Waiting and Believing

Wow, it has been a while huh!?!  To say the least, though I have been silent on this blog God has not been silent in my life... He has kept me busy & growing.  He has been challenging me and showing me things about myself, sin, love, faith, trust, forgiveness, patience, humbleness, persistence, perseverance, helping, abiding, knowledge & understanding and so many other things in between. 

Does God sometimes seem to be silent to you, especially when you want to hear from Him?  The prophet Habakkuk felt the same way.  Sometimes He is speaking and we are not listening, sometimes He is active all around us but we overlook His hand, sometimes we have to wait because He is waiting on us to have ears to receive what He wants us to know... It may be a hard lesson, it may be difficult for us to understand.  But His word reminds us that His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8).  We are told to wait on Him, to believe Him, to rest in Him, to trust Him, to be strong and courageous... Yet are we? Are we doing those things or are we impatient, unbelieving, and set on things going the way we want them to? 

The waiting can be hard, but that might be why we should be strong and courageous, patient and keeping the faith.  Waiting, because in the waiting God can mature our faith and walk, He can change our hearts and our minds, He can do any number of things that seem impossible or unfathomable at the time... The main thing is HE CAN!  Do you believe that?  Do you believe that He hears you; that He cares; that He answers; that He desires what is above all best and right?  Do you believe Him, His Word, His promises?  Because without faith we are told we will not receive.  And even more if we don't believe He will answer us then how will we listen to hear Him?  I just started (as in finished the 1 chapter of) Discerning the Voice of God by P. Shirer.  If you open this book up it will speak to many of these things...  Several months back I read her book, One in a Million - fabulous and God so used it to speak to me over and over again! 

One thing I know is I do not want to stay where I am, I want God to continue to grow and mature me in Christ and His Word assures me that He will. He's not done with me yet.  I want to hear from Him. I want to obey Him. I want to be strong and courageous... and so I chose to be.  I chose Him, to believe Him and to let Him be my strength and the one who enables me to be more than I can be on my own.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me, and so can you...

I have learned that waiting is a great opportunity to see God grow me, change me; to see God do things I couldn't have imagined and to even know He is right there with me and He is working on things, on me and He is faithful.  I have no idea where all this is going except to say, He prompted me to write today and I am being obedient to do so.  Maybe in some of this rambling is encouragement to you or for someone you know... I am not sure but what I do know is that God can use anything or anyone to serve His purposes.  May you be blessed today - seek Him, believe Him, trust Him, listen and obey... wait at His feet.

I am waiting on Him, I am believing Him and I am being changed... Praise Him!

Breaking Christian News - "Abortion Changes You" Campaign

Check out this news article I just read - Click HERE.  This is the article title: Non-Political, Non-Religious: Massive "Abortion Changes You" Campaign Greets New York Subway Riders

Friendship

My heart is heavy as I write tonight... I am not even sure what I came on here to write about except that I felt compelled to come here tonight and write... I guess what I am thinking about on a positive level is the great friendship that God has extended to us... that we can come and know Him; love Him; fellowship with Him... talk with Him (pray), on and on... Also, I feel so blessed by the godly friends that the Lord has brought into my life... being that we are eternal beings in Christ... I know that we are linked together and will share this love (of Christ); this fellowship for eternity even if on this earth they have been brought into my life for but a brief time... there are others however that the Lord has placed, etched deeply into my earthly life, into my heart... they are a treasure... a joy and a blessing.

Have you ever experienced such deep and true friendship? The kind that encourages; the kind that helps you become the you God created you to be; they speak truth in love to you; they celebrate with you; mourn and grieve with you; it does not matter the distance that may separate you, for they are in spirit there with you.... They pray for you; stand up for you; laugh with you; rejoice with you; cry with you... and they desire the absolute best for you (what the heart of God desires for you). Precious, precious are these treasures... those who come along side you in prayer, fellowship, bible study, encouraging you always in Your walk to keep your eyes, your heart focused upon Christ.

These friendships are a true treasure, a special gift... they are what the Word calls us to and a glimpse of the something more than the ordinary in our human lives. And the thing is that with God we have been given even more than this... what He offers us is so much more than this, that it is mind boggling! Praise be to the Father who has blessed us His children with every good thing in Christ Jesus. Praise be the Savior who laid down His life for us... that we might be saved, that we might know Him. Praise be to our Lord Jesus who intercedes for us ... Who has bathed us in prayer, who knows our names, who knows our hearts, who knows our needs, and who listens to us when we call! Praise be to Him for He is worthy of all praise!

