My Nemesis...

How I wish I felt about mornings with my girls...

How I actually feel about mornings with my girls...

I don't know what mornings are like at your house, but mine are peaceful and quiet and slow...

Until 7:00 am, when my children emerge from their rooms - noise and chaos following in their wake.

Inspired by a video I ran across a few months ago, I started writing down the things I say to my children in the morning - nearly EVERY.SINGLE.MORNING.

•  Good morning sweet girl.
• How did you sleep?
• I love you.

• Excuse me. If you are choosing to talk that way, then you can choose to go back into your room.

 

• Are you getting ready or just messing around?
• Are you getting ready?
• Are you ready? 
• Are you actually planning on getting ready today?
• I'm not sure which part of "getting ready" you two are working on right now.

 

• Are you doing anything constructive or just hanging out? 

• Stop.
• Stop it.
• Stop. It.

 

• If you can't get along, you need to separate.
• Separate please.
• Go to your rooms. 

• Where is your shirt?
• Why aren't you wearing a shirt?
• Seriously. Put on a shirt.

• Please don't leave your bloody Band-aid on the counter.

• Is your lunch made?
• Are your teeth brushed?
• Did you brush your hair?
• Are you sure?

• There's still a situation happening down here.

• Are you done with breakfast?
• Why are your dishes still out?
• Please put your dishes by the sink.
• Put your dishes away! 

• Are you doing what you are supposed to be doing?

• Are the clothes on the floor clean or dirty?
• Please put your clean clothes away.
• Please put your dirty clothes in the laundry room.
• Put your clothes where they belong! Please! 

• That's gross. 

• Give me a smoochie.
• I love you.
• Guess what...I love you.
• I'm praying for you today.
• Be kind. Make good choices. Be a good friend. I love you.

Yep. That's pretty much a normal morning in my home. And yes, apparently I ask about a million questions...it makes them own their behavior...? At least that's what I'm going with.

My girls are sweet, good girls, but something happens in the morning - it's like they lose their minds and forget who they are! And they seem to have no recollection of the expectations set before them the morning before. It's exhausting.

Sweet mama - the day-to-day, mundane, exhausting moments are worth it. Keep up the hard work. We are making a difference, even if we can't see it.

And, the good news is, if my kids are anything like me, they will have very few memories of the morning routine...
He is my inspiration for writing down what I say to my kids. I promise, you want to watch Flat Irons Community Church's video. It's one of my favorites!!! "It's right in front of your eyes!"

Motivate Me Monday

I know that I have been on hiatus from Motivate Me Mondays for quite some time, but I think I'm back. If you're curious as to the reason for my absence, click here.

For today's Motivate Me Monday, Sarah Mae asked us to link up with our very first blog posts. Here's mine. If you want to check out more "firsts," head over to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee.


"All About God's Chicks"
Sunday, November 9, 2008

I had a dream one night, and really felt like God was calling me to reach out to God's Chicks. During these uncertain times, now more than ever, we need to stand firm on God's promises, and know what we believe and what we stand for. We have been called to live in a world that does not always accept us for who we are and what we have been created to be. One of my very favorite books is called God Chicks, by Holly Wagner. She reminds her readers that "God Chicks come in all shapes and sizes, all colors and styles!" Wagner challengers her readers to find out who they really are by discovering who God created them to be. By knowing who you are, you will know how to function in the world around you, and truly know your God-given purpose, without dissolving into it. "God chicks are a force for change on the earth," according to Holly, and I don't think I could say it any better than that.

Holly Wagner says that there are 8 different "aspects of womanhood." These are the 8 attributes that every one of God's Chicks possess. In order to help us know ourselves better, I will reference these various Chicks from time to time. They are the "just b u chick", the "princess chick", the "warrior chick", the "champion chick", they "friend chick", the "party chick", the "lover chick", and the "whatever-it-takes chick." Each of these chicks is alive in you somewhere, and is essential for you to truly love yourself. I believe that by loving ourselves, it is easier to have a deeper love for Christ and others.

I can't guarantee that I'll post everyday, but I will do my best to post as often as possible. My heart aches for our country right now, and I really feel like we as Godly Women need to stand up for what we know is true!

Motivate Me Monday

I went to the park this past Wednesday with some girlfriends and their kids. It was a beautiful day, almost 80 degrees, with a slightly annoying breeze. There were five mamas and about seven kids. That's twelve people in all. And I was the ONLY one to receive a sunburn. Not even my little redhead was scorched by the sun. I know, sunscreen. I forgot. I mean, it's March. I'm not even sure I know where it is.

I was slightly embarrassed by this ordeal. But then I read something this morning that made me wonder if there was a reason I had suffered.

