YOU NEED TO BE CONFIDENT !!

My grandson Nicholas played football for the very first time this fall.  At 10 years old he had to have confidence in his abilities and strength in order to defend the quarterback against kids that were twice his size.  If he would have went on that field to play without being confident, he would have been annihilated and hurt.  In fact to be honest he probably would have been carried off on a stretcher.  To play football or any sport for that matter, you must have confidence in yourself and your abilities.  You must have confidence in your coach, that he will teach you and train you to use your God given abilities to the best of your ability.  There is strength training that must be done, plays to run over and over again until you get it right.  It takes practice, hard work and dedication so that you can have the confidence you need to do what needs to be done.     Without that confidence you will be able to do nothing.  Without that confidence you sit on the sidelines.

In life people who have confidence are often looked at as conceited.  Some religious people say it's wrong to have confidence.  Well I say poppy cock!  As human beings we need to have confidence not  in ourselves but in God.  You see for way too long I struggled with having any confidence in God because I was not confident in my abilities.  I have come to realize that I must have confidence in the abilities that God has given me.  I must have confidence that He will guide me to use the abilities He has given me.  If I am not confident in my God given abilities than I will sit on the sidelines of life and be a spectator all my life.  I do not want to be that person and I know you do not want to be that person either.   

Philippians 1:6  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 

You need to stop looking at yourself and what you feel you can do.  You can do amazing things through Christ who strengthens you.  You need to build up your confidence, not in yourself or your abilities but in the abilities God has given you.  You need to be confident that God, who has begun a good work in you, will give you the abilities you need to see your work through til the end.  You can have confidence that God will do what He needs to do through you.  You need to be confident that because of Jesus Christ, you can do anything and everything God wants you to do.  Look in that mirror and see the glory of God working through you every day of your life.  You are amazing!  You are beautiful! You are confident!  God loves you and you can do whatever God calls you to do.  Stop sitting on the sidelines and get into the game God has called you to play!

May your confidence in what God has called you to do be strengthened.  May you realize that your confidence lies in God and your God given abilities.  May you get off the sidelines and step into the game God has called you to play, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!

There are so many times we look at ourselves the way we think others see us, ugly.  As we glare into our mirrors we see wrinkles, pimples, lines, flaws and bags under our eyes.  We ourselves as too fat or too skinny.  We feel we are either well endowed or in need of enhancement.   Our hair is too curly or too straight.  Our skin is too light or too dark.  Our lips are too plump or too thin.  We are never fully satisfied with how we look, are we?  We spend billions of dollars on makeup, hair dye and medical procedures to look better and feel better about ourselves.  We all want to feel beautiful, we crave being told that we are beautiful.  If we don't feel beautiful, if we are not told we are beautiful, our self esteem plummets.  This is sad to me and trust me I fall into this category way too much.  The need to look and feel beautiful on the outside is very important, maybe way too important.  

These are my 2 granddaughters and I want them, along with my 3 daughters to know how beautiful they are.  The twinkle in their eyes and the love in their hearts pour forth from their faces.  They are special and unique.  No matter what anyone else tells them, I want them to grab ahold of the true beauty they are.  My 2 grandsons and my son and my 3 son-in-laws along with my wonderful husband, I want you to know that are the handsomest men I know. You are amazing and unique.  The strength and love you have in your hearts is revealed through your eyes.  

Way too often we do not tell people enough of how beautiful they are.  Well I am here to tell you, you are beautiful!  You are handcrafted by God Himself.  You have the very breath of God inside of you.  You are wonderfully and fearfully made!  Knitted together in your mothers womb by a God who loves you more than you can ever fathom.  You have heard it said, beauty is only skin deep.  Well my family and friends, that is a lie!  I know some physically beautiful people who are very ugly inside.  Whats makes us beautiful is not our looks, its our hearts!  What the world sees as beautiful is not what God sees as beautiful.  Please know this, God says you are beautiful inside and outside!  Believe what God says about you and ignore what the world says about you.  You do not have to be 5'6" in height and weigh 120 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes to be beautiful.  Beauty lies within us and is brought to light by the love of Jesus Christ.   Stop waiting for someone else to tell you how beautiful you are and listen to that still, small voice from God, our heavenly Father who knows your true beauty.

Song of Songs 4:7 (MSG)   You're beautiful from head to toe, my dear love, beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless. 

You are beautiful!

May your beauty from within shine like a beacon on a dark night,  May your heart reveal your true beauty and your true worth, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

YOU ARE AMAZING !!!

As I sit here ready to type these first few words in days, I feel the strong sense that there are so many of you out there who do not know how amazing you are.  I for one have never even imagined that I would ever be thought of as anything but ordinary.  But let me tell you right now, you are amazing!  No matter what storm you are going through in life, there is hope.  No matter how bad you feel about yourself, there is someone who loves you.  No matter how many lies you have listened to in the past, please understand this, you are amazing.  There is no one in the world quite like you.  You are unique!  You are a treasure!  You are precious!  You are amazing!  Way too often we look in our reflection in a mirror and we see every flaw, every pimple, every wrinkle and every fine line.  We notice the grey hairs and the worry lines.  We see the weight we need to lose or the unruly hair that we cannot control, no matter how many hair products we try.  We see everything that is wrong with our reflection and that is what we dwell on, right?  Oh I've done, still do occasionally, but let me tell you this truth that I have come to grasp, you are amazing!!  Okay maybe this sounds conceited to you but it's not.  This does not by any means mean that I am better than anyone else.  What this does mean is that you are special!  A one of a kind masterpiece.  

Maybe no one has ever told you that before.   Well today I am!   You are valuable and priceless!  Do not believe what others say about you, because jealousy and envy sometimes take over the words of other people.  Don't get defeated and depressed over the mistakes, the sins, the wrinkles or the pimples.  These are a fact of life but they do not have to define who you are.  Okay maybe you're not a super model, neither am I.  Okay maybe you're not super woman, neither am I.  Maybe you're just an ordinary stay at home mom, maybe you're a student with average grades, maybe you never went to college, maybe you aren't in a relationship with a significant other, but get this!  You are alive!  You are amazing!  You are the best you on this planet!  You don't need drugs or alcohol to lift up your spirits.  Sure they may numb those deep seeded feelings you keep hidden, but they don't get rid of those feelings, they just hide them for a while and eventually become magnified.  You don't need a man or a woman to make you feel special and loved.  I'll tell you what you do need, you need a Savior!

You see I was lost and broken.  I felt empty and ugly for many years until I met my Savior Jesus Christ.  You see He reached down into the pit I had fallen in and lifted me up.  He washed all my sins away and has given me a new life.  As I began to read the Bible, I came to fully understand who I am.    

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. 
 Genesis 1:27  So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. 

