Tuesday, January 31, 2012

January 31, 2012

As I look upon yesterday, I realize how very fragile we all are.  Yesterday held joy for some because they kept their jobs.  For others, they made a pact with themselves to start a new adventure.  But for those that lost their jobs, they were crying wondering what was next.

One of my very dear friends lost her job yesterday.  She is a strong women, although she doesn't always know it. God had been preparing her for change but she thought that change would come on her own terms.  Change never comes on our terms.  It is inherent in the followers of Christ.  He prepares our way before us, even before we realize that change is inevitable.

As I sat on the phone listening to her cry, I was silent.  There were no words I could say at that moment but boy was I thinking them for her.  I prayed right there that God would have His hand on her and that He would comfort her in her time of need.  I also prayed that I would be able to encourage her the way He would want me too.  I sent her a text in the middle of the day and last night I called her.  She sounded stronger but the grief was there.

My job is to lift her up to the Lord and to provide an avenue for her to vent.   Today, she has an interview and if anyone reads this post, please pray for her.  I will be praying and I am asking others to unite with me.  I know her but if you are going through the same challenges; I am praying for you too!

This world does not define us or make us.  God defines our being from the time we are in the womb.  We make choices but in the end, if we ask for his direction, He will provide it.  I have no idea where she will go or what she will do but God will provide and I find comfort in that, don't you?

Psalm 40 1-2 NKJV:

    I waited patiently for the LORD;
       And He inclined to me,
       And heard my cry.

    He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
        Out of the miry clay,
        And set my feet upon a rock,
        And established my steps.

Romans 5: 8 NKJV:

    But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He loved us enough to die for us. He is our comfort, our joy, our salvation.  Don't fear what you can't see, wait patiently on Him and He will reveal Himself.  Times are tough but He is tougher.  Cry out to Him today ladies, for those that can't, they need you!

My prayer today:

Lord, I have no idea what you are doing in lives today but I know one thing; You died and rose again.  We call to You and You hear our voice.  We unite and You rejoice.  I cry out to you today for all those that have lost their jobs; their hope is in You.  Please provide an avenue for them  and surround them with women and men that will help lift them up in their time of trouble.  Help us be wise and to always have a heart for those in need.  Lead us Lord to Your light and make us strong in You.  We are waiting patiently on You, guide us.  AMEN

Until tomorrow...



Monday, January 30, 2012

January 30, 2012

Today as everyone begins to start their day, thousands of people are facing losing their jobs.  Both men and women, waiting by the phone to see if they will be the one that gets to stay.  This is a frustrating time in America, once prosperous, now full of despair.  Industries are changing and the opportunities are less and less for high paying jobs.  More importantly, unlike our father's generation, there is absolutely no stability in the workforce today.  If you have had the opportunity to stay in your position for over 5 years, be very thankful.  Times have changed and with them come a certain amount of uncertainty.

What does that mean for us as women who are working or that have spouses that are working?  It means we can't depend on America.  It means that we can't look back at our father's generation and wish we could go back.  We can't even go back before 911, when this country had more billionaires than anywhere in the world.  During prosperous times, we forgot that God was in control.  That all things small and large came through Him and that America was only great because He was in our lives.

Families are teaching their children not to believe in God.  Schools forbid students to pray.  We must tolerate everything but believing in Christ.  Foolish are we.  I believe that God is calling us as women to repent for this Nation.  We must have hope in Him and Him only.  We are the mothers and wives of the men and women that will impact today and future generations.  How are we going to do this?  We are going to pray until we can't pray anymore.  We also are going to hold onto hope.  Without hope in Christ, we will be crushed.  It's time to take a stand and realize that our only hope is in the Son of God.  We can not rely in ourselves, where we live, our bank accounts or even our children.  Our only hope is bringing God back into America.

Proverbs 10:28 NKJV:

    The hope of the righteous will be gladness,

Jeremiah 14: 8-9 NKJV:

    O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble, Why should You be like a stranger in the land, And like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?  Why should You be like a man astonished, Like a mighty one who cannot save?  Yet You, O LORD, are in our midst, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us!

Acts 24:15-16 NKJV:

    I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.  This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Our hope is only in Him.  Believe it and live it!  I have hope that God will do a great work in all of our lives, as we come to Him.  I believe that there is a hope for our future and that God is in control.  Solomon, Jeremiah and Paul all had hope.  None of them physically saw Him but they all knew He existed!

My prayer today:

O, LORD, guide our feet today and provide the hope we need.  You know our needs, wants and desires before we even speak them.  You know the plans You have for each one of our lives.  Give us the wisdom and the prayer power to be one with You and give us a heart for the broken.  Lead us today on the path that You choose and help us be great women of You.  We want to be women in a Nation that repents and that calls out to You.  We also want to stay in Your will as You provide our hope.  Please protect us today and give us a dose of You.  AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Sunday, January 29, 2012

January 29, 2012

Today, I want to encourage you to join this blog.  I have done some research and if we, as woman of faith, want to get this to the masses; I need more joined members.  It is very easy.  Just click the join button and it will help you sign in.  I also want to encourage you to send the link http://faithfulnessforwomen.blogspot.com to your friends and family and if you like this blog, hit the +1 feature at the bottom. With all of us working together, we can spread His word and others will be encouraged.

If you haven't gotten the message today, it's about being encouraged!  I run into hundreds of women a week.  I have the pleasure of being in a church community and working in doctor's offices.  This gives me many opportunities to hear women's stories.  There isn't a woman in the world that doesn't need encouragement and it's our job to pray for those women!

Every women has a story to tell and every woman needs encouragement.  God calls us to encourage the weak of heart. This subject is so near to my heart because I have a friend struggling with the loss of her hair.  This woman had a great amount of hair, so at first, I think her friends thought she was crazy.  After months of hair loss, she is relegated to wearing a hat.  She is a beautiful woman with the most shiny personality you will ever meet, but this condition is beating her down.  She loves the Lord with all her heart but imagine going to numerous doctors and dentists only to be told there is nothing wrong with you. Then, tell me why is she losing her hair in handfuls?  Guess what, no one has the answer.  So, I think they have written her off.  I think some of her friends have too.  This is a Job situation.  You may laugh at that, but until you're tested with the thing that matters to you most; there is no way to know how you will react.

The Lord has laid her on my heart numerous times in the last months, obviously He hasn't written her off.  He cared so much that I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to her door.  I prayed first of course but then one day; I rang her door bell.  They think she is crazy!  Imagine someone coming to your door, shyly of course, asking if they can pray for you.  I even thought I was crazy.  She didn't even blink, of course I could pray for her!  She knows her Savior is in this but it doesn't make the situation any less difficult.  Just because a medical professional can't fix your problem, don't just lay down. Ask your sister's for help to pray for you, over you and when you are down, pick up the phone and call someone that will encourage you.  Most importantly, if someone in the medical field doesn't listen to you, kick them to the curb.  You're paying them good money to listen, so find someone else and never give up on Jesus; He's right there!

At some point in our lives, we will all be tested.  My friend treasures her beautiful hair.  Does that make her vain?  It makes her human.  I link this situation to Job's because she really does have faith that God can and will move this mountain.  It's just that each time she takes a shower; she is reminded that possibly she will be bald.  And in my opinion, that's a true test of faith for someone that had beautiful hair.

I want women around the world to know that no matter what the test; God is near.  I hope that all women will read this, whether you're single or married; in great health or not; struggling with demons; or rejoicing in the LORD!  We each be tested and it's our responsibility to lift our Sisters in Christ up to the King of Kings and ask Him to help us in our hour of need. We must be careful not to judge our sisters because you never know when God will test you.  Pray for them and encourage them, that's what we're called to do!  Jesus will take care of the rest.

1 Samuel 30: 6 NIV:

    Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters.  But David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Deuteronomy 3: 28 NKJV:

    But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.

