Hello blog world! This last week has been an amazing one! If you read this post: (http://myhandingods.blogspot.com/2010/07/part-2-conditions-of-mind) you know that I have been praying about the decision to go to work part-time insead of full-time. WELL......God gave me a job!!!! Yes, that is right, He did it!
I have been searching for months and nothing has worked out. The funniest story I have to tell is that I applied for a part-time teller position and, with over 10 year banking experience, I was told I was not a candidate. Very humerous! I had to take an online assessment test and for some reason I am not any good at those tests. :)
Anyway, I texted a friend I go to church with about the medical practice she manages. She told me she would check and see if she had any part-time work available. On Tuesday, she texted me a few questions and then told me to call her. We talked and she said they need someone for a project that will last till the end of the year and in the mean time I could be trained to work the front desk. At the end of the project, I would transfer into a part-time position as a receptionist for one of the doctors. She told me she would talk to whomever she needed to at work and get back with me. Within two hours, I got a text that the job was a go!
That is amazing in itself because I did NOTHING! I simply asked and God provided. But, more amazing than that miracle, is that God didn't just give me what I needed, He gave me what I wanted! I wanted to work 8 - 2, M-F and make a certain amount per hour. This way I can be off before my boys get out of school and I will be available to pick them up or take them where they need to go. This job will allow me to work those hours and the hourly pay is more than I was asking for. I am beyond excited and am giving God ALL the glory! Thank you God for loving me so much!
Thanks to all my "Ladies Coffee Night" girls who have kept me in your prayers! You are all so precious to me and I am so thankful you are in my life! Love you!
Showing posts with label spiritual life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual life. Show all posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Recap Continued
Chapter 11: A Doubtful and Unbelieving Mind
Joyce Meyer explains that doubt and an unbelieving mind are two different things! Matt. 14:31 says: "...O you of little faith,why did you doubt?" This scripture helps me associate doubt with a lack of faith. I think this brings it into perspective for me. I can doubt and not feel too bad, but to know that when I doubt I am lacking faith, that hits me a little harder. How about you?
Joyce goes on to explain that, "doubt causes a person to waiver between two opinions, whereas unbelief leads to disobedience." WOW! That is powerful. So, when I doubt, I don't have enough faith in God and when I have unbelief, I am disobeying God. This is a powerful tool the enemy uses against all of us and we need to do our part to combat it!
The example of Abraham is a great one. He never doubted that God would increase his family. Sarah did, but Abraham didn't. Sarah's unbelief lead to disobedience, but Abraham held onto God's promise and his faith was increased! James 1:5-7 sums it up perfectly. We are to ask God for wisdom without doubt (in faith) and He will freely give. Faith is the key!
Because I am an analytical person, doubt and unbelief comes easy to me. I am not so hard that I don't allow the Holy Spirit to speak to me, but I'm sure I make it harder than others! I am so thankful that God is a patient God and that He loves me so much! My goal is to hide His Word in my heart so that when doubt and unbelief creep in, I can battle them with God's Word, the ultimate weapon! This is the only course of action I can clearly see and I BELIEVE it is the right one!
Joyce Meyer explains that doubt and an unbelieving mind are two different things! Matt. 14:31 says: "...O you of little faith,why did you doubt?" This scripture helps me associate doubt with a lack of faith. I think this brings it into perspective for me. I can doubt and not feel too bad, but to know that when I doubt I am lacking faith, that hits me a little harder. How about you?
Joyce goes on to explain that, "doubt causes a person to waiver between two opinions, whereas unbelief leads to disobedience." WOW! That is powerful. So, when I doubt, I don't have enough faith in God and when I have unbelief, I am disobeying God. This is a powerful tool the enemy uses against all of us and we need to do our part to combat it!
The example of Abraham is a great one. He never doubted that God would increase his family. Sarah did, but Abraham didn't. Sarah's unbelief lead to disobedience, but Abraham held onto God's promise and his faith was increased! James 1:5-7 sums it up perfectly. We are to ask God for wisdom without doubt (in faith) and He will freely give. Faith is the key!
Because I am an analytical person, doubt and unbelief comes easy to me. I am not so hard that I don't allow the Holy Spirit to speak to me, but I'm sure I make it harder than others! I am so thankful that God is a patient God and that He loves me so much! My goal is to hide His Word in my heart so that when doubt and unbelief creep in, I can battle them with God's Word, the ultimate weapon! This is the only course of action I can clearly see and I BELIEVE it is the right one!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Part 2: Conditions of the Mind
I don't think I realized how far I had gone in "Battlefield of the Mind" without posting. I ended talking about chapter 7 and now I am on chapter 15. Here is a recap (it may be long) of Part 2 and how it has affected my life.
First of all, the title for Part 2 is very significant for me. I think the condition of my mind is my main obstacle. As I read these chapters, God is speaking to me and I am just soaking in His wisdom and presence.
Chapter 8: When is my Mind Normal?