Please get a hold of this today!  You are special!  You are amazing!  You have a Savior who loves you!  You have a Savior that died for you!  You may not be perfect in your own eyes, but in the eyes of God your heavenly Father, you are perfect!

May you come to know the truth of who you really are, a child of God!  May you fully understand how special and unique you are.  May the amazing love of Jesus Christ invade your heart so you can finally realize how amazing you are, in Jesus name I pray, amen!  

IT'S TIME FOR A PARTY AND YOU'RE INVITED!

Psalm 9:1-2 I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. 

This morning as I sit in the darkness waiting for another sunrise, I want to celebrate,  Why?  Well it's another day and I woke up which means I m alive.  I praise God for every breath I  take.  Why, you may ask?  Well to be honest I am grateful for this life He has given me.  If I am alive and breathing that means that my mission here on Earth is not yet complete.  That means there is someone out there who needs to read this.  I enjoy my life tremendously. I am thankful for all that I have and yes, I am thankful for what I don't have.  You see I am one of those irritating people who always tend to see the glass as half full.  I tend to see the endless possibilities that await me.  I tend to see the good in people, yes even those who have little.  I always tend to be positive and look on the bright side of thing, which is sometimes annoying to others.  I am not and will never be a "Debbie Downer". In fact I always got so offended when someone would use that as a way to describe someone else.  That was my name and I do not want to have that attitude linked with my name.  Instead I am a "Debra Delightful".  One funny note about my name, my nickname was Debbie, but I had a prophet who told me I should go by my Biblical name Debra.  He told me to read about her.  I did, so now I go by Debra.  It amazes how much our names mean and we sometimes miss that.  Yes, a name is a reason to celebrate.    You may say your name is awful and maybe even a little embarrassing but that fact that you are named means someone loves you. 

 I am in awe of the wonders of this world.  Even a simple sunrise seems so wonderful and complex.  When I stop to think about how the Earth spins and moves with just the right momentum, at the precise speed, at the proper time, I am amazed.  Some may try to convince me that this just happened with a bang, but I will never believe that. In my simple eyes, this Earth was placed here.  The proper distance from the sun so that the temperature would be perfect to live here.  Okay yes here in Michigan it gets cold in the winter and we get snow, but look at the positive side, we have a tremendous array of colors ever fall and spring.   Okay, listen we could sit here all day going over what is positive and what is negative in our lives.  The point for me is that life is amazing.  Yes it is difficult at times.  In fact sometimes it down right stinks, but hey I have learned there is always someone who is worse off than me.  So why not look at the good?  Why do waste our time going over and over the negative stuff?  Why do we sit and complain and whine and belly ache over what didn't happen or what didn't happen the way we wanted it to?  I for one am sick and tired of the "negative Nellies"  (If your name is Nellie, I apologize.) and the "Debbie downers" (If your name is Debbie, I apologize.)  I want to celebrate life!  I want to enjoy this life God gave me.  It isn't perfect, but hey I'm alive, so why not enjoy it?

I love to sit and people watch.  I can instantly tell by the expressions on peoples face if they are a negative person or a positive person.  Listen I know life is hard and difficult and sometimes it can suck, but instead of focusing on the bad, look at the good.  Even if you only find one good thing or one good friend in your life, focus on that!  I have often found that when I am feeling low and down in the dumps, if I put on a worship song, I am instantly lifted up.  My head lifts up, my hands raise in the air and once again I am reminded of the love of my God.  Instead of shuffling around my house, I get a beat in my step and I start dancing,  So often when we get in our negative moods, and when we let our emotions get the best of us, we lose track of who we are and whose we are.  We tend to beat ourselves up and relive every mistake, every sin we have ever committed.  When we do that we tend to concentrate on the regrets, not the endless possibilities that wait for us.  I don't know about you, but I am remembering my past failings no more.  I am looking ahead and going to cling to the here and now and celebrate life.

Music makes me want to celebrate.  In church, when the music plays, my hands instantly rise to heaven.  Yes I am weird and that's okay.  You know what I have discovered by raising my hands in praise, I actually feel my Lord, grabbing my hands and holding them.  Yes I do.  When I raise my hands in praise, I feel Him right there with me.  People may think I am a little over the top, or a little too excited to be singing and dancing to church songs, but I love it.  When I am in the presence of God I love my church experience to be a celebration.  At my church, we celebrate God!  We sing loud, we love the music a little loud and yes there are some of us who raise our hands in praise during songs.  There are more who don't and that's okay.  As for me I need to raise my hands and praise God for who He created me to be.  It's party time for me and for you.  Join me in celebrating life.  

Thank you God for the endless possibilities you have given me.  Thank you for loving me.  Thank you for every sunrise and ever breath I take.  I am choosing today to look at the positive in my life.  I am going to celebrate  this life you have given me.  Help me to learn to see the good in situations and in others, in Jesus name I pray, amen! 

PUT THAT TONGUE ON CRUISE CONTROL!

James 1:26  If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 

This is my grandson Zakkary with his Aunt Kristen's dog, Stanley.  Stanley cannot control his tongue.  If he gets close to your face, you will be licked repeatedly.  In fact, if you are laying down on the floor be prepared to have Stanley in your face and he goes right for the mouth!  It's may seem gross but it is so hysterical to watch!  He just loves those kids and loves to hear them giggle.  He loves to chase them around and get them down to the ground and get in their face.  Stanley cannot seem to put his tongue on cruise control.  Speaking of cruise control, why did the makers of cars put cruise control in vehicles if people aren't going to use it?  I'm sorry but cruise control is there for a reason!  It is to be used!  Living where we do, Jerry and I drive a 2 lane highway 80% of the time.  The speed limit is 55.  We always seem to get behind someone, who like Stanley doesn't learn to use tongue control, doesn't use the cruise control in their car.  Their speed goes from 45 - 65.  Slower than faster.  I'm sorry that drives me crazy.  Cruise control is so awesome!  We can actually set our speed to meet the speed limit and forget about it.  We don't have to worry about speeding and get a speeding ticket.  Cruise control keeps us on the straight and narrow.  It keeps us legal.  It helps us maintain the proper speed limit.  Okay rant over!  But do you get what I mean?  Imagine if we could put our tongue on cruise control?  

Listen, it's okay for Stanley to lose control of his tongue but it is not alright for us believers to lose control of our tongue.  It says right here, if we claim to be believers and do not control our tongue our belief is worthless.  For me that is powerful stuff.  There are so many times us believers fall into the trap of using our tongues to give someone a piece of our minds.  Number one, some of us do not have that much in our mind that we can risk giving someone a piece of it.  Ha Ha!  But seriously, why do we have give someone a piece of our mind?  Is it because we feel we are justified and right?  Is it because we think so highly of ourselves that we have to prove our point?  Is it because we are playing God and feel we need to correct someone?   Do we really have to yell and scream?  Do we really has to curse and swear to get our point away?  "Oh well I just get carried away."  "Oh I really didn't mean it.  I just got carried away."  Really?  Because I don't think we need to let out emotions get the best of us and end up saying something we deeply regret later on.  Yet how many of us have done this?  We say something in the heat of the moment, then when we play that scene back in our minds we are filled with regrets.  

