When God talks I need to listen!

It's been awhile since I've posted....sadly, I see that last post came off of a summer filled to the brim with God! I was so in tune with the Lord that inspiration was at a surplus! I couldn't wait to post a new revelation! I've often thought of my blog, sitting idle all these months and sometimes wondered where my inspiration went. After all, God is still with me, in me and I'm still studying daily, though not nearly to the extent I was able over the summer. What I realized last night, thank you God, is that I'm still very much inspired but, for some reason, am not sharing. Why? Time constraints, health issues, time change (sorry, it just causes a change in me that isn't very pleasant).....

I was saddened by the passing of Elizabeth Edwards. She was a woman of great strength and faith and an inspiration that even in the toughest times, you can still find joy. YES!! Joy! Isn't it amazing how God puts it all together for us? I decided to download her book, Resilience, to my Kindle last night and I could not put it down! Beautiful stories, beautiful life, tons of inspiration....truly a remarkable woman. After reading just a few chapters, it was very clear that God moved me to read the book.

I made a statement on my Facebook page "Overtime is great but I miss my husband".....I've spent the last three evenings by myself, have seen my husband a total of maybe an hour in the last three days as well. I miss him. Now that is me being all selfish because HE is the one working long hours because as he said "we need the money". Yes, we need the money. In the last week we have discovered that Bill's truck will need close to $500 in repairs and just Monday we found out that my car, which we haven't had two years yet, has a defect that should be a recall but of course, is not, will need a repair that is close to $500 as well. Perfect timing, right? $1000 at Christmas time....great! Bill, no longer having a snow route since being promoted to an equipment operator, doesn't get as much overtime as he used to. I can remember winter being a time when we caught up on bills and credit cards and being able to make purchases that we otherwise could not afford. But in the last five years overtime has been minimal. Then the economy tanked and like so many others companies, retiring guys weren't replaced and the need to cover routes fell on existing employees. So when it began to snow Bill was asked to step up. Stepping up has never been a question for him. He's always ranked in the high 90s percentile on call ins. Bill always does what is best for his family even when he is dead tired and doesn't really want to. That's my man! But here I was thinking "I'm lonely". Wow.....then God spoke and this is what he said, "You have had two unexpected, costly expenses come about in the last week. I have provided for you so that you can pay those expenses WITHOUT undue hardship. I have provided for you because I love you. I have provided for you because I said I would provide for you always."

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in the wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1Tim6:17

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2Cor 9:8

Wow, let's dissect that last one......

And God is ABLE to make ALL grace abound (increase in magnitude) to you (ME!), so that in ALL things at ALL times, having ALL that you (I) need, you will abound (increase in magnitude) in every good work.

Truly beautiful. Now to finish the story....

I was NOT worried about the money to fix the repairs, the money to provide a wonderful Christmas for my family or the money for anything. One thing I have learned over the years is that God does provide. It has been my experience throughout my married life that God has always provided financially when there was a need and sometimes when there was merely a want. I can remember insurance reimbursement checks showing up in the mailbox at just the right moment or an envelope of cash from my parents or Bill's mom just because they loved us and the most remarkable moment, a check for $180 that was part of a civil settlement that we didn't even know we were a part of! When did it show up? Right when we needed it! Praise God. For He ALWAYS knows what we need, when we need it!

So now I am prepared. I have my armor on....as there appears to be an impending snow storm headed our way this weekend that will probably leave me alone again. But this time, I will be thankful to God that He is providing for our needs.

Have a God day!
XOXO

First I struggle....than I act.....

In hindsight I realize that if I had acted FIRST I wouldn't have struggled at all! WOW, what a revelation.....Let me explain.....

Each year as the school year ends I look SO forward to a relaxing summer. Since I am blessed to have a daughter that teaches, she too, can share her relaxing summer with me! And now that the grandchildren have come along, they too, are a huge part of my relaxing summer. So excitement was high come April 27th, the day Gavin was born. I would be able to spend time with my daughter, granddaughter and grandson a month before school was even out! Seriously, I am so blessed!

Fast forward FOUR MONTHS!! YIKES!! I do not know where that time went. I had a wonderful summer. Not only with Mandy and the kidders but with my church friends, my best friend, my walking friend, my family, my husband.....and now, alas, it is ended. When Mandy left last Thursday (her birthday and our last day together) I cried. Darn it! I did not want to cry in front of her because, she too, was going through her own sadness about leaving the kids and going back to work. But I couldn't hold my tears nor was I able to with anyone I talked about it with...my mom, my sister in law, my friends at church.....I had so much bottled up emotion. I would SO miss my girl....being able to pick up the phone and call her anytime, planning outings with all the kids.....just being able to pick up and go whenever we wanted. It was back to full time work, new families beginning, no adult company, loneliness.....yes, I had to get used to being alone again. For some reason this year has been especially difficult. I was sad...very, very sad. Emotional.....very, very emotional.

Sunday, at church, Sarah talked about changes in her life too. One daughter going back to school, one getting married....how life would be different...she got teary eyed. I wanted to share my changes but I could not talk without SOBBING! I simply could not talk about it at all.

Then the final straw, the final nail in the coffin.....criticism from my husband!! He addressed something he saw, from his perspective. I was not really happy about it! Couldn't he just sympathize with me? Support me?

Hmmm......correction, rebuke...whatever.....I don't like it. My first reaction is to defend myself. Then my second action is to really examine myself (silently of course.........do I REALLY want my husband to know he "may" be right?)

So that was Saturday evening......

It's been a week of my new hours and I'm still stinging (and pouting) for the severe cut in my time with the Lord. From two to three HOURS each morning to about 45 minutes unless I want to start getting up at 4am. That is just not going to happen. Another adjustment....more sadness...... UGH! But after my husband's comments I was determined to turn things around.

So I ACTED!! During my devotional this morning I just laid it all out to the Lord. I CRIED OUT to him to renew me, renew my spirit and joy for my job. Help me to be patient and to have self-control...to watch my tongue, to be kind and loving in my responses, help me not to miss Mandy so much.....after all, it's not like I won't talk to her everyday or see her at least twice a week.......and as only God can do.....He delivered.....in a big, amazing way!

I've been reading The Tender Commandments by Ron Mehl and Psalm 139:23-24 was noted in the chapter about the 4th Commandment. Now watch this girls, watch how the Lord puts everything together......I have a bookmark in this very book that I had written, at some time or another, on the back of it Psalm 139:23-24!!! I thought to myself "hey, those very verses are written on my bookmark so it must be something I really liked". Ready.....?

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Okay, that blew me away!! But it didn't end there. I just kept on reading.

O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me.
Hear my voice when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;
my the lifting up of my hands be like the
evening sacrifice.

Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
keep watch over the door of my llips.
Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil;
to take part in wicked deeds with men who
are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.
Psalm 141:1-4

AND THEN......

I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him;
before him I tell my trouble.

When my spirit grows faint within me;
it is you who know my way. In the
path where I walk men have hidden a
snare for me.
Psalm 142:1-3

AND THEN......

O Lord, hear my prayer,
listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfullness and righteousness
come to my relief.
Psalm 143:1

I kept reading until the first kids arrived and my spirit was renewed . I had such a peace about me that I felt like a totally different person!! I had an awesome day. I always, always, always, find comfort in the Lord. ALWAYS!! But, it seems, I must anguish over things FIRST....I need to go to the Lord FIRST, find those scriptures that so comfort me.....I'm learning...little by little, day by day.....what a journey I'm on I cannot speak about it without feeling such excitement!!

