don't know why I am going to tell you this, but I had such a stupid thought the other day. I get a little bored when I have to drive forever, and last week, I had to drive FOREVER! I was coming home from a basketball camp in Pennsylvania and was driving a stretch of road that we literally were on for hours. In an effort to keep from going insane, I ate 5 pounds of candy, and checked out every single thing that we passed. I caught myself looking in the rearview mirror one time, and all of the sudden found the lines on the road fascinating. (O.k. here comes the stupid part). I actually wondered if you could drive forward and keep the vehicle in the right lane by watching your position on the road in the mirror. Yeah..i know…I shouldn't really tell anyone else that huh?! J Don't worry, I didn't try it…and please don't you try it either! Again, I was on a sugar high, and extremely ready to get out of that bus!

It did get me thinking, though. The rearview mirror is awesome when you are driving backwards, but when you want to get to somewhere new, it will only land you in the ditch!

Do you have something in your past that you are ashamed of? There are not too many of us that can answer "no" to that question. I myself have plenty of scenarios that I can share with you. How many futures have been ruled and ruined by the fact that we can't let go of our pasts? All too often, we are caught constantly looking behind us, not able to let go of mistakes and decisions made years before. It causes us to be defined by our sins, rather than living in the forgiveness that has actually washed us white as snow.

We have a God that says we are forgiven, we have a Savior that shed His Blood to make us new, and yet we decide to submit to defeat rather than walk in the victory that is ours. If you ask me, that is stupid.

Phil. 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

You all can agree that my original little thought about driving was completely ridiculous. It would just be impossible. You would never be able to see if there were any turns up ahead, or be able to avoid the potholes that would pop up. More than likely, you would find yourself stuck in the mud, or wrecked and destroyed. We HAVE to realize that our spiritual lives are exactly the same way! It is time to stop living like we are prisoners and believe God when He says that we are forgiven! It is hard enough avoiding everything driving with our eyes forward; don't make it harder on yourself by concentrating on your mistakes!

You are free….live like it!

The Deal of a Lifetime

2010-07-08T09:03:00.002-04:00

The Deal of a Lifetime

I hate to shop. I cannot understand how some girls can go every week as just a hang out time. I would rather have my teeth pulled J (o.k.….not really...but you get my drift)! 1 of the reasons (don't worry, I have several) why I hate to shop is because I, without fail, never hit the sales! It is so irritating to hear people talk about getting 50% off stuff, and coming home with bags full of clothes that they practically stole. But do you think I can ever do that? NEVER!! I have had some friends before call me from the mall and tell me about an amazing sale that was going on right now! There is nothing in me at all that would have the desire to stop what I was doing and rush to the store. So I wait until the next day. But the next day is one day too late, almost every time! There was literally nothing left to choose from. It looked like a herd of elephants had ransacked the entire store. I spent a total of 10 minutes in there and left. I had missed out once again, on a great deal.

In Matthew 25 there is an account of 10 virgins. They all were excitedly waiting for the bridegroom to come. Taking their lamps they went and waited for him…and waited…and waited…and waited. 5 of them had brought extra oil, but the other 5 were not prepared and had to go find some more. While they were gone, he came, and they missed Him! Once they realized what had happened, they begged Him to open the door, in which He replied "I do not know you."

What do you think their hearts did at that point? Do you think that they just said, "oh well" guess I'll have better luck next time? My guess is that they were filled with instant regret; a regret that takes over your body and fills every inch of it. A regret that you know is there because of a choice that you made. You know that you missed the sale!

Where are you at in your life? Are you living in preparation mode for the coming of our bridegroom? It is clear in the Bible that He is coming back one day. He will take those of us that are ready with Him…the rest will be left behind. Can you imagine knowing that you missed JESUS????

WE KNOW HE IS COMING!! This is not a debate…He is coming! I know that we all can get into the mindset that it won't happen to me, or that it won't happen to our generation. But in reality, it could happen any time! In fact, I am pretty sure that those little old grandmas are praying for it to be tomorrow! To be honest, I pray all the time for Him to come now! Our world just keeps getting worse and worse. It makes sense to me to end it, doesn't it you? But let me tell you a little something about my God. He loves you! He loves each and every person on this planet, and I whole heartedly believe that He waits, because there are a few more He wants to win to this side of the fence!

Are you one of them? Is He waiting for you?

One thing to know is that He wants you so bad, but will not force you. The choice is yours alone. Are you going to put off preparing for something you don't think will happen to you, or are you going to drop everything and make sure you don't miss out?