Listen we can try to say that our words do not always echo what our heart feels, but that would be a lie and we know it.  What we speak with our tongue, comes from our heart.  It defiles us and makes us ugly.  Our words can cut right through the heart of someone we love.  Our words can kill.  Don't believe me?  Look at the suicide rate among teenagers who are bullied.  It is sad to me that believers use this mouth and tongue, given to them by their creator, to destroy others.  Okay lets not lie hear.  We all do this to one extent or another.  We gossip, we judge, we criticize, we condemn, we point fingers and laugh, we speak words of anger and hatred, then we walk into church and use that same mouth, that same tongue to praise God, really?  Trust me I have seen it, I have heard it and unfortunately I have done it.  I know we are human beings and that sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us.  But as believers we are held to a higher standard, at least I think so.  Read this next verse and you will get what I am saying.

Mat 15:18  But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Listen I am not perfect by a long shot, but from this moment on, I pray that I keep my tongue on cruise control.  I will listen to the whispers from the Holy Spirit and learn to keep my mouth shut when needed and speak when necessary.  Over the years I have become much better at this.  Reading the Bible I found that Jesus never really yelled at people.  He never got in Mary Magdalene's face about being a prostitute.  He could of, but He didn't.  He simply said, "Sin no more."  There was no pointing fingers, no condemnation, no criticizing.  Just a few simple words spoken with love.  The only time Jesus raised His voice was when the religious leaders couldn't control their tongue.  Okay I don't know about you, but I want to be more like Jesus.  I want to stop letting my emotions and feelings rule my tongue.  I am putting my tongue on cruise control and the one who is controlling it will be Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.  I am done with my mouth controlling me.  I am putting on cruise and letting the spirit direct my words, but I will always use my tongue with love, for that is what is in my heart.

Lord, I am sorry for the times I used my tongue in ways that are not your ways.  Today I am putting my tongue on cruise control.  If you say speak I will, with love in my heart.  If you tell me to keep my tongue silenced, I will.   I trust in you alone and I give you my heart to fill with your love, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

"DESPERATELY SEEKING SOMETHING OR SOMEONE"

Luke 11:9  "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." 

As I journey through this life of mine, I come across many different types of people.  Oh our backgrounds may differ, our nationality may differ, our race may differ, our upbringing may differ and our feelings and emotions may differ.  In fact we differ in every single that matters, even our opinions, but one thing is certain of everyone I meet.  We are all desperately seeking something or someone who makes us feel complete and whole.  May we join committees thinking that will make us feel important, or we may take a high profile executive job, hoping that will complete us.  Some of us marry our "perfect" spouse praying they will complete us, only to find out the want the same from us.  We all want to be recognized and encouraged and loved.  We sometimes hop in the nearest bandwagon, hoping that will bring meaning to our life, only to find that wagon empty.  We search and we search and we search.  Time after time we come up empty handed and still desperately seeking something or someone to fill that emptiness we feel.    Some of us go out looking for anyone, it really doesn't matter who they are or what they are, we are just desperate and we grab the first human being who shows us a little attention.  Then we end up more wounded, hurt and empty than before.  

The streets and the bars are filled with people who are desperately seeking something or someone.   These people are our neighbors, our friends and maybe even our family members.  Maybe the person I am describing is you.  Maybe your life is filled with so much emptiness and despair that echos of emptiness call out to you in the middle of the night.  The expression on your face is all I need to see to recognize that feeling, that desperation.  I've seen it before.  It was staring back at me in the mirror one day.  Church seemed empty and meaningless.  My life seemed pointless and uneventful.  Friends?  Yea right!  I didn't have many friends, at least not many real friends.  I had Jerry (who is my best friend) and I had my children.  Oh I knew about God and I knew about Jesus.  In fact they were the most important people in my life, it's just that I was desperately seeking more.  I needed more of something because there was something missing in my life.  I just truthfully had no idea what I was missing.  I was a stay at home mom with no real job skills or no gifts or talents.  I felt like a nobody, at least nobody that important.  In fact at times I felt that the world would be better off without me.  I was confused and desperate, but I didn't know why. Then one day in church I heard a song that had been sing hundreds of times before.  Actually I hated this song.  It was always sung on way too high of a pitch for me and it just seemed sort of whiny.  But this time it was different.  It had a good beat and the words were different.  It was actually uplifting.  

As I sat there in my catholic church I heard a song by Chris Tomlin called "Amazing Grace"  His version rocked the very core of my being.  The words, the beat sunk right down into my soul and spoke to my heart.  That is what I had been seeking.  Jesus Christ.  Like I said I knew who He was, what He did for me and that He was my Savior.  BUT !!!  But I never surrendered my life to Him.  That was the missing piece of the puzzle, the missing link, that I had been desperately seeking for all of these years and I found it and Him through music.  You see I has asked and I had prayed for years for God to fill this void I felt with something.  I had prayed for a gift or a talent of any kind.  Something that may one day impact someone else's life.  Well I found what I had been searching for because I asked and I prayed for it.  I believed that someday, somehow, God would come through for me.  All that waiting and wondering was finally over.  As I sat in that catholic church, I did something that doesn't usually happen inside a catholic church, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.  I wish I had the guts to say it out loud, but I sat quietly next to my husband in silence and with tears running down my face, I found the someone I had been desperately seeking, Jesus Christ.

  You see because I knew about Him and loved Him, I didn't realize what I had been missing out on,  a relationship instead of a religion.  My friends Jesus will never make you accept Him.  you have a free will.  But if you continue to pray, if you believe, if you knock, He will open a door for you to a life filled with peace and joy and love and forgiveness.  No, life will not always be a rose garden, it may in fact get quite difficult, but knowing that you have a Savior who is looking out for you is very reassuring and comforting.    With all I have been through in my life, I still have a peace that surpasses all understanding, I have a love so deep that it is immeasurable.  If you are still seeking, look no farther for the search ends with Jesus Christ.  He is amazing love and unfathomable forgiveness.  Every day I wake up with a smile on my face and a beat in my heart that leaps for joy at the sound of His name, Jesus!  If this is the first time you have met Him, let me tell you a little more about Him,   Mountains tremble at His name, the earth quakes at the mention of His name and demons run when we call His name, Jesus.  A name above all names,  A name that which every knee on earth, in the heavens and below will bend. Jesus!

May you become desperate for more of Jesus.  May your heart skip a beat at the mere mention of His name.  May you feel the earth quake at sound of His name and may His love embrace you and surround today and everyday, in Jesus name I pray, amen!  

