Decisions, Decisions

Good morning and happy Friday. You ever wonder if a decision that God is making about the course of your life, depends on the next decision you make? So if you decide road "A" that's before you, then this is what's ahead for you. If you choose "B" then this is there. If we are not making our choices with God on our mind and in our hearts, there's no telling where we're headed. He gave us free will for a reason. What better love can there be than one that is chosen? One that you decided you would love and give your all to. That's the choice He is letting you make. A lot of my choices still keep me away from Him, but the old choices I made never let me know He was there. It's progress and it's slow going sometimes, but it's still a heart that is becoming more and more devoted to Him. The mistakes we make have to be learned from to not make them again. You have a lot of choices and very few lead you to God. The world wants you in it so it offers you more. But that more is only temporary and dangerous. Make your choices and decisions with a God filled heart. In love always. <><

Groans And Uttering

Good morning and happy Thursday. Have you ever been praying and you just can't find the words to say?  You feel them but you just can't express them. If you were to let them out they would come out as gibberish. Well the good news is, God hears our groaning and inaudible uttering we can't say. It's like the friend or spouse who knows what you gonna say by the way you're looking. He knows our hearts intimately. He knows what we're trying to say to Him. So why do we need to pray? Why don't we just feel it to Him and let Him get it?  Because it's a relationship. He needs to hear from us the same as we ask of Him to speak to us and answer our prayers. It's the interaction that develops the relationship. When the relationship grows so does our trust. And when our trust is in Him, then that's where we go to find peace in this crazy world. I think it's amazing that He can make sense out my rambling mess of thoughts and feelings. That He loves me that much to know me that well. He loved me enough to die for me so I could be with Him. There's no love like that any where else. That's what will feel the emptiness of our hearts and souls. That's what we're looking for. In love always. <><

A Song Says It All

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Sometimes a song just says it all. Jeremy Camp was one of my very first favorite singers when I began turning my life around. When the heart is broken and you just don't understand why life can be so hard, a song like this reminds you what it's really all about;
Jeremy Camp - "I Still Believe"

Scattered words and empty thoughts
seem to pour from my heart
I've never felt so torn before
seems I don't know where to start
but it's now that I feel Your grace falls like rain
from every fingertip, washing away my pain
[Chorus:]
I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your holy word
even when I don't see, I still believe

Though the questions still fog up my mind
with promises I still seem to bear
even when answers slowly unwind
it's my heart I see You prepare
but its now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every finger tip, washing away my pain
[Chorus]
The only place I can go is into your arms
where I throw to you my feeble prayers
in brokeness I can see that this was your will for me
Help me to know You are near
in love always <><

Change Is Slow

Good morning and happy Tuesday. How long do you think it took for the Colorado river to cut the Grand Canyon? Did you know that Niagara Falls is eroded away by two inches every year?  It's a long slow process of change. Our lives are just that as well. We didn't fall into our ways over night and we certainly won't change them over night. Everything is a slow fade, with subtle changes that people don't see when they're up close. It's after they've been away for a while that they see your change, good or bad. It takes time to see the beauty of a life changed. The person who is changed knows right away but the world refuses to see it's lost another one to the grace of God. But change does happen and it's the patience of the one changing that is in jeopardy.  We want it now and the difference seen now. It's not gonna happen so we have to have a hand out to help with the walk of someone who has decided to turn their life around. It's hard to help when you don't see it though. It takes some time and a little bit of things actually being different before we give our trust back. The slow fade back is just that, slow. And it's a good thing too. There are a few overnighters but not many. Be patient and enjoy the beauty of a life being changed by the power of God. He did carve out a beautiful canyon. In love always. <><

Never Too Far Away

Good morning and happy Monday. Have you ever loved somebody so much you would do anything for them? Anything is a broad word and used recklessly, but out of passion, not disregard. It doesn't matter how far we have gotten away from our selves and who we are, there are people that still will do anything for us. Sometimes that it is letting us go and letting us grow on our own. Sometimes it's a life given through devotion to us. The righteous of our society tell us we can't make it by the way they treat us. The real Christian know it's already been done. A very high price was paid for us. It cost a our Lord and Savior His life and death we deserved. Beaten so badly mothers hid the faces of their children from seeing it. We had that coming. He gladly went up on the cross to save us for a life to be lived with Him. Some say it was easy for Him because He was God's son. In those moments He was us. He took the sin of the world and bore it and let them nail it to a tree to never be seen again. It doesn't matter where you are in your journey of life, you are never out of His reach. The reach that stretched across a tree and said " I love you ". And knowing that we still live lives that don't honor Him. We choose not to be with Him. It's our choices that lead us to destruction.  He has made a way and it's our choice to follow it. Don't let the "anything" Jesus did for you go in vain. You mean everything to Him. In love always <><

