tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73379846498255494912024-02-07T17:21:50.782-08:00Just Up AheadAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-55802484097482388322014-11-19T13:17:00.000-08:002014-11-19T13:22:20.605-08:00Why you Shouldn't Want What You Don't Have<div style="text-align: left;">
Have you ever found yourself wishing you had someone else's body, life, car, marriage, etc...? I know I do. My biggest struggle is wishing I looked like someone else. Someone with bigger boobs, flatter stomach, better hair, and on and on. </div>
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Yesterday I was reading my Bible in the book of Colossians and a verse really hit home for me. Colossians 3:5 says "<span style="background-color: yellow;">Put to death therefore what is earthly in you</span>: sexual immoratlity, impurity, passion, evil desire, <span style="background-color: yellow;">and covetousness, which is idolatry.</span>" My wanting someone else's body is a sin! I had never realized that before. I knew what covetousness was but I never really sat and thought about how it plays out in my own life before.</div>
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Wanting what someone else has means we are not thankful or satisfied with what God has given us. And when we aren't content with what God has given us, we start to want that thing we think we should have more than we want God, which is idolatry. </div>
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John 10:10 tells us that "the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Now does wishing you had someone else's body,car, marriage, etc... bring about the abundant life that Jesus is talking about? Um, no. It pretty much steals my joy, and if I let it go to far, it can also destroy me. Yikes! </div>
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We were not created to be miserable unhappy people. We were created to have abundant, joy filled lives, <i>in him. </i>That's the secret to avoiding the misery of covetousness. Finding our joy in Christ and his abundant promises. If we don't do that, we will continue to look to the world for our delights, and that usually isn't found in what we already have. </div>
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Recognize that coveting is sin. It will destroy you if you do not lay it at the foot of the cross and turn from it. If you find yourself thinking " I would be happier if I had ______" take it to Jesus. That thought is a lie. Yes, a lie. That's thing about looking outside of Christ for your fulfillment. Your mind will never be satisfied. It will always want more. You won't be happier with that thing you crave. You will just want something new.</div>
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So I encourage you today when you find yourself craving something you<b> don't</b> have to stop and give thanks to God for what you<b> do</b> have.</div>
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<b>What about you? Who do you envy? What do you do about it?</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-67605656517724416052014-06-05T12:22:00.000-07:002014-06-05T12:22:07.296-07:00Thankfulness ThursdayI don't know if it's the weather or because I'm tired, but I am in a grumbly mood today! I literally asked God today why he had to curse me with chronic acne and constipation as well as bad hair. Now I know God didn't curse me with those things. They are a product of the fall and his tools for keeping me humble and depending on him. But I felt the need to gripe to him about it anyways.<br />
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So needless to say, I thought I should spend a little time giving thanks. I also thought maybe I should post my thanksgivings on a regular basis here to keep me accountable and to remind me of all the good things God has given and done for me. So here goes.<br />
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Today I am thankful that my husband prefers to see me in a ponytail or bun rather than with my hair down. Which begs the question, why do I spend so much time trying to style my hair the way I see it done on Youtube if my husband prefers the simple anyways? Glutton for punishment I guess. Anyways, I'm thankful that if I gave up on all that hassle with my hair, my husband would be perfectly happy.<br />
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I am also thankful that my acne is not the large cyst like pimples that I used to get but rather little bumps that most people don't even notice. I'm thankful for makeup that covers up said bumps. I'm thankful God loves me and his power is at work within me no matter what my skin (and hair) look like.<br />
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Lastly I am grateful for medicines and dietary changes that can help relieve constipation. I'm grateful I don't have to be bent over in misery every day as I deal with my digestive issues. I'm grateful for doctors who can help us when we are having health issues.<br />
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<b>Now it's your turn. What have you found yourself complaining about today? What are you grateful for?</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-91342216268880821172014-06-04T07:17:00.001-07:002014-06-04T07:17:14.271-07:00True Beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfGZxxieQ2-pnoRQ7-V9U6dcbt19CFyKXZNcnVN2Hi6PcB4GUCqkIL7s-CktXN-AfzziK8EmhO9L062-VVQpUdscHZZlDyMQaGXIJYeyjpuA7J0YIYkZLoEw9KddA2MTXmTf0rhcv9t5H/s1600/beautiful-hot-pink-red-rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfGZxxieQ2-pnoRQ7-V9U6dcbt19CFyKXZNcnVN2Hi6PcB4GUCqkIL7s-CktXN-AfzziK8EmhO9L062-VVQpUdscHZZlDyMQaGXIJYeyjpuA7J0YIYkZLoEw9KddA2MTXmTf0rhcv9t5H/s1600/beautiful-hot-pink-red-rose.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised."<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On a daily basis, we are constantly being bombarded with the world's view of beauty. Skinny, tanned, toned, big boobed ladies wearing next to nothing are paraded in front of us on tv, in advertisements, and magazines. It's hard not to see these images and come away feeling good about yourself.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I personally struggle a lot with feeling like I'm not good enough because I don't look like these models. My boobs are small. My stomach isn't flat. My hair isn't thick and perfectly sculpted. I tend to spend a lot more time than I should worrying about my exercise routine, what I eat, what I wear, and how my hair looks. Sometimes I'm downright obsessed with it.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The other day I was wrestling with these issues, feeling convicted for spending so much time dwelling on myself and my outer beauty, and then God brought the above verse to my mind. God, my creator, isn't concerned with how my hair looks or how flat my stomach is. He's concerned with my soul. Beauty in his eyes is a broken and contrite spirit that depends on him (Psalm 51:17). We look at the outward appearance of others, but God looks at the heart. (1Samuel 16:7)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> As Proverbs 31:30 states, outward beauty is fading. It can be taken away at any moment. One of the ladies I admire most is Joni Eareckson Tada. She was injured in a diving accident as a teenager and became paralyzed from the neck down. She has been a paraplegic for 40 some years, yet despite her broken body, she is one of the most beautiful women I know. Her love for the Lord spills out into the lives of others as she has devoted her life to encouraging others and helping out paraplegics all over the world.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>True beauty is giving our messy lives and imperfect bodies to God to be used for His glory. As believers in Christ, we are set free from a life devoted to making much of ourselves. We are free from seeking the applause and attention of the world. Let me repeat that: if you are a believer in Christ, you are free from seeking the applause and attention of the world. You are free from striving to make yourself beautiful and acceptable according to the world's standards and are now free and empowered to bring glory and honor to God.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Precious lady, I encourage you to stop striving to adorn your outer self and cultivate a walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:3-4) You are precious in his sight; frizzy hair, flabby stomach, acne and all. You can stop striving to be perfect and rest in his glorious grace. (Ephesians 2:5-10)<br />
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Discussion time. How about you? Do you struggle with how you look? What things have you done to try to achieve the world's standard of beauty?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-77812899848519290502014-04-29T14:49:00.001-07:002014-04-29T14:49:37.149-07:00Link Love TuesdayOne of my favorite things in the blogosphere lately is when bloggers share their favorite blog posts, articles, recipes, etc... I decided to share my favorite posts with you as well. I've been reading some really good articles lately that are too good to keep to myself. I will arrange them by category so you can easily find what is of interest to you. I will even share my favorite workouts of the week. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><u>Good Advice</u></b></span><br />
<a href="http://allisonvesterfelt.com/page/2/" target="_blank">Don't wait to be invited to your own life</a> via Allison Vesterfelt<br />
<a href="http://www.thereallife-rd.com/2014/04/cultivating-positive-body-image.html" target="_blank">Cultivating Positive Body Image</a> via Real Life RD<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><u>Biblical Wisdom</u></b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/don-t-worry-be-casting" target="_blank">Don't Worry, Be Casting</a> via Desiring God<br />
<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/when-it-seems-like-god-did-you-wrong" target="_blank">When it Seems Like God Did You Wrong</a> via Desiring God<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><u>Food</u></b></span><br />
<u><a href="http://www.realmomnutrition.com/2014/04/18/what-i-learned-from-my-grandmas-dishes-about-portion-control/" target="_blank">What I Learned from my Grandmother's Dishes About Portion Control</a> </u>via Real Mom Nutrition<br />
<a href="http://alavenderlife.com/weight-watchers-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-dip-recipe/" target="_blank">Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip</a> via A Lavender Life<br />
