That's My King! Do You Know Him?

Today, I want to just focus on all that Jesus is!

Sometimes, we get so bogged down with worries, fretting, stress, busyness, ministry, work, kids, family, marriage, friendships, bad news, no news, diagnoses, death, etc... and we just need a spark to help us to see all the good, that God is love, that he is good and his mercy endures forever.

I would like to extend a challenge to you, I want you to take a piece of paper, write the letters A through Z down the left column and throughout the next 15-20 minutes, I want you to write one word or phrase that starts with each letter of the alphabet that describes Jesus. Then I want you to tuck this in your purse, wallet, book bag, briefcase, car .. wherever you can, so that at any time today you get stuck in the "muck" of life - you can pull this out and be reminded HOW GREAT OUR GOD IS!

Let me get you started....

A- All powerful

B- Breathtaking

C- Counselor

D- Deliverer

Here is a video that will get you cheering and smiling this morning! May it bless you as you write this list and as you think on what is good today! Be blessed girlfriends!

Trouble viewing?  Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upGCMl_b0n4

Expectations

Every day, we encounter different people, different scenarios, different circumstances, different - well, just different experiences. Usually when we head to school, or to work, to college, to the homestead (wherever) we have an expectation of what that "situation/experience" will be like?

Have you ever had an expectation not met?

The guy you were dating or maybe are married to, didn't do that big birthday surprise you had hoped for? Or maybe, the kids didn't have the house picked up when you got home from work? Or maybe the mother in law didn't offer to help clean up after the big Sunday meal? Or a book did not live up to the recommendation of a friend? There are many scenarios, but one thing consistent - what we thought was, wasn't. It leaves us feeling disappointed, sad and sometimes downright agitated with a side of grumpiness.

Been there, girlfriend, on multiple times in the thirty plus years I have lived.

But, here is something that I began to see, something that God started to show this brown eyed girl. Often times, the expectations that I had were expectations that had no chance of being filled. For example, if I watched a romance movie and saw this strapping man, sweep the girl that he loved off her feet by pouring out his love for her in words that would melt any womans heart, handing her a rose and saying let me whisk you away to a spot where we can relax and just enjoy us. Then after watching that movie (or shall I say, soap opera), expect my husband to possess those same qualities - chances are I will end up disappointed! The movie isn't a realistic expectation of the men walking this Earth (now there are an occasional few, but the reality is - no man can be the guy in the movie everyday). So, something God showed me was that I was putting expectations on people in my life that the reality was only GOD himself could fill in my life. Holes in my heart, voids in my life - things that I thought about and toiled over could never be calmed until I let JESUS come in and say, "Quiet, be still" (Mark 4:39) and the storms in life (inside of me, usually) just stop at his command.

So I challenge you, if you are struggling in areas of your life - my question is this....

what is your expectation of that person/ thing - and why do you have it?

Is it because it’s a realistic expectation (is it a characteristic possible of possessing, such as kindness or patience) or will you end with disappointment, because its really only a void in your life that Jesus himself can fill?

It is a challenge, but I guarantee if you are bold enough to ask, God will allow the Holy Spirit to show up in your life and point out how you are expecting someone to do something only God can do for you. He wants to fill any void or hole in your heart, he is already waiting with an outstretched arm (Psalm 136:12) - he is just waiting for you to grab hold.

Your First Cup of Coffee

- Give it to God!

So many times I hear, I just don't have enough time in the day!

I mean the words come from other people's mouth along with these

"sugar plum" lipstick coated lips! It seems like I just lay my locks on the pillow

and kiss the hubby good night, before the blaring "BEEP BEEP" of the alarm goes

off and the new day is upon me! Whew - its exhausting!

Through my life I have had hard seasons, green grass seasons, leaves falling seasons, and sweltering of blessings seasons. To each there was a story for the greater good (usually me learning something about "me" that needed refined!) Anyhow, the best seasons in my life have been when I get up in the morning, and my dear hubby faithfully has my coffee pot full of hot coffee (I prefer Dunkin' Donuts -wowzer its good!); I smell that coffee, pick it up in my hand and carry it straight over the the kitchen table, where my coffee, Bible, and my body all have a daily meeting with God.

The neat things is this...

As I sit at the kitchen table, the hair is in shambles, there is no makeup on, my pajamas are still wrinkled against my body from where I slept - I am completely in my "morning makeup!" Pure, messy, but my heart and spirit just can't wait to dive in and read God's word. I look forward to this every morning - opening up his Word and reading it, even if I can't digest every morsel, just reading it and then chatting with God about my discoveries, my heart throbbing questions and laying worries down.

My first cup of coffee is my best cup of coffee -

Its when I walk with God, just like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.

My place isn't plush and in order and luscious or anything to be envious of...

