June 2, 2012

I was talking to a friend of mine about body image yesterday.  Coincidence?  Probably not, considering it was on my mind all day yesterday.  It's funny how something sticks in your head and you can't get it out. This friend happens to be my physician.  She was taking stitches out of my arm for a minor cyst and we got to talking about weight and the complications it brings to our health.

She confessed that she had a goal weight that she would love to meet.  I have one too but haven't been that motivated to kick it into gear.  After a cholesterol check that showed my genetics are exactly as my mother's, I decided it was time to become healthy. I don't want to obsess about weight or try to be something God doesn't want me to be, but the fact is that 10 pounds would really help.  As we were talking, I realized that we should partner up and pray.  Didn't I just say that in the morning?  Of course I did and who brought that forward in my mind, God, of course.  So, that's what we are going to do.  We are going to encourage one another.  This is not about looking like a model; it's about being healthy and taking care of the vessel God gave us.

As I woke this morning, one more beautiful element came to mind.  Why don't we do this with God in mind along with the starving children in Africa.  I don't know if any of you in other countries are struggling with obesity but the US definitely is.  And, I'm not talking a few pounds.  We are either super skinny or really heavy.  There doesn't seem to be much in between.  So, I got to thinking that if each of us has 5, 10, 30 pounds to lose we could donate money as we meet our goals.  Can you imagine what that would mean to starving children all over the world.  Ten dollars might not be that much but times that by 1000 and what do you get?  Lot's of children being fed.

If this challenge touches you and you are looking for a reason to get healthy with God, then think about donating as you lose.  Anyone can shed a few pounds for their health but few will donate funds to help needy children.  We shouldn't have children starving anywhere, and yet, we do.  I may hate to go to the grocery store every week, but I always have food on my table and my belly is always full.  Not everyone has that luxury.  

I hope today inspires you the way my conversation with my friend inspired me.  This is about us doing something good, not just for ourselves but for others.  I will let you know how I am doing periodically on this journey and I hope you join me in doing something for Jesus.  He calls us to take care of His people.  Thankfully, we can do it while taking care of ourselves.

Jeremiah 23: 4 NIV84

    I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the Lord.

Matthew 4:4 NIV84

    Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Let's take this challenge and become shepherds of Christs' flock.  Let's be aware of the bread we eat and the needs all around the world.  There are those out there that need food to eat and there are those that eat too much.  I pray that the word of God would speak to the hearts of men and women and that we would become the caretakers of His people.  

My prayer today:

O, Lord You continually amaze me.  I am so thankful to have a God that loves His people.  You nurture us, You feed us and You help us in all our struggles.  I think I am most amazed when I wake up and You are the first thing I think about.  You are so near to me and I am so blessed.  Thank You for putting in my head this new challenge.  I want to be a woman that does things for You Lord and I know my health and the health of other women is important to You.  We have a journey and a purpose to be fulfilled and the only way we can do that is by putting You in the middle of our lives and taking care of the vessel You gave to us.  With that, I am taking on Your challenge and I hope women all over the world will too.  The children of Africa and other nations are Your children and You love them just as much as You love me.  So, I am going to vow to You to get healthier and as I do; I am going to donate funds to those less fortunate in the US and around the world.  Hunger doesn't have to be a part of life.  Thank you for blessing me with these thoughts and for blessing me with the funds to help others in their hour of need.  I pray this challenge goes around the world and that millions are fed through it.  You are the power behind my words.  Thank You for being a Father of all nations and I pray that many will come to You as they hear Your word.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

June 1, 2012

I learned something new about men yesterday, they are as insecure as we are.  I honestly didn't realize it.  Do you know if you're a man and you don't talk about cars, girls, sex and sports, you don't fit in?  I hadn't really thought about it much but I can see why that would be.  Women struggle with body image, beauty, and fitting in totally different than men do.

A man that feels inadequate in height, weight or body mass is as insecure as we are.  To be honest, I really hadn't thought about it until yesterday when my oldest son was comparing himself to a man that is two inches taller and probably 20 pounds larger.  It hit me like a brick, somewhere in our thought life things go totally wrong.  God made us who we are, uniquely and all of the sudden we are competing to be the best, the most beautiful or the strongest.  Where did we go wrong?

To try to get my son away from the inferiority he was feeling, I asked him if I should have a breast augmentation.  I'm sure you can guess how that went over.  Well, it's one thing to eat right, exercise and take care of yourself; it's a whole different thing if your doing it because someone else is more beautiful, more enhanced, or stronger.  You get the picture.

We were made in God's image and yet, we are always trying to change it.  Plastic surgery, Botox, Liposuction are at an all time high.  Why?  Because we can't stand to look in the mirror and see what God created.  We are fighting anorexia, obesity, and self-esteem problems so large in the United States that we worry about that more than the starving African children.  It's time to change our perspectives and be glad that God fearfully and wonderfully made us.

Faith means a confidence or trust in a thing.  For us, we need to have confidence and trust that God made us exactly like He wanted too and we are to take care of His creation.  Don't use unnatural means to take care of yourself, trust in God, take a walk, talk to a friend, believe that you are beautiful.  The world's vision of beautiful is totally messed up!  God cares about the heart.  He cares about being in relationship with us and He cares when we step out on faith and trust Him.

