gifts

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

– 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Did you know that each of us are given a gift, a special gift that we should use to praise God?

Some have the gift of teaching, bringing the next generation knowledge and ability to make the world a better place.

Some have the gift of healing, those who care for us like doctors and nurses.

Some have the gift of wisdom, our pastors and leaders, those to whom we listen and take direction.

Some have the gift of kindness, giving, mercy, caring, music, serving.

Each gift bears its own responsibilities – use them wisely.

Each gift is special.

Find your gift.

Use it to help others, because that pleases God.

Happy Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

- 1 Chronicles 16:34

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ann Voskamp wrote a book called One Thousand Gifts, my small group did a study on her book not too long ago.

It is really an amazing book with very good lessons inside.

There are so many quotes I could give here, but today, today I like this one:

“Thanksgiving-giving thanks in everything-prepares the way that God might show us His fullest salvation in Christ.”

So what if your huge meal is not on the table at exactly noon.

Who is going to care if the mashed potatoes are lumpy?

What does it matter if your pie isn’t blue ribbon worthy?

At the end of the day when everyone is sleeping off the tryptophan (by the way, that is a myth!) take a look around.

I bet if you try you can come up with one thousand gifts for which you can give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!  

anxiety

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

—Psalm 94:19

Anxiety is a very real thing.

I was doing some research and I found this statement:

The bible does not state what causes anxiety, because God considers anxiety to be a crisis of faith. The belief here is that anxiety shows that the person has not yet been able to put full trust in God, because fear itself is something that is meant to be relinquished as every person is meant to be part of God's plan.

Hmmm

Jehoshaphat suffered from anxiety, as did Job.

We are given tools to deal with our anxiety: tools like prayer, God’s promises, being thankful for what we have.

My anxiety hits an all-time high when I feel things are out of my control.

Shopping is something that sends me skyrocketing into an anxiety filled balloon from which it seems there is no escape.

My faith tells me that God is in control, that I need to trust Him to get me through each situation.

You know what? 

He has not let me down yet.

Joy

Be joyful always.

—1 Thessalonians 5:16

It is not always easy to be “joyful”.

This world is full of terrible things.

Bad things happen to good people every single day.

Today I am going to be a little weird in my song reference:

When you're weary, feeling small

When tears are in your eyes, I'll dry them all (all)

I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough

And friends just can't be found

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

When you're down and out

When you're on the street

When evening falls so hard

I will comfort you (ooo)

I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes

And pain is all around

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

Sail on silver girl

Sail on by

Your time has come to shine

All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine

Oh, if you need a friend

I'm sailing right behind

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind

It is not a worship song.

It is not sung by today’s artists.

But if you google the meaning behind the lyrics, you will find that Paul Simon was inspired by gospel music in some really dark times in the world.

And think on the lyrics, doesn’t God dry all of our tears?

Doesn’t He comfort us?

Isn’t He there for us, in everything we need and want?

We should be joyful, even in our sorrow, because we serve a God who cares enough to send “a cross to bridge the great divide” (yeah, that is another song reference).

We should be joyful because we are the sons and daughters of a King, a King who loves us through everything.

storms

But He said, "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."

Luke 11:28 (KJV)

Do you ever feel like God is speaking directly to you?

I do.

Do you listen?

I don’t always listen ☹

Every now and then I am reminded though - like this morning, on the way to work, two songs, back to back.

Short song reference:

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
And in the middle of the war, You guard my soulYou alone are the anchor, when my sails are tornYour love surrounds me in the eye of the storm

And the second one:

You're my courage when I worry in the dead of night
You're my strength 'cause I'm not strong enough to win this fight
You are greater than the battle raging in my mind
I will trust You, Lord, I will fear no more

No matter what we are going through, no matter what we are facing, we have got to trust Him.

Sometimes it is hard to let go, but I promise, HE will take care of you.

refuge

As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.

- 2 Samuel 22:31

There are a lot of verses and songs that talk about taking refuge in the Lord. 

Here is an old song reference for you!

You call comes like the morning breeze
You spread Your wings and cover me
Underneath Your shadow
I will hide away
For there I've found Your shelter
And there I'd like to stay

refuge You're my refuge
When the world is shaken
And nothing stands
I will hold on to Your hand
Refuge

I am not a “black Friday” shopper, but if I were, I would certainly be seeking refuge in Him while out there in the craziness!

Isn’t it amazing that He know exactly what we need, when we need it.

His way is indeed perfect.

Thank you Father!

I care

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.

- Matthew 25:35-36

Thanksgiving is next week.

A lot of people will be sitting at a table laden with yummy food and surrounded by family.

Some people will be working, whether it’s at a restaurant serving the above happy people or in retail preparing for what is quoted as the biggest shopping day of the year.

Still others will be home alone because they can’t afford a meal, or because they don’t have family.

With all the craziness in my life since August, I doubt that we are having a huge meal this year, but that doesn’t matter – if you are in the area and otherwise alone, come to my house.

We may not have turkey and trimmings, and we may sit on the couch with TV trays, but family is family, chosen by God or chosen by us and no one should be alone.

I care.

Call me.

Jesus is coming back!

However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

- Matthew 24:36

There are hundreds of songs and stories out in the world about human encounters that seem “heavenly” or surreal.

Song reference! (it’s been a while!)