Joyce Myer explains that a busy mind is abnormal while a rested mind is normal. Wow, I think I have an abnormal mind! All the things a normal mind should not be filled with (reasoning, worry , anxiety, fear) are the things my mind dwells on WAY too much. 1 Kings 19:11-12 explains that God's voice is a still small voice. If I am to hear His voice, my mind need to be at rest, not busy where God has to compete for a place! My mind should be peaceful and alert so that my mind and my spririt can be in balance. This is my prayer Lord, that you will help me in this area. This is a tough one. Life seems to big at times that keeping my mind at rest is the last thing I think about. I think this is why I love being in the presence of God at church so much, that is a place without distractions where I can put my mind at rest and stay alert to hear God's Spirit filling and speaking to me.
Chapter 9: A Wandering, Wondering Mind
Lack of concentration is caused by a wandering mind. As a mother, this should be normal right? Too many things going on at once. But Joyce Myer explains that this is NOT normal and can be changed with some practice. This chapter made me think of #1 and his issues with academics. After struggling through elementary school, we decided to place him on medicine to help him to concentrate rather than have his mind wander during class. Praise the Lord that he only had to take it for 6 months and now he is in Middle School and is doing great. But it made me think about the fact that the mind is a powerful tool that CAN be trained with God's wisdom and guidance! It isn't easy but it can be done! Joyce explains that instead of wondering, I should think positive about every situation! In Mark 11:23-24, Jesus tells us that whatever we ask for in prayer and BELIEVE (not wonder) that it will be granted to you. Wondering brings forth doubt (that is talked about in another chapter). I want a mind that can concentrate on the task at hand, especially when it comes to godly things; and I want to think positive instead of wondering about things in my life and my families lives!
Chapter 10: A Confused Mind
James 1:5-8 shows me that I have an invitation from God to ask for wisdom and guidance. But, I cannot ask and "wonder" if He will do it! I have to believe or it is for nothing! God does not respect a doubtful, confused mind. This chapter spoke to my situation personally. It explains that reasoning can lead to confusion. I have a very antilitical mind and reasoning comes very natural for me. I do believe this hinders me from receiving from God sometimes! Right now, DH and I are at a place in our lives that is unknown territory. My desire to put my family first has made me want to look for part-time work. We cannot afford for me to work part-time so after much prayer and communication, we have decided to put our house up for sale and I can start looking for part-time work. Our money issues (large amount of debt) are sin that we have allowed ourselves to get in over our heads. We have asked God to forgive us and help us to change our ways. We are trusting God that although this season of our lives will be a trial, we will not be alone and his grace is sufficient!
The struggle for me is wanting to make sure this decision is not a selfish one. I DO NOT want it to be all about what I want! Yes, I am unhappy at my job, but I truely believe that it is more than that. I can try to get another full-time job if that is what I need to do! But when I think about being available to take my boys to their sporting events and fixing my family supper each night, I have a peace. I feel this is what I should be doing as a mother. When I think about the financial implications and reason that this is a crazy idea, I get anxious. This chapter showed me that following the spirit doesn't always make sense in the natural. I believe that in the end, this decision will bring my family closer together, my marriage closer. As I continue to take this issue to God in prayer, I continue to ask God to show me if this decision is purely selfish or a leading of His spirit. Proverbs 3:5 tells me to trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding, but in all my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my paths. In this time of change, this is my prayer Lord!
I will continue this later!
First of all, the title for Part 2 is very significant for me. I think the condition of my mind is my main obstacle. As I read these chapters, God is speaking to me and I am just soaking in His wisdom and presence.
Chapter 8: When is my Mind Normal?
Joyce Myer explains that a busy mind is abnormal while a rested mind is normal. Wow, I think I have an abnormal mind! All the things a normal mind should not be filled with (reasoning, worry , anxiety, fear) are the things my mind dwells on WAY too much. 1 Kings 19:11-12 explains that God's voice is a still small voice. If I am to hear His voice, my mind need to be at rest, not busy where God has to compete for a place! My mind should be peaceful and alert so that my mind and my spririt can be in balance. This is my prayer Lord, that you will help me in this area. This is a tough one. Life seems to big at times that keeping my mind at rest is the last thing I think about. I think this is why I love being in the presence of God at church so much, that is a place without distractions where I can put my mind at rest and stay alert to hear God's Spirit filling and speaking to me.
Chapter 9: A Wandering, Wondering Mind
Lack of concentration is caused by a wandering mind. As a mother, this should be normal right? Too many things going on at once. But Joyce Myer explains that this is NOT normal and can be changed with some practice. This chapter made me think of #1 and his issues with academics. After struggling through elementary school, we decided to place him on medicine to help him to concentrate rather than have his mind wander during class. Praise the Lord that he only had to take it for 6 months and now he is in Middle School and is doing great. But it made me think about the fact that the mind is a powerful tool that CAN be trained with God's wisdom and guidance! It isn't easy but it can be done! Joyce explains that instead of wondering, I should think positive about every situation! In Mark 11:23-24, Jesus tells us that whatever we ask for in prayer and BELIEVE (not wonder) that it will be granted to you. Wondering brings forth doubt (that is talked about in another chapter). I want a mind that can concentrate on the task at hand, especially when it comes to godly things; and I want to think positive instead of wondering about things in my life and my families lives!
