He is Defeted!!

       Have you ever gone through a situation when you find yourself questioning God what did I do wrong? Why am I being punished? I don't get it.

    I have recently been experiencing a lot of health issues. These issues are very serious issues and I have found myself in this exact situation.
Did I ever question God's existences? No. I just wanted to understand why.

    As I lay in my hospital room alone and in solitude I found myself battling with so many thoughts. I was discussing my feelings with God and crying out to him. As I sat quietly and waited on him. I heard a still small voice say "My precious child I love you and your doing nothing wrong. If anything your doing it right and that is why you are under attack. I got this.

    I was soon reminded of Mathew 4:1-4 where Jesus is in the Garden of Gathemane. He is alone and in solitude that is when Satan tries to attack him. Jesus fights back and soon reminds him of his future. How does he do this? He throws scripture at him.  Reading the bible and mesmerizing verses is our best defence.

   John 8:44 describes Satan as a murder, never holding the truth. He lies and he is the father of lies.
He will tell you anything he can to pull you down. The bible is our sword and when we throw those verses at him he realizes he can not win. God's Power is greater then his sceems.

  If I have learned anything from this experience I have learned this to be true in my life.

    I encourage you to read your bible and memorize his word. This will be your greatest weapon. You will defete Satan and his sceems.

    "Lord Thank you for your word. I Thank you for love and for your protection. You are a good Father and nothing is too difficult for you.



 

Like the Birds

            

    Yesterday I was sitting in my kitchen relaxing after I had just finished the housework and going about my day. I could hear the birds singing and thought what a beautiful day. Then I looked out my kitchen window. It looked like a blizzard had struck us. A blizzard in May?

 I quickly thought why God why? It is spring what is this white stuff I see before me?  I found myself complaining to myself and whining about this crazy weather. God you really do have a sense of humor.

    As I sat quietly at my kitchen table, I could hear this still small voice speaking to me. This voice was saying “Do you hear those birds singing? Why can’t you be like these birds? In the mist of the storm they still sing praises. They are outside in the snow with very little shelter and yet they are still thankful.

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

 “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

    God wants us to give thanks for all things. Yes, even the snow storms. When we are thankful, we become more aware of his presence.  We learn how to express our gratitude even when we feel that we cannot.   Our thankfulness helps us to rise above the problem. When we are thankful and we rejoice in him we are then energized by his glory.

    I quickly found myself asking God to forgive me for being so selfish. I have so many blessings in my life. I was sitting in my warm kitchen drinking my hot cup of coffee when there are many who are homeless and on the streets. They do not have a warm shelter. Here I was looking at the negative instead of the positive.  I was being ungrateful for what I do have. I was taking for granted the things that I do have in life. When situations come and we don’t feel like being thankful God wants us to be thankful by praising him.

“Lord help me to sing your praise in every situation. Help me to be more like the birds.”

Under His Wings

Psalms 91:4

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.”

               

With all of the craziness that is going on in this world right now. This verse has become a comfort to me.  There are many people in panic of the unknown. Many questions and concerns. What if I contract this virus? How will I make ends meet? How are my loved ones? Will this ever end?       I may not know what the future holds and I may not have all the answers. I do however know who holds my future. I can take comfort in knowing that he has me covered with his feathers and I am protected by his wings.

Have you ever watched a mother goose with her goslings? When my kids were younger, we use to take them to the local duck park every spring. They loved going to see the new goslings.  From time to time we would see a mother curled in a ball with her babies tucked under her wings. As long as those babies where under her wings they were completely protected and no harm would come to them.

When looking at a bird wing what do you see?  They seem flimsy. They don’t look very strong.  However, there is more to a bird’s wings then the eye can see.  

For example, each feather has stiff barbs with tiny hooks that lock together much like the prongs of a zipper. The fluffy part keeps the bird warm but the barbs give the feather support. Both of these parts put together are what keeps the birds safe from wind and rain. Until the babies develop fully, they are only covered with the fluffy down. They do not have the protection like its mother.  For this reason, the mother bird needs to cover them with her feathers to protect them from the wind and rain. They are safe under her wings during the storms.

When I read this verse, I think of God covering us with his feathers much like the mother bird covers her little ones with her feathers. Her feathers are a safe place to retreat when the storm comes along. We can take refuge until the storm passes. God is there to comfort and shelter us from life’s storms. When we are under his wings we are loved. We are covered and protected. We are reassured that no harm can come to us.

I often wonder how many times God wants to protect us with his wings but we do not take refuge in him. We try and rely on our own resources.  I know I have been guilty of this at times. It is our human nature to try and do it on our own but when we take refuge in him that is when he can cover us fully with his wings. He covers us where nothing and no one can harm us. Not even the force of Hell can prevail against him.

We may feel that we are going through a great storm.  Some of us are dealing with great troubles and heartaches. Some of us may feel alone and abandoned. Some of us may be feeling defeated or discouraged.  The good news is we can deal with this storm without fear as look as we turn our eyes to him. He is there with his wings stretched wide so we can take refuge under his wings.

I encourage you to take refuge under his wings. God has this all under control. He knows the beginning and he knows the end.