<a href="http://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/pumpkin-oatmeal-pancake" target="_blank">Pumpkin Pancakes</a> via Kath Eats Real Food<br />
<a href="http://immaeatthat.com/2014/04/25/homemade-graham-crackers/?utm_reader=feedly&utm_content=bufferd80a3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">Homemade Grahm Crackers</a> via Yeah...Imma Eat That<br />
<a href="http://just-making-noise.blogspot.com/2012/02/sweet-n-crunchy-roasted-chickpeas-4.html" target="_blank">Sweet and Crunchy Chicpeas</a> (that can even be eaten as a breakfast cereal!) via Just Making Noise<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><u>Motherhood</u></b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bunmi-laditan/im-done-making-my-kids-childhood-magical_b_5062838.html" target="_blank">I'm Done Making My Kids' Childhood Magical</a> via Huffington Post<br />
<a href="http://alavenderlife.com/the-perfect-mom/" target="_blank">A Perfect Mom</a> via A Lavender Life<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: blue;">Workouts</span></u></b><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVtXjK-HWLE" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">800 Calorie Workout</a> via Christine Salus on YouTube<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zFW7DVwW1g" target="_blank">10 Minute Abs</a> via Melissa Bender on YouTube<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ellXtg4jPqU&index=25&list=PLkyCCLCz2fK9rDAbovXdno_ZX7Mcv9xMz" target="_blank">Lower Body Blast: Burn, Shape, and Sculp</a>t via Melissa Bender on YouTube<br />
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Well there you have it! Now it's your turn. What are your favorite links of the week?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-22314236529331582532014-03-23T14:59:00.000-07:002014-03-23T14:59:59.831-07:00The Greatest Accomplishment<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I want to share with you all a light bulb moment I had in church last Sunday. I can't even remember what the sermon was about, but I do remember that Philippians 3:7-11 was referenced.</span><br />
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"<i><span class="selected" original-title="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">But </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">whatever gain I had, </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. </span><span class="verse-num" id="v50003008-1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: grey; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.7em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span><a alt="esv_01" class="va" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="v50003008" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;"></a><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">Indeed, I count everything as loss because of </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">the surpassing worth of </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ </span><span class="verse-num" id="v50003009-1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: grey; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.7em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span><a alt="esv_01" class="va" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="v50003009" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;"></a><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">and be found in him, not having </span><a class="cf" href="http://www.esvbible.org/Rm10.5%3BPp3.6/" original-title="Rom. 10:5; [ver. 6]" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: grey; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.7em; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 0px 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: top;"><span class="" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">f</span></a><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—</span><span class="verse-num" id="v50003010-1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: grey; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.7em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">that I may know him and </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">the power of his resurrection, and </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, </span><span class="verse-num" id="v50003011-1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: grey; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.7em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span><a alt="esv_01" class="va" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="v50003011" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;"></a><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">that by any means possible I may </span><span class="" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 25.920001983642578px; vertical-align: baseline;">attain the resurrection from the dead."</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px;">The point the pastor made about the passage was that our greatest gain is Christ. There is nothing we can do or accomplish on this earth that can have greater value than knowing Christ. Wow, did I need to hear that! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px;">I have spent so much of my life discontent because I feel like I have nothing to brag about in the way of accomplishments. I have no college degree. I've never been on The Voice. I don't have some skill that people would pay to benefit from. I don't have a fancy blog that millions of people follow, etc...etc.... I've wasted a lot of time either trying to be somebody or wishing I was somebody important. But God in His mercy was kind enough to reveal to me last Sunday what I've never seen before when reading the passage from Philippians. I already have the greatest accomplishment! And it wasn't me who accomplished it. Christ accomplished my salvation on the cross. In view of that, I am to count all other things as rubbish. That means that even if I did have a popular blog, it couldn't compare to the value of knowing Christ. My worth does not come from me and what I do, but in Christ and what He did. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px;">Now I'm not saying all this to say that we shouldn't set out to accomplish anything. I'm just saying that what I think the point Paul was trying to make in Philippians was that it's not about us making much of ourselves but about us making much of Christ. Our purpose on this earth is not to see who can get the most trophies, but seeing to it that God gets all the glory. And He will get all the glory. Our trophies will be burned up, but our precious faith in Christ and his work on the cross will endure for all eternity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #363030; font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.464000701904297px;">So whether you have accomplished all the goals you've set out to achieve, or you are "just" a wife and mom like me, let your greatest treasure be in knowing Christ. Find your worth and identity in Him and not in what you can or can't do. </span></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-37782944931700124272014-01-23T14:23:00.000-08:002014-01-23T14:23:32.470-08:00Man's rules vs. God's commandsSorry for the lack of posts! I've been struggling to get anything out of my devotions for a while so I didn't have anything to write about. I've discovered that I don't care for read-through-your-Bible-in-a-year plans. I feel like I'm trying to just hurry up and read the 4 chapters so I can get it done rather than meditating on what I'm reading. I've discovered a lot of things about myself lately that I find myself doing because I feel that is what a good Christian does, without stopping to think about whether it is even something God Himself requires.<br />
Last night I was reading Mark chapter 7 and Jesus was addressing the Pharisees about the very same thing. They had turned their own made up laws into God's laws. In fact, they were so caught up in their own created laws that they were neglecting to do the very things God actually required. He told them<em> "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."</em> <em>Mark 7:6-8 </em>Some how I got the idea that I have to read through my Bible in a year or less. It's unholy not too! But then I realized that no where in the Bible does it tell me how much I am supposed to read at one time. This is a man made rule that I had made into Biblical one.<br />
I found myself viewing my Bible reading as a duty I must get done. Quite frankly it sucked the joy out of it. I think that is one of the fundamental ways we can detect whether we are trying follow one of God's commands or one of our own. Pslam 19:10 tells us that God's word (laws) are<em> "more to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of</em> <em>honeycomb</em>." Psalm 19:8 tells us "<em>the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes</em>." Obeying God's word should bring us joy if we are truly obeying him out of love. God doesn't want our duty, He wants adoration. Just like we want our loved ones to show us affection out of love, not because they have to.<br />
So now my goal is to develop a deeper love for God and His word by picking smaller passages to really study and meditate on. I am tossing the yearly plan aside! This is what works for me. Whatever Bible reading plan you choose, make sure it produces joy in Him. After all, that is what we were made for!<br />
How is your time in God's word going?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-14503376568126206092014-01-06T14:12:00.001-08:002014-01-06T14:17:04.283-08:00Mercy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is a bitter cold day here where I live, and I am enjoying an extra day off of work because of it. However, my patience with my three children, who are also home today because of the cold, is wearing thin. Therefor I am taking a mommy time out to be in the Word. I am crying out to God as David did in Psalm 5:6 "Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me." Not that my children are my enemies, but I desperately need God's guidance in knowing how to deal with them so that I don't give into my real enemy, sin. <br />
This leads me to today's devotion:<br />
<em> Psalm 5:4-7 "For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> 5</span> The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">6</span>You destroy those who speak lies; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">7</span><u>But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your temple in the fear of you.</u>"</em><br />
