Wednesday, December 31, 2014

When the Lord talked to Samuel...

Good morning all-

I'm in the middle of a challenge by YouVersion Bible app to read something every day through one of their plans.  I normally fumble through looking for Scripture as God prompts me but I decided that I would try this for a time and see what God speaks into my heart.  It is always interesting to move through the Old Testament with all it's many characters.  Today, I read the cry of God to Samuel and the prophesy for Eli.  It is hard to read about the curses man set upon themselves in those days.  It makes me wonder how many times we sin and don't hear from God.  I'm so glad we live in the times where we can repent to the Lord and our sins are forgiven.  We don't thank God enough for that bit of grace.

Samuel hears God calling to him and he says, "Here I am."  How often do we hide when God is calling? Are we afraid of His direction for us?  It's easy to turn away from the hard stuff, isn't it?  Samuel didn't turn away even when God spoke to him about the curse on Eli's family.  He went to Eli and spoke the truth and Eli in return believed him, received it and said he accepted God's direction for his family. We must be willing to be quiet, to read his word and to pray for his people.

Is He calling you today to do something for the kingdom?  I have continued to have a sense that God wants me to write a book.  I am in prayer to see if this is really what he wants or if it's just something I want to do.  The question I continue to ask myself is, "Do I hear His call or mine?"  Hard to really be definitive but I guess if I start, He will lead.

As Samuel learned from God, take one day at a time and be the messenger.  We are all called in someway.  We may not be prophets but we are women and men of God and we are here not for our purpose but His.  Hundreds died this week flying from one spot to another.  Basically, they were flying from Kansas to California but in bad weather the plane fell into the sea and now hundreds are grieving for their family members.  Did they know that they would die that day?  Of course not.  They were going on holiday, flying to other family members or on business.  No one knew what their fate would be.  When Samuel called out to God, "Here I am;" I'm sure he didn't know that he would be delivering devastating news or that Eli would take it the way he did.  We don't know what today will bring and as 2015 approaches; I'm praying that we will be faithful to the cause and that our voices will be heard all over the world.  May the God of Samuel call each one of us through His word and may we accept the terms of His sacrifice for us.

I would like to thank all of you that continue to seek Christ.  This blog is for His glory and it is a privilege to love Him, seek Him and praise Him.  May your 2015 be blessed and may He continue to shine on your life as He brings forth His new disciples.

Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.” “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. (‭1 Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭15-21‬ NIV)

My desire is to hear our God call my name and know that I must spread His word.  My call is to bring women from all nations to the cross and my life is for Him alone.  All things are His and I must continue to repent, seek and give God all the glory for being the lamb that stands in the gap for us and eternity.  May you repent as we approach the new year and praise Him for His life and the lives of those that spread His word.  The call is to see Him in our midst in 2015.  Will  you hear His call?  In Jesus Name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Pressing toward the goal...

Good morning all-

The headlines are full of tragedy and triumph.  All but 10 passengers were saved off a ship from Greece and all passengers are assumed dead that were on board of the Asia Airlines according to the bodies that are now washing up from the sea.  One miracle another devastation.  When Christ told us to live for today, I'm sure His disciples questioned what He meant.  What does it mean to live for today?  Well, when the passengers of the freight line and on Asia Air got onto their vessels, their very last thought was today I will die and yet, many perished.  We don't know our last day but we do know that daily we sin, we fall short and we live in the flesh.  Abraham, Isaac, David, Peter and Paul all were great men but somewhere in their journey they fell short. Did they stop?  No, they continued to persevere toward God, leaving behind the past and pursuing the God of their hearts.  Today, we are no different.  A new year is approaching, new year's resolutions will begin and we will once again either pursue our higher purpose or continue to fall to our flesh.  Paul understood that and never gave up.  He worked toward His pursuit to be in relationship with the Almighty God.  He didn't give up, He moved forward.  We will all fall short but when we pursue our relationship and not our religion; God is glorified.  We are His to transform, shape and make new.

It is our pursuit to study and read His word that will help us in our pursuit to leave the old behind and bring the new in.  My goal is not to be the greatest Christian.  It's more about being in relationship, loving and pursuing my Lord.  Practicing religion is one thing but pursuing Jesus is totally another.  Finding God in our midst is what this new year should be about.  We need to pray that in today we would find Him, glorify Him and spread His word.  Many perished this week.  Sorrow will be in the hearts of families in Indonesia, Korea, and France.  The new year will not bring about joy for them but eternal sadness for their loss.  That is the way of people when they lose someone dear and the only comfort they will find will be in God and in the memories of those that left them behind. So if you are thinking about them, please pray for them. God hears their cries and understands their sorrow.  Their burden should be ours.  We have no idea when God will take us up to be with Him.  Paul knew that but His goal was to continue toward the cross and I believe that is what God is calling us to do today.  We must move forward and pray for those that are weak, lost and sad.  It is our responsibility to not just see the headlines and turn away but to pray for those that can't pray for themselves.  Be aware of the signs and the events occurring and pursue Jesus in our midst.  What would Jesus do?

Be well my sisters and pray for God to bring His glory to earth.

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭7-14‬ NIV)

May the God of Abraham, Isaac and David bring His glory to the earth as we pursue Him.  He is our light and our salvation and we must pray that His everlasting love reaches to every soul that will hear the good news. In Jesus Name, AMEN

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Women of the world...pray!

Good morning all-

Women of the world please pray!  My heart is full of prayer lately and I need women to stand with me.  I am not able to see you but I know You are committed to Jesus and that You feel like I feel.  You want to spread the word but for whatever reason you are confined to your city, country or home. I understand that but the great thing about prayer is that you can do it from your home, your car, your cell, anywhere.  No man can keep prayer from our minds and hearts.  We can be beaten, bruised, crushed and still if we have hope in our Savior, no one can keep us down.

We are women that need a Savior.  We need to call upon Him day and night and we must believe that He will one day come back and bring us home.  I waiver and I get sad.  I wonder sometimes why we have bad times and I wish for great things for people.  I have got caught up in material things and have forgotten what God provides and then, my heart turns and I think of a homeless person, a young child fighting cancer, a person in prison or a woman being used as a human bomb.  This is what makes my heart full.  It's not about myself or what I'm going through; it's about the cross and the people that our Lord loves.

Can fish be multiplied?  Can the earth be refilled with water and can people be saved in an evil world?  The answer to all of this is, yes.  Christ came to fulfill the prophesies of old.  We must pray for our countries to be protected and that Christ will bring peace on the earth.  His return is immenent.  Will we be the ones?  There is no way for us to know but we are to watch, pray and be readied for the day He will return.  Just as the curtains tore and the ground shook at His death, the Pharisees missed the message from the God that had delivered them.  We must not forget the reason for His death or the reason we needed a Savior from the beginning.  We don't want to be walking on the earth and miss the message.  We don't want to be sceptical and say, "He never existed."  We don't want to question the cross, we want to promote it and the message that was meant to change the world.  There is only one God, one Savior and one Deliverer.  He is Jesus, three in one.  Others may hate us for our beliefs but we must be confident in the cross.  It shouldn't matter if you are Catholic, Baptist or non-denominational.  It should only matter that we share one goal, one voice and one God. He is the One that will deliver us from this earth!  Be confident my sisters and love our God with all your heart.  Believe in miracles and angels.  Believe that water turned to wine and that fish and bread were multiplied.  Believe He appeared to Mary Magdalene and that He was born to a virgin.  Believe that He came to proclaim the grace of our Lord and believe in streets of gold, where there is no pain, no disease and only the choir of angels.  Believe!

We were meant for this moment.  We were born to spread the word and we are one with Him.  He is listening to our cries. Give glory to Him today!

What if you were given as a human sacrifice?

