He Sees the Bigger Picture

Good morning ladies!  It's so nice to be back blogging again.  I'm revamping again as this is definitely still a work in progress.  I'm still trying to find my footing in this new world of blogging, so I appreciate your patience.  This morning, I was reading to my kids from their daily devotional book and this thought resonated with me.  The scripture is from Jeremiah 29:10 and it says For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  In the New Living Translation it reads like this: For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.   I don't know about you, but I know it's very easy for me to lose sight of the bigger picture in the face of the here and now.  How many times do we pray and cry out to God for something and the answer doesn't seem to come.  We think God hasn't heard us and begin to doubt his love for us.  But God sees the bigger picture and maybe the answer we wanted was not in His plan.  You know that old saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side"- Well, sometimes, it's not.  Sometimes we wonder if we've made the right choices in life, temptations come and cause us to doubt. But God's will is always better than we can wrap our fleshly minds around. He always knows what lies ahead and if we stay in His will and on the path He has for us, we will see in the end that He was right all along.  We will see that He was watching out for us, protecting us, keeping us from danger and ruin.  When I was a young teenager, I was in "love" with a guy for 3years who didn't care if I existed or not.  I used to pray and pray for God to let us be together.  I just knew I was the one for him.  Well, like most of you know from your own romantic experiences, love doesn't always turn out the way we planned.  Sometimes, we don't realize the qualities we really want in a spouse until we're older.  This guy was everything a young girl could want: tall, dark, handsome, a rebel, just like in the romances I was always reading. But he wasn't the one for me.  I actually met my husband as a young girl, but at that time I didn't think he was my type- bookish, loved computers, skinny, shy, etc.  It wasn't until much later (many years later) that I began to see him in a new light.  Little did I know he was who God wanted for me.   He had a sense of humor and was handsome (of course) but it was his character and inner strength that I was drawn to, his personality.  Sometimes, what we think we want now is not necessarily what we truly need.  Sometimes we see things at face value, when God sees below the surface to the heart of the matter. He knows what will be a good fit in all the areas of your life.  God truly knows us better than we know ourselves.  So, though we may not always understand, if we just trust Him, we can know that He'll give us what is really best for us in the long run-what will truly make us happy.  That love, that job, that home, that future; whatever it is you're longing for to bring you happiness, God has the perfect one for you that will fit you just right.  Don't try to rush things or take the first attractive offer that comes along-things are not always what they seem. Dig deep, pray, and God will let you know what the right choice is. Remember this: (Psalm 37:4-5) Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. You can't go wrong with that.   I hope you have a beautiful day!

                                           My husband, Chuck, and I on our first real date.

Keep My Mind Stayed on Thee

Happy Monday ladies! It was so beautiful out yesterday and today they're predicting snow again-go figure. Crazy, isn't it. I don't know how many of you have this problem but for the last couple of weeks, I haven't been able to sleep at night. I get up in the middle of the night, go to the computer and go back to bed. Needless to say, it's had an effect on me. Last night, when I woke up I finally decided to pray instead. Let me tell you, I feel so much better-; I should've done that a long time ago. We face trials and we tend to think about them all the time, until they consume our thoughts. How is this going to work out, I don't see a way, etc. Here we go again, trusting in our own thinking instead of trusting in God. But, God's ways are higher than our ways and He has a plan. We give God our problem, then we take it back again. Why not just leave it there at His feet, trust Him and go on and do the work of God? There are bigger things in this world than you and I and our own little world. The devil would like nothing more than to have us take our eyes off of God. Remember Peter? He was able to walk on the water to Jesus so long as he kept focused on Him. As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the water, he began to sink. That's like us. If we keep our minds focused on Him, we'll make it. But as soon as we take our eyes off of Christ and focus on the trouble around us, we begin to sink. Don't waste your time wondering how or when, just know that He WILL. Let's get praying for people to be saved, for God to use us to minister to those in need. The Lord's return is soon, and there's a harvest to win. Don't let the troubles of this world distract you from doing the work of God. When we get our minds on ourselves and our need, we stop praying for others. Redeem the time, don't waste it. Let's stop taking two steps forward and one step back, let's keep on walking. Don't let anything hinder. Remember, it's not WHAT we go through but HOW we go through it. That's your testimony. No one said that serving God would be easy or that we'd be problem-free. But we know He'll be with us and help us through whatever happens. Look at the apostle Paul's life, it certainly wasn't easy. I'm also reminded of the story of Corrie Ten Boom. Have you read her book? She was a woman who was sent to the German concentration camps with her sister. Her sister died in the camps, yet she never stopped serving God. Even while enduring humiliation, torture and illness, she kept focused on God. And she and her sister were able to witness to so many others (even German soldiers) while there and Corrie carried on the work when she the war ended. Whatever situation you find yourself to be in today, keep your eyes on Jesus. He will make a way for you where there seems to be no way. He has a plan for your life. It may not be the plan you had, but His way is always better. What will your testimony be? Will it be that you trusted in the Lord? If you've given your life to Him, then trust Him. He'll be with you no matter what and He will not let you fall. Have a great day in the Lord!