It's times like these I am ashamed for looking on the outside.  Like my son, I have worried about my appearance.  When I was younger, I struggled with anorexia and as I got older I learned to enjoy food way too much.  There must be a balance in our lives.  So, if you're one of the ones that struggles with their outward appearance, has gained too much weight, lives in depression and rarely eats, or has gone for a series of Botox injections, listen to me, the Lord your God made you to be His.  You have a purpose on this earth and it's not mans purpose.  It belongs to God.  If you want to change something about yourself, especially if your needing to get healthy, then do it.  Ask God for the strength to be healthy.  Get with friends, take a walk, eat better and pray.  Women's bodies forever change but if we are doing what God wants, then we should be working on the inside and the outside will fix itself.  Take heart my sisters for He is near.

If you remember only one thing from this post today; remember that God made You perfectly.  You may not be a '10' in the world but if you work on faith, hope and love, you will always be a '10' in God's book!  Believe me when I say that I struggle too and now I know that the men in my life do too.  I will be praying that all of us come to the realization that we are beautiful to the Lord.  At the end of our lives, I doubt He will talk to us about our beauty.  More than likely, He will talk to us about our hearts.

Psalm 139: 14 NIV84

     I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Jeremiah1:5 NIV84

     "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."


From these Scriptures God is telling us that he made us and that we are set apart for His glory.  Today, as you step in front of the mirror, right before you pick yourself apart, look into it and say, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made."  "My God makes no mistakes!"  You are not a mistake; You are His and we all need to be confident in the fact that we are chosen to do greater things far beyond beauty.  We were chosen to love people and to make Him known.  At the end of the day, how do you want to be remembered?  We will age no matter what we do to try to stay young, the fountain of youth runs out starting at 20 so, let's concentrate on the one thing that can grow with age, our hearts! To women in every country realize you are beautiful and made for this day.

My prayer today:

Lord, as I look upon the words You have provided today I see two things clearly, we are beautifully and wonderfully made and we need to work on our hearts and forget the image of the world.  I have fallen short many times on my journey.  I have tried to be who I am not and for that I am truly sorry.  I am grateful that you made me the way I am and I hope in the future that my concentration will be on my heart, not my body.  Help men and women stand up and have faith that we are Your creation and that our purpose is larger than our body image.  Give us a fear of You and a mighty dose of the Holy Spirit so that we can take care of the vessels You gave us, without worshipping them before You.  We are Your chosen and we stand on faith, that through prayer and petition, You will bend us, mold us and make us known throughout the world as Your chosen people.  We accept the challenge today to become men and women of You and to believe that You are the creator.  Help all of us to look outwardly, beyond ourselves to the needs of Your people.  We cry out to You and ask that You will feed the hungry nations and that You will put on our hearts the needs of Your people.  We thank you for coming to us with wisdom and power and we pray that in today, we will defeat the outside and grow our hearts towards You!  In Jesus name, AMEN.

Until tomorrow...

May 31, 2012

Yesterday, I was driving as a huge storm was forming.  I looked into the clouds and two of them looked like angels pushing the storm to the North.  The sky was fascinating with a dark blue background, billowing clouds, and one white bird flying into the storm. The canvas was so beautiful that I drove in pure awe and wonder.

The crazy thing is that I don't look around enough.  But I found myself enthralled.  Quite astonishing because I had just taken a driving while distracted course and the  number one reason people get into collisions is looking at scenery.  I can find the humor, can't you?

God always surprises me when I call to Him and ask Him to show me what He sees.  He painted the sky yesterday and drowned the land with much needed rain.  He formed the clouds that painted the sky and made me long for Heaven.  He put the white bird in the middle to remind me of the majesty and peace He brings the earth.  For a moment, I would have sworn it was all for me but then, it's there for all of us.  The problem is we are so caught up in our problems that we rarely see the beauty.  I'm counting myself in "we."  So if you were feeling convicted, know I'm right there with you.

I don't take enough time to smell a rose, put my finger in the dirt  to see what creature comes up, or really enjoy the moments.  Life is too busy.  We are over stimulated, over worked, and over committed to enjoy the beauty all around.  I hope as you approach your day, you take a moment to look out your windshield and find the beauty that lies around you.  I don't know what picture God will create for you but I know it will be inspiring and if you look hard enough, you might just see the hand that made you, the hand that loves you, the hand that knows you and the hand that provides for you.

He's everywhere.  We just have to take a moment, breathe and look for Him. Wherever you are, see God's beauty, and thank Him for it.  He never holds back on His creation.  So like the storm yesterday, we are all unique, made for a special moment, and breathed by a God who loves us and all those that call His name.

Psalm 27: 4 NIV 84:

     One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.