Yes, my heart is heavy for I am grieving for a loved one right now but I am not defeated ... I am thankful for I know my God is in control; I have joy because I know He works all things out for good and that nothing can ever separate us from His love; I am content despite circumstances because I know He knows what is needed and He is our Provider and our Rock... I choose faith, I choose love, and I have hope... My God is a mighty and an awesome God... there is no other - He is the Great I AM! Praise you Father, Praise you!!!

And if you are one of those treasured friends in my life reading this right now... know that you are loved, you are treasured and you are prayed for... Our God is good, all the time - Our God is good!!!

Praise Him,

Are YOU up for Change?

I want to encourage you to go over to Beth Moore's blog and think about doing something that I am sure will be life changing... if you will do it and stick to it! It starts today but I am sure if you don't read this till tomorrow you can still jump in... even if it is next week - do it!

You say - what is this all about? It is about arming ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph. 6:17). Pray about doing this!!! The challenge is to memorize (or meditate) a verse of your choosing (one that speaks to you and what God is doing in your life right now) for two weeks. You check in on the 1st & 15th of the month with your name, city and verse (version of your choice)... and you do this for all of 2009. So at the end of 2009 you will have memorized 24 verses! (You don't have to have a blog to do this but can set up an anonymous account or such). Or even do it with a friend - that way you can both hold each other accountable!

I just know that if you do this, it will be life changing! God's word is life changing... and storing it in your mind and upon your heart is powerful!!! (check out Isa. 55:11).

Let's start this year off as we should every day... and let's focus our hearts and minds, our eyes upon what is TRUE and what is lasting!

Blessings to you,

I got this award from my dear, sweet friend, Jenny...

As part of the award I am suppose to answer a few questions...
So here it goes... =)

Answer the following questions with single word responses. (or, if you're like me, answer them with as many words as you want!)

1. Where is your cell phone? beside me

2. Where is your significant other? at work

3. Your hair color? varying shades of light to dark blond

4. Your mother? probably at home

5. Your father? probably at home

6. Your favorite thing? my bible & chocolate with caramel

7. Your dream last night? that I might actually get sleep (ha ha) - Don't know

8. Your dream/goal? to write a book.

9. The room you’re in? living room

10. Your hobby? Bible study, blogging, facebook, reading, and a few other random things...

11. Your fear? Missing out on the opportunities God has for me on earth... & that loved ones may not know Jesus.

12. Where do you want to be in six years? Where God wants me... Hopefully in a deeper walk with Jesus - maturing in Christ.

13. Where were you last night? At our church's women's Christmas event

14. What you’re not? perfect.

15. One of your wish list items? black, winter boots (Warm & Comfy)

16. Where you grew up? Alabama

17. The last thing you did? prep for dinner

18. What are you wearing? a long sleeve shirt & sweatpants.

19. Your T.V.? off

20. Your pet? dog

21. Your computer? on my lap

22. Your mood? peaceful

23. Missing someone? YES!

24. Your car? Escape

25. Something you’re not wearing? lipstick

26. Favorite store? Amazon!

27. Your Summer? Fun!

28. Love someone? YES!!!

29. Your favorite color? blue & green

30. When is the last time you laughed? last night

31. Last time you cried? humm I am sure it wasn't that long ago... I did tear up last night but no crying.

And now I am passing this on to my friend - Amy & Eryn - who I am so excited has joined the blogging world!!!

Fear...

Ok, yes this is my second post of the day... sorry! I have to first thank my dear friend, Jenny who has now taught me how to link scripture verses!!! Oh Jenny, my blogger teacher.... THANK YOU! Wow great stuff...so now if I type in a scripture verse or passage you can just click on it and it will pull up the verse/passage! You may have to hit the back button to come back to my blog to finish reading... but isn't that a time saver! =)

Ok now on to the title... Fear. I was reading the end of Matthew 8 on the demon possessed men... and what hit me the most was in v.34, where they asked Jesus to leave. Here Christ had come and done a miracle... He had rid these men of demon possession (who had been terrorizing the area)... You would think at this point there would be a lot of rejoicing, but there was not... Instead the whole town came out to meet Jesus and in fear of what they didn't know or understand asked him, pleaded with him to leave their region. How incredibly sad is that! Jesus was there among them ... when I think of what could have transpired in their region but was lost because their fear had a greater hold in their lives than their hope.... or trust. We see it still ... people who fear (losing their position, family, friends, others opinions... on & on we could go) Christ, fear change... and in the process they lose out on the greatest thing that could ever happen to them. It is more than sad, it is a travesty! Even those of us in Christ have our moments when we let our fear win out more than our faith... Oh that it would not be so!