Friends, as you can tell, posting isn't happening as often these days (it's been almost 2 months). This isn't because God isn't speaking to me or teaching me, but mainly a time issue. True, I have not been as faithful to Him as I desire, but will I ever? The truth of the matter is that I thought this was a good idea to separate my devotional thoughts from my other blog, but it hasn't panned out. With two small ones at home, time is fleeting and often something else wins over posting. And posting updates/pictures of the kids always wins over sharing my heart (you don't complain like family/friends when I'm silent!).
Anyway, I've found this second blog to be more of a stress factor lately than the relief it was in the beginning. There are times I want to share something, but don't know where to put it because my spiritual life is the center of my life. My family and schedule aren't separate from what God is doing - and yet it always felt weird to post something both places (like anything I have to say is THAT important). And simplifying is the current theme of life - for my sanity and the sake of my family.
So - I'm not doing away with this blog in case God calls me back to it again (I've learned never to say never); but for the time being, I'm closing shop. If I have something to share, I'll put it all on my original blog Just Thought I Would Share.
Thanks for "tuning in" -
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Name calling
From Encouragement for Today (an online devotional):
“To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.” Isaiah 56:5 (NIV)
God doesn’t see me as I am, He sees me as I can be. He doesn’t leave us as we are, but renews us with each new day. It isn’t what I am called, it’s what I am called to do. I must remember that so I can become what God has already determined I can be.
So often I get bogged down with what others have called me or what I call myself, but this writer reminds us of Peter (whose first name, Simon, means shifty) who was given a new name. Through this new name, God foreshadowed Peter's purpose. It hit me that my birth-given name means "case" - and I can be a true nut case and basket case. But God sees beyond that...He sees my potential and so desires to refine me into it. I agree that I must remember this so I don't get comfortable with the "names" I (and others) give me.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Returning to Holiness
My gaggle of gals and I are working (or should I say trudging) through a new book, Returning to Holiness by Dr. Gregory R. Frizzell. One of the subtitles says, "A Biblical Guide to Daily Cleansing" - and it ain't lyin'. The book calls us as believers to true repentance of 7 areas of sin: sins of thought, sins of attitude, sins of speech, sins of relationships, sins of commission, sins of omission, and sins of self-rule and self-reliance. And this is no "let's all acknowledge these things are wrong while rationalizing it away" kind of book. This guy asks some tough questions - questions that if answered honestly aren't always easy to stomach. We're only on the 2nd chapter and already I'm quite aware of my failure to glorify Christ almost every moment of my day.
But Dr. Frizzell encouraged us with wise words in the intro: "Let this cleansing process point you straight to Jesus and victory, not to yourself and defeat." I've clung to that sentiment a lot over the last two weeks, and Sunday I sang Jesus Paid It All with a renewed understanding of the words. "Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. O praise the One Who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead!"
Anyway, I share all of that to help explain why an online devotional I read today meant so much. As I've been on my face before God over the last two weeks, I've often felt like we're talking about things we've covered a thousand times. I'm tired of battling the same things I've been fighting for years. And I wonder at what point will God tire of hearing me apologize again. This devotional from Encouragement for Today was just what I needed to hear. Maybe it's what you need to hear too.
But Dr. Frizzell encouraged us with wise words in the intro: "Let this cleansing process point you straight to Jesus and victory, not to yourself and defeat." I've clung to that sentiment a lot over the last two weeks, and Sunday I sang Jesus Paid It All with a renewed understanding of the words. "Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. O praise the One Who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead!"
Anyway, I share all of that to help explain why an online devotional I read today meant so much. As I've been on my face before God over the last two weeks, I've often felt like we're talking about things we've covered a thousand times. I'm tired of battling the same things I've been fighting for years. And I wonder at what point will God tire of hearing me apologize again. This devotional from Encouragement for Today was just what I needed to hear. Maybe it's what you need to hear too.
Here I Am Again, Lord
By Melanie Chitwood
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)
Devotion:
I had resolved the previous week to be consistent in exercise and healthy eating. I had made this resolution many times before, only to revert to old patterns before the week’s end.
As I sat outside on the porch with my Bible and journal, I felt discouraged as I remembered the previous night’s overindulgence in, once again, my favorite chocolate chip cookies.
I wanted to have a quiet time, I wanted to talk to God in prayer and to read Scripture, but I felt somewhat ashamed. I thought to myself, Here I am again, Lord, with the same old problem. Aren’t you tired of me, Lord? I’m tired of me, so surely you must be, too. I’m tired of dealing with the same old problem over and over again.
Then God whispered to me, Talk to Me. Just pray and see what I can do. So I did. In the quietness of the morning, God reminded me of His thoughts toward me, not my own thoughts. God never gets tired of us, and His compassions are new every morning. As the verses in Hebrews 4 remind us, God understands. What comfort.