Colossians 1:16 NIV 84:


     For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

My prayer today:

O, Lord, I come before you a unique creature.  A woman formed for Your purpose.  And through Your divine intervention, You are molding me and making me for Your purpose.  As I look around and see the tapestry You are painting, I pray that women everywhere will be called and that they will follow.  I stand on faith that You will be my protector, provide courage over fear and that You will make each one of us bold, bright and beautiful; so, that in the end, we are part of the greatest canvas of all!  Daily we ask that You would forgive us of our sins and that You would be known to all.  For You are all we need today, tomorrow, forever.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

May 30, 2012

I have been on the road and will return with a new post this evening.  I hope in the meantime you are all doing well. I leave you a prayer.

My prayer for you today:

Lord please help these women and me be better servants to you.  Lift us up in Your arms and give us faith to forge through the challenges of life.  Give us eyes to see and ears to hear and when we don't have a direction, please place our feet on the right path and show us our way.  We need You in every facet of our lives.  Without You, we are dead.  This world is fleeting but You are forever.  Thank you today for Your promises to us.  May You reign in our hearts today. In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

May 28, 2012

Today, I took some time to remember those that I have lost.  Those that loved me and provided shelter, comfort and encouragement all my life.  In the last 5 years, I have lost a brother and both of my parents.  Moving as a child, from place to place, brought a bond between our family, like none I have come across.  We were close, some would say too close and yet, it made us all respect and love family.

The loss that I feel is still there.  Sometimes when I wake, I realize how much I have lost.  Even this morning, I couldn't write because the fact that you have lost someone doesn't go away; time just heals the very open wound.  My cure is Jesus Christ.  My family is my Father and it's Him who I go to when this journey is too tough, too raw and too painful.

The blog that you now read comes from a woman who has lost half of her family.  I never thought I would get through a day without my mother, let alone, losing my brother and my father.  But I have.  I have learned that my family is much bigger than my community or my country; it spans the sea, the mountains and many countries.  My family is now the people that Christ calls me too.  And in the quiet and sometimes the darkness, I know that my call is for His glory and all the pain I feel will be replaced with a purpose far beyond today.

I am thankful to my mother and father because they instilled in me a heart that loves others.  I'm not sure either one of them knew a stranger.  They loved their neighbors and people they didn't even know.  Because of this love, the love I too received, I can now love women in many nations.

You are faceless to me.  I can't see you and I can't even talk to you but Christ has called me to pray for you and hopefully, someday we will meet.  Being a woman is a challenge in any country and it's time we unite for the good of the generations to come.  Men create war and women pray about it.

I have been one of the lucky ones.  I live in a country where women are free and where they have choices.  Not every woman can do that.  There are countries where reading the Bible will get them killed. I am free to read the Bible, pray for nations, love women and worship my Savior.  In my loss, I have great strength.  Because the loss taught me to shout from the roof tops and tell women everywhere to walk with Jesus.  He is all we need!

If you're struggling with darkness, lost someone, getting divorced, or live in a depressed nation, please reach out to Jesus Christ.  He will fill the empty areas of your heart.  I can't promise that you will live in a mansion or have food to eat daily but I can promise that Christ is with you and He is calling women to Him.  We must believe and have faith that the Jesus of the Bible is real and moving in our world.  Time is short and we only have so much time to work.  Our time is now, please join me in the fight for women everywhere and please pray for those that are less fortunate than us.  We need to remind ourselves that Christ came for the broken, the sick, the hurt, and the lost.  We are those people.  The color of our skin, the way we talk or where we live should never have bearing on our fight to love one another.

Today, I am thankful for those of you that follow this blog.  I know God has done all things through His will and I pray that every day I will write for His glory.  My heart is whole through my Father.  For every step in my journey, for every tear I have shed, for every loss I have felt, for my failures and my successes, I thank Jesus Christ for saving me and making me His!

I am praying my sisters that you will see Him today.  Even though we are miles apart, He is with us, all we have to do is pray!

James 4:10 NIV84:

     Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.

1 Timothy 6:12 NIV84:

     Fight the good fight of faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of witnesses.

Job 22: 27 NIV84:

     You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.

My prayer today:

Today I thank you for the people You have brought into my life.  For the moments You gave and for the memories that will last a lifetime.  Lord, I come before You a changed woman.  I am Your woman and I want women everywhere to know You and to love You, the way I do today.  My faith has come at a price but I am so glad I have it.  You are my resource, my hope, my joy and my love.  You fill my heart with love and understanding and when I am weak, You are strong.  Life would be nothing without You.  Help those today that are seeking a Savior to find a person, a website, or a blog that will help them know You.  You are the key to this life, without it the lock is frozen.  Continue to free us from our bonds, provide encouragement to the weary and give us a heart for every woman in every nation.  We love You, ABBA FATHER!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

March 27, 2012

During this Memorial Day weekend, I want us to look back to the greatest human sacrifice of all time.  The death of Jesus Christ and what it means to you and me.  His death is represented in the Bible as a sacrifice of immense proportions.  Because our Lord was willing to sacrifice His life for us, we are free to worship Him, love Him, abide in Him, ask of Him, seek Him and forever be in His kingdom.

What does one human life mean?  In today's world, I sometimes have to admit; I'm not quite sure.  But our Father knew that one life would save millions.  We need to hold this dear as we face life's many challenges and temptations.  This world is full of darkened paths and creepy corners.  Our Lord Jesus Christ was tempted by satan and knew that we would be tempted with glory, power, money, pride and all the other deadly sins.