RELAX AND ENJOY LIFE!

Psalm 23:1-2  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 

The transparency of these clouds leaves me wondering how many people out there would love to have this view.   You see while so many around this world run around like chickens with their heads cut off, I have learned the art of relaxing. Way too many of us rush from here to there, never stopping along the way.  We take our children to basketball practice, football practice, dance lessons, piano lessons, and so many other numerous things in our agenda that we don't know how to relax anymore.  Fast food restaurants are full of over scheduled children and stressed out parents.   No time to cook so stop at the local McDonalds for a quick burger and fries (yea that's healthy).  Of course we have to go through the drive thru because we're in a hurry and probably running late.   We live our lives so fast paced  here in America that it is ridiculous.  When someone talks about relaxing, our quick comeback is "Relax?  What's that?"  It has actually become a running joke.  The only way for some of us to relax is taking a week vacation that we end up scheduling all the typical tourist things and end up not relaxing on our vacation, right?  

We want more things so we work harder.  We want our children to be the best at their sports, top in academics and of course they have to go to a top notch school.  We stress out over all our bills from all the running, all the sports practices and all the meals out.  We are over scheduled from the moment we wake up in the morning until we finally collapse at 10 or 11 o'clock.  That is finally our time for relaxation.  Only one problem, we're so dead tired we fall asleep without even having a moment to enjoy just lying in bed.  7 - 8 hours later, we're awake and the chaos begins all over again.  Does this sound like you?  Have you over scheduled and over planned your life?  Have you crammed so much into your children's schedule that they are stressed out?  Do any of you out there know how to relax and enjoy life?   When was the last time you took 10 minutes and just laid down and stared into the sky?  When was the last time you relaxed in the arms of your loved ones?  When was the last time you took a few moments out of your day to thank God for the blessings in your life?

We miss so much with all this rushing and hurrying we do.  We are so stressed out that our health is pitiful.  High blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart attacks are just a few of the many medical issues caused by stress.  Stress is eating us alive!  If we don't learn to say no, if we don't learn slow down, if we don't learn to relax, we won't have to worry about social security because we will be dead!  Listen I know life is hard and difficult and down right scary at times, but Jesus is our shepherd.  We tend to forget that in the midst of all the stress.  He has us in the palm of His hands, if we let Him.  The thing is we are such control freaks that we fear if we let Jesus handle things, He may screw the things up that we have worked so hard for.   Really?  Be honest here!  I can read through those thoughts right now that are swirling around in that brain of yours.  "Jesus has more important things to do, I'm just helping Him out."  Are you serious?    "Listen I know what's best for me."  Listen, we are not fooling anyone, including ourselves, with this stupid attitude we have.  We want control.  The sad thing is that when we let Jesus have control, we may actually find we have time to relax.  Our lives may be a little, alright a lot less stressed and over scheduled.   We have missed the whole point about Jesus coming to this Earth,  He came to give us life and give it to us more abundantly. 

John 10:10  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 

You see it's not Jesus who wants us over stressed and over scheduled.  Jesus wants us to relax and enjoy this life.  Jesus enjoyed this life and He was busy saving souls, what's more important than that?  Jesus would take time to go off by Himself to relax and pray to His Father in Heaven.  Jesus was asleep in a boat when a storm hit, He was relaxed.  You see Jesus knew something we tend to miss.  God created us!  God is the only one who knows what is best for us.  He already has our plan mapped out and it's for our good, but we have give Him the stirring wheel of our life and let Him chauffeur us around.  Trust me life is much less stressful this way.  Life is amazing and peaceful when we learn to relax and let Jesus lead us beside still waters.  We have green pastures to rest in, so do it!  Stop trying to do it all by yourself!  Relax in the love of Jesus Christ.  Give Him all your worries, all your stress and all of you.  And He will give you rest! 

Lord, lead me beside the still waters and help me to learn to relax in the green pastures of my life.  Today I give you my schedule and my time to do with as you please.  Help to learn to relax and enjoy this life you have given me, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

ALL ARE WELCOME HERE!

1 Corinthians 5:12-13  I'm not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don't we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers?  God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house. 

As I sat in church yesterday I was reminded of this verse.  It is actually quite shocking to some believers and a verse that so many of us forget about.  We are so busy judging and condemning those who are not believers, that we have actually scared them away.  We point fingers at them, we tell them that they are wrong, we look them in the eye and tell them how bad they are.  We avoid them, we cross the street when we see them coming, some of us even go so far as to pick up our cell phone and pretend we're talking on it when we see them coming.  The "outsiders", those non believing fools that we put down and talk about, the ones who are not welcome in our church because they are not properly dressed.  Those prostitutes and thieves, the homeless and the prisoners, the tattooed and pink haired youth, the mohawk, spiked haired kid, and the executive that just lost his job, all these people and so many others should be welcome in our churches, yet are they?  How many stares do these outsiders have to deal with?  How much whispering and finger pointing do they have to endure?  It saddens me to think that some may never get to know Jesus because of our judgemental glances and smart remarks.    

Jesus came to this Earth for the non believers, the non religious, the outsiders!  He came to set the captives free.  He sat and ate dinner with tax collectors and sinners.  Prostitutes fell at His feet and were loved and forgiven.  The healthy do not need a doctor, it's the sick who need a doctor.  We tend to forget that.  The unlovable, the castaways, the hopeless, the homeless, the lost and the broken need to feel accepted and loved by us, the church, before they can ever come to truly know Jesus.  We are so busy sometimes seeing outsiders sins and how they look and how they dress, that we forget that they are people too.  We sometimes wear our "religious" pride and our "good works" as a badge of honor.   We are saved and redeemed by the blood of Christ.  We want to convert others and get another notch on our evangelistic belt.  One step closer to heaven.  So, we feel the right to judge outsiders and condemn them for what they are doing wrong.  We tell them God loves them and that Jesus died for them in the say breath we tell them what's wrong with them.   We point out their sins and mistakes like they don't already know.  Really? 

Churches should be a safe haven for the lost and broken, along with the found and saved.  If outsiders are not welcomed with true love and compassion, then we are no better than the Pharisees who sent Jesus to His death.  Does it really matter how people dress to come to church?  Does it really matter if these outsiders smell strange or look like they just woke up from a hangover?  It shouldn't!  One of the pastors I know from a church I went to before we moved, actually came to his first church service high.  He was young and searching for an answer.  He actually had to run to the bathroom to throw up during the service.  Instead of someone pointing their finger at him, someone ran to see if he was okay.  He was not judged, he was not told he was a sinner, he was loved and accepted.  Because of that simple act of welcoming an outsider, no matter what he looked like or smelled like, this man became a pastor and has led many outsiders to Christ.  Just think what would have happened if he had stepped into any other church.  Think what would have happened if he had stepped into your church.  Think what would have happened if you had saw him run from a service to throw up.  What would you have done?  Ouch!

