OH DEER!

 Recently on a walk I ran across these beautiful deer.  They just stood there as we walked by.  They were busy eating the left over wheat after the farmer had baled all the rest.  They are such beautiful animals.  Then I thought about how God takes care of these amazing creatures.  He feeds them with grain from the farmers field, He shelters them in the woods, and He provides water for them through the rivers and streams that surround this area.  I wonder if they realize how much God treasures them?  Do we know how God treasures us?

You know we have no problem in knowing that God takes care of His creation, but why do we have such a big problem thinking He will take care of us?  I know why....we don't deserve it.  We don't deserve His love, His grace, His mercy, His blessings.  "If He knew what I had done in my past, He wouldn't love me.  If He knew what I was thinking, He would never forgive me.  If He knew what I was thinking of doing, He would abandon me and walk away."  Oh trust me there are times I think this way.  I don't want Him to look at me.  I don't want Him to know the real me.  

When I get in these moods, I can almost picture God sitting on His throne in Heaven, laughing.  I can hear Him now...."Seriously?  If I had known you were going to do that, if I had known you were going to say that, if only I had known you were thinking that.....wait a minute.  I did know all of this and so much more.  I know what you think, I know what you're going to say before you speak it and I know what you're going to do before you do it.  I am God.  I created you.  I know all about you and I love you.  I am not surprised by anything.  I am not shocked by your behavior.  You are not perfect and I didn't create you to be perfect.  Seriously?"

God knows me better than I know myself.  He will never abandon me, He will never leave me and He is always willing to forgive me.  He loves me in spite of myself.  Look at the deer in these fields, they do nothing yet they are cared for by God Almighty.  Don't believe the lies of the enemy that tells you that you're not good enough.  Believe God's word that says, He loves you!

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

 

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"  

Have you heard this saying before?  I know I have and I always had a hard time really grasping the meaning of it until God just whispered to me, "I see you through the eyes of Jesus Christ.  I see no flaws, no sins, no ugliness.  I see you through the lens of grace."  

How amazing is that?  God sees us not as we are but as Jesus.  As believers in Jesus Christ He sees the work of the cross in our lives.  He knows we are not perfect.  He knows we may still sin.  He knows we will still make mistakes.  He knows many of us speak before we think.  He knows our hearts are not always filled with love and compassion.  But He loves us anyway.  We are all a work in progress.  We are under construction and yet He sees Jesus in us.

When I look at a flower or the beauty of nature that is all around us, I see the glory of God.  When I look up at the stars and the moon at night, I see the glory of God.  Why is it so hard to look in the mirror at myself and see the glory of God?  Why do I allow the lies of the enemy to fill my mind and harden my heart?  I look in the mirror and I see every flaw, every hair out of place, every wrinkle.  I see the the gray hairs that my daughter covers up so miraculously.  It's so easy for us to look at ourselves and see us.  How amazing would it be if we looked at ourselves and others the way God sees us?

I am a sinner!  I make mistakes!  I am not perfect nor will I ever pretend to be (at least I hope not).  Through my faith and belief in Jesus Christ I no longer live because Christ lives in me.  He has redeemed me from myself and freed me from the lies of hell.  He can do that for you also.  Believe!!! 

DISTRACTIONS

 

We are all on a path that is taking us on our own personal journey.  Even if you're married or in a committed relationship, the path we are on, the journey we are taking is unique and personal.  While many of us may be on the same path, our experiences are all quite different.  The past has influenced our path, people we have met along the way may have changed the course of our path.  Our thoughts, our perceptions, our expectations all have an affect on the journey we are taking.  Our priorities may also affect our path.  What is important to us?  Who is important to us?  What comes first in our lives?  Who comes first in our lives?  These questions may seem meaningless yet they have a very profound effect on the road we travel.

What hinders our walk down this path we call "life"?  What distracts us from what is really important?  What fears keep us from traveling down this path?  What burdens weigh us down and keep us from this journey?  What lies have we been listening to that distract us from the road that lies ahead?  What would it feel like to be able to release the cares and the burdens from this world?  What would it feel like to let go of the distractions of this world?  How utterly amazing would it feel if we could be set free?  How much more easily could we breathe if we could learn let go and let God lighten our load?

Along this path we are on, there are rest areas.  There are areas where we can stop, turn off the engine that runs our lives and just breathe in fresh air.  Imagine what it would be like if we could just stop running, stop trying to get the next best thing, stop paying attention to all those petty distractions.  For a moment let's do just that.  Try it!  Turn off the cell phone, shut down the computer, turn off the TV and just linger.  Linger in the very presence of God and feel His grace and love wash over us.  In the stillness and peace from no distractions, embrace His presence and allow all the stress, all the anxiety, all the chaos to just evaporate.  Just be still and listen....listen for what?  Listen for His voice.

"Listen for His voice?  Are you crazy?" I can hear some of you saying this right now.  But let me say honestly that I hear the voice of God talking to me through His Holy Spirit that lives in me.  BUT...it is only in the stillness and peaceful times when I have no distractions fighting for my attention.  To be honest it's only when I stop talking, stop asking and even stop praying long enough to hear from Him.  He whispers His truth to me.  He speaks of His great love for me.  He guides me and points me in the direction I am supposed to be going on my path in my life.  If I am surrounded by constant noise and meaningless distractions, I can't hear Him.

