When You Have To Make a Decision

We are all faced with decisions all the time. Big ones, small one, hard ones, . . . easier ones-

I used to think and think and over-think so much that for a number of years it was hard to make a decision at all. Part of that was depression. & Admittedly, I lived there-for years. It wasn't that I wanted to be there, . . . just had poor set of circumstances and mental and emotional ends were severely frayed. Once I got there, I had a hard time getting out. & I will attest that when you are there, even when you "once knew God" or had believed . . . it isn't always easy to see the light or find it again . . . I am sure the enemy loves to find people in that state, . . . where he can help us be out own worst enemies!

But- decisions . . . not always easy. In fact, they are often very hard.

& I will here tell you all, I haven't always made right ones. Many times I faced off with this or that-and I did not always choose the right way . . .

Here lately though circumstances have presented themselves & me and another person have been trying to make some decisions about life . . .

And to be honest with you-there's one decision that I could easily cave on, because I know that decision could alter my own personal happiness---greatly.

I could say, "Okay-even though it's not what I think God wants- okay" and probably -maybe- have a better chance at retaining something VERY dear to my heart . . .

But- when it came down to sorting through every emotion and every truth, and every past mistake and how things have worked out so far and . . . and . . . and--------

I had to nervously stand on that one point. . . with my heart just breathless . . . hoping it would not take away the very thing I loved . . .

and knowing that it might-----------------

And that's where I AM at.

So, I will continue to pray for you. I know God still hears me and I still hear from Him. -But maybe I could use your prayers also.

Thank you & God bless!

So hard people. So hard.

Where's The Focus?!

It is easy to see only what is in front of us, isn't it, . . . car troubles, not enough money, this one's grades or that one's health issues . . .?

Very quickly common everyday issues can steal our attention, grab our focus, . . . consume us if we aren't careful.

Sometimes we can stare so hard at something negative going on, that we can lose our faith in Him. In fact, when we continously seem to be be drawn away into nervousness or hopelessness or fear or any number of things . . . it is a pretty good indication that we are not focusing on God at all. At the very least, we are not trusting Him for our situations.

Luke 12:29-31 says: “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you." (New King James Version)

We might not have all the answers. In fact, we probably rarely have any that will amount to much. Yet, He has them all. + His Word also says that if we have the faith of a mustard seed, . . . which is very very small . . . then we, as believers, can look and that mountain and say "Move!" and it shall move . . . into the sea---or wherever . . . ha ha.

If we keep Him first, seek Him, then He will take care of all these "other things".

Wow. Sometimes we sure make it a lot more difficult than it has to be!

Another thing, we can choose to see things through jaded, bitter eyes . . . or we can choose to see the wonder of creation, the gifts we were given and the people in our lives, and be content with wherever we are and with whatever we have.

Everywhere any of us look, there are ample things to be thankful to God for . . . Just a thought* Be blessed!

The Servant's Heart

The Lord instructs us to be servants . . . to "prefer others" ahead of ourselves, make ourselves a little lower than the rest.

Ever done this in regards to someone else's happiness? Did things or gave away things or let go of what you had wanted, maybe even counted on-for the sake of someone else's happiness or well being?

Think of a mother, . . . she' hungry herself, . . . there's just a little stew left or maybe one more piece of homemade bread, and she didn't have any . . . but little Suzi or Johnny comes running in . . .

-And mom will give what was rightfully hers away . . . in a moment because of her love for that child.

It isn't easy though sometimes is it? Sometimes there isn't anything fun or that even seems "right" or "fair" about it does it?

I mean we all live in a society that breeds us to "look out for number one" and "get yours before someone else does". Sad really.

There is a whole world of people that will walk right in front of an old lady and not open a door for her-

People suing people all the time for small and large sums-

And pretty much every one else writing contracts to make sure they are protected from everyone else-

How far off from everything have we gotten in this world? How far?!

The Lord instructed that when we enter in, not to take the "best seat", but make sure to give that to someone else-

And to "prefer" each other over ourselves and be "kindly, with affection" from the heart-

But that what we do is not to please man as others are looking on, but from our heart because that desire is there in the first place.

We're to do things as we are doing them directly onto God.

King David was always one of my favorite Bible stories. Why? Well, because he was a tremendous screw-up. When he messed up, he messed up in BIG ways. Yet, God referred to him, even after, as a "Man after His own heart". Wow! A man after God's own heart!

& Here is what I see:

David was young, 13 I think, when he come to know God had annointed him King. He grew into a mighty man. Still, not operating as King, he had the love and adoration of many. He could have have gotten troops of men to overtake Saul but he did not. Why? -Because his heart was to follow the Lord. & The Lord had not moved him into that position- yet. . . .

Later in many places David fell. When he did, he made big blunders, not small ones. My goodness, he took another man's wife as his own and then had the man killed to cover it up. Yet, still, God referred to David as a "man after his own heart". WHY!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I think because when David fell and realized his mistake, he was truly sorry . . . from his heart. It was not lip service. It was not flippant. It grieved him that he had grieved God.

& David was also passionate. When he was in he was A L L in and when he was out, . . . he was probably all o u t too.

Except for the time he disobeyed and did not go into the battle as he was asked---- he was not one to hold back.

He gave everything he had . . . with no promise of "safety" or "happiness".

And for these things I think He found favor in God's eyes. . . . . . .

I marveled once years and years ago when I read his story. I wasn't even in church or anything at that time. Still, in it I saw hope. I mean, if God could find favor in him . . . with all that he had done, surely there was hope for me also. & I prayed that someday God would make me a "Woman after His own heart."

Not sure that has been achieved . . . but He's still workin' on it . . .

