Forgiveness

Have you ever thought to yourself "I could never forgive them"? Have you ever thought about what forgiveness actually means? Have you ever told anyone that you forgave them for something but in reality did you? 

I know that I have been dealing with a lot of past and recent hurts lately. This has really made me vulnerable, it has opened me up to many different feelings one of which has been unforgiveness. God has shown me that it is ok to be hurt and it is hard to not remember these things however unforgiveness is unexceptional.

Matthew 18: 35
“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Ephesians 4:32 says
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, Just as God also forgave you in Christ."

The word forgive means to grant pardon for or remission of their trespasses. To forgive a person for something they have done against you. To totally wipe the slate clean, as if they never did it. To free them from all blame. It means to give up your anger for that person. It means to let it go.

When I chose not to forgive it hinders my life and my relationships with God and others.

Mark 12:25 says
"And whenever you stand praying,  if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven will also forgive you your wrong doing."

Studies have shown that chosing not to forgive only brings negative consequences. It will lead to bitterness, hatred, hurt, resentment and anger into our lives. It can also lead to health issues.
When we chose to unforgive that is when we allow ourselves to be held hostage over a bondage that God had no intentions of us  being in.

I have caught myself saying" well I forgive them but I will never forget!"

The bible tells us in John 15:12 that I am to love like Jesus.
It also tells us in Isaiah 43:10 that he sweeps away our transgressions and remembers our sins no more. 

In Hebrews 8:12 it tells us that he will forgive our wrongdoings and will remember our sins no more.

Does this mean we need to forget too?
I know many times it comes to mind. When things happen you won't just forget it. 

God has shown me that forgetting is a hard thing to do but when it comes to mind I need to take the opportunity to forgive them again. I need to forgive daily. When it comes to mind  I have learned to it take the opportunity to pray for them.
When I pray for them it softness my heart and helps me forgive them.
Forgiveness is not a one time thing. Forgiveness  is something that I need to do daily.

When I open my heart to forgiveness I open my heart to a whole new world. Forgiveness is also a big step towards the healing that will take place in my heart.

I also know that Iam far from perfect and I can be confident in knowing that God has forgiven me for all my transgressions. If he can forgive me and also forgive that person that has hurt me and done some unbearable things. I too can learn to forgive that person who has hurt and attacked me.
In reality when I chose to forgive I am not doing it to bring change to the person that has hurt me. By forgiving Iam doing it to bring change to myself.  I do it so I can  live a happy and productive life. I do it so I can serve God and be close to him. When I implement forgiveness daily it allows me to recieve what God has instore for me.

In the end when I forgive it allows me to be the woman that God wants me to be.

Success

 If I was to ask you what the meaning of success is to you, what would you say?

Some people tend to see success as the job you hold or the big bank account. They may see it as being famous, or having the perfect family. For some success is defined by our ability to either juggle all the demands of life or control what happens in our lives.

  The true meaning of success comes is in our friendship with God and how deep we trust Him. 

I have learned this firsthand. I’m a very motivated person and I try to give 100% in all that I do. I was raised to strive for perfection and that is what I do.  However, there came a time in my life when I had to let go of trying to make success happen and start being available to what God had for me. That meant setting aside my desires and waiting on his timing. 

I remember wanting a career and wanting things that just never seemed to happen like I wanted and the timing was never right. I was at home taking care of the girls and my family. I loved being with them and I would never take the time I had with them for granted. However , I wanted a career and I wanted to do things for me too. To which God said "Not yet."

I had to wait for God's timing. This meant waiting on God to lead me in the right direction. Once my children grew up God began to open the doors for me. I went back to school and started a career. I finally had the desires of my heart. Now I have a career and I feel so blessed to have the job I do.

When we surrender our hearts to him our cry can then be “Here I am, God. Use me however You choose.”

I don't know about you but for me I would sooner be in control and for me to reach a place of surrender is a challenge.

The good news is once you surrender it takes the pressure off of success. You no longer have to be responsible for it. You can focus on being faithful to God, he will handle the success part.  You will then be able to reap the blessings of everything that he is doing in you and through you.

Jeremiah 29:11 says

"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

He is the one who can be trusted with all of our dreams and desires. When we surrender control it will increase our trust and we can take comfort in knowing that he will work all things for what is best for us. 