Oh, but the time I spend right there during that first cup of coffee, the very first thing

I do in the morning - that, my friend, is more beautiful than any words I can type.

So I challenge you girlfriend to girlfriend -

before you go to bed, if you say there just isn't enough time in the day to give a part to God,

wake up tomorrow morning and get a hot cup of coffee (or tea...), break bread (God's word) and dive into a conversation with someone who loves you more than anyone on this Earth could.

May the season that you are in right now in your life be enriched from your CHOICE to make time for Him. The Bible says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I would say that where our heart is will be where we spend our time.... we make time for what we want to make time to do.

Where's your heart? I pray it lays with the hot pot of coffee and the Word of God in the morning. May you be richly blessed in your day as you put God first.

Stuck!

A Pillar of Salt

Genesis19:26 says, "But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt."

A pillar of salt? My, what a way to go!

I have often read about Lot's wife, (Whose name isn't mentioned in this passage)

and thought about "why she would look back?" I can't understand why she would look back when she was being saved from destruction and despair? When God said, go, why didn't she run straight ahead never taking her eyes off her destination? Why didn't she cling to her husband as he lead her, the priest of her home, out to the place God had called them to go? Instead, she looked back and as the Bible said, she turned into a pillar of salt. A pillar, a column of some sort serving as a monument, as one standing alone, made out of salt.

Again, I thought, now what sort or significance does this have in my life? This one verse in the Old Testament.... typically read over and thought maybe for a moment, yeah, she blew it, but for some reason, I am intrigued and reread this verse, meditate on it and ponder, "Why?"

Interestingly, in the New Testament it is said, in Luke 17:32, "Remember Lot's wife!"

Okay, wait a minute girlfriend, we found this verse twice in the Bible. Again, her name isn't mentioned, just her reference to her role. Again, I think - why did she look back, and why now are we being warned to not be like her?

You know what I think girls, I think that sometimes we don't get to where we need to go because we are always stuck looking BACK at what we lost - what was destroyed, what was hurt, burnt, and thrown out - we get moving forward and then something trips us inside and we have to look back ,re-hash in our mind, toil, ponder and wonder "what if..."

I think these 2 verses are strategically placed in the Bible to remind us that...

if you continue to look back over your shoulder to the past, you will become a pillar of salt and never move forward into the land that God has called you too. Even with hurts and losses in the past, it is never God's desire for us to stay there - it is his desire for us to move, step by step, into the new land, land flowing with milk and honey, to walk with him hand in hand - bride and groom strolling together looking ahead to what awaits us.

To my girl pals (and any guys that may be reading this) -

No matter what your past was, don't forget what your future can be!

It doesn't mean forget all those experiences from before, but it does mean, turn your pretty head around and let your baby blues, dark browns or green eyes focus and gaze on where God is calling you to walk.

Won't you do it today - don't be a pillar of salt, rather be God's girl and walk into the new day one foot in front of the other heading to the place he has prepared for you.

Where's My Easy Button?

Oh, the blasted laundry is piling high!

The referee stripes as mom are never washed off... there is just constant bickering amongst the kiddos! The bills need paid, dishes loaded, the house cleaned, oil changed in the car or maybe a bad diagnosis, a failing marriage, broken friendship or squashed dreams and your list, like mine, can go on and on and on!

Quite frankly, the whole list of things to do is a drag.

Where, oh where is that EASY BUTTON!

I would love to push it and see the massive amount of work vanish before my eyes...

Come on, who wouldn't want a fairy god mother who waves a wand and says "Bippity Boppity Boo" and POOF its done! Homework 100% correct, Sunday school lesson thought out planned and complete, laundry - get this -washed, folded and PUT AWAY! Bills paid with a nice suruplus to hire a cleaning lady?? Come on, you have your list, wouldn't it be nice to just press that stinkin' red button and it be DONE! Restoration, healings and day to day ordinary stuff - just finished and you can move on.

But you know what...

I have a feeling that an easy button would just brew trouble!

If we didn't have things to do, experiences to take in, stress to manage -

we would never be able to pass along the "know hows" of overcoming, conquering

and succeeding!

And if we sat around and didn't do the LIST OF STUFF that dirty our nails and weather the skin on our hands, we would have no wear and tear to show of any accomplishments. We would have no experiences to share with our children and others as we endure, PERSEVERE and honestly, people who sit around and have nothing to do tend to conjure up ideas that birth trouble.. thank you, IDENTIFY THEFT, HACKERS, etc.

I think when we are in those moments of "HOW AM I GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS" - we need to do the time tested strategy, "When life gets to hard too stand, kneel." We need to pray. We need to reach out to the One who knows ALL WAYS and has plans, strategies and techniques that are already pre-approved! (Just check out his Word. Psalm 120:1, Psalm 116:2)

You know what else, we need to persevere.

