Thursday, April 22, 2010

...scars...

As I have been preparing for the Ladies Conference at church, God blessed me with these words...


I am covered in scars, inside and out. These scars tell the story of my life, they tell the story of what God has done for me. It's the wonderful miracle of life...I am using these scars to tell God's story...God who Loves and Forgives me and you...

We all have scars, how are you using yours to bring Glory to God?

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Love For Each Other

" A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
John 13:34-35


The other day at church, while sitting in choir, I looked out over the congregation and spotted one of my dear friends. As I looked at her sitting their smiling, I thought to myself....I love her very much. Then I thought, how strange...I've known her for maybe a year, only see her at church or passing in a store...but...I love her, love her like she was family, love her like a friend from my childhood. What GREAT love the Lord gives to us! Love that brings us great joy, love that one could never imagine.

I find that I have love for so many people...it fills my heart with joy as I look upon someone and feel that love for them. I know that this love can only come from God, because God is love.

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."
1 John 4:7-11


Thank you Lord for giving me just a glimpse of your love!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Which Came First....

I'm sure you have heard the question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Does anyone really know the answer? How can you really tell which came first? Is there a history book somewhere that tells us this answer?

YES, there is a history book that gives us the answer! It's called "The Holy Bible", author: God.

In Genesis 1:20-25, it says that God created living creatures, NOT eggs. So it is very obvious which came first....the chicken.

"And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air"
Genesis 2:19a

The Amazing Cow

Yes, that's right, I said cow!

While in college, studying to be a vet. tech., I learned about cattle. They were amazing then and even more now that I know the Lord. Let me tell you a little about them...

First off, there are NO wild cows...they don't exist. Cows have always been domesticated.

Another thing amazing is their child birth. Most animals are sensitive during this and if the baby is turned wrong or if something goes wrong, it is dangerous for both the mother and baby. But with cows if the baby is turned wrong, the vet can manually turn the baby around. If the labor is taking too long or the mother is having difficulty, the vet can pull the calf out. The mother and baby both will be just fine, very resilient.

They are just the way God made them, just the way we need them to be. God gave us the domesticated cow, for the exact purpose that they are used today.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

My Amazing God

It's just amazing how God works!

This weekend we had our Christmas play for church, "The Richest Family in Town", and I had played the role of the mother. And this got me to thinking.....

Just 2 years ago, I first stepped into church, I was terrified. I hated and was scared of meeting new people, going new places, and doing new things! The people that were watching our children for us invited me to go with them, so I went (THANK YOU Sharon and Allen!!) I was so scared and nervous, that I literally hid behind Sharon. Yes, it sounds funny, but its true! Well, I ended up attending regularly with them (whenever I didn't have to work). I have no idea why, I guess it was for my children. But I'm sure it was the Lord pushing me to go.

It was probably 3 or 4 months after I started attending church that I was saved....and that's a story for another time. :) And since then, the Lord has done a miraculous work in me! I hadn't really noticed or even thought about it, I was just following God's leading. Then in Sunday School, Janie reminded me of where I had been and how wonderful it was to see God work in me. I was a scared little lady, hiding behind a friend, and now I was acting in a play, on stage, as one of the leading roles! That's right I said on stage, in front of people...look at what the Lord has done!

We did the play for 2 nights and yes I was nervous the first night, but after the second performance on Sunday, after exiting the stage, I just thought....I just did that, and I was comfortable with it. How Amazing! The Lord called me to do something that was out of my comfort zone, something I had NEVER done before, and I was comfortable with it. I followed God's leading and He provided me with His strength and peace to do what He asked.
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

I also believe that where He leads, He also provides prayer. I know that there were many people praying for the play and for me, but it gave me comfort the first night of the play to know that I was being prayed for. Janie said to me that when the choir wasn't singing she would be praying for me. What a comfort!

I am definitely not the same person I was 2 years ago, I am so much better because of the Lord. I hope that I will always follow His leading.

Thinking about all this the other night, this came to my mind:
I am who I am, because that is who God needs me to be.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

...to Judge or not to Judge...

James 4:11-12
"Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?"


As I read this today, I thought of a dear friend that has been going through some things. She has commented how people have and are judging her. I am not here to judge her, but to be a support/shoulder to cry on/someone she can turn to if needed.

But even I am guilty of judgment. How many times have you or I judged. we are not here to judge; God is the Judge. We are here to encourage/edify one another. (Rom. 14:19)
Luke 22:32b "strengthen thy brethren"

And most importantly...we are to LOVE each other! John 13:34, John 15:12-17, 1 Thess. 3:12

John 13:34
  • "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
John 15:12-13
  • "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Charity=Love (1 Cor. 13:1-8)

1 Cor. 13:13
  • "Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity"
If I do things, even good, wonderful things, if they are not done with love (charity), they "profiteth me nothing" (1 Cor. 13:3)

Monday, September 14, 2009

Where God Opens a Door, He Will Provide

Pastor's evening service last night was exactly what I needed to hear.

I Corinthians 16:7-9
"For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."
A "great door" was opened to Paul, so he stayed where he was to follow where God was leading.


Where God opens a door, He will provide. Even though there may/will be troubles and adversaries, we should not be afraid to follow where God leads. We shouldn't be afraid to do the work He has for us to do. Do we look at the open doors or at the adversaries that will come with it?
...Pastor Aaron...


Well, I have been working on putting something together (if it is going to work, I'll let everyone know) and I feel like I am being led a certain way. This thing is so out of character for me, but I am ok with it. I don't understand why, all I can say is that it is the Lord working.

Well, last night before the service I told Becca how I was feeling. I have been feeling this way for a little while, and it seemed that once I admitted or I guess accepted it, the Lord gave me this message. He always knows what you need...even before you do :)

I believe the Lord had opened this door to me and He will provide what is needed. I just pray that I follow where he leads and that I will have the strength and courage to do what He asks. But then again..."Where God opens a door, He will provide."

We need to have Paul's kind of faith and follow God's leading and go through the doors He opens.