Driving in the Fog

 

Have you ever had to drive in the fog?  I had to go into town a couple of weeks ago. It was foggy and I had to drive through fog at times that was so thick that I could only see my headlights a few feet in front of my car. Although I knew where I was going, I still felt a little unsure and fearful because I did not know what was instore for me up ahead. What if there’s an accident that I can’t see? What if the road turns and I miss it? What if there’s a dear or an animal in the road?

When driving in the fog the high beams that are suppose to help you to see far makes the situation worse in the fog. You have to slow to a crawl just so you can feel safe and secure while moving forward. You need to take your time in order to get to your destination safety. Sometime you need to accept that you aren’t going to get to your location on time.

Driving in the fog is a lot like Faith. It’s dangerous at times. It requires us to slow down and pay attention to everything. We don’t always see what’s right in front of us. It gets revealed to us little by little. God wants us to slow down and to make each move with determination. He doesn’t want us to get in a hurry. He has a time and purpose for everything. As we rush through things, that's when accidents happen. We have to trust that we will get to where he wants us to be in his timing. His timing is right. I don't know about you but that’s one of the hardest parts of being in a fog for me. We have our own ideas of when we want to get where he wants us to be and we try to get there as quickly as possible.

I’m learning just how important the journey is. It’s not always about getting to the destination. The fog, the slow times and the detours are all part of God’s purpose for our lives. They build our faith and give us the reason that we need so that we are ready when we finally do arrive. I’ve seen how the slow times and the hard times in my life have prepared me for where I am today. I know that as the time goes on, God will give me a better perspective during the foggy times.

Sometimes God uses foggy and uncertain times in our lives to draw us closer to him. This allows us to trust him more.
When we keep our eyes focused on him in the midst of the fog, He can then be like a good set of fog lights and penetrate  through the darkest parts of our lives.

When I am uncertain and afraid I know that I did not rely on my headlights to see what was ahead. I know that when I do not use God’s lights to light each step of the path as I take them one by one. It is easy to get frustrated. 

When your vision is clouded by the fog of life. It’s hard to slow down and wait. I understand completely. I’m a person who likes to move. I like the sense of accomplishment I feel when I get to my intended destination. That’s what’s comfortable to me. Taking a detour and a route I’m unfamiliar with isn’t comfortable. Slowing down isn’t easy. Taking in the journey isn’t what’s natural for me, but it’s in those times that I trust God the most. It’s on the detours that I learn more about who God is and who He wants me to be. It’s when I slow down and take life one step at a time that my vision really becomes clear. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow or my destination. God wants me to be in the moment.

Maybe you’re like me and you don’t like it when you can’t see very far ahead of you. We can learn a lot when life gets foggy. Don’t panic because you can’t see into the future. Don’t let fear of the unknown consume you. God knows your future better than we ever could. He sees through the fog and will guide us. Trust Him completely with each step. 

This uncertainty that comes from not knowing helps to grow our faith and it also builds our relationship with our heavenly father.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says
"He makes all things beautiful in his time."

So...take your time and don’t rush to get past it.  Trust in him and he will use the foggy moments to get you where you need to be on time and at the right moment. 

Will you be Ready???

As I sat here thinking on what to write today all that came to my mind was "Be Ready!"

I don't know about you but I like to be ready for any trip that I go on. I find myself making lists of things that I need to do. The night before I check this list not once but several times the night before. I leave everything together at the door so I can grab it with ease the next morning. I want to be ready.

This should be like our life. Many people try to avoid the thoughts of them passing on and meeting Jesus.

Matthew 24:24
Therefore you also must be ready, for in an hour when you least expect, the Son of Man is coming.

We need to be ready because we will all have that day where we are held accountable for our lives here on earth. It is our job to be ready. 

In the last few weeks I have had to say goodbye to a couple of men in my life. These men where not just ordinary men but were men of God. They had worked hard to prepare for the day when Jesus came knocking on thier door. When they would finally see Jesus face to face. These men where great mentors to me growing up. They loved people and more importantly they loved God. God reflected through both of these men. If anything I learned how important it is for us to be ready.
I know that without a doubt both of these men are finally reeping thier rewards in heaven. They worked for the day where they would see Jesus face to face.

When I think of both of these men. I am reminded how important that we leave nothing undone. That we live a life that is kind, generous and truthful and honorable to God. I am reminded that forgiveness is also a great value. I am reminded that I need to live a life that is pleasing to God and is an example of those around me.

Hebrews 9: 27 tells us that it is appointed for man to die once, and after this judgment.