Trust me this is for my benefit also.  You see as I sat there yesterday listening to a talk about welcoming outsiders, I became very convicted.  Not condemned, convicted!  Way too often I make a judgement based on what I know about God and what I believe in.  I can't do that anymore and neither can you.  Jesus loved everyone!  He came to heal the sick and forgive the sinners.  The only harsh words He ever said were to the "religious" leaders who felt they were better than everyone else.  Don't be like that!  Churches need to have their doors open to everyone, not just the inside believers.  Our hearts need to be open to the outsiders that we normally tend to avoid.  We need to show the love of Jesus Christ not just preach it.  Do you realize the difference you could make in an outsiders  elses life if we just loved them and accepted them without judgement?   Open up those church doors and open up your heart.  The lost, the sick and the broken to see and feel the love of Jesus Christ before they need to hear about it.  

Lord, give me a heart like yours. One that reaches out to those outsiders I normally avoid.  Help me to keep my mouth shut and my heart open.  Help me to be your hands and feet upon this Earth.  Help me to be a true example of you on this Earth, in Jesus name I pray, amen! 

DON'T BE AN UNBELIEVING BELIEVER!

Luke 10:19 (KJV) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 

If you are going for a walk in the desert, be warned!  There are scorpions, rattle snakes, and tarantulas.  There is little, to no water and no shade trees.  It is hot as hot can be and there is usually no clouds in the sky or relief from the scorching heat of the sand.  Not a fun place to wander around, yet many do.  Without regard to the warning.  They plan just a little outing, not counting on getting lost.  When we were out in Arizona last winter, there usually was a report of people who went missing after going on a little walk, every day.  Helicopters had to be called out along with police and rescue workers who are trained to search on the desert.  The animals and insects that roam in the desert are nothing to fool with or take lightly because quite frankly, they can, and will kill!  One sting from a scorpion can bring death without treatment.  I bite from a rattler, will bring death without treatment.  The desert can be a beautiful place, but it can easily become one of the most dangerous places also.  As I look at this photo I am reminded of the fact that the Israelites wandered around a desert, much like this one, for 40 years!  The amazing thing is that it was only suppose to be an 11 day journey but their unbelief caused them to wander around in the desert for 40 years.  God's chosen people were sometimes unbelieving believers.  It amazes me yet it doesn't, why?  Well to be honest, most of us act like unbelieving believers.  

Ouch!  That one stung, but it is so true!  Look at this verse above.  In this verse, Jesus tells the disciples, and us that we has given us power to trample on serpents and scorpions.    We have power over the enemy!  Yet what do we do spend our time doing?  I'll tell what we spend our time doing (and I do some of it myself).  We throw pity parties, we argue amongst each other about what grace actually is and what it does.  We bicker about church doctrine and religion.   We yell and scream at non believers and call them names.  We cast judgement on people we know and those we don't know.  We let the lies of Satan defeat us and drag us into a pit of despair.  We suffer depression because we listen to the voice of others and not the voice of God.  We beat up those who we classify as "different" with our words and sometimes even our fists.  We bully others and chastise them for not being as "religious" as we are.  We fear doing the things God asks us to do.  We doubt that God hears us because He hasn't answered our prayers the way we wanted Him to.  We give up spending time with God because our schedule is too hectic.   We let Satan derail God's plan for us all because of something someone else did or said to us.  "Did God really tell you not to eat that apple?"  "Did God really tell you that you had power over me?"  These are just a few of the millions of lies we listen to. Why?  Why do we do this to ourselves?  It's frankly, stupid!

There are many unbelieving believers unfortunately.    Oh yea, we believe in God and many of us have even accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, yet we are still living weak, pathetic lives.  We doubt that God has a better plan for our life than we do.  Seriously?  Listen I fall into this category way too often, but I have learned that when God says go, I go.  If He says stop, I stop.  If He says I have power over the enemy, I believe Him.  Satan cannot stand to hear God's word preached to Him, so speak it!  Tell Him who you are and whose you are.  Stop letting Stan defeat you!  As a believer, I mean a true believer, we need to stand up and stop being afraid and stop doubting and stop arguing.  I do not remember Jesus ever arguing with unbelievers.  Instead He just showed them love and compassion.  He never got in anyone's face, except those "religious" leaders who thought that they knew it all.  Jesus was calm and reserved.  He had a quiet faith and patience that so many of us lack.  He never felt He had to prove His point.  He just walked around doing good and loving everyone.  He knew what He could do and He knew who He was.   Satan had no power over Jesus.  Jesus did what we must do, submit ourselves to God first.

James 4:7 (KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Listen, we cannot resist Satan if we do not first submit ourselves to God.  We cannot acquire the power we need unless we submit ourselves to God first.  But oh!  When we do, when we fully and completely submit to God, then and only then we will ever have the power to trample on scorpions and serpents.  Only then will we be able to resist Satan.  Only then will we ever find the peace that surpasses all understanding through Jesus Christ.  So many of us have lost our belief because of human beings.  We have been hurt and wounded, some of us in the worst way imaginable, so we cast our belief away.  "How could a loving God let that happen to me?"  Honestly I do not believe God causes anything to happen to you.  He may allow it, but Satan causes it.  It's a test done by Satan, to see if your belief is honest and true, like Job's.  I know I have failed those tests before, but I honestly pray that I will never fail another test by Satan, because:  

"I am a child of God.  Washed and redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. Sanctified and made righteous by this same blood. No human being, no devil in hell can ever take the power away that was given to me through the Holy Spirit of the living God that dwells within me.   I am not perfect, but He that lives in me is perfect and will work all things out for my good, even the evil that Satan means for my harm.  I trust in my God alone and His word!"  

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 

Lord forgive me for the times I have been an unbelieving believer.  Today I run to you and you alone.  I surrender to you today and I  embrace the power you have bestowed upon me.  Fill me with your words, your wisdom and your power so that I can trample on Satan and crush him underneath my feet, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

WILL WE EVER TAKE A STAND?

Matthew 11:12  And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. 

As I sit here today there are many places in this world where our faith and belief is under attack.  Yea this may not be one of those, "make you feel good" messages.  Actually I kept fighting God in this one.  I really didn't want to write about this verse because it's not all sunshine and roses.  I sat here at my computer for probably 20 minutes just mentally arguing with God about this.  I searched for other verses but nothing grabbed me.  There were no words coming from my fingertips and the page lay blank and desolate.  So here I go.  People our faith and beliefs are under attack around the world.  Satan wants to crush the message we carry. We are dangerous to him and he wants nothing more than to silence us.  He fills us with fear and doubt, and he does his best to lie to us about who we are and what we can do.  This world is full of depressed and overstressed people who have lost site of the truth.  We have believed that we are powerless and live with a victim mentality that is ruining God's plan.  What ever happened to fighting for what we believe in?  What ever happened to standing up for what we believe in?   