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We read in the first three verses about God's hatred for sin and how those who persist in it will be destroyed in His wrath. That's us apart from Christ! We are all evildoers doomed for destruction by a just and holy God. That's a hard pill for us to swallow, considering most of think of ourselves as fairly loveable and good. I know I do! All it takes though is to be trapped in a house with three crabby children on a bitterly cold day for one to realize that they aren't all that pretty on the inside after all.<br />
So is there any hope? Praise God there is! Read verse 7 again. Did you catch how David said he would enter God's house and worship Him? Was it because David was so sweet or clever? Nope. It was all because of God's abundant love being poured out through David. Anytime we draw near to God, it's because of His mercy and his mercy alone. It was God's mercy that drew me to His Word today when I felt like going crazy with my kids. It was His mercy that humbled me to ask my daughter for forgiveness for loosing my temper. Think about it, would you, left to yourself, be inclined to read God's word or repent of sin? Would you, apart from God's mercy in your life, apologize for loosing your temper with someone who was getting on your nerves? Probably not. Left to ourselves we can come up with a million excuses for our sin. They deserved it. I deserve better etc.. <br />
I am so thankful today for God's mercy. Without it I would have been an even bigger brute to my kids and not have even felt bad for it. Without it I would have read a book or watched TV instead of my Bible. Without God's mercy I wouldn't know I even needed mercy. I would be a lover of evil doomed to be destroyed by my own sin.<br />
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Thank you God for sending Jesus to die for me so your steadfast love could be poured out in me instead of your just deserved wrath. Help me Lord to never stop being captivated by your love and mercy for me! Please have mercy on my children and those reading this blog that they would draw near to you. <br />
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<em></em><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-81510241415818758102014-01-05T12:25:00.000-08:002014-01-05T12:25:49.361-08:00CaptivatingWow it has been a long time since I've posted on this blog! Much has happened since then, but I haven't felt very inspired to write about it. I've been struggling to figure out the direction I want to take this blog. I feel very inadequate to be blogging about spiritual things. I feel like most of the time I am so absorbed with life that I rarely take time to sit and ponder the things of God. I don't want this blog to be full of fluff and plastic talk but real and from the heart. <br />
Last night I was reading a post from Desiring God's blog on worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth and what that looks like. One sentence in the post captured my attention. "<strong>At bottom, it’s not what we do (or don’t do) with our hands (or what someone else is doing or not doing), but what we do with our hearts and minds —<span style="background-color: yellow;"> because the one who has captured our hearts and minds</span>. Worship is in spirit and in truth."</strong> To be quite honest, it isn't God who captivates my heart and mind but rather myself. I am captivated by being fit, striving to cook or bake food others will ooh and ahh over, and making crafts that are Pinterest worthy. I want people to be captivated with me and all the wonderful things I can do. Trying to be captivating to myself and others is exhausting and unsatisfying quite frankly. For one, I am rather disappointing. I can never get my crafts to look as awesome as the ones I see on Pinterest. My body will probably never look like a Fitness magazine model, and I rarely make food that causes anyone to have a foodgasm!<br />
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Today in my Bible reading I came across these verses in <em>Psalm 4:6-7 "There are many who say, "Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!" You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound."</em> These people who wanted God to show them good, weren't interested in Him being their good, but rather the things of the world(abundance and prosperity). Like me, they were so captivated by the world that the only time they sought the Lord was to ask him for more stuff or make them more prosperous. I don't know about you, but I would rather say with David that God himself is my greatest joy, not the world. I am not captivating, and honestly, neither are you! We can never satisfy ourselves with ourselves. Only God can give us joy that is eternal and greater than any temporal happiness we experience here on earth.<br />
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These verses inspired me to start blogging my way through my devotions. I want to become more captivated by God and his beauty and experience the joy David was talking about in Psalm 4. So I guess the direction I am wanting to take this blog is use it to encourage myself and others to become captivated by our great and glorious God.<br />
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I am currently reading my way through the Book-at-a -Time Bible Reading Plan found at <a href="http://www.discipleshipjournal.com/">www.discipleshipjournal.com</a> if you would like to read along with me.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-4265260956409637892013-07-05T14:12:00.001-07:002013-07-05T14:12:36.238-07:00Good EnoughWell, it has finally happened. We sold our house in May, and a week ago we moved to Omaha. My life lately has been a lot of waiting and living out of suitcases and boxes. We can't move into our new home till next week so we have been living with my in-laws in the meantime. <br />
During this time of transition I have been learning some things about myself. I feel lacking in purpose and discontent with life a good portion of the time. Okay, maybe I already knew this, but I have had to stare it in the face and confront it in the past month or two. For some reason I thought that moving here would suddenly give me a sense of purpose. Finally giving me that satisfied feeling I have been searching for all these years. WRONG!! Turns out, contentment isn't based on where you live, it's a character flaw! Shocker. We had been here all of three days, and I was already starting to search for stuff to fill up my life here. I was even considering attending cosmetology school for heaven's sake! You see, I am not good at relaxing or just being. I feel that I constantly need to be doing something. Well here at my in-laws, I haven't had to cook, clean, fix my kids meals, or anything that I normally have to do at home. I have had the freedom to sit and paint my nails, take hour long runs, and talk to my in-laws and children. Most of you would probably jump at the chance to have 2 weeks off from taking care of your kids and home, but I have a hard time enjoying it. I think God is trying to teach me to be still. I know in my head that my worth as a person doesn't come from what I do, but my heart is constantly seeking something to make me feel worthwhile. Surely just being a stay at home mom isn't good enough. Surely I must need to do something great in order to have worth has a human being. If my life doesn't look like a Tampax commercial then I must be doing something wrong. If I am not out preaching the Gospel to the lost nations of the world or serving the homeless and poor in my community then I must not be worthwhile. Contentment to me has always been this elusive feeling that comes in the midst of doing something I feel is exciting enough, only to leave again when I go back to the mundane tasks of life. Somehow I got the idea that it is unbiblical and un-American to just live. Our culture seems to breed discontentment. True success is this high bar that only a few with enough spirit can achieve. The rest of us just don't quite cut it. <br />
Then I had a revelation. I was spending sometime in my Bible asking God to please help me be content. He brought me to some verses that shone some light on my dilemma. Titus 3:4-7 says "<em>But when</em> <em>the goodness and love for man appeared from God our Savior, He saved us- not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life."</em><br />
My worth does not come from what I do, but in whom I trust. What matters is not how hopping my social calendar is or how many accomplishments I have under my belt, but that I have been justified by God's grace and I have eternal life with Him. Being reminded of this gave me a sense of peace I haven't felt in a long time. I can rest from my striving and be still in knowing that Jesus' work on the cross for me was enough. I am free to just live the life He has given me without the guilt of not being good enough. Jesus shed blood on the cross for our sin is the only thing that makes us good enough. That is a freeing concept to finally grasp. One I am sure I will have to continue to keep learning the rest of my life.<br />
How about you? Do you ever feel "not good enough?"<br />
