i have hope

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

- Romans 8:24-30

Picture this: the year is 1977, Heinz ketchup airs a commercial using the Carly Simon song “Anticipation”, indicating that good things come to those who wait.

It sounds silly, but it is really very true.

I really love these six verses because they combine so much of what we already know.

Hope is good – we don’t hope for stuff we already have, we hope for things to come.

Patience is good – and boy do I need to learn this one – we wait patiently for God to use us to do His work.

Weakness is not a bad thing, it gives the Spirit more to work with.

Good things come to those who wait, because God is working in us and through us, and He’s not finished with us yet!

Song reference!

There is hope for me yet
Because God won't forget
All the plans He's made for me
I'll have to wait and see
He's not finished with me yet

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord (yeah, that is another song!)

Have a blessed day.

should i seek revenge?

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

- Romans 12:17-21

“I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!”

It seems that getting revenge has been around since the beginning of time.  

Cain killed Abel because he was angry (and perhaps getting revenge) that Abel’s offering was better.

There are dozens of examples in the Bible of people out to get revenge.

Let me ask you though, does it really make you feel better?

I can think of a few times when I thought I was getting revenge on someone, and it bit me in the butt – hard.

Hmmm . . . maybe revenge is not a dish best served cold, and maybe we should not exact revenge at all.

Have a blessed day!

are you a fool?

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

- Psalm 14:1

My heart is heavy.

I send these verses and my thoughts out in email, I post them to a blog, and I post the link to the blog on my personal Facebook page.

On Friday, one of my Facebook “friends” was apparently offended by my words and reported the link to Facebook as “spam”.

Fortunately, I was able to counter the accusation and my link was reposted.

The fool says there is no God.

According to the dictionary, atheist is “a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods”  agnostic is “a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God”.

You have the right to choose what you believe, as do I.

I posted a “rant” on Facebook to send the reporter the following message:

If you do not agree with what I post, I’m open to having a conversation, I’m happy to listen to your point of view, and share with you the reasons I believe. 
I will even respect your right to not believe - BUT you do NOT get to report my posts to Facebook as “spam”. 
If you don’t like the daily blog post, you do not have to click the link. 
You have the ability to choose not to see my posts. 
You have the authority to unfriend me. 
You DO NOT have the right to have my posts deleted because you find it offensive. 
If I find out who reported my post as spam, I will delete and block you.
I have come to know that this is not the way that I should have handled this.

Instead of posting a rant about it, I should have posted the trademarked quote from Radioshack “You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.”

I should have opened the floor for communication – why did the person report my link? 

What is it about God that that person finds offensive?

I am willing to talk. 

Maybe I don’t have all the answers.

Maybe we will leave the table and that person still won’t believe.

Maybe we will leave the table and that person will start a relationship with Christ.

 I saw a “motivational” poster once with the quote “I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and to die to find out that there is.” (Albert Camus)

You know what? I am going to continue to spread the word of God because that is what I do.

That is what He made me to do.

Have a blessed day! 

words that hurt

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy. Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear. They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?” They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning. But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down. He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God   and ponder what he has done. The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart will glory in Him!

- Psalm 64:1-10

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

That is the biggest untruth that I was ever told as a child, an untruth that we continue to tell children today.

 There are over 50 verses in the Bible about tongues and words being like swords.

Words do hurt.

Think about what you say before you say it.

Think about who you are speaking to and who is listening to you speak.

And if you are being hurt by someone else’s words, take refuge in the Lord.

He listens.

Have a blessed day! 

it will change your life.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. So He subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent out His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy.

Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, His wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.  Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders.

- Psalm 107:1-32

This one is long, sorry / not sorry.

I want to point out a couple things here.

Give thanks – always and for everything – it will change your life.

Look at the examples in the verse:

Some wandered in the desert, some sat in darkness, some were rebellious, some were scared.

Each of these people “then cried out to the Lord”.

And He saved them.

Every single time.  

Let them give thanks.

And let us give thanks as well.

It will change your life because when praise goes up, blessings rain down.

Have a blessed day!

this i believe

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well.  This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands.  And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

- 1 John 5:1-5

Song reference!

I believe in God our Father

I believe in Christ the Son

I believe in the Holy Spirit

Our God is three in one

I believe in the resurrection

That we will rise again

For I believe in the name of Jesus

Oh boy, do I believe!!

No matter what is going on in my life or in the entire world, God will overcome!

(there is another song reference, but I’ll spare you this time!)

Holy catfish, people! 

There is nothing that my God can’t do.

Just believe.

Have a blessed day.

it's hard to resist

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.

- James 4:7-8

Oh my goodness. . . 

How often do you find it hard to resist the devil? 

I have trouble every single day.

