Finding Goodness, Even in the Middle of Badness

Nobody likes being sick. I can guarantee you that almost nobody would elect sickness; that is, unless you are in kid and you don't want to go to school. But realistically, being sick interferes with our everyday plans. When you are sick, you don't want to do a whole lot of anything. In fact, if you are very sick you can pretty much count on doing a whole lot of nothing, except puck or cough, depending on your illness. Getting sick is something that I try to avoid. Yet, even though I did everything I could possibly do to not get sick- I even wore a mask while sitting in the waiting room at my doctor's office and washed my hands often, I still ended up getting sick. It almost seems like this stuff is floating around in the air. So many people have been sick lately. I usually know when I'm fighting off a potential illness because I become very tired- almost to the point of feeling as if I've been wrung out. Sunday (last week), I was so tired that I almost could not get ready for church. I finally did and made it to church, even though I was a bit late. After church, I didn't feel as exhausted as before. So, I decided that once I'd made it home, I would settle in and make myself a cup of soup and do a little writing. When I finally made it home, I checked my phone to see if anyone had called. I'd left my phone behind and didn't realize that until after I was halfway to church. I didn't dare turn around to get it because I was already running late. So, when I looked at my messages, I noticed a friend from church had called. I listened to her voice message. She was inviting me to her apartment to eat some split pea soup- which I love. I called her back to tell her I'd love to come over and eat. Then, she made the dreaded comment. She said we could take a walk after we ate our soup. I had just recovered from a dental infection, and I was feeling a bit tired, but I decided I might consider a short walk. When I arrived at her place, we spent time visiting as she was heating our meal. We sat at the table, prayed over our meal, began eating, and spent a little time chatting. Afterwards, she rinsed our dishes and we took off for a short walk. As we began making one trip around the lake, the cold wind became icy cold. Normally I could handle the cold. Yet because my immune system wasn't strong enough, Sunday I could not. I didn't realize that until later. The next day was New Years Eve. My husband and I decided to spend the evening inside. We watched a movie and as the time began to wind down to midnight, my throat began to close up and I was wiped out. In fact, I nearly missed our New Years toast. After we had our toast, I knew it was time for me to hit the sack. So, I did just that. Tuesday morning, I woke up sick. In fact, today is Tuesday (exactly 1 week later), and I'm still in recovery. But during this time of being unable to carry on with my usual busyness, I have had the chance to reflect on various things. Often it isn't until we are forced to remain in stillness that we come face to face with various truths. Truth isn't always a hard pill to swallow. Often truth is actually the uncovering of a lie or even the clarification of something that looked different that what it truly was. It is often during our times of stillness that the Holy Spirit can reveal truth to us. During this week of illness, I am thankful that God can reveal His goodness, even in the middle of badness. Truth isn't always comfortable, but just as God's Word declares in John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Today, I am thankful that God's goodness surpasses anything that looks and/or seems bad. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 Are you willing to look for the good, even in the middle of what looks bad?