Don't get caught watching everyone else with the bags stuffed with the deals! This deal is free, but it is a limited time offer! One day He will say it's finished! Please, please, please don't be the ones that hear "I do not know you!" The race set before you will not go on forever; there is a finish line for each one. Make sure you are winning the prize before you step across that line!

~CHALLENGE BOX~

2010-07-05T22:46:00.001-04:00

o.k. the challenge this week is to GET INTO THE WORD!!!!! if it's alive why are we not going to it over and over and over??? so this week we are going to something that many of us have probably shelved for a while. the story of david starting from when he was annointed. Start in 1 Sam. 16 and just start reading. See what God will have to say to you as you open your heart for a new and fresh perspective on a story that has been read countless times! let me know what it speaks to you about! i luv you !! i luv being able to watch people get excited about the same passage at the same time! oooo baby...this is exciting! the Holy Spirit is ready and waiting....open your Bibles and get ready! share what you learn!

CHOSEN

2010-07-04T22:25:00.001-04:00

Chosen

What do the following names mean to you?

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali

Now what does this name mean to you?

Joseph (the coat of many colors)

Which brother do you find yourself most like?

Can you see the vast difference between the two? If a miracle is to occur in our lives, many of us will find ourselves as mere observers. Sadly, a percentage of those people will be content to be just that. Can you believe with me for even just a second that our amazing God wants to blow you away with something that can only be explained by His power? More than letting you be just a witness, though, He wants to use
you for it!

In the end there are only 2 ways that you will be labeled. 2 simple words whose meanings are day and night different: Chosen or Unchosen.

Don't waste an opportunity and don't get caught being left out! A miracle is waiting for you!

Thank You

2010-07-01T07:48:00.001-04:00

Thank You

Over the years, we have become pretty close to some of our neighbors. There have been weeks where
we end up eating together several different times. It is easy to say that we are very comfortable with each other.

The other day we were over there with a few other couples. As we were trying to get all the kids out the door to leave, I told them to go say "thank you". Without missing a beat, my daughter, mumbled thank you as she was leaving. My friend wasn't even in the same room to be able to hear her. I had to stop Jessi and tell her to go find the host and make sure that she heard her.

A thank you said under your breath without any heart doesn't mean a lot does it? It's like saying sorry while rolling your eyes. Everyone around can tell that you are not sincere. I realized my kids had started taken others for granted. They started to expect certain things to happen and expected to get whatever they wanted without feeling the need to say thank you. It was a little scary for me to tell you the truth.

Do you think that Jesus feels the same way with us? Do you think that He sees us as spoiled and pampered?

In Luke 17 there is an account of 10 people that had leprosy. They had been shunned out of their communities and begged Jesus to have pity on them. Jesus healed ALL 10 of them, and do you know that only 1 of them returned to say thank you? Jesus noticed it too. His first question was where the other 9 were.

He notices when we walk away too. I picture Him up in Heaven just trying to bless us like crazy, and then waiting on the edge of His Throne watching in anticipation to see if we will come running to Him with praise on our lips. Just how many times do you think we disappoint Him? It says in Luke 17 that the 1 lone leper "came back, praising God in a loud voice.

He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him.

Do you think we have ever come close to really thanking Him?

God's Love endures forever!!!!! He will never leave us, never forsake us, He is the God of God's, Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end, God almighty, creator of Heaven and earth. He spoke the world into existence. Do we even understand His Power? He is the only reason that we are born and why we are still living. He has done everything possible to give us a promise of life eternal with Him instead of living in hell! Not to mention that we have food on the table and clothes on our backs.

We have so much to be thankful for, don't we? There has to be a point where we determine NOT to forget to thank Him! Don't take God for granted…praise Him every day! We are nothing and don't deserve half the Love He bestows…don't get caught running out the door throwing a quick thanks over your shoulder, be like the 1 leper, throwing yourself at Jesus' Feet instead! He deserves so much more, the least we can do is say thank you!

1Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Follow the Leader

2010-06-28T23:06:00.001-04:00

Follow the Leader

Do you find yourself in the leader role, or do you claim boldly to be a great follower? Some people are more than content to stay behind someone the whole time, while others push to the front just to be the 1^st in line. If you are someone that leads often, you probably know that that is your gift. If you are a follower, you probably don't covet that gift at all. But what I discovered this past week is that "followers" may have a little surprise coming their way. After reading this devotion, I wonder how many people will realize that they have actually had a completely different role than they ever expected.