Unnoticed, unheeded, and unrelenting, the sun singes, Afterwards, it's easy to see the solar influence on my shoulders, the back of my neck, and across my nose.

The Spirit's quiet influence is often just that way. Unnoticed and unheeded at the time, but clearly seen in hindsight.
Experiencing Spiritual Intimacy by Christa Kinde

I loved this illustration. So often we are taught about the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures by using Acts 2 and then ending there. The reality is that the Holy Spirit has been around since the very beginning, was speaking through Old Testament prophets and kings, was apparent in the life of Jesus Christ, was promised to the disciples, came in full force on the Day of Pentecost, continued its work in the New Testament through Paul and others, and continues to live in and speak through us today.

Ladies, we may not see the Spirit's hand in our lives until the evidence becomes clear later on, (just like a sunburn) but that doesn't mean He's not by our side all along the way. He will give us strength and encouragement, and even the words we need when we don't know what to say.

We often remember that the Lord comes to us with a still, small voice, but we find it hard to remember to listen for that quiet prompting. The Spirit's influence in our lives is largely a quiet one, and ti will go completely unnoticed if we aren't sensitive to His ways. This week, pray for a heightened sensitivity to His quiet influence in your heart.
Experiencing Spiritual Intimacy by Christa Kinde

Sarah Mae has more Motivate Me Monday posts at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee. Head on over. I promise, you will be blessed and encouraged!

Motivate Me Monday

In my Bible Study a few weeks ago, I ran across this question:

Paul is very specific about the Spirit's role in our hearts. Why does he say God gave us His Spirit in 2 Corinthians 1:22 and again in 2 Corinthians 5:5?

At first the question didn't seem special or out of the ordinary, but then I read the scriptures.

He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:22

Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:5

When I was in college, I was required to take several Religion courses. Unfortunately, most of the courses offered were History of Christian Thought (which was really more of a philosophy class), God & Gender, and Science & Religion. So, what I learned in college was from a very liberal view, and not very Biblical.

But, one thing I remember from an actual Bible course that I took was that when an author states something more than once, it's important!

Twice Paul states that the Holy Spirit was given to us as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come! How exciting is that!?!?!?

Even though God had already sent His Son to live with us, Jesus had to go back to Heaven, but the Lord knew that we still required help, so He sent His Holy Spirit to us, to live in us, to help us know Him better!

My Bible says this:

Paul outlines four aspects of God's work in believers through the Holy Spirit:

1) The Holy Spirit establishes believers and helps them persevere in their life of faith.

2) The Spirit anoints believers in order to give them power to witness, to perform the works of Christ, and to know the truth.

3) The Spirit is the official seal of God's ownership, marking believers as His own property and producing godly character within their human personalities.

4) The Spirit is an indwelling "deposit", i.e., a guarantee and a first installment to believers that a greater life with Christ will come in the future.
(Notes from the Full Life Study Bible)

Don't take the Holy Spirit for granted. Often times the Trinity isn't "fair and balanced" in our lives. We know about God the Father, we love Jesus Christ His Son, and then there's the Holy Spirit. My friends, the Spirit is just as important as the other two. He is always with us, dwelling within us. Check out Genesis 1:2. I've read this passage over and over again, and only recently discovered this very early mention of God's Spirit.

I am still studying the Women of Faith book called Experiencing Spiritual Intimacy by Christa Kinde. Each chapter brings new light on the Holy Spirit. If you are looking for a deeper relationship with the Lord, this book will definitely show you how important your relationship with the Holy Spirit is in order to attain a more intimate relationship with God.

Thank the Lord today for sending His Spirit as a deposit, as a guarantee of our eternity!

Get more motivation with Sarah Mae at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee! There's a special give-away if you participate in Motivate Me Monday...Check it out!

Motivate Me Monday - Tuesday Edition

Ah, winter! Where the illness manifests itself daily! My tardiness is due to the stomach flu, again! Only this time, it was my daughter who was suffering. I have definitely come to conclude that vomit and I are not friends. Especially red Jell-o vomit!

Moving on.

My husband's grandmother recently passed away. This woman was like a cat. I swear she had at least 9 lives. If you've ever wondered how one is able to live 94 years, I believe it's because they are actually cats! We've been waiting for the news of her death for about 6 years, but every time we thought is was the end, she bounced back!

At Grandma's memorial service I was deeply saddened. Not at the loss of her life, but at the lack of people attending her service. Her family was there, but she had only one son and her husband passed away several years ago. Two family friends were there, and two ladies from Grandma's church, and that was all.

