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“I’m Creased Wrong!”

Have you ever felt like you’re creased wrong?  You’re probably asking, “What are you talking about?”  Let me explain.

I am working at a print shop right now and we have a machine that you send newsletters, brochures, cards etc. through and it makes a crease.  After you send it through the machine it is much easier to fold.  There is one thing, though; you have to make sure to put it through correctly.  It has to be flat against the fence.  If it is off just a tiny bit, when you fold it, it will be off.  The thing is, once the crease is in there wrong, you can’t correct it.

It made me think of our lives.  I would say the majority of us have been “creased” wrong.  It is really hard to go through life and not have something that has gotten off in our lives, tragedy, abuse, etc.  It seems to get us off on the wrong foot.  We are going through are lives and we are getting multiple “creases” and there is no real direction.

The amazing part is that no matter how many “creases” that we have had in life God can straighten and clean them up and we can become a brand new “newsletter”, “brochure”, or “card”.  You didn’t know you could be all these things.  In reality we are read by all.  Actions speak louder than words.

I am so grateful that, as we come to Christ, He will cleanse us and clean us up.  It doesn’t mean we will never get “creased” wrong, whether it is choices we make or something comes to our lives that causes wrong “creasing”.  God is a God of healing and forgiveness.

Everything that comes into our lives God uses to refine our characters.  And the amazing part about God is every time He removes a “crease”, instead of it looking “ironed” and messy, we look more perfect.  The power of God, what an amazing thing.

We do have our part to play.  We need to be in the Word, surrendering our hearts to Him each morning, as well as moment by moment.  We also need to hide God’s Word in our hearts so that we don’t sin against Him. See Psalms 119:11.  We need to be much in prayer and if we fail go to God, immediately asking for forgiveness.  If someone does wrong to us we also need to go to God in prayer and leave it at His feet, trusting Him for the outcome.

Dear Father,

You are such a merciful and gracious God, for which I am so grateful.  You can take our lives and take every “crease” out and make us more beautiful than we could ever imagine.  Thank you for your unfailing love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to give everything to God.  Let Him work out all the “creases”.  If we try to do it ourselves our lives will only get messier.

Love you all.

Have you had “creases” in your life that God has “ironed” out and made more beautiful?  I would love to hear your testimony.

 

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“It Hurts!!”

When you have children there is always excitement of some kind, especially with boys.  You never know what your day is going to bring when you get up in the morning.

I remember when one of my boys went hiking on our mountain alone many years ago.  He was quite a ways from home.  There was this tree that had fallen over and down a cliff.  He thought it would be fun, because it went from the top to the bottom of the cliff, to walk on the log down to the bottom.  It would make it easier and a shorter way to get home.  I don’t remember for sure how it happened, I think maybe it was slippery, but he ended up falling.  He had no one to help him so he had to keep heading toward home even though he had hurt his arm and was in a lot of pain.  He stopped at his grandparents because they live closest to the mountain.

When we got over there we knew it was more than just a sprain.  He had his favorite coat on and he wanted to get it off so if his arm swelled they wouldn’t cut his coat off.  We took him in and of course his arm was broke.  They gave him something to relieve the discomfort.  They put his arm in a cast to protect it and allow it time to heal.  The amazing thing about a broken bone is that once it is healed it actually makes the bone stronger.

This has made me think of those who have been wounded emotionally and maybe even physically by someone.  The pain is unbearable.  I can relate.  I don’t know all the answers but I have some thoughts that I want to share.

We need to learn to forgive and that can be so difficult.  But forgiveness does not mean you do not set boundaries.  If your heart has been hurt you need a healing time.  You need to put a “cast” around your heart and allow healing.  Also claiming Bible promises to relieve the discomfort of your heart.  Just like my son was not about to go on the log again unless he knew it was truly safe, you should not reconnect with people who have brought damage to you physically and/or emotionally unless there is proof that they are safe.  God loves you and you deserve to be treated better.

When my son’s arm was healed the cast came off and that bone with time became a stronger bone than before he broke it.  It is the same with the hurts and pains that we go through in life.  When we forgive, set boundaries, and healing takes place, we are able to take the “cast” off and we are stronger for the experience we have had.  And then God is able to use us to help and comfort others that are going through a similar situation.  God gives us a ministry.