Good morning all-

I hope your Christmas held wonderful and beautiful memories.  I had down time yesterday and began to look at all the news stories on twitter.  I ran across a story of a 13 year old girl who was given to a terrorist group by her father.  Her purpose was to be a human bomb for a cause she didn't even understand.  She never wanted to do it and she definitely didn't want to be given to a man that would ask that of her and yet, she was.  The value of women in Muslim countries is minimal.  We are nearing a crisis of unbelievable proportions.  Extortion, slavery, human trafficking and now, human missiles.  These are what young women are going through all over the world.

What is the answer to this unbelievable evil act?  I wish I knew.  The only thing I know for sure is that we must pray for our sisters that are being raped, pillaged and sold.  We must act upon the only method of saving we know and pray that our Father deliver them.  These confused men tell them they will be in paradise for their sacrifice, when in reality, they could care less about where they will end up.  Their goal is to use them for their own selfish means.  It is a tragedy that women are being used for evil means.  They didn't ask to be sold, kidnapped or tortured.  They didn't ask to be born a woman and they didn't ask for men to treat them as if they weren't worth being born.  I know that not all men think this way but there are men out there that will use anyone in their fight for what they believe is holy.

For thousands of years, men have been fighting over religion.  Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael and it is because of this that the world is divided into two.  Isaac's descendants believed in our God and now the descendants of Ishmael believe in the Koran more than in the Father.  We are heretics because we don't believe like them but in some respects we do.  We believe in One Father. We believe that we are the descendants of Abraham and we know that Jesus did come to save us and that He was born out of the line of David.  All of this is true.  It is recorded and it is worthy.  The Bible tells us that until He comes again there will be war and rumors of war.  Details have been left out like men will use women to kill, power will be more important than human life, and sacrificing children for war is worth it.  Our men go to war to fight for a cause.  Is it right or wrong?  All war in some fashion is war.  It's part of the sin.  Even Cain and Abel fought because jealousy became the main focus and not God or their purpose.  One brother against the other,for what?  Today, whether you live in Israel, Syria, Iran, Iraq, England or Mexico, we are brothers and sisters.  We should be working together to love a world where little remains.  Right now, women are being used for evil.  They are being hurt because one person believes they have no worth.  Women have worth.  If you read the New Testament you will see what women meant to Jesus.  We counted.  That world was not much different than the Muslim world today.  Women were second class citizens.  But Jesus treated them as an equal.  He spoke with them and touched them.  Women experienced first hand his teachings as they watched Him in the streets.  Mary Magdalene sat with Him and was taught by Him because she knew one thing, He was God.

Today, I am saddened by the world. It hurts my hear to think that women mean so little.  It also hurts my heart that life means so little to so many.  As I write this blog, someone is being raped, beaten, abused, and possibly killed.  My head doesn't want to think that people are so evil but they are.  So instead of getting depressed, I am praying for those women.  I am asking Jesus to reach far beyond my wildest imagination and give them hope in the midst of their circumstances.  We complain about our husbands not watching the kids or not fixing an appliance, really?  We need to unite for women that are being used and tortured.  We need to ask our Lord and Savior to reach out to these women just as He did Paul in prison.  They need Him today and we need to care enough to pray for them.  So join me today in praying for the least of these.  Will you be counted as one that believed Jesus could do a miracle for a woman you haven't ever seen?  I want to be so I will continue to pray for the nameless because they do matter.  They matter to Jesus.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭31-40‬ NIV)

Dear Lord, we come before you today praying for the female children of the world and all women.  We ask that You would surround them with a crown of thorns and men that will protect and cherish them.  We need an army Lord to protect those that are the least of these.  Your women are thinking and praying for revival all around the world.  Their power lies at the foot of the cross and Your sacrifice.  We realize this world would not be easy and that many bad things will happen but You are our sole protector, our healer and our deliverer.  Come and deliver Your people from terrorism, dictatorships, war, and continual sin.  We need You Lord more today than any other time in the history of our earth. We need You Lord, rain down on us and give us wisdom as we feel helpless.  I particularly have a heart for Your women and need You to guide me in prayer and in writing to give them the Scripture You want them to pray.  We will forever be in Your debt Lord and I know that You are with me today as I write and as I pray.  On bended knee and through my fingertips, I'm praying for the little girls and women that are being persecuted all over the world.  Be with them today, just as You were with Paul. Please give them hope, fill their minds with You, the cross and help us all see You in all of it.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

The Lord is watching, where is your heart today?

Merry Christmas my dear sisters-

This morning I celebrated my last Christmas morning with my kids.  It was bittersweet.  I know they have to grow up, make their own mistakes, and work towards providing for the next generation.  But my heart was still sad that these moments we have shared together will change forever.

I have loved every moment of being a mom and am so glad God blessed me with my boys.  He knew exactly what He was doing when He blessed me.  Being a parent is the most challenging thing I have ever done or will do in my lifetime.  With it comes love and sorrow because I can't make decisions for my kids, they have to do it on their own.

That's how Jesus feels about us.  He gave up a kingdom, fame and fortune for poverty, being homeless and the crucifixion.  Condemned by men but loved by His Father.  Jesus walked from place to place, gave all He had and then paid the ultimate price, His life for ours.  Today, I am really thinking about His life and His gift.  Just think, no matter how valuable the gift that is given today, it will never match the treasure His birth and death gave this world.

As my sons grow, I hope they hold this in their heart.  I hope they look back and every Christmas they think about Jesus and with all my heart I pray they love Him as much as I do.  Every day for me is a reminder that my Savior loved me more than His own life.  His sacrifice is my eternal gift.  There are no words I could write today that would even represent how I feel about my Father.  I can't see Him but I feel Him and I can read about Him and I can reach out to Him in prayer and thank Him for His birth and His death.  He gave more than we will ever give.  He gave up fame, fortune and esteem for spite, anger and cruelty.  We don't have to guess what He went through because it is all written and still His last words recorded were for us.  In those last hours, He cried out, "Father forgive them because they know not what they do."

This is what I hold on to today.  I also hold the hope that my children will pass this to their children and that they will know Him and love Him with all their hearts and minds.  It's my prayer for this year that God would touch the hearts of men and that on bended knee we would worship our Savior.  Please stand with me in prayer as we approach 2015 calling for God's peace on earth and forgiveness for the sins of all men.  We are one my sisters and together we can change the world with our Lord as guide and Savior.

If you have been reading this blog then you know my heart.  I have been feeling for sometime that I am supposed to write a book.  If you are willing, please pray that God would provide me direction on what to do.  I don't want to write just to write.  I want to glorify Him.  So if He prompts you, consider sending a word up so that I can hear clearly.  Everything I am is for Him.  May God bless you and keep you as you seek Him.  Merry Christmas and thank you for spending time with me and Jesus.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭32-43‬ NIV)

What woman are you today?  Are you someone that can't fathom that God is real or do you believe He sacrificed Himself for you?  I pray that through this Scripture you will see the power of the cross and of the man that hung on it.  He didn't save Himself for He knew to do so would mean eternal ruin for us all.

I pray that eyes would be turned and hearts would be filled with the man that fulfilled a prophesy for all men.  If you are reading this today, Christ wants you to call on Him in prayer.  Humble yourself before Him and ask Him to forgive you.  He will, just as He did on the cross.  He's only a call away!  Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Lord Jesus!

Until tomorrow...

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas and its meaning...

Good morning all-

Headlines are reading this morning that a Jordanian pilot has been captured by ISIS.  Then I turn to the weather channel and a tornado is moving through parts of Georgia and finally a number of tweets are on the actress from "The Interview" and her sadness that her Today Show spot was cancelled.  By the way that's been in the last five minutes.  Do you see how easy it is to get caught up in the chaos?  And yet, my mind wanders to Christmas and why in a few short hours people will be reflecting on its meaning while gathering with friends and family.

