Wednesday, April 24, 2013

April 24, 2013

Good morning all-

Do you ever have a song that runs through your brain repeatedly.  Well that's what's been happening to me.  I have gotten up two days in a row with "I will arise and go to Jesus."  You know the song.  "He will take me in His arms."  I find myself humming it and singing it.  At first I thought it was weird but talking to some of my friends it isn't weird at all.  It's just another way we communicate with our Spirit and I love it.  For when I have a song running through my head, I'm praising Jesus and that's what we're supposed to do every day.

I often wonder why these songs come to me.  What am I supposed to get from I will arise and go to Jesus?  Have I been too wrapped up in my own will, my own strength and my own direction or does He just want me to trust in Him today?  I really don't have an answer but I can speculate.  I have started this new role that has a tremendous amount of responsibility.  I have the futures of eleven people in my hands.  My direction, basically my every step, is what fuels their paychecks, not to  mention mine.  No pressure, right?  But there is pressure and I am with a majority of owners, salespeople, managers and CEO's.  If I'm not right with Jesus, there livelihood may be in jeopardy.  Don't you ever wonder how a huge company falls?  It doesn't take much.  A bad decision, unwise advisers or pride can get in the way of a large organization, now just imagine a small one.

I guess I've had these thoughts on my mind.  I knew from the beginning that I would need Jesus to guide and direct me.  I knew that the people I hired had to be prayed over and I knew that I would be in a position of authority and therefore, I would need to go to Jesus more.  I have peoples lives on the line and that is pressure.  So, when I woke up this morning with this song running through my mind, I knew I needed to go to Jesus.  I don't know what tomorrow will bring; I never have.  Maybe in my life, I thought I could control the path, however, now I know that He does, not me.

All I have is today.  So if I start my day by thinking and meditating on my Savior, the pressure of the world drops from my shoulders.  I'm just one woman, who has been given the chance to change a companies direction, lead like I wanted to be led and be a servant to the clients that took such good care of me.  In order for me to be all that and a good wife and mother, I must arise and go to Jesus.  He is there for me.  He waits on me to come to Him and to proclaim His name.  He knows what's next.  He knows where my future will go.  All I have to do is wait on Him, watch for Him and pray to Him.  He will direct my steps and as long as I'm confessing my sins and looking for Him, He will give me the wisdom to move forward.

Although the last years have been challenging for me, I see Him in every step I've made.  Whenever I look down I fall, but when I have taken the time to look up, He has been right there.  I may not know much but I know that everything under the sun belongs to Him and I am His and if He wants; He will direct my path and I will be blessed.  I would rather bank on that than any lottery, wouldn't you?

So for today, I will arise and go to my Father.  He will hold me in His arms.  Not because He has to but because He wants to.  I will pray for the sick, the lost and the lonely.  I will pray that every CEO becomes under His authority and no matter how much success He brings my way, He will always be my CEO.  Jesus could have been a King, yet He chose to give His life as a carpenter. He was a craftsman instead of a spoiled rich leader.  He wandered with no home and no money.  Every provision was through Him for His people and even though we can't see Him today, every provision comes from Him.

There are a ton of people out of jobs in the US.  The economy still struggles.  The wealth that you see is a mirage, it's fleeting.  So with that being said, what stands above money, power, and pride.  The answer is Jesus.  May the Lord of light guide His faithful followers to a place where He reigns.  My prayer is that every step we take today, we take it with Him in mind.  Whether you are a single woman, stay at home mom or in the workforce, you have a job to do. Your job is to be faithful to Jesus.  Arise and go to Him ladies!  He is our CEO!!!!

May God bless and keep you today.  Please pray for your country, your people and all of our hearts.  Jesus is waiting for us to recognize He is all we need every morning, every day, every year.  Let's put our energy into being servants that love His people.  Also, please pray for those that were maimed in the Boston Marathon.  Many countries were represented and the act of terror was just that.  There is a mother that will wake up someday and find that her son is gone and that her daughter no longer has a limb.  These are the casualties of terrorism, innocent bystanders.  These acts are happening all over the world.  We must cover the earth with our prayers and ask Jesus to heal nations and to protect innocent people from evil.

Revelation 15:3 NKJV:

    And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are they works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Psalm 77:6 NKJV:

     I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

My prayer today:

O, Lord, thank You for Your words.  Thank You for the songs that run through my mind and thank You that I can arise and go to You.  You have been my comfort in grief, my friend in loneliness, my healer in sickness and my King! You have taught me to put others before me, even when I wanted to put myself first and today, as I lead people, You are providing me wisdom, which is more precious than gold.  I pray for companies all around the world.  I pray that You would give those that are under You wisdom and the ability to make good solid decisions.  I pray that You would lead men and women to work harder, work better and to work together for one goal.  I pray that my life would be a reflection of You and that as I seek You in the morning I would be a good wife, a good mother and a good servant to You.  I know that prayer is how I get close to You.  I know that songs running through  my head are part of my Spirit looking for You in all things and I know that without You; I am lost.  So today, and every day, I come before You and thank You for Scripture, thank You for Your sacrifice and thank You for guiding me and many others.  I don't take this journey lightly because I know You have the master lock and I am just the key.  Be with me today and be with woman from every country and nation.  We need You to direct us, to hold us and to love us.  We are human and You are God.  Heal the hurting, O, Lord and guide all of us to pray for the lost.  They need a Savior today and we want to serve them well.  Thank You for all that You do.  Thank You for providing songs that remind us of Your power and glory.  Thank You for guiding us and loving us and mostly, thank You for being my CEO!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow....