I had been to a funeral a few weeks ago for a man who went to our church. He was also quite elderly, but in addition to his family, there were several people there to celebrate his life, mourn his death, and support his loved ones.

How does this happen? How is it that one service is packed and the other is almost completely empty?

I came to conclude that it all has to do with the way we live our lives DAILY! Are you touching others and making a difference in their lives? Are you able to reach out and be an influence to another? Remember, on your gravestone it will have your name, two dates, and a dash. What are you doing with your dash?

I challenge you to think, who would be at your funeral if you passed away today? Who would be celebrating your life?

If you missed all the ladies who participated in Motivate Me Monday on Monday, head over to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee to catch up!

Motivate Me Monday

I'm back! I have rejoined the land of the living, and boy does it feel good!!! I'm still waiting test results for my abdominal condition, but I haven't felt nauseous in several days! Praise God! On Friday I went back to the doctor with an ear infection and pink eye, and my daughter has bronchitis. BUT, both of us are on the mend, and that is all I need. Thank you all for your prayers and kind notes. You are true blessings to me.

This morning Sarah Mae offered a Motivate Me Monday prompt:

When has there been a time where you felt weak (and maybe your prayers weren't being answered) but where you saw God ultimately use His strength through your weakness (or maybe you didn't see it, but you trusted)?

At first I thought I would write about my most recent succession of sickness, but I'm tired of writing about that. Plus, I wanted to write about something that is actually motivating.

My baby girl was born in September 2007. She was born exactly four weeks before her due date, so she is technically not a "full-term" baby. Imagine my surprise when my water broke that morning...

Let me back up and give you some insight here.

I wasn't supposed to get pregnant without a fight. I have cysts on my ovaries that prevent me from ovulating on my own. So I worried about it. For months before my husband and I were even ready to start trying, I was begging God to bless our family with a child. I even began to let Satan whisper his dirty words into my heart, "It's because of what you did..." The details aren't important, but I had things in my past that God had forgiven, but I was so desperate, that I began to listen to the enemy.

All this worrying for nothing. I got pregnant immediately. I took a test just to amuse a friend, and there it was, two lines! Both of us were shocked, but extremely excited!

Now comes the worry again. What if something happens? I felt completely out of control. And, no one conceives that easily. It's just not the way it works. There has to be something that is wrong. I prayed and prayed that the baby was alright. I prayed that the 12 week mark would hit so that I would feel more confident that everything was fine.

And it was. Aside from feeling physically run down, emotionally drained, and constantly sick, my pregnancy was smooth. No alarms. No actual reasons to worry.

As the time drew near, I found something new to worry about. Giving birth. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do it. The mental image (and actual images) were almost too much for me. At one point I had to put my book down. I was reading a description about an episiotomy, and got light headed (and maybe threw up in my mouth a little). I remember talking long hours with my mom and my mentor. I was scared.

So, back to the water breaking. My husband was still home (Praise God, because I was afraid I'd be all alone). I took a shower and we headed to the hospital. I wasn't having contractions, but I was praying. We got there, checked in, put the gown on, hopped in the bed, and waited. And waited. And waited.

But it was during the waiting that my fears subsided. It was during the waiting that I felt the presence of the Lord in that hospital room like I hadn't experienced in a long time. He was there. He was with me. And He had provided me with peace and strength.

Although I still wasn't having many contractions, and still wasn't dilating, and there was talk about a C-section, I was enjoying the presence of my Lord. There is absolutely no way that I would have been able to handle everything that day. But He is a faithful God. He provides you with the strength that you are unable to muster up on your own.

After 17 hours, many awkward positions, and a fetal unrest scare, I went from 4 to 10 centimeters in a half hour, and we were ready to push! It was a Thursday, and we were scheduled to have our child-birthing class on Saturday, so I made it up. Everything I had learned on A Baby Story was coming into play. I used yoga breathing and listened to my nurse.

I only pushed for 10 minutes, and out came my baby girl!

I tend to fear the unknown because it's unknown. But, I am able to find strength in the Lord.

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear...
Psalm 46:1

Head on over to Sarah Mae's for more motivation this morning!

Motivate Me Monday

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Oh, Lord, I am weary and burdened. I know there are others who are hurting much more than me, but I pray that you would heal my body fully. Whatever is plaguing me day after day, Lord, please touch me and make me whole again. Father, I pray that your healing touch would also heal my husband and my daughter. Protect our home from the constant sickness. You are faithful, and for that I am so thankful. Give me the strength that can only come from you. I love you, my Lord.