Why do we celebrate Christmas?  I think it's important to ask yourself this question.  Is it so we can rush through the festivities to the presents, eat way to much and be merry, or is there a deeper meaning?   Do I think we have lost the meaning of Christmas?  Sometimes, especially when we are out driving in bad traffic or just in our heads counting down the days without really looking up.  So
this morning as I drink my coffee, I'm focused on one thing only, Christ.  He is the reason for the season.  Beyond the beautiful lights and the presents, there is a true God.  He is not an idol or a prophet.  He doesn't need ritual and grand jestures.  He is a God that loves His people, who is there in our time of need and who shows us daily that His sacrifice was for us.  We aren't required to bow a million times or fast for days.  We don't have to try to put our mind in a peaceful place or spend hours at church.  All He requires is that we love Him with all our hearts and minds and that we confess our sins, not to others but to Him.  He is the lamb who died upon a cross that saved you and me.  So as you are preparing for Christmas don't get caught up in the worldly things of Christmas, get caught up in the Spirit behind the day.  He is with us, watching over us and loving you in Africa, France, England, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel and all over the world.  His love spreads farther than a missile, higher than the the farthest star and wider than the earth.  He is God and He is near.  Please take a moment to pray for your families and those that are in need of a Savior.  Please pray for the pilot and his family that was shot down by ISIS and pray that hearts would turn towards Christ.  We live in evil times and often we are distracted by those times.  Focus on the Lamb of God who was slain so that we would have eternal life.  There was no greater gift than Jesus.

Be well my sisters and join me in my prayer for this Christmas. Dear sisters please treasure up all these things and ponder them in your heart just as Mary did.  We must treasure the birth of Jesus so our children and grandchildren can spread the good news.  He is Lord!

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the !!Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭9-21‬ NIV)



My prayer today:

O, Lord of Israel, divine King over the world, please inhabit the souls of those that don't know You and renew those that have forgotten what You have done.  Many are suffering all over the world and You know them by name, give them peace and help them as they try to find You.  Open the eyes of the lost and the warrior that believes we are heretics.  Make our enemies see You as You did during the time of the Old Testament.  The world needs You now as it grows more selfish and full of material things over spiritual things.  You are the reason for Christmas because it was Your birth that stirred the hearts of men.  It was Your birth that made people quake and it's your birth that saved me and everyone that follows the name of Christ.  You are one God and You are the Savior of the world.  Come upon Your people, fill us with Your Holy Spirit, guide us to You and to those that need You and bring peace on this earth.  My prayer is that millions will find You on the day we celebrate Your birth.  Place conviction in the hearts of those that are against You, for You are mighty and true.  Thank You for allowing Americans to continue to worship You in an open way.  This country continues to have the privilege of acknowledging You.  Please continue that freedom and turn hearts toward You, not just in America but all over the world.  May Your light shine on the masses as we praise Your name in song and prayer.  In Jesus Name, AMEN.

Friday, December 19, 2014

Peace on earth...

Good morning all-

Today is my last day of work until the new year.  This year has held many challenges and hurtling each one has taken Jesus.  I'm hoping to spend my mornings writing to you and reflecting on the past and present.  It's in the morning I hear Him more so I hope that I can stay quiet.  I need His divine direction as I begin to think about His plan for me.

Recently, I have been pondering peace on earth.  It has been on my mind a lot, especially since men have been beheaded, young women were taken as slaves and married to ISIS men and children being slaughtered in Pakistan.  Just those three events could make you question, "Where is God?"  He is near but evil lurks and humans don't always do the right thing.  So it is today that we must pray for peace on earth.  I read an article from a well known terrorist that called us heretics because we celebrate Christmas.  Do we always keep the meaning of Christmas?  Probably not, because we are all so busy and get caught up in our humanism.  But I do know that if you love Jesus, you talk about Him all the time, you live it and when Christmas comes you infuse love into your children, family and neighbors.  I hope that as I get older my children will do the same.  Presents are wonderful because it's about giving.  Money really can't buy that for you.  Giving should be something you do without even thinking.  I don't want to be a heretic so my plan for this year is to give of my time and my heart.

With that being said, one of the things I want to give is time in prayer.  I want to pray for peace on earth.  I realize we are in the end times and that things will only get worse.  I realize that evil is building but I also know that God is stronger than all that.  He sent an army into the sea, He felled a giant with a sling shot and He died on a cross for us.  Life will always have turmoil.  But wasn't it Jesus that calmed a storm?  I am going to pray for that this year.  I am going to pray that the seas will calm and that those that are against Him will turn toward Him.  Some may pray for destruction of ISIS, the Taliban or just plain evil men.  I am going to pray for their hearts to change and that women all over the world will join me.  These men deserve our prayers along with our husbands and sons.  Temptation and evil are all around but we can feel Jesus and because we are being led, we must lead others to the cross.

Please join me in praying for peace on earth.  Make a commitment to pray about it every day.  Ask Jesus to forgive the men that know not what they do and heal nations.  We need our men to be men but we also need them to fall in love with Jesus.  Will you stand with me?  If you feel led, please reach out to me and ask God to do a miracle on earth as it is in heaven.

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ NIV)

There will always be division but Christ is calling His soldiers to pray for the lost.  Give of your time this season and prove that we are one through Christ by joining me in a holy prayer.  Our earthly miracle was the birth of Jesus.  No matter when we celebrate the event, the event was chronicled for all to see.  A Son was born to a virgin and His name is Jesus.  He is the mighty one!  Join me this season asking our Lord to bring peace on earth.

My prayer today:

O, Mighty God, we come to you as one voice proclaiming that Jesus is the reason for this season.  As we reflect on world events our hearts must turn towards you.  We continue to pray for the women that were taken and for the mothers that mourn.  We ask that Your will would be done on earth and that peace would come upon the nations.  And as we pray, we ask that men's hearts would turn toward you and that change would happen in every city throughout the world.  We proclaim that Christmas is a time of prayer and thanksgiving and we are coming to You today asking you to bring Your people forth proclaiming the everlasting king.  We love You with our whole hearts, bring peace Lord and change the hearts of women and men all over the world.  We pray this prayer in Jesus Name.

Until tomorrow...

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Thinking like Jesus...

Good morning all-

I will soon be off from work and my hope is that I will be able to write more.  I have had much on my mind lately with our move at work, new business in 2015, a son getting married and a teenager that needs a reality check.  All these things have been on my mind more than Jesus.  I'm repenting this morning because as I look at my tree, I see the cross and it reminded me that when I'm focused on the world, the cross is the last thing I think about.

Who did Jesus come for?  Did He come for the religious man, the rich man or the lost man?  If you have been in your Bible, you know He came for the lost.  Now a lost man could be a religious man or a rich man.  Being lost has nothing to do with being pious, it has to do with not knowing a Savior.  There are many men and women that proclaim they know Jesus but do we?  That's the question I asked myself this morning.  A man born to a virgin, who is our  savior does not walk this earth and even when He did, men refused to realize His power.  Miracles happened on the streets and men still did not repent.  Why is it so important to infuse repentance into thinking like Jesus?

Jesus was a man just like us.  He was tempted, He could feel and He still had to choose.  His will had to aligned with His Fathers in order to complete the prophesy of old.  How hard must it have been to love those that crucified Him and yet, His last words recorded were "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."  Shoot, I know people that still haven't resolved issues with family members, friends or co-workers and it's been years.  Good thing Jesus doesn't hold a grudge.  That's why when we think about Jesus we must ask His forgiveness.  We put family, work, food, and personal pleasure before our Mighty Father and all He asks for is moments of our time to feed us truth.  I'm feeling convicted this morning because I've really only read the Bible twice this week, which means I have missed out on my manna.  If you believe in Jesus, then get into Scripture and find Him today and if you don't, He came for you, so at least investigate His love and forgiveness.  I sure am.  Thinking like Jesus means spending time with God, repenting and remembering that the least of these is more important than money, power or social status.