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<em></em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-68844426150860308152013-04-14T14:31:00.001-07:002013-04-14T14:31:27.102-07:00Everyday a Celebration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Do you remember singing this song as a kid? I know I do. It's one of the first songs I sang to my girls when they were little. I've sung this song either out loud or in my head a thousand times or more, but until recently, I never really thought about what the words meant. The words come from the Bible in Psalm 118:24. This verse isn't a suggestion or a rosy contemplation but a command. Each day we have been given by God is a gift, something to be glad about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I tend to be a very negative, glass half empty kind of a person. I don't like discomfort, boredom, or bad weather. I like things to go MY way. Obviously this is completely unrealistic, but it doesn't stop me from grumbling anyways. I came across Psalm 118:24 in a devotional I've been reading, and the message spoke directly to my negative Nancy heart. The devotional is written as God speaking to you. Telling you what He is trying say to us through scripture. "Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life. Be careful not to complain about anything, even the weather, since I am the Author of your circumstances.The best way to handle unwanted situations is to thank me for them." </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>(Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, pg.106) </i><span style="font-size: large;">A light bulb went on in my heart when I read those words. Here I saw every unwanted situation as an excuse to grumble when, ironically, it was the exact time to be thankful! The devotion went on to say that when we receive each day in faith in God's control of it, then and only then will we see the good He will bring from it. This news rocked my world! How many good things have I been missing all these years by following my natural tendency to complain? When I love and trust Jesus, each day truly is a gift. It may not be the good that I want, like sunshine and roses, but it will be good. God is more interested in my heart fully belonging to Him than He is in whether I get to play outside in the sunshine. So if he has to use some gray skies to get me there, He'll do it. He has an eternity of sunshine waiting for me on the other side of this life. If I know an eternity of blissful joy in the presence of Jesus awaits me, I have reason to rejoice every day, even in the worst of circumstances.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Take time today to join me in meditating on how good God is and all the things He has given us to be thankful for today. If you don't yet know our awesome Lord, I encourage you to find a Bible and read the book of John or even the Psalms. I would love to tell you more about Him to if you are interested. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-92208293693815474662013-01-06T14:35:00.000-08:002013-01-06T14:35:38.777-08:00Whose in Control, Anyways?I don't know if I've mentioned this before or not, but one of my biggest fears is growing old and still having to battle anxiety or that it will be worse. One of my reasons for this fear is because my mom is a lot like me but worse, and in her opion, getting worse as the years go on. This reality has made me feel hopeless at times because, if my mom's anxiety and nervousness is getting worse, why won't the same be true for me? <br />
But then this weekend, my mom made a comment that gave me a glimmer of hope that I might fare better than her after all. Some how we got to talking about how some people like to be home and don't feel like they need or even want to be out and about all the time, unlike us. We are both social creatures who thrive on being around others and being busy. We don't understand people like my husband and father who have no problem sitting around the house for a couple of days with nothing going on. My mom said "Like a few weeks ago when the power was out we couldn't go anywhere for a day or two and I thought I was going to go crazy." I said "Well that's one thing we both need to work on because it causes us anxiety," or something to that effect anyways. My mom replied "I wish I could."<br />
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Now before I explain how this comment made me feel hopeful, let me explain a change that has occured in me over this past year. Normally I would have never said or even recongnized that this was a problem that needed fixing but rather something I was stuck with and couldn't change. But God mercifully opened my eyes this year to see that this was a false belief. There is relatively very little I have control over, but the one thing I can control is how I react to things. I am not a helpless victim to my thoughts and attitudes but rather I can choose to be master over them. In fact one of my greatest sources of anxiety has been the very subject my mom and I were discussing. My security has been tied up in how busy my social calendar is or isn't. I often exhausted myself and girls constantly trying to keep us busy. Since I grew up being taught that who I am is tied up in how busy I am or am not, I thought that if we had to stay home because we had nothing going on that meant I was big loser with a capital "L" pasted on my forhead. Thankfully through the Bible and the wise words of my husband, friends, and counselor I learned that this wasn't true. It's o.k. to not have something going on all the time. It's o.k. to be at home with "nothing" to do. My identity is in Christ and what he did for me on the cross, not in my social calendar. I also learned that this is something I choose. I have to choose to be content at home. It doesn't come naturally for me like it does my husband or friends. I have to choose it. When we have nothing going on for a couple of days and my natural instinct is to rush to find some way to fill them, I have to stop and ask the Lord to help me be content and to show us how to spend our time at home. He never lets me down. I almost always get through what I feared might be a boring day not regretting having tried to fill it up. Again, I have to choose to look at the day on the bright side or otherwise I am in danger of feeling like I'm going to go crazy. I've also learned though that a little boredom now and then never hurt anyone. In fact, it reminds me to pray for those stuck in a prison cell with nothing to do but pace or look at the walls. <br />
Anyways, back to my mom's comment. The reason I have hope is because unlike my mom, I have learned that I can control how I react. Like Paul, I too can be content in any and every situation because of Christ who strengthens me. My mom hasn't figured that out yet. She still thinks she's stuck with no hope of changing because it is up to the outside forces not her whether or not she goes crazy. This is the line that seperates us. If you remember from my previous post, I quoted John Piper who said this very attitude is anti Gospel. If we still see ourselves as helpless victims of our sin and incapable of change, then we haven't met Jesus. Or if we have, we don't believe Him.<br />
I want to leave you with this encouragement. This is the Gospel message: In Christ, we are no longer enslaved to sin(bad habbits, bad thoughts, etc...) but we have been set free. By the power of His spirit, we no longer have to obey our flesh, but we have been set free to follow in Christ's footsteps and become a new person.<br />
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Here are some verses to check out and ponder.<br />
Romans 6:6-7<br />
Philippians 4:11-13<br />
Romans 6:4<br />
2Cor. 2:14Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-36865466379259608002013-01-02T11:32:00.001-08:002013-01-02T11:32:34.754-08:00Goals and My New Year's ResolutionYesterday I posted about how my new year's resolution was to establish some goals. Well after writing that post I decided to do a little research on goals, and I came across some interesting articles on how it is actually better NOT to have goals. These writers claimed that goals actually limit us and are more like harsh task masters than helpers. To read more about what these authors had to say on not having goals, click <a href="http://www.theminimalists.com/no-goals/" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
I found this information very interesting and rather freeing. It also got me thinking about whether goals are biblical or not. If you think about it, most of the goals people set are wordly in nature. They have nothing to do with eternity future. In fact the only time the word "goal" is mentioned in the Bible is in Philippians 3:14 "I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."(ESV translation) Our main goal is to know, love, and serve Christ. Of course this can include setting various temporal goals, but my point is as long as Christ is our main goal, the rest is details.<br />
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So the reason I started thinking about goals in the first place is because I thought maybe it would help me be less anxious and more content. But after my research I've decided that the goal I need to work toward this year is this: take life as it comes. I need to learn to take what I'm given and work with it. Most of my anxiety stems from worrying about what I have no control over. So my goal this year is to focus on what I do have control over and leave the rest to God. Also I want to dwell on the little things I can be thankful for during bad days. So often I spend my time dwelling on what's going wrong instead of what is going right. Basically my goal is become an optimist. This will all be easier said than done, but I was encouraged to read this by John Piper:<br />
" The message of Christmas is that whatever is evil and undesirable in your life can be changed. Wherever people say about their bad habits, “That’s just the way I am; you’ll have to get used to it,” the message of Christmas has been rejected. It’s as though the AAA truck pulls up to your dead car and you say, “Ah, it’s no use, that’s just the way this car is.” And you don’t even let him hook up his cables. The message of Christmas is the jumper cable between God and your life. And the power that flows is the power to change." (To read the whole article, click <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/what-difference-has-looking-made" target="_blank">here)</a><br />
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My being anxious about what I can't control and being discontent and unthankful with what I've been given is sin, but the good news of the Gospel is that I can change by the power of Christ who works within me. As Paul says in Philippians 3, I must forget the bad habbits of the past and press on to my new goal of being Christlike. I'm sure I will struggle with anxiety and discontent for the rest of my life, but I don't have to be ruled by it anymore. This is good news. <br />
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Whether or not you made goals or resolutions for the new year or not, know this: if you are in Christ, you are no longer enslaved to sin. Without Him, you will die in your sin and spend eternity paying for it. Make knowing Jesus your ultimate goal this year! You won't regret it.<br />
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<sup></sup>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-78282699280809843702013-01-01T10:52:00.003-08:002013-01-01T10:52:57.577-08:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another new year is upon us. It seems like it was only a short time ago we were celebrating the beginning of 2012. Time really does fly the older we get.<br />