As you can see, we are still sick. I am so thankful that my abdominal issues have been relieved, but in their place I now have an extremely sore throat (you know, the kind that leaves your tonsils extremely inflamed and covered in some kind of white goo) and a headache. I'm told that this will turn into a cough that will linger for weeks. Perfect!

My husband has the same thing, but he's believing that if he refuses to admit to it, he will not actually be sick. I like that. The power of positive thinking!

And, my daughter has a severe cold. The kind that creates the green and brown boogs that are crusted all over her face when she wakes up in the morning. The cold that leaves her with a phlegmy cough, and very, very whiny.

All this to say, I can't remember the last time I got up for my time with God. I feel as though I'm under attack and can't seem to muster up any strength to fight it. There are so many things that I need to do and haven't. I've neglected my ministry, which drives me crazy.

I am renewing my commitment to get up early and spend the much needed time with the Lord. I miss Him so much. I miss you all too. Here's to a great week!

Check Like a Warm Cup of Coffee for more Motivate Me Monday posts!

Motivate Me Monday

I have been humbled this week. For the past few years I have been joining a dear friend of mine in prayer for her sister. She has been battling cancer for many years. She has decided to stop fighting.

I haven't been feeling good, off and on, since Thanksgiving. It feels like morning sickness, but 4 pregnancy tests later, I'm still not pregnant. This past week has been rough.

And then I reread this:

My beautiful wife has been battling breast cancer for just over five years now. She was originally diagnosed in November of 2003 and went through chemotherapy and radiation treatment following her mastectomy and reconstruction.

In the summer of 2005 the doctors discovered metastases (spreading) of the cancer to her spine and lung.

Bravely she fought the cancer with several different chemotherapy regimens (including an experimental trial through a cancer center that gave her several months of comfortable active life while still holding the cancer at bay). Additionally, she went through numerous surgeries including Pleurodesis on both lungs (removal of fluid and sealing of the pleural space to prevent additional pleural effusion) and kidney stents to drain fluid, and far more needle pokes than anyone should have to endure. All along, she has been brave and had a good sense of humor. Her loving team of Cancer doctors and nurses have been providing her with exceptional care in an incredibly personal and supportive environment.

After three-and-a-half years of fighting the metastatic cancer, with the loving support of her family, doctors and nurses, my wife has decided to stop actively battling the cancer and is now in the in-home hospice care program through Hospice, Inc. Her goal and the goal of her family and friends is comfort and peace and happiness in the home she loves. She is resting comfortably with pain and other symptoms under control.

We welcome and need the words of encouragement, thoughts and prayers from our entire circle of support.

My heart was broken. This was posted by her husband on her Hospice Homepage. I was trying to think of the "right" thing to say, but what can one say? This woman is 39. That is only 10 years older than I am. Her life should only just be beginning, and instead, it is ending.

I wrote to my friend. But what could I say? My friend's faith is amazing, and right now I am amazed by her strength.

This is what she wrote to me:

Your kindness brings tears to my eyes. Death is hard and many don't
know what to say or to say anything. I soooo appreciate your thoughts
and prayers. Yes, please post on your blog. I believe in the power
of prayer. Even if the miracle we want doesn't happen, we pray for
my sister's comfort---this includes her pain and her ability to eat and
not throw up. She had many problems today with eating. Poor pumpkin!
I am flying out again on Thursday. The time we have been
given to really say goodbye has been a blessing.

So, here I sit. Feeling a little sick to my stomach, but knowing that I will get better. Please join me in praying for this young woman. We know the power of prayer, and although God may not heal her body physically, we can take comfort in knowing that He will heal her completely.

I posted the lyrics to Casting Crown's Praise You In This Storm on the Hospice page. I think I posted them more as a reminder for myself than as encouragement for her family. If you have a second, I would encourage you to watch the video and really meditate on the words.

For more Motivate Me Monday posts, head over to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee.

Motivate Me Monday

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Job 33:4

I raved about this book last week, and I'm afraid I'm on the bandwagon. Experiencing Spiritual Intimacy by Christa Kinde is really challenging me to grow and come to a deeper understanding of my God.

This past week we read chapter 2, Being Known. Last week was all about knowing God, so this week we discovered how intimately God knows us. How God knows every single detail about our lives, past, present, and future (Hebrews 4:13), and he knows the "secrets of your heart" (Psalm 44:21). And yet, God still blessed us with His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).

Sometimes the knowledge that God knows every thought and every detail of my life is overwhelming, scary, and a bit embarrassing. But, most of the time, it brings me comfort to know that God understands me completely, even if everyone around me does not. I would rather have a relationship with a God who loves me so deeply that He wants to know all about me, rather than be a "fan" of a god who doesn't even know my name. God formed and shaped me (Job 10:8), He planned out my days (Psalm 139:13-16), He gave me a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11), and blessed me with gifts (Ephesians 4:11-13). God loves me as a child. I long to bring blessing to Him.

