Anyone who knows me well enough knows one of my favorite sayings is for God to help me forgive someone who has hurt me and to react to the particular person(s) in kindness because its like heaping hot coals on their heads. :)
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
19 July 2012
12 June 2012
Walking in Love
Ephesians 4:32-5:2 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."
Choices. We make them every day. We choose what to eat, wear, and how to act. It is so easy to respond to someone who has been ugly to you with like action. But, God calls us to be different. He wants us to respond to others as He responds to us! Think about how choosing to act like God in difficult situations may affect your walk with God and also your relationships with others.
Choices. We make them every day. We choose what to eat, wear, and how to act. It is so easy to respond to someone who has been ugly to you with like action. But, God calls us to be different. He wants us to respond to others as He responds to us! Think about how choosing to act like God in difficult situations may affect your walk with God and also your relationships with others.
01 April 2011
Bittersweet Memories
Throughout the last few years, I often wondered how I would feel when our time serving at Carlisle would end. I can't express how much Carlisle has blessed our family over the years. For sure, we have had our ups and downs and have suffered through some severe trials and heartache. But, we have also experienced some of the hugest blessings and greatest joy imaginable.
16 March 2011
How Big I'm Blessed
I find myself sitting at my desk getting irritated with my officemate's teleconference - the phone is turned up so loud and their voices are like fingernails on a chalk board - ear piercing! I am bored and ready to go home. In my line of work, its pretty much feast or famine...and right now we are in a famine period. All this means is there is not a lot of work right now and the monotnous watching the clock each day is driving me crazy.
20 February 2011
The "P" Word
Perfect. Perfection. Perfectionism. Perfectionist. That describes me to a "P"! Not that I am perfect in any way, mind you, but that I (in my mind) think that I should be...All -or- nothing. No middle ground. Pass/Fail. What do I put that kind of pressure on myself? I do know that I am not alone in this mindset. Ever Read Proverbs 31 and think "there is NO WAY I can live up to this!!!" I have. Ever hear list of "DOs and DON'Ts" for Christians" and think there is NO WAY I can live up to this! I have. Read a list of "DOs and DONTs" Especially for Pastor's Wives Edition" and think there is NO WAY I can live up to this!!! Yep, me again.
06 December 2010
It's SHOUTIN' Time!
This weekend, God has been so good to me...the encouragement He brought me is just astounding...like He HEAPED it on! Here is how it all started:
At the end of the day on Friday, I came home from work frustrated and down in spirit. As I believe all Christians are called to be missionaries in all aspects of life, I view my work as one of my mission fields. Lately it seems that people are making decisions to reject Christ and all He has to offer them; therefore, I have been sensing some rejection and criticism (not work related, but people related). I know that it is not an outright rejection of me, but of Christ in me,
but it still hurts none-the-less and to tell the truth, I have been depressed and really struggling with it lately.
At the end of the day on Friday, I came home from work frustrated and down in spirit. As I believe all Christians are called to be missionaries in all aspects of life, I view my work as one of my mission fields. Lately it seems that people are making decisions to reject Christ and all He has to offer them; therefore, I have been sensing some rejection and criticism (not work related, but people related). I know that it is not an outright rejection of me, but of Christ in me,
but it still hurts none-the-less and to tell the truth, I have been depressed and really struggling with it lately.
15 December 2009
Chasing Rainbows
Every time since I had a miscarriage in 2002, when I am discouraged or stressed or upset, the Lord always gives me rainbows as a sign of hope and His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me. In Genesis, after the flood that destroyed the earth, the Lord gave Noah that same sign.
God's covenant with everyone:
Genesis 9:12-17 states, "12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Ezekiel's vision of the Lord:
26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
And another vision of the Lord:
Revelation 4:2-3 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was[a] like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
Today, on the way to work, I saw the MOST BEAUTIFUL rainbow...it was tall in the sky, but I only saw one of the posts of it. It had swirly stuff around it...I saw it all the way from Starbucks on Tyndall Parkway until I drove into the parking lot at work (off Thomas Drive). I got to look at it for about 30 minutes.
I have been struggling with anxiety and been under some serious spiritual warfare lately. I know the Lord gives me these visual signs to remimd me to keep focused on Him, not my circumstances. I will continue to chase rainbows with all my heart!