Monday, April 22, 2013

April 22, 2013

Good morning all-

I'm on my way to work but I really wanted to ask you a vital question.  Who do you trust?  Seems like a simple enough question but the more I thought about it this week the more the question rolled in my mind.  It started when a friend of Austin's lost his job to layoffs.  He is not from the US but he wants to stay here desperately.  He is a wonderful man and has many wonderful qualities.  He is devastated.

He told me that he had a weird feeling on Monday and the thought came through his mind that he trusted in himself way too much.  That's a problem that we can all relate to.  I felt compelled to share with him that I often have to remind myself that I'm human and ask myself where my trust comes from. It's a hard thing at 40 let 24, so I get it and I'm sure you do too.  He is struggling with a loss.  I get that.  Your job can be what gives you pride, accomplishment and sustenence.  However, it is God that gave you the job, God that can take it away and always He is looking for us to trust in Him.  Easier said than done sometimes but in reality, it's the truth.

God doesn't want us to think that anything came from us.  He created the world, the animals and people.  Everything under the sun came from Him.  Everywhere we look is His to water, His to feed, and His to grow, including us.  Albert Einstein was one of the smartest men in all of History, His brain is on exhibit in a museum for all to see and yet, he died just like all of us as a man.  His intelligence could not give him eternity nor could it give him longer life.  That is in the hands of our Maker.

Every day around the world there are events that are shaping our History.  Some are gruesome and some are inspiring.  We can count on one thing, that God will be watching and He will be steering His soldiers to intercede.  He loves mankind and died for it.  I think that the world possesses us and makes us begin to believe that we are in control of every step.  Solomon knew that wasn't the case.  Men carry desire but only God can lead his steps.  I caution all of us whether it's looking for a job, being in school or raising our families to be on our knees.  Human nature and sin want us to believe that we control every situation, if that were the case, we would be God and since we aren't, it's time for us to look for Him.

I have to take my own advise today.  I sometimes wander on the path of success without realizing whose in charge.  Of course, I repent and then confirm through my confession that Jesus is all and that all things came through Him and by Him.  This gets me back on the right track.

I hope today finds you well and I hope that you take time out to confess your lack of trust to the Lord.  He's ready to hear you.  He loves when we come to Him and can truly repent for our sins.  I'll leave the prayer up to you today because each one of you will have something to cast Jesus's way.  May He bless you today wherever you live.

2 Corinthians 3:4 NKJV:

     And we have such trust through Christ toward God.

Psalm 7:8 NKJV:

     Whenever I am afraid, I will trust You.

Isaiah 26:4 NKJV:

     Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord is everlasting strength.

Until tomorrow....

Saturday, April 20, 2013

April 20, 2013

Good morning all-

I have to apologize once again.  I left on a trip this week and ran out of time.  The days went by so fast that I didn't have time to put my thoughts on paper.  So much has happened this week, an explosion in Texas and a terrorist act in Boston.  People have lost limbs and life this week.  It has been packed with gruesome images and images of great teamwork.  Like all things here on earth, we see the chaos and we see the victory.

As I watched the explosion from California, the thought that came to me most was watching the people running toward others and not away.  Some were stunned, so they kept running and others saw what was happening and went to help those that were down.  The images, although gruesome, made people unite to help their brothers and in the end, the young men that thought up this deed, were caught.  It breaks  my heart that young men, once again, decided not to value their lives or the lives around them.  How can this be?

The spectrums are so wide now between good and evil.  We can look at the parallels of the situation in Waco and Boston.  In the end a bad thing happened and good triumphed.  I think of all the responders that lost their lives in Waco because they served their community and I think about the MIT police officer who gave his life for his job.  These are men and women who loved people and took the call seriously and in the end, lost their lives to save others.  Thank God there are still heroes on this earth.

If you haven't watched television or don't watch much US news then you probably have missed all the coverage.  It has been 24/7 news, with images that rock the psyche.  Images of blood, screaming and a scared little girl have been on every airwave and television since the explosion that hit Boston and Waco this week.  If you feel safe where you live, good for you but most of the world sees these images daily and there are no safe places.  The only safety net we have is Jesus.  Prayer can heal a boys heart, give strength to the lame and provide comfort to the grieving and this week there's lots of that going on.  So please unite with me in prayer asking Jesus to be there for all those suffering from bombings, death, destruction and evil.  Pray for healing for our boys and ask Jesus to come into the hearts of men and women everywhere.  This is a time to put fear behind us and to look for Jesus in every circumstance.  It is through His strength that we will find peace.  For today, there just isn't peace on earth or in the hearts of men.  Jesus is our Savior, our Comfort and our Healer.  Pray that He brings forth the Holy Spirit and unites men all over the world.

Proverbs 16:9 NKJV:

     A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

Romans 6:5 NKJV:

     For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

Psalm 86:11 NKJV:

    Teach me Your way, O Lord; 
    I will walk in Your truth; 
    Unite my heart to fear Your name.


There is much to fear in the hearts of man but only one should we fear, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Wars, terrorists, death and destruction will happen but we are children of Christ, watching, waiting and praying for the time when all these things are under His feet!  May we all hold onto the resurrection and look toward the kingdom.  If you know someone today that is fighting depression, loss or illness, be there for them and help them by showing Christ's love.  Remember we are only human but He is God.