With the beginning of new year, comes new resolutions to do better, accomplish more. I've never been one to make new year's resolutions myself. It seems to me that most people never make it to the end of the year as resolved to do what they set out to do at the beginning of the year. I personally never have been able to come up with anything to resolve to do better at. Sure I need to improve on things just like anyone else, but I guess I've never felt the need to set goals in order to acheive it. I've read in various books that goal setting people are happier because they have something to work for. The mind opperates better when it has something to work on. Maybe that's why I have so many issues with anxiety and discontent. I never have any goals. But as I sit here writing this, I still can't think of a single goal I want to accomplish this year. So I guess I do have a new year's resolution this year. To have some goals to work toward. There, I, Katie Mitchell, resolve to develop some goals to work toward. We'll see if at the end of this year I was able to come up with some goals and in turn, become less anxious and more content. This should be an interesting experiment.<br />
What about you? Do you make new year's resolutions? Have a you ever done what you resolved to do?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-6635704973864487852012-12-05T15:06:00.001-08:002012-12-05T15:06:44.018-08:00The Word of God Proves True<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past week I have been struggling once again with anxiety. I stuggle with the constant fear that the medicine I am on will stop working and I will be stuck back in the same pit again. Last night I had trouble sleeping because I had butterflies in my stomach and my heart rate kept speeding up. I'm not sure if this was because I was feeling anxious about not being able to fall asleep and then started to fear that something was wrong with my heart, or if my fear that the medicine is no longer helping is coming true. Either way, I got up this morning feeling completely defeated and hopeless. On top of anxiety I struggle with a very pessimistic outlook on life. <br />
While I was sitting at the breakfast table feeling sorry for myself, I was reminded of what the pastor spoke on this Sunday (we listen to Grace Baptist's sermons online on Sundays). He talked about how we know God's promises but often don't live like we believe in them. He quoted Psalm 5 where David lays out his request before God in the morning and watches to see how God will keep his promise to him. So I prayed for God to give me hope and some kind of encouragement to get through the day. As I prayed this, I sensed God telling to expect to hear from my good friend Mary. Sure enough when I checked my e-mail this morning, there was a message from Mary. She quoted Romans 8:1 to me and said that it was encouraging to her that because of Jesus we are no longer stuck in our sin or held in bondage to it, and that she was praying for me. <br />
This afternoon I was feeling hopeless and discouraged and once again my faithful God brought to mind more of his word to encourage my heart. Psalm 139:11-12 is a passage I've been memorizing lately and it's meaning finally sunk in. My situation seems dark and hopeless to my finite human mind but to God it is as bright as the sun. He is not up in heaven wringing his hands in despair wondering what on earth to do now about poor Katie. God is never discouraged or in despair over our problems. He is sovereign over them and uses them for our good (Romans 8:28). In fact our trials are given to us by God to teach us not to rely on ourselves but on Him who raises the dead (2 Cor. 1:9-10). <br />
He also brought Psalm 42 to my attention. The Psalmist is reminding himself that in his despair he must put his hope in God. He says "My soul is downcast within me;therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar." When we are feeling hopeless, we remind ourselves of God's faithfulness to us and his people in the past. This is what gives us the hope to go on. That he will once again bring us out of the valley and put us back on the moutain.<br />
So I followed David's example and asked to see God's promises realized in me, that they would be made more sure in my heart and He did. I don't know what the future holds or how I will sleep tonight, but I know that my faithful God will be with me. He is my stronghold and the rock on which I stand. I leave you with these encouraging words from Isaiah.<br />
<em>Isaiah 41:10 "fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will stengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."</em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-16296271321064883382012-11-24T14:41:00.002-08:002012-11-24T14:41:03.762-08:00The promises of God<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I recently watched a very encouraging video on the Desiring God blog (</span><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/living-with-disability-13-reasons-for-hope"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Krista Horning's Testimony)</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> in which the speaker spoke from a list of verses she had memorized to remind her of the truth of what God has promised us. Krista was born with a disability and has wrestled with accepting it her whole life. Her parents and pastor encouraged her at a young age to dig deep into the word to see what God had to tell her about her disability. I don't have the disability that she does but sometimes my anxiety can feel disabling. It is so easy to get caught up in the lies my mind tells me that I often forget the truth of God's word. Inspired by Krista's testimony, I decided to make my own list of God's promises to go to when I feel discouraged and afraid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God tells me in His word.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">1.He is in control of everything, including my health and well-being. (Ex. 4:11)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">2. He hasn't given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control (IITim. 1:7)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">3. I can have confidence in Him because He is faithful. (IITim 1:12)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">4. No evil will befall me. Psalm 91:9-10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">5. I am not alone (Is. 43:1-3).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">6. His grace is enough (IICor. 12:9-10)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">7. He tells me I have hope. Romans 5:3-4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">8. He is a better possesion than anything I could have on earth (Heb. 10:34)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">9. I am to walk by faith and not by sigth (or emotions). 2Cor. 5:7</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">10. God can give me more real, reliable, and wonderful things than what I can see with my eyes. Heb. 11:1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">11. God's promises are more trustworthy than my natural perceptions Prov. 3:5-6</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">12. I have been given everything I need to live a godly life (2Peter 1:3-5).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">13. The greatness of His power toward me cannot be measured. (Eph. 1:18-19)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">14. The life to come will be far better than even the best day here on earth. (Phil. 1:21-23, Psalm 84:10)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">15. He is my confidence. Prov. 3:25-26</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">16. I can face anything because He is with me. (Psalm 18:28-32)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">17. Affliction is necessary to help me see Him more clearly and to learn his ways. (Psalm 119:67, 71-72)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">18. I can get through any situation because He will give me His strength. (Phil. 4:11-13)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">19. I have nothing to fret about because I have been spared from the day of His wrath (Psalm 37:7-8)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">20. Hardships on earth prepare me for the uncomparable glory that awaits me when I see Jesus face to face. 2Cor. 4:17</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I hope that you are encouraged by my list to search out God's word yourself for his great and precious promises that will carry you through all of life's trials. I pray that you will remind yourself daily of His truth so that you can stand against the lies of your mind and the schemes of the devil.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-80584203515132495732012-11-18T14:33:00.001-08:002012-11-18T14:33:37.415-08:00Debunking Bad TheologyThe past couple of months I have been reading the book <em>Christless Christianity </em>by Michael Horton. It has been a fascinating and eye opening read. I knew that I had been taught a lot of bad theology when I was growing up, but I didn't know the extent of it till I read this book. Probably the most striking realization this book brought about for me is understanding what the Biblical role of the church is. I grew up being taught that the church was a place to serve. I was to have low expectations of the pastor and his messages since my spiritual growth was entirely my responsibility. If I felt disappointed with the church services and Bible studies, well that was because I came with the expecation to get when it should have been to give, not because the preaching or study was lacking in depth. Can anyone relate to this? It wasn't until a year ago or so, and now in reading <em>Christless Christianity, </em>that I became aware that this teaching was completely wrong. Below is an exert that I just read last night that demonstrates the difference between the church mentality I grew up with and a Biblical church mentality.<br />