Last week I found myself in a car line. I was about 3^rd or 4^th back with a couple more people behind me. We were all going to a county home to help with a service project. Although this place has been open for years, I, along with many of the other parents had never heard of it, let alone been there (which is sad in itself). We all pulled out of the church at the same time and started on down the road in one big line. Once we got to a pretty busy road, I realized that we were going to get separated a bit. While we all took our own turning waiting for a break in traffic, there would always end up being 1 or 2 cars in between us. We were on a straight piece of road, so the big van in the lead was still pretty visible. I realized that there might be a problem when we started hitting the curves. All of the sudden we came to an area where cars were turning off really quickly. I, all of the sudden had a little panic moment when I had no clue who I was supposed to be following. I couldn't see the van anymore! It was nowhere to be seen. What I had to concentrate on, was the person right in front of me.

What I realized was the person behind me was doing the same exact thing to me.

So in essence, I was no longer just a follower…but also a leader! Annnnnnd…who I followed determined whether the people behind me got lost or not.

So now…do you still think of yourself as just a follower?

So many of us don't want the responsibility of being in charge or leading the way. But the reality is that someone somewhere is watching us and our actions, and we end up leading anyhow.

So now the question becomes, who are you following? I wonder if you follow every diet that is out there…or maybe you follow the road to the liquor store, how about drugs…unhealthy relationships…selfish desires…money…bitterness..pride (do I need to go on)? We all have something that is screaming for us to take a wrong turn! STOP!!! Put on your breaks right now and just focus for one second! Take a good hard look in your rearview mirror and see who is behind you. Their eyes are glued to your every action! They soak up every word that you say! You may be their only link to finding the right way to their destination. Do you really want to be the one to lead them astray?

I found this verse that is so convicting! It is spoken with such confidence and boldness. I wonder how many of us would have the guts to declare it to everyone we know…

1 Corinthians 11:1

"Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ."

Even if you don't find yourself as the leader of the pack, know without a doubt that you are leading someone somewhere. Take some time before you take off in the morning to make sure that you are first off following the right person (JESUS!!!) and secondly make sure the people behind you know it!

God is so awesome and Jesus is so much fun to follow! If you want to get lost and wonder around with that horrible feeling in your stomach that just screams that something is wrong, then that's your choice! But I would much rather follow Jesus and let Him take me wherever He wants with the promise of never getting lost!

So are you ready to say it? Are you ready to tell people that you are no longer just a follower but instead a leader who is empowered by God's Spirit? Go ahead…shout it out the window! But please please please….line yourself up with the right person first…don't let any distraction confuse you into taking the wrong turn! Set your sights on Jesus and then bring someone else along for the ride!

End Result

2010-06-25T07:47:00.001-04:00

End Result

Isaiah 25:8 " He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it."

Have you ever gotten to a point where you just want to quit? It could be with any number of things; sports, your job, praying for someone, ministry, your marriage, etc. This list could go on and on. It has happened to me on countless occasions! I get just about to a breaking point and God gives me a glimpse of the end result, giving me enough hope to keep going.

I often wonder why we can't just see the end at the beginning. If only God would show me what for sure was going to happen, I know that I could keep myself from getting down and discouraged. I know that I wouldn't give up praying, fighting, putting my armor on, studying and on and on. I know that I would never fall into a pit.

So why don't you think that God will just do it MY way? It seriously sounds like a good plan to me…don't you think?

This past week I hit a low. It wasn't the lowest that I have ever been, but it sure ranked up there. I became exhausted, drained, tired and grumpy. I had no spiritual energy left to want to lift a finger. There were times that even texting something encouraging was just too much. I told my husband that I was just done. (Even though I know I will never give upJ). It was at this point that I could have used a little bit of a glimpse of what God sees for the future. But it didn't come…in fact I found myself feeling like there was a huge thick ceiling blocking any communication between me and Him. I couldn't feel Him, or sense Him, or see Him working. I about went crazy.

I got the opportunity to talk to a pastor friend of mine half way through the week. I mentioned how drained I had let myself get. He had gone through a huge draining that lasted months and months, so he is one person that can understand getting burnt out better than anyone I know. I could tell he hated that I felt that way. At the end of our conversation as I was walking away, he called out to me and said "Don't quit fighting, don't ever quit…we win in the end, the victory is ours!" That was all that it took to relight my flame!

God wins…we win…that is the end result! So as I tried to slap myself silly for getting so far off of the path, I realized that God has already given me what I felt I needed the whole entire time! He has shown me what is going to happen; He has promised victory if we just keep on fighting!

I realized I get too caught up in the little battles that go on, allowing them to distract me from the actual war that we are in. Isn't it clear who is at work here? Satan is up to his usual tricks and for some reason, this time, I couldn't sense it happening. He blinded me to everything that God is and everything He promises, and instead got me discouraged over the lack of results that were happening right at this moment.