Don't wander this season.  Spread out your hands, open your minds and remember that Jesus is the reason for this season.  He came for the lost, the sinner and the poor.  He loves us but we must do our parts to think like Him, be like Him and remember that our will belongs to Him.  May this week be joyous and you look for Him!

After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear. “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭1-19‬ NIV)

Sunday, December 7, 2014

The light that led the wise men...

Good morning all-

I woke up at 4:44 am this morning and I guess it was time for me to wake up.  It's 5:09 am, my coffee is brewing and the lights on my Christmas tree are twinkling in the dark.  The first thing I thought of was the star that the wise men followed.  You know the one that lit up the sky.  These great men knew that if they followed it, they would meet the King of Kings.

We worry about what time we get up, how many things need to get done and who we left off a shopping list.  We run from one activity to the next hoping the day won't go too fast and just praying that everything on our list will get checked off before we hit the pillow.  But on the day of Jesus birth, His mother only hoped for a place to have Him and Joseph was praying He would get her there and the wise men were anticipating meeting the Messiah.  And then, He was born in a barn with animals all around because the Inn was full.  Our Messiah wasn't born in a hospital, He was born on hay.  Do we remember that as the day approaches.  That His Father guided men through the night by a star that was so bright it lit up the night and that He was born on straw.  I couldn't have made that word picture any more dynamic, could you?

December is a hard month for me and it just now seems to be getting easier.  My father passed away on the 3rd of December and my mom on the 20th.  My birthday is the 23rd. How ironic is that?  I could have let the devastation I felt after losing each one of them change the jubilation of Christmas but I didn't.  Christmas is more than lights on a tree or buying presents.  Christmas is the celebration of our King.  We forget that as we hurry toward the day.  In some ways I think the Jews understand this better.  They spend time singing prayers at Passover.  It's a time of remembrance.  We need to be in the same frame of mind.  The wise men were.  They were on a long journey anticipating the Savior and where did they see Him, in a manger surrounded by hay and animals.  Our beautiful king born humbly on a starlit night.  That's why with all the sadness, I came through.  Jesus was my guiding light through the darkness.  He lifted me up and helped me see the beauty of this season.  This is a time of rejoicing, loving others and being one with our Lord.  Every day we should wander to a place where He fills our minds but especially as we approach His birthday.  Every morning should be a jubilation of prayers and offerings.  It's not only a great time to give; it's a great time to praise.  Be one with our Lord in asking for Him to guide you so that you might comfort others this time of year.  He was our light then and still is.  Remember that star God made bright.  It was His sign that His Son was born!

So as I sit here in the wee hours of the morning, I am praising my Savior for reminding me of the beauty in this season and the wonderful parents He gave me.  I'm hoping that they are dancing on the streets of gold and praising Him today.  May God bless you if you are hurting as we approach His birth.  Remember He didn't come as a rich man He came as a poor man, born in a manger.  I'm humbled by Him.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1-12‬ NIV)

You know reading this reminded me that not only did He come into this world humbly but then His parents had to flee.  Our King born in hay, fled hours from His birth to escape a corrupt King.  What a day!  I hope that as you read this, you begin to really see the beauty in remembering those that have gone before us.  They set the stage today.  And although we can't see Him, we need to go before Him with our treasures.  He is our King.  With that, I leave you.  I hope that you write a prayer down and worship Him this very day.  He deserves our honor.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Holy, Holy is The Lord!

Good morning all-

What are you doing this morning?  Did you wake up and run?  I did.  I'm at the laundromat with five washers full of my clothes.  My three year old washing machine died and this is the second week I'm here and all I could think about was, "Thank you Lord for the ability to go to the laundry mat."  It takes me back to when I lived in an apartment and didn't have money to wash my laundry.  It would pile up in a closet until I could scrape a few dollars together.  I would carry it to the facility and bring it home wet to hang because I didn't have the money to wash and dry. Fast forward to now, I have the luxury of my own laundry room with three year old appliances and even when one went down, we were able to go out and buy another one and it will be delivered next week.  I hadn't thought about the days of old when I couldn't afford to wash my clothes for a very long time.  It got me to thinking about how I lack appreciation for all that God has provided and I feel ashamed in some ways.

Life is easy when you can pay your bills, spend money on frivolous things and go to work.  But what about when you couldn't? Just this week, I found out that a basketball player in a Wichita High School lost his mother.  Hunter played with him on a competitive team and his family was not wealthy.  I tried to see if there was a trust in her obituary but they couldn't even afford to put an announcement in the paper.  How lucky we are when we have more than most.

My point today is not only to go back to a time long ago or even to bring sorrow into today.  It really is to remind you and me that we are lucky and that we should wake up calling on Your Holy Name. He is our provision and when He provides in a way that allows us to have our needs met; we should look for ways to meet others too.  It is not a coincidence that you can put food on your table or pay your bills.  The money has been provided to you and He is expecting us to give of it in return.  I'm humbled by my past but I'm more humbled thinking about how the King of Kings took me from nothing to something and wondering, "Have I given enough to His cause?"

This time in America is crazy.  People are out shopping and spending thousands of dollars on toys, electronics and more.  We have forgotten to put Christ in Christmas.  This will be the last year I have my entire family together and I am going to pray that each one of us thanks our Lord for His sacrifice.  I am going to give my sons cards and ask them to write down what God has done for them this year so that later we can all look back on His provision.

Please take a moment to pray for the children that have lost their parents young.  I have no idea how this will impact the teenager Hunter played with.  The odds are against him.  His grades were not good but he can play basketball and for now, he has that.  Also, take a moment today to remember your past and look at all the things God has orchestrated and ask Him to cast a vision for your life.  It's time we all call on the Holy One  and ask, "What am I to do for you?"  May the Lord of Israel call upon His people as we approach the celebration of His birth.  We are blessed!

“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. “ ‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God. “ ‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. “ ‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up. If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted. Whoever eats it will be held responsible because they have desecrated what is holy to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people. “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭19‬:‭2-10‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

O, Lord, I pray that we would be reminded of your sacrifice and that we would look upon You all our days.  We have been provided for eternally and we should call on You daily with praise and reverence.  Thank you for reminding us all that You are the only thing we need.  You are Holy and worthy of praise.   As we approach the celebration of your birth, help us to be reminded that You were born not to live a kings life but to live the life of a carpenter.  You were a craftsmen and a wanderer with one purpose, to save nations.  Please forgive us of our sins and help us think of others, not just during this time of Advent but every day.  Thank you for providing us with food, clothing and housing.  We pray for those that are less fortunate today.  We especially pray for the children that have lost their mothers and fathers.  They are in need of a healer.  Please bring provision to them.  We pray this in Your Holy Name, AMEN!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Today is the day our Lord made...

Good morning all-

I titled this blog, "Today is the day our Lord made," mostly because that's all I can think about.  I woke up this morning with memories of my mom turning forty-nine and in a few short weeks, I will be the very same age.  I remember thinking how old she was when in fact, she probably was in her prime.  I know I'm more tired.  I wear out easily in the evening because I've already put in more work than two teenagers and I know that I can see the signs in my hands and face.  Age has come and with it, I'm one more year to paradise.

The headlines are about Ebola, a young man who was killed by a police officer and a teenager in Ohio waving a toy gun that was killed. There is so much stuff going on that someone could get lost.  People were out Christmas shopping on Thursday and honestly, I heard more horns honking than on any other day of the year.  Families came in for the holiday and children that you once knew are now grown men and women and then there are those that have gone to be with Jesus and you remember them with fondness and a little sadness.  All of these things encompass a day and it is our Lord, God and Savior.  We are His and He has made this day.  It's no coincidence that I woke up thinking about my mom this morning or reading about the policeman that is resigning from his duties to save a city.  This is what was given to us today and we must embrace it, pray for it and work toward putting God first in our lives.

