Isn't grace a beautiful word? I didn't earn it. I don't deserve it and yet it is mine if I will just simply accept it. What an awesome, beautiful God we have. I cannot tell you how much of my time has been spent feeling like I had to earn Gods love. Scripture tells me different. Think about GRACE and what words come to mind for you. Here are mine:
Gods ultimate love
Reaching down to us
Always there
Compassionate and merciful
Everything you need found in your savior
Share with me your thoughts. Grace is a huge thought to wrap your brain around.
What a beautiful word. It truly is amazing (grace).
Monday, February 2, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
An audience of one
Oh how we strive and run after the approval of people
So desperate to fit in
At what cost? At what cost I ask you?
I have vascilated from being a lone star most of my life and
extremely independent to trying to be popular with the wrong types of people
Do we not realize who we are in Christ?
Is he not enough?
He is enough. I assure you. Jesus has filled my heart when I was hurting inside.
He has been my best friend in times of need. He is my comforter and provider and
friend.
We all have a God sized hole that nobody and nothing else will ever fill. And at
the end of our lives the only opinion that is going to matter about you is from an
audience of one.
Think about it.
So desperate to fit in
At what cost? At what cost I ask you?
I have vascilated from being a lone star most of my life and
extremely independent to trying to be popular with the wrong types of people
Do we not realize who we are in Christ?
Is he not enough?
He is enough. I assure you. Jesus has filled my heart when I was hurting inside.
He has been my best friend in times of need. He is my comforter and provider and
friend.
We all have a God sized hole that nobody and nothing else will ever fill. And at
the end of our lives the only opinion that is going to matter about you is from an
audience of one.
Think about it.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Selling out
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you." (Romans 12:2 TLB)
So many times in life we sell out just so we can fit in. What are we afraid of? I mean really? I use to be so concerned about image management and looking good to others, but I am starting to realize that the people I truly want in my life are just going to have to accept me for who I am. I mean isn't it exhausting trying to please everyone or jump through hoops just to fit in. A friend of mine told me she would like to wear an as is sticker. I thought that was pretty good and quite funny.
Whether it is imitating the latest fashions or trying to "keep up with the Jones" God has a much better plan for you and for me. I refuse to sell out. God created me to be a new creation and changed. I have been spending a lot of time in prayer with God lately and let me tell you it has been awesome! He has been revealing a lot to me.
One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 26:3. The day I got baptized this wonderful older lady from church walked up to me and spoke it too me. It was way cool, because that has always been one of my favorites.
You will keep him in perfect peace,him whose mind is steadfast,because he trusts in you. That is how we stay in peace. For myself when I am running around like crazy trying to please too many people and out of the will of God that is when caous ensues, however when my eyes are on Jesus and I am focused on what he wants for me for this day I am at peace.
Again,this goes back to the phrase God put on my heart recently Choose wisely.
So many times in life we sell out just so we can fit in. What are we afraid of? I mean really? I use to be so concerned about image management and looking good to others, but I am starting to realize that the people I truly want in my life are just going to have to accept me for who I am. I mean isn't it exhausting trying to please everyone or jump through hoops just to fit in. A friend of mine told me she would like to wear an as is sticker. I thought that was pretty good and quite funny.
Whether it is imitating the latest fashions or trying to "keep up with the Jones" God has a much better plan for you and for me. I refuse to sell out. God created me to be a new creation and changed. I have been spending a lot of time in prayer with God lately and let me tell you it has been awesome! He has been revealing a lot to me.
One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 26:3. The day I got baptized this wonderful older lady from church walked up to me and spoke it too me. It was way cool, because that has always been one of my favorites.
You will keep him in perfect peace,him whose mind is steadfast,because he trusts in you. That is how we stay in peace. For myself when I am running around like crazy trying to please too many people and out of the will of God that is when caous ensues, however when my eyes are on Jesus and I am focused on what he wants for me for this day I am at peace.
Again,this goes back to the phrase God put on my heart recently Choose wisely.
Monday, January 5, 2009
God is in control
Hey everyone,
Just wanted to let you know sometimes I have bloggers remorse, kind of like buyers remorse because I worry about revealing too much and being judged for it. So if you see that I deleted a blog that was previously posted that is why.
Before I was a christian I had a rebellious, do not care what you think about me attitude. Now I so worry at times about being judged that I am afraid to reveal certain things about my life. Hopefully God will bring me to the place where I am comfortable in my own skin and do not worry so much about others opinions. I am really trying hard to quit being such a people pleaser in life and focus my attention on being a God pleaser.
I am in recovery for codependency right now. Most of my life I have played the role of rescuer and peace maker at the cost of my own sanity at times. I was the oldest child and care taker of my younger brother and sister. Most of my life I have sought out people to rescue, because that is all I really knew how to do. Sometimes you have to question that if you are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole maybe that relationship is not a healthy one for you.
God is revealing to me lately that it does not make me a bad christian if I do not want to hang around certain people. I do get to choose how I spend my time and with whom. Some people are just not healthy for you.
Other than a couple of beers and a glass of champagne I have been alcohol free for almost 13 years. About every three years on my birthday I will have one drink just to prove to myself it does not have mastery over me anymore. This is my choice because I saw how destructive alcoholism can be to a family. I also had an uncle with not only a drinking problem, but a huge substance abuse problem, and he eventually committed suicide.