So.....the lesson today.......ask and it will be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened......how easy is that?

Love you gals.
XOXO

When you least expect it.....

Saturday was a planned day.....the bank, the pool store, the bookstore and hopefully some time to enjoy the pool.....

I started my morning with the Lord and a hot cup of tea. Thursday evening Bible Study was over (so sad about that - what a wonderful four weeks) and I could now turn my full attention to Tuesdays. I began by starting to read the lesson. I read the first page and when I turned to continue it felt funny, like the words weren't flowing and it didn't make sense. I thought "oh Dianna you really need to concentrate!". Then I realized a couple of pages were missing. I went to the internet to see if somehow I could acquire the missing pages...no luck. I thought maybe I could just purchase the book used but it would take too long to ship.....so I added the bookstore to my to do list. Now I LOVE the bookstore! It's a place that I can literally stay for HOURS but it's also VERY dangerous to my wallet!! So I don't go often because, for some reason, I cannot exercise restraint and I already have more books than I could possibly read for MONTHS. But I was "bothered". I would be out of the state Saturday AND Sunday and not sure if I would be back for church Sunday night. I just wouldn't be able to study and do Tuesdays lesson OR wouldn't have enough time to study....what was I to do..........First I needed to clear my thoughts and get on with the day as I have a tendency to dwell on that which I may not be able to fix. :-)

So I headed out to the bank, the pool store and then on to the bookstore. It was there that my day changed! I unexpectedly but happily ran into Beth at Borders! Actually, we were both walking in AT THE SAME TIME!! We chatted and I told her why I was there and vice versa. Then I offered to give Beth a ride home but since it was lunchtime we went to Panera first and it was a great lunch, great conversation and the ride home....well, with Beth.....ALWAYS GOOD!

When I got home I was anxious to catch some "rays" and do some reading but the nagging thought of not having my full lesson for Tuesday really bugged me! I knew I would be sorry I didn't have it when I wanted to study bright and early Monday morning. So I called Tammy and then I was on the road again to Tammy's to pick up the completed lesson. I had a wonderful chat with Tammy and then I was on my way again.

Though I didn't have my lesson to do that morning I still had a God filled day! I had more fellowship than I could have even planned for and having it come totally unexpected was just such a joy, such a God gift. Thank you God for the unexpected and thank you for always knowing what I need and when I need it! And thank you Beth and Tammy for great conversation and blessed fellowship!

Have a God day!!
XOXO

Peace....what a ride....

Monday was my consultation for my tummy troubles and I must say, though it was just a consult, I was quite nervous. Whether I was afraid of what the doctor might say or just realized that the procedure I would have to go through would soon become a reality, I was nervous.

A few weeks ago when I was visiting my best friend, I talked to her about my "need" to worry endlessly about that which I cannot change. It's become a torment for me, straight from the devil and I'm letting him win. She said something that had a profound affect on me.....she said "there is a difference between necessary concern and needless worry. REALLY?!! I must admit, what she said made sense. For so long now I've been very hard on myself. Trying to live to a perfect standard though I know I could never be perfect. Unattainable goals........

So I gave myself permission to be concerned about my doctor's appointment but I was still praying for God to give me some peace. The doctor was very nice and very comforting. He told me really there was nothing to worry about. That was when I did what I so often do.......cry! The let down of pent up emotion, fear, worry, anxiety........He was taken back by my tears and asked me if I'd like to take the canceled appointment he had for the next morning so that I could stop worrying. I said "YES!" and I have to tell you, it was then, like a huge burden, had been lifted from me.

Even though I had the prep work and the procedures to go through I was calm and peaceful. I went home, got in the Word and I was truly at peace. It was, as if, something just washed over me and all the fear was gone. Of course, I know it was God, answering my prayers!

I was NOT afraid! I did not have the usual "symptoms" that are always part of my worry. It was amazing! After I was all finished all I had to do was rest for the day. I spent the entire day with God.....reading, studying, researching......just me and God ALL DAY! Of course I found some miraculous things like I ALWAYS do!

I read three devotionals......

#1 -I am your Healer, your Joy. With noiseless footsteps I draw near to you. I need no agonized pleading. Your need is My Call.----The Two Listeners

#2 - And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Col 3:15

#3 - "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake I delight in weaknesses, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:9

Imagine my surprise when I saw how these passages spoke DIRECTLY to me in my time of need! I experienced God's grace and God's peace and it felt so good. If I was a perfect human being I would have no need for God and I would never experience that feeling. Now I know why God gives me challenges, trials, tests, temptations...whatever you want to call them.....so that I HAVE to find my peace IN HIM! It's how He draws me to Him! It's how He gets my attention! It's how he PROVES He loves me! It shows me how patient He is with me! It shows me how He will never leave me. Above all, it continues to grow my faith, to grow my trust......

Lesson learned! We serve an AMAZING God!

Have a GOD day!
XOXO

I am a puzzle......

Yep, that's what I've decided. I AM a puzzle. A complicated one with many pieces. You know the kind of puzzle that is mostly one color with a difficult design that takes FOREVER to put together? The kind that you start with wonderful enthusiasm and then set aside for long periods of time and then come back to again just sure you can complete this time?

Yesterday I began studying for our Tuesday night Bible Study which begins on July 6th. I found myself a tad uncomfortable with the first lesson as it was all about our fears, of which, I have a lot. As I got into the study it asked questions like "What are some of your own fears?" "In what ways do you see Christ reaching toward you, even during your fears?" "All of us fear death to some degree. What encouragement do you find......" and so on......

When answering the first question "What are some of your own fears?" my first fear was the fear of death. Maybe not the very act of death but of leaving this world and all of those that I love. Then adding the fear of cancer or other serious health issue for me or my children or any member of my family. Beyond those two really huge fears, virtually nothing else of any consequence...nothing that would hinder my everyday living. But I must say I am not preoccupied with death or illness in my everyday life either. But those questions did stir a lot of thought in me. Revealing some of my inadequacies as a Christ follower. That's why I love Bible Study. I can examine, really examine myself and where I need to learn and grow.

Hence, the whole puzzle theory . I thought "hmmm, I'm like this huge spiritual puzzle with many pieces. I'm complicated and difficult. I choose to work on myself until it gets too hard and then I quit until what was too hard becomes a distant memory and then I start again, this time, hoping to finish." Then I realized that I will never be finished until I am with God in heaven! I will only be complete when He calls me home. Okay, so each time I endure a trial or test of some kind, a piece of that puzzle is added. When I have a friend or family member that is hurting and needs compassion, to my heart, a piece of the puzzle is connected. When I experience injustice and am angry, to my wisdom, a piece of the puzzle is connected. When I know someone is in need and I provide, to my goodness, a piece of the puzzle is connected. When I feel the need to say something to someone and instead hold my tongue, to my self-control, a piece of the puzzle is connected. When I want all the answers IN MY TIME and I pray that I can accept answers "IN GOD'S TIME", to my patience, a piece of the puzzle is added. When my test seems to big for me to handle and I trust God instead of myself, to my peace, a piece of the puzzle is added. There are many more pieces, such as, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, joy and love.......I am a BIG puzzle.