Some might say, "How is God in today?"  Well that's a great question.  He is in the voice of the child at St. Jude fighting for their life.  He is with the young mother who is sleep deprived and wondering when she will ever rest again.  He is with the mother struggling to get their teenager on the right path and He is with the mom who laid her son to rest.  These are the moments we know He is near.  Why?  Because every one of these people is crying out for Him to be with them, just today.  None of these women could look at tomorrow because tomorrow is so uncertain, full of fear and distress.  So instead of looking for tomorrow, they spend time alone asking God to help them today.

So as you wake and read this blog, think of how God made today.  It is still dark in Kansas but I can hear the wind changing directions and the cold coming back once again.  When the sun begins to rise, a new day will dawn and the earth will once again wake.  And in the quiet, I pray you are thinking about all that Christ has done for you.  You are praying for the sick, the confused, the sinner and the saint.  They all need prayer but mostly, I'm praying for you to be in this moment, in today with our Lord and thanking Him for all He has made.  I know that this is sometimes very tough.  I have challenges just like you but it is our Lord that has made us and this day and He has a purpose greater than our thoughts, feelings or wishes.  He has made today to glorify Him!

May your day be filled with memories of how God helped you through a great trial, or how he made you laugh when you wanted to cry.  May today bring you happiness even if you feel sorrow and may you grow closer to our Savior as you pray for others that wish today would never be.  You can be assured, I am praying for you.  I am thinking about every woman, in every country and asking God to show her the way to paradise.  We hold the keys to bringing the next generation to Christ.  How you might ask?  By living each day believing that God put us on this earth and made this day!  Be well my sisters and know I'm thanking God every day for this blog and for you.

And she made a vow, saying, “ Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” (‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬ NIV)

This was Hannah's prayer to the Lord for a son.  She lived for that day and prayed.  She would do exactly as she vowed.  As soon as he was weaned, He was given to be raised for God's purpose and out of this Scripture came Samuel.  What would be your vow this day if you had a chance to ask God to deliver you?  Would you ask for a son, food, a house or maybe a job?  Live in today, be sacrificial and love our Lord with all your heart and soul.  It's no coincidence that God answered this prayer and that Samuel was a great prophet in a very tumultuous time in Israel.  We are in the end times, no one knows the hour but we are there.  Let's remember that one of our vows should be to live in today and worship the only God that lives!

The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭38‬:‭19‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

Hear our cries, O, Mighty, God.  We come to You proclaiming that You are the way and the truth.  We know that You made today for Your purpose and we are here today to live in it and believe that You are God.  The cries of the helpless are being sent to the King of Kings and The Lord of Lords.  Our leaders are following their own devices, the world grows more evil and our children are turning on us but in all of it, You are near.  The sun always rises to the East and sets in the West.  It is our indication that You are mighty and powerful.  The light takes us from night to day and within each morning we hear Your call.  Make us new today.  Give us a spirit that wants to know You more and please make us humble.  Often we want fame for our work but the only fame we should desire is to be in Your presence.  Nothing else matters.  Please forgive us for our sinful nature, help us raise the next generation and mostly, help us to see that You made today and that You are present in it.  Thank you for all the things You do.  I still believe in miracles.  Help us to embrace You like a child, open and loving with no sense of skepticism or doubt.  We look on You today for all things.  Let us have eyes to see and ears to hear and bring revival all over the world!  In Jesus Name I pray.

Until tomorrow...

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thanksgiving and forgiveness...

Good morning all-

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving.  I have to admit it's been around the tradition and not my thought life.  Thanksgiving was a time of great harvest and immense joy.  The Indians had helped the Pilgrims grow food for the winter, which meant imminent survival.  I can only imagine the feeling of joy and thanksgiving.  It was a time that Christians and non-Christians came together for the good of man and it must have been wonderful!

Fast forward to 2014 when food is bought at grocery stores, most men wouldn't know how to farm and many ladies can't cook.  For some, turkeys will be bought already prepared, we can actually buy the whole dinner if we want.  And yet, thousands of miles away, children are starving, homelessness is everywhere and for many today will not represent Thanksgiving.  I get caught up in the dinner, the family and the preparation.  My mom loved this time of year and made it fancy and special, so when I found out my husband wanted to celebrate with his family this year, I struggled with sadness and loss.  The sadness I don't really get but the loss I have a clue into.  This is the time that reminds me of my mom the most and somehow I felt like I wouldn't feel her if I didn't continue her legacy.  Strange enough, I am repenting of that because God is the reason for Thanksgiving and not just today.  We should be on bended knee proclaiming Him as mighty and worthy of praise, instead of worrying that I somehow am letting my parents down.

The years are going quick and I try to hold onto each one tight.  The problem with doing that is that I don't stay in the moment.  What was meant traditionally as Thanksgiving has been lost in material things.  Those people were thanking God for the Indians that taught them how to plant and store food.  Without their help, the Pilgrims would have starved.  God provided their manna for the winter and continues to provide for us today.  We are so used to the abundance in America, maybe it's time we scaled back and thought about the meaning behind why we celebrate and for whom we are celebrating.

My thought life has also gone to forgiveness.  During this time, I need to be forgiving and thankful.  Christ has done a lot for me and although I am the captain of my ship, He steers it if I ask.  So my heart is asking the Lord to remind me of my need for Him, convict me of my sins, and help me be thankful for every thing He has provided for me.  So even though I am struggling with my mind, I know that God is near.  He is prompting me to wash away tradition, respect my husband's wishes, and move toward Him with thanksgiving in my heart.  So at 5:49 am, I proclaim thanksgiving in my heart for my King and Savior.  I am thanking Him for everything I have and for everyone that has entered my life.  But most of all, I am thanking Him for dying on a cross and providing everlasting life.  My heart is full this morning as I confess my sin and as I look toward the God of my heart.

I pray that many will have food this season and that all over the world people will come together putting Christ first before traditions and material things.  I hope that thousands hear the message of His mercy and grace.  I also am praying that we will pray that those that don't know Him will proclaim Him as Lord and Savior this season.  I know that holidays can be difficult, especially if you have lost someone.  In the last seven years, my thoughts have often gone to those that I have lost.  In the same moment, my thoughts have gone to what they left behind, love.  The one thing I have never lacked was love and if I should be thankful for anything this year it should be that I have been loved and know how to love.  My Father is my guide to knowing and loving you too.  If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, take a moment every day to thank the Lord for this life and if you are celebrating today, don't forget to have thanksgiving in your heart tomorrow.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— (‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

O, Lord, we come today with thanksgiving in our heart with prayers for the unbeliever.  Please take this day and make it a day of you, celebrating Your mighty power in this sinful world.  We ask forgiveness for our selfishness and need to be celebrated.  Today with our families should be a day of prayer and thanksgiving in our hearts for the rainbows you provide, for the water we drink, for the manna we eat and for everlasting life.  We need You to be in our lives, to light our path and to help us remember that You are the reason for every moment of life.  Forgive us our sins today Lord and help us love the lost.

Until tomorrow...

Sunday, November 23, 2014

How do you witness?

Good morning all-

This week I was back in New Orleans.  It was for work so it was full of late nights and early mornings.  I normally rent a car but because the meeting was in the French Quarter I decided to cab it.  On my way back to the airport a story unfolded that got me thinking about how I spread the word of Jesus Christ.