Have you given Him your ALL?

As christians, we say that we surrender everything to God. We say we want Him to be in control of our lives, but are we truly giving Him our all? A friend of mine recently shared her testimony and it has stuck with me. She talked about how though she was a christian, there was a small area of her life that she refused to give to God. She wanted to maintain control of that area and make her own choices regarding it. She was afraid of what God might have her to do and told herself she didn't want that for her life. But once she let go and gave that area to God, He truly blessed her in ways she couldn't imagine. I believe we women are like that too, sometimes. If you're anything like me, I've always liked to be in control. If you tell me I can't do something, I will try all the harder to make it happen. We want financial security for our families. We want a house and college for our kids and security. And sometimes, God has other plans. He said He would always provide for our needs, didn't He? Then we shouldn't need to worry about these things,right. But yet, we do. Yes, I agree we should be good stewards of our finances and use wisdom. But what about God's plans for your life? Are you limiting God. Are you limiting God to your paycheck? I've been guilty of that. We live in a very uncertain world these days. Do we really know the awesomeness of the God we serve? He controls everything. He controls the winds. He can make something from nothing. We say we want to serve God and then when He shows us a direction He wants us to go, we are quick to say, "Not that." and come up with excuses why we can't. Moses was called by God to bring the children of Israel out of bondage but what did he do at first? Resist and throw out excuses for why he couldn't do it. Can't talk well, people won't listen to me, etc. God has already put within you what you need to accomplish the task. He will not ask more of you than what He knows you can handle. He will not lead you somewhere without equipping you with whatever you need to accomplish the goal. We just have to trust Him. Do you know what God has planned for your life? Are you truly seeking God about it or are you keeping something a "hands off" area because you see your future differently. Our plans are not God's plans, His ways are not our ways. But His way is always better. How many times do we look back and see that He knew what He was doing after all? And it turned out much greater than we could've imagined. He sees the bigger picture if we can just trust Him with every area and not hold anything back. I may not see what God has planned, but I know if I trust in Him to guide me, and am obedient to His word, He will make a way. Abraham did not question God when He told him to offer his only son as a sacrifice, but he went on the journey anyway. God was testing his obedience. Was he truly willing to do it? He obeyed and trusted God to "provide the sacrifice." He didn't know how it would happen, and I'm sure he questioned, but he still obeyed. Now, we all know that God stopped Abraham from following through with it. It was just a test. But when God tells us to do something, do we question God and refuse? Or do we trust Him so completely that we say, "Not my will, but thine". Do we have faith like that?

God Said It, I Believe It!