I really feel like this is the way God is growing me up. He is teaching me through good times and bad.....adding to me, one piece at a time. It is up to me how I respond to being "built". I can be fearful, I can be angry, I can be resentful, unforgiving, unkind, uncaring, thoughtless....I can deprive myself of the love, compassion, gentleness, kindness, comfort and peace of a loving God....it is my choice. I can take the bad along with the good and as long as I LEARN from those experiences I KNOW that I am doing God's will or better put HE is doing His will in ME!

Praise God!

Test me, O Lord, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in your truth.
Psalm 26:2-3

Supporting each other.....

When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work. From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounds the trumpet stayed with me.
Nehemiah 4:15-18

During my studies this morning I was restless......I began with my devotional, really good as usual and then I dug into my continuing study in Ecclesiastes. It was hard this morning....I didn't get it, I found my mind wondering, I skipped questions that seemed too challenging....Mornings like this really bug me. Why couldn't I focus and why couldn't I get the answers? Well, I guess God had other plans for me. So as I just picked up my Bible and started to read God lead me and what a wonderful morning it turned out to be.

I've been thinking about and praying for a very special woman this week. We all know her very well and while I won't mention her by name you might just recognize her after reading this. I saw something....something that really touched my heart and made me really sad at the same time. I won't tell what I saw because it wasn't meant for me to see. In fact, many may have seen exactly what I saw and passed by without another thought (and still others might have had the same feeling of sadness that I did)....but it has bothered me so much because I have come to love, care and respect this person SO much......and God knows and He is directing my path as only he can do.

When I was gone one Sunday a couple of weeks ago I got a phone message about being missed. I was SO lifted up by that message. That someone would actually miss ME!! Then when I missed the second Sunday I came home from vacation to find several cards in the mail from those that were thinking about me. How awesome is that? Now don't get the wrong impression here....I don't have the NEED to have my ego stroked. I didn't NEED those calls and cards to keep me coming back to my community and my sisters! But, just knowing, that there are those that love and support me is so vitality important to my walk with God.

I'm guessing here but I would imagine that we all have a special person that we seek out when we need to talk or vent or cry or scream......I do as well. But as my walk with Christ deepens I am finding that I am less likely to turn to someone that does not share my christian walk and my deep spiritual beliefs. In other words, I want comfort, support and guidance from, what I like to call, a spiritual equal, a sister in Christ. Someone that knows where I'm coming from. Someone that I can relate to. That means, for me, that I am less likely to go to my mother as I would have ALWAYS in the past. She, though I do not know where she stands exactly, is not going to be able to give me the spiritual guidance I need. The close relationships I am forming with my community, I know, are God sent. I am sensitive to His leading.......I am "hungry" for His teachings.

For every time I go to someone for comfort or guidance or support, I have to realize that THAT person may be experiencing their own problems and may need comfort or support as well. Sometimes, God puts in our path, special people, wise people, discerning people, experienced people.....those with a loving, obedient heart. We are naturally drawn to them. In my experience, they usually ask for little or nothing in way of support, they are humble beyond all understanding and can sometimes be quite critical of themselves.....perhaps less forgiving of themselves than they should be. No, we don't idolize them but we look up to them and respect them for the position for which God has called them. What I have come to realize (and what most of you probably already have) is that just because someone is further along in their walk than me, they still experience the SAME things that I do.....be it lack of trust, loss of faith, the reluctance to let God carry their burdens, the very things we talked about last Sunday, relying solely on God. Somewhere, in my twisted way of thinking, I got the impression that those that had more faith than me are able to overcome anything! I'm learning......just how untrue that is. If there is one thing I've learned for Ecclesisates, it's that we ALL will suffer be it unfair or unjust.

We have been working very hard to build our women's ministry and what a wonderful job everyone is doing! It's so evident in our growing numbers and just the closeness of the group. I think (and remember I write this blog from only MY perspective) we have to always be aware that we don't want to lose not even ONE woman that walks through that door. NOT ONE! Once she walks through that door, we as a body, must be sure she never walks out! At least not for the reason that her needs were not being met. We have to be sure to build relationships as a group so that we EACH have a big support system so that we don't overwhelm those that we may be more easily drawn to. We all have a lot on our plates. We all bring unique qualities to the table. That's why I love the verse that God sent to me this morning and is at the top of this post. Look how ALL of these people were working together. Each had their own part but each was also supportive of the rest. Not a single person was overwhelmed as they all had a helper. Verses 19-23 continue to show how they worked together. It's really a beautiful scene.

It is my prayer this morning that we lift up and support each other and realize that each of us are equally in need and that each of us are capable of providing love, support and comfort to others.

Have a God day!
XOXO

The smallest particle.....

How about the calendar today?

If you have faith as small
as a mustard seed NOTHING
will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20-21

My Bible:

Because you have so little faith,
I tell you the truth, if you have faith
small as a mustard seed, you can say to
this mountain, "Move from here to there"
and it will move. Nothing will be
impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20

So.....just a little bit of faith.....a tiny bit....can move mountains? Just a little bit of God is FAR better than no God at all! Hmmm, that's comforting to me at this point in my life. I DO, most definitely, have faith. I'm not sure what the measure of it is but it is at LEAST a little bit. At least as much as a mustard seed! If I can move a mountain from here to there with faith as small as a mustard seed just imagine what I might be able to do with a whole lot of faith!

I made a decision yesterday (after God gave me the answer) and I have to say, it was based on a lot of faith. Maybe even bigger than a mustard seed! I decided to delay accepting a family into my daycare until late summer because of their schedule and what it would do to the quality time I had planned to spend with my children and grandchildren this summer. By choosing to do this I was taking the chance of losing this family altogether but I had to have faith that God would work this out for me. I have struggled with this decision for about two months. The income would be nice and MUCH needed but the time.....time.......I struggled, wrestled and prayed.......finally God answered and honestly until Monday night I did not know what I would do. God clearly spoke to me and said "delay their start time until late summer". He was right! I really want this family, even though their hours are still not ideal (so few things in life are really ideal). God assured me that he would take care of me financially during the summer so I accepted His decision and notified the family. They are elated to have the spaces for their two little ones and have no problem with the minor adjustment in the start date. Phew.....I am so relieved to have the answers I needed. But it was in God's timing NOT mine! Faith.....yes, I have some but I realize the need to build my faith and I'm working on it every day! My prayer for each of you that read this is that you would build a little faith today!

Have a GOD day!
XOXO

Good Morning

My beautiful friends! I love, love, love the calendar that Lisa gave us. It seems that each day the message on the calendar is so fitting. I was not disappointed today when I read:

I will honor you as long as I live
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest foods
I will praise you with songs of joy.
Psalm 63: 4-5

Usually I go to my Bible then and read the before and after verses to the ones on the calendar. I did so with this one and found that my translation was a different from the one on the calendar and, just as only God can do so well, my translation tied right in to our Women to Women lesson on Sunday.

I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Isn't that amazing?

Have a God day!
XOXO

Returning....