He came to town on an old freight train
He jumped off in the pouring rain
Everybody said he's insane
Just a low down no account hobo

He made his bed beneath the county bridge
The city folks said hey that's not his
They signed a petition they're gonna get rid
Of that low down no account white trash

What if Jesus comes back like that
On an old freight train in a hobo hat
Will we let him in or turn our back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Oh what if Jesus comes back like that

She was born into drug abuse
She couldn't help what her mama used
It wasn't like she got to choose
Now she's layin' there all alone

Got a monkey on her back
Nurses say they never saw a smile like that
Doctor says she might stand a chance
If somebody takes her home

What if Jesus comes back like that
Two months early and hooked on crack
Will we let him in or turn our back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Oh what if Jesus comes back like that

Nobody said life is fair
We've all got a cross to bear
When it gets a little hard to care
Just think about him hanging there

He came to town on a cold dark night
A single star was his only light
The baby born that silent night
A manger for his bed

What if Jesus comes back like that
Where will he find our hearts are at
Will he let us in or turn his back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Will he cry when he sees where our hearts are at
Will he let us in or turn his back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Hey what if Jesus comes back like that

Adrian Rogers said “we ought to be living as if Jesus died yesterday, rose this morning, and is coming back this afternoon.”

That way, if we do encounter Him, we are living right. 

husbands and wives

The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground.

- 1 Peter 3:7 (MSG)

I’m going to get mushy today  . . .  happy birthday to my wonderful, amazing husband – I love you.

Everyone has heard at some point in time that women should strive to be a Proverbs 31 wife.

(Proverbs 31:10-31 is listed as “the Wife of noble character”)

I am very fortunate, my husband makes it easy to be a Proverbs 31 wife, he is an amazing man and I am SO blessed.

We are a team, when someone asks me to do something and I say I will talk to my husband, I am not asking permission, I am respecting him and any plans he may have.

It is a two way street, he respects me in the same way.

The last few months he has been my rock, going above and beyond expectations to care for me while I have been a mess.

I don’t know why God put us together, but I am very thankful that He did.

  

work hard

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

- 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

Food for thought –

According to SocialSecurity.gov, retirement age in the US is now 65-67, depending on your birth year, but the longer you work, you get more from Social Security.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most people work over 9.4 hours per day and over 50 hours per week. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

Ok, bear with me while I math . . .

24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week = 168 hours per week.

Minus the 50 hours that we work = 118

If we get 7 hours of sleep each night, that is 49 hours per week, if we get 9 hours then it is 63 hours.

That leaves us 55 hours per week, to eat, be with our families and spend time with God.

If you live your life for God at all times, you don’t have to separate out the time for Him, because you are always working for Him.

I am not ashamed of the truth!

troubles

Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight.

- Psalm 119:143

Happy Friday, ya’all!

We made it through another week 😊

I don’t know about you, but for me the last few months have been kind of crazy and rough.

Trouble and distress have definitely invaded my life. . .

Over the next few weeks we prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas, that is a lot of stress for some folks.

Stop.

Breathe.

Listen.

God is there, His commands include things like don’t worry, don’t fear, pray without ceasing and love one another.

If we do those things, and above all love Him with all our heart, well, the trouble, distress, and general freaking outness, they just don’t seem so big.

One of my favorite things to remember (and I need to remember it more) is “don’t tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big God is.”

God is pretty big – and He will take care of us if we let Him.

are you a bully?

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

- Psalm 34:18

Even as adults, we still experience bullying.

Sometimes it is harder to discern that we are being bullied as adults.

This is not OK.

Bullying can break a person’s spirit, and some people are not strong enough to withstand that kind of evil.

Some people don’t even realize that they are being bullies when they say things.

I am thankful for a God that protects my heart, even when my spirit is crushed by evil.

who are you?

Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;

- Matthew 23:5

I had to research the word “phylacteries”.  It means boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm.

In Matthew 23, Jesus is warning us against hypocrisy.

He tells us that some of the teachers do not practice what they preach, that they burden others with terrible things, yet will not lift a finger to help others.

I know people like this.

People that criticize others over miniscule things – things that should not matter – yet in the same breath they do the same to others that they have criticized on one.

We always tell our children to “do as I say, not as I do”, but what is the lesson there?

We need to be sure that we are living our lives for Jesus 100% of the time.

Our actions, the things that people see, they need to come from your heart, from a place of devotion to God, and not because we need someone else to see us and praise us for our good deeds.

If you are serving God for the praise and admiration of others, you are serving the wrong God.

apples to apples

Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!

- Matthew 18:7

I looked up at my fruit basket the other day and saw that one of my apples had turned pretty icky.

As I moved the apples around to throw away the smooshy one, I see that more than one of the apples had turned bad.

I remember the old saying about one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel, and I see that it is true, that one bad apple has spread it’s influence and now others are bad.

Do you see the correlation between the icky apples and people?

People spread their influence and often lead others to sin.

People are just like lemmings sometimes, and simply follow the crowd without thinking,

Don’t be the bad apple – think about how you influence people around you.

Lead them toward God, not away from Him.

continued prayers

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.

- Colossians 1:9-13

It is good to be back.

For those that don’t follow me on Facebook, I had some very scary adventures over the last few weeks.

The thing that kept me going was the prayers of my friends and family.

It will take me a bit to get back in sync with everything, including my daily updates, but know that I am doing my best, and I continue to pray for all of you too.