Tuesday Devotional

I struggle daily with my limits. I struggle because as a new wife and a step-mom, where do I draw the line? It's difficult raising not only a teenager (who just moved in with us less than a year ago), but also a teenager who is not mine and I don't want to cross any lines with her dad/my husband and her biological mom. Last night I prayed for guidance. I prayed for help to know when and what to say and even when to let go. This morning's devotional was just what I needed.

Relax! God is Working--March 19

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]" Matthew 11:28

 Being relaxed feels wonderful. Being nervous, tense, and worried are not so wonderful. Why aren't more people relaxed? Jesus said if we are weary and overburdened, we should go to Him and He will give us rest, relaxation, and ease (see Matt. 11:28-29). Jesus wants to teach us the right way to live, which is different from the way most of the world lives. 

It would be putting it mildly to say that I was an uptight woman for the first half of my life. I simply did not know how to relax, and it was due to me not being willing to completely trust God. I trusted God for things, but not in things. I kept trying to be the one in control. Even though God was in the driver's seat of my life, I kept one hand on the wheel just in case He took a wrong turn. Relaxation is impossible without trust! 

If you know you can't fix the problem you have, then why not relax while God is working on it? It sounds easy, but it took many years for me to be able to do this. I know from experience that the ability to relax and go with the flow in life is dependent upon our willingness to trust God completely. If things don't go your way, instead of being upset, you can believe that getting your way was not what you needed. God knew that, so He gave you what was best for you, instead of what you wanted. 

If you are waiting much longer than you had hoped to, you can get frustrated, angry, and upset or you can say, "God's timing is perfect; He is never late. And my steps are ordered by the Lord." Now you can relax and simply go with the flow of what is happening in your life. When it comes to things that are out of our control, we can either ruin the day or relax and enjoy it while God is working on the situation. As long as we believe, God keeps working! 

Trust in Him: How relaxed are you? Your answer is directly related to how much you trust God. It may take you many years like it did me, to fully trust Him, but each day will be better and better as you trust more and learn to relax.

After reading this twice, typing it, and praying about it over my morning exercise, I will let go, relax, and know that God is in control. As a step-parent, I don't have a say over many things because there are other parents involved. It's difficult being a step-parent but knowing some of the situations that arise will be out of my control is something that I'm going to have to give to God and know that He's taking care of it.  I am considering all these situations as a way of Him teaching me how to handle my own children--someday.

The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son/The Lost Son...either way it is know to you, it is a very popular parable in the Bible. But in all honesty, the very first time I read it, I not only didn't quite understand it, but I also took the side of the older brother. Here is the story for you to read if you need a refresher:

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Now if you are anything like me and have an affinity for David Jeremiah, check out his video that explains it all. He has such a way to put it into easy ways for me to understand and I'm so thankful for him. Believe me, you'll thank me later ;)

Wednesday Devotional

Lately, I've been experiencing God working in my life....tremendously. He's definitely moving and making things happen. On the other hand, I can't help but notice some people taking for granted all the blessings they have been given and not very appreciative of all they have.

This is always a touchy subject because I don't want to come off as nagging. So I turn to prayer. I pray that the Holy Spirit will enter them and change their heart so they can see the world differently. I pray that they can be thankful for all the little things in life. I pray that they would see the big picture and want to change their entire outlook. This would be a huge undertaking for any given person--but not for God. So I sit back and be patient.

I am leaving you with a wonderful devotion to help clear up any complaints. Because yes I've been there and seen it all. Even the shelters and the soup kitchens.

Mumbles and Murmurs

"There are inveterate murmurers who complain, going after their own desires." Jude 1:16

Sometimes it seems the whole world is complaining. There is so much grumbling and murmuring and so little gratitude and appreciation. People complain about their job and their boss when they should be thankful to have regular work and appreciate the fact they are not living in a shelter for the homeless or standing in a soup line. Many people would be thrilled to have that job, despite its imperfections. They would be more than willing to put up with a not-so-perfect boss in order to have a regular income, live in their own home, and cook their own food.

Maybe you need a better paying job or perhaps you have a boss who treats you unfairly. That is unfortunate, but the way out is not through complaining. Give God thanks tonight for every blessing He has given you.

Tuesday Devotional

Listen for God's Voice

"And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it...." Isaiah 30:21

Most of the time, God does not speak to  us in an audible voice, we hear Him in our hearts. Sometimes He speaks by reminding us of a truth or principle from His word; sometimes He gives us thoughts or ideas we would not have had on our own; sometimes we simply have a strong sense of knowing what to do. We need to quiet all the noise in our lives and become sensitive to God's still, small voice. We need to choose to listen to God because he will speak to us.