Chapter 10: A Confused Mind
James 1:5-8 shows me that I have an invitation from God to ask for wisdom and guidance. But, I cannot ask and "wonder" if He will do it! I have to believe or it is for nothing! God does not respect a doubtful, confused mind. This chapter spoke to my situation personally. It explains that reasoning can lead to confusion. I have a very antilitical mind and reasoning comes very natural for me. I do believe this hinders me from receiving from God sometimes! Right now, DH and I are at a place in our lives that is unknown territory. My desire to put my family first has made me want to look for part-time work. We cannot afford for me to work part-time so after much prayer and communication, we have decided to put our house up for sale and I can start looking for part-time work. Our money issues (large amount of debt) are sin that we have allowed ourselves to get in over our heads. We have asked God to forgive us and help us to change our ways. We are trusting God that although this season of our lives will be a trial, we will not be alone and his grace is sufficient!
The struggle for me is wanting to make sure this decision is not a selfish one. I DO NOT want it to be all about what I want! Yes, I am unhappy at my job, but I truely believe that it is more than that. I can try to get another full-time job if that is what I need to do! But when I think about being available to take my boys to their sporting events and fixing my family supper each night, I have a peace. I feel this is what I should be doing as a mother. When I think about the financial implications and reason that this is a crazy idea, I get anxious. This chapter showed me that following the spirit doesn't always make sense in the natural. I believe that in the end, this decision will bring my family closer together, my marriage closer. As I continue to take this issue to God in prayer, I continue to ask God to show me if this decision is purely selfish or a leading of His spirit. Proverbs 3:5 tells me to trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding, but in all my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my paths. In this time of change, this is my prayer Lord!
I will continue this later!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Think About What Your Thinking About
Today, the title above is the title for this chapter. It was full of Scripture so I decided that for this post I would just list the Scriptures I choose to meditate on:
Psalm 143:4-5 (NLT)
"I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done." (David is speaking and in the midst of his trial, he chooses to think on all the good things God has done! What an awesome example of what we should do as Christians!)
Philippians 4:8 (NKJ)
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." (emphasis mine)
Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJ)
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaves also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." (emphasis mine)
Romans 12:2 (NKJ)
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
Joshua 1:8 (NKJ)
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
Thank you Lord for Your Word and the power that is in it. I pray that everyone who reads this post will be blessed by Your Word! In Jesus Name I pray, amen!
Psalm 143:4-5 (NLT)
"I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done." (David is speaking and in the midst of his trial, he chooses to think on all the good things God has done! What an awesome example of what we should do as Christians!)
Philippians 4:8 (NKJ)
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." (emphasis mine)
Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJ)
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaves also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." (emphasis mine)
Romans 12:2 (NKJ)
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
Joshua 1:8 (NKJ)
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
Thank you Lord for Your Word and the power that is in it. I pray that everyone who reads this post will be blessed by Your Word! In Jesus Name I pray, amen!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Mind-Binding Spirits
In Chapter 6 (Battlefield of the Mind), Joyce Myers talks about mind-binding spirits and how this has affected her in the past. It affected her by making her doubt what God wanted her to do with her life and ministry. Essentially, it equates to DOUBT. Yes, I must admit, I have this problem. I guess I've just never named it. Now that I have a name, I will have a battle plan!
There are times in my life when I even doubt my belief in Christianity. It is crazy, I know! I know Jesus is real, He is in me! I know what He has done in my life and that I couldn't live without Him; however when I am faced with trials or have discussions with those who know theology more than me and I feel inadequately equipped, doubt creeps in. It is part of a sinful world, no doubt (pun not intended)!
So here is my battle plan: I will memorize John 8:31-32 which tells me that if I follow Christ, I am His disciple and that His truth will set me free. If I speak His Word (the truth), then I will be set free from the doubting thoughts and mind-binding spirits! I will memorize Romans 8:26 so that when I do not know what to pray (specifically), I can rely on the fact that the Holy Spirit will intercede for me. What an awesome promise! When I am weak, He is strong!
Thank you God for the truth in Your Word! Thank you that it is my weapon in this battle with my mind. Thank you that you are transforming me and I can already feel the battle taking place. Thank you that the battle is already won and You are the victor! I give You ALL the glory!!
There are times in my life when I even doubt my belief in Christianity. It is crazy, I know! I know Jesus is real, He is in me! I know what He has done in my life and that I couldn't live without Him; however when I am faced with trials or have discussions with those who know theology more than me and I feel inadequately equipped, doubt creeps in. It is part of a sinful world, no doubt (pun not intended)!
So here is my battle plan: I will memorize John 8:31-32 which tells me that if I follow Christ, I am His disciple and that His truth will set me free. If I speak His Word (the truth), then I will be set free from the doubting thoughts and mind-binding spirits! I will memorize Romans 8:26 so that when I do not know what to pray (specifically), I can rely on the fact that the Holy Spirit will intercede for me. What an awesome promise! When I am weak, He is strong!
