“She’s Got a Mouth on Her!”
“She’s got a mouth on her!”..definitely a phrase I’ve heard before but have never heard it used in my direction. Sure I have a mouth but it’s always been polite, truthful and one to be proud of. Heh okay, maybe I’m somewhere in between. Where do you stand?
I wasn’t going to set a New Year’s resolution but it seems God had a different plan. Right after the new year He told me to stop gossiping. WHAT? ME? I’m not a gossip! *Immediate offense begins.* But the thing I’ve learned about God is that He’s always right, whether I agree or not. So it took me a few days but finally I decided to ask Him “okay, how am I a gossip? I don’t see it.” And since then I’ve noticed the little things that I do and say that aren’t pleasing to Him.
In the dictionary, the meaning of gossip is “a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others” or “rumor or report of an intimate nature”. Still, I didn’t think that was me. I’m really not known for walking around telling secrets and blabbing about who said and did what with ill intentions. But the thing is, the bible’s definition of gossip is a lot more cumbersome than the dictionary’s. God definitely holds us Christians to a higher standard. The bible teaches us that our words should not be idle and should be pleasing to God. Our words should build others up, not put others down. Our words should be spoken in love for ALL and never be boastful or full of pride. Fairly quickly I understood what I’ve been doing wrong.
It’s not that I’m a gossip in the worldly sense, but the truth is, many things come from my heart and out of my mouth that are not pleasing to God. You see, your words can go in 2 directions: pleasing to God or not pleasing to God. I’m pretty sure there isn’t a third option of “eh, I guess that’s okay” or “I really don’t care about that.” If God cares about every single hair on our head, I think he probably cares about every word we speak. Sure, giving someone a recipe could probably fall in that “I don’t care” category, but seeing as you’re sharing something positive with someone else without any pride in your heart, I think that’s probably a “pleasing” conversation. See what I mean?
Whenever God puts something like this on my heart I start doing research on what I could possibly do to change. Of course pray and ask God to change me but I’m a bit more of an action person than a “wait for a change” person. So I found a devotional called “30 Days to Taming Your Tongue” and have committed to reading a chapter each day and doing an evaluation of what came out of my mouth every night. I’m also journaling any reflections I have or things I feel from God about this. I don’t have much to report as I’m only on day 3 but I must say that I’ve already become more aware of the good and bad things I do/say each day.
I propose a challenge to you. Take an account of 1 day of your life. Evaluate the things you say and the intent to which you speak them. Take a look at your motive during conversations and the way you TRULY feel about certain things/people, whether you say them or not. And if you find things that aren’t up to the standard you think they should be, commit to changing. It’s a hard hard thing to do as a woman, but seeing as at the end of our life we’ll have to give an account of EVERY word spoken, it’s definitely a journey worth taking.
“She’s Got a Mouth on Her!”
“She’s got a mouth on her!”..definitely a phrase I’ve heard before but have never heard it used in my direction. Sure I have a mouth but it’s always been polite, truthful and one to be proud of. Heh okay, maybe I’m somewhere in between. Where do you stand?
I wasn’t going to set a New Year’s resolution but it seems God had a different plan. Right after the new year He told me to stop gossiping. WHAT? ME? I’m not a gossip! *Immediate offense begins.* But the thing I’ve learned about God is that He’s always right, whether I agree or not. So it took me a few days but finally I decided to ask Him “okay, how am I a gossip? I don’t see it.” And since then I’ve noticed the little things that I do and say that aren’t pleasing to Him.
In the dictionary, the meaning of gossip is “a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others” or “rumor or report of an intimate nature”. Still, I didn’t think that was me. I’m really not known for walking around telling secrets and blabbing about who said and did what with ill intentions. But the thing is, the bible’s definition of gossip is a lot more cumbersome than the dictionary’s. God definitely holds us Christians to a higher standard. The bible teaches us that our words should not be idle and should be pleasing to God. Our words should build others up, not put others down. Our words should be spoken in love for ALL and never be boastful or full of pride. Fairly quickly I understood what I’ve been doing wrong.