We are human and therefore, not always wise in the ways of the world.  We seek our self-esteem from others and believe what they say above what Jesus said.  I fall into the trap myself.  Being in sales, you want people to like you.  But I learned along time ago, that if I compromised myself for a sale, I would lose myself and so I try to pray about my behavior and my need to succeed.  Only God can bring my success now, I no longer depend on myself, because to do so, would mean that I have forgotten about God and my greatest desire is to give Him all the glory.

There will always be pitfalls in our journey through Christianity.  We must lift ourselves up and pray that God will guide us through the maze of life.  His guiding light is the Holy Spirit and the Bible.  We must intrench ourselves in the word so that we remain steadfast when faced with difficult situations. And we must remember what Jesus did for us.  He gave His life and in return, we are saved.

Psalm 51:12 NIV84:


     Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 




Ephesians 5:2-10 NIV84:

      and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  Therefore do not be partners with them.  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.


If we do nothing else this week, let's have at the forefront of our minds the sacrifice Jesus gave to all of us.   Without Him, we would live with darkness and light would be lost forever.  For those of you that don't live in the US, we love you and know that many have sacrificed for your freedom too.  And of course, God gave His life for people in every nation.  For this, we are all blessed, in one accord, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

My prayer today:

I find myself reflecting on Your great sacrifice this week.  Anyone that has lost a loved one, hopes they will see them again.  And as I reflect on these passages and through my journey with You, I can't wait to see You.  I know that I have work to be done here but in all things; I wish I could bow at Your feet and thank you for the wonderful life you have given all of us.  You came to die for our sins and we thank you, by being disobedient, angry, fearful, and full of doubt.  You knew we would be that way and even though we don't deserve You; You gave Your life anyway.  We owe You so much Lord and we ask that we would become Your light in a world full of darkness.  Continue to mold us and make us Yours and forgive us for our sins.  We needed You, long before we knew You.  Thank you for making us Your children and giving us the tools to follow You all of our days.  We are Yours!  In Jesus Name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

May 26,2012

I would like to start this blog out by thanking Jayson for commenting on my blog.  If you wish to contact me in private, my email address is lbrogers23@aol.com.  It's at the top of my blog.  This will give you the ability to contact me for any reason.  Like you all, it's nice to know that my effort is reaching people and blessing lives.  Check out his site, you might find it useful.

So as we approach a long weekend in the United States, I wish to thank all the families who have given their lives for this country.  It's not just the soldier that sacrifices their lives for us; it's also their families.  The tours are long and hard on those that serve.  Many of the wives have their babies without their husbands being home.  And if they lose their spouse, they have to go on.

Being in the armed forces, wherever you are, is an honorable and courageous way to serve.  Many hate war, even I do.  I can't think of a woman that likes war.  It's too easy to lose the ones we love but unfortunately, we live in a world full of dangerous circumstances.  I hope that if you are serving in the military or know someone that is, you would thank them with all your might.  They are why you have freedom.

It's important to realize that we must not just thank them but pray for the soldiers all around the world.  The world is raging and peace is far away.  Please lift up the soldiers, their families, and all countries.  We have to counter our fear by prayer.  If anyone has recently watched the news, Iran is getting more and more uranium.  They are very close to Israel.  We need to pray for our Father's country and the US must always protect God's people.  From the beginning, they belonged to God and until the end of this world they will be the chosen for all mankind.  Don't forget them.  He doesn't.

So with that being said, thank you to all the mothers and wives who have men and women that serve in the military today.  Your sacrifice has been counted and blessed.  You honor us, along with your families, in serving to protect this country.  Through prayer, we must unite and ask God to protect the ones that protect us.  Please lift up the mothers, wives, husbands and children of our military.  They miss them too.  It's our honor to pray for them and to serve them, the way they serve their countries.  Many have payed the price for our freedom, please take time on Memorial Day to remember them in your prayers!  They are part of a great plan and should never be forgotten.

During WWI the 91st Brigade prayed a prayer every day, through some of the bloodiest battles in History.  Every member of that Brigade survived.  I ask us all to pray this prayer today for all those that are fighting around the world.

Psalm 91:

     He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

     Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

     I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;

     My God, in Him I will trust."

      Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler

      And from the perilous pestilence.

      He shall cover you with His feathers,

      And under His wings you shall take refuge;

      His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

       You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

       Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

       Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

       Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

       A thousand may fall at your side,

       And ten thousand at your right hand;

       But it shall not come near you.

       Only with your eyes shall you look, 

       And see the reward of the wicked.

        Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,

        Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

        No evil shall befall you,

        Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

        For He shall give His angels charge over you,

        To keep you in all your ways.

         In their hands they shall bear you up,

         Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

         You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,

         The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

         "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;

          I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

          He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

          I will be with him in trouble; 

          I will deliver him and honor him.

          With long life I will satisfy him,

           And show him My salvation."

My prayer today:

Lord, this psalm says it all.  We lift up those that are serving their countries all around the world.  We ask that you would have your will on their lives and they would come to trust in you.  Thank you for those that sacrifice their lives and time to help us stay free.  Please lift up their families along the way and put them on the hearts of women everywhere.  We praise your Holy name.