Dear Father,

Thank You for the trials.  I don’t always feel thankful but I am because I know that through those trials I am going to get stronger and grow.  I pray that each of us will allow You to use our experiences to help those around us.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

If you are in an abusive situation, it is okay to get out.  Forgive and let the Lord heal you.  And make sure to set boundaries.

I love you all.

Have you been hurt by someone?  How did the Lord help you forgive and set boundaries?

 

 

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“MY MOST BITTER SWEET YEAR!!”

This year, in the month of March, my daughter would have been 21 years old.  It is amazing how time flies by.  It is hard to believe that it has been so many years since we lost her.  Here is the short version of my story.

As far back as I can remember I had the dream of growing up, getting married, and having a little girl. My mom and I have always been close, and I always desired the same for my daughter and myself. I was elated when, after having two sons, a daughter was born to me. I could not have been happier.

When my daughter was 5 weeks old, I laid her down for a nap. She cried for a little while and then finally fell to sleep. As the time was approaching for her to nurse, I was in the process of fixing lunch and just needed to finish up a couple of things so I could get my dish in the oven. It was past her feeding time, but since she wasn’t crying, I went ahead and finished up.

After getting the dish in the oven, I headed to the room where my daughter was sleeping. When I entered the room my heart sank as I saw that her face was face down into the mattress. I quickly picked her up and she was limp. Her color was normal so I felt there must be hope.

I ran out to our shop with her in my arms. As I walked through the door, there stood our employee. All I could gasp out of my mouth was “she isn’t breathing.” My husband immediately called 911 while I went into action with CPR.

At that time a GPS could not get anyone to our place so our employee went and met a paramedic and then later the ambulance. She was taken to the nearest hospital and then air lifted to a bigger hospital.

I held together fairly well until after they took her, then I fell apart. Was there something wrong with my milk? Was it wrong to let her cry herself to sleep? Why didn’t I go into the room sooner instead of getting the food in the oven?

At the first hospital we were suspicioned. “We can’t seem to bring her around, it is like she does not want to come back. Is there something you need to tell us?” When going through something so devastating and then have accusations thrown at me, that made me feel even worse. I never said a word to the doctor about how I was feeling.

Our daughter was then air lifted to another hospital. When we arrived and the doctor met with us, I finally felt safe to breakdown and share how I was feeling and the questions that I had in my mind. He was a wonderful doctor. He assured me that I had done nothing wrong. That was a blessing for me.

The next few days were agonizing. I remember pleading with God to save my daughter’s life. The very last night we stayed in the hospital, I felt this peace come over me. I thought the peace was God saying that she would live. I was able to sleep that night.

The next evening it was very evident that she would not live. We had to make the decision to unplug her from life support. It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make in my life. She was the dream of my life. After unplugging her, we carried her to the operating room where they would take some organs that we were donating to help another child.

The days that followed were very difficult. I had been nursing her and the separation I felt was agonizing. I wondered where God was during all this and what was the peace about that He had given me. I was so confused.

I remember my dad asking me, “Do you believe that God was in the room when she was napping?” I had to answer yes. I knew God had been there. Did it make the pain easier? I can’t say that I know, because God was there with me as I went through this and He did give me peace through it. I can’t imagine going through these kinds of things without Him.

Besides God being beside me, I also had a friend that would call me everyday. She didn’t say a whole lot to me; she just let me talk. I can’t tell you how much that was a help to me. If you know someone who is going through a painful experience remember to listen. This is such a key point.

The question still remains, “Does the pain ever go away?” No, but time is a healer, although I will always have a spot in my heart missing. The greatest thing is the hope that I have in the second coming of Christ. God’s precious promise, “Little children are borne by holy angels to their mothers’ arms.” GC 645. I long for this day and I strive to be ready.

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your comfort in times of sorrow.  I pray that You will be with each one that has been through losing a loved one.  Help each one to feel Your presence, Your peace, and Your love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

I want to speak to those that are hurting from the loss of a loved one.  It is not an easy thing, I know.  But I do know that God is there.  Reach out to Him, He hears your cries.  He cries with you.  I encourage you to reach out to someone.  Also get involved in a support group.  It is always helpful to be able to talk with someone who has experienced similar things.