It’s not that I’m a gossip in the worldly sense, but the truth is, many things come from my heart and out of my mouth that are not pleasing to God. You see, your words can go in 2 directions: pleasing to God or not pleasing to God. I’m pretty sure there isn’t a third option of “eh, I guess that’s okay” or “I really don’t care about that.” If God cares about every single hair on our head, I think he probably cares about every word we speak. Sure, giving someone a recipe could probably fall in that “I don’t care” category, but seeing as you’re sharing something positive with someone else without any pride in your heart, I think that’s probably a “pleasing” conversation. See what I mean?
Whenever God puts something like this on my heart I start doing research on what I could possibly do to change. Of course pray and ask God to change me but I’m a bit more of an action person than a “wait for a change” person. So I found a devotional called “30 Days to Taming Your Tongue” and have committed to reading a chapter each day and doing an evaluation of what came out of my mouth every night. I’m also journaling any reflections I have or things I feel from God about this. I don’t have much to report as I’m only on day 3 but I must say that I’ve already become more aware of the good and bad things I do/say each day.
I propose a challenge to you. Take an account of 1 day of your life. Evaluate the things you say and the intent to which you speak them. Take a look at your motive during conversations and the way you TRULY feel about certain things/people, whether you say them or not. And if you find things that aren’t up to the standard you think they should be, commit to changing. It’s a hard hard thing to do as a woman, but seeing as at the end of our life we’ll have to give an account of EVERY word spoken, it’s definitely a journey worth taking.
“Yeah! Yeah!”
My 15 month old daughter says a lot of words…many of which are hard to figure out. She uses one word of her creation to mean: apple, up, help and probably 2 other things. So when she says a word with full annunciation, clarity and determination I get really excited. For the past 2 months she has started saying “Yeah!”…sometimes it’s one time, other times it’s 3, but all times it’s with a big smile and almost always with a little dance. She usually says it in response to us asking her “Charlotte, do you want…” or “Can you…” or “Do you want to try…” It’s amazing how excited we all get by her eager response and unquestionable faith and trust in us. She hasn’t learned to not trust people yet. She hasn’t really learned the word “no” yet. All she knows is that her parents love her and why wouldn’t she want what they’re offering to her?
And it got me thinking…
If we’re born with that instinct to TRUST and we’re later taught to NOT trust, doesn’t that mean that the bible is right when it says to TRUST God? He created us to trust…so shouldn’t we AT LEAST trust HIM? If we get this excited over a little girl saying “Yeah! Yeah!” How excited must God get when we say “Yeah! Yeah!” to him.
Sunday was my first time teaching Sunday school at my church. It was great. It was fun. It was challenging. And it was exactly what I was supposed to be doing. But do you want to know how long it took me to say “Yeah! Yeah!” to God’s promptings to do it? Months…if not more. I’ve been talking to my pastor for a while about how to get more involved but the truth is, without trusting him and trusting God it was pretty impossible to say yes to anything. I wanted to get more involved but I didn’t trust that it was the right place for me. I’d gotten in the mindset that my involvement in this church was temporary and so it didn’t make any sense to be more than the sometimes Sunday goer. I said no to God’s plan. I didn’t agree. There was a part of me that was so blocked that I didn’t want to put myself in a position where I could get hurt…and without responsibility, commitment or dedication – there was really no chance of getting hurt. But this weekend I discovered what happens when you say “Yeah! Yeah!” with the faith that God will protect you and give you what you need. And I hope to stay in this place that He has put me for a while.
And a last thought. Recently I heard a pastor ask the question “are you growing in God?” and I immediately, out loud, said no. Didn’t even think about it. Just knew the answer. And I’m now realizing that’s what happens when you don’t have “Yeah! Yeah!” in response to “Jessica, do you want…”, “Can you…” and “Do you want to try…”
A Monday Morning Gift to You
Sometimes we need it simple and straight. We don’t need someones interpretation or in-depth theology. Sometimes, we just need the pure and simple words written in the book. I pray you have a beautiful Monday morning filled with joy and peace.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are provide right when you speak and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
~ Psalm 51
Where’s Superman?