“Lord Thank you for your protection. Thank you that we can take refuge in you and you will keep us safe from the storms. Thank you for your faithfulness and thank you for your peace.”

He Calms the Storm

Have you ever been in the middle of a great storm?

  I remember a few years ago we were hit with a pretty bad wind storm. Hydro was knocked out lasting for many days for some. Trees were ripped out of the ground by the roots. Schools were canceled and the after mass from this storm was great. During the storm I found myself praying for my family and friends safety. Later I watched on the news, they had talked about a group of kids that had been out on a school trip. They were out on the lake in boats when the storm hit. They had to go out and bring them home safely . I was soon reminded of another boat that was on the water during a storm.

Mark 4:35-41

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped, Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

   Many times we go through storms like this storm. I know even now we are all going through a storm.  We are all dealing with Covid-19. I find myself once again praying for my friends and family's saftey.

  We think we are going to drown, we just can not handle anymore. The disciples worried about the outcome of the storm, Just like now. When things seem out of control, we tend to worry and sometimes our minds start to play games. 

Isaiah 26: 3 says that he will keep us in perfect peace when we trust in him.

  When we trust in God and we allow him to take control then he can calm the storm. We need to have the faith that no matter what this storm brings our way.

Remember...God is in control!

Dolphins

     These last few months I have been busy and some trails have come along the way. I have also been battling some health issues.  At times it feels like my somewhat normal life has been turned upside down. It is through these times that I have learned two things.

#1 I am never alone because God is always with me.

#2 God has blessed me by placing some amazing people in my life.

I remember watching a show on the television a little while ago.  It was one of those nature shows. It was about dolphins.

    Did you know that dolphins are very intelligent animals. A dolphin is a small member of the whale family. A dolphin may swim in the ocean, however it breathes like a whale through the opening at the top of its head. They must come to the surface often to get their air supply. They travel in groups and are often seen leaping and swimming together in this group. Something that I found interesting about dolphins is that they care for one another in a very special way. When one of them gets hurt. They will stick close to the injured dolphin. They will protect it and make sure that no harm comes to that injured dolphin. They will help the injured one retreat by using their own lives as bait to attract the sharks and opponents away from the injured one. When the shark attacks, other dolphins come to help and aid in battle. They may even push that injured dolphin up to the surface from time to time to get it the air it needs. If the other dolphins did not help out, the injured dolphin could drown. Without the other dolphins that injured dolphin would surely die. God wants us to help one another in our time of need.

Proverbs 17:17

" A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need."

    Often we see someone struggling, or someone that needs our support. God wants us to be there for them. How many times have we seen someone being attached by Satan?  God wants us to step out to help them. We need to protect and give the guidance to the one hurt. We need to pray for them and encourage them in their time of need. Satan tends to attach us more when we are hurt or down. God wants us to direct each other to the top, so we can get that much needed breath of fresh air.

  Sometimes it may be a challenge for us to help that person. Maybe that person has hurt you. Sometimes it may be easier to kick that person while they are down but God wants us to help lift that person up no matter what the situation may be.

    I encourage you to look around you and if you see someone that is struggling or needs that little extra push to the surface. God has put them there for a reason. He wants us to help and protect each other in our times of need. God has given me a great support group. I am so thankful for each and every one of them.   Not one of us can make this journey alone. We need the support and encouragement from those around us to get us through. Without each other we would not be able to make it through all the trials life has to offer us. We all need that push to the surface to help us breathe through every situation. 

He Does Not Sleep

   As a parent I have always protected and watched over my children. I remember one night when my kids where younger there was a storm coming through. I remember suggesting that we have a sleepover in our basement.  I just wanted to take extra precautions just in case. All night I lay listening to the winds blow and the thunder roll through. But it was my job as a parent to protect my family. Over the years there have been obstacles that the girls have gone through, where people have hurt them. It is automatically my responsibility to jump into action and protect them to make sure that no one hurts them again. Although this is a task that I know I am unable to do sometimes I will always be there in some way for them. When they where out with friends I would lay awake until I knew they were home safe.

   This reminds me of God's love for us. We may not be able to avoid the storm, however he is always there to protect us. He does not sleep but he continues to watch over us. He may not be able to stop people or situations from happening but he will always walk through the storm with us

.

Throughout Psalms 121 it reassures us that God is our guardian and our protector.

In verse 3 and 4 it tells us that he will not slumber. It goes on in verse 7 to say that 

"The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life."

No matter the storm or challenge we can always take comfort in knowing that God has it under control. He is always there. 

Fishers of men

Come, Follow me, Jesus said, “ and I will make you fishers of men. “ Mark 1:17

    I remember my girls first time out fishing. Sarah spent forever to catch her fish. Finally after much persistence, she finally hooked a good sized bass on her line. She was so excited. She bounced everywhere. She looked at me and said "Mommy I can't believe it. I caught my first fish. And it is a big one too."