This is not about there being a right or wrong way to spread the gospel but it is about thoughtful intention.  We were made to spread the word and this man did just that but if I weren't a believer I probably would have shut him off completely.  He started with, "Are you a believer?" In all my many travels I've  never been asked that question so immediately I was intrigued.  My answer was yes.  He then began to tell me the end times were upon us, stating memorized Scripture so fast I could barely process it and then he told me he was ready.  He talked about Satan being a god which he isn't and then talked about all those that would go with him to hell. Now to put this into perspective it's a 20 minute ride to the airport.  The minute I heard him say they were going to hell, I asked him, "How do pray for those that don't know Jesus?"  His answer was to continue to present Scripture.  I love the word so this isn't a bash but he didn't answer my question.  And to top it off, he said I know you have lots of questions so find a Jehovah witness and they can answer them.  How would he know if I had questions? He wouldn't because I never got an opportunity and on top of that, he never heard my question.

This ride got me to thinking about how I teach the word and how I need to present it to the world.  I am not an authority on the Bible but I am a lover of the word.  I desire to know it and to be able to witness from it but I also know I can't throw it in a conversation without understanding the person I'm speaking too.  I commend the man for having passion for the word but he needed to ask me questions and understand where I am.  Again, I am not in judgement.  I just realized that at any given time any of us could do that and how wrong it was for a believer, so I can only imagine what it would be like for someone that doesn't believe.  As I got out of the cab ride I realized I needed to pray for this man to be able to have wisdom, he already had the passion and for him to learn to pray because we all know prayer helps us see with God's eyes.

I admired this man's tenacity and his willingness to speak of Jesus.  He was very brave, probably braver than most.  After all, I was a paying customer that could have been offended.  I wasn't and I did appreciate his passion and his ability to speak Scripture.  Of course, I'm always like that.  That's why I appreciate Beth Moore and Anne Graham Lotz. They know their stuff!  However, they make us think and they have prayed for wisdom in this fallen world.  I'm praying for my cab driver to know the same thing.  I hope that God reveals himself to this man and many that are like him.  My hope is that every non-believer would know the love of Christ so please join me in praying for the workers and the non-believer.  We need people with passion that can state that Jesus is the savior of the world and we need wisdom to know when and where to speak it.

I haven't stopped thinking about my ride for the last three days so I know it happened so that I would think upon it and ask God what I need to do with it.  I find that it's not what was said but how it was said that could have turned me completely away and yet, the conversation continues to remind me that we need to speak the word and listen to those we are speaking to.  May the Lord of our lives bring forth many that have passion for Him and His word and may many that don't believe find Him in this season.


We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭2-13‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

O, Lord thank You for the workers that have passion toward You.  Please take away the religion of things and bring about a transformation that puts You at the center of all things.  There are so many people that don't know You, including Your people.  We come to You today with praise in our hearts and You on our minds.  Lift up Your workers and give them wisdom and understanding.  Help them reach the unreachable and please give them Your words.  We want to know the word better and we need to seek You in every circumstance so please fill our minds and hearts with Your Holy knowledge and help us love better.  Make us teachers not preachers and guide our every step to You.  We come to You today asking for Your will to be on our lives and those little lambs that You are calling right now.  Help us to have passion for Your word and for the sacrifice You made for us.  Give us the words to talk to those that turn from You and help us love You every day.  Take our sins daily so that we can spread Your word and lift us up when we are weary.  For You Lord are the only path to grace, mercy and everlasting love.  I pray for women, men and children throughout the world that they would hear this prayer.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

Until tomorrow...

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Is life causing you to fear?

Good morning all-

As I told you in my last post, I am reading a great book on relationships.  It is revolutionizing the way I look at myself and those around me.  I even caught myself being upset yesterday in my work life and diagnosed that I was feeling disconnected and it brought on feelings of insecurity and withdrawal. Fear causes us to do all kinds of things.  When I was younger, I feared people not liking me and as I grew older I fear for my future.  With each year of my life, as I have really pondered my relationships, I have always feared something.  Some would say that the fear inside me has propelled me to success but after contemplating fear in my relationships, I also realize it has been very destructive.

What are we to fear?  Scripture says it all, we are to fear God.  But does that mean we sit around and wait for the punishment or is His fear really a reverence or respect for who He is and what He has done for us?  I'm not God but I believe we are to fear Him with reverence and respect.  Fear is subjective and many feel fear.  Some fear that they aren't good enough, others fear punishment for sins and others suffer fear of heights, planes, automobiles and germs.  We have all kinds of fears and I'm not trying to make light of them.  My greatest fear is losing people I love suddenly.  I fight it every day of my life and it's probably why I can disconnect so easily.  I don't want to feel the sadness so I prepare for the loss.  How does that help in my relationship building?  Well, it doesn't.  It keeps me from having deep, God inspired relationships and it even sometimes holds me back from the relationship Christ wants with me.

If I fear messing up, then I'm not looking at growing in love and respect with Christ.  I'm focused on my fear of staying in the lines so that I'm perfect in His eyes.  However, I'm not perfect and maybe that is my greatest fear.  Someone wrote yesterday that it is in his weakness that he was able to see how much he needed Christ.  Isn't that true.  When we feel strong, we feel invincible but when we are weak we know that only God can help us.  I look on this and wonder, "Why does God wish to be in relationship with people that fear life over Him?"  Great question, right?  That very thing has been on my mind since I started reading  The DNA of Relationships by Gary Smalley.

We are the sum of our circumstances and those circumstances build fear.  Don't you remember being a small child and being afraid of monsters?  Even as I got older, I would look under my bed and in the closet before I turned off the lights.  Later, I feared death or people being murdered.  Because of this fear, I have never watched a scary movie but if a program comes on about forensic medicine and finding the killer; I'll watch it every time.  Our fears are irrational and yet they become part of our DNA from a small age.  I know that my fear has guided me many times when I should have asked Jesus to take my fear away, give me Holy fear and keep me in His arms, rather than the darkness of my mind. And yet, with all this knowledge, I still fear losing people and not being enough personally or professionally.  What a mess?

Yes, I am a mess but I'm a healthy mess.  I work on looking in the mirror every day and asking Christ to refine me and mold me.  I know that I have fear and I continue to work toward asking Him to remove the fears of this life and provide me with a dose of Holy fear.  Loving Him more than myself means I must be vulnerable and willing to work on me and only me.  I could play the blame game about my life and my choices but where is that going to go, nowhere.  Analyzing my fears and weaknesses gives me more reasons to go to my Father and ask for His help.  I may always have fear and so may you but with time, my prayer will be that the fear that is not of God will be replaced with wisdom, understanding and the love of Christ.  These things are what can propel us to success in life and within our relationships, not the fear of failure or incompetence.

If your struggling with fear, get on your knees and look in the mirror.  Our lives are but a moment but with every breath we have the choice to choose Jesus over our darkest fears.  I have to capture my thoughts every day when it comes to the health and welfare of my husband and sons.  Tomorrow will come but today I can handle my fears with prayer and the power of the cross.  I have authority over the darkness and so do you.  If you are struggling with fears that are making you drown, please talk to a friend, your spouse or pastor.  You may need someone to walk with you.  Don't be ashamed of your fears, face them and find the freedom that only Jesus can provide!

The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. (‭Psalm‬ ‭25‬:‭14‬ NIV)

He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin. “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.” (‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭19‬:‭9-11‬ NIV)

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. (‭Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ NIV)


My prayer today:

O, Lord, we all come to You with our fears and our petitions.  Right this moment people are fearing the unknown, germs, life and more.  Only You are the all knowing Omnipotent one!  We are vessels trying to find our way in this great journey.  Help us as we adventure into the unkown.  You are more than enough for us.  Replace our fears with Your word, Your sword and Your glory.  We need to be closer to You so that we will have a Holy fear for a Father that has given all.  We are one body in Christ coming to you as weak beings.  We desire relationships but we fear being crushed by them.  Give us the strength to move forward in our fears and to see You in all circumstances.  Grow us like the vine, pruning and making us a great and strong vine while bearing much fruit.  We look forward to today and You washing our fears white as snow.  Be with us today, unite each nation and help women everywhere to see You more than their fears. In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Relationships and Jesus...