I think that if you say you don’t have trouble with this, you are only fooling yourself.

We are human.

We fight every day to do the right thing and we have to lean on the power of God to get us through. 

It is not a sometimes thing, it is an all the time thing.

Every second of every day because the second you think you are safe, the devil will slip in.

I saw a t-shirt once that said “be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says “oh crap, she’s up!”

Let’s all make an effort to be that kind of person – one that the devil flees from.

Have a blessed day!

turn your eyes

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
- Hebrews 12:1-3

Another song reference!

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

That is an oldie but goodie, I love hymns.

We really are surrounded by people watching us to see what we will do.

Perhaps we are not under as much scrutiny as the POTUS, but there are still people that will judge our every move.

We must focus on Jesus and walk away from the sin that is prevalent in our world today.

When we set our eyes on the goal of living with Jesus, it makes time on earth not so bad.

Have a blessed day! 

i am sad

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
- Job 12:7-10

In the midst of yet another national tragedy, I am overwhelmed with grief from a trauma of my own.

Not everyone is going to understand this, and I would hope that those who don’t understand will gain a little perspective.

Yesterday afternoon, our 14 year old yellow lab crossed the rainbow bridge.

I like to think that she was met by her fur brother and sisters, and they are all running through fields of grass together.

We can sure learn a lot from animals, even the Bible says so!

Especially those that find their way into our homes and subsequently into our hearts.

I thought about listing out some of the things you can learn from an animal, but at this point it kind of feels cliché.

People could learn a lot from animals if they would just stop and observe.

I can’t even compare the loss of my dog and what it is doing to my heart to the multiple tragedies unfolding in this country every single day.

I’m not even going to try.  

I’m going to lean on the Word of God and I am going to encourage others to do the same.

While the country struggles to understand the senseless destruction going on, I am going to encourage people to find comfort in His Word.

Be good to each other.  

Have a blessed day! 

thankful for mentors :)

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

—2 Thessalonians 1:3

I am very fortunate to have several mentors in my life right now, people who truly follow the path that God has set for them.

I do thank God for these mentors every day, for if their faith was not strong, how could they mentor me?

This works in life too you know.

We used to play a little game at meal time in my home.

After grace, and when the meal was being dished out and eaten, we would go around the table and ask each individual how was your day, what did you learn new, what are you grateful for and why (and who do you want to go next)?

No one was immune, even if you were a first time guest you had to answer the questions.

Sometimes these questions were thought provoking and triggered deeper conversations.

Sometimes the answers were just standard “get me away from my parents” answers.

But the two big take aways were this – always learn something new – every single day.

And always be thankful for something.

What are you thankful for?

Have a blessed day!

Love is . . .

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

– 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

OK, it is a little corny, but I have to use this verse on valentine’s day.

I am going to pull a repeat of something I sent out in 2016 – so indulge me for a moment:

It is Valentine’s day weekend.  I have also heard it called “Singles Awareness Day”.

My hubby has not bought me flowers on Valentine’s day for years – per my request. 

Flowers, while beautiful as they are, are overpriced on Valentine’s day and Mother’s day.  Cut flowers die quickly and I guarantee you I will kill any plant that tries to exist in my presence.  It is true – I have a black thumb!

This year we happened to be at Walmart 5260 (Pleasant Crossing) last night and they have a large assortment of cut roses for $16.97.  This price fits nicely in our budget, so I told him that if he felt so inclined he would not be in trouble for getting them for me.  Of course, he would not be in trouble for NOT getting them either.  He is off work today, so I left him a note telling him that I will be at my desk all day. (giggle)

I got flowers.

I love that man.

The front lobby at work smells like a garden, with all of the deliveries of flowers today. 

I have heard some people that are mad/sad/disappointed that they are single (or a guy) so they don’t get Valentine’s day gifts.

I am here to tell you that you are wrong.

God gives you a gift every. single. day.  

If you are reading this, you have the gift of sight, you have the gift of living another day, you have the gift of some form of electricity.

God loves you SO MUCH that He does not need one day a year set aside to show you, because He shows you every day.

WOW.

This week has been an emotional roller coaster. I think if I did not have an emotional roller coaster, I would be dead, so I will take the ups and downs.

Our youngest son has joined the Army.

Hubby and I booked our Vegas vacation.

I read that two young girls died recently – suicide because they were being bullied. How does this happen???

I have a good friend that received her pathology reports and the doctors got all the cancer.  This is her 2nd round so it is a big blessing.

I have another friend that is 23 years cancer free today.

A former coworker died this week.

A really good friend is struggling with medical issues with her son, which will likely put a financial burden on her.

Many of my friends have been fighting various illnesses this week, flu, colds, just all over yuck.