Oh.....coming back from the beach........The last day on the beach I had the opportunity to stand about 50 or 60 feet or so out in the water...all by myself, nobody around me and nothing, I mean NOTHING, but water ahead of me. I prayed out loud to God and thanked him for such a wonderful vacation. I thanked him for his beautiful creation and I also prayed that he would watch over all of us on our trip home the next morning. Me and God......just the two of us.......it was beautiful. Leaving the beach and coming home from vacation is usually a cause for a great deal of sadness for me. I'm always in need of a break from work, bills, responsibilities in general so when it's over so fast and all too soon....well I'm bummed.

But this year was different. I was excited to come home. NOT to the bills, NOT to work and NOT for the responsibilities.....but for Riverwood and community and the friends that I missed SO much. Missing just two Sundays (but two in a row), I felt so detached. When we got home one of the first things I did was look at the mail and then pick out what I would wear to church. In the mail I found FOUR letters from my "sisters". Had I been missed? I can't tell you how touched I was and how blessed I felt. Now I was even MORE excited!!

I jumped out of bed this morning just like I did a week ago Friday to leave for vacation! I could not wait to catch up with my friends, to worship God and to hear the message. Seriously, I even left the house 10 minutes earlier than usual! This is one place in my life that I can talk up, build up and be excited about and NEVER be disappointed. And surely I wasn't today.....In just two Sundays I had missed FOUR NEW sisters joining Women to Women!! How awesome is that?! I got to catch up with the regulars, I got to hug someone I've been missing VERY much and rejoice that she is recovering nicely and that the smile has returned to her face. Love you girl! I got to listen to another wonderful lesson, sing beautiful music and listen to Brian "bring it" like only he can! After service I mingled with warm, familiar faces and when it was time to leave.......I was disappointed!! I walked out into the sunshine and it felt so good but I really wanted to turn around and RUN back inside.

I'm so thankful for hugs, kisses and kind words. I'm so thankful for wonderful, intelligent, thoughtful, loving teachers that can get us to really think about things....make us comfortable enough to express our fears, our vulnerabilities, our hopes, our dreams.......our every thought, our prayers......

Oh how I love community. I need only be away for a short time to know right where I belong, right where God wants me to be, right where God knows I NEED to be, right where God has a purpose for me. God knows I can not do this life alone. As this scripture so eloquently says:

TWO people can ACCOMPLISH more than TWICE as much as one,
If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. And on a cold
night two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other.
A person standing alone can be attached and defeated but two can
stand back to back and conquer. Three are even better for a triple-
braided cord is not easily broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Returning.......returning from vacation.....returning TO my family........

HOPE YOU HAD A GOD DAY!
XOXO

Enjoy the Lord to the max there......

These wise words from Linda......the "there" is the beach. Day two of my beach vacation is coming to an end. It's HOT and STEAMY....the heat index at 110 today!! I say to Bill every year "I see God when I look at the ocean"...I'm in awe of it every year. It's always new and I'm never disappointed. I realized then how often I say I see God in things. When I had the honor of watching my grandson come into the world I said "you simply cannot deny God when you see the birth of a baby" and when I was able to get out and run the trail at the reservoir I said "this is a place I can come and be with God because I see him everywhere"........How awesome it is when we can "see" God in everything we do IF we choose to?

Not always what we want.....

Though the results of my medical test were not what I would want, because don't we all want the "all clear" sign, I was assured that nothing too serious is going on.......comforting? Not incredibly, because I'm still waiting....though my doctor did ease my mind. I could not wait to get to the car and give God a proper thank you! Now I will go and enjoy my vacation and come back to more testing.....I wanted to be with the Lord before I closed my eyes last night. So I open my Bible and this is the exact page I turned to:

Psalm 3:3-5

But you are my shield around me, O Lord;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the Lord I cry aloud,
and he answers me from his holy hill.
I lie down and sleep,
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

Then I bounced over to Psalm 4:1 and found this:

Answer me when I call to you
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress
be merciful to me and hear my prayers.

Seriously, isn't God AMAZING! He IS amazing but I will not post untruths......I was SO afraid and my hands were shaking.....even my blood pressure was high! Many times throughout the day I was very calm and knew that God would take care of me but just as many times I was on the verge of tears and felt little relief......I would just ask that you pray for me. That I would learn to trust God WITHOUT all of the fear and anxiety......I REALLY WANT to trust in every little thing.

Have a God day!!

XOXO

Strength.....

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy and I will
give thanks to him in song.
Psalm 28:7

Pray that I can remember and really live this calling......
Feeling REALLY nervous......
Feeling REALLY anxious......
Praying for calm and peace.......

Have a God day!
XOXO

Tying it all together....

I was making a run to Fashion Bug for a few more items for vacation and I was listening to the radio. The Moody Bible verse of the week was:

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out it's roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8

ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL!?

I guess I'll just never stop being amazed at how God ties EVERY lesson together!

Sleep tight!
XOXO

Trust

Trust....I've been thinking a lot about trust lately....my lack of it or my constant wavering between trusting and....well, simply put, NOT trusting.....The dictionary defines trust this way: "assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something b : one in which confidence is placed". Clearly, for a Christian, that "someone" is God. Something I realized this past weekend about trust is that there are circumstances where trust is fairly easy and then circumstances you simply cannot find peace through trust. Let me explain.

I took a trip this weekend. A trip that I have wanted to take for five years! My best friend of 40 years moved 5 hours from me after having practically lived next door for over 30 years. I miss her so much and while she comes this way often the only time I have been her way is if I am accompanied by someone else, usually my daughter. Fear has kept me from taking the trip alone. Driving through the mountains, driving in an unexpected rainstorm, car failure, being spotted as a woman driving alone......seriously, you name it, I've thought about it. But this weekend all of those scenarios didn't keep me away. I needed to be with her and she needed to be with me. So I prayed "God, ride with me and keep me safe". Once I got on the rode I was "okay" but cautious. I got about 1/2 way through my trip and realized that it was futile to find something that interested me on the radio so I popped in a christian music CD and I was literally renewed. I was happy! I was singing! I was no longer nervous, not in the least bit. I did have to keep myself from taking both hands off the wheel and extending them toward heaven though. :-) I got there safe and sound and it was wonderful. Kathy and I are two peas in a pod...err....well she is rather proper and I'm a tad naughty....but we are a wonderful blend. We have wonderful conversations and more exciting than anything I could have imagined....we are spiritual equals. We love the Lord! We opened the Word every chance we got and almost all of our conversations came down to talking about God and his plans for our life. We talked about faith, trust, love, grace.......we talked about fear, sorrow, anxiety.......we talked about our children, our grandchildren and our husbands and the state of our marriages (her being married for nearly 33 years and me nearly 31 years, both to men we dated in high school). On some level, I did not want to come home.....I wanted to talk to her for a week! But alas, our time was short and it was time for me to come home. The closer I got to home and the many times I talked to my husband on the way home, made me more and more excited to see him and be thankful for the break but to also carry on. When I came down our street, in our driveway was my daughter's car. I yelled out loud! I was so excited that she had brought the grand kids to see me! My husband had dinner ON MY PLATE ready for me to come in and sit down. Gotta love the accuracy of the GPS! I was greeted with hugs and kisses from Mandy, Laney and Bill and some snuggles from little Gavin.

What I learned.......I really CAN trust. I took God with me on that trip and he never left me. So I CAN trust! Yippee! I CAN TRUST! Now, just to work on trusting in EVERY situation. EVERY SITUATION!! Little by little God is growing me up! I'm rising to the challenge and he IS growing me up! Praise God!