This fish had been nibbling on her line all afternoon.. She had finally caught that fish. She was so excited. Until I turned to her and said. “Awesome stuff now we have to clean it.” Her little face dropped at the thought of doing this deadly task.After much thought she turned to me with eyes wide open and said "No Mommy. I don't have to clean them that is Daddy's job." She then turned around and handed the fish to Chris and said "Here Daddy, you clean them." She was so intent that her father was going to clean the fish for her. She had no reason to do it.

    This is like us as Christians. We are the ones out there setting examples and enticing the fish for God. It is our actions and our lives that God uses as the bate. As we set that example the unsaved start to see things through us. That is in the end what brings them to God. They want what we have. Soon they come to know God in a personally way. And then the deed of cleaning them comes. The best part of it is … We don't have to do the job of cleaning.. That is our heavenly father's job. We are there just to pray and to lift them up before God. We are there to encourage them and to continue to walk in faith. Faith that our father will tend to the rest. Sometimes it is hard for us to understand the difference between catching them and cleaning them. But we catch them and the rest is up to God. He will show them things and clean them in his time. It is our job to love them and pray for them and leave the rest up to our father who will clean them. Just like Sarah did when she caught her fish. It is Daddy's job. Here Daddy you clean them.

Lord help us to hand the fish over to you for cleaning when we catch them

You are special in God's sight

No one has ever been born or will be born like you. God created us to be different. That is what makes you so special. It is like the snowflakes. Not one is alike but they are all uniquely made.

No one else has your point of views or your passion or characteristics. No one can parent your children, or take care of your family like you. No one has your exact ideas, your talents or, the ability to do things the same as you. We all have our own creativeness. No, there is no one truly like you.

For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible , wheather thrones or dominions of ruler or authorities - all things have been created through him. (Colossions 1:16)  

God made us all unique. I am so glad God did not make us all the same this world would be such a boring place.

For it was you who created my inward part;  you knit me together in my mother's womb. ( Psalms 139:13)

For everything created by God is good, and nothing to be rejected if it is recieved with Thanksgiving. (Tim 4:4)

God values you because you where made in his image. When God created man, he created him in the likeness of God( Gen 5:1)

When I was a baby. I was very sick. I had this water pocket come up on my head. It hung down and rested on my shoulder. The Dr's had told my mom if it broke I would be dead instantly. It was water on the brain. It was just a matter of time and she should make some arrangements. My mom went to the church that we attended. She met with the ladies of the church and they prayed for a healing. My mother said she felt God come over her and she knew I was healed. She proceeded home all excited God had healed me. She explained to my father what had happened. She told him Rose has been healed. My father being the doubting Thomas turned to her and said.. “Um you better get yourself prepared.” I don't think healing happens that fast. He then sent my brother to the hospital with my mom. When my mom got to the hospital they found my crib empty. They went to the nurse to be informed.. That at that exact moment that my mom felt the spirit upon her. The thing on my head vanished. No traces of it at all. They had me in doing some tests to see where it went to. It was gone I had been healed.

From that day on my mom always told me. We all have a special purpose in life. We may not always know our purpose but he will show us his purpose in life. In his time.

If you are feeling distraught and you really do not know where to turn.

Maybe you are questioning God. Remember we are all here for a reason. Maybe you know of someone that just does not seem to get it right. Remember God made us in our own unique way. He loves us all the same even the unlovable people. The ones that just seem to get under your skin, no matter what they do. God loves us all. He made us all different ....

We are all special in his sight.

Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After

What are your thoughts on Happily Ever After?

As a young girl I often thought about happily ever after. You know the kind of love that you read about. The love where the knight in shining armour comes along on his white horse and swoops up his princess and they all live happily ever after.

When you think of Happily Ever After maybe you think of Cinderella & Prince Charming? Beauty & The Beast? Romeo & Juliet?  How about Adam & Eve?

Wait!!  Adam & Eve???  Yes you read that correctly. Adam & Eve were the first couple that were ever made for each other by God. Even though they made one of the biggest known mistakes. They still managed to create quite the life together.

I don't know about you but I have never turned a pumpkin into a carriage and my husband has never rode in on a white horse to save me from the evil villains in life. He has never slayed a vicious dragon on my behalf. We don't have the white pickett fence. Instead our lives are quite different. We don't spend every waking moment together. We seldom have alone time. He snores. I snore. We bicker and argue at times. He watches too much wrestling. I watch too many love stories. He is too cold. I am too hot. He steals the blankets. I don't get breakfast in bed and flowers all the time. We struggle with things like finances and busy schedules.

We are far from perfect and just like Adam & Eve we make mistakes, we love each other perfectly. God created our marriage in his perfect image in his perfect way.

1 John 4:12 says "that if we love one another , God remains in us and his love is made complete in us."

Too many times we can find ourselves stressing over living upto a fairytale.

Your love story no matter how simple or complexed it may be. It has already been written, illustrated and signed by the author.

Happily ever after don't always come with a white horse. It does not come with a fairy godmother or ballroom dancing. It comes from God and when he is in control of your relationship nothing will stand between you.

1 John 4:19 says we love because he loved us first.

God did not love us so he could get something in return but to give in return.

This love is the same love that brings me my happily Ever After. With all the bumps and curves. All the imperfections. That is the true meaning of love. When you love someone with every spot & every wrinkle.