It is never too late to be what you might have been.
George Eliot
Friday, February 22, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
An Unexpected Gift
God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in times of trouble
Ps.46:1
I was given an unexpected gift. Something the Lord wanted me to have during a time in my life that probably would rank very high on my list as the most challenging and sometimes frightening time of my life. But God's love never fails and He is an ever present- help in times of trouble...............
Several months back, my friend Cheri gave me a book to read. Little did she know that unexpected gift would bring me great comfort week after week, month after month of many hours sitting in a waiting room for my Drs. appointments. This endearing book is titled Stepping Heavenward by Mrs. E. Prentiss. Written like a journal, it's a young woman's personal journey to godliness. The young woman, Katherine begins her journal on January 15. 1831 at the age of sixteen and continues to her grown-up years. Her words are heartfelt as she learns a great lesson that true happiness is found in giving of your time and yourself to others. She learns humility, godliness and how to have hope in what seems to be a hopeless situation. You see her mature through all her failures with a deep desire to know God and to be more dependent on him.
Is the Lord using difficulties in your life to cause you to be more dependent on Him? That's what He was doing in my life and in the midst of my difficulty the Lord gave me an unexpected gift from a friend ;~)
Ps.46:1
I was given an unexpected gift. Something the Lord wanted me to have during a time in my life that probably would rank very high on my list as the most challenging and sometimes frightening time of my life. But God's love never fails and He is an ever present- help in times of trouble...............
Several months back, my friend Cheri gave me a book to read. Little did she know that unexpected gift would bring me great comfort week after week, month after month of many hours sitting in a waiting room for my Drs. appointments. This endearing book is titled Stepping Heavenward by Mrs. E. Prentiss. Written like a journal, it's a young woman's personal journey to godliness. The young woman, Katherine begins her journal on January 15. 1831 at the age of sixteen and continues to her grown-up years. Her words are heartfelt as she learns a great lesson that true happiness is found in giving of your time and yourself to others. She learns humility, godliness and how to have hope in what seems to be a hopeless situation. You see her mature through all her failures with a deep desire to know God and to be more dependent on him.
Is the Lord using difficulties in your life to cause you to be more dependent on Him? That's what He was doing in my life and in the midst of my difficulty the Lord gave me an unexpected gift from a friend ;~)
Friday, February 15, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Put on Love
With Valentine's Day coming I have been thinking a lot about love and how it can be best expressed. In God's word we have a picture of how it's lived out practically in our lives.
1 Cor. 13:4-7
1. "Love is patient." By an act of our will we can be patient even when things don't go the way we plan.
2. "Love is kind." Kindness will draw people to us. Sets the atmosphere in our homes.
3. "Love is not jealous." Isn't afraid of the loss of someone's affection.
4. "Love does not brag." It doesn't try to make things look better than they really are.
5. "Love is not arrogant." Considers the possibility that we could be wrong and isn't defensive.
6. "Love does not act unbecomingly." Does nothing out of place.
7. "Love does not seek its own." Consider others as more important than themselves.
8. "Love is not provoked." Is not easily irritated.
9. "Love does not take in account a wrong suffered." Does not bring up the past and replay bitter thoughts in their mind.
10. "Love does not rejoice in iniquity but in the truth," Doesn't provoke anyone to sin but encourages others to do good.
11. "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Doesn't give up easily, isn't suspicious of others,is optimistic, remains strong through trials.
1 Cor. 13:4-7
1. "Love is patient." By an act of our will we can be patient even when things don't go the way we plan.
2. "Love is kind." Kindness will draw people to us. Sets the atmosphere in our homes.
3. "Love is not jealous." Isn't afraid of the loss of someone's affection.
4. "Love does not brag." It doesn't try to make things look better than they really are.
5. "Love is not arrogant." Considers the possibility that we could be wrong and isn't defensive.
6. "Love does not act unbecomingly." Does nothing out of place.
7. "Love does not seek its own." Consider others as more important than themselves.
8. "Love is not provoked." Is not easily irritated.
9. "Love does not take in account a wrong suffered." Does not bring up the past and replay bitter thoughts in their mind.
10. "Love does not rejoice in iniquity but in the truth," Doesn't provoke anyone to sin but encourages others to do good.
11. "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Doesn't give up easily, isn't suspicious of others,is optimistic, remains strong through trials.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Doing less is sometimes more
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:42
Some of you are aware that I have been out of sorts lately. The flu turned into a bronchial infection, which then caused my ear drum to rupture etc. Being sick in bed for 2 weeks has taught me a few things. First lesson~ God is my sustainer. I truly can find strength under His wings. Second lesson~ When my body is doing less, God can be doing more. Every ministry opportunity I had was canceled due to my being too ill to physically carry them out. These were ministries near and dear to my heart. But the Lord began to open my eyes and give me a glimpse into His perspective. What if I stopped focusing on what wasn't taking place instead of what was. So, what was taking place? Intercessory prayer. This is the ministry the Lord has ordained for me these past few weeks. He is taking the Martha things away and asking me to do the better things like Mary did. Not to say those things Martha did were not good, but we tend to do the Martha things because we have the physical ability to do them. There comes a time when physically we can't do it all and slowly our ministries get taken away so that we have time for the greater things ~ prayer. Can a bronchial infection be God's grace? Yes, we can spend a significant amount of time with the Lord when we are ill because we will find ourselves in a place where there are no distractions. Are you in a place where you feel hindered in doing ministry? The Lord may be preparing you for the greater things, wanting you to dig deeper into His word so that He can show you things of Himself that you have never seen before. Wanting you to do intercessory prayer in these last days where the spirit of the age is growing darker and darker. So, let's not focus on what isn't taking place- but what is.
Some of you are aware that I have been out of sorts lately. The flu turned into a bronchial infection, which then caused my ear drum to rupture etc. Being sick in bed for 2 weeks has taught me a few things. First lesson~ God is my sustainer. I truly can find strength under His wings. Second lesson~ When my body is doing less, God can be doing more. Every ministry opportunity I had was canceled due to my being too ill to physically carry them out. These were ministries near and dear to my heart. But the Lord began to open my eyes and give me a glimpse into His perspective. What if I stopped focusing on what wasn't taking place instead of what was. So, what was taking place? Intercessory prayer. This is the ministry the Lord has ordained for me these past few weeks. He is taking the Martha things away and asking me to do the better things like Mary did. Not to say those things Martha did were not good, but we tend to do the Martha things because we have the physical ability to do them. There comes a time when physically we can't do it all and slowly our ministries get taken away so that we have time for the greater things ~ prayer. Can a bronchial infection be God's grace? Yes, we can spend a significant amount of time with the Lord when we are ill because we will find ourselves in a place where there are no distractions. Are you in a place where you feel hindered in doing ministry? The Lord may be preparing you for the greater things, wanting you to dig deeper into His word so that He can show you things of Himself that you have never seen before. Wanting you to do intercessory prayer in these last days where the spirit of the age is growing darker and darker. So, let's not focus on what isn't taking place- but what is.
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