My prayer today:

O, Lord, I come before You asking for You to heal nations.  Women are on their knees all over the world praying for their families.  Our young men are doing horrific things.  So much of today is about our youth not valuing their life or anyone else's.  I'm praying for young men everywhere.  Please place on our hearts those that need prayer.  Come to the youth of the nations and reveal Your power and majesty to them.  Remind us that love conquers all and that all the fear in the world, matters not, as long as we fear You.  Our families need You Lord.  We need the masks to come off and the enlightenment to begin.  We need the Holy Spirit to fire the hearts of men, women and children.  We need our teenagers in every country to see You and to know You are God and we need intercessory prayer warriors that are willing to pray for the lost, lonely and wicked.  We are Yours and we are staying faithful to loving Your people.  May the God of healing, comfort and love come before the families that lost loved ones this week and may You help them forgive for what in the world is unforgivable. We are sinners and we need our Savior.  Rain down on the earth, provide wisdom, peace and love throughout the world and lift up the women of the nations so that we can pray for our men!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow....

Friday, April 12, 2013

April 12, 2013

Good morning all-

Ever have a night you were sleeping really great and boom, you were wide awake and couldn't slow your mind down?  That was me last night or maybe I should say early this morning.  I fell asleep fast and hard but was woken by my husband telling me our son made it at 1:30 AM.  Well, at least I passed one test, I gave Hunter to the Lord but failed miserably in the other, getting back to a peaceful sleep.

I am a sleeper by nature.  If I could take a nap every day I would.  Unfortunately, that just doesn't happen.  So when I lay awake it's for two reasons:  God woke me up to pray for someone or I've had a nightmare.  Nightmares have been a common theme for me.  They are vivid, nasty and almost always have an evil connotation.  I found that praying Psalm 91 helps and trying to ask God for protection, especially when I'm closest to Him.  Anyway, when I woke up all I could think about was leading or being lead.  Funny.  The thought was random and as I looked at the clock for the fifteenth time; I thought I should do a Bible search on lead.  News flash!  There are lots of scripture versus on the subject and one became so clear from the rest, it's going on the blog today.  I'm sure that's no surprise to those that read it faithfully.  But, it was amazing how true this verse is, especially now that I find myself leading with no one to follow but Jesus.



Judges 5:2 NKJV:

     "When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!

This was part of a song Deborah and Barak sang that day but it got me to thinking that when we lead and do it well, the Lord has blessed us and our leadership.  I think we often think we are the ones leading but it's exactly the opposite.  He's blessing us with wisdom, integrity, and the fortitude to lead courageously and strong.  How often have we watched leaders fall from glory?  How many Pastors or Priests have fallen?  How many parents have forgotten to lead? It won't take you long to have a whole list of leaders that have fallen but the Bible shows you that those that sought the Lord were blessed.  That doesn't mean that they were successful in every situation, we know they weren't, but for those that persevered; their names are revered today.

Take a moment to really read the whole passage starting in 1 of chapter 5.  Just a glimpse never gives us the whole.  Take care my sisters and pray for women all over the world.  They need your prayers.

My prayer today:

O, Lord, I am proud to be counted as one of Your sheep.  Just like all sheep, I need You to lead me, guide me and feed me.  I'm so grateful that I can wake up and find a passage just like this one to remind me that every blessing is from You.  Help me lead women all over the world to You and continue to grow me into the leader you want me to be.  Take care of our families Lord and provide us with the wisdom to lead our spouses and children to You.  We are a generation of strong, independent women but for our spiritual sense we need to be submissive, humble and rely on You to bless us!  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Thursday, April 11, 2013

April 10, 2013

Good morning all-

I just took a look at dates on the blog and I sped up the months by putting us in May.  Oh well, I guess I was more tired than I thought, or it's a blonde moment.  Either way, I'm up this morning early and wanted to give you a few thoughts for the day.

Do you have idols in your life you don't know about?  Think about it for a minute.  It could be shopping,vanity, exercise, your children, your job, basically, it could be about anything.  An idol doesn't have to be a golden calf being built at the bottom of a mountain.  It's anything we put before God that gives us more pleasure than Him.  I've been really thinking about that lately.  For the first time ever, my youngest son is going off on his own with a basketball team and I've had moments of great anxiety.  I'm a mother that liked my boys close and I was blessed that they liked to be close to me too.  As I took time thinking about this, I realized although I'm starting to be able to let my older son go, I'm trying to keep my younger son right by my side.  The problem with that is I have a false sense of security and I believe I can control the outcome.  This obsession of wanting to keep my family safe sometimes becomes my idol.  Often, I find myself worrying and thinking if I'm everywhere they are nothing will happen.  This stems from a fear of loss that powers over my trust in Jesus, which equals my idol.

We shouldn't put anything before God.  Why?  Because it's given by God and will be taken by God.  No one knows the time they will spend here on earth, that's up to God and fortunately, you and I are here to fulfill a purpose, HIS! So when we let fear, jealousy, money, shopping, or our vanity get in the way, we really need to stop, repent and seek Jesus more because the things we idol will be crushed.  For as we all know He is a jealous God, so let's just give them up and seek Him first.