For more Motivating posts, click here for Sarah Mae's blog, Like a Warm Cup of Coffee.

**I know I said I'd post about Sanctification today, but I forgot about Motivate Me Monday. I guarantee there will be a post tomorrow!**

Motivate Me Monday

For my Tuesday morning Bible Study, we are currently going through another Women of Faith study. The title of the study is, "Experience Spiritual Intimacy". Ooh....the title just makes me excited to open the pages and dive right in!

Each chapter is set up the same way. There is a part called "Clearing the Cobwebs", in which the reader is challenged to think about a specific time in her own life that would apply to the chapter. There is a short story/illustration to read through. Then you get into the Word! There are usually about 10 questions that require you to look up scripture and reflect upon what the Lord is revealing to you. There are little quotes in the margins from the Women of Faith that will encourage and challenge the reader. About halfway through the questions, there is another short story/illustration, and then more questions. After you've gone through all of the questions, there is another section called Digging Deeper. This section gets you back in the Word, and really thinking about how all of what you have learned and read can, will, and should apply to your own life. After that is the "Ponder and Pray", which gives you specific instructions on what you could pray about for the week, and what you could ask the Lord to reveal to you. The last part is the "Trinket to Treasure". If you've ever been to a Women of Faith Conference, then you know that at the end of each conference, the ladies "give" you an imaginary gift that you are to "hold" in your heart so that you will remember what lesson they shared with you.

I've only gone through one chapter, but the "Digging Deeper" really got me.

Do you think you can know God and not have it change your life? There are two sides to this. What is Paul's criticism of those who say they know God but don't show any evidence of it in Titus 1:16? And how does David describe a life lived in the pursuit of knowing God in 1 Chronicles 28:9? How has knowing God changed your life?

WHOA!!!

My first instinct was to turn right to Titus 1:16.

16They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

I then read the commentary from my Bible.

THEY CLAIM...THEY DENY HIM. One of the greatest abominations in God's eyes is to profess faith in Christ and the hope of eternal life (v. 2), while at the same time to live in disobedience to him and his Word. (The Full Life Study Bible, Donald C. Stamps)

This led me to a few more scriptures.

Luke 6:46

46"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

John 14:12

12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

John 15:10-14

10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.

1 John 2:4

4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Then I went back into the Titus scripture and looked up the scriptures that relate to what Paul says to Titus.

Jeremiah 5:2

2 Although they say, 'As surely as the LORD lives,'
still they are swearing falsely."

Jeremiah 12:2

2 You have planted them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.

1 John 2:4 (again)

4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Hosea 8:2-3

2 Israel cries out to me,
'O our God, we acknowledge you!'

3 But Israel has rejected what is good;
an enemy will pursue him.

I also thought about Matthew 6:24.

24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

I know this scripture ends with God and Money, but I really feel you could put anything in the place of Money that is causing you to be torn between God and the other thing. Because, by trying to serve two masters, you are living in disobedience to God's word, Exodus 20:3:

3 "You shall have no other gods before me.

I then looked up 1 Chronicles 28:9

9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

As I suspected they would, all of these scriptures only validated my initial thoughts.

I think that once you have made a decision to allow Christ to dwell in your heart, you want to change. I know for me, as soon as I made that decision to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior, I wanted Him to be a part of my life. Often times I think the Spirit moves fast, and reveals sin in your life that you need to repent of. I remember that I changed really fast, and it shocked some of my family and some of my friends. My language changed, my priorities changed, and my group of friends changed. I knew that if I continued in my current pattern of life, that I wasn't serving the Lord.

However, that was 12 years ago. In these past 12 years I have experienced extreme highs with my Lord, and He has walked me through extreme lows. Apathy can creep into our hearts so easily. With apathy comes sin, and often times we are so apathetic that we don't even notice our sin, or even deny that it is sin. Legalism and judgment cloud our hearts.

But then who are we serving? Certainly not God. Probably just ourselves.

1 John 1 talks about sin in our life, and if there is sin, if we are not changing, then Christ can't live in us. There will be darkness where there should be light.

Knowing where I was headed before I found Jesus, my life has changed dramatically! If I had not changed, if I had not allowed the Lord to work in me, mold and shape me, if I were not "bendy" for God to use me, then I would not be able to serve Him. I know that I could not live that life and consider myself a servant of the Lord.