Good morning all-

It's snowing in Kansas and I am loving it.  As I write its pouring from the sky.  It's the first snow and I am so excited.  Every year I wish for one thing on my birthday, snow!  And it came 6 weeks early.  Now that might make some pause but for me, it's the best thing that could have ever happened.  My two huskies agree, the holidays are coming and God is cleaning the earth with white.

I digress though, today is really about Christ and our relationships.  It's hard to fathom that God is really in every relationship but He is. Why would God want to be in the middle of this human mess?  The answer is simple. He loves us.  I am in awe every time I think about this but it's true.  He loves us  even in our sin.  I can't think of the last time I loved someone in their sin, can you?

For quite some time I have been praying for my relationships.  I pray for those at work, at home and for my friends and extended family.  I can get really caught up in my home life but it's in all my relationships God wishes me to pray about.  He called us to love our neighbor.  What does that mean to you?  For me, I realize I am not close to my neighbors.  I don't know their kids, their spouses or their likes and dislikes.  I choose to stay close to home and of course, I have all those wonderful excuses.  I work a lot and I have a husband that likes me close, so many times I stay in my own little world.  But lately, I have been convicted of this behavior.  I also have realized that in my intimate relationships there is much work to be done.

So as I was in prayer this last week, I asked God to show me how to be deeper with my husband and humanity.  He has already given me eyes to see what He sees and then I ask Him to convict me in my personal life.  Well, if you know anything about Jesus, if you ask, He will reveal.  So I began to be convicted that I pray for my children more than I do my husband and it struck me hard.  How could I pray for my children and my friends but not pray for my husband?  That's easy to answer.  Our spouses are the closest to us.  They know our weak spots and those weak spots cause friction and apathy.  And of course, apathy can bring contention because apathy breeds a lack of caring, passion and need.  Doesn't Christ warn of this even in our walk?  Of course, He does.  Unfortunately many relationships are like this.  Mother and daughters, father and sons and brothers and sisters have conflict, which means they don't always agree and that contention builds resentment and tension.  We also have good friends and even in those relationships and the pattern begins and our fears and doubts leak out and become like oil leaking over land. So why do we feel the need to lose feeling, walk away and pout when the truth is right in front of us?

I'm not an expert but I would think the reason we run away is to protect ourselves.  We fear many things and that fear drives us away from people and into ourselves.  This won't help us.  I don't know of a Scripture that says, "Stay to yourself and only take care of you."  No, instead it says leave your jobs and your comfort zone and go out to the people and preach the word.  Jesus took His disciples from their work and their families to spread His word and the good news.

In the next couple of blogs, I will be sharing with you thought provoking methods to help us in our relationships.  I am reading a book by Dr. Gary Smalley, The DNA of Relationships.  This book was recommended by a client this week and it was an answer to prayer.  How do I  make my relationships better?  We can concentrate on what we were called to do.  We should focus on God and our attitudes and reactions to life and loving others. This is the formula to a successful life and in order to walk this journey successfully we must arm ourselves with tools that help us feel success in our relationships.

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (‭Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭31‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

O, Lord, lead me to You as I seek You to help me to be a better wife, mother, friend and follower.  I seek you to help me be in relationship with others without fear or doubt.  I, like others, fear things that hurt my relationships.  I pray that this fear would be replaced with the confidence to love my neighbor and to be Your woman.  As I sit here and pray I know You are near and that You will reveal to all of us how to love better in a world that is nothing but hurt, pain and sin.  Give us Your passion for the lost and for those that hurt us.  Give us sight so that we will see their pain.  For we want to glorify You in the one thing that is so important to You, relationships.  Help us be one body and one mind in You.  Thank You for showing us how relationships can be and for the forethought to leave us this Scripture. It is always easy to come out of our own problems when we are loving others! I pray this Scripture in Your name.  We love You Jesus.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Does God have a plan for me?

Good morning all-

Well, the time is ticking away and we are already in the middle of November.  I don't know about you but the time change here has really been hard on me.  I find myself waking up earlier and going to bed earlier.  Not the pattern I was really hoping for this season.  I guess I am just going to have to adjust.  However, there is something good about waking up at 4:30 am, I have already prayed and now I am writing the blog.

I'm sorry I have not been as faithful about writing.  I go through periods of not knowing what to say.  Maybe I'm seeking wisdom or maybe I feel like what I have to say doesn't really matter but either way, I haven't been very faithful lately.  Obviously, that is what I prayed about today.  I am going to ask God to give me the energy and creative juices to continue this blog with passion and vision.

Last year, I gave a speech to my employees on vision.  I wanted us to capture a vision for the future and implement it with all our energy and passion.  I wasn't sure what would happen but my team became inspired and so did I.  I have thought about the vision every day, even when I didn't want to think about it.  That vision along with prayer and Jesus has propelled my company to new heights.  I couldn't have done it with out dedicated people and I am so thankful for them.  I have to say there were times of despair and lately, times of great jubilation but never have I forgotten that God has a plan for me and this company.

On top of running a company that has doubled in size this year, I have two boys who are both on new adventures.  My oldest is still seeking full-time employment with student loans lurking at his door and my youngest is trying to find a part-time job and navigate his first semester in college.  And to top it off, my husband and I have just completed paperwork for him to become an owner of a business. Now if that isn't vision, I really don't know what is.  The molds are set but the true question in all of it is, "What is Jesus going to do?"  That's the question I have repeatedly asked myself for the last couple of months.  Will I be faithful?  Are my boys strong enough to trust that He has a plan for them?  But more importantly, will we listen to His voice when He calls will we bend to His will for our future?  These are all the questions I contemplate and then I wake up this morning and one of my favorite passages is on my tongue, Jeremiah 29:11.

I wish there was a concrete road map of what we are to do with our lives.  I wish I knew what event would be my finest moment or my biggest failure.  I wish I understood the meaning of what my purpose is and how Jesus will use me for His army and probably most importantly, I wish I knew the future of my husband and sons.  Well, as you all know, I don't have a road map and therefore, just like you, I must pray for my direction, trust in God and walk daily doing the best job I can.  I must repent because I'm sinful and I must ask for trust and forgiveness every day.  Those are the things that I know to be true from Scripture, everything else is one step at a time.

Jeremiah 29:11 has been a passage I have prayed every year of my life.  It comes up at least two to three times a year as my guiding passage.  I guess you could call it my "go to."  I really believe with all my heart that we were placed on this earth to glorify God and that each of us has a journey mapped with winding roads and steep mountains.  I also believe that we will have to traverse rough waters and humble ourselves before a God we can't see.  It's part of a plan that doesn't include me thinking about my journey but participating in it.

So needless to say, we will be praying Jeremiah 29:11 today. That is my prayer for my family and I hope that you pray it with me.  God is faithful, we might not be able to see His vision for our individual lives as clear as we can see His vision for the world but it's there.  He has painted us a road map to Him, our sacrificial lamb and when I look upon that vision all my other goals, thoughts and feelings move to the sideline.  For He has given His life so that we may have eternal life.  If you don't know Jesus, ask Him into your heart.  He has a plan for you; I promise and so does He.  Not everyone will hear his calling but for those that do, we are part of a vision that was cast thousands of years ago and to date, no one can disclaim it!

Be well my sisters and join me in praying Jeremiah 29:11.  He has a direction for you, are you ready to take it?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ NIV)

Thursday, November 13, 2014

What if you were in an earthquake?

Good morning all-

Yesterday as I was talking to my co-worker the floor began to move and a ten story building began to sway with me being at the very top of it.  I think the most amazing thing was the swaying of his door and the feeling of, "O, my God this is significant."

It was significant.  It was again affirmation that our God is ever present and that the world is a very unstable and changing place.  Hundreds of years ago the earth shifted and changed.  The earth dispelled itself of great beasts and froze beyond any freeze we have ever seen.  That just reminds me of how Kansas went from 73 degrees to 30 in a matter of hours.  The weather, the earth and all its inhabitants are part of God's amazing creation.