Permission to Have Fun: For Those who Feel Forgotten

Permission to Have Fun: For Those who Feel Forgotten

Death, Hell & the Grave

So why DID Christ's beaten, bruised and mangled body hang from a cross on Calvary's Hill. Did the enemy think he could hold Christ as HIS captive? Yes, Christ died. He gave up the ghost. They pierced Him- blood & water flowed. They took Him down, buried His mangled body in a tomb and covered it with a stone way too cumbersome for natural human strength alone to move. But could that grave hold Him? Could it prevent Him from descending into the lower depths of Hell? No! He went to hell and took 3 vital keys from the enemy's hell grip. He went through hell for us. But, could hell hold Him captive? NO! But the grave? Could it hold Christ captive? No! God moved Heaven and earth… even “hell”. The tombstone? Rolled away. His body? He was NOT there. Three days later, He has risen! He IS alive! But why, and what’s left now?
     Christ was born. He lived, was crucified, He died and then was resurrected from death. But why? New life! Resurrection Life! But how? Christ left us with His earnest (something of value that is given to bind a contract), the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit moves throughout the earth inviting us to come to the Father. And He still moves heaven & earth for us. He is moving in your life at this very moment. But why? Did He did just promise us life now? No, He promises us life eternal. He wants to be with us. Because sin separates human man from a Holy God and blood was the only covering for sin, Christ became the eternal sacrifice. He bridged the gap caused by man’s sin. When Christ’s blood is applied to sin, that sin is washed clean. Man is pure because of the blood of Christ. God sees us through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.  
     Because of Jesus Christ, we can all know freedom. Nothing can hold anyone of us captive! NOTHING! The blood of Jesus Christ breaks EVERY stronghold & sets every captive free! Do you know Him? He knows you. He wants you to know Him. Because you mean EVERYTHING to Him, He sacrificed His everything in hopes that you would want to accept His love and the power of His love. As long as we live on this earth, there will be sin. Without His sacrifice, there is no remission for sin. Only His blood can cleanse ALL of our sin. Do you know Him? The God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob forever remains - King of Kings & Lord of Lords. He still moves heaven and earth for His children.
     If U don’t know Jesus, U can. Everyone sins- falls short of God’s glory Romans 3:23. Face it, in THIS world nobody will ever be perfect. Yet by confessing the Lord Jesus & believing in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead, U can be saved- a confession like: Father, I know I’ve broken Your laws & my sins separate me from You. I’m truly sorry. I want to turn away from my past & turn to You. Please forgive me. Help me to avoid sinning. I believe Your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive & hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule & be the predominant Ruler of my life from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You & to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
     You just accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, now you need to find a church that will help you to grow in your new faith. God has a passionate love for you. He wants you to know Him and what HE says about you and about your life. You can find all that in His Word, the Bible. Just read it, you won’t understand everything…nobody does. And you don’t HAVE to understand God or His Word to believe. Seeing doesn’t mean understanding. Understanding doesn’t mean seeing. Some things will never be seen. Some things will never be understood. But some things will never be believed simple because a person can’t understand it. Don’t miss out on God’s promises just because you don’t understand them. Believing or not believing doesn’t change the truth. It is what it is.
    Because God is holy, He can’t look on sin. But because you now have His son, Jesus living inside of you, He can’t keep His eyes off of you. You need spiritual resources that will help you develop your faith in God. Legalism will kill you, so don’t hang out with nit-picky people who judge others. Others will be  held accountable for their own lives, not yours. And…as if it wasn’t enough for them already. They must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. God wants to change your heart. Although you’ve been forgiven of all your past sins, there may be things that you will continue to struggle with. Turn those things over to God and do that for as long as it takes. Only He can break the strongholds of sin. And don’t ever forget about the blood of Christ. Take everything to Him in prayer. Talk to Him out loud. He already knows you on the inside and on the outside so stay real with Him. He wants to live not just on the inside of you, but also on the outside – in real life. There is nothing too small or too big for Him. He’s not concerned about your comfort, but He is concerned about your heart. Everything you need can be found in Him. If you search to fill your needs any other way, you will come up empty and even broken. Trust Him to be your Source. By His Holy Spirit, He will lead you.
     Part of your new life is development of your faith. If you can’t walk, He will carry you. Let Him be your “crutch”. He will help you walk as your are going through the healing and transformation process. If you struggle with bad thoughts, you can get become “brain wash” by reading His Word, which will renew your  mind. When you can’t see, He will be your Light. He will give you eyes to see. When you can’t hear over the bustle and noise around you, He will give you “ears to hear”. When the storms hit, He will shelter you. He is totally committed to you. Stay totally committed to Him. Develop relationships with others who are going through God’s transformation process. Remain in Him and will He remain in you.

Mercy Me

Some days, a petty irritation can develop into a word-hurling snowball fight. And, when spoken in malice, icy words can cut so deep into a heart that they leave wounds as if they were cut by a sharp serrated butcher's knife. For me, communication seems easier when I'm typing 80+ wpm on my computer keyboard. On this 1-finger tap-tap iPhone, it's 15 wpm-. When it comes to verbal communication, I don't fair so well. Some days finding the right words is difficult. And, because of wording, I'm often misunderstood... though I never want to hurt or offend. (Dyslexia certainly has it's drawbacks). Yes, I need mercy; and so do you. But, mercy extended needs to be received... and, received without pride. So now, grace enters the equation and all that pride is thrown into the trash. Then; with love, grace AND mercy as our tools, we can start working toward solving our problems.