Until tomorrow....

May 25, 2012

Have you lost your joy?  I think there are times when life throws us a curve ball and zap, our joy is gone! How does this happen?  One day we are walking along and everything is going well and the next we can't get out of bed.  What stole our joy?

Difficult circumstances are always at the core when joy is lost.  We lose joy because we lose sight of Jesus Christ.  We can't see our circumstances change so instead of believing that Jesus is with us; we choose to let Satan rob us of our joy.  I hope you're saying right now; that's not me.  But I know too many wonderful Christian women whose joy was robbed because they looked at their circumstances and not at the glory of our Savior.

It's no wonder the Israelites spent 40 years in the desert.  And if you think that can't be you, watch out because it surely can.  We must realize that this life is full of temptation, hardship, and defeat.  Only through Jesus do we have victory.  We are an apathetic generation and often we are wishy washy in our belief system.  Jesus is good when we can see Him and feel Him.  What if for a time, Jesus decides to remain silent, what do you do then?

That's the question I want us all to contemplate.  If we don't feel like Jesus is near, will we still believe that He loves us and wants the best for our lives.  Will we believe that we will come out of our circumstances and that our lives will be better for them?

I have a doctor who is very dear to me.  He is a very kind, Christian man who last year went through a routine procedure, during the procedure, everything, I mean everything, went wrong.  He thought that He was going to die.  Unfortunately, he must face another, more dangerous surgery to fix a complication that came from the first.  As I looked at him and told him that I would be praying for him, I asked him if he learned anything from his experience.  He looked right at me and told me that he couldn't believe how at peace he was with death.  That dying didn't scare him in the least.  He told me that the worst part was saying good-bye to his wife.  Interesting isn't it?  In every situation, no matter how dire, we learn about ourselves and about our Savior.  He learned that even when facing death; He was ready to meet Jesus.

In every trial, we will learn something about ourselves we didn't know.  It could be strength, courage, faith, or it might be that we clung to Jesus like we never have before.  He became our front, back and middle.  Daily we went to Him, crying out and asking for some relief and if we were lucky, He gave it to us.  Life is going to happen but Jesus is in it.  We are His to do with what He wants.  And we must serve Him the way He wishes.  Only He knows our true weaknesses, what will rock our boats, what will scare us to death and what will be our breaking point, so that we can follow Him better.

I don't know what's going on in your life today.  Maybe you are on a calm stream or maybe, you are on the waves of wrath, either way, take heart, cling to Jesus and He will be with you.  Call out to the people closest to you and ask for prayer.  They are near and if they aren't, call on me.  I'm already praying for every woman that comes to this blog or that reads it.  I may not know who you are but I love you anyway.

That's whats happened to me through my many trials and loss.  I have learned to trust Jesus more, walk in faith, not sight, and to believe that He can move mountains as long as I walk with Him daily.  They may not be the mountains I want removed, but they are the ones He wants to remove.  And in the end, that's all that matters to me.  I want to follow Jesus and take  my manna as He provides it.  I love Him and am so grateful that He saved me.  I'm not perfect and either is anyone that walks this earth.  My boat gets rocked from time to time, but in the end, I always can say I love Him more!

May your journey be in days, not weeks or hours.  Learn to walk with Him only in today.  It's not a coincidence that AA or some of the other habit breaking associations talk to people about walking daily.  I believe in a God that truly knows what He's doing, don't you?


Luke 6:21-23 NKJV:

     Blessed are you who hunger now, 
     For you shall be filled.
     Blessed are you who weep now, 
     For you shall laugh.
     Blessed are you when men hate you,
     And when they exclude you,
     And revile you, and cast out 
     your name of evil,
     For the Son of Man's sake.


     Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
     For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
     For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Phillippians 2:12-13 NKJV:

     Therefore, my beloved as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.


The takeaway from these passages are to rejoice in tribulation and let God do His will on your life for His good pleasure.  If you have lost your joy, please pray for God's will on your life and that He would provide your joy!

My prayer today:

At every corner you are near.  You wait for us Lord to acknowledge Your presence and Your authority.  We argue, cry, get angry, and finally, we come by still waters to have You walk and talk with us.  Please help us walk daily with You and to be true to You.  We are like the Israelites, sometimes doubting, sometimes selfish, and sometimes faithless.  Please provide the faith we need to be in Your army.  You are our God and we love You with all our hearts.  Hear our cries O, Lord and bend Your favor to us today.  We want to learn to trust You in every situation and when the boat is rocking, we ask You to calm our storm.  We are Yours to do Your will with.  We pray that we are faithful and open to Your great work! In Jesus name, AMEN

May 24, 2012

With every season there is change, so life goes.  I love spring time and it's just too short.  I grew up in upper state New York where the spring and fall seasons were so beautiful.  As I got older we moved all over the United States and in my early teens, we landed in Kansas.  That's where I found my husband and now it's my home.  But,  I miss the seasons changing slowly.  In Kansas, you can go from 60 to 90 in a day.  The only season we truly see for a long time is summer and if you watch the weather channel, we get so hot here, you can't even go outside.