God does not only speak in the urgent or important matter of life. He also guides us in the most seeming insignificant situations. I was on my way home one day and intended to stop and get a cup of coffee, when I had a strong impression that I should call my secretary and see if she wanted a cup, too. When I called, she said, "I was just standing here thinking, I would love a good cup of coffee right now." You see, God wanted to give her the desire of her heart, and He wanted to work through me. I did  not hear a loud voice or see an angel, nor did I have a vision; I simply had an inner sensing that I should offer her a cup of coffee. As a result, we both experienced great joy in knowing God cares about the smallest details of our lives.

Quite often we ignore little things like this. The more we do, the harder it is to develop sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. If someone is on your heart, I encourage you to pray for that person or call him or her and say, "I was just thinking of you." You never know how a seemingly small thing like a phone call can alter a person's day or maybe even change someone's life. Let me encourage you today to keep your heart sensitive to God's voice. He will speak to your heart and lead you in the way you should go.

Trust in Him: Remember this; each time we disobey God, it becomes more difficult to hear Him the next time He speaks; but every time we trust Him, it gets easier to hear and be led by His Spirit. What is God saying to you today?

How Are We Being Like Jesus?

So yesterday I got my church on! I've been looking forward to attending all week; it's almost like I had a feeling that something good was going to happen. Lately, I've been feeling like I've been in tuned with God. When I mentioned or thought about something, I would see it come to life the next day. Sometimes I get a little freaked out about it, then I realize that I am recognizing and following God's voice and it's amazing to see it unfold.

The message at church today was again about love. How to love your neighbor/enemy and how if you loved everyone then there would be no other problems. If you loved your neighbor you would not want to steal from them, lie to them, or kill them. It makes sense. A question that was asked was, "How are we being like Jesus?"

Pastor Chad would ask some thought provoking questions then he would say, "Let that rock your theology for a bit." He's pretty hip with the lingo. It's so funny how one little question, when really thought about, can carry such deep issues. How are we like Jesus? How am I like Jesus? And really the answer for me is so far from it. It's hard to look at everyone with the love of God. It's hard to forgive, it's hard to not take offense, and I wouldn't lay down my life for just anyone. But He did. He did all those things. Why? Because of love.

It's amazing to consider that no way in this lifetime will I ever be completely like Jesus. And just because I know there's no way to reach that level of perfection, it's not like I'm throwing in the towel and reverting back to my sinful ways because I can't. I take a look at my life and I thank God for changing me, even if it is slow process. I consider myself a diamond in the rough. I may have a rough exterior but with God's help, He's slowly shining me up. And what's even more amazing to think about is no matter what stage I am in, I/we are always one of His prized possessions.

If you are in the mood for some more reading, check out this awesome article about the analogy of people and diamonds: http://www.prevailmagazine.org/gods-diamond-in-the-rough/

Left Behind Series

If you are looking for a book that is filled with Jesus, action, adventure, heartbreak, love, and so much more, than I definitely suggest reading the Left Behind Series. In all honesty, these books contributed to helping me get saved. I started reading it as unbeliever and through a variety of events, I accepted Jesus in my heart.

I am currently finishing up reading Assassins and can't wait to get through the entire series--only 6 more books to go. If you are super busy and can't find the time to read these books, here's an awesome website that has the dramatic audio so you can hear it acted out. I did watch the first two movies....and I'm glad I stuck with the books. I heard this awesome quote that says, "Don't judge a book by its movies" and boy is that the truth. Typical that the movies never do the books justice.

If you have children who love to read, they also wrote this for the young adult. I haven't personally read it myself, but if it is anything like the original version, than I suspect it to be amazing as well. I know that the local Christian store (Cook's Christian) have these available to lend out if you don't want to purchase the books. It's like a local Christian library.

Daily Devotion

I received this lovely book for Christmas and I absolutely love it. My husband and I are enjoying reading it to each other every night. I didn't realize how crazy I am for devotionals. I honestly think I've reached my capacity at three but it's amazing how much reading can be done in a day.

I wanted to share today's message with you because I thought seems how the weekend is here and the Superbowl is on Sunday, I'm sure you may encounter some decisions that you may want to reconsider. So without further adieu.....here's Joyce:



Give Your Brain a Break--Feb. 1

"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you." Proverbs 4:25

Are you enjoying the life and blessings of God in your everyday life? Or have you made a series of choices resulting in disappointment, pain, or feeling that everything you do requires great effort and produces little reward? Don't spend your time and energy mourning all the bad decisions you have made; just start making good ones. There is hope for you!

The way to overcome the results of a series of bad choices in through a series of right choices. The only way to walk out of trouble is to do the opposite of whatever you did to get into trouble--one choice at a time. Maybe the circumstances of your life right now are the direct result of a series of bad choices you have made. You may be in debt because you have made a lot of bad choices with money. You may be lonely because of a series of bad choices in relationships or in the way you treat people. You may be sick because of a series of unhealthy choices: eating junk food, not getting enough rest, or abusing your body through working too much and not having enough balance in your life.