So today I challenge all of us to turn off, shut down, and walk away from the distractions in life that hinder us from our walk with God.  This path we are on with Him can be a glorious path if we learn to shut off, shut up and listen.  His very presence is waiting for our very presence.  Will you join me?

LIFE IS A WILD RIDE

 I stand in awe of people who will go white water rafting trip.  From what I hear it can be extremely dangerous depending on the river, the rocks and the rainfall.  Then again if there hasn't been much rain, the ride down the river can be a little boring for adrenaline junkies.  Life can be like a white water rafting trip.  You just never know what lies ahead.  A twist or a turn can propel you into unknown territory where the risk becomes extreme, or that twist or turn may lead into calm waters where you can just coast down the river of life.  Either way...life is challenging and for the most part unknown.  We have no way of knowing what the future has in store for us.  We can plan and plan yet the unknown can play havoc with our plans.

Can you imagine taking a rafting trip like this photo without a life jacket?  Number one I wouldn't dream of ever taking a ride like this but if I ever did, a life jacket is a necessity.  Life jackets are protection from the unknown.  They are something you may never need but they are there just in case.  If the rapids just around the bend are more treacherous then you have planned, that life jacket is something very valuable.  If there happens to be an unexpected water fall, that life jacket will prove it's worth.  

Life is crazy!  There are so many twists and turns, rapids and rocks, and quite frankly a lot of "danger ahead".  It can be frightening to try to maneuver through this life without any sort of life jacket.  Jesus Christ is my life jacket.  He has protected me through all the twists and turns in life, He has saved me from the rapids and the rocks, and He has directed me in a different path so I can stay away from the danger that can lie ahead.  I don't want to imagine what my life would be like without Him by my side.  

I should correct that...Jesus goes before me and behind me, Jesus is on my left and my right.  Jesus is all around me at all times.  His presence lives in me.  He is my Savior.  He has saved me from drowning in my own sorrows many times.  He has lifted me up from the pits and put me on higher ground.  He has protected me from the rapids that seeked to do me in.  He is my life jacket in these present, uncertain waters.  He guides me to still waters and restores my peace with His peace.  

I feel so bad for people who do not know this peace I speak about.  I want to shout it from the mountain tops that Jesus will give you the peace you so desperately need.  He is the only one who can give you a peace that surpasses all human understanding.  You can have that peace today.  You don't have to raft down the rive of life without a life jacket any more.   

COME SAIL AWAY

 

Have you ever rode in a hot air balloon?   Do you have a desire to ride in one of these things?  For me the answer is "NO!"  Sure it's probably be cool and maybe even exciting until I looked down at the ground hundreds of feet below me.  I am not a fan of being up that high in the air.  I am afraid of heights, I admit it!  It would be very uncomfortable for me to sail in one of these hot air balloons.  I'd probably pass out or throw up or both.  But I love watching these beautiful things flying n the air.  They are so colorful and so amazing.  I applaud the people who do fly in them, they are brave, I am not!  

As I travel through life there are so many opportunities to go on an adventure.  I an not a very adventurous person.  I avoid walking in the woods if I know poison ivy is present, I avoid running into snakes and spiders as much as I can, I don't like to get dirty or risk my life just for the thrill.  Yea, some of you may think I'm pretty boring, and that's okay for you to think that but then I'll ask do you really know me?  I may not be adventurous physically but I am adventurous in other ways.  I risked my heart when I fell in love with Jerry, I risked my life by having 4 children, (and they risked their lives by having me as their mom), Jerry an I risked our life savings on a business venture that turned into the greatest blessing.

Adventures are risky.  Whether they are physical, emotional, mental or physical...adventures can also be very scary.  The adrenaline rush you get when your risk it all on something others may think as crazy, can be dangerous. I know for me, I do not like danger.  The adrenaline rush for me is something I do not crave.  But then I met someone who changed my mind on what true adventures really look like.  Yes I'm talking about Jesus Christ.  

My adventures with Jesus has been thrilling and exciting.  I have learned so much allowing Him to guide me on this journey through life.  I have learned so many valuable lessons, I have grown in so many new and exciting ways and I have learned so much about Him.  Him and I talk every day.  Some day's I do most of the talking and then there are those days when I sit still and just listen to His voice.  It's times like that with my bestest friend, Jesus, that propels me into an adventure like none I've ever known before.  He's taken me places I would never have dreamed possible.  I have seen things and heard things that I wouldn't have experienced without Him by my side.  

Jesus Christ is my personal Savior and I have a very personal relationship with Him.  It's not about a religion with rules and rituals, it's a relationship.  It's about love and grace and love and mercy and love and forgiveness and love and trust.  So while my adventures are not physically dangerous, they are spiritually radical in many people's eyes. So if you're ready for a real adventure, please private message me and I will guide you to the adventure of a lifetime, or I should say the adventure for all eternity.  Come sail away for the ride of your life with Jesus