I was shocked and hurt to find out recently that some of my married friends have split up, these are people that have been together “forever” and I didn’t see this coming at ALL.

Love each other.  Every moment of every day. Tell someone that you care. 

Do not let another day go by without reaching out to someone.

Even if it is just to say hello.

Love each other – that is really all there is to it.  

Have a blessed day.

as for me . . .

Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

– Joshua 24:14-15

We have all seen this verse embroidered on pillows and throws, painted on canvas, wood and glass, hanging all over.

But is it true?

We are given a choice.

Choose wisely.

As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Have a blessed day!

is it really insomnia?

My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.  When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.

– Isaiah 26:9

I saw a meme the other day that said “when you cannot sleep at night, have you ever thought maybe it’s God saying ‘we need to talk and you now have time.’”

Um, wow.

I never really thought about it before, but when I did a google search for the meme, a bunch of pictures popped up that were all the same theme – “Can’t sleep? Talk to me. – God”  

“My soul yearns for you in the night” . . . 

Perhaps this is true, and when my insomnia sets in, it is God giving me a gentle nudge to talk to Him.

It’s been proven that when we listen, we learn.

I’m listening, God, talk to me . . .

Have a blessed day.

gently

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

- Galatians 6:1-2

This is hard, and it is one of the verses that just came out and slapped me right in the face.

It is hard for the person that is calling out the sinner and it is hard for the person that is sinning.

I can think of several times in my life that someone has called me out and my knee jerk reaction was to throw whatever I knew about their failures back in their face.

I can also think of times when I have called someone out not so gently.

Carry each other’s burdens.

We are called by God to lift each other in prayer and love, even when it hurts.

Next time you are caught in a sin (and I promise, we will all sin again, we are human – it happens whether we like it or not), try to understand that someone is trying to restore you.

Next time you try to restore someone that is sinning, be gentle.

Carry each other’s burdens in love and understanding.

Have a blessed day!

i am not ashamed

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.  That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.  For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

-  Romans 1:14-17

It’s been a while, so we need a song reference!

A restless generation

We're turning over every stone

Hoping to find salvation

In a world that's left us cold

Can we get back to the altar?

Back to the arms of our first love

There's only one way to the Father

And He's calling out to us

To the captive, it looks like freedom

To the orphan, it feels like home

To the skeptic, it might sound crazy

To believe in a God who loves

In a world, where our hearts are breaking

And we're lost in the mess we've made

Like a blinding light, in the dead of night

It's the Gospel

The Gospel that makes a way

It's the Gospel that makes a way

The amazing news of the Gospel

Is not that we can receive Jesus into our lives

But that He's already received us

Into​ His

In my own life, it means forgiveness

When I know I deserved the fall

It called me out of my darkness

And carried me to the Cross

In a moment, my eyes were opened

In that moment, my heart was changed

Like a blinding light, in the dead of night

It's the Gospel

The Gospel that makes a way

I am not ashamed of the Gospel!!

Let me say that again – I am not ashamed of the Gospel!!

And according to the Bible, we are obligated to share His word with “both the wise and the foolish”.

That means, if you already know His word, I am sharing it to remind you and if you don’t know His word, I am sharing to introduce you.

Come, let me tell you how wonderful my Savior is.

Have a blessed day!

i messed up

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
- John 8:7

I am not perfect, I make mistakes, I have seriously messed up.

Do you know how hard it is for some people to admit that they have messed up, and how easy it is to shame others for their mistakes!

Jesus educated the villagers here that not one of them was in a position to accuse this woman of anything.

I wonder, how often do we point out the flaws in others, while we ourselves are flawed?

Something to ponder for the weekend – maybe instead of acknowledging the defects of someone else, we should look at our own actions and what we can do to improve them.

Have a blessed day! 

can you handle the truth?

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.

– Proverbs 12:1

OUCH.

This is actually in the New international Version of the Bible – “whoever hates correction is stupid”.

I hate it when I have to admit that my husband is right about something (love you, honey).

Seriously though . . . I know a whole lot of people that have gone their entire lives blaming everyone else for the things that go wrong. 

Nothing is ever their fault, they complain constantly about their life and circumstances, yet they do nothing to correct it and they become extremely defensive if you question their decisions, always ready to back themselves up with some sort of flawed logic.

We have to have people in our lives who love us enough to correct us when we are being stupid.

It might make us angry, it might hurt our feelings, but the truth of the matter is, if someone loves you enough to be bold and tell you the truth about your circumstances, you might want to listen.

Remember how I have said that if something is repeated in the Bible it must be important?

It’s the same with your life – if God sends you people that tell you the same thing about the same mistakes, it might be time to dust off the old brain and use some knowledge that He has given you.  

Have a blessed day!