Thank you God for the truth in Your Word! Thank you that it is my weapon in this battle with my mind. Thank you that you are transforming me and I can already feel the battle taking place. Thank you that the battle is already won and You are the victor! I give You ALL the glory!!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Little By Little
Good morning! Today, Chapter 4 was titled "Little By Little". It was an encouragement against discouragement! Ha, that sounds funny :)
Last night was a test, and I failed miserably! DH called to see if an item he ordered was in because we had time to pick it up and he had received a call the day before that this item would be in today. Well, it wasn't in yet! I know how DH is controlled by his circumstances so right away I shift into gear and try to make the situation seem better than it is. Well, y'all, I crashed and burned!!
You see, he was upset at how the customer service lady handled the conversation while he argued that he had received a call yesterday that the item would be in today. He was not pleased with her attitude and I tried to defend her (even though I was not the one talking to her, can you imagine?). Things went down hill from there!
We went out to dinner since we had no boys (yay!) and I was upset at myself; too upset to enjoy our time together. I had appologized, but still felt very guilty. I prayed this morning that it didn't even occur to me what thoughts I should have taken captive last night, however one thing from the chapter that really did stick out is that my pride was in the way! In Deuteronomy 7:22, God's people learn that God will clear out the land little by little so that the "beasts" of the field will not overcome them. The "beast" for me last night was my pride.
You see, God is so smart :) He clears the way slowly so we cannot let pride rise up and let us take the credit for what is happening in our lives! I do know that sometimes God does spontaneous things but most of the time we, as Christians, have to go through a process. This is the way God makes sure we know it's HIM and not us that is creating the changes. Another Scripture from this morning is James 1:4 - "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." God allows perseverance to mature us!
I have learned that I am not condemned (Romans 8:1) as long as I walk by the Spirit! So, have I learned my lesson? Maybe! I do know that it is a process and I thank God that His mercies are new every morning and for His grace!
Whew, I feel like I have been all over the place in this post! I hope you see that my heart is full and that is a great thing. I am enjoying all the scriptures and am amazed at how the Holy Spirit is bringing them to life so that I can understand and apply them to my life! I am so excited about posting my journey through "Battlefield of the Mind"! Not only to share with you about what God is doing in my life, but to help keep me accountable and to have a reference to look back on in the future!
I pray that God will do something wonderful in your life today :)
Last night was a test, and I failed miserably! DH called to see if an item he ordered was in because we had time to pick it up and he had received a call the day before that this item would be in today. Well, it wasn't in yet! I know how DH is controlled by his circumstances so right away I shift into gear and try to make the situation seem better than it is. Well, y'all, I crashed and burned!!
You see, he was upset at how the customer service lady handled the conversation while he argued that he had received a call yesterday that the item would be in today. He was not pleased with her attitude and I tried to defend her (even though I was not the one talking to her, can you imagine?). Things went down hill from there!
We went out to dinner since we had no boys (yay!) and I was upset at myself; too upset to enjoy our time together. I had appologized, but still felt very guilty. I prayed this morning that it didn't even occur to me what thoughts I should have taken captive last night, however one thing from the chapter that really did stick out is that my pride was in the way! In Deuteronomy 7:22, God's people learn that God will clear out the land little by little so that the "beasts" of the field will not overcome them. The "beast" for me last night was my pride.
You see, God is so smart :) He clears the way slowly so we cannot let pride rise up and let us take the credit for what is happening in our lives! I do know that sometimes God does spontaneous things but most of the time we, as Christians, have to go through a process. This is the way God makes sure we know it's HIM and not us that is creating the changes. Another Scripture from this morning is James 1:4 - "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." God allows perseverance to mature us!
I have learned that I am not condemned (Romans 8:1) as long as I walk by the Spirit! So, have I learned my lesson? Maybe! I do know that it is a process and I thank God that His mercies are new every morning and for His grace!
Whew, I feel like I have been all over the place in this post! I hope you see that my heart is full and that is a great thing. I am enjoying all the scriptures and am amazed at how the Holy Spirit is bringing them to life so that I can understand and apply them to my life! I am so excited about posting my journey through "Battlefield of the Mind"! Not only to share with you about what God is doing in my life, but to help keep me accountable and to have a reference to look back on in the future!
I pray that God will do something wonderful in your life today :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Don't Give Up
I was blessed (by a member of my monthly prayer group) with a copy of Joyce Myers' book "Battlefield of the Mind" and have begun reading it during my morning devotion time. I am on Chapter 3 and the title is "Don't Give Up". This is perfect for me when it comes to life in general. When I get too overwhelmed or when life gets too hard, I want to GIVE UP! It is my way out, or so it seems.
The scripture that I am holding onto from this chapter is Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you." (NKJ)
What encouragement that no matter what live brings, God is with me! He will not let me drown or get burned. This is encouragement for me. I am trying to lean on God's Word more so that I can take control of what my mind wants me to do! My mind is my battlefield and I am confident that with God's Word, I am more than a conqueror! The victory has already been won! Christ has defeated the enemy and I have the power of Christ in me! Praise the Lord!