Ok.  So you may have noticed I've made a few changes here...new name, layout,etc.  I've had some time away from blogging and have come back rejuvinated.  As my fellow bloggers might relate to this, I thought I'd share...I started blogging with the idea to share my testimony and encourage other women with what I had learned from my own experiences.  Good idea...until I came to a place where I felt I had nothing left to offer..no riveting revelation and no great thought to write about. I was in a lull, a drought.  All I could see was the circumstances that surrounded me and got my eyes off of God.  It says in the Bible, "the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, Blessed be the name of the Lord".  God does not change just because we face a difficult situation in our lives.  He is still God.  A minister in my church said yesterday, "All Hell's breaking loose around me, I must be on the right track-Plow through!".  The devil's messing with you to try to break you, because he knows your victory is right around the corner and he wants to take that from you.  What a testimony you'll have then.  Think of the souls that will be encouraged by that victory.  You are SO close to the finish line.  Don't quit.  It's very easy to get our eyes off God when trials come and all we focus on is the trouble-"Lord, what am I going to do, how am I going to get out of this one, I just don't know..", sound like anyone you know?   What happened to our faith?  He's still God.  His word does not change.  He said it, that's all we need to know and claim it.  If we have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost, then we need to take the authority God has given to us and speak the word to that situation.  Pray over your families, your finances, your jobs, your homes, etc.  In this end day, we can't allow our minds to get sidetracked or we'll start to backside.  It happens little by little and soon you'll find yourself away from God saying, how did I get here.  Don't let that happen.  Keep your mind stayed on Him.  There's too much work to be done, too many souls to reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Get busy doing something for God.  Idleness certainly leads to spiritual trouble.  Wherever you are, whatever place you find yourself to be, use what you have within you, be that willing vessel to be used by Him.  Make a choice and follow through with it, as the minister said yesterday.  Do you know what God has planned for your life? If not, make it a matter of prayer.  Let's start stirring up the gift that he's put within us-the Holy Ghost.  It was not given to us so we could just sit and do nothing with it.  Stir it up in you.  Let it flow out of you to help others.  Stay on fire for God.  If you don't use it, you'll lose it, as they say.  Have the faith to hang on through your trial and have immovable faith.  God said  it, that's all we need to know.  It will happen.  Believe it!  Take Him at His word.  Stand on the promises of God that cannot fail. I'm so thankful for a church that preaches the word of God and tells it like it  is.  a "feel good" gospel will not keep you.  We're fighting a battle in this end day, a battle for people's souls.  Many battles you're facing are not physical, but spiritual.  We have to fight them spiritually and we need to know how to do that.  If you're facing a struggle in your marriage, family, finances, etc, look beyond the surface, and take it to prayer.  Fight the battle on your knees.  It's the only way.  You'll see.   Thanks for visiting my blog today.  I hope it was encouraging to you and that you'll come back again.  God Bless You Today.   Tammy          

  

God in America Again

When my grandmother sold her house last year, she gave me an old wooden frame with this yellowed poem inside that she had on her walls for years.  In reading it, I was reminded of a time when families made God a priority in their lives, when christian values and character were "the norm"; when people reverenced God and wouldn't dare to disrespect Him.  I'm filled with a bit of nostalgia today.  Was life really so different back then, or have we become so blinded by our freedoms and "toys" of this modern age that we've forgotten our need of God?  May we never forget how fortunate we are to be living in America.  Our nation was founded on our belief in God and when we forget that, we're heading for big trouble.  Let's make a difference.  If you want God to be welcome in your home, pray...pray for wisdom, pray for Him to break the bonds that keep your loved ones from knowing Him...pray for your kids, start teaching them about God...make your prayer/reading time a priority everyday..."sweep" out anything that doesn't glorify God-remove it..make Him feel welcome in your house...Lift up the name of Jesus any time there's an opportunity.  There's a scripture that says .."they'll be won by the word of God and the word of your testimony".  Oh, you may not think you're very important or be one for big speeches, but you are a testimony to those you see everyday...to those you work with, your children, your husband, your neighbors, they watch your life.  Wherever God has put you, let your light shine.  You can make a difference, right where you are. 

                                                            A Little Place
                                          "Where shall I work today, dear Lord?"
                                            And my love flowed warm and free.
                                                    He answered and said,
                                                    "See that little place?
                                                  Tend that place for Me."
                                                   
                                         I answered and said, "Oh no, not there!
                                                   No one would ever see.
                                        No matter how well my work was done,
                                                   Not that place for me!" 