I hope today finds you well my sisters.  It has been a busy week for me.  I've had fires to put out, products to learn and people to mentor.  It's been a great 4 days.  Finding time to write has been difficult but I might just have to get up earlier, which is why I got out of bed at 5:15 am this morning.  I've been blessed and I want to continue to fulfill my obligations to the Lord, for all things come to  me through Him.  Be safe and repent.  At the end of the day, we must look inside ourselves, ask God to reveal the garbage that lurks in our hearts and be healed.  No idol can match the power of the cross!

Exodus 20: 4 NKJV:

    "You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

Isaiah 57:13 NKJV:

     When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you.  But the wind will carry them all away, a breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain." 

1 Thessalonians 1:9 NKJV:

     For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

This pretty much says it all, so why are we making idols?  Good question.  Thank goodness for grace! Pass it on...

My prayer today:

O, Lord, we seek You today and ask You to cleanse our hearts from idols.  We are in a time of great chaos where so many distractions can occur.  We are constantly bombarded with circumstances out of our control and often we are like the Israelites that began to fear when Moses didn't come off the mountain.  I can only imagine his horror as he hopped down and saw the idol be made.  What must that have felt like?  I'm sure devastating but at the same time, he probably understood why you were giving his people direction. Yes, we need direction.  Lord, if I have any more idols than the one I confessed, please help me Lord and show me so that I can repent and feel the healing power of the Holy Spirit.  I want to seek You and adore You first.  Often, I find myself distracted with the one thing that powers my humanness and I'm sickened.  I know that You are the God of the Universe and the Maker of all human life.  Why do I worry?  I don't have a clue.  But take it from my heart and make me Yours!  I love You with all my heart and thank You for directing me and showing me the idols in my life.  I'm forever Yours.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

April 8 2013

Good morning all-

I thought I would attempt this for a minute to see what I can accomplish with 20 minutes.  You know what I mean when you have exactly enough time not to get anything done and yet God gives you just enough to get a lot done.  So, I'm trusting in Him to help me manage my time.

I started my new job yesterday and it was a whirlwind.  I never saw my office once I dropped my things off.  It was crazy, wonderful, scary, and full of more activity than I've had in two years.  I'm used to being a worker not a leader and I found being a leader is much more challenging than I had ever thought.  My president actually called to see if I was going to stay, like one day of chaos could turn me away, doesn't he know I live with a teenager?  Anyway, I found that my prayer that began the day was needed in every facet of the entire day.  I prayed that Christ would be before me, behind me and in every circumstance He would help me lead and have wisdom to make sound decisions.

We have two departments in our organization.  One is vital to the beginning of the project and the next takes care of everything else.  That's my department.  Can you guess which one is having all the problems?  You guessed it, mine.  Now I guess I could be discouraged but I'm not.  I think the majority of the problem is that I don't have independent thinkers that can grasp the technology.  They are used to doing things their way and really didn't have a lot of training.  However, when the president of the company feels the need to do everything himself, that's a problem and it's mine to fix.  He actually left the building, kicked things and sat in a homeless park to calm down.  He came back with a silent rage but good for him for not blowing his top right then and there.  And then his new director told him to go home at 5:30.  He hasn't done that in ages.  The environment is like watching a whole bunch of talented people in a circus.  They just can't function without the ring leader and yet, we need them to function.

Fortunately, my prayer will be the same today.  I have a core of people that I can work with and either they will come to meet my expectations or they will be gone.  I don't want to fire anyone but if after a year you can't grasp your job, then something has to be done.  Hopefully, I will hear from the Lord regularly and not just go with my gut.  If I did that right now, I would toss them overboard and keep one but I'm not stupid and I think the wheel can be fixed.  Hopefully it's just flat and not blown.

So what does all this nonsense have to do with Christ?  Well isn't God seeing what I'm seeing.  Aren't we a whole bunch of talented people that need a ring master.  It seems we can do everything on our own but if you dissect your life, you'll find that you need Him to love, direct and guide the ship.  The ship of course is me and you.  The Bible doesn't say we can do all things ourselves; it states that all things are possible through Jesus Christ, which means nothing good comes from us.

I believe in rainbows and colors.  I believe in birds and bees.  I believe that God created the world and can destroy it with a word.  I believe that today is today and that's all we have to do something great.  I believe that if I'm on my knees miracles will happen and at the end of the day if God is with me, no one is against me.  May God keep you today.  If you are dealing with a situation in your life and all you have done is rely on yourself, stop, pray and seek Christ.  You've missed something if you believe you can do this in your own strength and with you're own talent.  He gave everything to you so seek Him first and He will put you on the right path.  You know I'm going too. I'm running out of time today so if you see errors, I'm sorry.  I will check them tonight.  Have a great day!

Luke 18:27 NKJV:

     But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

Mark 14:36 NKJV:

    And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You.  Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

Lead on....