War does not end in 3 days; some battles do, but not war. If the USA enters into a war knowing that they will be victorious, they won't pull the troops out until that happens. They will continue to fight every battle, never giving up on a single one of them.

We need to face our lives the same way!

Don't quit praying, daily put your armor on, and seek His Face all the time. Keep fighting for those that don't fight for themselves, and keep talking to those who refuse to listen! Show Jesus to everyone you can and fight the fight!

Where are you at right now? Are you feeling like this fight might be too much for you? Are you ready to throw in the towel? Don't let satan fool you, don't quit yet! God wins whether we give up or not…nothing will change that! If we want victory to be ours, then we better suit up and keep on fighting! Keep your vision set on the promised end result!

Don't quit…ever!

Best Friend

2010-06-18T09:53:00.001-04:00

Best Friend

Can a dog really count as a best friend? If it's a yes, then I will be first in line with mine! The thing I love about Diesel is that he loves me the best! When my whole family is around, he is planted right at my side. I think it makes my husband jealousJ.

One of my hobbies is running. It helps me clear my head and just have some amazing time to talk with God. Almost every time I go, my dog is by my side. He seriously acts like he is my best friend.

When I run with Diesel, I have to stay pretty much on the same roads. Most of them around us are gravel or dirt, with not a ton of traffic. Just in case he darts, I feel a lot safer with Amish buggies passing me than semis. This gets so boring though. At times, I don't even want to run because I get sick of the same route. So on occasion, I will kennel Diesel up and take off on a different path. He is never happy about this, he actually stands at the locked gate and barks and barks and barks…it about breaks my heart. But there are just times, when I need a change of scenery.

Yesterday was one of those days when he got to go with me. But man, he was driving me crazy! I was on a good pace where I was comfortable. Nothing irritates me more on a run, then getting my rhythm interrupted. He continually was doing exactly that. On those dirt roads, there are certain paths that have been worn smooth. I love to run on these, and apparently yesterday, Diesel did too. He constantly kept cutting me off so that he could take the path that he wanted. It not only messed with my pace, but it kept shoving me into a path that was filled with stones and ruts. Then to top it off, everything that moved perked his attention. On a few occasions, he would take off on a dead sprint and run into the woods or neighbors yards in search of who knows what. I pray every time that it isn't someone's cat! When he does that, I have to stop again and yell at time to get back; once again messing with my rhythm.

So what about you? Do you feel like you are constantly getting pushed off the path by someone you are close with? You want so much to take them with you wherever you go, but then find yourself stuck running in the stones and ruts? Or you may have your eyes set on a goal, but have to constantly stop because they get distracted, sidetracked and lost along the way? Are you finding that they are hindering you from running the race that God has set before you?

The bad part about best friends is we get so comfortable with them that we don't want things to change, so we go along with whoever they become and never stop to challenge the idea that they may not be the best thing for us anymore. There are times when you just have to get off of the same road that you have always traveled. More than likely, when that happens, not everyone will go along for the ride.

Is it time to leave your friend at home? Is God calling you to some new path that they just can't travel with you? Are you finding that although it is hard to admit, your best friend really doesn't have your best interest at heart anymore?

Change is hard for most people. Comfort zones are forged and many times never left. You can live your whole life right there in that little box if you want to! But why not strive for something more? Why not try a new route that God is prompting you to try?

When it comes to best friends, you want one that can go where you go, listen to everything on your heart, never leave you for something that is distracting them, never cause you to compromise what you know to be true, and help you become the best that you can be. I don't think Diesel fits that bill…in fact; I don't think that there has ever been anyone in my life that fits that bill! Except Jesus!

Do you want a change? Do you need a change? It has to start with who you are choosing to allow on your run! Are they really your best friends forever and ever…or are they just the people that you have grown accustomed to being around so you don't want to change kind of thing? I say start with God…every morning before your feet hit the floor and then allow your thoughts to travel to Him all during your day! Go to Him before you go to anyone else with your problems. If you do this…I PROMISE that He will be better than any best friend that has ever been a part of your life!

I am not saying that you should live with no one in your life as a friend! I have plenty that I adore! But be selective to whom you let run right beside you. You will finish your race one of two ways: off pace, distracted and discouraged, or simply…you will be the winner. Don't run to just finish…run to win!

Hebrews 12:1-3

1 " Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Light Switch

2010-06-17T09:29:00.001-04:00

Light Switch

John 12:46 "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."

Have you ever walked into a completely dark room and instantly have your pulse quicken? Every noise is magnified and your imagination can just about make you crazy! The first thing that I do is slam my hand against the wall and search for the light switch.