Romans 1:9-12 NKJV:

   For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.  For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established--that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

David, Joshua, and Paul are all encouraged.  Why?  Because Christ wants us all to be encouraged in our faith.  It is our job to unite in prayer and petition for our sisters.  We must have courage to go to them and encourage them that Christ is near!  Don't give up on your sister just because her situation is too difficult; encourage her that tomorrow will be better and that Christ will never leave her nor forsake her!  If you are in a bad place right now and you need prayer, please comment on this blog so that other women can pray for You.  We don't have to know everything about your situation; we just need to know that you need us to pray.  Have courage my sisters and walk in faith!

My prayer today:

LORD give us the eyes to see and the ears to hear You.  Provide in us a Godly perspective and give us the words to encourage the lost and lonely.  Help us lift our sisters to You and not abandon them because their situations are too difficult.  Give us Your heart and provide an avenue to unite, as one, for the hurting.  Also, provide the words and actions these women need from us and let our hearts be one with those that suffer.  I want to know You better and by getting closer to You; I pray that I would know the hearts of other women.  Thank you for providing Scripture that reminds us daily that You are close and thank you for dying on that Cross, so that we may be able to help Your people.  AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Saturday, January 28, 2012

January 28, 2012

The storm of life is raging and war is within.  Have you taken time to think about that?  Women spend a lot of time taking care of others.  They work to provide a stable environment for their spouses and children.  But in every home, behind closed doors, storms rage and people react.  Satan is beating at our doors, trying to invade our homes and tear them apart.  He doesn't want us to have children that grow into great men and women; He wants to crush and destroy.  If he can take down a marriage, break children or turn parents into selfish creatures; He wins and we lose.  We never know when the storm will come but we do know that He is with us and we as women have the ability to fight!

The Power of the Holy Spirit is our key to all spiritual battles.  Christ knew it and through parables and tests; His disciples learned to understand it.  What does it take to be a great woman of God?  I believe it is how we handle the storms of life.  There is no peace without Christ.  There are no great marriages without Christ.  There is no hope for a future or path for our lives without Christ.  The key element we must always remember is that without faith and prayer; we can't win.

If you are facing a battle in your life or in the lives of your family, take time to pray.  I say this over and over but it is just true.  I pray in my car, when I am walking into a building, in the shower, and now here on this blog for all to see.  David prayed, Jesus prayed, Abraham prayed, because they knew that without prayer; they would be surely lost.

Jesus prayed for us.  We have already studied one Scripture where He prayed for future generations. Our forefathers prayed for us and now we are praying for future generations.  There is power in praying Scripture.  Let's take a moment to look at two very different Scriptures.  Each has it's own meaning and application for our lives.  In the end, Jesus calmed a storm and Solomon proclaimed the Lord through prayer to his people.

Mark 4: 39-40 NKJV:

   Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

1 Kings 38-40 NKJV:

    Whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple; then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know(for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men).

Storms of life are crashing.  Forgive, repent and rejoice because Christ lives.  When the storm rages ask God to calm it and when you are in it, pray!  I can never say it enough my sisters; we must fall to our knees and ask the God of all understanding to intervene, not just for ourselves but for others.  Don't let feelings or your heart get in the way of walking and doing what Christ asks of us.  If he can calm the sea, He definitely has the ability to change our lives.

My prayer today:

I am once again in awe of You.  Every time I read Scripture, there is a feeling in me of great peace.  My circumstances may be churning and my mind may be wandering, but you are ever present reminding me that You can and will calm the storms around me.  Protect the women that read this blog and give them something to hang onto in their storms.  All I ask is for a sliver of hope, a shake of mustard seed, and a high voltage dose of the Holy Spirit.  Rain on us today and give us Your wisdom, Your energy, and Your Holy power to fight the storms.  Bring us through with calmness and grace.  We are so thankful to have a Father that loves us.  Take care of us today and thank you for sacrificing Your life so that we can have everlasting life in You.  AMEN

Until tomorrow...

January 27, 2012

The story of Job is a story of a man who had great faith.  Most people don't like to read it because it portrays a man being put to a mighty test.  God believed Job could stand against Satan and trust in Him.  Job has much and in a blink of an eye; He loses his children, home and wealth.  He also loses the men around him, for they believe he has done something awful against the Lord.

Sometimes we see something one way, when God has a different perspective.  Job wasn't being punished by God, although on the outside it sure looked like it. His faith was being tested and Job was staying faithful.  He had hope in his God.  Many wonder why bad things happen to good people.  There is no rest on earth, our rest will come when we are united with Christ, but not a minute before then.  Does that mean we lay down and die?  No, we get up and believe that our hope is not in our circumstances, but in Christ who died for us.

Job 31:24 NKJV:

     If I have made gold my hope, Or said to find gold, You are my confidence;

Psalm 71:5

     For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth.

Christ is our hope.  I can't believe we look at man to be our hope.  Great men are born for the hope of our Lord and Savior.  Great women are too!  Our hope is not in what we see but in what we can't see.  Stay focused on the unseen and let God do the rest.

My prayer today:

O, LORD please help us to stay in YOU!  I am so thankful that our hope is in You and not on this fallen world.  Give us guidance all our days and remind us that we can and should trust in You.  Keep our eyes focused on the mighty powers You possess and in the hope that we will one day be in Your arms.  Thank you for giving us the ability to read and study Scripture.  Also, thank you for leading us to women that believe in You.  I pray that those that don't know You will come to this blog and get a mighty dose of Your Power!!!!!!! AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Thursday, January 26, 2012

January 26, 2012

Do you realize that in every situation God knows best?  I was reminded by a doctor how circumstances in our lives make us feel like we are in a forest, thick with trees.  We look around but can't see anything except the ground in front of us and yet, we want to see through those trees. The problem is that the forest is to dense and the only things we can see are, our feet and the sky.

God can see everything.  He has the ability to look everywhere, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Nothing we face is a surprise to Him.  He knows before we know.  I am always amazed that I want to have the ability to see into the future.  Why? Could I change tomorrow if I had the opportunity?  Of course not, and yet, we want to know.

I realize that sometimes I want to be God, what a sin, right?  But we all do it.  We want to control the elements of our lives and we think we can do that through fear and worry.  Guess what?  All we cause ourselves is more anguish.  When we jump ahead, life gets more complicated not less.

I struggle with this sin.  I want to control everything around me and yet, I never have.  As a matter of fact, the times I let Christ take the wheel were the times I had the most peace.  That's why I am calling all of us to stop and quit trying to determine fate.  It's time we let God lead us, for we are like sheep, roaming aimlessly into the abyss.  We don't have the knowledge He has.  So let's give Him the Glory and walk where He wants us too.

2Samuel 22: 29 NKJV:

    For You are my lamp, O LORD;
    The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.

We have no idea what the next minute holds let alone tomorrow.   We do know one thing, Jesus Christ is our LORD and Savior.  He is one with His Father.  He died on a cross so that we may have His light  through the Holy Spirit.  Ask him to forgive you today for wanting to control tomorrow and give Him the Glory by saying, lead me where You want me to be.

It's time we depended on the lamp of the Lord, don't you think?

My prayer today:

Oh LORD, we are a sinful people.  We believe we know better than You.  However, You are in control of every factor of our lives and we must rest in You.  Forgive us for wanting to control what is Yours and lift us up with wisdom and understanding so that we can face today.  Help us to live only in today and please guide us through the forest.  We are nothing without You!  As we walk with You daily help Your sheep to know You better.  Provide peace in our time of uncertainty and give us strength to proclaim You are all we need.  Thank you for your patience and kindness and thank you for allowing us to be in Your Holy Presence.  AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

January 25, 2012

Do you ever wake up with a song on your mind?  I often do and when I do; I know it's significant.  Today, I woke up signing, "on a rock I stand, no other ground but sinking sand."  How fitting for today.  Do you ever feel like the ground under you is sinking and you don't know what to do?