I want to speak to those that know someone who is hurting from a loss.  Be there for them.  Not as an adviser but as a listening ear.  Pray for and with those that are hurting.  Also hold them in your arms.

Love you all.

Have you had a loss?  Share how God helped you through it.

 

 

 

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“FRUSTRATED?”

Do you have those days that are a frustration?  It seems as if nothing seems to be going right?  And the thing that is amazing is that it could not come at a worse time.

I had one of those days a few days ago.  I am not immune.  Some people may read what I write and think, “Wow, she has it all together.”  The truth is that I am human like everyone else.  That is really what makes it possible for me to share with you.  I have difficulties too.

This particular morning I had to be gone early.  I had a doctor’s appointment and then I was off to work.  My time was limited and every thing was going wrong.  I was like, “Lord, why now?”  Why are you picking this time to allow all this?”

A lot of times we ask these questions but the bottom line is there is really never a good time.  How many of us really want things to go haywire any time?  There is never a good time.

As I was having things go wrong and questioning the Lord, His still small voice came to me, “Because I need to show you that you still have a struggle trusting Me.”  “Oh, Lord I am so sorry.”  I have to say that I struggled for a little while that morning.  I have such a struggle with wanting to fix every problem.  It is hard to hand things over to someone else to fix them. I don’t know about any of you but I think deep down inside I have this fear of what God is going to do.  What I need to do is trust Him knowing that He has my best interest in mind.  It is hard for me to see that at times.  The thing that is so frustrating is that I know better.  There have been so many times where I have allowed God to have full control and the outcome is amazing.  But it seems that I am not any different from the Children of Israel.  God would do some miracle for them, (provide food or water), and the next day they would turn right around and start complaining about something else.

One thing that I have found is we tend to go this direction because we forget how the Lord has led us in the past.  A good practice is to have a journal that we write down the things that the Lord does for us as they happen so that we can go back and look at them when we lose prospective.  This is what I have been doing for a while, to help me think.  We tend to let every day go by without thinking about how the Lord is leading.

Here is some steps that I recommend for each day.

In the morning:

  1. Write down three things that you are thankful for.
  2. Write down three things that you want to accomplish today.
  3. Write down a daily encouragement statement.  Example:  “I am strong in Christ.” Or “I can do all things through Christ.” Or “I am a son/daughter of Christ.”

In the evening:

  1. Write down three amazing things that happened in your day.
  2. Write down in one sentence how you could have made things better.

One of the first things that I am grateful for is God’s forgiveness.  When we do make a mistake and get frustrated, instead of putting ourselves down by saying negative statements, we need to just ask His forgiveness and go on allowing Him to have control.  Negative statements only make a bad situation worse, no matter what.  We need to be making positive statements.

Dear Father,

I thank You so much for Your patience and Your love.  Forgive us for not always trusting You.  Thank You for Your overwhelming forgiveness.  I know that You have our best interest in mind.  It is easy to think and say but way harder to actually put into practice.  Give us Your strength.  Continue to prompt us with Your still small voice.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

I encourage you to start a journal.  It can actually be hard at first to think about what you are grateful for.  It is a different mindset.  But as you do it, you will find an amazing change coming over you in your life.

Love you all.

When you have a frustrating moment, what do you do?  What have you found to be most helpful for you?  I would love to hear your ideas.  It is the sharing that helps, not only others, but us as well.

 

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“I HAVE A CRAMP!”

Have you ever had a leg cramp at night?  You’re in a deep sleep and suddenly this major pain awakens you.  You can feel your foot in strange contortions.  And the pain is excruciating.  I had this happen the other night.  I was having a cramp in my foot and up the calf of my leg.  No matter what I did I could not seem to get it to release.  I stood up and it seemed to calm but as soon as I would lift my foot, even to walk, it was right back at it.  I finally grabbed my lemongrass essential oil put a few drops in lotion and rubbed it all over my leg and foot.  Within seconds it had calmed and I was able to go back to bed.

How are you feeling right now?  Are you having some circumstances in life that seem even more painful than a leg cramp?  You would actually love to have a leg cramp in comparison.  You just want the pain to go away but everything you try to do doesn’t seem to help.