You cannot make a series of bad choices that result in significant problems and then make one good choice and expect all the results of all those bad choices to go away. You did not get into deep trouble through one bad choice; you got into trouble through a series of bad choices. If you really want your life to change for the better, you will need to make one good choice after another, over a period of time, just as consistently as you made the negative choices that produced negative results.

No matter what kind of trouble or difficulty you find yourself in, you can still have a blessed life. You cannot do anything about what is behind you, but you can do a great deal about what lies ahead of you. God is a redeemer, and He will always give you another chance.

Trust in Him: If you have a situation that is too big for you to solve, then you are material for a miracle. Invite God to get involved, trust in and follow His directions, make one good choice after another, and you will see amazing results. 

Have a great weekend!!

Daily Devotional

This year one of the things I'm focusing on is using my words correctly. Trying not to say things I don't mean. Realizing how powerful words are and the damage or the motivation they can carry is tremendous. Seems how I'm being completely honest here, I'm not feeling like my normal thought-provoking-God-seeking self. So today I will leave you with a devotional from Joyce Meyer's "Ending Your Day Right: Devotions for Every Evening of the Year" and see what thoughts you have for yourself.

You Can Have a New Beginning--January 1

"Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing!" Isaiah 43:18-19

God created us to need new beginnings--places where we can release our faith and say, "This is a place of new beginnings for me, a place to have a fresh start." The dawn of a new year is always a good time for a fresh start.

You can experience the abundat life Jesus says you can have, but it requires making a decision to let go of the past. Unless you refuse to go on the way you have been, no change will come. God wants to change things for you, but He is waiting for your total cooperation.

Seldom do your circumstances change without something first changing in you. So if you want to experience God's "new thing" this year, release your faith right now and say, "This is a place of new beginnings for me." Then watch for the results.

Have a happy Monday!

Surrendering Hunger

Yesterday at during my break, I logged on to Pinterest and started pinning clean eating recipes and other recipes that didn't contain meat. I am finally ready to start working on getting my body back on track and providing a healthy temple for the Holy Spirit.

I started reading a devotional called, “Surrendering Hunger,” by Jan Johnson to help me with my eating habits. At first I was a little hesitant to read it because I was having a difficult time relating to the author. But as I continue to push pass our differences, she does have some insightful devotions.

My eating background in a nutshell: I LOVE FOOD. I love to cook it, talk about it, describe it, oh and most of all eat it. I love meat, rice, chocolate, and anything sweet. And there is my problem. I can’t just eat one brownie. I have to eat six even though I can’t possibly shove another one in my mouth. I have such passion for it which is why it is so difficult for me to portion control myself.

But one thing that is really jumping out at me while reading this is that I live by the motto, “I live to eat.” Just as soon as breakfast is over, I’m looking forward to lunch and I’m even more exited for dinner and then dessert. I have been counting down to the Super Bowl since before Christmas because I can’t wait to indulge in junk food.

I want my motto to change to, “I eat to live.”

If God provides me with food, then surely He can provide a way for me to control myself and my portions. I just need to stop breaking the promises I've made to myself and start trusting God will take care of me because He never breaks His promises. I think that's what happens when you try to do something on your own without God's help--a slew of broken promises which results in failure. Not this time!

So here’s to a new outlook, a new motto, and most of all a deeper understanding and connection with the Holy Spirit!

When God Whispers Loudly

This morning was just like any other morning. Wake up late, let the dogs out, shower, drop off my step-child at school, and drive to work. I sometimes take for granted my routine. I sometimes take for granted all the little things in life. Last night I read a short story called, When God Whispers Loudly, by Chris M. Hibbard.  It was a short, meaningful read that was very thought provoking—but of course it took some time for it to really sink in. 

There are some days I get frustrated and hurry up to finish whatever I’m doing so I can move on to the next thing on my list. This year I am really trying to work on taking the time to stop and listen to God’s voice. Hear His direction and get a new perspective and understanding.

After reading this story, I realized there are always going to be good and bad days. There are always going to be things that I can’t cross off the list. There are always going to be certain situations I can’t avoid and I have to rely on the Holy Spirit to get me through it. The difference in thought however is what would happen if all that came to a crashing halt. What if I woke up and realized I lost 15 years of my life? It's only when facing a tragedy is when people realize how blessed they truly are. "What I wouldn't give to be able to walk to the mailbox" says a woman who is committed to her wheelchair. I would rather deal with my bad days knowing God is right there beside me getting me though it than having a great day and not having Him to thank for it.

Today I will not get caught up in my “usual routine.” Today I will take my time and enjoy everything that I see and try to view it in a different way. Today I will not take for granted my life because in an instant….it all could be gone.

Here’s the link to the story if it peaks your interest:

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