Have a GOD day!!
XOXO

Gifts

Don't you just love when you get a gift? A gift that was totally unexpected and one that is SO appreciated? Don't you just love the people in your life that just seem to know what you need and are able to perfectly match up the gift for your need? Well, lucky me! I received TWO much needed, much appreciated gifts ON THE SAME DAY!

First, I've still been quite bothered over my lack of trust in God. I've worked really hard to fill myself with His wisdom and knowledge and I thought I was building trust as well. Then, as I explained in a previous post, I was tested and failed miserably. I shared my lack of trust with Women to Women on Sunday morning and, praise God, Sarah delivered! She explained to me (us) that we have a well worn rut from our "event" to Satan and boy was she right. My "event" is worry, anxiety and fear and I can tell you that rut....errrr.....TRENCH is quite deep. Then she said as we build our faith we begin to choose God instead of Satan and we create a new path. But that doesn't mean we won't fall into the old trench many times. What is does mean is that hopefully we will jump out of the trench BEFORE we get to Satan.....and hopefully, eventually we won't go down that path again. Her words were extremely conforting and like Ikel shared one time about her neighbor and the burning house running back and forth, back and forth when she just needed to be still and let God speak.....Sara Cross also comforted me in sharing one of her stories. A gift I didn't plan on. A gift given out of love. A gift so appreciated.

Second, Lisa so lovingly selected a book for me. Now of course it was a gift in the literal sense. I could touch it and feel it and read it. I was thankful, so grateful.......but NOW today, Tuesday, I am half way through it and it is so much more than a tangible gift! It is a gift of wisdom and insight and just so much more! I can barely tear myself away and I know that I will finish it before I go to bed tonight! I also know that I will be reading it many times over.

Two gifts, both given from the heart. Both gifts needed. Both gifts given in God's perfect timing. Both gifts SO comforting. Both gifts SO appreciated.

Hope you had a God day today!
XOXO

The Amazing Wonders....

This morning I took the kids outside to play while Bill and I prepared to open our pool. During the prep work Bill says "I think I found the frog you've been hearing". I have been hearing a very loud croaking frog for about two weeks now. "He", the frog, fell between the deck and the pool side into the gravel below. I called for the kids to come and see him and by then he had jumped and was clinging to the side of the pool. I told the kids to bring a bucket and we would "transplant" him to a safe place. I'm always worried that our dogs will get them and while I'm not terribly fond of bugs, rodents or insects, I would not want my dogs to kill them (well....maybe spiders). So we decided on a nice tree outside of our fence in the back. When we put that frog on the tree you could barely see it! It was almost invisible. God designed this frog so that it would be safe. Just totally amazing.
Made me wonder, do I stop long enough to really look at God's creation? I'd like to think I do when the opportunity arises. Lately, I've been in awe of so many things. I take each morning to thank God for the new day. My study of Ecclesiastes has really been making me think about the important things in life. This morning I began chapter 5 & 6 and the study asks the question "What Does It Take To Be Content?" I was certainly content watching that little frog on the side of that tree!! I hope you each take time to be content this long holiday weekend. I pray you are able to enjoy God's creation and his specially designed creatures!

Have a God Day!
XOXOX

A long way to go.....

As I was preparing to leave for a medical test this morning I realized that my trust in God is not as strong as I'd like it to be! I felt totally calm about what the results would be but so incredibly nervous about the test itself. See, I have a horrific gag reflex and I just knew that drinking this yucky, chalky "stuff" was NOT going to go down well. Empty stomach, nervous as all get out...not a great combination. So I did what I do so often for others....I prayed and prayed and PRAYED that God would get me through the drinking of that "stuff" and then I knew I would be fine. Guess what? Prayers answered......okay so great....sailed through the test and then......they needed some more x-rays......WHY?? They reassured me that it was because the "stuff" had not coated well so they tossed me on the table and rolled me around until the "stuff" coated the part they needed it to coat. THEN I convinced myself that something was really wrong and with all the build up of tension.....the tears flowed....flowed pretty freely...then I realized right there on the table that I'm not as trusting as I think I am......Now, I'm no longer nervous about the yucky "stuff" but instead the results! At one point during the test the technician asked me to lay on my side with my hands by my face as if I were praying......I responded with "oh, believe me, I've BEEN praying".....they both chuckled. I believe God got me through that procedure and through with not a single gag incident. But now the REAL trusting begins and I'm scared.....I am, I admit it. All the "what ifs" are making me crazy. But I know where to go for comfort, guidance, courage, strength.......I am going to the Word. When I cry out to the Lord I know he will comfort me. I just have to trust in Him.....it's SO hard....I don't really know why because "who by worrying can add an hour to their day".....not me or my days already would be thousands of hours long!! I am thankful that God leads me back to Him, that I know where to go.
I miss you guys SO much. Hope everyone is well.
Love,
Dianna

Today in the Word.....

The previous post was meant for Linda as I read it the morning after she had told me (and the other leaders) that she was having surgery. I could not believe how it spoke to her!! She expressed a lot of fear and when I read this I knew it was really meant for her and that's why I posted it here. I believe it could mean a great deal of comfort for any of us that are facing something that is unpleasant and scary.
In a recent conversation with Linda I brought up the fact that my lack of knowledge of biblical history was really hindering my understanding of the word. She suggested that I think about purchasing a Life Application Bible. So I took her suggestion and received it last week. It is wonderful!! If you struggle with the history of the Bible or just discerning the meaning of scripture.....you may find it very helpful too. Thanks Linda.

Surgery Update: I heard from Liann tonight that Linda was out of surgery and being moved to her room and that the surgery went well. Continue to pray for her speedy recovery.

We love you Linda!

XOXOXO

Food for thought.....

From the book entitled: God Calling - The May 12th devotional

Turn out all thought of doubt and of trouble. Never tolerate them for one second. Bar the windows and doors of your souls against them as you would bar your home against a thief who would steal in to take your treasures.
What greater treasures can you have than Peace and Rest and Joy? And these are all stolen from you by doubt and fear and despair.
Face each day with Love and Laughter.
Face the storm.
Joy, Peace, Love, My great gifts. Follow Me to find all three. I want you to feel the thrill of protection and safety Now. Any soul can feel this in a harbor, but real joy and victory come to those along who sense these when the ride a storm.
Say, "All is well." Say it not as a vain repetition. Use it as you use a healing balm for cut or wound, until the poison is drawn out; then, until the sore is healed; then, until the thrill of fresh life floods your being.
All is well.

Have a God Day!!
XOXO

Seeking Approval - Part 2

In doing some research I came across this article and it it so well written I wanted to share. The parts that are bold in red are the parts that particularly touched me. I love the use of the word unique and how many times it mentions "not giving up yourself."

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalms 139:14

Have a God Day!
XOXOX


The Rev. Patricia Hunter

When seeking approval, be true to yourself.
Every day we make decisions about how much of ourselves to share. What if we share our thoughts, desires and passions, and others reject...


The Rev. Patricia Hunter

Special to The Seattle Times

Every day we make decisions about how much of ourselves to share. What if we share our thoughts, desires and passions, and others reject us? What do we do then? We may need a friend to help wipe our tears, but we will survive.