A friend of mine has recently begun running marathons. I asked her how it was going...

She said, "You know what I have learned in the few races that I have run? That you need to sprint in the beginning, then find a pace and just keep it, just PERSEVERE and if you keep going you will be able to get out ahead ,because many sprint too hard and fast in the beginning and fall towards the back, but if I can keep my pace and sprint the last mile, I do okay."

The Bible talks about persevering...

• I Cor 13:7 says about love, "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
• James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."
• James 5:11, "As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

And finally, in the last book of the Bible, it says this:

"You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary." Revelation 2:3

Girlfriend, just keep it up, keep going! All that you are doing is impacting people that are around you - don't give up, don't quit, your crown is waiting for you and the bridegroom is proud of you!

The Woman, The Baby, The Dragon

I'm so drawn this morning to a passage in Revelation, chapter 12... it goes as follows:

^1-2A great Sign appeared in Heaven: a Woman dressed all in sunlight, standing on the moon, and crowned with Twelve Stars. She was giving birth to a Child and cried out in the pain of childbirth.

^3-4And then another Sign alongside the first: a huge and fiery Dragon! It had seven heads and ten horns, a crown on each of the seven heads. With one flick of its tail it knocked a third of the Stars from the sky and dumped them on earth. The Dragon crouched before the Woman in childbirth, poised to eat up the Child when it came.

While, this passage refers to Mary, her son, Jesus Christ, and the devil... I can't help but draw a parallel in my life and I am sure many other ladies reading this will find truth in their own personal life... (you may need an extra cup of coffee to get through the thoughts after reading this one) May the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob enlighten your understanding and stir the yearning in your womb to carry on until the return of Christ Jesus.

The parallel goes like this... (its not intended to distract or take away from the work that God does in this passage in relation to Mary and Jesus, but rather to help us take an insight into our personal life and draw applications.)

Once upon a time their was a woman who loved God with all her heart. She was God's chosen vessel (v1), hand picked before she was every born to carry a specific purpose. (1 Cor 3:5) His hand even knitted her together inside her mother's womb, carving her eye lids and forming her heart. (Psalm 139:13)

As the girl grew in physical form, she also matured spiritually, eating her solid foods so she could distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14). And then God, who has planted the purpose into her DNA from the time of conception, allowed her to feel the first flutters of the life (the plan, the purpose) she carried within her, for this specific time. She began to see that she was a light unto the world, (Matt 5:14) not because of who she was, but because of who HE was living in her.

The lady who sought God with her whole heart, (Psalm 119:58), remembered the conception of the purpose and plan. She fed daily, she sought her Father, and waited (Psalm 46:10).

The time came for the baby (the purpose) to be born. Much anguish surrounded the lady, she was overwhelmed by thoughts, emotions, uncertainty, yet, could not shake the reminder that God controls the doors (Rev. 4) it was her responsibility to walk through it. But the thoughts of birthing the baby and knowing that a huge and fiery dragon stood on the other side poised waiting to eat the baby (Rev 12:3-4) shook her.

Selah. (Pause and reflect)

Have you ever had a God given dream or knew your God given purpose, and you felt the flutters like that of a new mom feeling life growing in her womb, you sought God, searched his scriptures, called out to him in prayer and knew that this is why you were called for this time and this place? Yet, the time came to birth and you were so overwhelmed, oppressed that you didn't want to birth the baby because you didn't want its head bitten off once it took its first few breaths?

Here is the great news, girl!

The scripture goes on to say this in Rev 12,

⁵She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. ⁶The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

Rev 4:2 says after he walked through the door, "At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it."

This tells me something really exciting, that gets the caffeine in my body cranking, when I go through and birth the purpose, dream, plan, baby (whichever name you want to go with) - that at once God's Spirit guides, directs me and as in Rev 12:6 - the woman fled into the desert to the PLACE PREPARED for her BY GOD!....

Wow - when I am obedient to him and carry out fulfilling what he has planned, he has an army ready to fight off the dragon, he has a place prepared for me where he will care for me. That to me girls is exciting, and helps this chick say, I can walk through that door, I can fulfill this plan he has for me, I can do the task he has purposed for my life.

I need another cup of coffee so I can Selah. Won't you join me?

Why Me?

Sometimes, girl, we think... why does this always happen to me?

The same story, circumstance, statements recur and recur ..... what in the world is wrong with me. Can you chime in here...... ever feel like your favorite pair of spiked heel boots always step in the gum that had been chewed and spit out, smudging the "newness" of them?

I know I have personally been there - where it seems no matter what the SAME" thing kept recurring, kind of like what you will see in this video clip!