When you feel yourself sinking and you don't have a clue what to do, sit down and take a few moments to pray. Jesus spent many hours in prayer, without it you will sink.  God gave us the ability to pray so that we could connect to him.  He is our rock but if we don't use Him the ground will take us. I don't want to drown and either should you.

Prayer with others is a powerful and under utilized tool.  The more people praying, the better it is.  First, you have given the opportunity for others to share in your life and second, there is a special union when other followers unite with you.  It's part of being Christ's bride.  The rock is waiting so get on your knees and call your friends.  He knows your circumstances but only you can know Him if you pray!

Deuteronomy 32:4 NKJV:

    He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.

Psalm 62:6-7 NKJV:

     He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

His work is perfect; He is perfect.  These Scriptures are powerful.  Look at all the places, He is.  Scripture is a powerful tool for us.  I challenge each of us to be in the Power of the Holy Scriptures.  Your Bible isn't something to sit on a shelf, it's so you can be fed!

My prayer today:

Lord help us to take on this challenge.  Lift everyone up to You and give us time in our daily lives to spend with You.  Provide us avenues to pray for others.  We want to be women of You.  Continue to grow us and help us when we are on sinking sand.  You are our rock and it is You I want to stand on.  Give us courage and a mighty dose of You today.  We pray for our families, friends and those we don't even know yet.  Please lift them up and be their strength today.  We thank you for being our father.  Help us trust in You always.  AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

January 24, 2012

I woke up thinking today that all we have to have is a little faith.  If you do any cooking, you have seen a mustard seed.  They are so very tiny and yet, they pack a punch of flavor.  Why does Christ compare faith to a mustard seed?  I don't have the answer to that because I'm not privy to God's thoughts.  I know, however, that He talked like this to give us word pictures.  These pictures help us in our times of doubt.  If all we need is a tiny bit of faith, then we can and will get through anything.

I realize that some may doubt this.  I have had friends that have gone through great trials in their lives.  These trials were not easy but they persevered with just a little bit of faith.  What distinguishes a little faith to a lot of faith and how do we get there?   I really believe that faith is a choice.  The mustard seed is the hope that God can do all things but in each of us there is a small part that holds onto the fact that Jesus died for us and if He did that, then He can move mountains.  I'm not saying this is always easy and I am definitely not saying that I have not had bouts of fear and worry, far from it!  I am just like all of you.  I have human weaknesses and have to repent regularly.  It's important for all of us to realize that we may have days where we doubt or that we are down.  Life wouldn't be life if we didn't have these feelings.  However, we must look toward our prayer partners and to Christ.  They can pray for us and He will intervene.  I like that team, don't you?

Matthew 17: 20-21 NKJV:

     So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and nothing will be impossible for you.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

I have to admit; I am a prayer warrior.  However, I can only think of a few times I fasted.  I believe in fasting because I have heard the power it provides.  Ask yourself, have I prayed enough and does this situation require fasting for clarity from God.  We all have mountains that need to move.  Ask me or your sisters in Christ to pray for you.  It always amazes me how my sister's in Christ have come through for me in my darkest hour.  Don't give up, comment on this blog and let all of us pray for you today!

My prayer today:

Oh Lord, I come before you a broken soul.  I ask that You would help me in my hour of need.  I think most of the time that I have much more than a mustard seed of faith.  I ask that You would continue to grow that faith so that I may know You better.  Give the women of this blog Your Power and grace as they move mountains and provide a way for us to pray for other women.  Give us a heart for Your people and a true understanding of how faith, in You, moves mountains.  AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Monday, January 23, 2012

January 23, 2012

I was talking to a woman today that had faced great challenges in the last 3 months.  She was listening to my friend and I talk about our journey of losing our parents and she began to tell us her story.  She wanted to know why we both seemed so at Peace.  My girlfriend piped up and said, "It's my faith."

Wow!  We were in the middle of a doctor's office and yes you heard me right; she said it.  I was watching a few of the patients in the waiting room and they looked at her like she was crazy.  The other woman began to say, wow, "I wish I had that."  She then told us how she had lost a baby, her sister had been in a horrible accident, and that in the last months her job had suffered.  It sounds like a lot I know.  If you think about it, there are probably hundreds of women with a bucket full of problems.

Why does one woman cope better than another?  The answer is God in Us.  For those that grasp the full armor of God.  He is praying for all of us.  He stands in the gap for all of us and we are very loved.  He feels our pain and knows are weaknesses.   We are one with Christ;.there is power in that my sisters!

John 17: 20-  23 NKJV:

     I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as you have loved Me.

We are one.  Together with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Cling to Christ today and know that He is all you need.  He will provide the Peace beyond all understanding.  He is the one that loves you and knows exactly where you are.  Take heart, He prayed for us.  Now we must pray for others to know Him.  Make him known as my friend did today.  Stand firm on your faith; there is nothing to be ashamed of.  We are not here to be politically correct; we are here to love His people.

My prayer today:

Lord, hear our prayers and bring hurting women to us.  Lead them to us so that we might tell them the wonder of You.  There are women out there that need to know how much they are loved.  We want to share Your love for them.  We want to pray for them as You prayed for us.  Protect us and give us courage to stand up for You.  Bring them Lord, we are ready!  AMEN

January 22,2012

As I left for work today, I took particular interest in the sun rising.  With every new day, the sun rises in the East and sets in the West.  Have you ever taken time to notice the beauty around you?  God gave us a picture every day to remember that He exists.  Our lives may be going through many changes but some events stay the same, like the sun rising and setting.  If you haven't been up before dawn lately, I suggest you get up and look at the beauty as it rises.  It will remind you that Christ and His kingdom reign!

For the past few days, we have been studying the promises of God.  What He said before Christ came and the promises He provided through Christ.  With every promise fulfilled, someone had to take action.  Faith is a promise.  We can't just talk about it or think about it; we must walk toward it.  Christ filled us with the Holy Spirit so that we would know He is near.  From there, we must act upon the promise and walk even when the road is dark.

On Sunday our pastor spoke of God and His promises.  He reminded us of the Israelite's and the fact that some of them made it to the promise land and others perished.  Change happened and with change came faith.  No one knew what to expect or who would make it.  They just walked from the time the sun rose until it set.  For years, they walked and then one day a few saw God's promise fulfilled.

We are like our forefathers.  We have no idea what tomorrow will bring.  All we can do is walk in faith and ask the Lord to guide us through it.  Tonight the sun set but tomorrow it will rise again.  Rise up my sisters and believe in Christ, who can do all things!

Jeremiah 29: 11-12 NIV:

     For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me and I will listen to you.

I don't know where you are in life.  I have not idea what you are facing today.  All I know is that we are sisters in Christ.  His plans are set for us.  Walk in faith my sisters and believe!

My prayer today:

May the God of the Universe, our Lord and Savior bring upon us a faith like no other.  Help us to walk toward the light and remind us daily that when we look upon the Sun; You made the Heavens and the Earth.  This is Your beauty and we are a small part of it.  Lead us on our journey and provide sisters that will pray for each other.  May today bring You glory!  AMEN

Sunday, January 22, 2012

January 21, 2012

I want to stay on the promises of God because I truly feel that we need to hear them.  I think we need to understand the impact they have on our lives today.  We are descendants of a promise fulfilled.  Surely, if God made a promise thousands of years ago and fulfilled it, He has the same power today.  If you are wondering, of course He does!

Hebrews 6:13-18 NIV:

     For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."  And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.  For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute.  Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

What does all this mean to us?  We may never get to see the promises He has for us fulfilled.  We are called to walk with him daily and to believe that His will is supreme.  Basically, we are leaving a legacy. We are stepping out on faith and asking God to lead us.  The crazy thing is we may never know why we were put here or how our actions today will effect those left behind.