The scripture that I am holding onto from this chapter is Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you." (NKJ)
What encouragement that no matter what live brings, God is with me! He will not let me drown or get burned. This is encouragement for me. I am trying to lean on God's Word more so that I can take control of what my mind wants me to do! My mind is my battlefield and I am confident that with God's Word, I am more than a conqueror! The victory has already been won! Christ has defeated the enemy and I have the power of Christ in me! Praise the Lord!
Friday, March 19, 2010
I Feel Safe
During Sunday School last week, we had a discussion about whether or not you would truly rely on God if you were in a tight spot, like losing your job. We often have discussions in Sunday School and although we have been going a while and I am getting to know the other couples, I am still guarded. You see, I attended a woman's small group at another church and on more than one occasion would leave feeling like I wasn't a "good enough" Christian after opening up during a discussion.
On Sunday, one of our leaders expressed how when we, as Christians, are faced with trials, will we really take God at his Word? She said that it's not that we don't believe what the Word says; we just think that we may be the exception to the rule and therefore will not have the faith to rely fully on God. Others agreed and no one chastised her for not having enough faith. It was so refreshing and I was uplifted to know that I can be real here in this class amongst these real people and God can do amazing things in all of our lives. I felt safe!
I sent her an email thanking her for being real and allowing me to feel comfortable in this environment. Because really, isn't that the point of coming together anyways? To uplift and help each other in our walk with Christ? She responded with gratitude for my comments and then told me she was glad DH and I are in the class.
I feel blessed in be involved with a group of people, a body, a church that is here to help this hurting world with love and encouragement. I know that I plan on being more open in the future and look forward to God teaching me and helping me to receive from others while I grow closer to them because of it!
On Sunday, one of our leaders expressed how when we, as Christians, are faced with trials, will we really take God at his Word? She said that it's not that we don't believe what the Word says; we just think that we may be the exception to the rule and therefore will not have the faith to rely fully on God. Others agreed and no one chastised her for not having enough faith. It was so refreshing and I was uplifted to know that I can be real here in this class amongst these real people and God can do amazing things in all of our lives. I felt safe!
I sent her an email thanking her for being real and allowing me to feel comfortable in this environment. Because really, isn't that the point of coming together anyways? To uplift and help each other in our walk with Christ? She responded with gratitude for my comments and then told me she was glad DH and I are in the class.
I feel blessed in be involved with a group of people, a body, a church that is here to help this hurting world with love and encouragement. I know that I plan on being more open in the future and look forward to God teaching me and helping me to receive from others while I grow closer to them because of it!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Girl's Saturday Get Together
I am so excited to say that my idea for a girl's get together finally happened! I organized a time of food, fellowship and God's Word and although I invited around 6 women, only 2 showed up and it was amazing. I am so glad that God is in control when I try to do something!
This was the table setting. I wanted to put a table cloth and place mats but I didn't have any so this is the best I could do! I think it turned out well!
Here is the food! I baked two of each of these for our Sunday School class the week before (gotta love the cook it and freeze it cookbooks!). I made a blueberry sour cream coffee cake and a puff pastry filled with eggs, sasuage, potatoes and cream cheese. They were DELICIOUS!
Here were the gifts. I had so much fun sewing these totes and the girls were able to choose the one they wanted. They were excited which made me happy!
I decided to do a devotion on Friendship since this was our first meeting and I knew I was meeting with women I really didn't know that well yet. I decided to open with a candy ice breaker. It was fun and we learned new things about each other. Then we did a "friendship" survey to find out what kind of friend we are. Then I referenced a devotion from the Faith Lifts devotion site about the relationship that Mary and Elizabeth had and how Mary ran to Elizabeth's house when the angel told her she was pregnant with the Lord in Luke 1:38-56. Then she stayed with Elizabeth for three months. The relationship they must have had for Mary to choose Elizabeth to go to at a time when she was even unsure of what was happening tells me that she trusted Elizabeth. I want someone who I can run to when I need a trusting ear and heart.
I believe God has opened a door for the women in this group to grow closer to each other and God. To keep each other accountable and encourage each other in tough times. To celebrate with each other. I am so excited to see what the future holds!!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Being Faithful
I attended church last night, this is not a usual for me on Wednesday nights. You see, I was there to attend a meeting for an outreach I am volunteering for. Unfortunately I missed the meeting but decided to stay so #3 could attend the kids program (it was his first time and he was very excited). I know that in Christ, there are no coincidences!
I walked into the sanctuary late but at just the right time for me. The pastor was talking about how people always want to quit when things get hard. This is SO me. Christians are so easy to quit their marriage, their church, their job when the going gets tough. BUT God blesses faithfulness and will give us the strength to STAY (or stand Eph. 6:13) if we lean on Him.
This message came at a perfect time in my life. Luckly, I am in a good place in my marriage right now so that is not the area I needed encouragement in but I struggle with discontentment and it usually affects the job I am in. There have been lots of changes at my job and it makes me unhappy at times and I tend to try to look for something different. But last night, I realized that if I stay (or stand) that I will receive the blessing that God has for me. I have NO doubt that God has placed me in this job (read this post: http://myhandingods.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-new-adventure.html) so I need to trust that He is in control and that he will get me through my bad days!