Often, I wonder why God created the seasons.  Maybe, He was telling us something about His plan for the world.  Spring is when the animals mate and have babies.  Fall is when the children play in the leaves.  Summer is for fun, swimming and outside activities and winter is for the family.  With every season comes newness and challenges.  Spring brings tornadoes and earthquakes, summer brings unbearable temperatures and droughts, winter brings on huge snow falls and avalanches and fall brings on changes in weather patterns throughout the world.

We have numerous changes going on all around us, so why does it surprise us when life changes?  God made us for change and asked us to change with each season.  We are to grow and bear fruit.  He will prune us and make us new and as we face the challenges of life; we will reap fruit.

That's why we should spend time understanding the power of change, not just in the weather but in life.  I could poll ten people right now and they would be facing different circumstances, some more severe than others, but nevertheless, they would be facing something.  I think we should remind ourselves that seasons do change, years change and centuries change.  There is change all around us and if you're in a tumultuous season, spring may be coming.

During change, we must grab onto two things, Jesus is with us and prayer.  Those two things can get us through the worst seasons of life.  We might not like this season but there's another on the horizon.  We have to capture our thoughts and know God is near.  There is fear in the unknown but He has promised us that He is always near.

Look around you today and count the blessings you have.  In every season, you can and will find a blessing.  You may have to look harder then some, but it's there.  I call them my rainbows.  Without them, I would be a basket case.  God showed me along time ago that a rainbow can get you through the roughest of winters, the hottest of summers, the rainiest springs and the darkest fall.  I encourage you to embark on a faith journey, no matter what season you're in.  Find Jesus.  He will lead you and give you courage to face each season with courage, dignity and faith.  I'm not saying we won't have moments of defeat, that happens to every one.  I am saying that Christ can help us wherever we are.  He forgives our weaknesses and gives us courage when we ask.  We are human and He knows it!

Don't get down this season.  Find your rainbow, walk with Christ, read Scripture and pray.  He gave us the tools to be successful, use them.  And if you're friends with someone going through a difficult season, please don't leave them or criticize them.  They need you so much.  Many people walk away from Christ because the people they believe are their friends, leave them.  Let's be women that are solid in the word and in the heart.  We need to stand up for those that can't and be there.  We are being counted, let's be used by God for His purpose, not our own!

John 15: 1-2 NKJV:

     I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 NIV:

    There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:


We don't have to dread the seasons of life, as long as, we love Jesus Christ!  Let's be women that challenge ourselves and bear fruit.  The generations are watching us, so let's work towards each season with grace, love, compassion, courage, and wonder.  He knows what He's doing, even if we don't!

My prayer today:

Holy Father, lover of our souls, please lift us up in our hour of need.  Help us through the seasons of life and give us joy in every season.  We want to be women that come before You, day and night, worshipping You and believing that You are near in every season.  Help us to find the blessings You have brought to our lives and provide friendships that will last the test of each season.  We need You to be in the middle of our lives, guiding us and loving us through.  We ask that You would teach us in each season to be faithful servants of You and to believe that You are near.  We place our fear into Your hands and ask for Peace instead.  Light our way, O Lord, and guide our feet around each corner, in each country and through each season.  We bow to You our King!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

May 23, 2012

Hate is real and it lives where we live.  Hate begins in the bowels of our hearts and it grows day by day through frustration, lack of understanding and an overwhelming fear for our self-preservation.  It's much easier to stay in the status quo of life and be liked, than to disrupt thinking by saying, I believe in Jesus Christ.

We are so afraid of others that we rarely admit what we believe in our hearts.  We hide behind our Christian friends, our church and anyone that believes in the same things we do.  It's much harder to stand up and be counted like David, Paul, Abraham, Isaac, Job, and Jesus.  They all had to walk a lonely road.  Sometimes the journey was full of danger and yet, as they walked toward God, they found Him.

I am urging all of us to stand up for what we believe in.  If people want to believe we're crazy, so be it.  I am to a point in my life where I want to be accountable to the Lord, who has never failed me.  Our testimonies of hardship, failure, and sin all correlate to God's love for His people.  In every other religion, you must work for your glory.  Following Christ, requires no work on our part, except to believe and take the message to the masses.  We can't work for grace; it's given.

If you are walking today afraid of what people will think of you, consider what Christ thinks of you.  Are we more afraid of the world or of our Lord?  It's time we really take charge of our thought life and our hearts.  If we truly believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light, then we must confess it with our lips.  Be discerning though.  Always pray before approaching an unbeliever and give God the chance to bring the right one to you.  We are not the Savior; we are just His messenger.

We must be like the women that sat at Jesus's feet.  We must remember that women have a true place in the great commission and we must take up the cross.  You are stronger than you think.  Ask Christ for courage and you will receive it.  Ask Him for compassion and He will provide it.  Ask Him for direction and He will lead you.  In our weakness, He is our strength.  Never doubt that!

Times are changing and we need to unite for the sake of all the next generations.  We can't stay in fear of rejection or in an apathetic pattern.  We must believe without a doubt that Jesus is with us and tell the world what He has done for all of us.  For me, I don't want to sit next to another dying person and wonder, did they believe?  I want to know that the people God gave me to love and that He chose to put in my path, know that Jesus is the only way!