The facts are at hand.  God did bless Abraham with Isaac.  He did fulfill His promise with Jesus and we do have the Holy Spirit to guide us.  The rest is a mystery and yet, I find comfort that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, John, Mark, Luke, Paul and others are part of the great tapestry, all intertwining with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  And if you look closely, we are all a part of it too.  We are giving birth and raising the next generation of warriors in His army.  Exciting don't you think!

My prayer today:

Lord, help us to grasp the promises You have set forth.  Lead us and guide us so that we may be interwoven into Your Holy tapestry.  Give us courage to move mountains and a place to rest while we endure the challenges set before us.  Give us a mighty heart for You!  We come before You on bended knee asking for Your Holiness into our lives.  Help us to endure and to remain in You even when life is rough.  We step out on faith today to pray for those that are here and that will be coming here in the years to come.  Give us Your blessing as we raise the future generations.  May Your love shine through us.  Please Lord, lift our men up and help us to be good help mates.  For those that are single, help them to remain pure of heart and to know that they are vital to Your army.  Thank you for loving us and providing a way for us to know you better.  AMEN

Until tomorrow.....

January 20,2012

Today, I want to talk about promises fulfilled and why it's important to believe when you can't see what God is doing.  We are in battle and we must believe the words spoken by our Father, so that we can encourage others to believe.  Let's face it, life is hard.  I know people who are facing losing their jobs next week, who have lost loved ones recently and let's not forget the millions of starving people.

This world is not a rose garden and we are not here to watch time go by.  We are here to fight.  Like you, I am human with all the same emotions that make women, women.  But we must fight those emotions and ban together for the purpose God intended.  It is not a coincidence that there were two women at the tomb of Jesus.  Or that they saw angels!  It was God's way of speaking to His people.  He sent the women to tell the disciples.  Can you imagine?  We are a powerful part of God's Holy army and we have a responsibility to lift up all men, so that they may know the full power of the Lord.

Don't think that I don't get down or that I don't face challenges, far from it.  But I am sick and tired of letting Satan rule my emotions and taking away my hope.  I want to stand firm on the only thing that matters, Jesus Christ!  I want us to realize that the promises of God are real and they are being fulfilled through his sacrifice.

I am so passionate about this because I know that we as people believe He doesn't hear us.  We think because our prayers aren't being answered that He doesn't love us.  Well, I am here to tell you that He does hear us and that every prayer is answered.  It may not be answered the way we want it to be but He is answering us.

Do you know the greatest promise God every fulfilled?  Your right, Jesus Christ.  That didn't happen in a year, it happened hundreds of years after God spoke to the Israelites.  Why did He take so long?  Only God the Father knows but in the end it was fulfilled and we are saved because of it!

Acts 13: 23-27  NIV:

     From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior--Jesus-- after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, "Who do you think I am?  I am not He.  But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose."
     Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent.  For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.

Galatians 3: 21-26 NIV:

     Is the law then against the promises of God?  Certainly not!  For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.  But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given those who believe.  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed,and heirs according to the promise.

Are you getting the picture?  I have highlighted the word promise so that you may see what God is revealing to us.  He has and will fulfill His promises.  We might not be getting everything we desire.  Our prayers may seem unanswered, but in the end He fulfills all His promises.  And of course, the greatest promise was Jesus Christ.  Please take some time today to meditate on these words.  God is not breaking our hearts on purpose.  The challenges of life are not coming our way because He desires to make us unhappy.  The challenges are coming to build our faith and to believe that He is all we need.  Take heart and realize that His love for us was fulfilled and that we are able to experience the fullness of Him, because of the promises God made to Abraham.  Be well my sisters and stand up!  I can't fight this battle alone, stand with me and believe!

My prayer today:

Oh Lord, How Great You Are!  Thank you for fulfilling Your promises to your people.  Thank you for using men and women all over the world to bring new people to You.  Help us stand up and believe that Your promises will be fulfilled and that as we walk in our battles, You will always be there.  I pray for those that are discouraged because their prayers are unanswered.  I ask that You will answer us with a yes or no.  Reveal yourself to us in a mighty and powerful way.  Don't let us slide Lord because life is tough.  Help us to reach out to You and see the wisdom in Your decisions.  I thank you for loving us and for being there for us.  Give us strength to overcome our circumstances and help us to remember Your promises.  AMEN

Until tomorrow....

Friday, January 20, 2012

January 19, 2012

In every person's life, they will face many giants.  Some giants may be larger than others but none of us will escape them.  I have been experiencing many challenges in the last weeks all with one conclusion; "Trust in Me."  What does it mean to trust in God?

It's so easy to say, have faith!  What about living that faith?  The Bible is clear; we are to trust in Jesus and He will lead us on the right path.  If you are facing challenges today, put this Scripture in your mind and meditate on it, for God is real and He is near.

Hebrews 11: 17-22 NIV:

    By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
    By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
    By faith Jacob, when he was dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
    By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

Hebrews 11 is about men that had faith.  Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Abraham knew God in a way we need too.  They believed when he said, "go this way."  They got up and went.  That doesn't mean they didn't face challenges because they surely did.  However, they were given a faith that surpassed understanding.  Your giants will come; it's how you face them that will matter.  I know because I am facing them too.

My prayer today:

Father as we come before You today; I pray that I would trust in You.  That I would have faith as our fathers did before us and without a shadow of a doubt; I would know you are near.  I pray that my faith would grow through my trials and that I would bow down to You in my fear.  I thank you Lord for providing us enough History to know that we have the ability to have a faith like Abraham's.  Give me strength and encouragement as I walk today.  Please don't let my feet stumble but give me Your Holy power to conquer all giants.  Help me as I continue to grow in You and please Lord, give me a great faith!  AMEN

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

January 18, 2012

I am reminded today that life is a journey and when we walk with God; we must believe that He knows best.  Recently, I thought I had sold my parent's house.  I was rejoicing and thanking God.  Within two days, both contracts fell through.  I am sure you can imagine what happened next.  I began to become irritated, worried, and solemn.  Interesting, in a matter of hours, I went from praising Him to falling on my knees with worry.  Do you see the problem in this?

I wonder what people do without Christ.  How do they handle the challenges in life?  I can't imagine not having Christ to go to with all my emotions.  And believe me, I have felt a lot of emotions lately.  We need Christ to guide us and to take us from the pit of despair.  I believe that Christ is calling all of us to be 100% dependent on Him.  That's the only way we are going to know Him more.

I had chosen other Scripture for today.  But due to my circumstances and the lessons I am learning through Christ, I searched for one that would pertain to where I am today.  I chose Psalm 40.

Psalm 40: 1-5 NIV:

     I waited patiently for the LORD;
        And He inclined to me,
        And heard my cry.
        He also brought me up out of a
                     horrible pit,
        Out of the miry clay,
        And set my feet upon a rock,
        And established my steps.
    He has put a new song in my
                mouth--
   Praise to our God;
   Many will see it and fear,
   And will trust in the Lord.
  
   Blessed is the man who makes the 
                  Lord his trust,
   And does not respect the proud, nor
                  such as turn aside to lies.
   Many, O LORD my God, are Your 
                  wonderful works
   Which You have done

I am reminded today that I am to wait patiently on the Lord.  To trust in Him always and to repent from my worry and my fear.  Today and every day we are to wait upon the Lord.  We are to trust Him in our adversity and we are to know that He is to be praised.  I forget that sometimes.  I stand today before you on this blog asking God to forgive me and to continue building my trust in Him.  He is great and he deserves to be taken out of the box we all put Him in.   Glory, Glory to the Most High!

My prayer today:

Lord help us to stand on our faith and trust in You.  We want to trust in You today no matter what we are facing.  We ask that You give us Your peace and an understanding that goes far deeper than what our minds can comprehend.  Continue to guide us, so that we may know You better.  Please forgive us of our sins and grant us Your hand as we face today.  I trust that You will knock down my giants and that I will walk today in Your light.  Thank you for loving us so much and for your Peace and comfort but more importantly, thank you for being our Father.  AMEN

Until tomorrow....