My prayer today:

O, Lord, how wise and great You are!  It's hard for me to fathom what You see from Heaven.  If my day yesterday resembles Your day then wow!  I have 3 people, You have millions.  I have always known that I need a leader that has courage, fortitude and perseverance.  In all my years the leader that has been most consistent is You.  I rely on Your guidance and Your wisdom to get me through every situation and without a doubt, I need You.  So this morning, I come before You and ask that You will be with me today and that You will guide my words and my thoughts toward You and the people You have given me to mentor.  I'm hoping that I can build a team that resembles the team You have built on this earth.  Please help me to help those that are under me and to give them the tools to be successful.  We are one, under Your umbrella but not every employee will have the same faith or philosophy that I do, that's where You come in.  I am in Your debt for taking me, a fallen child, and making me a leader of women.  I hope that with every step I take, You are with me and that I have the wisdom to lead a company toward success.  Only You know the fate of each man but I need You to be before me and behind me, protecting me from sin and guiding my every step toward You.  May today be a day to rejoice in and as I face challenges, please help me to make the right decisions.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Sunday, April 7, 2013

April 7, 2013

Good morning all-

Are you a problem solver?  If you are, you're very rare.  Most people today like to complain and surrender to their flesh but every once in awhile you meet someone that takes a problem, dissects it and solves it.  I love those people.  For the most part, I can walk in with a problem and tell you how I'm going to solve it.  I guess that's how my brain works.  I also am someone that makes decisions and roles with it, even if it's the wrong decision.  It's easier to learn from it than to be paralyzed by it, right?  Well, at least, that's what I think.

I guess I'm being so philosophical this morning because of the great book I'm reading by Dave Ramsey called "EntreLeadership."  He talks about the importance of mentoring people to come to you with the problem and three possible solutions.  He actually teaches his staff this concept and often, he finds he makes less decisions because of it.  When you're at the top of the food chain, you have to survive and how all of us survive is being proactive and making decisions.  You know this to be true or there wouldn't be any food in your house to eat, clothes would be filthy and your lights would be off right now.  Get the picture.  Our lives revolve around making decisions and even if you aren't in the work place, you're CEO of your household and without you, nothing would get done.  The value in identifying problems and coming up with solutions is invaluable.  Unfortunately, we don't always use what God has given us to find them.  For me, it has always been prayer.  Without prayer, I don't even think I would be here today.  In my twenties, had I not found Christ and began a prayer life that has sustained me today, I don't know where I would be.  During those years, I floundered and almost didn't survive, and then Christ came into my life and changed me.  He began to take the wheel and I began to use the tools He gave me to be the person I am today, which by the way is very unique.  You probably would laugh if you could see me in a grocery store or in a clothing store.  I am the 20 minute shopper, in and out.  If you have a relationship with a man, you know that's more them than us, right?  Well not me, God made me stubborn, assertive and fast, especially in the shopping department.

My personality has led me to propel myself from almost not getting through college to now being a leader within a small company.  My tenacity to learn and to find answers has given me the ability to pick apart situations, make a decision and move.  And if for some reason it was the wrong decision, change the course and make another decision.  I take full responsibility of all decisions, good and bad and I try to learn from every one of them.  For the most part, my prayer life protects me because I ask God to show me the way and He does, that's if I'm not being stubborn.

Anyway, I love this book I'm reading because it talks about lessons.  I think my most favorite part to date is when Dave shares with his readers that his wife has a tremendous virtue and instinct.  He didn't listen to her for along time or share his ideas, problems or business until one day, Christ showed him that on his right side stood his partner and that partner offered great wisdom.  So now, he goes to her with key aspects of his business and he listens.  We are vital to the success of our spouses, our boyfriends, and our children.  If you're at home, you are a grounding force to be revered.  You play a role in shaping and forming the greatest organization known to History, the family.  So don't ever think that what you bring to the table isn't worthy.  I guarantee it's very worthy for you're the daughter of Christ and when you're listening He is feeding you His power and wisdom.  Same goes for those that are working out in the workforce, never doubt your ability to shape a person, a department, or a company.  You are the daughter of Abraham and by Christ's love you have the Holy Spirit that will guide you, teach you and propel you to be Christ's woman.

Christ has been my friend for many years now.  He has walked with me through my challenges and for the most part I think I have weathered the journey well.  Don't get me wrong, I have sinned, cried, questioned and in the end, I've been redeemed.  I am far from perfect in my home life or career life but I've learned lessons that have helped shape me and hopefully, are shaping others.  In every storm and in every situation, I am learning to trust Christ.  Have I wandered in the desert?  More times than I can count but in the end I always come back to one thing, Christ loves me and won't forsake me.  I may have run for awhile but He always catches up and reminds me that without Him I'm nothing but with Him, I can do anything.

So if today finds you in a mass of decision making, like what to fix for Sunday dinner, take the wheel and make a decision, good or bad they'll eat it.  Ha!Ha!  And if they don't I guess they have a problem to solve, right?  So move forward, pray constantly and remember that you are an important part in this world.  You hold the keys to the best secret, Christ love you and died for you.  There's power in that and if we ask, He will guide.  Always be careful not to direct the ship without Him because you never know when the storm will rage and you won't be ready to weather it.  He is the key to us problem solving and He will help us in our journey.  We are His and through Him all things are possible.  We don't need a manual to teach us that.  Do we?  But don't forget the Word holds the keys to all things light and dark, so begin there, pray often and seek Christ's wisdom and discernment.  The rest will come and you will be amazed by the results.  I always am!

Thank you to all my faithful readers for inspiring me to sit down and write.  My times might change soon because I will be off to work earlier but you can catch me after noon CST in the future.  I will continue to pray and ask God to give me time to seek Him and to write about Him.  Be well my sisters and don't forget to pray for the lost.  They need Him.

Proverbs 16:33 NKJV:

    The lot is cast into the lap but its every decision is from the Lord.

Job 23:11 NKJV:

     My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.

