Tag Archives: life

God’s Positive Answers

For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.

We say-It’s impossible

God says-All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

We say-I’m too tired

God says-I will give you rest (Matthew 11:18-20)

We say-Nobody really loves me

God says-I love you (John 3:16)

We say-I can’t go on

God says-My grace is sufficient(2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 91:15)

We say-I can’t figure this out

God says-I will direct your steps(Proverbs 3:5-6)

We say-I can’t do it!

God says-You can do all things (Phillippians 4:13)

We say-I’m not able

God says-I am able (2Corinthians 9:8)

We say-It’s not worth it

God says-It will be worth it (Romans 8:28)

We say-I can’t forgive myself

God says-I forgive you (1 John 1:9, Romans 8:1)

We say-I can’t manage

God says-I will supply all your needs (Phillippians 4:19)

We say-I’m afraid

God says-I’ve not given you a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7)

We say-I’m always worried and frustrated

God says-Cast all your cares on me (1 Peter 5:7)

We say-I don’t have enough faith

God says-I’ve given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)

We say-I’m not smart enough

God says-I give you wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30)

We say- I feel so alone

God says-I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

I was dreaming?

I saw my hand and a rope.  I was trying to hold onto the rope, but my hand was at the end.  I could see the rope separating and starting to fray.  I was slipping, and the rope was giving away.  Then another hand envelops mine.  A worn and calloused hand.  A tanned and tattered hand.  A nail scarred hand.  It came from nowhere and covered my hand with a mighty strength, so powerful I could feel it.  Feel the flesh on mine.  And I knew it was going to be OK.  When I can no longer hold on, He, Jesus, is here to help me.  He will carry the load, and let me hang freely while He nourishes my soul with His peace and love.  He will carry me until I regain the strength to hold on and fight for myself again.  Because He loves me so much.  Thank You Lord, for answering my prayers.  Thank You for showing me this, and sending me this security.  I will follow You.  I will praise You in the storm, because You are worth it.  Thank You for grabbing my hand, and teaching me. 

Gotta Pray

Dear Heavenly Father,

 You know what I am struggling with right now.  It feels so overwhelming and incomprehensible to me, but I know You have a plan.  Your plan will work out for me, and I just need to follow it.  Help me to seek you, and be ever present for Brian.  I pray that he will hear Your call for him, and open his heart.  Thank you for your blessings and forgiveness.  Thank you for your Word. 
In Jesus Name,

Amen

Thursday Thanks Tank

Thanks Tank  This is supposed to be a weekly installment, but I seem to be lagging.  I’m making the effort tonight, and that’s big, not because I don’t have anything to be thankful for, but because I am struggling.  Struggling with my own thoughts and emotions.  So that’s why this is good Pam.  I need to focus on the good things.  Here goes…

Today I am thankful for

1. My baby Boo is feeling better tonight, and she had a good day of rest and relaxation.

2.  My Zach got a haircut last night, and he looks so handsome.  He’s been growing it and opposed to getting it cut, but daddy said he should go.  It was one of those things that I chose not to pick a battle over, because I thought he was hansome either way.  But now I can see his eyes better, and he’s the only one with my green eyes!

3.  My Matthew is my Kissaroo.  He loves to hug, cuddle and smooch me, so I’m trying to relish that for the time being.  Because I know it won’t last long. 

4.  The little bit of snow that we had is still beautiful and glistening white today.  It shimmers on the tree branches. 

5.  Fast Food.  My meal plan for this week included a few casseroles, which apparently most of my family dislikes.  After two days of snarled noses, tonight I went on strike and we had fast food. 

6.  God and his healing words spoken at just the right time.

7.  A very nice talk with my parents last night on the phone.  It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other, but I always feel the love and prayers from them.  Even if I was a terrible teen!

8.  Freshly vacuumed floors, and mopped up muddy doggie paw prints from the kitchen.

9.  Bedtime stories.  In December, our stories are about Jesus, and it feels so good to have Matthew talk to me about Joseph.  He remembers something from sunday school, and shared it with me.  It was so touching.  So sweet.

10.  The Advent wreath and readings have been insightful and inspiring.  We even made it through tonight’s without any disruptions. 

So, I made it through, and could have actually gone on farther.  God Bless You.

The Best Gifts

I came across this and thought it was fitting for this particular time of year. 

The Best Gifts to Give

To your friend-Loyalty

To your enemy-forgiveness

To your boss-service

To a child-a good example

To your parents-gratitude and devotion

To your mate-love and faithfulness

To all men and women-charity

To your God-your life

GRACE

My pastor has a great definition for grace– God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.  Dictionary.com has 20 listed definitions for grace.  A few of the first seven are, elegance or beauty of form, favor or good will, mercy, clemency, or pardon.  Number eight begins with Theology, and contains the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God, the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them, a virtue of excellence or divine origin, or the state of grace is the condition of being in God’s favor, or one of the elect.  I like the unmerited favor and love of God, because it reminds me that I do not deserve it, but He gives it because He loves me, even when I don’t deserve it.  That’s unconditional love, and we don’t often see that in our lives. 

That all leads up to a story about perfume.  A few weeks ago when Brooke and I were shopping, we came across inner grace.  I loved the name of it, so picked it up to try it.  It smells beautiful as well.  On the packaging it has philosophy, and I’m not sure if that is part of the name, but we found it in JCPenney, in the Sephora section.  I keep meaning to check it out online, and haven’t yet.  Anyway…  the perfume box says” philosophy:  to know peace is to know God.  within the context of peace we can know joy, love, and happiness.  in the absence of peace, we own nothing but the turmoil of our minds that jump from one thought to the next.  to find peace you must shut off your mind and open your heart to the only thing that matters; the gift of the present moment, it is peace personified.”  The body spray says “philosophy: top achieve inner grace you must practice acceptance.  surrender to a power that is greater and more loving than your own.  inner grace is eternal.  inner grace is immortal.  inner grace has no beginning and no end.”  Finally, the lotion says “philosophy:  God is love.  God is peace.  God is trust.  God is joy.  God is family.  God is friendship.  God is fearless.  God is breath.  God is life.  God is wisdom.  God is eternal.  God speaks in whispers.”  It gives me something to ponder every morning, and strive for each moment. 