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

January 17, 2012

Women today are in a Spiritual battle between good and evil.  We have been since the time of Eve.  Satan tempted Eve so that man would fall and he did.  Therefore, my sisters in Christ, we must realize that the time is now and that we are warriors in the same battle. Christ is calling us to be his warriors for men, women and children.  We are in a battle far greater than we know and we are called to have faith in Jesus.

If your saying, I don't think so.  Think again.  Look around you.  There is more pornography available then ever before and men are being tempted.  Our daughters are confused by their roles as mothers and wives.  Women have been forced to leave their homes, either due to the economy or a divorce.  Times have changed and within the chaos; we are losing ourselves and our purpose.  Today, I want us to concentrate on why we are here and  is God asking us to wage war for Him?

Whether you believe me or not, know we are in a battle.  That battle is to leave a legacy for our future generations.  So if you are questioning me, really take a hard look at the challenges you faced last year, the people you know and the fear that now exists.  After that, I think you will agree we are in a battle for the sanctity of our marriages and families.  I want to leave a legacy, don't you?

2 Timothy 1: 13-14 NIV:

     Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.  That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells with us.

2 Timothy 2 1-4 NIV:

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

We must have faith that He can move mountains and we must believe that His grace is enough.  We are fighting a very powerful enemy.  One that wants to destroy our marriages and families.  It is time we all stand up and ask Jesus Christ how we can be part of His army.  Women are powerful prayer warriors; I know because I have some of the best friends ever.  I have been blessed to be in their presence and I have felt their prayers on me.  We must join together and follow the path God that has been laid out for us.  We must pray for the men of this country and ask for protection for our families.  I pray today that you will take the call and be enlisted into the army.

My prayer today:

Lord please bring us together in Your army.  Help us to understand the complications that the world is putting in our way.  Take darkness from us and bring light into the hearts of our men and children.  Grow us up, so that we might have the wisdom and knowledge to hear from You.  Lord, we just ask that You would call us in faith and mercy and when You do; we would come.  I thank you for the love that You provide and for the Holy Spirit.  I thank you for revealing to me the strength and the power that is in You.  Please protect us as we challenge ourselves to become prayer warriors for your army and continue Lord to make us bold.  Amen

Until tomorrow.....

Monday, January 16, 2012

January 16, 2012

Have you ever wondered why you were born and what your purpose truly is?  I have.  Especially, when I was younger and floundering.  It happens to all of us.  I have always thought it was great when I heard a teenager who knew their path and set their course.  Unfortunately, not many of us do that.  Change is inevitable but it's what we do with it that counts.

Can you think of anyone that hasn't endured change?  When I was younger, some of my friends were on career paths and then they had kids and stayed home.  I wanted to stay home and due to circumstances out of my control; I started a career.  Life's dynamic, it's hard and we fall down and have to pick ourselves back up.  I don't ever feel comfortable today because I know tomorrow will bring a new giant for me to conquer.  For years, that giant has been my fear to move forward and fulfill my purpose for Christ.

Each one of us will search for our purpose.  The world will take us in twenty different directions. Take heart and remember we only have one purpose; to love God with all our heart and to bring glory and honor to His name.  If you are feeling convicted right now, I don't say this to make you feel bad.  I am stating a fact.  It is easy to stay on course when there are no challenges; it is much harder when we begin to face our giants.  I want you to take some time today and look up.  Remember that Christ knows you best.  He made you and realizes the challenges that are before you. Stay in prayer and He will lead you.

1Peter 1:3-9 NIV:

     Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
     In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.  Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy in expressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.

Are you chilled right now?  What we do today effects our faith and our journey with Him.  Our trials will bring praise, honor and glory to our King.  I am so thankful that Christ took our sins and died on that cross for us.  Because of His courage, we have everlasting life.  As Scripture states, "the salvation of our souls."  If you are in the middle of a trial, really read this Scripture.  If you have just gone through one, Praise Jesus for standing in the gap for you.  None of us will escape the fire of life but we will escape the fire of Hell, as long as we love Jesus Christ and believe that He is our Lord and Savior!

My prayer today:

Lord, help us all to realize our purpose here on earth.  Give us wisdom and understanding daily and help lift us up when we are being refined.  We need you to be with us when life gets to tough. Please hold us and keep us safe.  Guide us by the Holy Spirit and show us our path.  We need You, Lord.  Thank you for providing us a way to heaven and thank you for loving us so unconditionally.  Remind us all that without You, we wouldn't have eternal life.  I ask that You would hold the women that read this blog, grow us and make us mighty warriors for You.  AMEN

Until tomorrow.....

January 15, 2012

I listened to a sermon on change today.  I love when our pastor really looks into himself and finds God.  He said that he had set a different path for us and then God changed his direction.  I have been thinking about change a lot lately.  More than in most years, I think.  Maybe that's because my life continues to change in drastic ways or maybe it's because God is calling all of us to change.

Nothing stays the same.   One of his points today was that it is easy for us to give God the control for things you can't control but what about the things you can control.  I really sat there thinking about it.  I worry about the things I can't control and never do about the things I believe I have control over.  And yet, we are called to rely on God for all things.  To believe in the Holy Trinity and to walk in faith that God is near every day.

This led me to think about the Parable of the Vine and Branches.  I had been thinking about it every since I ended my last blog.  Why does Christ talk about the vine and branches?  What does He really want us to understand?  When you read the words, contemplate what Christ really wants you to know.

I think first though, we must look to the past, many people worked the fields to provide food for the kingdom and themselves.  Most were farmers or shepherds.  Life was sustained by the men and women that produced fruit, vegetables, and meat.  They were vital for survival so it isn't strange for Christ to use the vineyard as the means for us to understand our union with Him.

John 15: 4-11 NIV:

     Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
     I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
    As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
    These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

Is it possible to have joy during change?  What is Christ really talking about?  He is letting us know that we all have a purpose.  He desires us to bear fruit and to be His disciples.  However, He wants us to understand that He loves us, His Father loves us and that we must remain in Him always.  

I know that when Christ stretches me; I am not always so joyful.  It's hard to have Him knocking and saying, so Lisa when are you going to do what I have asked?  I have tried to protect myself from the world and the cruelty it brings.  I know what it's like to go from a caterpillar to a butterfly.  I honestly can say; I liked being the butterfly more.  But if I am going to say I believe; then I have to stand up for what I believe in.  My desire is to be full of joy and bear fruit.  I am not here for my purpose; I am here for His.  He tells us that if we stand with Him and abide in Him; we will bear fruit and joy.  Wow!  

My prayer today:

Lord, we come before You a sinful people.  I know there are times we all let you down.  As we contemplate today's Scripture, I pray that each woman will look in the mirror and ask themselves, am I abiding in Your love and joy?  It's not easy when you are stretching us to change.  We fail because we worry and lose hope that tomorrow will be joyful again.  But if we hold onto the fact that You are the vine and we are the branches, then we have nothing to fear because You are near.  Help us to recognize that without You, we are nothing.  We ask that today we would bear fruit for You and that we would find the joy that is in You.  Please continue to lead us as we seek Your Holy Face!  We thank you for being our Father and for knowing what we needed to hear today!  AMEN

Until tomorrow.....

Saturday, January 14, 2012

January 14, 2012

Oh how great our LORD is!  I was just thinking how wonderful and mighty our God is.  I am always amazed at how wonderful and mysterious He is.   Through the Holy Spirit God has revealed Himself to us but do you ever wonder what it would have been like to walk the streets with him in Israel.  I do.  

In the last 5 years, I have lost both my parents and a brother.  When you lose those that you hold dear, you wonder what Heaven is like.  You picture where they are and what they are doing and although you are sad, you wish you were there.

I think that's why I love the song, "I can only Imagine."  I have often thought about what it would be like to walk beside Jesus.  Would I dance or fall to my knees?  I think that I would fall to my knees and weep.  On earth, I find God to be amazing but in his presence there are no words to descibe how I would feel.  He has been father, husband and friend to me, even though I have never been able to touch Him, speak to Him or see Him. Because of His sacrifice at Calgary, we will one day be united with Him.  It gives me chills just thinking about it.

