Here's the Church and here's the steeple . . .

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

– 2 Thessalonians 1:3

We are the church.

Think about that for a moment.

We are not a brick and mortar church, but still we are the church.

There are many measurements to determine the success of a church, some of the main measurements deal with the number of people attending on Sunday and how big the offerings are.

We can’t use those calibrations to determine the health of the people as the church.

God cares more about the measure of our faith and our capacity to love each other in tangible ways.

What would happen if we adopted these benchmarks in our everyday life?

We may find some brick and mortar churches that appear healthy and successful are not, while others stand tall in the eyes of God.

Be a church that stands tall.  

Have a blessed day! 

Our Creator God

He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

– John 1:10

How is it possible that we could not recognize our Creator?

Yet it happened.

And it is still true today.

For some reason, people do not recognize any of the heroes.

Even with the miracle of the resurrection, we still question whether Jesus was all that He said He was.

Even when soldiers return from war, we question their heroism.

The Bible states that doubt is not a result of intellectual questions, but of a spiritual condition.

We can have all the evidence in the world, but still not recognize God in front of us.

We can hear all about the tragedy of war, and still not honor the fallen.

It is when we are willing to humble ourselves that the life of God impacts us.

The path is narrow and few are those who find it, but it is when we look more to our heart than our mind that we will recognize the One who made the world and came to redeem it.

On this Memorial day, please take a moment to praise God, and honor the fallen, then praise God more.

Have a blessed day!

You've Got A Friend In Me

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  
- Proverbs 18:24


I know a lot of people. Some people have been in my life for many years, some for mere months.  It doesn't matter how long we have known each other, if you are in my circle, I will do anything I can to help you when you are need. I am so blessed because I have friends that feel the same about me. There are a select few friends that I would quite literally lay down my life if they needed me to do that for them. 

My very best friend in he entire world is my husband. I love him with every fiber of my being. I am so blessed that he is in my life, and I thank God every day that He gave me such a wonderful husband. 
God speaks many times in the Bible about friendship and companionship. Even in the beginning, in the book of Genesis, God felt that man should not be alone. Friendship is discussed in the books of Genesis, Amos, John, Proverbs, Samuel, and Romans just to mention a few.  I guess, in my humble opinion, that if God mentions it so many times in the Bible it must be pretty important to Him. 
Friends come and go during our walk of life.  Human beings were created to be social creatures, meaning that we are most comfortable when we have family, friends and acquaintances. Friendship is an important element in a fulfilled, contented life, and those who have close friends, whether one or two or a multitude, will usually be happy and well-adjusted. 
At the same time, there are those who call themselves our friends that cause us grief and hardship, constantly disappointing us. Those friendships are toxic. 
We should avoid associating with those who entice us to do wrong, the toxic people, no matter how appealing their “friendship” seems to be. The "friends" that seem to always find misery in every situation, that find wrong in every person, that feel they have the right to judge others.  
Please don't misunderstand me - I am not perfect.  In no way will I ever claim that I am the perfect friend, spouse or compainion.  But I try to make the right decisions.  I try to stay on the path where God leads me. Only that path leads to friendship with God, which is the ultimate goal of a Christ follower. 

Have a blessed day!

Choose Joy Over Sorrow

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
- Psalm 30:5

As I write my very first Saturday blog, I am full of conflicting emotions. 
 My wonderful husband and I drove from our home in Arkansas to his parents home in Iowa yesterday after work. 
 I love Iowa in the spring, everything is fresh and green and beautiful. I am sad, because I know the trip will not last long, but happy to be here spending time with people I love, and I dearly love my mom and dad in-law. 
For those who don't know me (I am anticipating getting lots of new followers and friend with this blog ::giggle::), I am a cat fanatic. =^..^= 
I adore cats.
I have three of my own and I work with a non-profit organization fostering cats and kittens. Fostering is one of the most rewarding experiences that I have ever had. 
When I travel, one of my three wonderful children are kind enough to stay at my home to keep everything in order, and to take care of what ever fuzzies happen to be in my home at the moment. 
 So now that you have a little history, I can bring you back to the moment at hand. =) Currently I have a momma cat that had five babies, who all grew healthy and sassy and are ready for their forever homes. Someone brought us a litter of day old kittens that had been found, and this momma has adopted them, feeding, cleaning and caring for them. She is an awesome cat momma. 
But as often happens in the animal world, one baby did not survive. 
 I am sad, sad for the little guy that didn't make it, sad for my son, who had to deal with the little kitten body, perhaps for the first time dealing with death up close and personal. Believe me when I tell you there is joy in this too. 
No, I am not crazy. 
For the twelve days that the little guys was on earth, he knew love. Both his feline foster momma and I loved him every day. I truly believe that God loved him a little more, and wanted his little face with Him. 
And that brings me joy. 
God loves all creatures, big or small, they are His creation. He is a good Father and I am confident that He is overjoyed with successes, and that He mourns a little with us when we are sad, and He is there to comfort us with open arms of love. 
It is ok to be sad, just know that sadness won't last, our joy comes in the morning. 
Have a blessed day!