Do you ever just ignore the switch and walk around in complete darkness? Of course not, at least most of us don't! There are way too many dangers that are hidden when there is no light. Even when you are comfortable with a room and live in it every day, you still want something to help you walk through it.

Why in our spiritual lives do we let the darkness flood us and not go searching for our "light switch"? Do you ever get comfortable with someone or something that is bringing you down? You find yourself in a place where you would rather live in darkness and keep them, than live in freedom and have to give them up. Why is it that people and activities slowly become more important than Jesus? You can find out if this is true by looking at the shadow that is cast in front of you…if it is the cross, then Jesus is right where you need Him to be! If there is any other shape that shows up, you know that something has crept into HIS spot!

Choices are a part of our daily lives. When we reach the end, how we lived and who we touched will be a direct result of how we chose to live, who we chose to invest in and who we chose to follow. It is all about us taking a deliberate step forward. You can't get into Heaven by accident; you don't accidentally fall through the gates. You will have to make a choice. No one can turn a light switch on for you. You have to be the one to do it, because in the end, it's about you and Jesus.

What has you living in the dark? Is there something in your life that is draining the light right out of you? It's time to put action into your words! Don't waste another day saying that you really need to change this or that! DO IT! Walk over to that switch and make it happen! God is like a spot light; just waiting to flood you with so much power…all you have to do is flip the switch!

John 3:20-21 "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

CHALLENGE BOX

2010-06-17T07:25:00.000-04:00

Let's go simple this week. I realized the last couple of days just how contagious a smile was. It actually became a challenge to me to find someone in the store and make them smile. So this week, try hard to make someone smile! It doesn't have to be a stranger...sometimes the people that need it the most are the ones in your own house!

Magnets

2010-06-15T23:27:00.001-04:00

Magnets

I was reminded today of that amazingly wonderful game that we all got in our stockings when we were little. You know, the one with a man's bald head staring at you, with a pile of magnetic shavings at the bottom. You were given a little pencil like object with a magnet on the end. You could use it to pick up a pile of shavings and move it to a place on the head that was bald and redecorate it any way you wanted. It was endless fun as a kid, especially when it was the only game you were allowed to play with in church. It kept us quiet I guess.

There also was another magnetic game that caused little kids to think that you were doing magic. There would be 2 little dogs with magnets on the ends. You would put one dog on top of a piece of paper, and the other on the bottom. They would align up together and you could move one dog anywhere you wanted simply by controlling it with the other. Awesome fun, especially when you were 5 years old.

A question that was posed today really had me thinking about these 2 games. "How does knowing God's characteristics affect your choices, thoughts, prayers, and feelings?" I found myself staring dumbly at my teacher, really wanting to express what I felt, but not being able to find the right words to do it justice. It was at that moment that I felt the Holy Spirit start forming an idea and an answer in my head. It has everything to do with those wonderful childhood games.

I began viewing my life as a single piece of magnet and my choices, thoughts, prayers, and feelings as little shavings all scattered around me. Off in the distance I see this larger magnet. As I learn more and more about what this larger magnet is all about, I find myself moving closer and closer to it. There is a pull that is undeniable coming from it that attracts me. I finally become so close that I realize I am in perfect alignment with it. As soon as I am attached to it, I have this magnetic power flowing through me, and all my little shavings come into alignment too.

James 4:8 Come near to God and He will come near to you.

This verse is awesome for me to realize that God is that big magnet in my life. As I began to pick this verse apart, I realized that this is exactly how it is. The phrase "come near" in the original language is eggizo, which means "to join one thing to another". Perfect…what more could I want? But then I dug even further and realized that in the original language, this verse "expresses a command to the hearer to perform a certain action by the order and authority of the one commanding. It was not intended as an invitation but as an absolute command, requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers." Wow! So we are not being invited to draw near to God…we are being commanded!

Why would this be a command? Why would it be so important that we be commanded instead of just invited? It goes right along with "Repent ye sinners", not an invitation but a command. I began to look at my life again, and realized that I for sure felt the pull of the "big magnet" in my life, without doubt, but if I was completely honest, I did not feel just one pull, but two. God knows this too. He knows that He is not the only magnet out there. He knows that the other magnets also try to pull you in. I think that this is why He commanded us to draw near to Him. There is danger near and He wants us to realize that a simple invitation will not do.

As you take inventory of your life, what magnet is attracting you? Is God the "Big" one, or do you find yourself attached to something else that controls you?