John 14:1-4 NIV

    Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.

That place is Heaven and the only way to get there is through Jesus Christ.  When I close my eyes, I can see the streets of gold but more importantly, I can see people restored to their youth, children playing and angels singing, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!  Take a moment to reflect on what Christ has been to you and remember that one day we will be with Him!

My prayer today:

Lord in my mind I can see You and hear the angels singing.  It gives me great comfort knowing that someday I will reside on the streets of gold with You.  Thank you for sacrificing your earthly life so that You could prepare a place for us.  I am in awe of You and all that You have done for us.  GLORY BE YOUR NAME!  Amen

Until tomorrow......

January 13, 2011

Has your faith ever been tested?  Today I was faced by giants and failed miserably.   I am so grateful that even in my failures; I find God and we can both laugh at the stupid things I do.  I am so glad that my shepard watches over me and helps me when I fail. In my mind, failing is an opportunity to succeed with Christ. 

The world would say, "Failure is not an option."  If we never fail then who would we put our trust in? Guess who?  Yes, it would be in ourselves and that is a very dangerous road.  Although, I love to be right; I also want God to be around when I am wrong.  Growth happens when God stretches us and we realize that worldly failure isn't important!

Throughout the Bible, many people failed Christ.  Adam, David, and Peter failed God. There's not one important person in the Bible that did not fail God, except for his son, Jesus Christ. Those same people contributed to the Glory of our LORD.  Sometimes, we must fail to succeed. 

I can tell you from experience that I have learned more from my failures then any of my successes.  Failing taught me to be humble, to rely on Christ and to realize that my success comes only through Him.  I play an integral part but Christ has control of my journey.

I wonder if that's how David felt.  He was fighting a losing battle or so it seemed to him at the time.  Psalm 6 NIV, portrays a man who has failed and yet, David trusts that God will pull him out.  Praise the LORD!

Psalm 6:1-9 NIV:

    Oh Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
          or discipline me in your wrath.
    Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
         O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
   My soul is in anguish.
        How long, O LORD, how long?
   Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
        save me because of your unfailing love.
   No one remembers you when he is dead.
      Who praises you from the grave?
   I am worn out from groaning;
      all night long I flood my bed
                  with weeping
      and drench my couch with tears.
  My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
      they fail because of all my foes.
  Away from me, all you who do evil, 
      for the LORD has heard my weeping.
  The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
       the LORD accepts my prayer.

David is weeping and crying out to the LORD.  He knows that in his weakness and failure, God is the only thing that can change his circumstances.  His heart is crying out for mercy and believing that God will accept him once again.  No one is safe from failure but we are under the protection of our LORD and Savior.  If you haven't been in a situation where you feel like a failure, I guarantee you will.  So when that day comes, get on your knees and ask God to help you.  Cry out and ask him to take your failure and make it a success for His kingdom.

My prayer today:

God grant us the ability to see you in our failures. Help us to learn from them and to understand that You are a loving and merciful God.  I am so happy that you help me every day.  I am so glad that when I fail, You are near.  Continue to help us grow in our failures and successes.  Lead us always back to You.  Help us realize that sometimes failure means success and give us a heart to depend on you always.  Grant us Your mercy and make our faith stronger.  We thank you for loving us and for never leaving us.  Amen

Until tomorrow....
 

Thursday, January 12, 2012

January 12, 2012

What would women do without their friends and mentors?  I was once a very introverted person.  It was hard for me to make friends, especially female friends.  I am more driven and independent than most women, so it was much easier for me to be around men.  They don't back stab and they are fun to be around.  It wasn't until I matured that I realized that female friends could be a vital part of my walk with Jesus.

If you are young and single, I would encourage you to find a mentor.  Someone that can help guide you through the difficult times in your spiritual walk.  If you are married, look for someone older that has gone through the highs and lows of marriage and child rearing.  Once you have accomplished that, get into a group of women you can trust to help you through life.  They will be invaluable.

For years, I just liked to be on my own.  Over the years, I have learned that being there for others is far more important to God, than wearing my mask.  I have also learned that having prayer warriors around me is the greatest gift you could ever have.  The great thing about good friends is that they don't have to know your circumstances to want to be with you; they almost sense when you need them and they just show up.  During my recent loss, God sustained me.   I  also know that my friends were praying for God to give me strength and comfort.  You just can't hide from the ones that love you.  I thank God for that every day.

Life is hard.  There will be many disappointments and failures along the way.  You will shed many tears, laugh until your stomach hurts, and pray until you don't think you can pray anymore.  This is all part of our journey to find our purpose, to love others and to know Jesus  more.   I wouldn't want to miss a minute and either should you.

I want to make one thing clear though, Christ is your best friend.  You can always call on him and he will answer.  Even if you don't have good friends, He is near.  Friends are given to us so that we may know the full love he has for us.  But never forget, Christ is sufficient.

   Philemon 1:4-7 NIV states:

    I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.  I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the saints.

That's what happens when we lift each other up.  Get out there so God can use you to lift someone up today!

My prayer today:

Oh Lord, how wonderful You are!  Thank you for being such a wonderful teacher and giving us the ability to be there for others.  You teach us to love everyday and to never grow weary.  You give us the strength and the intuition to know when someone needs us and when we listen; You send us.  There is no one like You.  Fill our minds with You today.  We will praise You and lift up all those that need You.  Give us a heart for Your people and the willingness to step out in faith.  Help women to become mentors and good friends and through it all, guide our path and help us to be ready for the call!  Finally, thank You for reminding us that You are all we need and yet, You loved us enough to provide people who can comfort and pray for us.  We love You LORD!  Grow us today. Amen

Until tomorrow....

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

January 11, 2012

This morning I woke up with a song on my mind.  Have you ever done that before?  It happens to me a lot. I am praising God as I wake up.  "I will trust in you, I will obey, I will follow you come what may.  I will die to myself and carry your cross, I will trust in you."  I don't know the title of the song but I know that we have worshiped and sang these very words many times before.  What does it mean to trust in Him?

It is easy for  me to love the Lord with all my heart.  I honestly do!  He has been part of me since I was a little girl.  I can remember in my dreams, Him saving me from something dark and dangerous.  I feared things but rarely told my mom.  The light in those dreams took away the darkness.  I remember back when I was 5, calling out to God to help me from evil.  The dreams of my youth are still very vivid.  Over the years, I have suffered from many dreams that were evil and frightening and always, I am waking up calling out to God for help.

As a child, I knew who to put my trust in.  It was easy for me to believe Jesus would take away the dark.  As I grew older, that trust began to change.  Looking back, I realize that as a child I took Christ at face value, He was.  Later, as people began to let me down, circumstances got harder in my life, and I began to sin more; I forgot to trust in Christ.  He is the same today as He was 2000 years ago.  He doesn't change; we do!

Over the years, I have experienced great pain, loss and at the same time some of my greatest blessings.  My road is marked with suffering, confusion, unwillingness to look up and a fear that tomorrow would never come.  Do you know what that does to a person?  It's not hard to fall in the pit of despair if all of that is going on in one person's life.  However, like all things in God's world, there is hope.  Hope helped me begin to trust in Him more.  I still struggle with wanting to control situations.  Being a driven, type A will always challenge me when it comes to trusting Christ.  As I have walked in faith, the Lord has helped me trust in Him.  I still have loss; I still feel pain but I trust in Him that He will watch over me and set my feet on the right path.

So, where should we go when the world has us down?  We should go to Psalms.  For some reason, when I read in Psalms, there is a sense of peace that surpasses all understanding.  It's almost like I am in God's presence.  I love those times.  I am so glad God made women to feel.  Don't you love when a friend tells you something and the Holy Spirit comes over you like a ray of sunshine?  I do and I am grateful that we feel Him when we need Him most.

