Yesterday I mentioned to a very dear & lovely friend that I might start a devotional blog. I really didn't give it much more thought after that...Until today.
As I sat for my quiet time...which wasn't very long (I leave work early on Wed. and have a shorter lunch time), I felt an urging to do just that.
It's titled Quiet Time and I will jot down my quite time moments with the Lord. I pray they become like devotionals to you. Maybe there will be one you think a friend or loved one needs to read. I pray they are encouraging and point you back to the Father.
Who knows, one day all my quiet time experiences may actually become a book. Only God knows and only time will tell. Check it out and be blessed...Quiet Time
12/31/2008
Marriages Under Attack!
2008 has been a hard year for all of us with the economy going hay-wire and the job and housing market flopping. But I also realized that 2008 for some of my dearest friends and many others I don't know, marriages are under attack.
Please join me in prayer for your marriage, others marriages, and soon to be marriages. If some of our greatest Christians are falling prey to divorce, who knows what else will come about!
The enemy is after marriages because that is the building block of our society. If he can cause marriages to deteriorate then he has enough of an edge to begin to tear down the children and that then branches off into our neighborhoods, etc.
If you know of someone struggling in their marriage...first do NOT tell them you understand. Those are some of the most dreaded words, because even if you've been through marital troubles, you still aren't walking in their shoes. Even though prayer is the BEST thing you can do for them, don't say it, just ask them if there is anything you can do for them and then if it's within your power...DO IT. Maybe after a short time, you can let them know you are & have been praying for them.
Then, if at all possible, include the friend and children if they have any to your home or some of your outings. There will be times when that friend will want some alone time, take their children for the day.
For me, one of the worst feelings is being shut out of peoples lives because my marital status was in transition. It was like we had the plague.
If you've joined with me to fast(from breakfast & lunch)/pray on Tue./Thur., please lets make one day about you, your family, your circumstances and the other day for others.
We must cry out to the Lord for each other, the world isn't going to cry out for us!!!
Please join me in prayer for your marriage, others marriages, and soon to be marriages. If some of our greatest Christians are falling prey to divorce, who knows what else will come about!
The enemy is after marriages because that is the building block of our society. If he can cause marriages to deteriorate then he has enough of an edge to begin to tear down the children and that then branches off into our neighborhoods, etc.
If you know of someone struggling in their marriage...first do NOT tell them you understand. Those are some of the most dreaded words, because even if you've been through marital troubles, you still aren't walking in their shoes. Even though prayer is the BEST thing you can do for them, don't say it, just ask them if there is anything you can do for them and then if it's within your power...DO IT. Maybe after a short time, you can let them know you are & have been praying for them.
Then, if at all possible, include the friend and children if they have any to your home or some of your outings. There will be times when that friend will want some alone time, take their children for the day.
For me, one of the worst feelings is being shut out of peoples lives because my marital status was in transition. It was like we had the plague.
If you've joined with me to fast(from breakfast & lunch)/pray on Tue./Thur., please lets make one day about you, your family, your circumstances and the other day for others.
We must cry out to the Lord for each other, the world isn't going to cry out for us!!!
12/30/2008
Isn't it...
beautiful to hear the Lord speak to your heart?!
Well, this morning I drank a sprite when I am supposed to be fasting. No problem...Lord please forgive me and bless the remainder of my time of fasting.
Lunch hour, I started out not really knowing where to begin. I prayed for God to be all over that hour with Him. I then began by reading some devotionals I received this morning. Good, but the Spirit didn't cause my heart to quicken. Oh the devotionals were wonderful and true and right on time. Hmmmmmmmm, did I say they didn't quicken my heart? God used them to get me where he wanted me. One spoke of spiritual curfews and why we must be obedient to the Word of God. The other was about being hungry for the Word of God. So as I prayed for myself, I also prayed for my children to desire and hunger for the Lord. I watch them walk around and they are so luke-warm to His Word. I prayed they would have a fire, zeal, longing for God and His Word; that they would remember what they once had and want that and more.