I put this last Scripture verse in because it has true meaning to making decisions.  It's actually quoted in the book.  James 1:8 NKJV, he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.  I think that sums up the parts, don't you?  God wants us to be steadfast in him, making decisions that lean on the Word and what it teaches.  We can't be wishy washy or we're unstable.  We must act and act in a way that we're accountable.  Not all of our decisions will have positive impact but at least we made them and we can choose to change them.  Have a great day!

My prayer today:

O, Lord, thank You for helping us with our decisions and for guiding and growing us in them.  Being an adult is difficult but when You and I are one, decisions become much easier.  I'm praying for all those out there that have a hard time making a decision.  I'm praying for the men and women in leadership that have the world on their backs.  For our leaders that are making decisions for the masses, may You provide them with wisdom, discernment and a direction that will be good for all.  We trust in You that You have set our paths to do good and not evil and that if we come to You, we will be directed.  We honor You today and thank You for giving us the ability to think, to feel and to make decisions.  We are not robots but we are full of flesh and blood, given to us by our Maker to do all things for Him.  May we be one with You, decisive and holy.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Saturday, April 6, 2013

April 6, 2013

Good morning all-

Well as I stated the other day in my post, I am about to embark on a new journey.  I finally get to lead and direct a team of people.  I am so excited I can't even tell you.  I have found myself smiling, laughing and just feeling light inside.  Yesterday, I even went in for 3.5 hours on my own time.  Why?  Because I get to help build a company and use the principles Jesus has taught me over the last 20 years and that just is so exciting.  With every fiber in my being, I hope that I can be the leader that Jesus was and is.  I hope that I will serve but be strong in my belief and in the end, I hope I propel people and this company to success.  It won't be easy and I know it but if I could get up every morning and be happy and fulfilled, then work wouldn't be work.

With my start date approaching, it will be important for me to address the people of the company.  Great leaders cast vision and hire people that can propel companies to success.  A great leader knows that they must surround themselves with men and women that can do their jobs with excellence and in the end, who can train more to be great too.  I don't want to be a babysitter and I just won't be.  I want men and women that want to be a significant part of their careers and the companies they work for, which got me thinking about Jesus.  Jesus didn't run a million dollar company or have investors that wanted to see profits.  He was a man on a mission for a commodity that was far more precious; He was out to win souls.  Money is a common denominator between countries, people, and religions.  Money makes the world go round.  But Jesus didn't have any and either did the men He selected to carry His vision.  I woke up this morning thinking about the power of vision.

They say that every great leader casts vision.  They instill in their people the importance of a mission statement.  I am reading "EntreLeadership" by Dave Ramsey and he states, that at every turn he talked and stated his mission statement.  Why?  Because he was casting vision for himself, his company and the people that would move it to greatness.  Martin Luther King, Jr. had a vision.  Didn't he say that he had a dream that one day every man would sit at the same table.  Didn't he see white people and black people in one place?  Of course he did.  Who do you think gave him that dream?  Did you guess Jesus, of course you did.  Or what about Abraham Lincoln setting the slaves free?  Do you think that was a popular decision?  No.  Abe lost his life because of it.  And then let's just look at the disciples for a minute.  They were hand chosen, given every access to Jesus and asked to leave their livelihoods to follow a man, with no home, no money, and that wandered from place to place preaching a message that stunned the Pharisees and eventually brought death on Him and them.  Now that's vision!

After I watched the Passion of Christ so many years ago, I went back and began to look at each chapter in the four gospels.  I read a chapter in each one to see how Jesus was depicted, what each author had to say, and where the differences were in the messages.  There are many events that are similar but it's written from different viewpoints and each one gives you a new or different way to look at moments in History.  It really is fascinating.  I think the biggest thing that struck me to my knees was that men would leave their jobs blindly and follow a man who had nothing to give but Himself.  Those times weren't easy and people didn't have extra money and food laying around.  But Jesus was God and He cast a vision onto these men that have lasted over 2000 years.  The vision was to know and love God;  not just for the Jews but for the Gentiles too.  He asked them to leave their families, their boats, their nets, their businesses and blindly follow Him through the streets and cities preaching the message of the gospel.  Wow!  It gives me chills just writing this down.  I'm worried if I don't have insurance for four months and they had nothing!  Now that's a humbling message.

The vision that Jesus set forth in the hearts of those men live today.  There are men and women today that give up their homes, their lives and their jobs to serve Jesus.  Somehow, the Holy Spirit comes to them and they leave everything for the call.  Why?  Because winning people for Jesus will be the most exciting and satisfying job you will ever have, however, the flip side is that it will take perseverance, character and vision to continue in the face of adversity.  The career is far from easy but it's the vision and the word that keep people motivated.

So like Jesus, I have a great job to do.  First, I must continue to pray and be directed by Jesus, that to me is the most important part of my day.  Next, I must be true to my husband and my children and never sacrifice being a wife and mother.  Finally, I must set in motion on Monday a vision that will inspire a band of men and women to be excellent in their daily work and to give them something to hold onto when we are piled with work and they are tired and exhausted.  Not an easy task but I know that Jesus will help me every step of the way and if I'm successful in His vision, I will be successful in life, because the things of this earth are temporary, but salvation is permanent.