I am not perfect by any means. I sin every single day. But, the difference is that I ask the Spirit to search my heart and reveal my sins to me. Repentance is a big, fancy, church word. If you are truly repentant, then you have asked the Spirit to disclose any sin in your life. You acknowledge that this is sin, and confess you sin to the Lord. You seek and accept forgiveness from God. Then, you pray for the strength to turn away from that sin. You ask God to help you fight the temptation and its hold on your life. This is the hardest part about repenting. It might be a daily battle, but with the Lord's strength, you will prevail!

I am so excited to see how my life will continue to change as I eagerly seek my Lord with my whole heart - everyday!

You too can conquer your sins, and truly change your life!

For more Motivate Me Mondays, check out Like a Warm Cup of Coffee!

Motivate Me Monday

2:08 pm. That's the local time here. This is really my first moment today to sit down and have an actual thought. My baby girl is sick, so therefore I'm on Mama Overdrive! Last night was the second sleepless night, and today is the second restless and clingy day.

And so, here I sit.

I have often noticed that once I am resolute about something, I am immediately under fire about it. Sometimes it is friends who attack. Sometimes it's my time that assaults me. Often times it's just "stuff" that seems to pummel me from every direction. This time, it's been illness.

I've been recovering from the stomach flu since before Christmas. As soon as I feel that I've finally kicked it, it rears it's ugly head and comes back with vengeance! And now my daughter is sick. What happens when I'm sick? I shut down. I can't do much of anything. I have been so weak and light-headed, so I have basically been useless (my husband can attest to this).

What did I resolve?

I WANT MORE! I know that there's more, and I want it! I want more of Christ! I want more from my time with Him! I want more for myself and more for my family! I want to know Him more!

I have not given up. This passion burns within me. I will "keep on keepin' on". Attacks are immanent, but I've got something to look forward to.

Be sure you check out Sarah Mae's for for Motivate Me Mondays!

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.
James 5:8

Thank you, Lord for standing by my side and carrying me when I am too weak. I give you my life, and pray the strength to keep growing closer to you. I know that there will be times of trials, but you are worth it. I love you so much, and can't wait to see what work you are doing.

Motivate Me Monday

Do you have those places in the Bible where you've seen them taken out of context so many times that they almost irritate you a little? And, you're tempted to skip right over it...

I've been studying the book of James, which I love!!! I have really enjoyed getting in deep with this book. I haven't read more than two sections a day, and often times I take multiple days to really dig in and learn all that I can. There is so much in just five little chapters!

Last Thursday the title of the section of Scripture for the day was, "Boasting About Tomorrow," James 4:13-17.

Boasting About Tomorrow

13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

~NIV~

Nothing but a Wisp of Fog

13-15And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money." You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that."

16-17As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil.

~The Message~

The first part that grabbed my attention was in verse 14:

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

This is so true. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. We don't even know what the next hour holds for us or our loved ones. What we can take comfort in is knowing that God does know our future, and He has worked it out perfectly according to His will. Does this mean we'll live perfect lives? Uh, no. Absolutely not ... unfortunately.

I understand what James is telling his readers. We should not allow our own selfish ambitions to dictate how we live our lives. We need to always remember that God is the one who sustains our lives, that each day's twenty-four hours are not "ours" automatically, that God controls time and gives it as one of his good gifts, and that we would be already blown away in God's judgment were it not for his mercy. The biblical worldview is that "we receive another day neither by natural necessity, nor by mechanical law, nor by right, nor by courtesy of nature, but only by the covenanted mercies of God" (Motyer 1985:162). (Commentary by InterVarsity Press.)

However, although we don't know what tomorrow brings, we still need to plan ahead. We need to have some kind of vision, or else you have nothing to strive towards. I know that I need to pray that my vision for my future aligns with God's plan for me, but I also need to remember that things may happen along the way. While this may set me back a little, I still need to look ahead and find where God is leading me. I might need to ask what God what He is teaching me during these trials, and figure out how to get back on track, or be willing to realize that the Lord has altered the course, and I'm heading in a new direction.

Writing these things scares me a little because it makes me wonder how God is going to change directions. Who is He taking away? My husband, my daughter, my parents, me? Although I let these thoughts creep into my thought life, I cannot allow them to consume my thoughts.

The second part that stuck out was in verse 15:

"If it is the Lord's will..."

Used in the right context, I absolutely agree with this, but I've heard it used as an excuse.

"Could you help me in the nursery?"

"Lord willing. Let me pray about it."

I have some friends who are missionaries working in Muslim countries. Questions they ask are often times answered in this way, and this phrase is an excuse!

"When will the workers be back to finish the roof?"

"Whenever Allah allows."