The past few days have been hard. My daughter has been teething and has been having stretches of time that are extremely difficult to handle. There are things I want to get done that aren’t getting done. There are things that HAVE to get done that I’m dreading. I had some bad dreams that woke me up at 3:30am the other day and situations that kept me from napping – so I drank a lot of caffeine – which then kept me up until about 6am the next day and then after 2 hours of sleep I had things to do and didn’t nap all day. There were stressful situations appearing and past hurts lingering in the air. I felt helpless and tired and alone in my little world. Desperate for superman to come and take charge. To make everything better. I prayed and prayed and waited for Jesus to send superman to my front door and say “let me do this for you. Go lay down for a while.” I waited for God to respond the way I thought he should. His daughter needed help so He should send someone to help her. It’s definitely the “makes sense” solution. But I quickly discovered that no one was coming to my rescue. Superman is not real. But I also realized that supermom isn’t either.
When I reached my peak, my limit, my point of “things really can’t get harder…I can’t handle this,” my husband offered to do some of the work that had to get done when he got home that evening. YES! Superman! I felt for one second. Soon followed by the overwhelming feeling that I didn’t need superman. I didn’t need physical help. I needed restoration. I needed to learn that I COULD do this. That I was called to do this. That many people do harder things. God quickly revealed the answer to my prayers. I needed to lean on HIS strength and I needed to know that these situations are stretching me and making me “able.”
I put on some soul-quenching music, specifically Charlie Hall’s “My Brightness
Sure God could provide help in the form of a friend or relative offering to help me out. And He will do that if and when it’s necessary. But as always, He knew that after the person went home, I probably wouldn’t be changed. I would just have a clean house and a (maybe) napping daughter. But He knew that I would feel this way again next week. Or next month. He saw the bigger picture.
Maybe you can’t specifically relate to this situation. Maybe you’re sitting there rolling your eyes (or just recalling the feeling from long ago) because you have more kids and more things to do and are handling it all. But maybe, just maybe, there is someone out there that needs to hear this. GOD WILL BE YOUR SUPERMAN. IT JUST MIGHT NOT BE IN THE WAY YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE. In the movies, superman was predictable. Bad situation – he swoops in and saves the day by putting out a fire or catching a falling victim. He did it in the physical. But God can do that in ways that will save you from future situations. He can prevent future fires and falls. He can give you joy that’ll last past the tragedy. And that’s a message that anyone can get something from.
*A 1 song game clean-up party. What I do is pick a room and put on music. At the beginning of a song I straighten up as many things as I can in that room, moving as quickly as I can. All items that don’t belong in that room go into a pile, sorted by which room they belong in. Trash bag in hand or a “garbage pile” works too but make sure you have one or the other. When the song is over, take everything from your piles and put them in the room they belong in. It won’t clean your house the way you dream it should be cleaned. But it’ll take away the chaos and overwhelming feeling of cleaning the rooms later on. This can also be done with dishes and throwing a load of laundry in (if you have a washer and dryer). Songs are usually between 3 and 5 minutes long so the typical person won’t even lose an hour of their day doing this. It’s productive and it’s fun – give it a try!
A 10 Year Reflection
With my 10 year high school reunion taking place next month (although I’m not going), I’m forced to think about the last 10 years. I honestly expected my reaction to be “I can’t believe it’s been 10 years already…I’m getting so old!” but honestly my reaction was “Yeah, that seems about right.” And I realize this reaction is due to the fact that I’m so proud of my past 10 years. It’s not that I started out at the bottom and climbed the corporate ladder or even that I got married and had a baby…it’s that when I think about who I was 10 years ago, I don’t recognize that person anymore and I’m proud of it.
10 years ago I was a lost girl who had just entered a big scary university 3 hours away from home. In high school I had a lot of friends that spanned a lot of different types of friendships you can have. I had some best friends, some enemies, some people I hung out with just to feel cool and some people I was embarrassed to be seen with. I had boyfriends that lasted a year and others that lasted 3 days. My hair changed color by the month and my style did as well. I guess the only thing that was stable about me was the fact that I never stopped changing something in my life. Looking back, I think we call that being unhappy with ones self. But at the time, I just thought I was on the search for something better.
Unfortunately that search continued for years. Through college where I had a different group of friends every year (with the exception of a few, my Lucycakes (Alli) for example – hi!!), I changed my major a few times, I tried to switch schools a few times, I joined different clubs and spent more time talking online to my high school friends than I did trying to make new friends at school. That in turn led me to spending many weekends sitting on a Greyhound bus heading back home to spend time with the guy I had a crush on in high school. We ended up dating on and off all through college, successfully keeping me unattached and uninterested in anything new that might help me to find the happiness I was desperately seeking. Despite the advice of my parents and friends, I stayed in this pattern until it got worse. I dated some real “winners” and got into some things that I’ll never be proud of.