Blessed are the merciful; they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

Forget Me Nots For Jamie

Forget me not were her last words
But only God could hear
I know He bottled her every tear.
He lifted her chin, washed away her sin
You see, He was there
The last few moments
They did together share

His love for her, it never dies
though satan will try to tell us lies.
He'll say that she's forever doomed
But she will forever rest beneath His wings,
A place for healing where Angels sing

No more pain, Jamie my love
You're free from toil in your home above
God's sending healing to those of us left hurting
To help us make it through each day
He'll console us and help us make it through.
Abba has already made a way.
We love you, we miss you, we'll never forget you.

Relationships - God, Others and Self

If I walk in relationship with God, I will bring Him glory. If I remain in relationship with Him, I will tend to the weeds of life to prevent them from finding root inside my heart. My "tending" includes reading God's Word daily and lining each thing I see, smell, taste, touch and hear up against His Word. By doing this; I will make wise decisions. I will talk, walk and act in ways that will bring Him glory. I will love Him, others and myself. I will forgive and walk in mercy. I will be a light that shines in a dark world. When I fail, I will ask forgiveness and remember that just as I fail, so will others fail God and me. I will remember His mercy and grace and walk in that continually.

I believe the Lord has anointed me to edify others. He has given me spiritual discernment. What He has given me is to lead others to Him. Often He shows me things to tell another person that will confirm what He has already told them. Often the purpose for this is to confirm God's calling on their life. I believe He shows me things that are going to happen because He wants me to pray and believe that He will answer the prayers that I have prayed on their behalf, when it is prayed according to His Word. Praise God, He only shows me what He wants me to see. I would never want to know so much about another person that it causes them to shrink from God. Christians can’t read minds, at least not those who are led by the Spirit of God and are called the children of God. We should not seek the hidden things and we should only want to know and be willing to see, hear and know what comes from the Spirit of God. Anything more than that is not from God. If I walk in God’s Spirit, I will be led by His Spirit. I will not walk according to the spirit of this world when I maintain my relationship with Him. That includes reading His Word daily, seeking Him for direction for every situation in life, repenting when I fail Him and thanking Him for all His blessing (regardless of whether I am able to see them as blessings). Not only do I only want to know things from the Spirit of God, I only want to speak things over others that are found in the Word of God. Some think that a prophet's voice is just for telling future events that will occur. I believe it also tells what can and/or will happen if we "only believe". In fact in Isaiah 55:11, God's Word tells me, "…So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it". We are told to speak it. The power of life and death is in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21

Even though the choice to believe it is ours, we are also told "only believe". Mark 5:21-43b I believe that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45 When a person believes in God, they are not ashamed or afraid to tell others. Romans 12:16

Many people think that only the perfect can hear and know God. I total disagree. I find it amazing that God would use any man. We are such imperfect vessels. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 David failed God. Peter failed God. Even Jonah failed God. And yes, I still fail God and I will fail others. But; I have and will fail my self too. Yet, in spite of all my failures and shortcomings, God continues to forgive me and cleanse me of all my sins. Because of my acceptance of the blood sacrifice given by His only Son, Jesus Christ I can be free me from sin's bondage by keeping my heart. Hebrews 9:14 I can keep my heart clean by repenting of my sins, asking for His forgiveness when I fail Him and then turning away from those things to press forward toward the things He has called me to do for Him. 1 John 1:9; Philippians 3:13

Often the enemies of my soul will place things before me and sometimes they will succeed in causing me to fall. But, if I remain in relationship with God and keep a repentant heart, the sins I have committed and all my failures won't break me down, cripple me, bind me or chain me to anything, not even to my past. Neither will my sins and failures cause destruction in the lives of others when those whom I've hurt or failed haven chosen to forgive me. I must remember to ask to be forgiven and I must also be willing to forgive others; when they ask and even if they never ask. Often, the hardest person of all for me to forgive is my own self. If I refuse to forgive, I will become bitter and vengeful. If I cannot forgive myself, I will not be able to forgive others.