For today I am second. God is first. Check out the Iamsecond.com website sometime. It is awesome!
It is a constant struggle to turn my will over to God and not try and take control again. When I truly "accept the things I cannot change or people I cannot change" that is when peace ensues. I have no control over what my husband or friends do. I have no control over the choices that they make. I only can choose for myself which path that I will take.
We can choose how we will respond as well.
Meditate on this prayer today:
God grant me the serentiy to
Accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference
God is good and he cares about your life. Love to you all.
Just wanted to let you know sometimes I have bloggers remorse, kind of like buyers remorse because I worry about revealing too much and being judged for it. So if you see that I deleted a blog that was previously posted that is why.
Before I was a christian I had a rebellious, do not care what you think about me attitude. Now I so worry at times about being judged that I am afraid to reveal certain things about my life. Hopefully God will bring me to the place where I am comfortable in my own skin and do not worry so much about others opinions. I am really trying hard to quit being such a people pleaser in life and focus my attention on being a God pleaser.
I am in recovery for codependency right now. Most of my life I have played the role of rescuer and peace maker at the cost of my own sanity at times. I was the oldest child and care taker of my younger brother and sister. Most of my life I have sought out people to rescue, because that is all I really knew how to do. Sometimes you have to question that if you are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole maybe that relationship is not a healthy one for you.
God is revealing to me lately that it does not make me a bad christian if I do not want to hang around certain people. I do get to choose how I spend my time and with whom. Some people are just not healthy for you.
Other than a couple of beers and a glass of champagne I have been alcohol free for almost 13 years. About every three years on my birthday I will have one drink just to prove to myself it does not have mastery over me anymore. This is my choice because I saw how destructive alcoholism can be to a family. I also had an uncle with not only a drinking problem, but a huge substance abuse problem, and he eventually committed suicide.
For today I am second. God is first. Check out the Iamsecond.com website sometime. It is awesome!
It is a constant struggle to turn my will over to God and not try and take control again. When I truly "accept the things I cannot change or people I cannot change" that is when peace ensues. I have no control over what my husband or friends do. I have no control over the choices that they make. I only can choose for myself which path that I will take.
We can choose how we will respond as well.
Meditate on this prayer today:
God grant me the serentiy to
Accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference
God is good and he cares about your life. Love to you all.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
As this year wraps up I am reminded of how awesome God is. Today I am reminded of his words in the bible that I want to share with you:
He is slow to anger, abounding in love
His mercies are new everyday
He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble
He is close to the broken hearted
If you draw close to God, he will draw close to you (James 4:8)
He desires mercy, not sacrifice
He tells me blessed are the merciful
He tells me blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled
His strength is made perfect in weakness
He is our provider and all good gifts come from him
He is our comforter
Even if our parents forsake us he will love us
He is the vine and we are the branches
These are just some scriptures God brought to my mind this morning. I am grateful that his mercies are new everyday, because don't you think we need that? I am grateful that he knows what relationships are healthy for me and which ones are not. I am grateful that he is all knowing. As you reflect on this past year think about all the things God has brought you through and the blessings he has bestowed upon you (relationships, overcoming struggles etc.)
Our God is an awesome God and he can handle everything we cannot.
Recently a good friend of mine reminded me to think about the fruit a certain relationship is bearing. She point blank put me on the spot. It was a very wise thing to ask. My answer was "frustration and not peace" and basically that kind of said it all. Sometimes God closes a door for our own protection, as hard as it may be, or like Beth Moore says some relationships just flat out need to end.
Today, I am grateful and expectant of all the new relationships God is going to bring into my life. I look forward to a new year of showing Gods love to others and blessing them with my friendship as well. Even though we may not understand things at the time of our struggles, Gods plan is to give us a hope and a future. May you have a blessed day today as you reflect on all the things God has done in your life over the past year.
He is slow to anger, abounding in love
His mercies are new everyday
He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble
He is close to the broken hearted
If you draw close to God, he will draw close to you (James 4:8)
He desires mercy, not sacrifice
He tells me blessed are the merciful
He tells me blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled
His strength is made perfect in weakness
He is our provider and all good gifts come from him
He is our comforter
Even if our parents forsake us he will love us
He is the vine and we are the branches
These are just some scriptures God brought to my mind this morning. I am grateful that his mercies are new everyday, because don't you think we need that? I am grateful that he knows what relationships are healthy for me and which ones are not. I am grateful that he is all knowing. As you reflect on this past year think about all the things God has brought you through and the blessings he has bestowed upon you (relationships, overcoming struggles etc.)
Our God is an awesome God and he can handle everything we cannot.
Recently a good friend of mine reminded me to think about the fruit a certain relationship is bearing. She point blank put me on the spot. It was a very wise thing to ask. My answer was "frustration and not peace" and basically that kind of said it all. Sometimes God closes a door for our own protection, as hard as it may be, or like Beth Moore says some relationships just flat out need to end.
Today, I am grateful and expectant of all the new relationships God is going to bring into my life. I look forward to a new year of showing Gods love to others and blessing them with my friendship as well. Even though we may not understand things at the time of our struggles, Gods plan is to give us a hope and a future. May you have a blessed day today as you reflect on all the things God has done in your life over the past year.
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