If God were to come for me today would I be embarrassed of my life or would I stand before him and hear "Well done good and faithful servant."

Mathew 25:13 tells us to keep watch for we do not know the day nor the hour of which he comes. We need to be ready for our meeting with him.

My point here has nothing to do with "If God returns" but "When God returns."

God has given us a list to follow. The list is the Bible. We need to read it and check it daily. Just like those lists that I mentioned earlier. We need to check his list several times to make sure that we are ready.

He will return for us at any given moment and when he does the question is...

Will we be ready?

Your First Love

 

Do you remember your first love? 

How did it make you feel when you looked in each other's eyes? Maybe you remember the sparks when you held hands for the first time. 

I remember my first love. I was maybe 16. He was the one. The man of my dreams. We were going to be together forever and ever. It is funny how we think. I wanted the very best and I only wanted it with him. There is not a time that we were apart I did not think of him. He was my life. This is not the first love that I am referring to here. I am talking about the first love between you and God.

Can you remember the first time you came to God?  

Do you remember when you gave your life to God? 

Do you remember that feeling?

I was a teenager when I accepted God. I had been raised in church for a very long time. Since birth to be exact. My parents stopped going to church, although they stopped we had a number one rule in our home. The rule was simple, All kids belonged in church. We would get up early Sunday morning and the Sunday School bus would pick us up. We attended church faithfully every Sunday.

I grew up playing the game and living the life that my parents and others expected of me. I believed in God. I knew of him and I could tell you pretty much any story that was in the bible. I sang in the choir, worked in the Sunday school classes. I helped out on the Sunday school bus picking up other kids. I lived a good life and did not really do anything wrong. There was one thing missing… I talked the talk.. But was not walking the walk.

I remember going to a youth convention and I do not remember much about the convention, however I do have one memory of that convention. The last night the speaker spoke on God's love. He said that, "God loved me. Not only did he love me but he was crazy about me and he wanted me to come to him. He don’t care about my past. He did not care about who or what I was or was not. He loves me regardless. I remember him calling us up to the front and I pretty much ran to that alter. I had no idea what was going to happen or what to expect. All I knew was I wanted more. I wanted to be totally committed to God. From that moment my life changed. I could not get enough of him. I took every opportunity to tell others what he did for me that weekend. God was all I ever thought about. I wanted everyone to see his light shine through me. I wanted them to have it too.
    As time went by, I remember I started to walk away slowly, I allowed things that had happened to me and people and the world effect me and my decisions. Step by step I began to walk away from God and slowly I lost my first love.  In time that love for God had taken a back seat to other things of importance at that time. I became unhappy in my every day life. I started to look up to people for my happiness and not God.

Revelations 2:4
"But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning.

    Maybe you are at this point in life. Maybe you are not even aware that you are doing it. It shows on everything you do. Maybe you are not happy with your every day life. Maybe it is your relationships, your job or your service to God. God wants us to get back to our first love. He loves us and he wants the very best for us. God is calling us back to our first love. He wants us to find happiness in him and not other people or the things around us. There is nothing in this world that can fill that void we feel but Jesus. God created us to praise him and we need fellowship with him in order to survive. Filling our lives with the things we think make us happy, changing jobs or even surrounding ourselves with people we think make us happy, is not the answer. This only fills us for a short time then we become unhappy again. We become discontented because these things will not ever bring us totally happiness. People are human, they make mistakes and they will let us down. Even the ideal job can fail us, no job lasts forever these days. We become bored of the toys and novelties in life. This is why we should never seek these things for our happiness. Our happiness is only found in Jesus. He fills us with everything we ever need. He is the creator of us. Who better to know what our needs and wants are in life. He wants us to go back to our first love. When we return to our first love it is only then that we will live a life of happiness and contentment. 

Jesus...My 911!

 

        I was sitting and looking back on my life and what God has done for me. As I looked back I noticed that I often find myself thanking God for “answered prayer,” when what I really mean is, “Thank You, God, for answering my prayers the way I want you to!"

As I look through the bible I can see that whenever someone prayed for something, God answered; however sometimes that answer was “no” or “not yet” rather than “sure, here you go, it's done.”

This has made me examine myself and my reasons for asking God in the first place.

Is God my 911? Is he my emergency contact? Is God my friend, my person? Or do I only go to him when I need something?  Am I only coming to him for his gifts? or do I really want what he wants for me?