Fire Inside

Good morning and happy Friday. You ever have that person who always tells you, "It won't be like that. It'll be different this time. From here on out." it never really changes with them and you get to a point where you can't even trust them. If and when they do change, it's because of a choice they made to do it better. How many of us stand before God right now as that person?  "I will do better. I promise you.". All those excuses. We go to church on Sunday and before the week is out we can't tell you what the sermon was about. We get all pumped and before we leave the door the fire is burning out a little at a time. This only changes too with a choice to do it better. Just like a log to a fire you have to keep putting some Jesus in you all the time to keep your fire going. He is going to save the world. And He is coming back. Will He see your fire on the hill?  In love always. <><

Passion

Good morning and happy Thursday. What is it you're most passionate about? That thing that if anyone messes with it, you're ready take it outside. The family is the obvious one, but what about other stuff, your friends, your job?  How passionate are we in our defense of Jesus as our savior. We usually don't want to say much because of two reasons. One, we don't know Bible stuff and can't argue a good case. Bull. Two, we don't really know Jesus that well and so we really can't argue the case at all. If you know Him you can tell people about what you know and especially what He's done in your life. But if you don't know Him, I would ask why not. And if you're reading this you've heard of Him and know some things of Him. So not knowing Him is out as an excuse. It's because we have no passion for Him. It offends others and we step on toes and someone may stop liking us. If that's the case, see ya, don't need ya. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. If that's where you want to be then He is who your passion should be for. No excuses, you either do or you don't. And if you do, start acting like it. Tell people about Him and don't worry what they think. Get your passion for Jesus fired up and going. It can change your world. In love always <><

Get Out of the Way Again

Good morning and happy Wednesday. So you got a "thing" going on. Some problem of some kind. Work, family, friend or kids, something that's causing you misery of some kind. Here's a usual chain of events. You're gonna fix it. You're gonna make it right. You can do it it's no big deal. And you're probably right on most of them but when the one comes along that isn't getting fixed, then what?  Well we really dig in and begin to lose the focus on our own life. We get mad and frustrated because it's not fixing. We pray and no help comes. Now we get mad at God for not helping. Why is He not doing something?  Well, God is so loving and patient with us. He's simply letting you do what you think is right. And all He's really wanting you to do is get out of His way. As soon as we step out of the way of God, not leave, but just let Him fix it, it begins to change. He loves us so much that He will let us do this to ourselves to learn from it. He won't let it go too far before He moves you out of the way. We have placed too high a value on what we can do. It's not us that does anything, but God who does it all through us submitting to Him. Get out of His way. Let the change in both lives begin. Don't be mad at Him or the situation if you're in the way. He has a plan and I'm sure His is much better than ours. He loves us so much. In love always. <><

What's On The Inside?

Good morning and happy Tuesday. So to continue a bit on Luke's story, the real point of it any way. Jesus was letting them know that they were more concerned with outward appearances than what and who they were on the inside. It's not just the politicians and church leaders, it's everyone. We always say it's what you do when no one is looking that tells where heart is. True, but when your with others acting good, does it really feel good on the inside too. That's when you take a true look at your heart and realize you're only pretending. A God filled heart stays that way all the time. It doesn't mean it's perfect all the time, it just means that we truly are who we say we are. It's a life of persecution for your beliefs. Maybe not to the extent of the Bible times but it does happen. But don't let that feeling of isolation lead you to compromise. Hold true to who God is making you to be. Follow His will and His plan for you and then tell others what He's doing for you. In love always .<><

What's Their Motive?