Though others may not believe in us, it is important to stay true to our values and dreams. It's OK to seek others' approval — if we don't give up ourselves in the process.

Deep down, we all want to be liked. Children want to please parents, teachers and friends. They learn early on that if they please older people around them, they'll get even more attention.

My sister and I went shopping with my nephew when he was 2 years old. We could not get help from the salespeople because Nathan was the center of their attention. He already knew how to work a crowd.

We carry our desire to be liked into adulthood. We join fraternal organizations, social clubs and churches to find community. Finding a place that approves of us is just as important as finding an organization that supports our values.

We want to fit in on our jobs, too, and be appreciated for our gifts and skills. It's important to be a team player if we want to succeed. Often, we think of teens when we talk about peer pressure. In truth, we feel pressure at all ages to conform.

The desire to fit in is understandable, but at times the cost is too great.

If one has to listen to degrading jokes from friends in order to be part of the ol' gang, it may be time for new friends.

If we are looking the other way when we see friends mishandling other people's money, we are not being a friend at all.

If one has to lie about her heritage or identity out of fear of rejection, the spiritual cost is too high.

Each of us is uniquely and wonderfully made in the image of God. If we pretend to be something we are not in hopes of fitting in or getting approval, we are not being the person God created us to be.

It is easy to identify cliques in our churches and on our jobs. The mission statement may say all are equal. But it is easy to see that some people are more equal than others.

Cliques are always going to be around. In a large group setting, smaller groups are formed for support. Cliques in themselves do not bother me, unless they degrade others and members consider themselves superior. What I find problematic is when one gives up her unique character in hopes of being accepted. We can find support on the job and within our spiritual communities without hurting ourselves or others.

On the job, it may be necessary to limit how much personal information is shared. Work isn't always the best place to discuss your beliefs, identity or heritage. Doing so may adversely affect a career.

But being discreet at work is different from pretending to agree. Losing one's moral compass in search of another's approval is deadly. Jesus put it another way: He said, what does it profit a person to gain the whole world and then lose his own soul?

We do not choose our heritage. I have a friend who swears her mother took home the wrong baby from the hospital, because her values and goals were so foreign to the rest of her family. Although we have no say in who our parents are, we can learn from their examples. We can emulate their strengths and try not to repeat their shortcomings.

It takes a strong sense of self to listen to one's inner voice or intuition.

I believe we are seldom steered wrong if we listen to our hearts. It is easy to drown out that inner voice if we give our will over to popular opinion, the majority, or those with more power and money. It is so important to remember that history is full of occasions where the majority was wrong — from slavery to the war in Iraq.

I want to be accepted as much as the next person, but my purpose on the planet is not to please others. My purpose is to proclaim the love of God to those who may never enter a church. Going against the grain can make for some lonely times. But knowing I am doing the right thing and being true to my calling is the most important approval of all.


The Rev. Patricia L. Hunter is an associate in ministry at Mount Zion Baptist Church and an employee-benefits specialist for American Baptist Churches in the USA. She and other columnists take turns writing for the Faith & Values page. Readers may send feedback to faithpage@seattletimes.com

Seeking Approval.....

So...yesterday in Women to Women a topic came up that really got me to thinking......One woman shared that she was seeking approval or at least an opinion from her father on a very important issue in her life. When he didn't respond as she had hoped, neither negatively or positively she was hurt. Seeking approval is a syndrome I suffer from as well. Having long been a pleaser I could totally relate. Then I began to think.....dangerous, I know....but.......Why do we try to seek approval from others rather than from God, our creator, who knows us so well and has a plan for us? And why is it bad to WANT approval from friends and family? So that's what I'm going to address here over the next few posts. I want to know where seeking approval crosses the line into sin. I want to know where seeking approval and serving others becomes blurred. I want to know why, in my human flesh, here on this earth, it is wrong to want people to like me. I want to know where doing good and seeking to stroke my ego become confusing.....

One website quote says "It boils down to feeling desired and loved". Okay, I'll agree with that. I like how it feels to be loved AND desired. But then it says "For most people in the world approval-seeking is an expression of low self-esteem". Hmmm, I can see this point, but this is NOT me. I'm pretty confident, but I don't believe I've ever had low self-esteem. I may suffer from a little bit of shyness until I get to know somebody, but low self-esteem, not in my case.

Then this poster goes on to say, "Praise temporarily fills the void created by the feeling of not being loved and we experience pleasant emotions. Because we don't know how to close this void we figure that we can only be happy when others approve of us. Usually we come to this conclusion when we are still very little because the big people around us that we look up to (parents, teachers etc.) are fond of harshly expressing their disapproval when we don't act the way they expect us to. Disapproval feels bad so we start trying to act in a way that others will like and gradually this kind of behavior becomes a habit. Slowly the emotional high we get from approval becomes addictive and when we don't get our dose, we suffer. That motivates to conform to others' rules even more."

Ah ha!! Now we are getting somewhere. This may help to answer my first question.....where seeking approval crosses the line into sin.....If we begin to conform to what we think others will like than we lose our true self. We lose/change the person that God created. Now that is huge to me. God created me, uniquely.....I am like no one else...I have special talents, special gifts, given to me, by God, for HIS purpose. If I begin to change myself than I am changing what God made.
I strongly maintain that I am NOT changing myself so that others will like me but instead I want people to like me for who I am. It's unrealistic to believe that everyone I meet will like everything about me......totally unrealistic....but I don't change who I am....I won't compromise my moral, my values, my beliefs, God's mission for me......for someone to like me. But maybe I will strive to do better, be kinder, be more giving, mind my tongue, use my gifts for the benefit of others, be more patient.....but then would I be destined for this behavior by the very act of God creating me? So many questions.......

As always, we should go to scriptures to seek out answers to our questions.

Galatians 1:10 says: For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

But exactly how do we do that? By this passage it seems pretty black and white doesn't it?

Have a God day!
XOXOX

What a beautiful evening....

Last night was just a wonderful evening wasn't it? Seriously, I could not feel more blessed than to be surrounded by such Godly women. Just amazing.....I do not have the capacity to absorb it all. Thank you all for such a wonderful year.

As I was sitting down to do my study this morning I was thinking about what I might post to the blog. When I began to think about doing a blog I thought "what if I can't think of anything to post?" But I needn't worry EVER. God always brings it to me. I don't even have to look for it.

I have a devotional book called God Calling. It was a gift. I have many devotional books so even if I rotate them I only pick them up occasionally. This morning I picked up this one and today's message is this:

May 5

Let Me Choose

My loved ones. Yes, with the heart, not the head, men should think of Me, and then worship would be instinctive. Breath in My very Spirit in pure air and fervent desire. Keep the eye of your spirit ever upon Me, the window of your soul open towards Me. You have ever to know that all things are yours--that what is lovely I delight to give you. Empty your mind of all that limits. Whatever is beautiful you can have. Leave more and more the choice to Me. You will have no regrets.

I've been so worried about falling from God's word this summer that I prayed this morning "please Lord, continue to work in me that I would crave your word every day"....imagine how my heart felt when I opened this devotional and it said "with the heart, not the head, men should think of Me, and then worship would be INSTINCTIVE"......I love our God. He KNOWS what we need and when we need it!

Have a God day ladies!

God sure does open doors....