Am I seeking after what he wants for me or what I want for me?  When God answers me do I put my trust in him and believe that he has it all under control and he knows what is best for me regardless of his answer.

My attitude matters more than I care to admit sometimes.

When I desire his will above my own and I can say "I trust you Lord."  no matter what his answer is that is when I know that I am truly drawing deeper into a deeper relationship with him.

Psalms17:6 says

I repent of being shortsighted in my relationship with you. Draw me deeper and deeper into our friendship, teaching me to seek you and your will above all.

I want to seek God first. He knows what is best for me. He will direct me and take care of it all. Lord I thank you for the answered prayer but I also thank you for the unanswered prayers as well. Help me to pray with the right motive and attitude for you. 

The Glow Stick

      I remember hearing a story of a mother and two children waiting to cash out in a line up at a store. One was an older child, and the other one was a toddler. The older boy had a pack of glow sticks, and the toddler was screaming for them. The Mom took the package and opened the pack and handed one of the glow sticks to the toddler. Instantly the toddlers tears stopped and replaced by the biggest smile. That was until the older child took the glow stick from the toddler.  The toddler started screaming again.

The mother turned to scold the older boy but before she could say anything the child, he bent the glow stick and handed it back to the toddler.

As they stepped outside the toddler noticed that the stick was now glowing.  His brother explained glow sticks serve one purpose. He explained he had to break the glow stick in order for the light to be released and at that moment the purpose for that glow stick was shown.

When I think of this story I can hear God saying, "I had to break you so you could shine. You had to go through it so you could understand your purpose."

We tend to be like that toddler who was happy just swinging that "unbroken" glow stick around in the air, because he didn't understand what it was created to do - which was "glow".

Too many times we don't know our full potential or our purpose. When bad things happen we tend to whine and complain because we don't understand. God uses these situations to open a door to something better. Sometimes things happen in order for us to get a better understanding of a circumstance.
Although some people are content just "being," others need to be "broken."

When trials come our way
It is in those moments of desperation, that we are being broken,  But... when the breaking is done, then we will be able to shine for him.

Matthew 5:16 says "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

  Wherever God has placed you, you’re there to shine like a glow stick. It is when we are broken that we are able to share hope, encouragement, exposure, and truth to those around us. 

God Is With Us

   

As we start a new year I find myself reflecting on the passed year. 2021 was a year of challenges and losses for me but it was also a year of blessings and miracles.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. 

Just like Joshua I have days where I am struggling and noone seems to understand my battles and I feel that God is far from me, however I can take comfort knowing that "God is with me."

God also promises in Isaiah 43 that when we walk through the deep waters he will be with us. He will not let us drown and when we walk through the fire we will not be burned.

I can take comfort in these verses because I know no matter the situation that comes, and no matter my need he is there. If I need Strength, Peace, Hope, Love, Joy, or whatever my need is. He is there to give it to me. Phillipians 4:19 reminds me that "My God shall supply all my needs."

I may not know what this year has in store for me but I can take comfort in knowing that no matter what 2022 has instore for me. I will not walk through it alone. No matter the circumstances God promises to walk with me. I know that all I have to do is put my trust in him and he will do the rest.

God Is Our Refuge

 So many people seem to be struggling at this time.  There is so much going on in the world around us. Covid, Lockdowns, Illnesses, Financial struggles, Loneliness and the list goes on and on.

With all of these struggles going on around us God can seem like he is disinterested or in the distance.  When we feel this way it can bring up the question of "God where are you?"

All the issues can bring forth fear as well.  I know I have found myself in fear a few times this last year. Worrying about the "What ifs"

"What if my loved one dies? What if they never find a cure for covid? What if I have the vaccine? What if I don't? Will I ever see my family members again?" The What ifs can be endless. 

Psalm 46:1 says

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” 

This verse tells us that God is with us. God is our refuge, our fortress and shelter.

The dictionary defines refuge as “a shelter from pursuit or danger or trouble; or a person or place offering this”. It defines fortress as “a military stronghold, especially a strongly fortified town fit for a large garrison”.

God is also our strength, our help. He is the one who deals with the uncertainties that surrounds us. We can take comfort in knowing that because God is our refuge and help, we have nothing to fear, even if life throws us the worst curveballs. God is with us. No matter the storm or trial that comes our way. We are not alone. We can take comfort in God's presence. We can trust in his promise of eternal life. He cares about our daily struggles and he shares them with us.