There is one other dimension of magnets that had me thinking. I remember the thrill of watching them match up, an attraction that you couldn't break. But I also remember turning one magnet over and trying to make them connect. You couldn't. You see, if both positive sides of the magnet are facing each other, there is a repulsion rather than an attraction. This made me think about the state of my heart as I approached God. God is the positive, He is unchanging and unwavering and He will always be right. I on the other hand have a very prideful heart, one where I think that I am bigger and better than who I ever actually will be. I am a positive right now too. This is a disastrous place to be. It is here that I find myself trying to draw near, but never being able to align with who God is.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.

To me, this verse teaches us to become a negative. If God is the positive and He is unchanging, then we must be the ones to change. We must be the ones to humble our hearts before we approach His Throne. If we refuse to let go of that positive charge, we will still be attracted to other magnets….only those with a negative charge though. Are you willing to risk being aligned with evil? Is that who you are choosing?

As long as we will be willing to change, God is the only magnet that we can be aligned with.

Which magnet do you want to be attached
to?

Tunnel Vision

2010-06-14T07:22:00.001-04:00

Tunnel Vision

Garage sales are amazing! I am not kidding when I say that I am addicted! My kids now have been trained to spot the signs; even in the middle of winter they will exclaim that they see one. (It always turns out to be a for sale sign.) My problem with them is that I am almost always on my way somewhere else when they pop up everywhere. They are a total distraction causing me to be late 90% of the time. I think that I can just stop and run through things in 5 minutes, but it turns into not only 5 minutes here but 10 minutes there, etc. There was one day that I could see the road I was heading to in the distance and 4 or 5 signs at the end of driveways in between. I just needed to put my hands up on the side of my eyes and not look at anything other than my destination. I completely failed!

It reminded me of those eye things they put on horses so that they don't get distracted. Have you ever seen them? They are little flaps that pretty much take away their peripheral vision. They have to focus on the road in front of them only, not the chaos that could be all around them.

The other day I was really having a hard spiritual day. Too many people were giving me advice, or thoughts, or ideas, and I was just on overload. It was like my head was spinning, and I couldn't hear or focus on God. I felt like He was at the end of the road, and all these people were garage sales. There was so much distraction going on. I was like a lost kid trying to scream above the noise to find their parents. I finally got to the point where I did just that… cried out to God. His response was crystal clear to my heart. "It's just you and Me". That was all I needed to realize I had widen my line of vision so much that it included all the bunny trails and side roads that jutted off of the path I was on. My vision was no longer locked in on Him, instead on everything else that was going on around me.

What was happening to me could easily happen to you. I had decisions to be made. Instead of going straight to God, I was getting answers from people around me. I am the type of person that doesn't want to hurt feelings, so when they give me advice, I can't just shrug them off easily. What happened was a ton of people were telling me different things, and the Holy Spirit was trying to get through to me too. I felt a battle and I couldn't sort it out. I was getting so confused. But God spoke clarity and literally took all the fog away. In one instant, He simply told me to focus on nothing other than Him. It's so simple; it makes so much sense and yet all the time, I forget to do exactly that. (I am not saying through this devo that you can't or shouldn't talk to others and seek Godly guidance for issues that you are dealing with. I am saying that you better not take your eyes off of Jesus along the way!)

"I am the way, the truth and the life…" John 14:6

It's doesn't get much clearer than that!

What is it that gets your attention off of God? Is it Friends, TV, Video Games, Work, Sports? It can even be something good. Church can get your mind off of God if it becomes about your praise instead of His!

How many things have I allowed to let my eyes stray to? How many things have you allowed? God wants it to be just you and Him. He wants to be your focus and He wants you to keep walking straight to Him, not stopping at any "garage sales" along the way.

I hope that you all can develop a sort of tunnel vision. When looking through a tunnel, you can't really see anything other than the light at the end. You focus on that the whole way through. Do this with God! Stay focused on His Face and you will be right where He wants you to be…on the path. If you decide to take those blinders off you will be right where I was last week and find yourself a scattered mess. Pick up every piece and listen for His Voice. He is calling you and wanting you to realize that what He wants is for it to be just you and HIM!

CHALLENGE BOX

2010-06-11T08:05:00.000-04:00

What are you holding tight too? This week I challenge you to take whatever is weighing you down, off of your shoulders and hand them over to God. Quit trying to control everything and take it one day at a time! Remember that the more that you try to control, the more you will worry. I have proven this theory more than just one time! Give God control of your thoughts, and everyday, walk around with hands wide open!

Then What?

2010-06-09T11:51:00.003-04:00

Then What?