Listen we do not need to physically pick up weapons and fight an army, but we do need to pick up our Bibles and use the word of God as our sword.  So many of us believers live such weak and pitiful lives (trust me I am including me in this).   We walk around with our head hanging down and playing the victim.  We cry and moan, complain and whine over and over again about our lives.  We even talk like this to God.  Do we have a reason to cry?  Yes.  Do we have a reason to moan?  Yes.  Do we have a reason to complain?  Yes.  Do we have a reason to whine?  Yes.  But what are we doing about it?  To me it is pointless to sit around whining and complaining about our circumstances.  Instead we need to lift our heads to heaven and pray, "God listen these circumstances I am in right now suck!  But you know what?  I know that you are more powerful than my circumstances. I know that through these circumstances, you will teach me and grow me in my faith and belief so instead of changing my circumstances, change me."  Can you imagine how awesome that would be for God to hear that prayer instead of the ones we usually pray?  "Oh God the circumstances in my life are just too hard for me to bear.   I can't go on like this any more.  I don't understand why you are punishing me?"  

We need to be violent people for Christ.  Not physically pick up weapons and go to war, but energetic, bold, confident and courageous Christians who are spreading the word about Jesus Christ.  We need to fill social media with the message of Jesus Christ.  We need to pray out loud in restaurants.  We need to stop our cars on the street corner and give that homeless man a few dollars.  We need to stop and pray for someone who is hurting.  We need to show our friends and everyone we meet who Jesus Christ is, not just talk the talk, we need to walk the walk.  "Oh but my friends won't like that. They may be offended."  Really?  Who is more important in your life your friends or God?  Who do you car about impressing the most?  Your friends?  Or God?  Are we prepared to stand our ground and testify to our faith no matter what the cost?  When times get rough are we going to run and hide or are we going to stand up for who we believe in?  It's time we take a stand!  It's time to stop playing the victim and stop complaining, do something about it.   Be a living example of Jesus Christ where ever we go.  Our actions, our words need to be bold and courageous and confident and filled with the love of Jesus Christ, not judgement.

You know what may happen if we start acting this way?  Sure we may lose a few friends.  People may thin we're weird.  People may even snicker and point fingers at us, but the main man, God Himself, will be smiling down on us.  If it's just Jesus and me, I'm okay with that.  I don't need friends who won't accept me for who I am.  I don't need to be accepted or approved by anyone but God!  I have lost friends, but that's okay because a true friend will accept me for who I am.  The kingdom of God is under attack and if we do not take a stand for who we believe in, than I wonder is God will take a stand for us?   You know, God has done so many amazing things for me and I am so grateful for all the blessings in my life, to thank Him I need to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ.  Not just in word but in deeds.  So today I am going to take a stand.  I am a believer in God and His son Jesus Christ.  The blood of Jesus Christ has washed me of all my sins and I now have the Holy Spirit of the living God inside of me.  Love me or hate me, I don't care.  I am a child of God!  Redeemed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, I will stand boldly, confidently, energetic and courageously and say,

 JESUS CHRIST IS MY LORD AND SAVIOR!  

Lord, forgive me for the times I played the victim.  Forgive me for not taking a stand for you.  Today I have been filled with a boldness, a confidence, energy and courage to take a stand for you.  You have stood for me and by me so many times, so today I paying you back.  I take a stand for Jesus. May I be a witness to others today and everyday, in your heavenly name I pray, amen!

STOP TRYING TO DO IT YOURSELF!

Luke 18:27  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." 

Let me be honest here, this "do it yourself" attitude has to stop.  We try and we try and we try to do things our way and they never work out.  We struggle and we struggle under the weight of the pressure we put on ourselves and we wonder why we have heart attacks and stress.  It is ridiculous!  I am ridiculous.  Over and over again in my life I try to do things my way and whenever I do it seems like I end up creating a mess of things.  No matter what I do, it never turns out right, it nevers works out the way I imagined.  This "do it yourself" attitude has taken me places I didn't want to go.  I guess I feel like sometimes God is way too busy to deal with my petty little issues so I'll do Him a favor and handle it for myself, after all I should be able to do it for myself, right?   I mean I know what I want to do and I know what I should do, so if I just do it my way then God will be okay with that, right?  Even though this may lead me off His path for my life, I still don't want to burden Him for this petty little thing.  How foolish!

You see over and over again I have stumbled and fallen off the path God has for my life.  Over and over again I have done thing my way and in my timing because quite frankly I get tired of waiting on God.  What is it in me that feels that I can do it myself?  I know it's that old stubborn pride.  "Look what I did all by myself!"  "I didn't need God's help, I did it all by myself."  Yea and how does that turn out?  Not good!  When I do this I end up walking around in a fog.  Confused and bewildered, scared and unaware of the Pandora's Box, that I have just opened.  When I do it myself, I end up not being able to see the next step I should take.  I struggle to try to make sense of the outcome and I look at what I have done and wonder why?  Why did I try to do it myself?  You see for me it is impossible to direct my life.  When I do I end up screwing it up somehow.  When will I learn?  What does it take for me to say "God I surrender! I am so tired of doing this life by myself.  I am done with trying to handle all the pressures of society alone."   

What is impossible with man is possible with God.  God can do what I cannot do.  God can move mountains, if we ask Him.  God can soften the hardest of hearts.  God can calm a raging storm.  God can cause favor to rain down on me.  I can do none of those things.  No matter how hard I try, no matter how strong I am, God is stronger and more powerful than I am.  Try as I may to do the seemingly impossible, it never works out if I try to do it myself.  Yes, the Spirit of God lives in me.  I have His power and His strength available for me to use, but if I don't ask for His help, if I don't pray for His help and His will (ouch, that one is scary) then I usually end up doing it by myself and messing up.  Oh if I would just learn this lesson, how much better life would be.  There have been so many times in my life when I can actually picture God standing next to me with His hands on His hips, saying, "Go ahead and do it yourself if you must.  I'll be standing right here ready to fix it for you because I love you."   

Listen God understands our "do it yourself" attitude.  The thing is that if we would just surrender to Him and His will for our life, things would run much smoother.  Stress would be a thing of the past and life would be so much more amazing.  There have been many times when I have surrendered my life to God and His will and there have been many times I have taken back control of my life.  Trust me when I let God have control of my life, the impossible becomes possible and life is amazing.  I would rather let God run my life than myself.  I am done (hopefully forever) with this stupid "do it yourself" attitude.  Yes God has a lot of very big issues to deal with in this world, but He always has time for me, His daughter.  He is never too busy to listen to me or let me cry on His shoulder.   He loves me more than I deserve and He has forgiven me for that "do it myself" attitude.  He has once again reached down and picked me up from my sins and cleansed me with the blood of His Son Jesus.  I have seen the impossible become possible when I surrender the impossible me to the possibilities that God has waiting for me.  No more "do it yourself" attitude for this girl!  Who's with me?