But somehow I managed to graduate college and move home to the place I was crazy about…until of course I lived there again. Through my dad’s connections I got an amazing internship working with celebrities and high-profile clients. It was great for my resume…and perfect for bringing this long downhill ride to a crashing end. Fancy clothes, weekly happy hour and parties with the coolest of the cool didn’t make me any happier. Of course I wasn’t depressed or even aware of my unhappiness at times, but I guess I was always searching for something to really complete things. To close the circle that would make me truly happy. It wasn’t a guy, figured that one out. It wasn’t an education, and it wasn’t a job, figured that one out too.
It took me until the end of 2004 when a geeky guy I met online invited me to watch him play in his band to figure it out. I had no connection to my creator. In fact, what I knew of God was what I experienced. And looking back, it had always been good experiences. I had random prayers throughout my life asking for things and these things always happened. Whether it was the simple prayer of “God, if you’re real, please help me to sleep tonight. I have a big test in the morning and I’m freaking out” or the selfish prayer of “God, if you’re real, I would really like ___” and then the prayer I was afraid to pray but promised I would, “God…if you’re real…will you please bring Jeff home alive to me and to his family? We’re so scared for him. He said I can’t be mad that he’s overseas fighting in the war but I am. I’m mad that he’s there and I want him here. He asked me to pray and I don’t really know how, or if I believe in you, but if you’re real, please…bring him and his friends home safely.” All prayers were answered. But it wasn’t until I was “tricked” into attending a church’s youth group that I realized it.
I spent 2004 and early 2005 getting to know some amazing Christians and really encountering God and his presence on my own. It was weird and I cried a lot without knowing why. I had my doubts and definite fears of this new lifestyle. But without realizing it, my life was suddenly on the rise up. I had this joy inside of me for what felt like no reason. I could spend hours with my eyes closed breathing the fresh air outside. I would get lost in music the way I didn’t know was possible. And on a red eye flight home from Las Vegas in March 2005 I decided that I couldn’t just play Christian anymore. I had to have this relationship with Jesus Christ like all of my friends, and now boyfriend (the guy from the band, not from the army..just in case I lost ya). In early April 2005 I prayed the prayer that changed my life. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save the life I no longer had control of. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.
So the next 5 years were spent with my boyfriend Chris who became my husband in 2006. And we had our little girl 4 months ago. I worked in trade show management for 4 1/2 years until God recently blessed us with the finances for me to be a stay at home mom. I have spent many hours in church being a youth leader, dance team leader, cafe worker, projector runner and most recently, just a member who loves God. I’ve met some amazing people along the way from all over the world. So many of them have made me who I am today.
I guess you can say that the past 10 years have been a roller coaster of change and emotions. It’s fun looking back and realizing how much things have changed and how truly happy I am with how things have turned out. I just hope I can say the same thing 10 years from now.
A big shout out to the Class of 2000. If you aren’t happy with the last 10 years, don’t take another 10 years to change.
It’s Not There…Nor There..
As a Christian I’ve learned that the way to get answers or fix a bad mood or even just to find a little lift to a normal day, is by connecting with God. I’ve also learned that there are many ways to connect with God. Not just the traditional read the bible, pray, fast and fellowship ways…but by reading Christian blogs, meditating on devotionals, worshipping to music, staring at the sky and reading a well written Christian novel. I know from experience that I “get something” from all of the above, but it’s more fun/entertaining/interesting to choose from the second list as opposed to the first.
But what happens when you choose from the 2nd list 90% of the time? I’ve found that you end up living a bit too spiritually. It becomes very easy to come up with your own theories, meditate on certain scriptures and ignore others that are also important, become judgemental of others (specifically traditional Christians) and worst of all, you end up having a 2nd hand relationship with God and cheat yourself of the connection your soul desires.
Lately I find myself in this boat. I’m praying and reading blogs, waiting for that divine revelation. I’m praying and listening to music, waiting for that one line to bring me to tears. I’m praying and going for a walk, waiting to hear God’s voice. And sometimes it really happens that way. But I’m finding more often than not, God impressing on my heart “you won’t find it there…nor there. It’s in my word.”