I have a son that is 3 weeks older than his cousin. Almost immediately we could see that these 2 boys couldn't be more differentJ! It has made us chuckle many times to watch how each one will handle a situation in their own little way. Kolt (mine) is a full speed ahead kind of kid. He doesn't take time to think through the fact that bones may break if he jumps off of something tall; that running full speed with your hands full may result in a face plant. He just goes. Ethan (my nephew) is the polar opposite. You can almost see his wheels turning as he contemplates the consequences of each choice before he makes it. He has a great grasp of the need of asking himself "then what?" before making a series of choices that will only land him in trouble or get him hurt.

I have had the opportunity, if that's what you want to call it, to watch many people (including myself) make some wrong choices that have landed them on a road they never imagined existed much less that they would travel it! It was one that they didn't choose out right, but rather got there by not stopping and thinking before plowing ahead with their own agendas. They failed to ask themselves the "then what?" question.

Sin has a really tricky way of trapping us before we even know that we are walking on thin ice. It can start out really innocently. It ALWAYS is a progression! Here are some examples. Just imagine how different it could have been if the "then what" question would have been applied at the beginning of these situations.

Getting to know someone and claiming that you only held hands…nothing was hurt…then what? Where will it lead from there? A little kiss? Then what?
You were at a party and only tasted the mixed drink. Everyone was doing it and it wasn't like you got drunk…then what? The next weekend you realize that nothing happened with a little sip, so why not try just a little more…then what?
You were swamped at school and could barely keep up, cheating didn't really count because you were only doing it this one time to not fall behind further…then what? It was pretty easy and really convenient…maybe just one more time!...then what?
You were too tired to wake up for church…your week was so packed, you just needed this one day to sleep in…then what? The next week you have something going on that you just can't miss, and the following week you have to clean the house, etc…then what?

Are you getting the picture yet? One little time left unchecked can and will easily lead you to many more times of making wrong choices that turn into addictions and habits. In every one of these situations you find yourself looking back and wondering how you ever let yourself get so far off track.

I want to paint a different "then what" picture. One that hopefully will leave you wanting something different than what your life may be looking like right now!

Imagine getting up 15 minutes(or more) early every day to start it in Bible study…then what? Then as you walk through your day, you pray continually, never breaking your dialogue with God…then what? You seek Him before making decisions and strive to have your choices match up to His Word…then what? He begins to stir your heart and equips you to do some pretty amazing things!...then what? You find opportunities to share Him with others around every corner….then what? You lead people to a stronger and deeper relationship with Him…then what? You see change start to happen in the community around you…then what? You find yourself smack dab in the middle of God's Will for your life..then what…you grow old…you look back on a life that was jam packed with making Jesus famous!…then what…you hear this:

Mt 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"

Now look over the two roads that you can choose. Know without a doubt that every choice has a "then what". Would you rather find yourself hurt, broken, and beat up, or does it make more sense to stop yourself right now. Be still before God and ask Him the "then what" question. There may be something right now in your life that will only lead you to a lot more headache than you want. Especially when it can all be avoided!

You many think that you can handle whatever it is you are doing, but let me assure you that you are not as invincible as you think. Anytime you put yourself in situations where the end result could land you in trouble, you can bet that satan is right there beside you saying that just one more step won't hurt anything! GUARNTEED!

We are stronger than this! We have a God that is stronger than this! He has equipped us with the Holy Spirit to fight the schemes of satan. Don't give in, don't give up and certainly don't run ahead without asking yourself exactly what will be the "then what"!

1John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

Playdoh

2010-06-08T10:11:00.004-04:00

Playdoh

Jeremiah 18:4 "But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him."

I had an opportunity 2 weeks ago to take a really good look at what condition my heart was in, not only now but in the past. I know my testimony, I have given it several times, and I could give it a million more without even thinking about it. But something was different this time around. I really prayed and sought God's perspective on it. I realized, maybe for the first time, that some of my mistakes that I continually have blamed others for were actually choices that rested squarely on my shoulders alone. Sure, I may have been influenced in one way or the other, but when it came down to it, it was my choices that landed me in the pits that became home for as long as I kept digging them.

God began to reveal to me that there were 3 different stages that my heart went through. During my high school years, I was a sand hearted rebel. I did whatever I wanted, making choices that were a byproduct of a very prideful heart. I knew who God was, but I had never yet chosen to walk with Him, nor make Him my savior. This lead to years of choices that I am still paying for today. Pits that have lasting effects that I battle daily to stay out of. Regrets are usually always a part of this heart condition, and I have plenty of them.

The second stage that He revealed to me was the stage where my heart was instantly turned to stone. This happened almost immediately after I became a Christian. Instead of seeking out a relationship, I tried hard to follow what I thought a Christian was supposed to look like. A human perspective that caused me to build very thick walls around my heart. Even as I was saying that I was choosing God, a part of me was choosing a religion rather than a relationship. Although this has not handed me near as many regrets, it has been the hardest to get out of. You have to understand, that even though I was living as a Christian, I was still not allowing my heart to be molded by HIM.