God has already begun to bless me in the relationships I am gaining at my job! This is something I could never do on my own, it is all from Him and I am so excited! I thank you God for the women you are placing in my life and what our future holds!
I hope this message touches you the way it touched me. I have already had the opportunity to bless someone with this message and hope that if your reading this post, that you are blessed too!
I walked into the sanctuary late but at just the right time for me. The pastor was talking about how people always want to quit when things get hard. This is SO me. Christians are so easy to quit their marriage, their church, their job when the going gets tough. BUT God blesses faithfulness and will give us the strength to STAY (or stand Eph. 6:13) if we lean on Him.
This message came at a perfect time in my life. Luckly, I am in a good place in my marriage right now so that is not the area I needed encouragement in but I struggle with discontentment and it usually affects the job I am in. There have been lots of changes at my job and it makes me unhappy at times and I tend to try to look for something different. But last night, I realized that if I stay (or stand) that I will receive the blessing that God has for me. I have NO doubt that God has placed me in this job (read this post: http://myhandingods.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-new-adventure.html) so I need to trust that He is in control and that he will get me through my bad days!
God has already begun to bless me in the relationships I am gaining at my job! This is something I could never do on my own, it is all from Him and I am so excited! I thank you God for the women you are placing in my life and what our future holds!
I hope this message touches you the way it touched me. I have already had the opportunity to bless someone with this message and hope that if your reading this post, that you are blessed too!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Just A Question?
I am so sorry it has been so long since I've written!! :(
Ever since my "new adventure" (http://myhandingods.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-new-adventure.html), I have just been too busy to do things I would like to. This has prompted me to ask the following question:
Ever since my "new adventure" (http://myhandingods.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-new-adventure.html), I have just been too busy to do things I would like to. This has prompted me to ask the following question:
- How many Christian Women in the Chattanooga area would be interested in starting a monthly Bible Study?
Let me give you some history....when I lived in S. Louisiana, I had a great group of girlfriends and we were not involved in a weekly Bible Study aside from Sunday and Wednesday's. So, we decided to start one ourselves. Now, I am attending a new church and loving it but just don't have time to attend any service except for Sunday and that doesn't give me a chance to make the bonding relationships I long for. Anyways, back to the history. We would come together on a Saturday once per month. The "Hostess" would prepare the lesson, breakfast or snack and a small gift that coinsided with the lesson. We would gather for a couple of hours and study, talk and pray for one another. There were four of us. It was a great time I looked forward to every month.
When I hosted, I prepared cookies for a cookie exchange. I prepared a study on marriage from a book I had in my personal library. I created prayer books out of composition books and scrapbook paper, sewed easy totes, purchased pretty file folders and pretty pens. It was our first meeting so I was setting up these packages to be the "kit" for our future meetings. It was really inexpensive and I had 30 days to prepare.
I shared this idea with one of the women in my current Sunday School class, but she already attends a morning Bible Study during the week. So I decided to put this on my blog and see if I get any comments from women who live in the Chattanooga area that I may or may not know. If I get responses from women I do not know, maybe we could meet at a public place first. Let me know what you think!!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Storm
I read in Acts recently about Paul, when he was being transported to Rome by boat (of course by boat, that was the only form of transportation across water at that time!). While they were sailing, they ran smack dab into a hurricane. Now the ships crew began to panic. They started to throw their supplies over board and anything else they thought was heavy and unnecessary since they were sure they were going to die. During the storm, Paul speaks up and tells the crew that he had a dream (vision) from God and as long as everyone stayed on the boat, they would survive. If even one man jumped overboard, they were sure to perish, but if they all held on and stuck it out, they would survive. Then he told them to eat and sure enough they did shipwreck on an island, but not one man perished.
This is how life is at times and when I feel like jumping ship, I think of this passage and pray that God will help me to eat and wait until the boat comes to a stop. It may be a rough stop, even a shipwreck, but I will still be alive! I will have made it and I will know that I was protected through it all. I HATE the storms in life and lately it seems like the hurricane is stagnant, but if I look to His Word, I know that He will protect me if I keep my trust in Him. God please give me the strength I need, I pray!!
This is how life is at times and when I feel like jumping ship, I think of this passage and pray that God will help me to eat and wait until the boat comes to a stop. It may be a rough stop, even a shipwreck, but I will still be alive! I will have made it and I will know that I was protected through it all. I HATE the storms in life and lately it seems like the hurricane is stagnant, but if I look to His Word, I know that He will protect me if I keep my trust in Him. God please give me the strength I need, I pray!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Revival
I am reading in Acts now and am on chapter 2. The is an evangelist coming to our church next week and we will be having a week long revival. How fitting that the Lord would have me to read this passage just before this revival!