Why is it so much harder to sit down and read my bible than to do any of those other things? I know the answer, yet honestly, it doesn’t often change my actions for long. I know God’s truth is within his word. I know words spoken that pertain to today are sitting in there for me to read first hand. I know learning and hearing about God are done through other people’s interpretations when you don’t go directly to the source yourself. But still, day after day, I find it hard to sit down and open my bible. But I know that when I do, oh man, I regret every other time I didn’t. I just wish that feeling would last. But no, the struggle continues.
Anyone else with me on this? I know there has to be someone out there that isn’t the perfect Christian we want everyone to think we are. Well whether you admit it or not, I just want you to know that you’re not alone. There is no perfect person and no perfect Christian. This is my weakness – admit to yourself, what’s yours?
“As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” – 2 Samuel 22:31
The 2 Sides
This morning was a rough one for me. I blame it on pregnancy hormones. For whatever reason, I woke up sad. Not just “I feel sad” but the type of blues that Eeyore wouldn’t even know about. And let me say this, it was for no reason. Nothing happened to bring this on. It just quietly crawled into my life and got comfy in the corners of my heart and mind.
Who wants to start a day like that? Not me. But what do I do about it? I felt too sad to stand against it. Too worn down to pray. Too tired to sing some worship songs. So I thought to myself, “what now?”
And the answer came to my heart. Sometimes God wants us to put on our heavy armor and go into battle in His name. He wants us to pray and fight and stand and work through the things that come against us. This part of God I know very well. The fighting. The war mentality. The “everything is the devil’s fault” reasoning for troubles. But then God showed me the other side…the side that I don’t seem to know very well. The side where God does the fighting as He holds me in His arms and tells me everything is going to be okay. He allows me to hold onto his big strong arms and put my feet on His as He guides me into safety.
At this realization the tears formed, the smile appeared and my heart was crying out for God. I couldn’t handle the world and the emotions (and the traffic) today. But God can handle all things. So I took the long way to work that didn’t have much traffic and I put on my favorite worship band and I thanked God for being the daddy this little girl needed this morning. And suddenly, the cloud was lifted. It was a beautiful day. And my heart and mind felt free.
Today, don’t forget that God WILL be what you need. Don’t get stuck in thinking He’s only one way. He’s all things to all people in all times. He has exactly what you need – just ask Him for it.
Hook & Catch
This is something I wrote a while back but is as relevant now as it was then. I hope you enjoy!
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.” – 2 Samuel 22:17 (NIV)
I read this and the word TOOK literally jumped out of the page. I thought about it and reread it a few times until I completely understood this scripture. God gave me a picture.
Imagine you’re fishing in the ocean. In a little row boat out in the middle of the sea. No one with you and no land in sight. Now imagine that you fall in, leaving the rod and hook in the boat. You sink farther and farther down into the ocean, not being able to swim up to the surface. You start to panic – wondering how you got here, what you were thinking going alone, and finally, coming to the understanding that there is no possible way for you to save yourself. You cry out “Jesus, help me!” Then Jesus appears in the boat, rod in hand and goes fishing for you. Not for anyone or anything out in the ocean, but for you. He hooks you onto the rod and reels you up to the surface, to where he is, to where it is safe. He saves your life.
This picture is exactly what Jesus did when he died. He died to save us. To save you. And the best thing is, he’s prepared to save you every day if you’ll just ask him to. The fact is, every day (not literally of course) we fall and can’t save ourselves, only he can. So every day you have a choice to make – will you let yourself struggle and drown, or will you call out His name and ask Him to save you? It’s a choice only you can make. Remember, no one else is around.
Attitude of Worry
It’s Saturday morning and like all normal households, I’m reading/blogging and Chris is DJing for his monthly podcast. Not normal? No I guess not. But either way, creativity is a huge part of our lives and we both agree that it’s how God speaks to us most frequently. Today is no exception.