One day though…Christ picked up a chisel!

I don't know why…but I am telling you that when I sit and think about that moment it drops me so fast and has me praising so loud. As I am sitting here typing, I have this feeling in my stomach that is just screaming, "why me?"!

This, of course, leads me to my most recent stage that my heart is in. This is where my little analogy comes into play…

Have you ever seen a little kid play with playdoh? My kids love to get every single color out, and build huge elaborate things all over my table. They twist and turn it. They shape it into chicken nuggets, houses, trees, birds, baby dolls, etc. The list is endless to what they have made. It is fun…as long as they keep it in the house. The problem starts when one of them decides to play with it in the stones. You can imagine what is going to happen next can't you? Without fail, as soon as they would take it outside it would "accidently" fall out of their hands into a pile of stones. It isn't the kind of stone that is so huge that it wouldn't stick, it is the type that is really little and not only sticks, but embeds into the playdoh. Tears start flowing as they come find me, hoping that I can fix it. In my mind, I am thinking, no way…might as well pitch it. But as I take a look at their streaked faces, I know that I have to try. So I start picking each piece out one by one. It is pretty easy to get the ones that are visible. I think that I am finished about 20 times, before I feel another one just under the surface. It's the ones that are embedded into the playdoh that are hard to get rid of. To be able to get every single one, I have to constantly massage through it, sometimes ripping it apart and putting it back together again. It is like finding a prize when one begins to surface so that I can get rid of it.

This sums up the stage my heart is in now. It is just like this ball of playdoh that has been dropped in the stones. I wish that I could be the piece that never came outside, but it is too late for that. I chose to leave the house a long time ago. But as I dropped my heart over and over again into the rocks, and covered it with stone chips, embedding them deep inside, I realized that all it took was for me to come running to my FATHER with tears streaking down my face and hands wide open for Him to pick up my mess and start fixing it. It has taken me being ripped apart and stuck back together, it has taken me allowing Him to continually shape and form, massaging out all of the little stone that are hidden. I know that my heart may never be removed of all the pieces that are either left behind from my sand days, or are fragments of my stone walls. It is sad for me to think that I messed up so badly at times! But one thing I do know…God is NOT giving up on me! He will never look at my heart and say "it's too messy". He continually is finding pieces that He wants to mold into His masterpiece. I am at the point, where I don't ever want to take it back and drop it again. So I stand beside Him with expectancy in my face, and hope in my heart that one day, every piece of stone will be removed and I will be exactly the way He wants me to be. But in the mean time, I will leave my hands wide open to Him and keep my heart in full surrender to the only one that can make me whole again!

Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Heaven is closing in, every day we are just one step closer. If that is your goal, if that is your end destination, I want to leave you with one question. Do you want to give God a heart filled with rocks, or are you going to give Him control right now of your playdoh mess? Let me assure you that you are never the one with too many rocks, or too big of a mess. Don't let the enemy tell you that you can't be fixed! God is patient, full of grace, promising never to leave us. He will pick out every single rock as long as you willing let Him! Trust me…if He can fix me, He can fix you! Don't give up…the fun is just beginning!

Last Minute

2010-06-07T10:45:00.005-04:00

Last Minute

Ecclesiastes 8:7-8 "Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come? No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death.

The other day I was doing laundry in my new washing machine. I finally got a front loading washer simply because my other one broke beyond repair. I was admiring all the new digital lights and settings, when I realized that it had a timer that counted down to the last minute. I was amazed and stared at it until it started playing this little musical tune, signaling that it was finished.

I just wonder if there is a timer like that for our lives. Does a little choir of angels start singing a song, signaling the end?

Ever hear about planes crashes that leave nothing in tact except a sacred little black box? They search the wreckage endlessly until they locate it. All for what? Why is it so special? It's special because it records the last minutes in someone's life. It is a treasure to find out exactly what was said before they were taken. It is simply priceless.

So what would you say if I told you that we all have those little black boxes? The difference in yours and mine though, is that it is trapped in people's memories. It is not an actual physical box, but rather scattered images that tons of people have as they encounter you for what may be the last time.

My question for you is how do you want to be remembered? What do you want people to say about how you left them? Will their memories reflect your true self, or will it be a distorted view of a person that you don't want to be? Do you show people Christ? Or do they catch you in a moment of weakness?

God wants us to be prepared to meet Him at any moment, and since we don't know when our timer is going to run out, I think that we need to start living like this could be our last minute!