Lord, remove this "do it yourself" attitude from me today!   Today I surrender to your will for my life.  You alone can do the impossible so I give my life and myself to you today.  I trust in you alone and rely on you alone.  In Jesus name I pray, amen!

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW!

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

Okay maybe this example is a little lame but it's the only example I have right now of old and new.  you see when Jerry and I bought this home last year, we also bought the boat that the previous owners had.  It was a very nice boat, it ran great and everything.  it's just that my grandchildren were totally bored being pulled behind a boat with a 50 horsepower engine.  They wanted speed!  So instead of buying a speed boat, we just bought a new pontoon boat with a more powerful engine.  The grandchildren and the rest of us are happy now.  I know that buying a boat is not biblical, although Jesus did spend a lot of tie in boats.  Sorry I lost my concentration for a moment.  Anyway the thing is to acquire the new, we first had to get rid of the old.  Sure we could have kept the old boat, but why?  It just didn't make sense,  So many times we hang on to the old things, hoping that maybe some day on the future we may have an opportunity to use them.  Storage facilities are full of people's old stuff that they can't or don't want to get rid of.  Basements, attics and garages are fill to overflowing with stuff we don't use or stuff that is broken, but it just contains so many memories.  People it is time to get rid of that old baggage you've been hanging onto for generations.  We can't make room for the new if we are constantly hanging onto the old.  

Let's face it, there is some old stuff that can be valuable.   After all someone's junk is someone else's treasures, right?  Oh bull!  Sorry but I don't believe that at all.  Someone's junk becomes your junk.  That pile of old stuff we can't use just keeps piling higher and higher until someone calls "Hoarders" on us.  It's a sad reality on this life that people cling to old stuff instead of embracing people and life.  Boxes upon boxes upon boxes all stacked to the ceiling with rats and mice and spiders and flies infesting a home because someone cannot get rid of the old stuff.  Okay before we go any farther, yes memories are special and yes some old things should be kept, but if we kept everything that we may use, might use or that might come in handy some day, junk yards would be empty and we couldn't get out our front door.   There is no way on the earth that we can keep buying stuff without getting rid of the old stuff, it's just impossible.  I have a hard time understanding some of the old stuff we cling to.  I mean if someone said you had a choice between an old hand me down shirt or a brand new one, which would you chose?  

Well just like old things that we cling to, we also cling to our old habits, our old friends, our old baggage.  We keep hanging to these things hoping we never have to get rid of them.  We cherish our baggage and wear it proudly like a badge of courage.   We tell everyone we know what we have been through and we whine and complain about how tough our life has been.  We relive every painful memory and share it with anyone who will listen.  We cling to our old friends just because they're comfortable.  We can get drunk with them and they will just carry us home and laugh it off with us tomorrow.  Our old habits, well they're just comfy so to get rid of them means change and change scars the tar out of us.  Are you kidding me?  Okay let me say it this way.  If there was someone who promised you a permanent vacation on a caribbean island paradise, would you take it?  Think hard on this one.  What if the only stipulation was that you had to get rid of all the old stuff in your life.  Would you do it?  How fast would you find new friends who would help you stop drinking?  How fast would you throw out all that old baggage you've been clinging to for years?  How quickly would you create new habits, better habits?  Would you give up all that old stuff for a new life filled with peace and joy and laughter?   Would you give it up for paradise?   

Listen, Jesus Christ is offering that to you today!  That's right, right this very moment you can have the promise of paradise.  All the old stuff gone.  All those problems, all those fears, all those sins that have been weighing you down and dragging you down, wiped away!  In a flash you can grab a hold of the new life Jesus died to give you.  But there is a catch.  You have to believe in Jesus.  You have to accept Him into your heart and believe.  By doing this, life on this earth will not always be easy but when you stop to think that an eternity in paradise is what's waiting for you, earth ain't so bad!  After all on earth we are only here for 70 - 80 years if we're lucky, but eternity is forever!  As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!  I am out with the old and in with the new!  I have never regretted getting rid of some of my old friends who really don't understand me now, because I have new friends who totally get me.  I do not regret getting rid of my old habits and forming new ones that have filled me with peace and love.  I have n regrets getting rid of that old baggage that kept me from receiving the best Jesus Christ died to give me.   Do I ever miss the old stuff?  No!  My life is far better and more exciting than ever.  God has amazing things planned for me and I cannot do it if I am so busy hanging onto the old!  Like Elsa says in the movie Frozen, "Let it go!"

Today I have chosen to let go of the old habits, the old baggage and the old friends that are keeping me from your best for me.  I chose to change for the better and look forward to the new and bright things that are headed my way.  Guide me as I continue on this journey in Jesus name I pray, amen!

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE!

Mat 14:27-31  But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," He said. "Take courage. I am here!"  Then Peter called to Him, "Lord, if it's really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water."  "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.  Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt Me?" 

"Awe come on!  What do you have to lose? Just step out of that boat and walk on the water!  Give it a try, just give it a try!  For once, take a walk on the wild side with me."  Oh if we lived that courageously how different our lives would be.  Imagine the things we could accomplish, the places we could go, the things we would see if we just stepped out of that boat like Peter and actually tried to walk on the water.  I could walk across to the island in front of our home instead of swim there.  I know that sounds like no big deal, but for someone who doesn't swim very well, that would be amazing.  I could always drive the boat over, but that's too much work for just a little distance.  No walking on the water would be the perfect way to get there.  Can you imagine what it would be like to have that kind of faith?  That kind of belief?  What could we do in this world if we had that kind of faith and belief?   I feel like I live in the boat.  I don't want to rock the boat in fear it will tip the boat over, I don't want to get out of the boat because what if I sink?  I don't have faith in myself or belief that I can accomplish much of anything.  I never went to college, I never earned any type of degree, all I was for a majority of my life was a mom to 4 children.  Nothing major, nothing special.  I didn't know anything about Wallstreet, I'm not a salesman, I don't sew or knit, I'm not even a biblical scholar.  I'm a mom and now a meemaw (grandma).  What can I do to change the world?  I can't even swim good so I might as well stay in my comfy boat where I know I am safe and secure.  Sound familiar?