Psalm 40: 1-5 NIV:

     I waited patiently for the Lord;
        he turned to me and heard my cry.
     He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
        out of the mud and mire;
     he set my feet on a rock
         and gave me a firm place to stand.
     He put a new song in my mouth,
         a hymn of praise to our God.
     Many will see and fear
         and put their trust in the
                LORD.
     Blessed is the man
         who makes the LORD his
                  trust,
          who does not look to the
                  proud,
          to those who turn aside to
                 false gods.
     Many , O LORD my God,
          are the wonders you have
                 done.
     The things you planned for us
          no one can recount to you;
     were I to speak and tell of
                 them,
         they would be too many to
                 declare.

David really believed that He should trust no one more than our LORD!  He knew that he could stand firm and sing to him to find comfort.  But if you really read this Psalm, he knew something much more vital, he knew that no matter what happened he must put his trust in the LORD.  There is a determination in this passage, stand firm, praise the LORD, and no matter what comes your way, put your trust in the LORD.

Take time to reflect on that today.  I have no idea what you are facing or where your life is taking you.  I just know that in order for us to be warriors for Jesus; we must trust in Him.  If you struggle with this, I understand.  Like every woman out there, it is hard for me to trust.  Repent and then go back to this Scripture and sing, "I will trust in you and die to myself."  May the LORD reveal to you today that He is near!

My prayer:

Oh LORD, thank you for the book of Psalms.  So much has been revealed in this Psalm, so my hope is that we trust you more.  I know that I stumble and when I do; I will call out to you.  Thank you for being the same father today and every day.  Mostly, thank you for growing us into the women you want us to be.  Please take the hands and hearts of the women reading this and build their trust in You.  There is no better time to start believing that You are trustworthy than today.  Put a song in all of hearts and help us praise You daily.  You are our rock and we will stand on faith that You will guide our way.  Help us all to trust You more.  Amen

Until tomorrow.....

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

January 10, 2012

Today, I want us to look at the armor of God and why it is so important to our walk of faith.  Policemen wear vests to protect them from bullets.  We manufacture guns, tanks, airplanes and missiles to defend our countries.  What do we do as Christians to protect us from the enemy?

Do you spend time asking for protection?  Do you know that God talks about armor in the New Testament?  Have you pondered what it means to be fully protected by the Holy Spirit?  If you haven't, you should.  We have enemies everywhere.  People hate Christians all over the world.  It is not someone's imagination; it simply is.  We are taking God out of everything so that people don't get their feelings hurt.  I might have been silent a month ago because I was afraid of what people might think.  Recent events have shown me that we have to stand up. We can't be silent anymore.  In order to truly proclaim our Lord, we have to call on Him.  Mainly, we must pray for protection and put on the full armor of God.

Ephesians 6: 10-15 NIV:

    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

I, like many, forget that we have power through Jesus Christ.  We have the Holy Spirit that lives within us.  He was given to us at the resurrection and He lives with us to help protect us from the darkness.  We can't summon that kind of power without knowing Scripture!  Scripture is not by accident.  The book is made to be intentional.  You can't say that the meaning behind it only mattered back when Jesus walked the earth.  If that's the case, how does it's teaching still hold true today?  I want us to challenge ourselves by asking these questions.  Only through reading, praying and asking, will we truly begin to understand Jesus's message to us.

You may be asking, how will we stand firm?  Scripture is clear; we can only stand firm by truth, righteousness and peace.  We only get these things if we seek the Lord with all our hearts.  There is power in prayer and petition.  Pray for your families, for your friends, for your enemies and especially, pray for yourself.  Read Your Bible and ask the Lord to reveal His power through the Holy Spirit.  He is our rock, stand on Him!

My prayer today:

Lord, so often we don't put on the armor of God.  We fill our lives with stuff, work and activities.  We forget that the world is evil and that if it could; it would destroy what You so carefully love.  Help us to remember that we only have power through You.  I pray that each woman reading this will stand on the truth of Christ, the righteousness of the Cross and the peace that lives within us.  Lift us up to You and guide us from evil.  Help us to be in Scripture and give women the passion to pray for each other.  My prayer today is that I would continue to be faithful to You.  Especially, guide my words and feet and protect me and my family from evil.  Let these words be blessed by You and if there is anything I have said incorrectly, let it fall on deaf ears.  I thank you for the ability to look into Scripture and see Your hand.  Please protect the women that call on You and grow us daily.

Until tomorrow......

Monday, January 9, 2012

January 9, 2012

Today is my son's 16th birthday.  As I reflect on the years, I realize how quick they went.  Once my little baby, now a foot taller than me.  He is my baby and in a few short years; his journey will start without me. It is strange to think that we only get these children for a short time and then it is all God.  Each person must choose their path, make their mistakes and be molded into God's image.  There is comfort for me in the fact that I know God is with him.  There also is a scarce amount of fear wondering what kind of man he will be.  All in all, it's between Christ and us.  Praise the Lord!

Children are a reflection of their parents.  Unfortunately, they don't come with a manual and so, we make lots of mistakes.  Our only hope is that whatever mistakes we make; God can provide a bridge. So today, I want us to reflect on our Savior and how much we are loved.  I want us to think back to Israel as He walked along the streets.  I want us to realize that He knew us before we were in the womb. We are God's children.  As much as we love our own, He loves us so much more!

I realize for some; you will not have known a parent's love.  You might have been abused or abandoned, so it may be harder for you to grasp this concept.  However, I want you to really look up and ask God to help you understand how much he loves you. We all face times when we wonder if our parents love us.  We also face times when we wonder if God loves us.  When we are sinful, it keeps us away from God. When we ask for forgiveness, we see how much we are loved.  He never leaves us; we leave him.

Why is knowing and giving love so important?  Let's look in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 NIV:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.   Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.   Love never fails.

Look at what God says in this passage.  Without love, we are nothing and we gain nothing.  Moreover, He paints the picture of what love is.  Our Lord is patient and kind.  How do we know this?  He died for our sins, not His.  He gave his body, spirit and mind so that we would know this kind of love.  This is our road map to what God has for us.  A love like no human could ever provide.  Remember, no one is perfect.  So, take some time to reflect on how God has shown his love to you today.  I know He has.  Write it down and remember it.  For there will always be a time we don't feel loved or feel like we don't deserve His love.  That's when we pull this Scripture out and remember Christ's love never fails.

My prayer today:

Oh LORD, how wonderful you are.  I can't believe how much you have done for me in my life and how many times you showed me that Your love beats all others.  I ask today that we would learn to love you more and in doing so, we would learn to love people better.  Please help us remember that Your love is patient and kind.  In this life there are many obstacles, please help us today as we work toward understanding how to love in a world full of hatred.  Give us a heart for You and as we come together, help us love each other more.  There are no orphans on earth as long as we remember You are our father.  Please forgive us for our sins and deliver us from evil.  Keep us close today as we seek Your words.  Reveal in us a new heart!

Until tomorrow....

Sunday, January 8, 2012

January 8, 2012

Do you ever wonder when the challenges of life will stop?  Are you weary or have you just lost passion? The world has a way of zapping us of our energy and enthusiasm for life.  Many people face challenges they never expected: divorce, lost children, death, and unemployment.  Europe's banks are in trouble, there is unrest in the Middle East and of course, there is war.

People are facing an extremely hard time today.  No one can count on today being the same as tomorrow.  We are on a roller coaster and only God knows the direction.  You can find comfort in God or worry about it, inevitably we just don't have control.  I speak from experience.  I have been a worrier my entire life, much to my dismay.  I hate it and have suffered because of it.  I dreamed of death from a very young age and in those dreams I lost very important people to me.  As I grew to be a woman this pattern increased in it's intensity, especially after I had children.  I was always on that chain of uncertainty and the main question that ran rampant was, what if I lost them?  When you worry as intensely as I did, you have hives, stomach problems and migraines.  It's not pretty and it took me a long time to understand that when I worried; it was a sin.  I also found that it stole my joy and strength.  You can't worry like that and not want to control everything around you.  And of course, the Lord had to beat it in my head, I wasn't God and I wasn't in control.  Although I have done better recognizing when I have stepped in and left God out, I still struggle.  Oh well, I don't mind being a work in progress and neither should you.