There are things I just haven't experienced and there are things I'm yet to experience. I have never seen manna falling from the sky or watched a bomb explode in my neighborhood.  Those would be truly scary and impactful events.  Although, I can say, I've seen a tornado wash over land spreading damage as it goes.  And now, I have experienced a 4.8 earthquake on a ten story building and once again I was reminded of God's overwhelming power and His beautiful creation.

As I go into today, I know God is real.  He is very present and He is who He said He is.  He told us there would be rumors of war, earthquakes and many plagues before His return.  The earth is shifting and the power of that shift is being felt in Kansas.  War is happening and men and women are suffering for others mistakes.  It is part of the plan and we have a way to impact that plan.  Our prayers are heard far and wide. They span from Russia to the Middle East and to the tip of Bermuda.  They are powerful, insightful and passionate.  They can change events without even knowing it.  Our God is a God of power, mercy and love.  You don't have to be scared for He is everything you will ever need.

If you don't know Jesus today, I'm asking you to take Him in.  Ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit so that you may know Him.  The events that have been written are true.  Everything that has happened can't be explained but the one thing that can is Jesus.  He was our Father's sacrifice to the world.  We are stubborn, hard-headed people that believe we have more knowledge than our God.  Repent of that and let Jesus in.  I felt His power yesterday and so did Kansas.

Be well my sisters and think upon the glory of our God.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are approaching and we need to remember those that are less fortunate than us.  Reach out to someone in your community that needs your help and make a difference.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. (‭Psalm‬ ‭24‬:‭1-2‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

O, Lord, how powerful You are.  As I sat in a building high above the ground, the earth shook and a building began to roll like the waves.  I was in awe and a little afraid.  It reminded me of Your words and the power it took to create a world that is ever changing.  Often, I fell Your power in the wind, in the sea and in the smile of a child.  You are God, everlasting.  I come to You today asking You to guide lost souls to Your well, may they take a drink and know the power of the cross.  We unite as one body, Your body and ask that people would move toward You during these times of war, weather disasters and powerful shifts in the earth.  We look forward to Your coming and thank You for reminding us of Your great and awesome presence in our lives.  Please provide food and shelter for the homeless but more importantly give them Jesus.  In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Day by Day...

Good morning all-

Well as each day rolls by, I'm wondering when the fall will be here.  It was 92 yesterday and the mighty winds were roaring from the South, once again reminding me that everything including fall is on God's time.  Yesterday was a hard one for me.  I watched a young man have to pack his possessions and move from my home because he couldn't follow the rules.  It was heartbreaking when everything was packed and it only took an hour.  He had four boxes, a guitar and his clothes.  It all fit in one very old car.  Everything he owns was in that car and it brought tears to my eyes.  If only I could have saved him from himself.  And yet, only God can.

I thought of many things yesterday fast-forwarding to when Austin leaves in May and the tremendous loss I will feel and of course, Hunter won't be far behind.  They are men now and they will be leaving me to take care of themselves.  They too will only have a car full of possessions along with a computer and bed but as I walked into Trevor's room this morning, I know I will feel empty when they leave.

I have felt empty many times in the past seven years.  The first was when my brother died and then my parents.  I know what it's like to pack up peoples possessions that are left behind and realize most can be stored in a 10 x 10 shed.  So why do we want the days to fly?

I have asked myself to slow down and be at peace with God.  I have told myself over and over to live for today but sometimes I feel myself and everything around me speeding up and then I collapse on my bed, fall asleep and ask Jesus to let me just live in today.  No one knows when tomorrow will come and their possessions will be packed by someone else.  Of course, on that day I will either be in a nursing home or up in heaven.  So as I write, I want to focus on the God that loves me.  I want to sit and remember that today is special.  I want to be in the moment instead of looking at yesterday and I want to glorify God with my words.  He is our Maker, waiting for us to sit by Him and say, "Lead me Lord day by day."  So as a woman that can feel the time ticking, I will sit still and ask my God to lead me day by day and I will ask that for all of you too.  Time passes quickly, by my age, my mother was a grandmother.  I'm not yet but I am on my journey asking God to show me His power, His love and His mercy.

So if you all feel like the world is spinning a million times per minute, slow down, smell a rose and say, "I'm just going to take my Father's hand and walk day by day."  Live in today and tomorrow will come soon enough!  Be blessed my sisters and pray that women everywhere would know the power in living in today!

They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. (‭Psalm‬ ‭24‬:‭5-6‬ NIV)

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Sin in the eyes of God...

Good morning all-

Well it definitely has been a hard week around the Rogers household.  Hunter had a friend move from UT to Kansas in June.  It went well for awhile but then things started going wrong and this last week was the end of his free ride.  He is only nineteen but he will be learning the consequences for his actions and I have been full of sadness.  As I prayed for him yesterday, I thought about how our Father feels when we sin against Him.  He must be as hurt and devastated as I am because He knows the consequences to our actions will not be easy.  Now Trevor will move in with family and have to pay rent when I asked for nothing.  I bought him a bed and now he will lay on a couch.  I opened my pantry to him and now he will have to contribute money for food.  He raised my food and water bill and I never asked for a penny.  Why?  Because I believed this is what God had asked of me.

I believe in people.  I have this rare gift of seeing what's inside.  But as time goes by, I won't be fooled for long because Christ will give me His eyes.  There are so many people that believe everyone is bad, they aren't bad but their actions are.  Trevor continued to disobey rules and last week we found that he broke a window to sneak a young girl into my home.  I have been sick about it.  I also have experienced anger, hurt and sadness.  He will reap the consequences of his actions but I also had to bear the brunt of his actions.  Doesn't God do the same thing?  He gave us free choice and allowed us to make decisions.  He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us and yet, when we are weak; we fall into temptation.

I used to think God loved to punish those of us that sinned.  Now I know that it's us that makes those decisions and as we make those decisions, God weeps for us, just like I have for Trevor.  I saw it as I was praying.  My feelings were just like our Makers.  He tries to stop us from going down the path of destruction but we continue on believing there won't be a complication.  Well, this week Trevor is beginning to feel the complication of his actions.  I have forgiven him and understand that he has his own walk in life.  I'm not sure he believes in Jesus but when he's alone I hope he remembers that I loved Him with God's heart.  I'm going to miss him.  He's complicated and scarred but at the end of the day, he broke the rules and lost a home where he could just be himself.  I'm praying for his journey and hope that God and him meet up.  In the meantime, if you are sinning against God, please ask for His forgiveness.  Don't walk further away because you don't feel worthy.  Walk toward the light because He is near and wants His child to come home.

I probably won't ever take in another child.  At least right now that's how I feel.  This has been a good learning lesson to me too because I truly want to look at the child and not the man he had become and at nineteen you are a man.  So with that being said, repent and ask God for direction.  We all fall into sin but now my question is, "How much of my sin hurts my Father?"

Take heart in Jesus and thank Him for being a loving, forgiving Father.  He is love and understands the temptations of life.  Satan spent forty days tempting Him.  He knows what you're going through so fight it with all your power, Christ is your shield.  Wishing you the best day ever as we walk toward the light of the world.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬ NIV)

My Prayer today:

O, Lord of Israel, help me hear Your voice.  Temptation is everywhere and when we are tempted and fall, consequences are on the door.  Please lead us from temptation and forgive us of our sins.  We are weak but You are strong.  Thank you for giving us a resting place full of power and majesty.  We need You to guide us all our days and to remind us their is no temptation more satisfying than You.  Thank you for letting me see through my prayers Your sorrow for those that sin against You.  I am a sinner and if my actions caused You to shed one tear for me, I am so very sorry.  You are my world and You hear our cries.  Protect the weak and make us strong.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

Until tomorrow...