So then I'm just sitting there and I said Lord, I don't even know how to pray or what to pray right now. I've prayed over my "list", Nicole's "list", and Yvette's "list", Angie's "list", but it just isn't enough. Father you know our desires, you gave them to us. You know our hearts far better than even we do. You know what we long for. Your Word says it will not return void. You are not a man that You can lie. IF you gave us Proverbs 31 as an example to strive for and you gave us Titus 2 as well, then you will have to make it come to pass.
The tears began to flow...why Lord would you give us these desires if You did not intend to fulfill them? Why would You allow us to be tormented by these desires?
Then I just sat there listening to CeCe Winans, Throne Room (look up the words if you don't know them).
Enter into another place!!!!
Again I'm sitting there. Ok, Lord now what do You want from me? Look in my bag and pull out A Woman after God's Own Heart, by Elizabeth George. Ok, start reading but I really don't have much time left. I get to the 3rd page and SOMETHING jumps out at me. She wrote...
I was also comforted about my own life. After all, God knows the desires of my heart--indeed, He has put them there (Psalm 37:4)! I got no further than that. Joy leaped within me and the Holy Spirit quickened my heart. I looked up Psalm 37:4 and read it. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Then I read verse 3 & 5. MAN!!! I began to journal and this is what I wrote
As I sit & read A Woman after God's Own Heart, she mentions that God knows the desires of our hearts...He put them there. This has given me great comfort & I had just prayed along these same lines. God I know you hear me and I'm on your heart. These desires come from You and if they come from You, You will see them come to pass. Forgive me for my doubt, unbelief, & impatience to see the fruit You've promised. Give me comfort & strength as I wait for the Lord.
The word WAIT jumped out at me, so I looked it up in the back of my Bible to see what I could find. Ps. 27:14, 130:5, Is. 30:18, Acts 1:4, Rom 8:23 (wait eagerly), Tit. 2:13 (wait for the blessed hope). Please read a verse or two before or after the ones I've listed
My dear sisters, if we wait eagerly, yet patiently, expectantly on the Lord, He will cause our desires to come to pass. He is NOT a man that He should lie. He would not give us desires that are biblical and then torment us and not allow us to taste the fruit. Your desire Yvette to be in a church home where His Word is lived and taught is biblical, healing is biblical. Our desire to hear from Him is biblical. Nicole, our desires to be home with our family is biblical. Our desires for children is biblical. To have His wisdom and walk in His path, it is all biblical. So guess what, the desires we have are all from Him, found in His Word, and He will make them come to pass. The desires we have are not carnal and worldly...The world doesn't think those thoughts.
Oh but the waiting...is not easy. It will get hard and we will doubt, we will even give up. But I praise God for each of you; even when it sounds like I am whining...and I usually am, you each lovingly point me back to the Savior!!!!
I thank God for you daily, we are all disciples of the Lord and we encourage one another. I give thanks and praise for you.
I pray this has encouraged you as much as it has me. Wait on the Lord!!!!
Well, this morning I drank a sprite when I am supposed to be fasting. No problem...Lord please forgive me and bless the remainder of my time of fasting.
Lunch hour, I started out not really knowing where to begin. I prayed for God to be all over that hour with Him. I then began by reading some devotionals I received this morning. Good, but the Spirit didn't cause my heart to quicken. Oh the devotionals were wonderful and true and right on time. Hmmmmmmmm, did I say they didn't quicken my heart? God used them to get me where he wanted me. One spoke of spiritual curfews and why we must be obedient to the Word of God. The other was about being hungry for the Word of God. So as I prayed for myself, I also prayed for my children to desire and hunger for the Lord. I watch them walk around and they are so luke-warm to His Word. I prayed they would have a fire, zeal, longing for God and His Word; that they would remember what they once had and want that and more.
So then I'm just sitting there and I said Lord, I don't even know how to pray or what to pray right now. I've prayed over my "list", Nicole's "list", and Yvette's "list", Angie's "list", but it just isn't enough. Father you know our desires, you gave them to us. You know our hearts far better than even we do. You know what we long for. Your Word says it will not return void. You are not a man that You can lie. IF you gave us Proverbs 31 as an example to strive for and you gave us Titus 2 as well, then you will have to make it come to pass.
The tears began to flow...why Lord would you give us these desires if You did not intend to fulfill them? Why would You allow us to be tormented by these desires?