There is an “oil” that you can go to for healing, God’s Word.  There are promises that you can claim.  Fill your mind with the promises by memorizing Scripture.  And as you memorize the Scripture it is like spreading it over your whole life.  It may not take the circumstances away but it can lessen the pain.  Being able to put all things in the hands of God, trusting His Word, is an amazing relief.

Reach out to a friend who can pray with you, encourage you, and just be there for you as a listener.

The biggest “cramp” in my life was when I lost my daughter, the dream of my life.  I know that God sustained me through it but He also gave me friends that were a help.  They listened to me, let me grieve with them, loved me, and encouraged me.  That is what a true friend will do.

Words of advice to all of us, if you have a friend that is going through some really difficult times, reach out to them.  They will not always reach out to you for what they need, I didn’t.  I am not sure why I would not reach out but the fact still remains, I would not.  We need to be there for one another.

Dear Father,

You know the pain that each of us has experienced, is experiencing, and will experience.  Thank You that You are there for us in every circumstance.  It doesn’t always feel as if You are there.  Help us to cling to the promise that You have made, that You will never leave us or forsake us.  Thank You for Your never-failing love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

God has promised to wash and heal us through His Word.  Cling to those promises today.  Do you need encouragement?  Reach out to someone today.  It can be a friend, counselor, or pastor.

Love you all.

What “cramp” in life has God brought you through?  What did He use to help you?  Share I would love to hear your testimony.  Are you struggling right now?  Share so we can be praying for you and encourage you.

 

 

 

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“BURNED!”

Have you ever been burned?  I am sure you have, we all have.  Like the time that I wasn’t thinking and I grabbed the hot oven rack without protection.  I put ice on it and then did a couple of applications of Lavender oil and I was good to go.
I remember another time when I was a kid.  I think I was 9 or 10 years old.  My brother and I had a motorbike.  He was driving and I was riding on the back.  I didn’t have the protection on my legs that I should and I touched the pipe with my bare leg.  It really hurt.  I do not remember what we did for it but I do remember the lesson learned about having protection on.
There are other ways that we can get burned as well.  Maybe you have been burned financially or some friend or family member has done something not so good.  Or someone has made a promise and they didn’t follow through.  These burns can seem harder to fix.  If you could just put some cold or Lavender oil on, it would be great but that won’t heal emotional wounds.
The wonderful thing is that God is the healer, whether physical or emotional.  There are things that He has given us to use for protection and healing.  Just like for the oven, I had oven mitts but I had to use my God-given brain and make a decision to use them.  This is true of emotional as well.  God has given us ways to protect ourselves.  We have God-given counsel in God’s Word that we need to heed and we will have less problems.
Are we going to make mistakes and make the wrong decisions at times?  Yes, but even when we make a mistake God can heal.  He gives us things in his creation for our physical healing.  He will also give us emotional healing, as we come to Him asking and claiming His promises.
God can use all of these things, whether we get burned physically or emotionally, to refine our character.  You might be saying, “But some stuff is my own stupidity.”  God can even refine our character through our mistakes, if we allow Him.  Inventors have made a lot of “mistakes” so to speak but yet through them they refined their ideas.  Now we have electricity and many other things because of “mistakes”.  Now this doesn’t mean just go out and purposely choose to make mistakes because God can bring good out of it.  But just know that if we come with a truly repentant heart God can use even our mistakes.  God reads the heart and He can only use it, for growth, if we are truly repentant.
God is very loving and forgiving.  We can come to Him with a repentant heart and He will forgive and refine our character.
Dear Father,
Thank You for Your forgiveness.  I pray that we will learn through our mistakes.  Help us to recognize and use the protection that You have given to us.  Help us to make wise decisions in our associations.  We may need to separate ourselves from people who cause emotional pain.  Guide each one of us with the decisions that we need to make.
Thank You for Your love.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Make the choices that you need to make to be protected, allowing the Lord to lead you.  And remember He is the healer.
Love you all.
Have you ever been burned physically or emotionally?  What did you do for healing?  And what ways have you learned to protect yourself?
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“THERE’S MICE IN THE BOX!!”