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<em>Imagine two scenarios of church life. In the first, God gathers his people together in a convenant event to judge and to justify, to kill and to make alive. The emphasis is on God's work for us - the Father's gracious plan, the Son's saving life, death, and resurrection, and the Spirit's work of bringing life to the valley of dry bones through the proclamation of Christ. The preaching focuses on God's work in the history of redemption from Genesis through Revelation, and sinners are swept into this unfolding drama. Trained and ordained to mine the riches of Scripture for the benefit of God's people, ministers try to push their own agendas, opinions, and personalities to the background so that God's Word will be clearly proclaimed. In this preaching, the people once again are simply receivers - recipients of grace. Similarly, in baptism, they do not baptize themselves; they are baptized. In the Lord's Supper, they do not prepare and cook the meal; they do not contribute to the fare; but they are guests, who simply enjoy the bread of heaven. As this gospel creates, deepens , and inflames faith, a profound sense of praise and thanksgiving fills hearts, leading to good works among the saints and in the world throughout the week. Having been served by God in the public assembly, the people are then servants of each other and their neighbors in the world. Pursuing their callings in the world with vigor and dedication, they win the respect of outsiders. Because they have been served well themselves - especially by pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons - they are able to share the Good news of Christ in well - informed and natural ways. And because they have been relieved of numerous burdens to spend all of their energy on church - related ministries thoughout the week, they have more time to serve their families, neighbors, and coworkers in the world.</em><br />
<em> In the second scenario, the church is its own subculture, an alternative community not only for weekly dying and rising in Christ but for one's entire circle of friends, electicians, and neighbors. In this scenario, the people assume that they come to church primarily to do something. The emphasis is on their work for God. The preaching concentrates on principles and steps to living a better life, with a constant stream of exhortations: Be more commited. Read your Bible more. Pray more. Witness more. Give more. Get involved in this cause or that movement to save the world. Their calling by God to secular vocations is made secondary to <strong>finding their ministry</strong> in the church. Often malnourished because of a minstry defined by personal charisma and motivational skills rahter than by knowledge and godliness, these same sheep are expected to be shepherds themselves. Always serving, they are rarely served. Ill-informed about the grand narrative of God's work in redemptive history, they do not really know what to say to a non-Christian except to talk about their own personal experiences and perhaps repeat some slogans or formulas that they might be hard-pressed to explain. Furthermore, because they are expected to be so heavily involved in church - related activities (often considered more important even than the public services on Sunday), they do not have the time, energy, or opportunity to develop significant relationships outside the church. And if they were to bring a friend to church, they could not be sure that he or she would hear the gospel.</em> <strong>(Christless Christianity, 190-191)</strong><br />
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I think this exert explains perfectly how the church <em>should</em> look and how it currently looks in today's society.Can you imagine the impact we would have as a church if we looked more like scenario one than two? That is the kind of church my husband and I long to be a part of, and hope to soon be a part of in Omaha. In the meantime we are praying for the churches in our town to have their eyes opened to what the Bible says is the church's roll. We pray that their leadership and congregation would long for the truth and to be equipped for everything pertaining to life and godliness (2Peter 1:3). One thing I want to point out is that the author (and myself) is not saying that you have no roll in your spiritual growth, but that the church's job is to aid in increasing it. We still must be in the Word and in prayer on our own as well.<br />
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How about you? Do you agree or disagree with this post? Does your church equip you to go into all the world and make disciples and to lead a godly life?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-847862821721643222012-11-01T17:51:00.001-07:002012-11-01T17:51:39.939-07:00Is Christian Fiction Safe?<p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://www.blog.littlesafe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/BeeSafe2.jpg" width="226" height="176"></p> <p>An acquaintance and I were talking about books today, and she made a comment that got me thinking (and blogging). She said “This book is just fluff. There’s no depth to it, but it’s Christian so I know it’s safe.” What constitutes as safe for a Christian anyways? If I had thought of that question then I would have asked. I guess I was too busy trying to keep my mouth shut at the time.</p> <p>I’ve read my fair share of Christian fiction in my day (back when I didn’t know any better), and I have to say most of it was rubbish. Here are a few reasons why:</p> <p>1. I’ve read steamier love scenes in Christian fiction than in non Christian. Granted, the only non Christian romance novels I’ve read were by Nicholas Sparks, but still. Sparks stops at “and they made love.” Some Christian romance novels I’ve read described in detail a couple’s foreplay before sex. and some pretty erotic make out scenes.</p> <p>2. Christian fiction usually doesn’t get the gospel right. Heck, Jesus, the center of the Gospel, isn’t even mentioned in most of them. Or if He is, it’s when the protagonist is urged to pray the sinner’s prayer. Most of the time there’s just a brief mention here and there of faith in God.</p> <p>3. Sometimes they just plain suck cause they aren’t written well. Poor plot line and character development.</p> <p>Now in saying all that, I have to say that some of my all time favorite books were written by “Christian” authors . Not all are rubbish. Just most. <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2m8tJUdpqS36ndr1hTZg5iUjH0J3_nkbzNiYrH-QOyYxC1i9e5KZIASH1q2kFfnvn7sKzho7L1zzfHFtcHK7G6Iiltv6HV9mP8xYTOLjrkfqEFuPwnmCes3wRxZKbq9oF_OOEmUxEqVUG/?imgmax=800"></p> <p>So back to my question, what is “safe” for a Christian to read? As I said before, I’ve read some pretty steamy love scenes in some “Christian” books. Is it then safe for a Christian to read a love scene described so long as the couple is married and the actual act of intercourse is left out? Speaking from personal experience, I’ve left some of these books feeling discontent with either being single or with my marriage. I felt hungry for more of the characters romance than I did my own husband. Maybe that’s just me, but I’ve talked to other women who say they feel the same thing after reading romance novels. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for love stories, and I think God is too. But do we really need to be reading about other people’s make out sessions and foreplay?</p> <p>Now what about heretical theology published under the label “Christian?” Is it safe for someone to read a “Christian” book and come away thinking that a belief in God is all they need to be considered “safe” with Him? Or that simply praying the “sinner’s prayer” saves them?</p> <p>I think you can determine from this post that I don’t think that just because a book is under the label “Christian” doesn’t make it safe. There are some fantastic books out there that aren’t “Christian”, and it would be a shame not to read them just because of that. For a better explanation of why most “Christian” fiction isn’t worth reading, check out <em><font color="#000000">Honey for Woman’s Heart</font></em> by Gladys Hunt.</p> <p>So how do we as Christians determine which books we should read, Christian or not? The answer isn’t a simple pat answer, but here are a few things I consider when I pick a book to read.</p> <p>1. Does it encourage us to disobey God’s word? If the story makes sin look good, safe, and cool, it’s probably not “safe” for us to read. We are to flee temptation to sin, not be encouraged to do it.</p> <p>2. Does it cause us to dwell on things that are not pure and godly? This will be different for everybody. What makes me think impure thoughts might not make you think the same and vice versa. </p> <p>3. Finally, if you feel convicted by reading, don’t. If you can’t in good conscience read the book, stop. Romans 14:23 “For whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats. For the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”</p> <p>Check out further posts where I’ll be reviewing my top 10 list of favorite books!</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-8932956546176710102012-10-06T16:30:00.001-07:002012-10-06T16:30:34.740-07:00Long Time no Blog<p>O.k. so it’s been a while since I’ve written anything here. I know I promised to write about what God has taught me through my anxiety issues. Well I realized I’m not quite ready for that yet. Having said that, I will say that one of the main things I’ve gotten from this trial is a little taste of Hell. I think one of the reasons God sends trials our way is to open our eyes to a little taste of what we’ve been saved from if we are his children.</p> <p> I’ve also gained greater compassion for the lost. What I’m experiencing is temporal. One day I will see Jesus face to face and all my tears and trials will be washed away. I will have an eternity of gazing upon his beauty in paradise. This will not be the case for the unbeliever. They have an eternity of nothing but pain and suffering in store for them if they do not repent and surrender their lives to Jesus.</p> <p>O.k. so I guess I am sharing a bit of what God has taught me during this trial of anxiety disorder. One day I’ll share more.</p> <p>I’ll update you on where we are with the whole move thing. No where right now. Our house probably won’t sell this fall so we have set our hopes on the springtime. Until then we are trying to wait patiently on God’s perfect timing. I’m having to learn to be content in whatever situation I am in. He has me here for a purpose after all.</p> <p>I’ve been reading this book called “Christless Christianity” by Michael Horton. In this book Horton is demonstrating how modern church in America is preaching anything but the Gospel. We’ve become a very “me” centered church, focusing on ourselves and what <strong>we</strong> have or have not done, rather than the Gospel(that is, what <strong>he</strong> has done). He also talks about how we all want our best life now, and how ungospel that is. I know I am definitely guilty of striving after my best life now when as Christians we are to set our minds on the our best lives after.