                                     His voice, when He spoke, was soft and kind,
                                                 He answered me tenderly,
                                         "Little one, search that heart of thine,
                                           Are you working for them or ME?  
                                                Nazareth was a little place...
                                                        So was Galilee." 
                                                                                            -author unknown   


This is the poem in my grandmother's old frame:
                                        
                                                       Bless this house  
                                        Bless this house, O Lord we pray,  
                                                  Make it safe by night and day;
                                        Bless these walls, so firm and stout,
                                                  Keeping want and trouble out;
                                        Bless the roof and chimneys tall,
                                                  Let Thy peace lie over all;
                                        Bless this door, that it may prove
                                                  Ever open to joy and love.

                                        Bless these windows shining bright,
                                                  Letting in God's heav'nly light;
                                        Bless the hearth a-blazing there,
                                                  With smoke ascending like a prayer;
                                        Bless the folk who dwell within,
                                                  Keep them pure and free from sin;
                                        Bless us all that we may be
                                                  Fit, O Lord, to dwell with Thee,
                                        Bless us all that one day we
                                                  May dwell, O Lord, with Thee.
                                                                                  -As heard on the Prudential Family Hour of Stars   
The song in the link below has a powerful message. I hope you'll listen:
God in America Again, by Carman
       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYtCanpBhVg 

Ride out your storm

From a very young age, my husband and I were brought up in the same church, going to Sunday School, youth activity, and eventually even joined ministries.  We've always shared a strong foundation in our christian faith. But as we've grown older, and married, storms have come to test that faith and our little boat has been tossed and rocked by the waves.  There have been many times I thought we would capsize and be torn apart as the storms were just too strong.  Yet, today we are still standing.  And I believe that is because of Jesus and the foundation we share in Him.  That anchor keeps us holding fast when the storms of this life rage against our little boat.  I will not lie and tell you things have always been rosy.  We've been tested and tried and faced some severe blows that almost destroyed us.  We've faced temptations and trials, and there've been times we didn't even seem to "like" one another.  There was a time when I thought I'd lost my husband forever.  He had changed so much that I didn't even know him anymore.  The man I thought I knew seemed to be gone.  Everyone told me to give up and find someone else.  But, deep inside, I knew he was still "in there" and I wanted him back.  I couldn't just give up on him, after all, I was his wife and if I wasn't willing to fight for him, what kind of wife would I be.  So, I  took it to God, crying out to Him.  I knew God was the only one who could make it all right.  After all, He knows us better than we know ourselves.  He knows our hearts.  So, I prayed and cried and prayed some more.  One morning, my husband surprised me by asking me if I would be willing to go back to church with him and believe for God to fix our marriage.  So, we went.  I'll be honest, it wasn't easy and things didn't change overnight, it took time and patience and a new understanding.  But healing began to come.  God began to mend our broken hearts.  And I sincerely believe it is because of the foundation we share in Jesus.  Neither of us could drift too far away from God that He couldn't still reach us. When we face trials today, I remember that struggle and how God brought us through.  Today, if you're facing a storm in your family, I encourage you to take it to God.  There is still hope.  God knows your hearts and He can knit them back together again.  I won't tell you that everything is perfect for us now, we still face trials and temptations like every couple.  But I know that God will be with us through them all if we keep our eyes on Him and let Him direct our path. Don't let the situation you face cloud your vision so you can't see God. He'll be there in the midst of it all and He will bring you through.  Keep your eyes on the goal.   If you're facing a difficult situation, don't give up, take it to God and keep on walking. Sometimes the battle we face is not physical, but spiritual.  Don't put your faith in what you see.  But put it in God. Don't quit. The devil is trying to destroy families anyway he can.  We have to fight him spiritually, and the only way to do that is on our knees.  Prayer will keep your family together and save your unsaved loved ones.  No matter what you're facing today,  don't give up.  Your battle is almost over.  And what a victorious day that will be.           