Have you ever been so afraid of something that you went to great lengths to get away from it?  This is the story of my mom with mice.  She hates anything rodent, like rats and mice.  My dad, in every house we have lived, has had to make it mouse proof.

I remember one particular time, when I was a kid, where my mom went crazy.  Anybody watching her would have thought she was out of her mind.  And, as far as her family goes, we were laughing.

My dad had gotten into one of our sheds.  He pulled out a fairly large box, as I remember it.  The box was properly about 3 to 4 feet tall.  In the bottom of this box were a mother mouse and her babies.  They were so cute.  The box was empty except for them.  The box must have been lying on its side in the shed because there were no holes chewed in the box to get in it.  With the box standing upright they were contained inside.

When my mom realized there were mice in there, I don’t remember her even looking in at them, she began to scream and run away.  When we looked up she had run probably 60’ away and was up on a step that probably stood around 1’ high.  Of course we were laughing.

We kept watching the cute little mice and saying she should come and look at them.  When we looked up again she was no longer on the step so we looked around to see where she was.  And there she was perched at the top of the ladder that went to our slide.  I don’t know how many feet up it was but definitely several times higher than the step.

We may hear this story and laugh and think that she is absolutely crazy. But what would life be like if we had the exact attitude toward sin?  What if we were so afraid or repulsed by sin that we would flee to the highest level to get a way from it?  Will people laugh and think that we are crazy?  Will they make fun of us?

Gradually sin has become more and more acceptable, even to Christians.  Who would have ever thought that, as a Christian, we would watch the things that we watch, read the things that we read, or listen to the things that we listen to today.

We did not have a television when I was growing up but when I went to my grandparents they had the television on all the time they were home, even if they had company.  I remember being so frightened by what I seen and heard.  When you are innocent it seems really bad.  But then as an adult I started to watch the “good things.”  At least I thought they were.  But as time passed the “good” line started moving.

Then the Holy Spirit convicted me.  Has it been easy? No.  But doing right is never easy because it goes against our grain and against the majority, which often brings laughter and ridicule.

Often people wonder, “how do I know if it is good or bad?”  This is the first and foremost question.  And God’s Word has the answer.  Does it fall into the commands of Christ?

There can be many factors but I am just going to address one of them with a question.  In the TV shows or movies you watch how many things go on that should only be going on between married couples?  It may be a true story but the actors are just actors they are not married to each other.  You may think that I am being picky but for me I have to be.  I want to be ready when Jesus comes and I have found that as I do these things the bad starts to not look so bad anymore.

I believe reading can come into the same category.  What am I reading?  Is it drawing me to Jesus or does it have things that would be condemned by God’s Word.

What about our music?  Is it the same kind of music that is used to call the evil spirits to the worship of the devil, with Christian words?  It is easy to start with something pretty mild but eventually the line moves because things don’t seem as bad as they use to, with time.

I am not here to condemn your choices I am just here to share my own experience.  What I do want you to do is to pray and study God’s Word for your own conclusion.  God will lead you.

Here are three steps to help you in your journey:

  1. Study God’s Word.  I know that I keep emphasizing these points but they are the answer to all things.
  2. Spend time in prayer.  As we pray the Lord will guide us in His Word to those things that will help us make the right decisions.
  3. Memorize, meditating on God’s Word day and night.  Having God’s Word hidden in our heart is the only way we can conquer the temptations.

These things are like the box around the mice of sin.  It is what protects us.  When we are going through our day what needs to be coming to our mind is these three things.  A lot of times we are having ungodly scenes, from a book we read, a movie we seen, or music we’ve listened to, coming to our mind, instead.

Dear Father,

Help us to realize our need of you.  Help us to realize how dirty and filthy “mice” (sin) is.  We need sin out of our lives.  Continue to show us and guide us.  Thank You for Your unfailing love for us.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

I want you to know that I love you all.  I am just sharing what the Lord has convicted me to share.  I just ask that you consider what I have shared here and study it for yourself.  Whatever your decision is, I am not pointing fingers.  We are all on a different journey.  We are living so close to the end of time.  We need to be sure to protect ourselves from the enemy.

Also remember not to let a hole get chewed in your box. Those holes can be so tricky and get larger with time.

Love you all!

What journey is the Lord leading you on?  Please share!