If you're reading this today, I hope that you are reminded of the vision that Jesus set in motion.  It started with His life and ended on a cross.  Nothing is easy in this life.  We all know that the economy is tight, war is at every corner of the earth and that men are making foolish decisions.  We know that Jesus has been cast aside for money, power and pride and in the end judgement will fall.   Do not be weary for hope is here and it's in the form of Jesus.  I may be trembling on the inside, wondering if I can do this great mission God has put in front of me, but then I still and say, "Jesus take the wheel."  He will be my guide and any success I have from Monday on will be because of Him.  More importantly, I hope that beyond doing a great job, that I am winning souls for Jesus!  Some of my happiest days have been watching the sinful be sanctified and washed white as snow.  May God bless you and keep you today and may every day be filled with the power of His love.

John 13:14-15 NKJV:

     If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have to you.

Matthew 4:18-19 NKJV:

     And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."


Every word of the Bible casts vision for the Old to the New Testament.  Promises were made and fulfilled with Jesus's death.  The word is a living, breathing document that has lasted far longer than the people that impacted it.  We have an opportunity being children of God to write the story for the next 2000 years and that story must always begin with "Jesus is our Savior!"

Pass it on...

My prayer today:

O, Jesus, may men and women come before you and remember the vision You cast so many years ago.  The power of the cross is as vital today as it was over 2000 years ago.  We can't see You, we can't touch You but by Your word we are Yours.  I often ponder what it must have been like to walk with You, to hear Your voice and to see Your Spirit.  I think of all the beautiful things that the disciples got to see and I also remember the stories of hardship and death.  You are God and You came to set Your people free!  Freedom is in the form of knowing and loving You.  I pray today for those that don't know You that You will send people out with vision, perseverance and the power of the cross.  Bring forth the lost and give them Your vision for their lives.  Everything we have is Yours and it's because of Your leadership we have eternal life.  Make each one of us leaders in our families, with our friends and in the workplace.  Keep us from evil and make us aware of our sins so that we can be accountable to You.  We are in love with You Lord and by Your hand we are healed.  There are no words to express the love that I have for You or for the ability to write and think every day about You.  You are the key to every dollar I have made, for every word of wisdom I have spoken and for every opportunity to be Your woman.  I owe You my life and pray that I will be Your woman forever!  Grow me and my sisters to know You better, to be wise and to spread the words that matter!  May we sing Your praises in our homes and throughout the world and may we ban together and pray for our sisters all over the world.  We need strong warriors that will love their families and be true to You.  For everything You are and for everything You do, I praise Your Holy Name.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Friday, April 5, 2013

April 5, 2013

Good morning all-

I hope today finds you well.  I have been thinking a great deal about passion.  It started before Easter and has continued to rattle in my brain.  It could only mean that's what God wants me to talk about, right?  Well at least that's what I'm thinking anyway.

If you ever look at billboards, which I love to do, there is one in particular that has always caught my eye.  They are inspirational billboards with key messages like; perseverance, fortitude and passion.  They always end with pass it on...

The story of Jesus is the most powerful inspirational message in the History of mankind and yet, often we don't pass it on.  What did Jesus do for the Jews?  What did He do for the Gentiles?  And if we are really secure in our faith, what has He done for you?  Guess what, He gave His life so that we could have eternity.  That's more inspirational than anything I will ever contribute to this life.  Now don't get me wrong, there are people and stories that we should find inspiration in, like Paul, Peter, John and all the disciples.  Mary and Mary Margaret were very significant and there are others that fought with their lives to free slaves and make black men free.  We have powerful role models that set the tone of History and they should not be forgotten.  Lincoln, for example, is a very important part of US History but he was just a man.  Thousands of books have been written on him and now movies are being produced but there's only one man that should be held in the highest esteem and that's Jesus Christ.  He was God made man and He is the reason for every drop of rain, every car driven, every invention that has made our lives easier and every blade of grass.  Think about that for a minute.  Now those things should definitely be passed on right.  No, we take them for granted.  We believe we control the earth and all its resources.  Fools!  We control nothing but Jesus does and He is waiting for us to find our passion, not in ourselves but in Him.

I'm going to be changing jobs on Monday and I have to say, I'm scared to death.  Why?  Because it's the biggest risk I have ever taken in my entire life.  I'm about to become a leader and mentor of others.  It has been a dream for many years and the door has opened and I'm walking through it.  I have a passion for people and a passion for sales and I hope the two combined make me a great leader not just another bad manager.  The key to my success will not be the books I read or the hours I spend investing in others, it will be my prayer life and putting Jesus in the driver seat.  I will need His wisdom and power in every aspect of my life.  I will need to serve others without letting them walk all over me.  I will need to instill the principles of the Bible and ask God to help me live up to them and I will need to trust that God will make each of us successful as I give my life to Him.  My passion for Christ must be seen and I must abide in Him, not myself.  The reason why so many people lose passion is because they try to do it in their own strength.  We weren't made to do anything that way.  If I want my environment to be infused with passion and excellence, I must seek the Lord daily and have Him direct me.  That's the only way I will ever be a leader of men.

So, if today you are struggling to find your passion, look for Jesus.  More than likely, you lost that passion before the other one even fell.  Somewhere down the line, you thought you could propel yourself and infuse yourself to succeed because of a feeling and now your drowning in the abyss.  It's time to ask Jesus to restore in you a new heart and give you the greatest passion of all, Him!  If that's restored, everything else will surely fall in place.  I'm testing it out right now but without Him, I am nothing and I know it.  So if we don't do anything today, let's pass it on that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and we will trust in Him!  I'm going too.