Nowhere in the bible does God promise a life without those difficult times but he does promise that he will be with us when those times come.

We live in a world of uncertainties, that can quickly spiral out of control. Our leaders are in a state of confusion and are unsure of the next steps to take. Our enemies seem to be increasing around us. We need to take our eyes off of the circumstances and place our eyes on God. We need to trust that he has it all under control.

Luke 12:7 says

"Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows."

He loves and cares for us so much that he has the hairs on our heads numbered.

As we trust in him and we give our struggles to him he will provide us with the rest that we need. By placing our trust in him we are allowing him to give us the peace that passes all understanding.

I encourage you to read his word and to trust in him. We may not have all the answers but he does and he has it all under control.

Love your Enemies

Mathew 5:44 tells us to love our enemies and to bless those who curse us. It tells us to do good to those who hate us and pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us.

I don't know about you but the last thing that I want to do is love the person who abused and hurt me, however God wants us to love them anyway. 

I once heard a story of a man. One day he was relaxing under a tree and the trees roots stretched over a river bank. While he was resting, he noticed that the river was rising. A scorpion was caught in the roots and it was about to drown. This man took pity on the scorpion and he stretched out on the roots and reached down to free the scorpion. Every time he did this, the scorpion would strike back at him. There was an observer sitting near the man.  The observer saw what was happening. The observer turned to the man and asked  “Don't you know that's a scorpion, and it the nature of a scorpion to want to sting you? 

The man turned to the observer and said, “ That may very well be, but it is my nature to save. Do I need to change my nature because the scorpion does not change his nature? 

Sometimes it is impossible to help those who are hurting or are in need of something. Sometimes it is thier nature to stick at you and hurt you, much like the scorpion. Sometimes it is an instant reaction to hurt you before you hurt them. We may not know why they react this way. It could be passed experiences. It could be thier nature it could be a factor of many different things. We may never really know the reason.

The reason is not what is important. What is  important is that we embrace the nature of God.

In Luke 6:27-36 we are told again to "Love our enemies. 

We do this in how we respond to painful events. As Christians, we are to pray for those we don't like- even those we are mad at. We pray because it changes our hearts. It helps the hearts of the other person to change. It also heals. So next time that person hurts you or you try and help him and he don't want help. God wants us to love them anyway. And pray for them.

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

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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.

The Roller Coaster Ride

                

Job 11:18

Having hope will give you courage.  You will be protected and will rest in safety.

                I remember as a teen going with our youth group to an amusement park.  They had a new roller coaster that year and my niece and I were so excited to try it.  On this roller coaster, riders are pulled backwards and launched through an unyielding corkscrew and a big loop. The ride travels about 75km an hour through the station; it then goes into a cobra type roll which takes the riders directly into a climb up to a second hill. The train is then pulled backwards from the station and up a 121 foot tail lift before being released. The ride ends with the riders travelling backwards on the track before it ends.  I remember us standing in line for quite some time just to ride this roller coaster. The roller coaster pulled up and we got onto the ride.  The workers made sure that we were all secure and safe.

                Our adrenaline ran high as we were shot into the first loop. Then it happened, we felt our shoulder strap loosen and we did not feel secure anymore.  I remember holding on for dear life and thinking “oh no this is it I am going to fall out of this thing “.  My nails were dug in as far as I could get them.  I just wanted off this ride.  I was fearful of the outcome. 

How many times have you looked back at your life and felt like you where on a roller coaster.  I know that I have been on many in my life time.  Every roller coaster is designed with hills up & down, and it seems like the whole world is falling apart and crumbling before me.  Sometimes things seem stable, and upsetting, and disturbing, and sometimes we have no idea what to expect.  It is in these times that we feel that our security strap is loose and we will not be able to carry on. Much like I did on that roller coaster ride so many years ago.  The devil has a goal to drop us off of the biggest hill that we come to, and to make it so that we can only think of that bump.  He wants us to concentrate on nothing but that hill.  Sometimes we doubt that God has it all under control. Our faith is weary and we feel like we are losing control. We feel like we are about to fall, only to look back and see that our security strap had us the whole time. God was in control of the whole scenario.  All we have to do is have courage and faith and God has the rest under control.

 “Lord help us to trust in you and to know no matter that what roller coaster we are on. You have us securely strapped in and you have it all under control. In Jesus name Amen”.