thoughts for the weekend

As I mentioned in my first blog post, I send a daily email to select friends.  In addition to the daily email, I send a weekly "thoughts for the weekend", since most of the people on my email distribution only check their mail Monday - Friday.  With the creation of this blog, I hope to reach more than the email list, and I have the ability to update daily - YAY!
Without further ado, here is the first blog edition of "thoughts for the weekend".

It’s a three day weekend - YAY!

For me growing up, Memorial Day was always the official start to summer. We had picnics, camping, boating, and swimming, although Iowa was generally a little too cold for me to swim in May, I know it happened for some of my friends.
Every year on Memorial Day weekend before the adventures in food and nature, we made our trek to the local cemeteries to put flowers on the graves of family members that had passed on.
I am actually kind of surprised though, at the number of people today that really do not understand the purpose behind our three day weekend.
Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and  is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. Memorial Day was born out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. It is now observed in almost every state on the last Monday in May with Congressional passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971. This helped ensure a three day weekend.
A FaceBook friend posted a reminder yesterday (I am paraphrasing): “’Memorial Day’ is not ‘Veteran’s Day’.  Veteran’s Day is for those that came home to live.  Memorial Day is to remember those who came home feet first in a box. Veteran’s Day is for those with a pulse.  Memorial Day is for those without one through the sacrifice of battle.”
WOW.
The Bible tells us that we are not forbidden from mourning or honoring the dead, but we should do so in a fashion that does not compromise our relationship to God. 
We cannot help remember those who have passed on, and certainly as the day of their death draws near we will unavoidably recall their lives and even mourn again. 
We are thankful that God’s Word tells us that there is a time to mourn, and a proper way to mourn:
There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
 a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

And certainly in the scriptures there are various commemorations of the forefathers, as we are called to reflect upon the lives of Abraham, Moses, David etc.

Ultimately then we remember that Christ lives, and thus all those who are in Christ live.
When we remember the dead let us always do so in a manner that proclaims His glory, His victory, and our thankfulness for His life giving sacrifice:
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
(1 Corinthians 15:54-58)

 Have a blessed and safe Memorial Day weekend.

Pour out your Spirit, Lord, On Your People

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

– Joel 2:28-29

 

There is no favoritism when it comes to God’s empowerment.

It doesn’t matter if you are men or women, servants or masters.

Adults or children.

The color of your skin or the content of your character.

God is pouring his Spirit upon ALL people.

ALL people.

Whether or not you think you deserve it.

Regardless of your opinion of someone else.

God does not pick and choose, He loves us ALL.

This means that every one of us is needed if we intend to display the power and purpose of God.

 

Have a blessed day!

New and Improved!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

—2 Corinthians 5:17

"New and Improved!"

That should be stamped across the forehead of every Christ follower!

When we come to Christ, He makes us new and He cleanses us of all our sins.

Incredibly, this grace can be "new every morning" because of God's faithfulness and transforming power.

God's grace and power are given to us through His Holy Spirit.

We are new and improved, and will continue to be that way until we are completely transformed to be like Jesus!

Have a blessed day!

Starting Something New

Here I am . . .  Trying something new. :) 
for a few years now, I have sent a daily email to a select group of friends.  I call the email "daily bread" and it contains a Bible verse and commentary.  
Now, I am not going to claim that I make this stuff up.  I do some research and I paraphrase some thoughts, but the commentary is personalized. Those who know me, know that I have opinions!
Right now, my email reaches 89 people.  That is 89 people hearing God's word every day. :) 
A while back, one of my readers suggested that I start a blog. 
I prayed about it. 
I feel it is the right thing to do. 
So here we go.  
Please enjoy God's Word and my thoughts, and please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions, but please be respectful. 
I hope you love it!

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

—Matthew 5:16

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

As Christ followers, we are not called to isolate ourselves from culture.

We are not called to be hermits or monks (as much as I would like to have an island and get away from society, that is not what He calls us to do).

Instead, we are to recognize that we are in a world of darkness and live as light.

No, not as little candles tucked away in some inner bedroom or on an island away from society.

But as candles set on their stands so all can see their light or cities on a hill that can't be hidden.

Of course, our goal is not to call attention to ourselves, but to help others see the glorious grace of our Father.

Let your light shine!

Have a blessed day.