Sunday Scripture 5

[sunday-scripture1.jpg]Since today is the beginning of Advent, I am choosing Isaiah 53:7 for my scripture.  It reads as follows.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep fevore her shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world.  It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it.  Anyway, it was perfect until they chose to sample from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  In that instant, the perfect world became blemished with sin forever.  Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened, and they were ashamed, so they covered themselves with fig leaves.  God knew that they had sinned, and that they had to be covered in blood.  This is where the first animal sacrifice came in.  Adam and Eve were then covered with the skins from the animal, but God knew that there was a need for a permanent sacrifice.  That sacrifice would be Jesus.  Until that time, God commanded people to make animal sacrifices, or shedding of blood.  So now you know why the old testament contains so many sacrifices of animals, and why Jesus is called the Lamb of God.  The book of Leviticus is filled with rules for the different sacrifices which include the burnt offering, grain offering, fellowship offering, purification offering, and reparation offering.  And Jesus is referred to as the Lamb several times in the Bible.  Think and study on these things this season, and thank God for the sacrifice that was made to cover our sins. 

Missing the web

This is my first time online in two days!  I have been feverishly working on two projects.  One is getting my house back together from Thanksgiving.  I had been following a routine on housework, thanks to Flylady, and seem to have fallen off the truck.  I’ve also been trying to become an organized person, so that has suffered as well.  My second project has been trying to complete a digital scrapbook, or Storybook, for Zach and Brian.  I want to give it to them for Christmas, and have an ordering deadline.  Since Zach won championship this year,(x 2),  I’m trying to document this past year of racing.  But of course, I want it to be perfect…

What else is going on?  Caught the last part of dancing with the stars last night, and felt bad for Mel.  I thought she did very well at all different types of dance.  Helio was great too, and I didn’t vote, so I can’t complain.  Plus, being an Indy person, the mirror ball trophy will look nice next to his 500 trophies.  I also caught up, thanks to Tivo, on Grey’s Anatomy.  I really liked last week’s episode, it was a gripping, edge of your seat episode.  I can’t think of anything that was offensive either!  Other than that, it is status quo around here. 

“Moore” Monday

I believe Beth Moore can teach a lot about prayer.  I’ve read her “Power of a Praying Wife, Mom, and Woman” books, and adapted some of the prayers into my everyday prayer life. So sorry, that would be Stormie O’Martian!  The stress of Thanksgiving has me confused still!  If you haven’t read any of Stormie’s books, I highly recommend them to anyone.  Now, back to Beth Moore, whom I have read a few books, and done some of her bible studies, including Believing God.  Please visit her website at Living Proof to see what she has to offer.  I  have 2 devotionals from her.  Praying God’s Word Day by Day, A year of Devotional Prayer, is so powerful, and speaks to me so often in times of need.  No matter what day it is, the daily devo is awesome.  I know that I’ve shared some in the past, and I have another one today. 

NONE OF US CONSISTENTLY GLORIFY GOD IN EVERYTHING WE SAY AND DO,

 BUT WE CAN STILL EXPERIENCE GENUINE LIBERATION IN CHRIST

You, the Lord my God, are my sun and shield;  You, Lord, bestow favor and honor; no good thing do You withhold from those whose walk is blameless (Ps. 84:11).

Lord, I can’t claim a blameless walk, but I ask You to please empower me to walk with You faithfully and to never cease pursuing it.  Help me, Lord, to hold unswervingly to the hope I profess, for You who promised are faithful (Heb. 10:23).

If I do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if I spend myself in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then light will rise in the darkness, and my night will become like noonday (Isa. 58:9-10).

That just put me in my place.  Empower me Lord, to do Your will, and profess Your name.  To stand by You, as You faithfully stand for all of us.  May my words honor and edify You, may my actions bring You glory.  Thank You Lord, that You faithfully love me and guide me, even when I fall short.  Thank You, for the gift of Your Son, and the salvation He brought.  Thank You for your grace, that I can be saved by faith through Your grace.  Thank You for carrying me when I succumb to the pressures, doubts and fears.  I have been blessed! 

Stranded

Today I felt so small and inadequate.  It was the worst feeling.  As Brooke, Matthew and I were leaving for church this morning, the car was  slow to start.  I thought at that time that I needed to get a new battery, so we wouldn’t be stranded.  Helpless.  And then it happened.  We came out of church, and were talking to Matthew about his class, and as I turned the key we heard nothing but a click. In that instant, it is amazing how many thoughts can run through your mind.  Matthew was telling me I needed to look under the hood, and Brooke was starving and concerned about getting Arby’s for lunch.  Brian and Zach were gone, so I knew I couldn’t call them.  Luckily, we were at church, and lots of people wanted to help.  Two guys went into the church barn and looked for some jumper cables, with no success.  One of them said he would run and buy some, and his wife offered that they would drive us home.  I ended up callng my father in law, he came, and within minutes we were running.  (Straight to the auto parts store!)  I don’t ever want to be in that position ever again.  Not only did I buy a new battery, but also a battery charger.  I guess it’s like jumper cables but you don’t have to hook up to another battery.  Self sufficient!  That’s what I like.