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“I’M BEING HELD IN INDIA”

Have you ever felt helpless, feeling like your hands are tied? You want to be able to do something, to help make things better, but it seems that there is nothing you can do.

I experienced this yesterday when I got a message from my son, who has been in India for the last couple of months. His message was, “Hey, not to freak you out but I’m being held in the country.”

He had applied for two 30-day visas. But apparently the second visa was not acceptable. He did not know this until he arrived at the airport to get on the airplane to come home. They would not allow him to board the airplane home. At that point his ticket was no longer valid. He was in a hard place at this point because now he has not ticket and no money. It turned out that they considered him being in the country illegally for 30 days, which a lot of people were amazed that he was able to do that.

He had to wait until the next morning to go to the Embassy to work things out. He filled out the appropriate paperwork but they would not issue him an exit visa until he got a ticket.

It amazes me every time how God works. A few months ago my son went with a friend to an event in another state. This friend gave him an emergency credit card to use if he ever ran into any difficulties. He hasn’t had a need for it until last night. He needed to get the ticket and he had no money but he was able to get it because he had the card with him.

It made me think about the verse that says, “…Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24 He is always there to answer even before we ask.

My son still doesn’t have his exit visa at this writing. I do know that God has not brought him this far, to let him down, He has a plan. His goal is to teach each one of us that no matter what is happening in our lives we need to trust Him.

How can we learn to trust Him? It seems so hard and scary at the same time. I can tell you from experience that it is easier to talk about than to actually do. But I am going to share a few ideas that can help in bringing about this trust.

  1. Get to know God. This seems almost elementary but this is profound. We need to be in His Word and reading how he has led. See His ways. We tend to put God in this box of our own earthly experiences of trusting other people. God is way bigger and loves you way more than any human is even capable of doing.
  2. Claim His promises. We need to claim His promises. We can’t see His purposes for what comes into our lives but we can claim the promise of Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
  3. Spend time in prayer. We need to agonize with God at times. I don’t believe agonizing is for Him but for us. It is hard to give up our control and let Him have control. We want things to go the way we think is best. God knows things that we do not know.
  4. Reach out to others to pray for you. There is power in prayer. And the more people who pray the more power. This gives others the opportunity to share in the blessing of answered prayer.
  5. Let go and let God. After we have done all that we can do we need to let go and let God. As I said before it is easier said than done. This is the only way we can have peace through the storms of life.

Dear Father,

We all struggle with trusting You. Give us courage and strength. Thank You for Your patience and unfailing love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

It can be a struggle but remember you can pour out your heart to God and He understands all. He is a big God and He can even handle you being angry with Him. The peace that comes in trusting is worth it all.

Love you all.

Have you had a hard time trusting God? Has there been a time when you did trust God and it was worth it all?

Please share your experiences no matter how big or small. This helps all of us build trust in God.

 

 

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“FEELING ANXIOUS?”

A lot of people these days are struggling with staying focused. There is a lot of worry and anxiety even among Christians. Why?

I spend very little time looking or reading about the news. Even when it comes to Facebook I avoid most of those things that are of political nature or what a lot of people may think as news worthy.

I am not here to talk about politics or to take any particular side. My focus today is to look at what you can do to help the anxious feelings that come your way. But what I do want to talk about is, what is newsworthy? Where should my focus be? Is it important for me to keep up with all that is happening? And the big and foremost question is how much of it is true?

I have seen, in my lifetime, all the excitement about what is happening and how it is fulfilling prophecy but it passes by and nothing happens. I have seen a lot of people just become complacent because things don’t happen the way people keep saying. So the question comes to me, what are we doing that actually turns people away from Christ?

A lot of what goes on in the news and on Facebook has very little, to no, real truth in it. It is all bent to the persons thinking. So the question comes, who are you really following and believing? Thus anxiety rules in a lot of people’s lives today because that is the goal of the media, which is backed by a mastermind, Satan.

Here are five steps that can help you stay going in the right direction, help you to lead others to Christ and help with anxiety.