I will forever be changed because of that event and I am so grateful to God that this blog came out of those trying days, while I sat and watched my father die, and all I could do was pray.  Be strong my sisters and know that a little rejection is a small price to pay.  Seeing people walk and talk with Jesus will be the reward.  If you love Him, don't be silent.  Also, remember there are women in other countries that will die for what they believe.  Please pray for them and ask the Holy Spirit to protect them and keep them.  We are the lucky ones.  The women that can speak freely.  Ask the Lord to give you a  heart for the nations and for all women everywhere.  I did and look what He has done.

I wish you the best on your journey.  It's a scary road but one I know each and every one of you can walk.  Let's pray for each other and lift each other up.  God has given us a place to do that.  Reach out to me if you need prayer and I will pray for you.  Also, if you feel like this blog has been helpful in your daily journey, please recommend it on google.  I pray daily that the Lord will bless these words and use them to reach women everywhere.

With that, may your day be bright and may you keep Jesus in your heart and at the forefront of your mind always.  He is worthy to be praised!

1 John 4:14-15 NKJV:

     And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.


Our only hope to be a light in a world full of darkness is to confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord.  If we are walking with God, we should want to tell the world what He has done for us.  I am guilty of staying silent.  I am not proud of it but I confessed and began to walk the path God chose for my life.  This blog is just the beginning.  I hope your reading it right now and that the Lord uses it to minister to your heart!

   
My prayer today:

With every journey, there is a cost.  Oh Lord, you paved that cost with your life.  We can be in relationship with You daily because of the sacrifice You made for us.  We are women that want to understand Your heart for the lost and lonely.  We know that sometimes we let doubt and fear imprison
us and that we remain steadfast in apathy.  We want to break those bonds and become passionate about You and what You want us to do in this world.  There are women in many countries seeking a Savior. Guide us as we find courage in You to speak to them.  Help us lift them up and believe that You will bring them to us and Lord, please be with us as we begin to spread the word.  You are the only way to Heaven and we want the world and future generations to know and believe that.  Protect Your soldiers as we go out and help us gain wisdom and discernment so that we can minister to Your people.  We thank you for our lives and for the courage to pursue Your will.  Forgive us of our sinful nature and bring about a change in all of us.  Make us strong where we are weak and provide hearts that yearn for You!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

May 21, 2012

When we are born, we begin the aging process.  We are born to die.  Strange to think about but nevertheless, extremely true.  So as time goes by, you notice changes in your appearance.  It might be a few pounds, widening of the hips, wrinkles, gray hair.  There are numerous changes that occur in a woman's body every day.  What does all of it mean?

It means that if you try to hold onto your beauty; it will fade.  So when you look in the mirror, there will be no question to the changes that are occurring and that will continue to occur.  When we are young, most of our focus is on our beauty, especially if you want to attract a mate.  More time is put into exercise,  clothes, makeup and other beauty enhancements.  As you get older those same things are important to you but the effects are much less noticeable and are assured not to last.

Does that mean we throw ourselves down and forget to take care of ourselves?  Absolutely not!  If you're 20 or 90, continue to do the things that make you feel good about yourself,  just don't hold them as an idol.  God gives us our beauty and it comes in many different forms.  We need to treasure the appearances He gave to us but not to the point of worshiping how we look.

Yesterday, I was in a doctors office and I noticed what I thought was a young woman.  She was conversing with a teenager.  You can imagine my shock when she got up and it was her son she was taking in.  She had to be in her 40's but she was dressed like she was 20.  We can't take the world's view of self.  We must look farther into ourselves and ask ourselves what our motives are and if they are right with the Lord.

The truth is that we will all age.  And if you look around, you will see beautiful women in their 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond.  However, it's not just how they look on the outside that matters.  It's the wisdom, faith, dedication, love and joy they bring to the table.  It's walking with God daily and finding Him in every situation that makes them far more beautiful.

Take some time this week to talk to someone older than yourself.  They have walked with God longer,  loved Him better and have treasured the relationship far more than their beauty.  We will all be there someday and I want us to be the kind of women that can look in the mirror and say, beauty is fleeting but Godliness is eternal.  Wrinkles are guaranteed to come but faith isn't.  Spend time in your mirror this week contemplating God's greatness, His sacrifice for us, and His word!  Those things will never fade.

Proverbs 31:30 NKJV:

     Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
     But a woman who fears the Lord,
     She shall be praised.

This is the woman I want to be.  Are you up for the challenge?  The reward is far greater than being the most beautiful woman in the world.  If you achieve this, you have the praise of our Lord!  Take that to the mirror this week and praise Him for your life.

