Any chance you've ever had a day or a week when it seems as though life just comes down crashing on you with no room to come up for air? It would seem that everyone and everything is out to get you? And all you would rather do is simply hide under a rock and wave a red flag in surrender and have someone let you know when its all over and done with and life can go on as you remembered it. Yes. I know the feeling all too well. This past week has been a week that I'd rather not remember or do over again. Without going into a long, drawn out drama story of events, lets just say that I am avidly learning the concept of grace, understanding, and well... comic relief. Every hear about that? Its that moment when all you wanna do is kick, cry, and scream.... yet instead, you choose to see the humor in the situation and find yourself chuckling or dare I even say - laughing until you cry.
There were moments this week when I literally found myself standing in the middle of the room in the midst of caos looking up at the heavens and asking God, 'why? why does it have to all happen at once?' It is truly a moment where I could have used a good, long hug. No words of comfort or its ok. Just a hug.
However, now looking back I see that even though I do not get a direct answer to all the chaos or the reason for why things have been happening the way they do, I understand that there is no rhyme or reason to why events come to pass or that anyone is at fault. Things happen. But God still expects us to be his children and rely on him for our comfort and to trust in him in all things - regardless of the situation or even the outcome. He created us and he loves us. And all he wants from us is our heart. Now, I can't control who leaves this world, or whether a pet will be ok. I can't stop an auto accident or a vehicle from malfunctioning. And I can't make my children be obedient (but I can teach them the art of listening and obeying). The list can go on and on.... what I can control is how faithful I am to abiding by God's Word and loving Him with my whole heart.
With that said, that also means glorifying Him in all situations - which I might add, I fail in this department at times, but when we do fail we must repent and move on to fulfilling his calling in our lives. We have a higher purpose that sitting there in a puddle of misery despairing over all of our woes. It is serving him despite hardships in our lives and living in joy and love.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Prayers: Are they empty or full of life?
The past few weeks at Sunday morning service we've been hearing about empty prayers. Prayers that we think in our heads/hearts and have every intention of praying about in a consistant manner and maybe even fasting on.................. and then life gets in the way. Sound familiar. Yep. I know. Me too. Its not that I don't care or that I forget about what needs are present. Its that I'm not good at consistancy. Those that know me very, very well would agree on this fact about me. Ahhemm... but don't say it! I know that God knows my heart and he knows my intentions are pure and full of excitement when it comes to where my faith lies on the matter. I know that he is fully capable of answering prayers that I have for my life, for my family, and for the world around us. I simply must have prayer in my heart daily - not just at mealtime (which I might add, my son literally reminds us at every single meal by folding his hands and screaming MOM!! MOM!! if we happen to forget to do so... ) or when I'm putting my babies down at bedtime. Its while I'm driving. While I'm loading and unloading the dishwasher. Or folding laundry and making dinner.
Our pastor has been talking about fasting. Fasting for your prayer requests. Yeah, usually its fasting food (!!) but can be anything - television, internet, coffeeeeee (hehe), soda....or whatever we hold very dear to our hearts. :) And in case you have your doubts about the power of prayer and fasting - you can ask me anytime about times that I fasted and prayed about specific prayer needs I had throughout my life that I recieved an answer to prayer on those very things. I can tell you from testimony that there is an annointing in this method of prayer and trust that God is faithful.
So. If you have prayers unanswered because of inconsistant intentions like I do (empty), I challenge you to a five day fast. Let's clarify. A fast of some sort. Like I said, it does not have to be food. It can be anything that you can decidedly abstain from that normally you would do every single day and take that time in prayer for your (and/or others') prayer needs. Watch and see what God does in your life and in the lives around you! I have personally made a list of Prayer Needs for the year of 2012 and posted on our refrigerator for my family and I to be in consistant prayer for. I am excited to see what God's going to bring about this year!!
Pray with me will you?
Our pastor has been talking about fasting. Fasting for your prayer requests. Yeah, usually its fasting food (!!) but can be anything - television, internet, coffeeeeee (hehe), soda....or whatever we hold very dear to our hearts. :) And in case you have your doubts about the power of prayer and fasting - you can ask me anytime about times that I fasted and prayed about specific prayer needs I had throughout my life that I recieved an answer to prayer on those very things. I can tell you from testimony that there is an annointing in this method of prayer and trust that God is faithful.