Truth is I am scared to get out of the boat, let alone even imagine trying to walk on water.  I mean I have faith in Jesus!  I know He can do amazing things.  I've read about all the miracles and I have even been a witness to miracles, but as for me I know my limitations.  Honestly I fear failure, so why even try.  Right?  After all who am I trying to kid?  I'm just little old me, nothing special, nothing unique, there is no way I could ever imagine even trying to stand up in a boat, let alone step out into the water to walk on it.  I'd be a fool.  Everyone would laugh at me.  Within an instant the video of me attempting to walk on water would be plastered all over "You Tube" and it would be an instant hit because it would be impossible and of course I would fail.  I would be the brunt of everyone's jokes, the talk of the town, and not for a good reason.  Humiliation would not describe accurately the feelings I would have after failing.   I would rather die than experience that so I will remain in this little comfy boat where at least I feel safe and secure.  After all wouldn't you?  I'm not the adventurous type.  

Wow!  That's about all I can say right now.  I so amazed that I have not faith and belief in Jesus.  If what I just said is true, how can I have any real faith or belief in Jesus.  After all I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  You see for years I have lived like this as I am sure many of you have also.  Fear cripples us.  The "what if" becomes so loud in our head that we end up missing out on so much of life because we're afraid to step up out of the boat and take a leap of faith.   To stay inside of the boat, may seem safe for a while, but eventually you have to get up and get out of the boat.  How boring would life be if we just sat around floating around in the boat?  People who get up and try to walk on the water will find out God's will for their life.  If we remain in the boat, we will never know what God can accomplish through us.   Sure we may fail, sure we may sink but one thing I know is that if we don't step out and try, we will never know what we can do with what we have been given. 

In my own power, I cannot walk on water.  It is only through the power and strength given to us through our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, that I can walk on the water.  Alright maybe not literally walk on water, but it is only through the power that dwells within me that I can write this blog.  This may not seem that adventurous to you, but for me it was a giant leap of faith.  It was huge and it was honestly very frightening.  But for the first time I stepped out of the boat and trusted in Jesus.  I told Him that I would do what I could and I allow Him to do the rest.  Who this blog touches, is in His hands.  Think for a moment of all that you are missing out on just because you're afraid to step out of the boat.  Think of the lives you could reach for Jesus if you just tried to step out in faith and belief in Jesus, not yourself.  Truthfully I can do nothing and I am nothing special.  But with the love of Jesus Christ inside of me I can accomplish the seemingly impossible.  Through Him I have all the powers of heaven in my hands.  Through Him I am able to walk on water and even though I may sink, He will always be there to lift me up.  He will do the same for you if you will only step out of the boat.  Will you?

Lord Jesus,  thank you for always being there to lift me up when I am sinking.  Help me to never give up stepping out of that boat.  Give me the strength and the power to walk on the water, when you call me to.  In your heavenly name I pray, amen!   

AS THE SEASONS TURN, SO DO THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES !

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:  A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;  A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;  A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;  A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;  A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;  A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. 

Here in Michigan the leaves on the trees are changing colors.  Instead of green leaves, we now see visions of red and gold, crimson and orange, yellow and burgundy.  It is getting cooler now, our boat is in storage for the winter (sigh), the docks are out (boo) and there is a chill to the air.  Fall is upon us and it's time for the changing of the seasons.  Like the change of the guard at Buckingham Castle in England, the season of fall brings about new changes in life and the earth.  These beautiful leaves will soon turn to an ugly brown and the shrivel up and die.  Eventually the leaves will fall to the ground and the trees will become barren and lifeless.  Seasons come and go like the wind.  Sometimes these seasons come in with a whisper and sometimes they come in with a roar.  As sad as it is to say goodbye to summer, I love the color that fall brings.  I love the crisp nights and the smell of campfires burning.  Burning marshmallows fills the air and the sound of the geese return to the lake as they prepare for a journey down south to get out of here before winter hits.  Squirrels are gathering their nuts as people struggle to put away all the picnic tables and lounge chairs.   I love fall.  The change of seasons is one to behold.  It's like God has His paintbrush out painting each individual leaf.  It is breathtaking.  

Seasons, isn't there a song about seasons by The Byrds?  Ah yes there is!  It's called "Turn, Turn, Turn."  It's actually quite accurate when you look at the lyrics and then look at these verses from the Bible.  There is time and a season for everything in our life.  No these changes are not always the best, there not always what we wanted or expected but they happen for a purpose that we may never fully understand.  But with some of the hard changes in our life also comes new opportunities.  New growth, new lessons learned, new abilities to tackle and overcome can bring about a renewed strength and a fresh new start.  How we deal with the changes of the seasons in our lives will affect the outcome.  We can stomp our feet in protest and throw a temper tantrum (like a lot of us do, including me) or we can pull up our pants and tighten our belt and get on that horse and ride off in the sunset to a new adventure, a new season filled with endless possibilities.  Change can be hard especially if we are in our comfy little world filled with violets and daffodils.  That "All is right with the world" attitude that makes us feel so comfortable and safe.  Then "BAM!" a change in the seasons.  Whether we lose a loved one, lose our job, move, or health problems arise, these changes can bring about fear and stress if we let it.  That's the key!

Listen, change is hard!  we all know that.  Last year when Jerry and I moved, I was afraid of only one thing.  I knew we were only a hour away from our children, not a problem.  I knew that work was not a problem either with the technology we have now days.  I was very concerned if we would find a church.  You see we went to this amazing church in Toledo that reached many lost and broken people.  I was finally comfortable there and we were involved in many different ministries.  I loved the music there and the teachings so to find a church up here that even matched that seemed difficult.  But God had a plan!  He lined up a new church for us, a new season of adventure in a church that is smaller than the one we went to.  The thing is, we have learned so much more at this new church.  We have a deeper walk with God and we have met so many fabulous people here that I am amazed. I am in a women's prayer group and Bible study.  I felt so welcome here the moment we walked in that I was a little amazed.  One of the elders of the church came up and introduced himself within the first few weeks of us being there.  Yes, this new season in Jerry and I's life was a little scary, but it has taken us to levels we never imagined.  My walk with Jesus has been strengthened and renewed in this church.  Often I leave with tears in my eyes because of the spirited filled pastors in this church.  God had a better plan and a new season of adventure for us.  I am so glad we listened to Him.

You see try as we may, we can fight and fight the changes in our lives, but honestly that doesn't work because without change, without a new season, life becomes stagnant and dull.  With every new season and every new change, God brings into the adventure He has planned for me.  It is amazing to walk beside God on this journey He has me on.  To have my husband on the other side also is simply amazing.  Not too many men would put up with my quirkiness as Jerry does, so I appreciate him being with me on this journey into a new season in life.  I am so grateful God placed us together because I could never picture my life without Jerry by my side.  Yes seasons bring about many changes, but the things that will never change is my love for God, my belief in Jesus Christ and my love for Jerry!  

May the seasons of change bring about a renewed strength and a brighter future for you.  May the seasons in life give you wisdom and knowledge.  May God lead you into a new season filled with hope, peace, love and joy, in Jesus name I pray, amen!