I'm renewing my study of Ecclesiastes now that our Tuesday night study is completed. Prior to today I've read through it completely one time and have followed an online study for the first two chapters. This morning I began again and read through the entire book for the second time. Since I'm relatively new to the Bible I am always amazed at how God speaks to me. I have a feeling that if I ever become well read in the Bible, I'm still going to be amazed at how God speaks to me. I watch Sarah bring the word to us and I watch her tears and I see her react surprised and amazed at what she discovers and if Sarah still has that newness, than that must mean that all the days of my life I will find something new, something meaningful, something pertinent every time I open the word, to the end of my days! How awesome and exciting is THAT????

Being an optimist, I at first, found this book to be particularly negative and depressing.....but reading through it, REALLY reading it, there is just so much wisdom and knowledge to be gleaned.....I love this blog because I can share my excitement with others as I'm quite sure sharing it with a 3 or 4 year old probably won't reap the same benefit! :-)

Ecclesiastes 3:14 says "I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it."

I find that verse particularly comforting and one of the reasons I picked God's Enduring Love for the name of this blog. I love the word endure. Endure: To suffer patiently without yielding; to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding.......What a wonderful God we serve. That He would be patient with us. There are so many other verses that touched my heart....just so many.....but if I get too windy Linda might make fun of me! So I'll stop here and pray that if you get a few minutes you might take a look for yourself which is FAR better than me telling you about it anyways!

Have a great day!

Revisited.....

I was going through some old documents and I ran across this Proverbs Devotional that I thought was extremely appropriate for us right now. The bold and red portions are parts that really spoke to me.

I am SO excited about the direction in which our women's ministries are heading! Women really are the backbone of family. God gave us special gifts and if we use those gifts, there is no doubt in my mind we CAN move mountains for God's glory!!

Special thanks and glory to the wonderful writers for Proverbs 31 Ministries. These are some very talented women who are willing to step up, be vulnerable and minister to all of us.


The Friendship Project
5 Jan 2010
Whitney Capps

"But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' Luke:10:29 (NIV)

It was a room full of nearly strangers, barely friends-until that day. I asked the ladies to stand as I read from a list of life experiences. If they had lived through one of the descriptions they stood up. One by one, sobbing women rose to their feet as I read the list. They were family in name only - a family of believers from the same church gathered together for a women's retreat where I was the guest speaker.

Twelve women stood together when I asked if anyone had had a miscarriage. One woman had buried a spouse. Five came from unbelieving homes. One had lived through marital infidelity. Three had escaped relationships where they had faced verbal, physical or sexual abuse. Three ladies had struggled with depression. The list went on and on. By the time I had finished, every woman in the room was standing.

We were knee-deep in one another's junk, and yet I had never felt closer to a group of women. As we closed the session I asked them to share more about their stories at their individual tables. As I surveyed the room, women who had been strangers only minutes before were huddled around one another, embracing, sharing and weeping. God was knitting hearts together. It was a moment I'll never forget.

I am realizing that women of all walks of life crave friendships. And yet so many of us feel that we are lacking meaningful, authentic relationships. How is it that a church full of women with a common thread of faith are not friends? Worse yet, if we aren't friends, can we hope to offer authentic relationships to those who enter the doors of our churches every week?

I fear the answer is "no, we can't" unless we change and make a few necessary sacrifices.

Recently I've gleaned some life lessons from the story of the Good Samaritan. In Luke 10:30, Jesus paints a not-so-favorable picture of the religious and respectable. I wonder if He would have the same indictment of our churches today? The priest was seemingly too busy to befriend the one in need.

Can I be honest? I am regularly guilty of this sin. Before and after church my husband and I busy ourselves with the work of tending to our children, and doing the business of church. I move past people who are hurting, but I don't stop with my busyness to see their needs. I rarely get off my horse. I am the priest.

The Levite rode past the hurting man too. Perhaps he felt he was too clean to get dirty in the messy business of grace and mercy. Helping the man in need would have made the Levite ceremonially unclean. He wanted to preserve his position and place.

Let me do a little more truth-telling. I don't usually want to get knee-deep in other people's junk. If I don't get into messy relationships I avoid having to deal not only with my own junk, but other's as well. So I don't get off my horse. I am the Levite.

Here is the problem. Real relationships require time and transparency. If we want to move from being casual acquaintances to genuine friends you and I will have to share pain and joy in an authentic, sacrificial way. I believe this, but for right now it's just theory.

I'm curious. What would happen if we covenanted together to get off our high horses and got into one another's junk? I wonder if our churches would explode. I wonder if lives would be forever changed. I wonder if the Church would shed a little bit of its reputation of hypocrisy.

Want to see what would happen? It's not too late to add a New Year's resolution. Let's resolve to change lives through friendship. Let's slow down. Let's share our stories. Let's get knee-deep.

Dear Lord, give me eye s to see those in need around me, and give me the courage to respond. Father, I want to be a part of life-changing friendships by offering grace and mercy. You call us to love others as ourselves. Help me obey this all-consuming command. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
The Friends We Keep: A Woman's Quest for the Soul of Friendship by Sarah Zacharias Davis

Visit Whitney's blog today

Traveling Together: Thoughts on Women, Friend ship and the Journey of Faith by Karla Worley

Join Whitney's Facebook group The Friendship Project for more details about this campaign

Application Steps:
How can you simplify your Sunday routine to allow more time for building relationships?

With whom can you share part of your story in hopes of offering encouragement and hope?

Reflections:
Do you have genuine, edifying friendships? Why or why not?

Are you reaching out and developing new friendships with those in need around you?

Power Verses:
Luke 10:27, "He answered: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"; and, "Love your neig hbor as yourself.'" (NIV)

Luke 10:33-34, 36-37, "But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds…and took care of him… 'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.' Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'" (NIV)

© 2010 by Whitney Capps. All rights reserved.

Proverbs Devotional

I thought this was a good on!


Undignified Worship
29 Apr 2010
Glynnis Whitwer

"...It was before the LORD who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel – I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this... ." 2 Samuel 6:21-22a (NIV)

I grew up in a traditional church, singing traditional hymns. Being a Christian was very matter-of-fact for me. I was a Christian in the same way I would have told you I was a student.

Nothing much changed in our little church. Every Sunday, faithful men and woman of God taught Sunday school, served on committees and made lemonade, coffee and cookies for after-church fellowship. It was a wonderful experience and I grew up loving God's Word, His church and its people.

When I was a high schooler in the late 70s, I was introduced to Christian "rock and roll." Being in Arizona, we got overflow from the California Jesus movement, and were familiar with many of the bands coming on the scene. I heard songs by Keith Green, Second Chapter of Acts and Phil Keaggy. These songs depicted a faith in God that was passionate and alive. Something stirred within me as I listened to their music over and over.

I can still vividly picture myself in a sold-out symphony hall before a live concert as one half of the room yelled, "We love Jesus, yes we do. We love Jesus how 'bout you?" I was on the other side, and we answered as loudly as we could, repeating the challenge. Joy and celebration vibrated through the hall as we shouted, jumped up and down and waved our arms in the air for love of Jesus.

It was completely undignified and I was completely undone ... never to be the same. I knew I wanted a faith like that. I wanted to be so excited about Jesus that it overflowed, and I didn't care what my worship of Him looked like.