As I’m finishing up reading chapter 6 in the book of Matthew Chris starts playing a song that (I think) says the word attitude over and over again. (If you’re into dance music you probably understand why I’m not positive this is what’s being said!) Anyway, so while reading Matthew 6:25 – 27 God speaks to me not only about the worry that He’s teaching us about in His word, but that it’s more than that. It’s not just about faith in God and not worrying about things beyond our control, but it’s about the attitude you have towards life. The attitude you have about God. You can have faith in God but still walk around with doubt leaking from your pores. Or you could have faith in God and walk around with a smile so big no one would ever question it. What it comes down to is choice. It’s our attitude and it’s our God that make life what it is.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” – Matthew 6:25-27, NIV
Hmm…I also just read about forgiveness AND the song he just played DEFINITELY said forgiveness over and over again….our God is so awesome. I think I have a phone call to make.
Ottawa – The Spiritual Journey
Wow guys – I’m sorry about my inconsistent blogging! I’ve been pretty good about blogging every day but with traveling and being sick and work being busy – the blogs remain in my head for a few days longer than I’d like! But as promised…here is the spiritual journey I took to and from Ottawa, Ontario last weekend.
Chris and I have had our hearts set on London for a while. We weren’t quite sure why but we figured that we would do all in our power to be prepared for anything God might want to do. So this past winter we got our passports (can’t be sent if you can’t get in!). Well the passports came in…and a few weeks later an offer to visit Canada appeared in front of us. “Sure!” was our automatic response. There was something about Canada that just seemed…appealing. We didn’t care the cost or time, we just knew that we wanted to go (I give Joel partial credit for this…being all Canadian and cool). Anyway, as the trip approached the excitment grew. Something inside of me knew that I’d fall in love with the city and the people. And as most of you know, it happened. I’m in love haha.
Rachelle and Tyler amazed me. It was so great to spend a weekend with 2 people who are so incredibly in love with Jesus that they can’t help but talk about him all of the time. Walking up and down the streets of downtown Ottawa Rachelle thought nothing of speaking in a normal tone about how awesome Jesus is for saving her. She shared her testimony and was eager to hear ours. And man, Tyler is even bolder and louder for Jesus than she is! Tyler amazes me. He’s just this cool guy with such an amazing heart and passion. A guy who has literally seen miracles and knows the power of God. He lives his life with boldness. Seriously. This couple is amazingly contagious. Within minutes of being with them something inside of me felt humbled. “Why aren’t I like them? Why does my voice resemble a whisper IF the name of Jesus comes off of my tongue in a public place? I WANT TO BE MORE LIKE THEM.” Rachelle greets EVERYONE. She doesn’t get offended if she walks into a store and someone doesn’t say hi to her because she’s already said hello to them with a smile and joy that should be trademarked.
It got me thinking…if we truly believe that Jesus is king and we’re really trying to take our town/city/state/country back from the devil…why do we let unbelievers determine what we do and say? I’ve never heard anyone pray over food in a restaurant as loud as Tyler did Sunday morning. He’s not afraid of what people think. In fact. He knows what people think and is doing everything he can to change their minds.
And then there is the rest of the HEAT Worship Team. Each person individually is on their own amazing adventure through being a Christian. It was so great to sit around with them, listen to their stories and have discussions with them about books, movies, music, ministry and God.
HEAT really taught me about freedom and boldness. Normally I’m a shy worshipper. I go into my own little world and move around a little but mostly just lift my hands and praise God in my head and heart. HEAT taught me to worship God with EVERYTHING I am…and that includes my body. I was jumping around the dance floor with freedom that I haven’t felt in a long time. Free to dance. Free to sing and to shout and to be myself. I just closed my eyes, focused on God and went to that secret place where I was free.
The last thing I want to say is that this trip made me realize how little I pray and carry Jesus with me. Of course I believe in Him and love Him but I realized that a true Christian has Jesus inside of him/her at all times. A true Christian thanks Jesus for the smallest of things, not just the biggest. When someone is in love, they can’t stop talking about the person they’re in love with…shouldn’t we be the same with God? If we say that we love Him, we should be acting like we LOVE him. We need to be praying constantly if that’s what it takes to not forget about Him.
Anyway, I can’t think of a pretty way to end this blog so I’ll end it by saying this: Thank you Ottawa. You changed my life.
I’m Not Alone, You’re Not Alone
I honestly believe this is a message specifically for someone who is going to read this blog. I don’t know if it’s one person or many. I don’t know if the person will read it today or in a week or in a month. But I do believe that this is for someone specific. Someone special. So please read it and share it with others. I know it is meant to reach the right person.