Then I just sat there listening to CeCe Winans, Throne Room (look up the words if you don't know them).
Enter into another place!!!!
Again I'm sitting there. Ok, Lord now what do You want from me? Look in my bag and pull out A Woman after God's Own Heart, by Elizabeth George. Ok, start reading but I really don't have much time left. I get to the 3rd page and SOMETHING jumps out at me. She wrote...
I was also comforted about my own life. After all, God knows the desires of my heart--indeed, He has put them there (Psalm 37:4)! I got no further than that. Joy leaped within me and the Holy Spirit quickened my heart. I looked up Psalm 37:4 and read it. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Then I read verse 3 & 5. MAN!!! I began to journal and this is what I wrote
As I sit & read A Woman after God's Own Heart, she mentions that God knows the desires of our hearts...He put them there. This has given me great comfort & I had just prayed along these same lines. God I know you hear me and I'm on your heart. These desires come from You and if they come from You, You will see them come to pass. Forgive me for my doubt, unbelief, & impatience to see the fruit You've promised. Give me comfort & strength as I wait for the Lord.
The word WAIT jumped out at me, so I looked it up in the back of my Bible to see what I could find. Ps. 27:14, 130:5, Is. 30:18, Acts 1:4, Rom 8:23 (wait eagerly), Tit. 2:13 (wait for the blessed hope). Please read a verse or two before or after the ones I've listed
My dear sisters, if we wait eagerly, yet patiently, expectantly on the Lord, He will cause our desires to come to pass. He is NOT a man that He should lie. He would not give us desires that are biblical and then torment us and not allow us to taste the fruit. Your desire Yvette to be in a church home where His Word is lived and taught is biblical, healing is biblical. Our desire to hear from Him is biblical. Nicole, our desires to be home with our family is biblical. Our desires for children is biblical. To have His wisdom and walk in His path, it is all biblical. So guess what, the desires we have are all from Him, found in His Word, and He will make them come to pass. The desires we have are not carnal and worldly...The world doesn't think those thoughts.
Oh but the waiting...is not easy. It will get hard and we will doubt, we will even give up. But I praise God for each of you; even when it sounds like I am whining...and I usually am, you each lovingly point me back to the Savior!!!!
I thank God for you daily, we are all disciples of the Lord and we encourage one another. I give thanks and praise for you.
I pray this has encouraged you as much as it has me. Wait on the Lord!!!!
12/29/2008
Christmas 2008
It went by so quickly! We enjoyed a quiet day. We did make a cake and sung happy birthday to Jesus. We didn't get around to cookies that day. I did cook, but my children's father took us to IHOP instead. That was fun and relaxing. We then went back to the house and played a couple of games and stayed up way too late.
Overall, it was a beautiful day. The weather was wonderful and the children stayed outside most of the day...something they enjoy but don't get to do much now that I'm working.
I was off for 4 glorious days and I enjoyed every minute of it. The day after Christmas, I stayed in bed ALL day long. I needed that time to just relax and have some down time. I really needed it. By Saturday evening, I had detoxed from having to come to work and got some things done that needed doing. As of Sunday, I had lesson plans made out and saved to my flash drive to be printed out later. We still don't have our foreign language program, but hopefully by Feb. either way it goes, school will be in full swing come 1/5/09!!!
Overall, it was a beautiful day. The weather was wonderful and the children stayed outside most of the day...something they enjoy but don't get to do much now that I'm working.
I was off for 4 glorious days and I enjoyed every minute of it. The day after Christmas, I stayed in bed ALL day long. I needed that time to just relax and have some down time. I really needed it. By Saturday evening, I had detoxed from having to come to work and got some things done that needed doing. As of Sunday, I had lesson plans made out and saved to my flash drive to be printed out later. We still don't have our foreign language program, but hopefully by Feb. either way it goes, school will be in full swing come 1/5/09!!!
2008...almost over!
It’s hard to believe that 2008 is almost over. When I was a little girl, I could not imagine ever getting to 2000 and here we are almost into 2009. Time seems to go by faster and faster. We start off a new year and before we can blink our eyes too good or rather, before we can get to comfortable, the year is coming to an end and we’re bringing in a new one.