A few years ago, I read the story of King David dancing before the Lord. Now there was someone who didn't worry what others thought. David had overseen the return of the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, and as it neared, he couldn't contain his joy. He replaced his kingly attire with a simple outfit and danced with all his might.

His wife, Michal, watched from the window and didn't approve of David's behavior. She was disgusted with him, and told him so. David wasn't fazed, and responded with words that encourage me today, "It was before the LORD who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel – I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this ..." (2 Samuel 6:21-22a).

David was so in tune with God's heart, that he was unconcerned with the judgmental comments of others. David's only focus was on worshipping his God with sincerity an d abandon.

That is my hope and prayer for myself. I want to let go completely of the fear of man, and worship with uncontained joy. When I am older, too old to dance in some people's opinion, I hope you'll find my gnarled hands raised, my gray head bobbing and my body swaying in worship. My kids and grandkids might be embarrassed. But, yes, I will be even more undignified than that for my King.

Dear Lord, King David got it right, and I want to as well. You are worthy of all my worship and adoration. Forgive me for letting the opinions of others influence my worship of You. Help me to focus more on Your majesty, and less on myself. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

If.....

Every morning when I sit down to quickly check my e-mail I pull off the previous days calendar page to read the new one. Lisa, I love this calendar. Often I'll go to the Bible and read the verse and the verses before and after. Today's is so fitting....well, isn't EVERY verse fitting? I don't think I've read a single one that I could not apply to my life on the very day I read it!

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14

I love this verse and it's one I will have to live by this summer....especially the part that says "pray and seek my face".

Have a great week ladies!
Love you all!

Godliness

I have to admit when Sarah was talking about our Tuesday evenings coming to an end and how to continue to be vigilant in our walk over the summer months, I was a little nervous. I need to jam pack my schedule so that I can adequately fill my time with praise, study and worship until we meet again in September! I have so many studies I've started....One on the book of Ecclesiastes, one on the topic of justification, one on the book of Ephesians......all I dabble in and return to here and there along with reading a few books and trying to decide which books to place on my summer reading list. I also intend to accept an invitation to a Thursday night study for about four weeks beginning June 17th and I plan to join a Tuesday night study if it materializes. I'm not going to lie, it's going to be difficult without fellowship but I am committed AND convicted!!

During our study in Peter I decided to pursue something....something called Godliness.

Sarah defined godliness this way: Practical awareness of God in ALL aspects of our life. What a challenge. What does that look like? What does it feel like? Today I decided to put it to the test.

Bill and I headed down to the reservoir to do that same five miles we did in the rain last Sunday. This time though Bill took along his fishing pole and while I did the five miles he fished along the shore. I began my workout by listening to WCRF. Totally unrelated to my topic here, but too good not to mention, the host said "We don't realize how shattered we are and we can't begin to imagine how much we are loved". I thought that was a pretty awesome thought. Anyways, half way through my walk I decided I needed some music! I turned my MP3 player to "Oldies". I decided that I would listen to this music and in each song I would find God. Sooooo take a look at some of the songs on my play list:
Disclaimer: I said OLDIES, some of you may recognize these songs and some of you may be just too darn young! :-)

Julie, Julie, Julie - Bobby Sherman
Go Away Little Girl - Donny Osmond
Build Me a Buttercup - ?
I Think I Love You - David Cassidy
Puppy Love - Osmond Brothers
Put A Little Love In Your Heart - Jackie DeShannon
When I Need You - Leo Sayer
Ben - Jackson Five
Got To Be There - Jackson Five
You Are Always On My Mind - Partridge Family

I don't believe there was a single song that did not have the word "love" in it. And many of them were filled with lyrics by which I could make God the subject.

When I Need You - Leo Sayer

When I need you, I just close my eyes and I'm with you
And all that I so want to give you, is only a heartbeat away.
When I need love, I hold out my hands and I touch love
I never knew there was so much love keeping me warm
night and day.......


Put A Little Love In Your Heart - Jackie DeShannon

Think of your fellow man, give him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart
I hope when you decide, kindness will be your guide
Put a little love in your heart
And the world, will be a better place
And the world, will be a better place
For you....and me....you just wait and see......


You Are Always On My Mind -

You are always on my mind
If I've got to go through this whole life
day after day to find you there on my mind.

Got To Be There - Jackson Five

Be there in the morning
To welcome her into my world
To tell her that she's my girl
And that when she's with me I'm home

Hey, I didn't say some didn't take a little imagination but God is still there when you think of being with him in the morning and welcoming Him into your world and that when you're with Him you're home.....

You get the idea.......

This practical awareness was feeling pretty good.....

At times I found myself singing loudly with my arms in the air.......my finger pointing to the sky......a huge smile on my face.....It was so awesome....just me and God.......and a little nostalgia...........That second 2.5 miles went by lightening fast. So fast that I flew right past where I was to meet Bill. He saw me but I didn't see him so when he came looking for me I have to admit, I wish he hadn't because I would have been able to spend more time finding God in my Oldies but Goodies!! There I was totally drenched in sweat, out of breath, big smile talking about how great it was to workout, the beautiful weather, wonderful music and then declaring loudly PRAISE GOD!! He either thought I was totally crazy or wished he had ditched his fishing pole for a little of what I got on that run!! What cannot be denied is that in every circumstance in which we find ourselves, we CAN be a witness!

My sister in law that just lost her sister told me that her husband (Bill's younger brother) said to her that he went to church and lit a candle for Pam. He told her that he is learning from her and her faith in God!

When we can find God in every little thing, we can be awesome witnesses to everyone we come in contact with just by having conversation with them.

I hope as you begin your week that you can have a practical awareness of God in all aspects of your life.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1Peter 4:11

Miracles.....

Thank you all for sharing in my joy last night. What a day it was. It is impossible to deny God when you witness such a thing as the birth of a baby. I am changed forever because of Jesus. So long ago when Jesus walked the earth, people got to witness his miracles by his own hands and his own words and his own actions. What a wonderous sight that must have been then. But then I got to thinking....what I witnessed yesterday was a miracle created by God's own hands. All the glory is His and His alone!! Thank you Jesus!

Gavin Anthony Hunsicker

8lbs. 4ozs. 20.5ins.

There is no law against......

In doing my study this morning I ran across this passage:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

I love this passage because there is NO law against being kind, loving, gentle, experiencing or giving joy or peace and being faithful. How glorious that we could be ALL of these things just because.....just because......We don't have to worry about being pulled over and ticketed for being kind but imagine what being kind might mean to someone else.

Below is one of the best true stories I've ever heard and it just proves how a little kindness can go a long way, a little kindness will never be forgotten:

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy name Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is trouble because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon after him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is with drawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocer bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."
After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encourage him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become on of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets".
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another not from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little long. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs.Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
Teddy Stoddard is the doctor at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.

So if you're still with me.....isn't that a story that warms the heart. I cried the first time I read it. We just never know you guys. When that kind word will make a difference.

As for the part of the passage I didn't mention.....self-control......Just as Mrs. Thompson began this story, she had little self-control....she judged freely without even knowing the circumstances. What a lesson she learned!

I pray that for each of us, today can be a day that we realize that there are "means" of loving and giving for which there are NO laws! There is a way to live our lives with no boundaries, no silly rules, no unfairness.....How cool is that?