For the past hour I’ve been overwhelmed with the fact that I’m never truly alone. While driving in my car, I’m not alone. While smiling and dancing, I’m not alone. And while crying, depressed and feeling alone, I’m not alone. There is a God who knows me (and you) by name. He’s the same God that created the earth that we’re walking on today. He’s the same God that decided to make the grass green and decided that 5 fingers would be on each hand of mine. He’s the same God that spoke to Abraham and raised up King David. He’s the same God that has answered some of my prayers. He’s the same God that has raised the dead. He’s the same God that thousands of people have believed in and died for willingly.
Listen to me. No matter what you’re going through and no matter what you’re feeling. Whether you’re the center of attention or the silent kid who no one notices, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. If you haven’t given your heart to God and spoke to Him lately…what are you waiting for? Do you really LIKE hearing others talk about God but not knowing Him? Maybe you hear people talk about God and prayer and you think “that’s great for them, but I don’t think that’s possible. I don’t believe it.” Have you ever given it a try? Have you ever closed your eyes and prayed THE prayer? Not the “God I want this” prayer or the “God fix this” prayer…but THE prayer. The one that goes “God, show me who you are. I want to know you like others know you. I want to know what this Christianity thing is all about. Reveal yourself to me…I want to know that you’re real.” Have you ever thought it possible to be a Christian? Not just go to church or say the right things. Not stop swearing and listening to dirty music. Forget all of that stuff right now. Have you ever desired to know the creator of it all? The God that will ALWAYS be there for you. The God that does miracles. The God that wants to do a miracle for you. The God that wants you to take the step and get to know Him personally.
Forget about what church you go to and what your family believes. It doesn’t matter what “religion” you are. Geez, I’m Jewish!! I was born to 2 Jewish parents. Where you come from doesn’t matter!! Forget about how you don’t want to be “like those Christians.” Think about yourself…in a room…alone…do you really want to be alone? Or do you want to know that God is ALWAYS with you — watching out for you and guiding your steps on the path that He specifically designed for YOU?
Think about it. And pray THE prayer. It’ll change your life.
I sure know it changed mine.
Shelter from the Storms
As my facebook friends have already been informed, I’m a bit under the weather today. And for my lady readers, it’s the type of under the weather that guys can’t possibly understand. Enough said I hope 
So for that reason, today’s blog is not written by me. It’s a daily devotional I get from
Shelter from the Storms
11 Sep 2009
Melanie Chitwood
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8 (NAS)
The thunder and lightning of a powerful storm rattled our house last night. As rain slashed against the windows and lightning lit up the dark sky, I woke up just long enough to make room for my youngest son and yellow lab to join me and my husband in bed. I remember thinking with surprise that I didn’t even know it was going to storm.
What a picture of my life lately. It’s been a year of unexpected rain. Some just drizzles, but others, like the storm hitting me most recently, have rattled windows with wave after wave of thunder and bursts of lightning.
What about you? Is there stormy weather in your life right now? Where are you finding shelter from the storms?
My friends and family have been a shelter for me this year, just like my family was last night as we all huddled together in bed. They’ve encouraged and supported me. And most importantly, they’ve pointed me to the strongest shelter from the storms, my Heavenly Father.
As I’ve turned to Scripture this week, I’m amazed at the number of times it reminds us God is our shelter. God knows that we will encounter hard times and His Word reminds us that the strongest and safest shelter is God Himself.
As always we have a choice: get drenched in the rain or seek shelter. You see, the storms of life can cause us to run toward God, but just as easily they can cause us to turn away. A whole range of emotions can leave us standing in the rain to get drenched: bitterness, anger, confusion, helplessness, or hopelessness. If you can relate to these emotions, you might feel badly for having these emotions, but don’t let these feelings keep you from God.
Read the Psalms and you’ll see that God can handle every emotion. Negative emotions are not a reason to turn away from God. They’re the very reason to turn to Him, desperately wanting the kind of faith and strength only God can provide.
Keep turning to God, continue to tell Him in prayer how you feel, and leave your emotions with Him. As you do, you’ll start to feel His nearness, His hope, His promise, and His comfort. If you find yourself returning to feelings of fear or hopelessness, just go back to God. Be honest in your prayers. Acknowledge that you’re having a hard time, but that you want to trust Him in your circumstances. Know that He loves you and will consistently and constantly be your shelter from the storms.