So. If you have prayers unanswered because of inconsistant intentions like I do (empty), I challenge you to a five day fast. Let's clarify. A fast of some sort. Like I said, it does not have to be food. It can be anything that you can decidedly abstain from that normally you would do every single day and take that time in prayer for your (and/or others') prayer needs. Watch and see what God does in your life and in the lives around you! I have personally made a list of Prayer Needs for the year of 2012 and posted on our refrigerator for my family and I to be in consistant prayer for. I am excited to see what God's going to bring about this year!!
Pray with me will you?
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Look UP!
There are moments in life when we think about our past decisions, choices, mistakes, pitfalls what have you and it sinks in that we may have dug ourselves in a hole that seems almost impossible to dig ourselves out of. Or, maybe we have no control over our circumstances and we simply find ourselves in a pit desperately trying to get out and not sure how. Been there? Me too.
There have been times when I will sit down to paperwork when I am forced to focus and concentrate and BAM! I begin to think about the stresses - if only I had said 'no', knowing full well that going the opposite direction would mean I would pay for it. Sadly, we do not always make the right decisions in life. We try to convince ourselves that 'it'll be fine and we'll make it work or we'll figure it out'. Then later comes along and its a mind-wrenching thing that we can't just shrug off. We lay in bed contemplating what has to happen to make everything alright again. What changes need or can be made to change what consequences may be upon us. Oh gosh.... I could go on and on. But really, do you understand how this is? Its a down ward spiral.
And then to have the conversation with someone who knows the dread of it all. But you know, you can only talk about how stupid it all was so much. It becomes old and you can stress and stress all you want. The conclusion is: the only place to look is UP. If you keep looking down, then yes, you're going to continue to go into that downward spiral and become depressed. That's where the enemy wants you to look, ultimately - down. To feel so bad about yourself and all of your mistakes in life that you think you're better off away from anything else that you can affect. So untrue!
God wants us to know that his mercies are new every morning. He forgives us from every single transgression we bear. Isn't that wonderful news? It means that we have no reason to fret. No reason to worry or stress. If we know that we've made mistakes, admit to them, ask him to help you change and move on to better things. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And where there is freedom, there is joy of heart. Look UP. Rejoice in his greatness and glory. He is the ultimate in every possible situation we can go through. The next time you find yourself in a pickle - have a conversation. Not only does getting it off your chest do wonders but he wants to hear from us. He loves to hear from us. We are his precious little girls whom he adores and would do anything for! You know the expression, 'chin up'? Well, its true. Look up to your Heavenly Father and let him bring life to your soul.
There have been times when I will sit down to paperwork when I am forced to focus and concentrate and BAM! I begin to think about the stresses - if only I had said 'no', knowing full well that going the opposite direction would mean I would pay for it. Sadly, we do not always make the right decisions in life. We try to convince ourselves that 'it'll be fine and we'll make it work or we'll figure it out'. Then later comes along and its a mind-wrenching thing that we can't just shrug off. We lay in bed contemplating what has to happen to make everything alright again. What changes need or can be made to change what consequences may be upon us. Oh gosh.... I could go on and on. But really, do you understand how this is? Its a down ward spiral.
And then to have the conversation with someone who knows the dread of it all. But you know, you can only talk about how stupid it all was so much. It becomes old and you can stress and stress all you want. The conclusion is: the only place to look is UP. If you keep looking down, then yes, you're going to continue to go into that downward spiral and become depressed. That's where the enemy wants you to look, ultimately - down. To feel so bad about yourself and all of your mistakes in life that you think you're better off away from anything else that you can affect. So untrue!
God wants us to know that his mercies are new every morning. He forgives us from every single transgression we bear. Isn't that wonderful news? It means that we have no reason to fret. No reason to worry or stress. If we know that we've made mistakes, admit to them, ask him to help you change and move on to better things. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And where there is freedom, there is joy of heart. Look UP. Rejoice in his greatness and glory. He is the ultimate in every possible situation we can go through. The next time you find yourself in a pickle - have a conversation. Not only does getting it off your chest do wonders but he wants to hear from us. He loves to hear from us. We are his precious little girls whom he adores and would do anything for! You know the expression, 'chin up'? Well, its true. Look up to your Heavenly Father and let him bring life to your soul.
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