Better yet, as we look at today’s key verse we’re invited to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” Sometimes when I feel ashamed of myself, I am tempted to run from God rather than come humbly to His feet. I’m tempted to believe the lie that God is tired of me or has much more important issues to deal with. However, if I believe and act on these lies, I am missing out on the truth of whom God is and the reality of the kind of relationship He wants to have.
If I mistakenly believe that God is just tired of dealing with me, then I go away with just more of the same - more discouragement, more anxiety, more fretting. Worse yet, I’ll be missing out on what He is ready to give. I’ll miss out on His love, His grace, and His power.
Whatever problem we face, God’s very own power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, is available to us. Our God is intimately acquainted with us, gracious and patient. He is ready to give all His resources to us, His children. Isn’t that amazing?
Let’s press on in truth and faith and “take the mercy, accept the help” (Hebrews 4:16 The Message). Then we’ll see what God can do with a heart that trusts Him.
Dear Lord, help me not to run from You when I feel ashamed or discouraged. Help me to believe that You always love me and are always ready to give me Your Help. Thank You for Your patience and Your lovingkindness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
By Melanie Chitwood
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)
Devotion:
I had resolved the previous week to be consistent in exercise and healthy eating. I had made this resolution many times before, only to revert to old patterns before the week’s end.
As I sat outside on the porch with my Bible and journal, I felt discouraged as I remembered the previous night’s overindulgence in, once again, my favorite chocolate chip cookies.
I wanted to have a quiet time, I wanted to talk to God in prayer and to read Scripture, but I felt somewhat ashamed. I thought to myself, Here I am again, Lord, with the same old problem. Aren’t you tired of me, Lord? I’m tired of me, so surely you must be, too. I’m tired of dealing with the same old problem over and over again.
Then God whispered to me, Talk to Me. Just pray and see what I can do. So I did. In the quietness of the morning, God reminded me of His thoughts toward me, not my own thoughts. God never gets tired of us, and His compassions are new every morning. As the verses in Hebrews 4 remind us, God understands. What comfort.
Better yet, as we look at today’s key verse we’re invited to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” Sometimes when I feel ashamed of myself, I am tempted to run from God rather than come humbly to His feet. I’m tempted to believe the lie that God is tired of me or has much more important issues to deal with. However, if I believe and act on these lies, I am missing out on the truth of whom God is and the reality of the kind of relationship He wants to have.
If I mistakenly believe that God is just tired of dealing with me, then I go away with just more of the same - more discouragement, more anxiety, more fretting. Worse yet, I’ll be missing out on what He is ready to give. I’ll miss out on His love, His grace, and His power.
Whatever problem we face, God’s very own power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, is available to us. Our God is intimately acquainted with us, gracious and patient. He is ready to give all His resources to us, His children. Isn’t that amazing?
Let’s press on in truth and faith and “take the mercy, accept the help” (Hebrews 4:16 The Message). Then we’ll see what God can do with a heart that trusts Him.
Dear Lord, help me not to run from You when I feel ashamed or discouraged. Help me to believe that You always love me and are always ready to give me Your Help. Thank You for Your patience and Your lovingkindness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Song to share
Okay - you MUST listen to this song...Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) by Chris Tomlin. Head to the bottom of the blog to the playlist, turn your speakers on and select it to play. AMAZING! (Karen, you're gonna love this if you haven't already heard it!)
What a gift God has given us - His grace...and now our chains are gone. Chains of defeat, chains of despair, chains of guilt, chains of pride, chains of selfishness, chains of sorrow, chains of the past...I may not be rid of my battle of selfishness, pride, guilt and more, BUT I now have the power of Christ to keep those chains from taking hold of me again.
Sing loud - sing proud - and know the victory we have when we give our lives to the ONE AND ONLY GOD!
What a gift God has given us - His grace...and now our chains are gone. Chains of defeat, chains of despair, chains of guilt, chains of pride, chains of selfishness, chains of sorrow, chains of the past...I may not be rid of my battle of selfishness, pride, guilt and more, BUT I now have the power of Christ to keep those chains from taking hold of me again.
Sing loud - sing proud - and know the victory we have when we give our lives to the ONE AND ONLY GOD!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Moved by the Spirit
As my son and I played ball this morning, God reminded me to be moved by the Spirit. Praise music was playing and when the song changed, my precious boy stopped playing ball to dance. At that moment nothing else mattered except moving to the music. He was lost in the moment, and God whispered to me, "Be like your child." So often I squash the Spirit's leading because of my environment or task at hand. I fear what others may think or how I may look. So often I am selfish and simply don't want to stop the fun I'm having. Father, give me the heart of a child. May I desire to be led by You regardless what else is going on. I want to dance for You. Amen.
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