Good morning and happy Monday. So what do you think the Pharisee was trying to do with Jesus when he asked Him to dinner at his house in Luke 11:37? I love the message there about the inside of us all, but for another angle, I wanna look at the motive. That's what we deal a lot with today. People testing our metal. Trying to set us up to fall. The Pharisee wanted to catch Jesus saying or doing something they could use against Him. Jesus was upsetting their sweet little apple cart and they wanted Him gone. When we are the Christians we should be, we upset the apple cart Satan has going with someone else too. They want to see you crumble under pressure, fold up your good ways and give in to the world. They will wait and watch for as long as it takes for you to slip, and then bam they gotcha. But we know that's not the whole story. We have found forgiveness in the Lord and that we can all be restored. Even those trying to do us harm. So don't let a little devil keep you from doing what you know needs to be done and living the best you can and relying on God the Father to have your back through it all. In love always. <><

Bottom of the Ninth

Good morning and happy Friday. It's the bottom of the ninth and the game is tied.  Your best hitter is up with just one out. The crowd, the other team and even the people who don't like baseball, know this guy is swinging away and hopefully get a sacrifice fly to win the game. The coach, who also knows this, calls for a bunt. No one will expect it. The hitter gets the signal to bunt and can't believe it. I'm a hitter not a bunter. He's also on a team and it's not about him. He lays down a good bunt and the game is won. Sometimes in this game of life we get asked to do the unexpected. It's up to us to make the choice to do it. We're not being asked to do something we can't do, it just requires us to step out in faith that the "Coach" knows what's best for the team. Take great delight in the fact you're the one He chooses to use today. In love always. <>< 

The Little Things

Good morning and happy Thursday.  How many of us like it when little things are done for us?  Some little thing that would, for the most part, go unnoticed. It makes me feel good knowing that at least for a moment, I was thought of. It feels good all the down to the soul. It doesn't take much either for most of us. The simple things God does for us are too numerous to count. And you're always on His mind. The sunrise of a new day is my favorite. The sunset of a good day is second. The smell of cut grass and flowers in the spring, the coolness and beauty of the fall. He is amazing in His thoughtfulness of us. He gives to us all the time and only wants some of our time in return. I love to do for those who have done for me too. Why aren't I doing more for God who does for me all the time?  I feel like He becomes a second thought, an oh yeah thought in my head. And that is the problem. It's in my head and not my heart. That's where love and compassion are because that's where the Holy Spirit is dwelling. Thank you God for the little things you do in my life. In love always. <><

Love

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I love you. I really do. I can honestly say that no matter who is reading this at this moment, I love you. There was a time that wasn't possible to say because I didn't.  The change in my life is evidence to the fact only God changes us. I fought it myself and when finally to a point of realization, I surrendered. I am by no means that great of a person, but what I feel is the Holy Spirit moving me closer and closer to God. Why would I not want to share that and help others, like me, who are lost, find this? To really love others because They are in the image of God, the one I'm pursuing. To love others because God created them. So really hear this, I love you very much. You are my brother and sister in Christ. There is nothing greater than love. And the greatest love is God's for us. In love always <><

Who's Winning?

Good morning and happy Tuesday. In most things in life there is a winner and loser. Wether we are in a competition  or not, we will make it one within ourselves. And of course we always want to win. I've done that my whole life. Now I sit and wonder why we wait so long to grow up and finally see it. The game of real life is kinda the same but opposite. We are to help others win and we cross the line behind them. I have this picture in my head of Christians helping others out of a hole in the ground. Lifting them to a life of salvation. But the cut away shows that under those Christians, in the ground below, is Jesus helping them up to the hands that are reaching down. It's no longer about winning or losing, but about loving and caring. We need to be in the hole helping to lift up instead of putting ourselves above others and reaching down. Get in the hole with Jesus and start lifting some people up. In love always.  <>< 

Do You Believe?

Good morning and happy Monday. Do you believe in God?  Do you believe the Bible to be Gods word? Do you believe Jesus is God's son and died for your sins?  The answers to those questions are all the same; either yes or no. If no, you can stop reading now. But if it's yes, what are you gonna do today for God's glory? Just because the Bible is published and on our coffee tables doesn't mean the story ended. Everything that happened in it is still happening now. Lives brought together from years and miles apart to be there for each others help is still a miracle. We use the word coincidence too much and not see God working. If you can't see Him working in your life, then it's doubtful you're giving Him the glory for it. Good or bad, God is using us to further His Kingdom. It's theme repeated over and over but we just don't seem to get it. Jesus was walking among the people of the day and they didn't get it either. It's time to open the ears of our hearts and listen to God move us. To allow His will to be done, not just repeat it in a prayer and not live it. It's time for a revival of our nation and a stronger effort on the part of Christians. God is alive and working in us all. We have to respond to that. In love always. <><