Dear Lord, “Hear my cry, O God; give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings” (Psalm 61:1-4, NAS). In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application Steps:
Find comfort as you read Psalm 61, 62 and 91 today. Write out and display in a prominent place in your house a particular verse that helps you keep your eyes on God.
Reflections:
Have you been turning away from God? Can you turn back to Him today? He is waiting for you with open arms and a loving heart. He loves you and wants to be your strength and comfort in the storm you’re facing.
Power Verses:
2 Chronicles 20:12, “… For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (NAS)
Psalm 91:1-2, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.” (NLT)
A Busy Day Blog
Every once and a while I read a blog and say to myself ”okay, I needed to read that, maybe someone else does too.”
So, being the blog community friendly person I am, today’s blog is a recommendation to read another blog. Now don’t dismiss this and not read it. It’s not very long. And it’s not too girly. So take a few minutes out of your day and give it a try:
http://animperfectbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/09/beginning-busy-day.html
Minor Miracles
I think we can all agree that one day we hope to see/experience a miracle. The bible speaks of many miracles and I think you’ll agree with me that you haven’t seen anything close to that. But today I had to stop and think, have I ever seen any minor miracles?
Well, what is a minor miracle? To me, it’s something that I can’t produce on my own. It’s something special and specific to my life that’s controlled by God. So in that case, I often receive minor miracles and today was no exception.
If you don’t know this about me, you now will. I HATE the dentist. I’m not talking regular “I don’t want to go” type hate, I’m talking I will do anything to not go. It all started when I was younger and had a dentist that believed in filling every hole in my mouth with the shiny metal filling. It then continued with braces and has now brought me to adult hood where every time I go to the dentist something has to get drilled, another thing has to get filled and no news (forget about good news) does not exist. About a year ago I was told that my teeth are decaying and falling apart piece by piece and there is nothing I can do about it. And to think, I LIKE my dentist. He’s the only person besides my dad that calls me his “little trooper” and pats me on the head with every visit as I have tears in my eyes. So although the news is never good, somehow I’m comfortable with him telling me bad news.
There is only 1 hygenist that doesn’t make me cry because my teeth are so sensitive. Last year they got a new dentist and I was assigned to his chair. I was back 2 weeks later in pain because he “missed” a cavity…I think you get the picture.
So I’ve had this pain in my mouth that I knew had to get checked out. So I called to make an appointment and found out that my dentist will be out for 2 weeks and they’re assigning me to their newest dentist. After too long of a pause and a “eh eh” coming out of my mouth, she assigned me the 9:10am spot with a promise that my dentist will be in the building in case anything goes wrong. So I prayed and prayed for a good visit and nothing to go wrong. Chris prayed and prayed for peace and wisdom for this appointment. And then I prayed a bit more this morning that if I shouldn’t go, I would know.
Well, I went…and here is my minor miracle of the day.
I didn’t get my teeth cleaned so no tearful hygenist appointments. The dental assistant taking my x-rays was as nice as could be. And then in walked MY dentist. The dentist that couldn’t take me last minute. He wanted to say hi and see what was up. He looked in my mouth and told the assistant what to do. He then introduced me to the young female dentist I was about to see and we all discussed my trouble tooth. Within minutes they discovered the problem and she went to work on my mouth. I warned her about my sensitivity and she hit me up with the numbing gel and enough novocaine to last me the day. While it was going into effect she sat with me and we chatted about apartments and festivals and work and all different stuff. By the time my mouth was ready for drilling I was so comfortable and so peaceful that if things went well I wanted to have this girl over for tea haha.
The next half hour was a blur. I didn’t feel a thing. My dentist was in the room every few minutes to see how I was doing and my pain was gone. I left the dentist with a smile on my face (well, the side of my face that wasn’t numb!). Let me repeat that for dramatic, miracle believing affect: I LEFT THE DENTIST WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE.
Thank you God for your minor miracles that let me know you know me by name and you hear my prayers. And I thank you God that I will no longer depend on my hero of a dentist and will willingly give new people a try. You are an amazing God and I am so grateful for your grace.
“I don’t believe in coincidences, only Godinstances” – a very wise girl
My name is Jessica and I'm a proverb31girl. These are my thoughts on living a proverb31 girl life. I invite you to join me on this journey!Subscribe