I still worry and fear about losing those I love.  When this happens, I ask God to forgive me and to give me strength to overcome my worry.  You may not think worry is a sin but it is.  It takes our focus off of the God that said, "I am" and puts it on ourselves.  We are not God, so if you struggle with worry, take the time to ask for forgiveness and then look for Scripture that will bring You back to God and His thinking.  This leads me into a Scripture that I have prayed many times in my life.  I find that the words in the Bible are far more powerful than when I just pray, although I know God likes that too.  When you pray Scripture, you are calling out to the Holy Spirit and as you know, God is so very powerful.  There isn't a word in the Bible that is not supposed to be there.  It is the only text you should ever trust and the only one that has ever given me peace.

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV:

     Do you not know?
        Have you not heard?
     The LORD is the everlasting God,
        the Creator of the ends of the earth.
     He will not grow tired or weary,
        and his understanding no one can fathom.
     He gives strength to the weary
        and increases the power of the weak.
    Even youths grow tired and weary,
        and young men stumble and fall;
    but those who hope in the LORD
        will renew their strength.
    They will soar on wings like eagles;
         they will run and not grow weary,
         they will walk and not be faint.

We grow weary and lose hope when we worry about tomorrow.  When our circumstances are good, we have passion and we are strong.  But when life throws us a curve ball, we worry and grow weary.  We become faint at heart and we stumble.  This Scripture says, "even young men grow weary."  We all do!  That's why our challenge today is so great.  Our men are growing weary and so are we.  Is there anything we can do about it?  Of course, we need to rise up and ask the LORD to give us strength.  

Picture an eagle.  If you haven't seen one lately, get online and google, eagles.  They are incredibly large birds.  When they are in the sky, you can see them for a mile.  They soar on the wind; they are beautiful and very majestic to watch.  "They will soar on wings like eagles." (Isaiah 40:31)  Whenever I fall into the pit of despair, I call on God to let me soar on eagle's wings.  It takes me from my worry and lack of control, into the realm of Heaven.  I would rather be concentrating on Christ then thinking about how much life has taken from me, wouldn't you?

My prayer today:

Oh LORD, how majestic you are.  I find myself picturing what it would be like to soar on eagle's wings and it brings such joy to my heart.  Thank you for painting wonderful word pictures that help us understand how truly great You are.  We ask today that You would give us a true understanding of Isaiah in our daily lives.  Help us not to stumble and give us strength where we are weak.  I pray that we would have a passion for You and give us sight to only look at today.  Keep us there Lord, so that we don't grow more weary.  Give us a heart for others and remind us how great You are!  I pray that You would have women take from this site what they need and if there is anything not of You, that it would fall on deaf ears.  Thank you for feeding us daily and for reminding us that we are nothing without You. We love You Lord.  I ask that You would continue to grow us in the knowledge of You and reveal to us how we can be warriors for your army today.

Until tomorrow....

Saturday, January 7, 2012

January 7, 2012

Last night, I spent some time with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law.  Frank has been out of work for over 4 months.  During all that time, I didn't even think to pray for him. Crazy I know, but nevertheless, I didn't.  In the month of December, Terri and I took out my mother-in-law and Frank's mom. In the car, Frank's mom shared with me how she had been praying for Frank and it hit me; I wasn't praying for him!

What was I doing? I try to pray for anyone that needs prayer. I meditated and wondered; why on earth had I not said one prayer?  It came to me in a flash, Frank always showed courage in the face of his adversity.  Because of the strength and perseverance I witnessed, I didn't even think he needed me to pray, but he did!

I began to pray with others and then yesterday, six days after his unemployment ran out, Frank got a job.  Praise the Lord!  As I watched him last night, I realized, God knew exactly what Frank needed.  Looking back, he was in turmoil, but his courage was there too.  This made me think about all the people who are facing great challenges in life.   Is it possible for us to portray courage in the face of adversity even though we are scared, lonely and insecure? Yes we can.  So if that's the case, what does it mean to have courage?

According to Dictionary.com, courage means the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, ect., without fear; bravery. 


Is courage part of the Holy Spirit?  When we look at someone, what displays courage? Is it the ability to face danger, like hunting a bear at 10 feet or jumping off the highest building?  I don't think so.  Courage is saying, "I know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  I believe He died on a cross and rose again."  In order to have true courage, we can't just confess this to other Christians.  We must be bold, step out on faith, and tell it to the masses.  That is my definition of courage.


Looking from the outside, I believe only a few have the courage to stand tall.  For many, we struggle with what people think more than what Christ thinks. What are we afraid of anyway?  Do we fear rejection more than we fear God?  I am speaking from experience and asking the questions I so often have asked myself.  Why?  Because in all honesty, I do fear rejection more.  Not a pretty confession but nonetheless, true.


As I have challenged myself this year, I am asking all of us to quit fearing rejection and stand up!  God is calling us, as women, to pray for our nations, our families and our future generations.  It is time we unite and call out to Christ for his saving grace upon us.  The fear holds us.  We are in chains and those chains cause us to be silent.  So let's take some time and ask God to release us from our bondage.  


I desire to share my faith without the bondage of wondering what people think of me.  Why?  Because, I have experienced great fear when confessing my faith to those that don't believe.  To this day, I have close family members and friends that don't know Christ.  It breaks my heart thinking about the opportunities I have wasted because of that fear.  If not for the death of  my father, I would still be in bondage.  It took waiting by my father's death bed and praying, God please reveal Yourself to him!  I need You to be present in his dreams so that he can reside on the streets of Gold!  Do you know how scared I was?  What if my father didn't truly believe as he took his last breath?  The responsibility I felt in those last days is more than I can share through this venue, however, I want you to know the burden was great.  By the time I had enough courage to really share, it was too late.  He was incoherent and had few days to live.  God would have to do all the work because I was too scared. 


It was during that time, Christ did something truly amazing; He awakened in me a new heart.  A heart that must be bold!  I must fulfill the purpose God has given me; to walk with Christ and to share His mercy to the lost.  We all know that Christ has the ability to save but if we aren't talking, then we aren't walking.  It takes all of us to stand up and rely on Him for protection and courage. That's as bold as it gets!  We need to stop being afraid.  We need to ask for boldness and have courage that our Lord knows what He's doing.  The bottom line is, it's time to walk in faith!  


Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV:


Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.


Joshua 10:25 NIV:


Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Be strong and courageous.  This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight."


Isaiah 41:6 NIV:


each helps the other and says to his brother,"Be strong!"


My hope is that you get it.  Please realize it's time to be courageous!  Believe me, this challenge is not just for you.  I know how hard it is to stand on faith; I am praying for me too.  I don't want to waste one more minute. Isn't it time we leave our legacy?


My prayer today:


LORD, it is much easier to write the words, "be courageous" and yet, it is so hard to fulfill.  Please give us the wisdom and understanding to be courageous today.  Lift us up in prayer and guide our feet as You call us to spread the Word.  Help us to know that You are near and give us strength to be there for others.  Guide us like sheep and penetrate our hearts.  Lord, we desire to walk closer to You today. Please make us bold and bring women into our lives that need You.  I just thank you for the times in my life where I had courage to do the impossible.  I also thank you for forgiving me when I failed you miserably.  If I could ask just one thing, give us the courage You had as You were led to the cross.  Help us to be bold and to never forget what You have done for us.  Protect the women that read this blog and help them become mighty in your presence.  Finally, I ask that your hand is on me as I write this blog.  Thank you for giving me courage today and every day!


Until tomorrow......