Just Keep Going

If you're anything like me, I didn't know where to begin in teaching my kids about the Lord.  I knew there was so much they needed to know and the time was slipping away from me.  My oldest was 11 and I knew I had only a few short years with him to lay that all-important foundation in God that would carry him through his whole life.  So, I started having all my children attend Sunday School at our church (which I had recently returned to after 12 years away).  It was difficult going, let me tell you-boy, did they resist!  They didn't want to get up in the morning, they dawdled, I yelled at them just to get them out the door on time-I know many of you can relate.(LOL)  Then, once we got in the building, the boys would complain or be too nervous to go in their classes.  My youngest was a toddler and wouldn't keep quiet during the service so I spent most mornings trying to keep her from disturbing others.  Many times I couldn't remember anything about what was brought to the congregation and to be honest,  I wondered why I even bothered going.  What was the point?  It was such a battle, a battle with my kids and with myself.  I'd think to myself, "Boy, what can I possibly get out of this service with the mood I'm in now!"  I certainly didn't feel very "spiritual" after that big ordeal. I have to say, I got tired of trying and had a cycle of starting and stopping for awhile. But, I have to say, there was always someone there to encourage me:  a friend, an usher, a nursery attendant, a Sunday School teacher, my Pastor, etc.-and they always had similarly encouraging words- "keep coming-don't give up".  That's when I had to look at the real purpose-why did I really want to come to church?  What was the goal?  I wanted our family to serve God-together.  If I gave up, where would that leave my children, my husband, my family? Yes, it was hard but anything worth having is worth fighting for, right.  So, I decided to keep going no matter what-and it started to pay off.  With consistent attendance, my kids began to feel comfortable in their classes, started to make friends, got into a routine and you know what?- they started to enjoy going.  Now that we've been going steadily for over a year, my kids are starting to read their Bibles, ask questions, and have even started to stand up for their beliefs.  I know it's just a start and they've still got so much to learn, but the initial battle is over.  Like a minister in my church said recently, the hardest part was the starting and then being consistent, but starting is the most important thing.  I want my kids to know about God and I certainly don't have all the answers for them, like you, I'm learning.  But I know we need to make the time to teach our kids to know God, teach them to pray and read their Bibles.  Let them know that He loves them and that they can have a personal relationship with Him, themselves.  Teach them that God made them special, that they don't need to conform to some image that the world sets for them;  that they have something God can use; that He has a purpose for their lives. They face so many obstacles in this modern day and are bombarded with so many negative ideas about God and christianity, they need to know the truth.  So, if you don't go to any church, I hope you will start.  There's nothing like fellowshipping with other believers in one place with one common goal-to lift up Jesus and hear from Him!  If you have no church to attend, I welcome you to visit mine (see below).  If there are no churches in your area, I encourage you to set time aside with your family and just begin to teach them to pray and read God's word.  Ask God for wisdom on how to start and what to say. Whatever your situation, I encourage you to start and to be consistent-the kids will get used to it with practice.  Teach them at home what you expect of them in church.  Bring a backpack with some quiet activities to keep them occupied during the meeting-like a couple books, a blanket, a stuffed toy, a notepad and pencils, a small snack (for younger ones),etc.  And teach them how to behave in church.  Let the younger ones sit on a mat on the floor in front of you with their quiet toys, or even nap.  The older ones can write in their notebooks, or look up Bible scriptures as they're mentioned by the minister.  Teach them to listen to the word of God, even if they don't understand the entire message, they might hear one little nugget  that they can apply to their own lives-they can write those down so they can recall it later.  Remember what your purpose is-to lay that foundation of God in their lives.  To have them desire God for themselves so that one day they will walk with God on their own.  Remember that they are watching you.  You are more than their parent, you're their example of a christian and they will watch how you live your life.  So, whatever your situation or the age of your children, whatever you're facing in your christian walk, I encourage you to keep going-keep pressing on.  Don't give up!!!  It's worth it!  God knows the desire of your heart and He will reward your faithfulness. God Bless you!
(link to my home church: http://www.fgichurch.org/ )