Jesus has just ascended to heaven and as the disciples are gathered in the Upper Room for the Passover, the Holy Spirit descends upon them. Many witnesses are confused with the disciples speaking in others tongues yet every nationality that is in Jerusalem can understand what they are saying in their own native language. Peter decides to explain to them what is happening. He starts with a history lesson about prophesy of the last days. Then he talks about how David foretold the death and resurrection of Christ. He tells them that Jesus had to go so that the Holy Spirit could come. Many are touched by God and ask what they need to do to be saved. Peter lets them know that they need to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus but then he also warns them to save themselves from the corrupt generation. People, that is us today!! We are in a corrupt generation and we NEED to save ourselves from it. How do we do this? Well, just read the Scripture.
The passage goes on to say that the new believers began to meet daily to learn from the apostles. They meet and broke bread and prayed. They shared what they had with others so that no one was in need. They were HAPPY and enjoyed the favor of the people. God continued to add believers and the apostles did many miracles.
How I would love to be able to meet with my Christian friends daily to break bread and pray. This is what the early Christians did in order to save themselves from the corrupt generation. I hate that life is so BUSY! My desire for godly relationships stems from this idea of living in favor of people and saving myself from this world that tries to pull me in.
God, show me the way to these relationships. Help me to not be too busy to make time for fellowship and breaking bread and praying with fellow Christians. This is so important for the church today.
So in light of the upcoming revival, my prayer is that we don't just count the souls that are coming to God, but remember the relationship that MUST follow the salvation and repentance or else it really is almost for nothing. I pray that the church is ready for the discipleship and that God would prepare the hearts of those going out and those coming in for the life of discipleship and a life of living for Jesus!
Jesus has just ascended to heaven and as the disciples are gathered in the Upper Room for the Passover, the Holy Spirit descends upon them. Many witnesses are confused with the disciples speaking in others tongues yet every nationality that is in Jerusalem can understand what they are saying in their own native language. Peter decides to explain to them what is happening. He starts with a history lesson about prophesy of the last days. Then he talks about how David foretold the death and resurrection of Christ. He tells them that Jesus had to go so that the Holy Spirit could come. Many are touched by God and ask what they need to do to be saved. Peter lets them know that they need to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus but then he also warns them to save themselves from the corrupt generation. People, that is us today!! We are in a corrupt generation and we NEED to save ourselves from it. How do we do this? Well, just read the Scripture.
The passage goes on to say that the new believers began to meet daily to learn from the apostles. They meet and broke bread and prayed. They shared what they had with others so that no one was in need. They were HAPPY and enjoyed the favor of the people. God continued to add believers and the apostles did many miracles.
How I would love to be able to meet with my Christian friends daily to break bread and pray. This is what the early Christians did in order to save themselves from the corrupt generation. I hate that life is so BUSY! My desire for godly relationships stems from this idea of living in favor of people and saving myself from this world that tries to pull me in.
God, show me the way to these relationships. Help me to not be too busy to make time for fellowship and breaking bread and praying with fellow Christians. This is so important for the church today.
So in light of the upcoming revival, my prayer is that we don't just count the souls that are coming to God, but remember the relationship that MUST follow the salvation and repentance or else it really is almost for nothing. I pray that the church is ready for the discipleship and that God would prepare the hearts of those going out and those coming in for the life of discipleship and a life of living for Jesus!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Relationships
I read John 12 this morning and it is the chapter about Larazus but I saw so much more than that. When you read it, you can see how much Jesus loved this family. When He arrived in Judea and saw Mary weeping, He also wept. The Scripture says He was "deeply moved" by her and the mourners saddness. I see this as a rare look into the life of Jesus that I haven't really seen before.
In my life, relationships are so important and I try to hold onto them as best as I can. They are hard and take a lot of work but are so worth it. I found it comforting to see my Lord, in all that He was trying to accomplish during the short time He was on this earth, had taken the time to make some true relationships. I only hope that in my crazy, everyday life, that I can have the same results. I want the relationships that last a lifetime. The ones where I can be my true self and share my joys and saddnesses with.
Thank you Jesus for being a real example to me and opening my eyes to another view of who You are! I love you!!
In my life, relationships are so important and I try to hold onto them as best as I can. They are hard and take a lot of work but are so worth it. I found it comforting to see my Lord, in all that He was trying to accomplish during the short time He was on this earth, had taken the time to make some true relationships. I only hope that in my crazy, everyday life, that I can have the same results. I want the relationships that last a lifetime. The ones where I can be my true self and share my joys and saddnesses with.
Thank you Jesus for being a real example to me and opening my eyes to another view of who You are! I love you!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Less of me
I was reading in John 3 this morning and the statement that John the Baptist made really impacted me!
John 3:
27To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ[j] but am sent ahead of him.' 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.
I want to become less so that God can become greater!!! I have finally got back into my morning "quiet time" routine and it is so refreshing. I attended a kids retreat a couple of weeks ago and God really touched me. He renewed my love for Him and time spent with Him. I needed to repent for being lazy and complacent. Plus, life really sucks when I am not in right relationship with God. He is so awesome and loves me so much that I am stupid not to spend time with Him and let Him show me what He has for me everyday. So, my quest is to continue to spend time with Him and grow in Him. To become less so that He can become more in my life.