PS Please pray for the North Korea crisis.  There are many innocent people that are being affected by one very demented leader.  Our sisters and brothers live in North and South Korea and we should not stop praying.   This is an attack that will have devastating and cataclysmic results all because one man doesn't seek Christ.  Thanks in advance for your commitment to God's people.

Romans 7:5-6 NKJV:

     For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 8:25 NKJV:

     But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Pass it on..

My prayer today:

O, Lord, You are the leader of great nations.  You founded the earth and placed each person exactly where You needed them to be.  We have planes, trains and automobiles that can take us to the ends of the earth.  You have placed Your soldiers in strategic areas and even though they grow weary, You are near.  Our passion must not be misguided.  We must look toward You for every thought, every direction and every circumstance.  If You aren't in our sight, we will surely fail.  In our daily lives, we must come before You and ask You to be part of our passion.  You have taken the steps to breathe in us purpose and passion so unleash it Lord and give us the power to be passionate about You.  When we first found You our passion was great but other idols get in the way.  May we set a goal to come to You daily and ask You to guide our hearts and our steps toward You.  We must live with integrity but that's hard to do in a world full of corruption and wasted time.  Give us the fortitude and perseverance to stand up and run the race like Paul, to the end with love and devotion to You.  We come before You now asking You to protect the weak and help advise the reckless.  Please Lord, cover South Korea and the innocents that live in North Korea will Your crown of thorns.  Help us all to unite to pray for a tiny nation with a unwise leader.  Come to Him in a dream and reveal the power of the cross.  We are asking that Your hand be on Korea and its people and in any country being led by an unwise leader.  Make us people that are consistent, full of faith and give us passion.  We hope to pass it on to other generations and to be wise all our days.  For with wisdom comes a true sense of who we are in You.  Abide in us today, guide our every move and bring us close to You.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Monday, April 1, 2013

April 1, 2013

Good morning all-

While the rest of the world will be waking up today strategizing their April fools jokes, I woke up thinking about the disciples and Jesus.  My family watched the final episode of the Bible last night and as it was in History, the scenes were barbaric and yet, your eyes are riveted to the man that was beaten, broken and nailed to a cross.  The scenes weren't as bad as "The Passion" but they rivaled it and once again I find myself not in the mood to joke but to be serious.

The disciples watched, His mother watched and thousands asked for Him to be crucified.  What does it mean to be crucified for Christ?  Like most humans, I hope it doesn't mean going through what He went through but none of us know what our journey will be and therefore, I have to pause because whatever I have gone through and whatever I will go through was nothing compared to the persecution of Jesus.  He was innocent.  Just think about that for a minute.  In my mind, I know why people don't necessarily understand Jesus and the power of those days.  I get that they want to wander and do what is fun.  I even get that it's hard to believe in something you can't see but History doesn't lie and Jesus was innocent.

As I watched Him get the stripes He wore for me and as I saw the cross being carried, not by just Him but by another man, I realized that there shouldn't be one person that doesn't believe in what He did for humanity that day.  The Lord of Lords, who should have been extolled and praised was sneered at, yelled at and humiliated.  Why?  All so that we could have eternal life.

His last words have penetrated the dark for me and I can see each of the disciples as they were stoned, beheaded, and hung.  It is a picture of men that once were esteemed and now hunted as if they were animals.  There was no where for them to run and so instead, they carried out the final words of Jesus, "To go and preach the gospel."  Even Paul, who would be considered today a brutal murderer became one of the most recounted disciples for Jesus.  He was sent to prison and died for His Lord.  Many would have said that he didn't deserve to kiss Jesus's feet and yet, he is the founder of the church.  Think about that.  A learned man who crucified Jesus's followers and then because Jesus saw fit, He brought Him into His fold and today we have numerous letters to remind us of His journey from killer to Christian.

I don't think the images will leave my mind for some time.  I am a sinner and don't deserve to sit at the feet of God and yet I do.  I get to be in His Holy presence and He reveals to me the promises that were set before time.  I get to read stories of men and women that weren't perfect but that served a purpose, not for themselves, but for Christ.  I am blessed because the Lord of light sought me and won me with every stripe, every thorn and every nail.

I pray that God reveals Himself to you today as He did for me last night and again this morning.  The Bible is the window into knowing and loving our Father.  There is nothing you can't read about the History of Jesus and about the fateful day He gave His life for you and me.  May today hold you close and forever may Jesus reign.

Matthew 27:46 NKJV:

    And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?"  that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Pass it on......

My prayer today:

O, Lord, thank You for coming into the lives of Your people.  Thank you for making bold men and women that are willing to put a production on called "The Bible."  Thank You for the actors that depicted the characters and thank You for the Scripture that enlightens us into the light.  I was once lost and lonely and You came to me and gave me life.  I still wander and often I doubt but then, You remind me of Your power, Your purpose and Your majesty.  Thank You for loving the sinner and for giving Your life for us.  I hope that as Easter leaves us we will all take with us the power of the story of Your crucifixion.  I hope that we will look into the barbaric History by which You came and left this world.  I hope that we will see You in our daily lives and as the world continues to swirl in chaos, we will pray for the people that inhabit the cities and countries that need You.  I hold onto the promises You made thousands of years ago.  I have never seen You but I know You are near.  Your presence can be felt and Your sacrifice is noted.  May the power of the cross heal nations and continue to grow disciples for You.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...