(please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM watch the video clip then come back and join me )

The amazing thing is this ... for whatever reason in our pretty little heads, we think that if we keep doing life the way we always have done it that we will get a different result. Kind of like the BIG BROTHER in this video clip- but you know what he finds out.... that if you keep doing what you always done you will keep getting what you have always gotten and many times that is HURT after HURT after HURT.

So what can we do, we can:

1) Change our perspective about about the other person involved... sometimes we just focus so much on the "negative" (especially in a relationship or friendship) that we forget about the POSITIVE. If you are going to say something negative, stop, and instead say something positive and uplifting.

2) Change the people that are surrounding you. I remember my parents being very selective about the crowd that we would "run with" as teenagers... and I really thought it ridiculous and unfair... but let me tell you, that the people that surround you day in and out have more influence in your life than you will ever care to admit. People have said for many centuries, you become like the people that you hang around. Yes, Jesus sat and ate with the tax collectors, so yes, we do have to have interactions with the "world" - but there is definitely a balance. People who are believers need to be YOKED with other believers, especially when seeking wise counsel.

3) Change your patterns... if you aren't reading your word, READ it, get a reading plan and stick to it, find an accountability partner. If you are slacking in your prayer life, then schedule a time just like you would a doctor appointment and KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT. The key here is do something DIFFERENT!

Change isn't easy for anyone... many times change can create ripples, just keep in mind the end result. Its easy to stick to what we are already conformed to, but can be much more rewarding to wait it out and work the clay and mold something new! Ahhh... the journey of life... yes, girls, we are doing life... it isn't always rosy cheeked and pretty, but it is LIFE - let's make the most of it that we can, even through mascara running down our cheeks for hurts - always remember HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD - and that his plan is the ultimate purpose for our existence. So clean off those streams after you get those tears out and doll yourself all up and grab a cup of coffee (or tea or cocoa) and find a new groove to walk to the next day - you never know what is coming next, but HERE WE GO!

God Bless!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall.....

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all.?

We wait and listen for a response...

and I would LOVE to know how many of you everyday hear,

Why, (insert name) you are the fairest of them all!"

(insert giggles and chuckles here as well as memories of the childhood movie, "Snow White")

But, why is it that we don't hear that when we look in the mirror?

I know more times than I care to ADMIT,

I hear, "You are fat! or You look awful! "

You can feel in your blanks to that voice that isn't audible by

someone standing there, but the voice in your mind that

just points out all the FLAWS (too many freckles, wrong color eyes, too many wrinkles, crooked nose, small chest, etc).

The Bible clearly states in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we are to take every thought CAPTIVE and OBEDIENT to the Christ. And those MIND thoughts aren't what the BIBLE says...

I am going to stretch as far and say that when we (and that includes this girlfriend) think/say things about ourselves that are negative that we are saying "GOD YOU MADE A MISTAKE!"

It seems to me that we forget other parts of the Bible where it says we are "fearfully and wonderfully" made; that we were knitted together in our mother's wombs; that God is perfect and the creator. It seems easy to know that, but harder to believe it. For whatever reason we exempt ourselves from these verses and see them as they only fit to the ones we view as “beautiful.”

So, why and where do these “negative” thoughts all derive from?

I believe there is a demonic attribute to many television shows, music and magazines that are exposed to us in the USA which causes us to think because we aren't shaped and formed a certain way that we aren't deemed beautiful! Girls, we need to have attitudes like some 3 year olds that I know... one being my dear daughter who puts on her favorite dance leotard and leg warmers, prances into the bedroom and looks at herself in the long mirror and says, "Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, I'm gorgeous!" or my precious cousin who scoots a chair over to the bathroom mirror and says proudly, "Wow, I look beautiful today!"

Do you know how to have that attitude? By taking every thought captive and realizing this truth…TRUE BEAUTY IS FOUND WITHIN ONES HEART…. The reality is, our measuring stick that we truly should be taking every thought captive with is the Word of God. That is where the reflection truly matters in what you see! The Bible is our MIRROR, the most accurate one. And sometimes, let’s be honest we don’t always see what we want, but here is the sweetest, juiciest part – God says, if you let me, I can shape you just how I intended you to be – I am the potter you are the clay…. Come follow me, bring your thoughts captive and let me show you the true beauty that is within you ----

Girls you are like beautiful daisies swaying in the wind on a beautiful sunny day with blue skies –(can’t you just feel the wind blowing through your hair as your eyes are closed and taking in the freshness of this scenery). Beloveds, it is just time to get up, and by pass the physical mirror and open up the Bible and see our reflection and HEAR the TRUTH.

Get your Bible girl, open it up and see the beauty that you TRULY are – I can promise this, you won’t find it on TV or in a magazine – but His word won’t fail you or let you down! Take your thoughts and attitudes captive and let your beauty shine!