The kids retreat really stirred my desire to get involved in ministry again. Last night I got to help our church prepare for VBS. Although I will not be able to be a volunteer the week of VBS, I was so glad to be of some service! It made me sad that I won't be able to volunteer since my heart really wants to be there but I am praying that God will make a way in the years to come!!
Thank you Father God for loving me so much. Thank you for sending Jesus to die so that I may have life and have it to the full. I desire more of You!
John 3:
27To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ[j] but am sent ahead of him.' 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.
I want to become less so that God can become greater!!! I have finally got back into my morning "quiet time" routine and it is so refreshing. I attended a kids retreat a couple of weeks ago and God really touched me. He renewed my love for Him and time spent with Him. I needed to repent for being lazy and complacent. Plus, life really sucks when I am not in right relationship with God. He is so awesome and loves me so much that I am stupid not to spend time with Him and let Him show me what He has for me everyday. So, my quest is to continue to spend time with Him and grow in Him. To become less so that He can become more in my life.
The kids retreat really stirred my desire to get involved in ministry again. Last night I got to help our church prepare for VBS. Although I will not be able to be a volunteer the week of VBS, I was so glad to be of some service! It made me sad that I won't be able to volunteer since my heart really wants to be there but I am praying that God will make a way in the years to come!!
Thank you Father God for loving me so much. Thank you for sending Jesus to die so that I may have life and have it to the full. I desire more of You!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
God's Will is not our will
I know it's been a while since I've written and I am sorry! Life has gotten the better of me. Anyways, DH is back at work and God has really done a work in his life during the time he was off of work.
Now we are facing another crisis as DH's dad is in the hospital after having another stroke. He is still in a coma so we are heading down to see him. We decided to keep the kids at home with Nana and Papa so it's just us. We so appreciate all the prayers from our friends and I will try to keep everyone updated through here.
It's amazing to see God work through our trials. We have been so blessed financially and these times have brought me and DH closer together. We continue to lean on Him and look forward to see what good will come from this (Romans 8:28).
Now we are facing another crisis as DH's dad is in the hospital after having another stroke. He is still in a coma so we are heading down to see him. We decided to keep the kids at home with Nana and Papa so it's just us. We so appreciate all the prayers from our friends and I will try to keep everyone updated through here.
It's amazing to see God work through our trials. We have been so blessed financially and these times have brought me and DH closer together. We continue to lean on Him and look forward to see what good will come from this (Romans 8:28).
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Reflection
I was unsure what I should post today and then I read the entry over at http://undergraceovercoffee.typepad.com/andrea/ and realized this is what I should talk about.
My walk with God has been less than productive over the past few months and I don't like it!! Discipline from God is necessary but very unpleasant. I thank Him for a wonderful husband who loves me dispite how I treat him and our boys. I want to feel fulfilled again, to experience joy and to be able to live out my faith with great enthusiasm. But I feel uncontent and unhappy. I know my major battle is selfishness and this is a hard one to break. I have recently decided to drop out of my weekly women's group because the subject matter made me feel worse than I already do on my own. Withdrawal is my specialty and I'm not sure this was my best decision.
On a positive note, I prayed desperately for godly women to come into my life so I would have someone to talk to and He has answered my prayer. I am SO thankful for these women who listen to me and are available even if I just need to know they are there! They will help me get through this season, even if they don't know how important they are to my journey!
So what is my plan? Well, I want to find a good Bible study to dig into God's Word. I love God's Word and learning from it. I plan on making sure I wake up early enough to spend time with God in the mornings. I plan on attending church every Sunday and really surrendering myself to Jesus in worship. It's not perfect, but it's a start. Ultimately, I would like to get back into a women's group for accountability and support and increase my prayer life as it has become almost null and void. I want Jesus to know how much I truely love Him and how thankful I am for all He has done for me and my family!
Thanks for listening! I hope to update my blog in the future with praise for battles won and prayer for those I face.
My walk with God has been less than productive over the past few months and I don't like it!! Discipline from God is necessary but very unpleasant. I thank Him for a wonderful husband who loves me dispite how I treat him and our boys. I want to feel fulfilled again, to experience joy and to be able to live out my faith with great enthusiasm. But I feel uncontent and unhappy. I know my major battle is selfishness and this is a hard one to break. I have recently decided to drop out of my weekly women's group because the subject matter made me feel worse than I already do on my own. Withdrawal is my specialty and I'm not sure this was my best decision.
On a positive note, I prayed desperately for godly women to come into my life so I would have someone to talk to and He has answered my prayer. I am SO thankful for these women who listen to me and are available even if I just need to know they are there! They will help me get through this season, even if they don't know how important they are to my journey!
So what is my plan? Well, I want to find a good Bible study to dig into God's Word. I love God's Word and learning from it. I plan on making sure I wake up early enough to spend time with God in the mornings. I plan on attending church every Sunday and really surrendering myself to Jesus in worship. It's not perfect, but it's a start. Ultimately, I would like to get back into a women's group for accountability and support and increase my prayer life as it has become almost null and void. I want Jesus to know how much I truely love Him and how thankful I am for all He has done for me and my family!
Thanks for listening! I hope to update my blog in the future with praise for battles won and prayer for those I face.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)