</p> <p>I know this all a bunch of rambling but my point in all this is that it’s not all about me and my happiness but Christ and Him crucified for our sins. We’ve got a lost world out there that is going to face God’s wrath for eternity if we don’t tell them what He has done for them.</p> <p>Now that it is cold out and I can’t play outside all day, I will probably be blogging more. Stick around!</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-84034452737251095872012-08-27T09:41:00.001-07:002012-08-27T09:41:48.917-07:00My Battle with Anxiety: A Gift from God Part 1<p>I’ve struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember. Three years ago I started having panic attacks. As a result of theses attacks I started having irrational fears; afraid I was going to quit breathing, my heart was going to stop, I had a brain tumor, and that I was just going to all of a sudden keel over and die. I also feared that because of these irrational fears I was going to go crazy and end up in a mental institution or worse, kill myself. I struggled with depression because of these fears, feeling like I would never overcome them. Some days I didn’t know how I was going to get through the day because I felt so overcome with fear. I kept thinking “I never used to be like this. I used to be normal. I just want to be normal again!”</p> <p>I kept asking my husband, my mom, and my counselor if there was any hope for me. I wanted to know how to fix this anxiety that had now become apart of me and make it go away. I even tried several anti anxiety medications in hopes that they would fix me. They only made me feel worse. This made me feel even more hopeless because I felt I had no other options left but to be stuck this way for the rest of my life.</p> <p>You might be wondering at this point how on earth I could call all of this a gift! Well actually I didn’t, at first. I called it a curse. I wanted God to heal me, and I wasn’t going to accept any less. But God had other plans. He wanted to use this trial to open my eyes to some things I wasn’t seeing before.</p> <p>First of all, He revealed to me where I was putting my trust. It is in my circumstances and not the Lord. If my circumstances are good, I feel good. If they aren’t what I want them to be, I am anxious and downright whiney! </p> <p>Second, I realized I am very afraid of suffering and death. I struggle to believe that dying is gain as Paul says in Phillipians ,or that my present struggles can’t even begin to compare with the glory that is to be revealed to me. My focus has been very much on the temporal and not on the eternal. I’m clinging to tightly to my earthly home. I struggle to fathom how one can rejoice in suffering. It ruins my fun!</p> <p>Third I realized that I wanted health, wealth, and prosperity more than I wanted God. I want a nice cushy life where everything, or at least almost everything goes my way. I don’t want to be bothered with problems. I want to have fun! I want to be comfortable! </p> <p>Finally, God showed me my misconception that his healing me is the only way I could bring him glory. What glory could I possibly bring God if I have to battle anxiety for the rest of my life? How does that display his power? Aren’t we more wowed by God when He preforms miracles in our lives? </p> <p>Over the next few weeks I’m going to be addressing all these revelations and how God is transforming my heart. I’m going to share how He is working in my life to replace these lies with the truth. I will share why I believe (or I’m starting to believe anyways) that my trials are a gift. I hope you’ll stick around and find out what God has been doing in my heart. I hope that what He has taught me can also be an encouragement to you.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-68180059768428132842012-08-17T14:36:00.001-07:002012-08-17T14:36:46.315-07:00And so the Journey Begins<p><img src="http://www.buffaloniagararealestatehomesales.com/wp-content/uploads/j0399494.jpg" width="305" height="244"></p> <p>This week we put our house on the market. The first step on our journey to Omaha. I hate being on the selling end. It’s so stressful with children to have to constantly keep your home clean and neat for it’s prospective new owners. Makes you feel like the house is no longer yours.</p> <p>We are comparing this move to the Parable of the Treasure in the Field found in Matthew 13:44. We see a greater value in attending the church in Omaha than we do in staying here. The treasure we see there makes it worth the hassle and costs of moving. We want to say with Paul in Phillipians 3:8 that all of our earthly gain is counted as loss in comparison to gaining Christ. We believe that we will gain more of Christ when we are hearing the word of truth preached and are surrounded by others who see Christ as gain too.</p> <p>As with the man in the parable, we also have to give some things up in order to gain The Kingdom. We discovered when we met with our realtor that we may lose some money on the house when we sell. This is discouraging. We were hoping to at least break even. But again, we realize this loss won’t matter in a few years. It especially won’t matter at the end our lives. We trust that God will provide for our needs and make up for the loss we suffered. Maybe not monetarily, but we trust that this loss will turn out for our gain.</p> <p>Is counting all things loss in order to gain Christ easy? Heck no! Nothing the Bible tells us to do is easy. In fact, it’s humanly impossible. That’s why we need Christ. We need to depend on Him constantly and remind ourselves of His promises throughout the whole day. Otherwise we will want to give up and take the easier route. The route that requires less toil. The route that doesn’t lead to Christ. I’m thankful that during this process of moving I have a God who has told me in his word that I can approach his throne of grace with confidence, that I might find grace and mercy in time of need(Hebrews 4:14-16).</p> <p>My prayer is that our journey will be an encouragement to you to seek Christ as your greatest treasure. To see that he is worth counting all earthly treasures as loss in comparison to gaining Him. Let’s treasure Him together!</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-46386295013397008002012-08-05T19:39:00.001-07:002012-08-05T19:39:24.878-07:00Feeling a Little Bored<p> I need a project. One of the reasons I started this blog is because I needed something to do. I feel like I’m going through a dry spell. I don’t feel like reading. I don’t feel like sewing. I don’t really know what I feel like doing. Quite frankly, I’m bored. I read a quote recently that said <font color="#0000ff">“</font><a href="http://thinkexist.com/quotation/you-ll_find_boredom_where_there_is_the_absence_of/181224.html"><font color="#0000ff">You'll find boredom where there is the absence of a good idea</font></a><font color="#0000ff">.”</font> I guess you could say I’m fresh out of good ideas. I hate feeling bored because it makes me feel like I’m just existing. I don’t want to just exist. I want my life to have purpose. I want to be productive. </p> <p> I was reading an article the other day in Voice of the Martyrs magazine. It was a story about a man in Laos who spent 10 years in prison for sharing the gospel. He had no cell mates, nothing to read, nothing to do but sit in his prison and exist. I think of that story and I wonder how he got through it without going nuts. Granted he gained a deeper love for Christ and has a far better perspective on eternity than I do. Still, I can’t fathom going that long without anything to do.</p> <p> I’m discovering as I write this that I think I idolize activity. I need busyness to feel secure. I don’t know how to be still. Ecclesiasties tells us there is a time for everything. Apparently, it’s my time to be bored. God must have something to teach me right now. Perhaps He has a fresh idea He can only show me during this time of quiet. Whatever the purpose, I know it can be a time of prayer and Bible study. This just doesn’t sound very exciting to me. But I know it’s what I need. I know that man in Laos wished he had had a Bible to study while in prison. I am grateful I have the freedom to do that. </p> <p> I know my boredom is temporary. Like everything else, this too shall pass. It is somehow producing in me an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. One day, when I see Jesus face to face, I will never be bored again. I will spend an eternity enjoying Him and discovering more and more of His beauty. Help me Lord to see your beauty in this time of boredom. Help me to keep my eyes on you.</p> <p> What about you? How do you get through times of boredom?</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-88503941645236334782012-08-03T15:19:00.001-07:002012-08-03T15:19:27.962-07:00New Beginnings<p> This fall we will begin our 4th year of homeschooling. It’s hard to believe that my oldest will be in 3rd grade! It seems like yesterday she was a baby and kindergarten seemed like an eternity away. My how time flies!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrN-7YmPqqAEEc35O9vKdllKppUXRCEcWS5Z8BO2TsTY7722o-XngKPd0SLG4ZdixvTwht1jDr_AKhPBFZVDWYGxqKfMQ4355BUX8zApwlFdOwnvRtXMWekKmJ5Sd9fKZ8KFUpjQKvYuO/s1600-h/0105.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="010" border="0" alt="010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7ikCpO0tLD1fMI3yEpipRQGaJz1l816BlLVl3a5eKIHlPw69FSCZAMThoAKuZQHp4NfrWXEUGnKM3Cy-r3iSk9MZNp2O9D9lXl4zniDY9E5WdtAF6g5wjTW54EtWvPbYf_NvTPcVkCco/?imgmax=800" width="439" height="330"></a></p> <p> I wish I could say our homeschool journey has been all roses and sunshine, but it has not. There have been many battles of will and frustration. I started homeschooling with a lot of preconceived notions of how school at home should be done. This placed a lot of stress on our relationship as I tried desperately to meet these lofty expectations.</p> <p> This year I am determined to approach my children’s education from a completely different perspective. If I don’t make some changes in attitude and expectations, we won’t be able to continue to homeschool. I really do love homeschooling. I don’t want to quit, but I recognize that maintaining a good relationship is of far greater importance. The following is a list of the changes I am determined we will make to see that this happens.