Again, I understand what James is saying. WE are not the ones who plan our days. Only God knows what our future holds for us. He is challenging us to rely solely on God and not on ourselves or our schedules.

First, it would be a superficial spirituality to think that James's instruction is fulfilled merely by sprinkling our speech with "the Lord willing." At the same time, we should not judge those who do use this phrase; if it is done humbly as a way to keep oneself reminded of God's sovereignty, it can be a godly practice. Second, it would be a deformed spirituality to apply this by refusing to do any planning; 4:15 affirms the validity of planning to do this or that. Motyer writes, "James is not trying to banish planning from our lives, but only that sort of self-sufficient, self-important planning that keeps God for Sunday but looks on Monday to Saturday as mine" (1985:161). The spirituality James wants for us is a humble reliance on God which flows from knowing that one is in reality dependent on God for every moment. It is yet another example of how James would envision the manifestation of grace-reliance in our lives.(Commentary by InterVarsity Press.)

The reason that this passage bothers me is because people don't really take the time to understand what James is saying. We must have plans, but we must be willing to bend to God's will. And using His will as an excuse for not doing something was never James' intention. Let's accept what comes out of tomorrow and plan for the next day...God willing!!!

SIDE NOTE: As I was finishing this up, my mom called to tell me that my dad has prostate cancer. Talk about timing. He is fine. The tumor is very small, completely contained, and slow-growing. It will be removed in March. We serve a big God, and He knows what my next hour holds...

Motivate Me Monday

I can't tell you how many times in just the last few weeks God has shown me how timely He is! It's amazing! I love these little reminders from Him that He really is watching over every moment of my life, and caring for me. He is faithful and He loves me!

If your days are anything like mine, I would venture to say that they might get a little crazy sometimes. And, it seems like now, more than ever before, panic is widespread, throughout the nation, and our world.

But now, in the midst of all of this chaos surrounding us, is when we should seek refuge with our Lord and Savior, our Creator, the Alpha and the Omega! He is all knowing and all seeing! God knows the past, the present, and the future, and He has promised us everlasting life with Him, so why become consumed with worry and fear in our temporary lives?

My Bible Study group just finished the book Living Above Worry and Stress. The book is one of the Women of Faith books. Although I don't feel as though this study helped me to grow spiritually, it was full of wonderful reminders. And, this book was extremely timely! Our Bible Study meets on Tuesday mornings. On Election morning our entire study was about God's Promises! When I was working on Peace as my Fruits of the Spirits focus, the chapter we discussed was all about peace. The entire book was dealing with stress and worry, and how timely is that during one of the most stressful Falls that I can remember!

I read this quote last week:

My friend, remember to take this life one day at a time. When several days attack you, don't give up. A successful woman takes the bricks the devil throws at her and uses them to lay a firm foundation. We all need enough trials to challenge us, enough challenges to strengthen us, and enough strength to do our part in making this a better place to live and love.
~Barbara Johnson~

I love the image of using Satan's bricks that he throws at us in hatred, the trials that he lobs towards us, hoping to discourage us, to build up our foundation on Christ! To become stronger when the intent was to destroy!

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
~James 1:2-4~

4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
~1 John 5:4-5~

We are not exempt from trials on this earth. But, how we choose to handle these difficult times says multitudes about our character. We will inevitably grow stronger if we choose to lean on Christ and grow closer to Him!

I have been encouraged by God's promises to me. He loves me and wants me to rely on His strength. This is how I will grow strong! His Spirit will provide me with perfect peace. I know that I must go through the wringer sometimes in order to become the woman that God desires me to be.

Remember:

What does not kill me, makes me stronger.

Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, 1888
German philosopher (1844 - 1900)

Cast your worries on the Lord. He will be faithful to you. But, He will be faithful in His time. Try not to doubt the Lord. He always knows what is best for you!

For more Motivate Me Monday links, stop by Like a Warm Cup of Coffee!

Motivate Me Monday

Ah, it's Monday again! The day that the daily grind begins again. I have a load of laundry going, I've completed my devotions, my coffee is getting cooler as the minutes tick by, and my list of things to do today seems to be growing every time I look at it.

But, Mondays are also a day where I can look back on last week and reflect.

I have been working through the book of James. In order to really take in the message of the book, I have chosen to read it one section at a time. I knew I was in for a doozy last week when the section was titled, "Taming the Tongue". I try, really hard, to think before I speak. But, nevertheless, I seem to let the words come flying out of my mouth like vomit (word vomit)! It's like I've lost control of my body and can't stop them. But, I can, and I need to. Words can be uplifting and encouraging, but the same mouth can produce words that are devastating and can destroy someone.

So, this comes directly from my journal. I will bare it all for you....