I for one did not accomplish everything I had set out to accomplish. My walk with the Lord is not as deep as I had hoped and my goals are not completed. Nevertheless, I am still alive and unless the Lord has something different written for my life, I have the new year to look forward to as a new beginning.
Only God knows what tomorrow or the New Year will bring, but I do know who holds it all in His hands. My only resolutions for the New Year are to walk closer with God, to continuously steer my children to the Savior, and be a light to others. I pray that you don’t get caught up in resolutions that focus on you as an individual, but you as it relates to your walk with Christ.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
I for one did not accomplish everything I had set out to accomplish. My walk with the Lord is not as deep as I had hoped and my goals are not completed. Nevertheless, I am still alive and unless the Lord has something different written for my life, I have the new year to look forward to as a new beginning.
Only God knows what tomorrow or the New Year will bring, but I do know who holds it all in His hands. My only resolutions for the New Year are to walk closer with God, to continuously steer my children to the Savior, and be a light to others. I pray that you don’t get caught up in resolutions that focus on you as an individual, but you as it relates to your walk with Christ.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
12/28/2008
2 Timothy 1:1-11...is your fire still going for the Lord?
How to tell if your fire is dying for the Lord
1. You neglect the Word of God
2. Your prayer life changes
3. Your church attendance changes
4. You give occasionally
5. You stop listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit
How to renew or rekindle your fire for the Lord
1. Be aware of where you are in your walk with God
2. Recall where you were when you were fired up for God
3. Repent of the things that have caused a void in your relationship with the Lord
4. Refocus your attention on the things of God
5. Read the Word of God, even if you start off by reading the short books of the Bible. Or read one Proverbs that correlates with the day of the month.
6. Prayer…begin to commune with God daily.
7. Get involved in the lives of others
8. Rely upon the Holy Spirit to enable you to do all of the above.
I shared this because I like many of you feel like my fire for the Lord has died out. I am not where I want to be, nor am I where I used to be, but I’m on my way. My heart is so void and I continue to try to fill that void with things and people, thus drawing my heart further and further from God. However, the void in my heart or your heart was only meant for the Lord God Almighty!!! Let’s each allow Him to fill the one spot in our hearts and lives meant for only Him.
1. You neglect the Word of God
2. Your prayer life changes
3. Your church attendance changes
4. You give occasionally
5. You stop listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit
How to renew or rekindle your fire for the Lord
1. Be aware of where you are in your walk with God
2. Recall where you were when you were fired up for God
3. Repent of the things that have caused a void in your relationship with the Lord
4. Refocus your attention on the things of God
5. Read the Word of God, even if you start off by reading the short books of the Bible. Or read one Proverbs that correlates with the day of the month.
6. Prayer…begin to commune with God daily.
7. Get involved in the lives of others
8. Rely upon the Holy Spirit to enable you to do all of the above.
I shared this because I like many of you feel like my fire for the Lord has died out. I am not where I want to be, nor am I where I used to be, but I’m on my way. My heart is so void and I continue to try to fill that void with things and people, thus drawing my heart further and further from God. However, the void in my heart or your heart was only meant for the Lord God Almighty!!! Let’s each allow Him to fill the one spot in our hearts and lives meant for only Him.
12/23/2008
Tough Love
Would some of you leave me a comment and tell me your feelings about Tough Love?
I've been doing some reading and I'm just a little curious. Afterwards, I'll post
again and share what I read, then you can comment on that too. LOL
ADDENDUM: Ok, I was reading this book that said tough love was not Biblical. It referred to the passage that says Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Now I've never called it tough love, but I have said there are consequences for all actions; some good and some not so good. The consequences don't change my level of love, but I think it expresses my love. If I did not love, I would not allow for any consequences for any behavior.
Thank you all for your input!!! I appreciate your perspectives.
I've been doing some reading and I'm just a little curious. Afterwards, I'll post
again and share what I read, then you can comment on that too. LOL
ADDENDUM: Ok, I was reading this book that said tough love was not Biblical. It referred to the passage that says Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Now I've never called it tough love, but I have said there are consequences for all actions; some good and some not so good. The consequences don't change my level of love, but I think it expresses my love. If I did not love, I would not allow for any consequences for any behavior.
Thank you all for your input!!! I appreciate your perspectives.
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