I do know I fail sometimes at not getting into that "protect yourself at all costs" mindset-

In conversation just yesterday with someone that was concerned with what they were losing or what they would have to do to achieve a certain end result--- had me thinking all the same way.

Then I started wondering about my own well being, and how to make sure that I was being considered or whatever . . .

God forgive me.

The truth is, my life is the same place it was before, . . . in His hand. His instructions to me is to love Him with all my heart, mind, soul + strength and love my neighbors (or everyone else) as myself.

So- I'm going to try to make sure that I help the ones around me, . . . that I love even when I am not loved back, and that I give everything I have, . . . because it's all I have . . .

And leave the rest to God.

God Bless_

The Weight of Words

Have you ever heard "Sticks and Stones can break my bones but names will never hurt me!"? This saying was meant to be an encouragement to children that were ridiculed by other children.

Do words hurt? Can they? Yes, of course they can. We are human. In this human make-up that we consist of, we have different parts and pieces and one of the things we were given is emotions, ability to "feel".

If you were a child that heard repeatedly, "You're stupid!", there is a great chance you would grow up either believing it or being a very angry resentful person.

On the flip side, if you were always told how wonderful you are, how handsome and talented . . . do you think you would suffer from a sense of low self- esteem? Maybe, . . . but probably not as much.

& This isn't about the self-esteem band wagon----- just about words, . . .

Think of the power that some tiny words seem to hold:

"stupid", "idiotic", "slut", "fat", "easy", . . . . . . . . . . or

The smiling sounds of "Will you marry me" in the ears of a woman who longed for that day . . .

The sounds of "I love you",
when two look at each other with love . . .
when many are reuinted . . .
when there has been a quarrel . . .
when one is getting ready to go to heaven . . . .

Today, I just encourage us all to be mindful of what we say, and maybe more importantly the what's in the heart behind the words.

What we might flippantly let loose or say in anger can truly effect in small or big ways who another being is from here on out . . .

& If we doubt that, think of these words:

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" and

"It is finished."

GOD BLESS. Have a great day!

Was just talking to a friend about changes basically. She and I have both been through some big changing events . . . that maybe have left us both in some ways a little gun-shy on some things. Caution is good, I suppose. Being overly cautious probably is not though.

To liken this to maybe one of the biblical stories, I guess we could think of many, but for now I'll use Ruth.

Ruth had obviously had some troubling situations. Her husband died and she was now with what was left of "his people"- her mother and sister-in-law.

When she was told to depart instead of going on with Naomi--- she chose to stay until the bitter end . . . which certainly could have been if God had not been in this situation . . .

Into a foreign land, now without her husband, without any of her own family- just with Naomi- with nothing for certain on the other side and nothing really that was hers to take with her . . .

A lot of us would say, "Okay I'm done". & In this world, a lot of people would applaud that decision . . . and maybe even help us achieve it, give us sustenance, make us comfortable . . .

Instead she went. & While there she not only existed but made her mind up to thrive . . . and even to help Naomi to exist. She went out and did the one thing that was open to her at the time. She gleaned the fields.

Do you know what this is? It means that she went behind the others, and after they had taken all the best . . . after everything was already picked over and taken . . . she came in and she took the scraps off the ground.

She came in and made herself lower than all the rest---- took what was not appealing or attractive to them . . . . and was content with it.

Agh, now there's a big one. She was content with it!

& We all know the rest of the story. Boaz saw her and seemed vexed by this one that would come in and work twice as hard for the least of what was to be had, with a good attitude and no complaint . . .

So, he, who was owner of it all . . . gave instruction that improved her bounty.

& Much later in the story, he went to great lengths so that he could take her as his wife . . .

Funny how the poor servant girl found favor in the wealthy owner's heart!

Reminds me of how lowering ourselves as servants and being content with that which we are given seems to be dear unto the heart of King.

I don't know exactly where He is taking me. There are clues . . . but you know, I don't need to know how everything works. Maybe for now I'll just be content with the ride.

GOD BLESS. & Here if you need me-

Intercession

People question one way and another if there is a difference between saying and prayer and a "Gift of Intercession". I'm not sure where I am on that. What I do know is how I once used to pray and how I seem to pray now is very different.

Funny, at what was my church 9, 10 years ago there was this lady- she did intercession. First, I had to ask what that meant. Second, I watched her a lot. She "got my attention" so to speak. She wore her heart on her sleeve. She would go to the church when no one was even around. She cried about people's plights as if they were her own . . .

I did not understand it. Actually, I thought she was a little "weird". I remember seeing her once half laying on the alter of that church . . . and then collecting herself and wiping away tears as she passed me.

In my mind I thought, "Wow Lord, that's really cool, . . . and that's great for her, . . . but it's just not me."

Hmm. I guess we ought to be careful of what we think toward God. After all these years I have been shown many many times that He seems to have a very strong sense of humor.

Now one of the things He has me do is pray for people, situations, cities, regions, nations, circumstances . . . why? I don't know.

What I know is I am miniscule. My own problems and understanding is miniscule in comparison with the God that created all things.

He needs us for absolutely nothing, . . . yet He often invites us to be a part of what He is doing.

God Bless-

And So It Begins . . .

If you are looking for a cookie-cutter Christian, I am not. If you prefer to hear from someone that has themselves together, that's not me either. I do believe and I do have a relationship with Him. It has been a long and kind of odd journey though, filled with twists and turns and a lot of falls.

I am thankul every day that His mercies are truly new every morning. If it were not for that, I am sure I would not even be trying to follow Him anymore.

The Word says says that "To Whom much is given, much is required". I must be "Whom", ha ha. In reality, I guess we all are.

So, to begin this new journey here, let me say to all of you that might look on, . . . if you have a prayer request, I will pray for you. God Bless-