12-4-08
James 3:1-12
Taming the Tongue

6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Wow! What an incredible visual! Can you imagine if your whole body erupted into flames when your mouth opened? My tongue is capable of corrupting my entire body. How sad that my course in life is determined by the words that I so freely express without thinking.

8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

This is a disturbing image to me. If I can't tame my tongue, then what can I do? Supposedly there is some encouragement in these two scriptures:

2 Corinthians 10:5
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

James 1:19
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

Ah, so there is hope! I need to work on my though life, and think before I speak.

I'm definitely coming back to this tomorrow...

12-5-08
James 3:1-12
Taming the Tongue - day 2

I decided that there was so much in this passage, so I figured that I should probably devote another day to this matter...at least...

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

Ouch! I am completely and totally guilty of this. Even yesterday, I got into a discussion about a director at church. I know, yesterday I look at how the tongue can't be tamed, but I also learned what I can do to prevent myself from getting into this exact predicament, and look what I did. I know what I need to do. I really need to pray about my words, and ask for help with my thoughts, and really, REALLY work hard at thinking all the way through my words before expressing them out loud. What will the ramifications be? Who will I be hurting? Every time I say hurtful things about others, I am not just hurting that person, I am also hurting my Lord.

12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

I can't be both encouraging and devastating.


I am still working on this. It is hard not to get sucked into the world of gossip, but it is extremely dangerous! God really revealed to me that if I am going to minister to others, that I better get my heart and my MOUTH in shape. If you are struggling with your tongue, I can guarantee you that you are not alone, but you must recognize this sin, repent of it, and realize that this could be a daily struggle, BUT you can do it!

I know - not motivating, but this is definitely what God laid on my heart last week. For more MOTIVATING posts, head over to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee!

Motivate Me Mondays

Praise the Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

~Psalm 106:1~

If you have not read Psalm 106 recently, I strongly recommend that you go do that now! This psalm recounts Israel's recurring rebellion and apostasy with respect to God's word and ways. We are encouraged to confess our sins and unfaithfulness and reminded to pray that God will once again visit his repentant people with full salvation and blessings. God's people should individually and collectively confess their shortcomings before the Lord. When we recognize our spiritual failure and then repent, real revival and reformation can take place!

I read this on Wednesday, and the first verse struck me. Of course, Thanksgiving was on Thursday, and I'd had a little bit of a tough week. My daughter was sick with the tummy flu on Monday night, so we were all up! I'd been praying for strength, and good thing. My husband and I were able to make it through the vomit explosions without heaving, and we both made it through Tuesday completely unscathed, even though we were tired.

So, it was encouraging to me on Wednesday, trying to get in the thankful spirit, to open right on up to Psalm 106:1! We have to much to be thankful for! Thank you Lord!

I was immediately reminded of one of my favorite worship songs.

Forever
Chris Tomlin

Give thanks to the Lord our God and King;
His love endures forever
For He is good; He is a above all things,
His love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise.

With a mighty hand and outstretched arm,
His love endures forever.
For the life that’s been reborn,
His love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise, sing praise, sing praise.

Forever, God is faithful, forever God is strong.
Forever God is with us, forever, forever.

From the rising to the setting sun;
His love endures forever
And by the grace of God we will carry on;
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise, sing praise, sing praise.

Motivate Me Mondays

"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
~James 1:4~

I sat down on Monday morning, ready to go. I had decided that I was going to begin my adventure with the 5 AM Club in Titus, reading about how women should encourage and take care of one another physically and spiritually.

But, I ended up stumbling upon James 1 instead. I read verses 1:1 - 18, which were titled Trials and Temptations. I found it so fitting that my first morning found me reading about perseverance, trials, and temptations. After all, self-control is what I would need in order to persevere and continue waking up early to meet with my Lord and Savior!

I really liked the footnote that my Bible included with verse 4. It defined mature as having "a right relationship with God that bears fruit in a sincere endeavor to love Him with all one's heart in undivided devotion, obedience, and blamelessness."

I am keeping a daily journal to keep track of what I have learned each morning. I am also keeping a note card that tracks what I am praying for each week. I am then able to cross things off when the prayer has been answered. For my 5 Am gals, I made each of them a note card with their name and website on it. I have been writing down any of their prayer requests on their card. This way I can keep track of what's going on in everyone's life, and again, write down the praises and answer to prayers. Plus, I can pray specifically for each woman.

If you are interested in learning more about the 5 AM Club, click here for more information. You can also read more about Motivate Me Mondays by heading over to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee.

Thank you to my 5 Am friends. You are an inspiration and daily encouragement to me. I treasure you all.