God's covenant with everyone:
Genesis 9:12-17 states, "12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Ezekiel's vision of the Lord:
26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
And another vision of the Lord:
Revelation 4:2-3 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was[a] like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
Today, on the way to work, I saw the MOST BEAUTIFUL rainbow...it was tall in the sky, but I only saw one of the posts of it. It had swirly stuff around it...I saw it all the way from Starbucks on Tyndall Parkway until I drove into the parking lot at work (off Thomas Drive). I got to look at it for about 30 minutes.
I have been struggling with anxiety and been under some serious spiritual warfare lately. I know the Lord gives me these visual signs to remimd me to keep focused on Him, not my circumstances. I will continue to chase rainbows with all my heart!
25 November 2009
What are You Thankful For?
I've been dealing with some frustration and discouragement lately, so I decided to make a list of the things that I am thankful. Psalm 100:4, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
1) My Jesus, who died on the cross for MY sins and was resurrected. While I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me.
2) My husband. I know I get frustrated with him sometimes, but I thank God for him and the awesome work God has done in his heart and life. Lord, please remind me that he is still a work in progress as I am and that he needs grace too, as I do.
3) My son. Thank you Lord, for giving me such a sweet son. I am so grateful that he is not out stirring up trouble. I am grateful that he feels he can talk to us about important stuff.
4) Our dog. Thank you for Jake, that he loves us
5) My family. Lord, please help me to remember to pray for Missy and Paul and my parents.
6) Dave’s family. Thank you that they are supportive of our craziness.
7) The IRS issues being resolved. Thank you that we finally got our money.
8) My ability to attend school. Thank you that You are providing me a way to pay for my masters degree.
9) My job. Thank you that You continue to provide for us through my work.
10) My friends. Thank you for my friends that I can trust. To tell me the good, bad, and ugly.
11) For ministry opportunities. Thank you for providing me opportunities to share Christ with others and to pour out into their lives.
12) Our past. I am not thankful for the things we did, but I am thankful for You having your hand on us through those dark years.
13) I know I am supposed to be thankful for the rough times, but I am having trouble being thankful for some of them. Please help me in this area.
13 August 2009
Mediate on Him
Dear Blog,
I have been thinking about creating one of you for some time now. As I have been musing it over, I think of all the things I can do with you. I can write about truth, life, ministry issues, husbands :) , children, encouragement... but now that I started, I don't know where to begin. And as I was thinking about the title for you, I had to look up the word muse. From Webster's Dictionary, musing (v) means to "become absorbed in thought; especially : to turn something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively." Yep! Thats me! I can do this for HOURS! Over the same topic! I end up wasting so much time mulling/musing about everything...what people said, what I said back, did I say the "right thing," did I say the "right thing in love," did I say truth the "right way?" Sometimes, I find it easier to "check out" for a while on Facebook...but, really, how will me playing Farmville, Farm Town, and Sorority Life on Facebook for hours effect a positive change in my life or bring encouragement to others???
In Phillipians 4:8-9, Paul stated, "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 (muse) on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."
Father,
I want to bring glory to You. Please help me clear out the junk in my life that I am consuming my time with so that I can be a better servant to You and others. Please help me to remember to muse on things that are good, just, holy, and pure and please filter my mind of the junk that does not fit this. In Jesus Name, Amen
I have been thinking about creating one of you for some time now. As I have been musing it over, I think of all the things I can do with you. I can write about truth, life, ministry issues, husbands :) , children, encouragement... but now that I started, I don't know where to begin. And as I was thinking about the title for you, I had to look up the word muse. From Webster's Dictionary, musing (v) means to "become absorbed in thought; especially : to turn something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively." Yep! Thats me! I can do this for HOURS! Over the same topic! I end up wasting so much time mulling/musing about everything...what people said, what I said back, did I say the "right thing," did I say the "right thing in love," did I say truth the "right way?" Sometimes, I find it easier to "check out" for a while on Facebook...but, really, how will me playing Farmville, Farm Town, and Sorority Life on Facebook for hours effect a positive change in my life or bring encouragement to others???
In Phillipians 4:8-9, Paul stated, "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 (muse) on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."
Father,
I want to bring glory to You. Please help me clear out the junk in my life that I am consuming my time with so that I can be a better servant to You and others. Please help me to remember to muse on things that are good, just, holy, and pure and please filter my mind of the junk that does not fit this. In Jesus Name, Amen
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