  1. Stay focused on God’s Word. Spend time each day in God’s Word. By doing so you can get to know the One that can lead you into all truth.
  2. Memorize God’s Word. Hiding God’s Word in your heart can help you through the trials of the day and keep your mind focused on truth.
  3. Spend time in prayer. Pray for yourself, family and others, giving God permission to work in each life. As this becomes a habit in your life you will find that with each trial you will automatically turn to God just as the flower turns to the sun, trusting Him with all things.
  4. Spend quality time with family. Build relationships with those that you love drawing their hearts to you. As you draw their hearts toward you they will be drawn to God. As you spend time with God they will feel, when they have been with you, that they have been with Jesus.
  5. Reach out to others. Reach out to others with the love of Jesus. You have heard the old saying; “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” The same is true of people; you can attract more people with the love of Jesus than you can with the fear of the future and what is happening in this world. Fear won’t keep them connect with God, history shows that, but true love will.

If we get rid of all the drama of this world out of our lives and replace it with what is good and wholesome, like the steps above, we will be ready when Jesus comes. And we will win more people to the truth of Christ love. The devil doesn’t care what rabbit trail he gets us going down, he just wants us focused on something other than what will prepare us for what will happen in the future.

Dear Father,

Help us to stay focused on You in this world of chaos. You are the One that is in ultimately in control and we have nothing to fear for the future unless we forget how You have led us in the past. Keep us and guide us. Thank You for Your unfailing love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

If you have been one that has been caught up in the drama of this world get refocused. Keep your focus on the Genuine, Jesus Christ, He is the only One that can guide you through life and through you win others to Himself. Jesus is coming soon and filling you life with Him is the only way you will be ready.

Love you all.

What would your life be like if you were able to get most the drama of this world out of your life and focus on what matters most?

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“WHERE’S THE FIRE?”

Yesterday was full of excitement. My team and I had some classes yesterday. In between the classes a couple of us were sitting visiting when a loud explosive, kind of like a gun shot sound, happened. They got up and looked around where they thought they heard the sound then they went out of the room and look around in the other parts of the building. After visiting a while in the hallway they went back into the room to discover a really bad odor. They immediately called me, I had been away, and I headed back. As soon as I came into the room I saw a couple of fluorescent lights flickering. Immediately I shut the lights off.

We called a person that had authority and they came to check things out. After examining the situation and due to the smell it was decided to call the fire department. We were told to vacate the building so we did.

We had to laugh when two fire trucks, the fire marshal, an ambulance, and even a police car showed up.  They checked the hydrant to make sure it was working. They geared up with all the gear including oxygen tanks. They unloaded a saw, got out the axe and headed into the building. It turned out to just be a couple of ballasts that had blown. Why the big bang I am not sure. They did say normal heat for those lights are around 70 and it was up to 160. I don’t understand all of it but thankfully all was well.

Do you feel like that things just are not going so well in your life right now? Maybe you have been through some tragedy physically, emotionally, spiritually or financially?  Maybe you feel like you are about ready to explode?

There is hope. Call the “Fire Department” and the Chief (Jesus) will come with many Angels with all the forces of heaven to help you. They will use all the “gear” necessary. Reach out to those around you as well for encouragement, so they can pray with you. Don’t give up there is hope to get the “fire” put out. There will be damage but God is so powerful that He can “remodel” us. The evidence may always be there but everything will be renewed.

If you know someone who is struggling reach out to them today and don’t delay. One of the first things that the main fireman did was come and talk to us so that he could assess the problem. If you are sensing or know that someone is struggling go to them and talk to them and assess the problem. And then ask for wisdom from God on how to proceed. Be a friend, listen and listen and listen. I can’t express this enough. After going through some of my own tragedies in life, having someone listen to me was the most helpful. Pray for them and listen and say little. Love and listen.

Dear Father,

I pray for those that are struggling. You know who they are. Wrap Your arms about them. Help them to feel Your presence, Your peace, and Your courage in the midst of tragedy. You are the healer. Please heal each one.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Do you know someone who is hurting? Reach out today and don’t delay. If you are the one that is hurting, I want you to know that you are loved. Reach out to someone who can pray with you and encourage you.

Love you all.

Have you had some tragedy in your life? How has the Lord brought you through? Has God used someone to help you and how were he or she able to help you? I would love to have you share in the comments. This can give courage to someone else that is hurting.  It can also give someone, who does not know how to share with someone who’s hurting, wisdom on how to do it.