In Luke 10:27 I am told to "...love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my strength, and with my entire mind; and my neighbor as thyself”. God tells me to love and to forgive. In fact, I am told that if I want to be forgiven, I must forgive. Matthew 6:15 tells me “if I forgive not men their trespasses, neither will my Father forgive my trespasses”. Matthew 18:35 tells me that my heavenly Father will turn me over to the tormentors if I do not forgive those who trespass against me and my Father would also refuse to forgive me if I refuse to forgive others. Luke 6:37b tells me that when I forgive, I will be forgiven. Ephesians 4:32b tells me to forgive every person just as God, for Christ's sake has forgiven me. (Scripture has been translated to personalize the Word of God for my life). So, who do I need to forgive? I must forgive God, others and my self, too. God does not do anything that requires our forgiveness because He never fails. Yet, often we develop anger and resentment against God because He allows us to experience hurts, pains and losses. After we "forgive" God for the supposed wrongs He's done against us, hopefully we will realize that we were not really angry with Him. The truth is: we were really angered with our own self, with others or by others. Not only do we need to forgive others, we need to ask others to forgive us. Forgive and be forgiven. Love and be loved.

I want to know God. I want to know others. I want to know myself. Often when I begin to know myself, I will see things that need to change. Nine times out of ten, I cannot change those things alone. They require God's help. If I continue to seek Him for help and healing, He will heal and restore me in His time and in His way. The more I know God, the more I will understand who He is. As I begin to understand who He is, I will see that He loves me passionately. Receiving this immense love He has specifically for me, will help me to become what He says I am. I will see the one and only, the real me- one of God's most precious creations. He meant to create me. I am not here by mistake. He has a purpose for my life. He wants me to receive who He is, but He also wants me to receive the me that I am and the me who I am becoming. The more time I spend with Him, the more I will become like Him. When I allow myself to know God and receive His loving kindness, the more I will love Him and I will also love myself. The more I learn about Him, the more I will not be able to stop loving Him and I will not be able to stay away from Him. I will also love others with the same love God shares with me. Not only do I want to believe in God, I want to believe in others and myself. I believe wholeness in my body, soul and spirit comes when I develop a love relationship with Abba. To know Him is to love Him. When I love God, I WILL love others and I will also love my self.

Of the three; faith, hope and love- love is the greatest. There is no other commandment greater than love. John 15:17; John 13:34; I Corinthians 13:13

Love brings vitality to my life. I want to measure everything I say and do on a scale of love. I want to see everybody through eyes of love. I want to know that what I believe is true, so I line up my beliefs with the Word of God. Everything else is totally irrelevant. If what I believe is found in the Word of God, it is Truth. John 17:17 If it does not, it is a lie. I refuse to mix the Truth with the lies of this world. I know others believe they are little gods. I am not a god; nor do I want to be. I am a vessel that the Spirit of God chooses to work through as long as I seek Him for all my needs. He promises that He will supply all of my need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19).

I know I am prone to failings, yet when I fail I pray that I can remember that there is no sin so great that the Blood of Jesus Christ can’t cleanse it... I must ask for what I’ve already been given to me. Today I am thankful that the God of the entire universe loves me so much that He sent His only Son for me. John 3:16 He did that just for me. He did that just for you. Romans 10:9 “If you will confess with your mouth and believe in my heart that God raised Christ from the dead, you will be saved”. Now, that is fairly simple. All you have to do is ask. Salvation is a free gift that cost Christ everything. But we are worth the Blood of Jesus. God’s most precious gift of all was his Son.

Yada, yada, yada - It This Real Life? - ADD Forums - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Support and Information Resources Community

Yada, yada, yada - It This Real Life? - ADD Forums - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Support and Information Resources Community