My prayer today:

O, Lord, how great you are.  You are wondrous in all Your ways.  You bring us into this world and provide our faces, bodies, personalities, and more.  We are Your creation.  But the world tells us that beauty is far more important than anything else in life.  When you are beautiful, you can have the world.  And yet, beauty fades and with it, our self-esteem.  Help us to be women of You.  Lift us up so that we can see far beyond our outward appearances and give us faith that moves mountains.  We want to fear You Lord and be faithful servants all our days.  Grant us Your favor as we walk with You and help us encourage others as the days grow longer and our beauty fades.  At the end of this journey, I want to know that my outward beauty faded but what I lost; I gained on the inside.  Make us followers of Your word always.  We want to be in Your presence today!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

May 17, 2012

When was the last time you tried to fit your will into the Scripture?  People do it all the time.  We want what we want so we chalk the word up to, that was then and this is now.  We have to be very careful with are thought life because if we compromise on what we know to be true; I guarantee there will be consequences.

We can't fit the Bible into the world's views.  It's just not possible.  However, no matter what the circumstance, we can love people.  There is a resounding theme throughout the Bible that we are not to judge but love.  That's not easy for those that like to point fingers, gossip about their neighbor, or believe that they are righteous and far above every one else.

I'm not saying your like this but I know many people that are.  They sit in church to be seen and then they leave all thoughts of God and the word behind.  Christ is challenging all of us to believe what is written and to act on His behalf.  We are to go about our day with no envy, no hate, and no judgement.  It's hard to do.  All of us fail from time to time but we must be able to walk with Christ knowing that everything He has written is true.

There are scholars that want us all to believe that the Bible is incomplete.  And yet, God breathed the word and if you look closely, everything He says is true.  Gossip hurts.  Anger kills.  But more importantly, it's hard to love those that are unloveable.  And yet, He calls us to spread His word to every one. 

We must believe that the word is true and exists as a compass for us today.  We must hold onto those words, especially when we are facing a storm and use them to conquer our fears, while building our faith and believing that Christ is near.  If we don't believe that God inspired the Bible, then we live for nothing! 

I believe that the Bible is the true word of God and that everything in it is supposed to be there.  I'm sure there are other books and that they are historical in nature, but what we read is what God wanted placed in those pages.  No other document has been tested more and come out being more truthful.  We need to hang onto the facts and realize that He is as real as He was over 2000 years ago.  The times have changed but the message is still the same.  Believe the words that are written and you will know the hand of God!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV:

     All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.


If you question this Scripture, think long and hard about your walk with Christ.  You can't say you know Him if you don't believe this passage.  Many will question the authority of this passage and yet, if we are to be believers that spread the Gospel, this has to be ingrained in us, as strongly as the nails were in His hands.  Take up the cross today!

My prayer today:

Lord, my prayer today consists of just one thing, make us faithful.  Fill your daughters with the wisdom to interpret the word and to provide the voice in a largely darkened world.  Help each of us grow in our faith as you prune us to be faithful and give us a heart for all nations.  Be with us as we walk on this path and put truth into our hearts as we seek you daily.  We are not perfect and the world is full of temptations.  Keep us on the righteous path and fill us with love for mankind.  We thank You for being our guiding light today and yesterday.  For all you are and all you were, we love You Lord. In Jesus name, AMEN

May 16, 2012

Good morning ladies!  I hope  you woke up to the birds chirping and a song on your mind.  As I sit here and drink my coffee, I am reminded of the many days I have woke up praising the Lord.  I am also reminded of all the days I wished He was here.

Routine is so wonderful.  It brings about a life cycle and sometimes with our routines, life gets boring.  I can't say that about our journey with God.  The more we become routined the better we are prepared for our future.  It's not easy facing life day to day.  We get our expectations up and they get knocked down.  We wish for things that don't happen and we hope for brighter and more exciting days.  And then of course, we get up and things aren't as bright, as happy or as encouraging as we dreamed them to be.

In today's world we must hold onto the faith and hope of Jesus Christ.  We can't long for simpler days because there won't be any.  Our heart should be directed and long for only one thing, Jesus Christ!  He gave His life for us.  I sympathize with women who are in great trials but I am encouraged that they are loved by a God who sacrificed His own desires to cover the cost of our sins.

We are loved and treasured by a God that knew what He had to do in order to save His flock.  That doesn't mean that your circumstances aren't important.  I'm just asking you to step out of yourself and look at what God has created.  Outside the birds are singing, I wonder if they are thanking God for the provision He gave them today.  Take sometime and listen to them sing, we should be singing too.

John 17:9-13 NKJV

    "I pray for them.  I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.  And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You.  Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name.  Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

I will finish this tomorrow but please take the time to look at the meaning in Jesus's prayer.  He prayed for you and me.  He prayed that His joy would be fulfilled in us.  The promise made to Abraham was fulfilled through Jesus Christ.  We must unite and believe that God is sufficient today.  Be strong in His strength, be confident in His sacrifice, be loved by Him today!

My prayer today:

O, Lord, Your words are more than we could ask for in this prayer.  Thank You for loving us and praying for us.  We are so very honored to be part of Your glorious army.  We give all credit to You because we are like sheep, roaming this world, aimlessly needing a Savior.  You are He and we are loved.  There are no greater words than Yours.  Our lives are like balls of flames covered with a beautiful sheet of white.  Grow us to know You more and cover us as we walk through this life.  We need You in every thing we do and in every nation on earth.  Unite women to love You!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...