</p> <p> <strong>1. Focus on the basics</strong></p> <p>I’ve spent the past 3 years schooling under this crazy notion that I have to teach my girls everything they ever need to know all in one year! I realize now that that is impossible and unnecessary. What I can do is take one day at a time, one subject at a time. The most important skills they need to learn are the three R’s. Everything else will come with time.</p> <p><strong>2. Stop comparing ourselves to everyone else</strong></p> <p>This one will be the hardest to accomplish as I constantly struggle with feeling like I don’t measure up. I’m always looking at what others are doing and feeling like I come up short. This year I want to focus on the path God is leading us down and not worry about what everyone else is doing. I want to look at others’ homeschools for inspiration and encouragement, not as a measuring line I can never reach. My children are unique individuals who need to be taught according to their needs and interests, not someone else’s.</p> <p><strong>3. Be present in my children’s learning</strong></p> <p>I am a multi-tasker by nature so it is hard for me to just sit with my girls and help them learn. I have a tendency to say “here, do this worksheet” while I get up and go wash the dishes, make a phone call, do the laundry, etc… This causes great frustration when the girls don’t fully understand what they are working on. They also become easily distracted when I’m not there to help when they need it. This year I will be present and make sure they fully understand the material before I let them work independently.</p> <p><strong>4. See my children as adults–to-be, not walking encyclopedias</strong></p> <p>I’ve been viewing education as a process of dumping lots of facts into my girls’ heads so they look good in front of others. But this is obviously not the point. The point is for them to learn how to solve problems. To be equipped with the skills they need to function as self sufficient adults, and to be able to think intelligently about what they read, see, and hear out in the real world.</p> <p>God has been gracious enough to reveal these needed changes to me. I trust that by that same grace, He will enable me to carry them out. So here’s to a year of fresh starts, and new beginnings.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-6182952630234906672012-07-31T14:18:00.001-07:002012-07-31T14:18:26.133-07:00Letting Go<p> <img src="http://www.agilistapm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/letting-go-butterfly.jpg"></p> <p> People quite often ask me how I feel about moving to Omaha. They know me and know that in the past I haven’t been at all thrilled about moving anywhere. I don’t always know what to say. I feel like I should be scared or worried. But I’m not. To be honest. I’m at complete peace about it. I’m an anxious person by nature and I normally freak out about, well, everything. So why am I facing such a huge change with such peace? The answer is God’s grace. God has been graciously and gently pushing me down this path. He’s brought me to a place where I am finally ready to let go of my comfort zone. </p> <p> Even though I have peace about moving, the what if’s still creep in. It is a constant battle not to let them ruin the peace God has given me. They threaten to tear my eyes off Jesus and put them back on myself and what is familiar. The familiar can be a trap. We are tricked into thinking that that is where our security is, and the threat of it being removed can cause us to feel insecure and out of control. </p> <p> The peace I have with our move didn’t happen over night, nor did it just fall into my lap. God had to first reveal to me that I was idolizing my comfort zone and clinging to it for dear life. I was placing my trust in what I could see and touch. By His great mercy, He opened my eyes to see that my priorities were all temporal. I was (am) clinging to things that are one day going to wear out or die. It was when I realized this, that God started to shift my attention to what matters most, what is eternal. I began to see that maybe God had something better in mind for me than what I thought I couldn’t live without. This is when I began to have peace. He was calling me to trust Him that He knows what He’s doing with my life. </p> <p> I don’t have it all figured out nor can I say I’m rid of all my idols. But I have to trust that if I keep entrusting myself to the One who raises the dead, He can deliver me from my fears and set me free. That is what I want the most. To be free. Free from whatever keeps me from the abundant life He died for me to have. I want to be able to say with Paul that “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phlippians 1:21) I want to let go of whatever is keeping me from treasuring Him above life.</p> <p> So how do I feel about moving to Omaha? I am excited to face my fears and see how God provides for our needs. I am excited to see what good things He has in store for us. I am ready to let go.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-58380935692960361692012-07-29T14:03:00.001-07:002012-07-29T14:03:10.900-07:00A Life Worth Living<p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"><img src="http://zuvvu.com/images/content/Olympic-2012-.jpg" width="369" height="286"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> I love the Olympics, especially the summer Olympics. My favorite sports to watch are swimming, diving, volleyball, and track and field. It is so fascinating to me to watch these people accomplish such amazing feats that I’ll never be able to do myself.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> This year I’ve found myself becoming a little envious of these athletes. O.k. maybe a lot envious. How fantastic would it be to travel the world meeting fascinating people and experiencing captivating cultures! Just being a part of the Olympics alone would be exciting. I start to compare my life with theirs and I become discontent. I’m lucky if I get to travel outside of my state let alone my country! I’ll probably never appear on t.v. or have a medal to put in above my mantel. There’s nothing glorious about my life.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> It was with this dissatisfied attitude that I sat down to listen to a John Piper sermon this morning. He preached on 2 Timothy 2:8-19, in which Paul is encouraging Timothy to stand firm in his faith during the suffering he was about to face for the sake of the Gospel. Paul himself is writing the letter from a prison cell while chained to a wall. There was nothing glorious about either of their lives, certainly nothing to be envious of. But I was convicted by what Paul says to Timothy, “Keep your attention on Jesus Christ as risen from the dead <sup></sup>and descended from David. This is according to my gospel. <sup>9 </sup>I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God’s message is not bound. <sup>10 </sup>This is why I endure <sup></sup>all things for the elect: <sup></sup>so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” Unlike the Olympians whose glory will fade as the years go by, our glory in Christ Jesus will be eternal. Paul and Timothy sought the eternal glory that comes from pursuing Christ. They saw gaining Christ and sacrificing their lives for the sake of preaching the Gospel, as a life worth living and dying for.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> If I am seeking first the kingdom of God, my life will be well spent whether I travel the world or not. At the end of my life when I stand before God, all things done for earthly gain will be burned away. All that will remain is what I have done for His glory. No matter how big or small that might be.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> So my life may never be glorious or exciting, but my prayer is that God will use my life to further the Gospel and to bring him praise. That is the life that will bring true satisfaction and reward that will outlast any medal or earthly fame.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><font face="Berlin Sans FB"> <em> 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 <sup>17 </sup>For our momentary light affliction<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/#fen-HCSB-28876a">a</a>]</sup> <sup></sup>is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. <sup></sup><sup>18 </sup>So we do not focus on what is seen, <sup></sup>but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.</em></font></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7337984649825549491.post-61697764455970485832012-07-24T13:50:00.001-07:002012-07-24T13:50:06.816-07:00Love your Neighbor<p> <img src="http://ralphandkirstin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Heart2.jpg" width="240" height="238"></p> <p> <font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> I learned a few lessons today on how little compassion I have for the lost. I took the girls to the wading pool today, and we encountered a few children who tried our patience. One girl in particular chose to single my girls out as objects of her superiority complex. Although my girls had done nothing to her, she called them names, hit them, splashed them, and stuck her tongue out at them. I decided then and there it was time to leave before I did something to that girl that would get me in big trouble. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> As I fretted and fumed all the way to the car, I realized that I had no compassion on her soul. To be honest, I would have preferred that God send her to hell than save her.God then gently reminded me that I am just as deserving of hell as she is. Before Christ came and rescued me from the pit of darkness, I too was on the path to hell. It is only by God’s grace that I don’t treat people the same way that little girl was treating my children. My thoughts toward that little girl were just as wicked as her actions were.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> I was also reminded of the fact that Jesus was mistreated too. People beat Him, mocked Him, and killed Him. But instead of reviling, He prayed “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” He commands us to do the same. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> So with a humbled heart, I asked for God’s forgiveness for my own sin. I then asked that He would have mercy on that little girl and her family so that by His grace, they would want to live a life that is pleasing to Him.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB"> Lord, help me to see people the way you do. Help me to have compassion on the lost, and desire their salvation, rather than their destruction.</font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048568045625081846noreply@blogger.com0