tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53457053691865250172024-03-05T04:12:23.073-06:00Conversations Challenging Complacencyheididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-15408832745009535852010-03-12T07:31:00.000-06:002010-03-12T08:31:20.603-06:00Prayer Wall<div style="color: blue;"><b>I am bumping this post up to request added prayers for Matthew L. He is not doing well right now and his momma says he needs a miracle. Please pray for that miracle. Please pray for comfort and peace for Matthew and strength for his mom and dad. Click the link in his prayer request to be re-directed to his Caring Bridge site.</b></div><span style="color: #00cccc; font-style: italic;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #00cccc; font-style: italic;">"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" - Phillipians 4:6</span><br />
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We thought it would be great to really witness the awesome power of prayer. We have posted a few prayer requests since publishing the blog and are going to attempt to gather all of the requests in to one post, that we will continue to update.<br />
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Please be a prayer warrior for these fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and if you have prayer requests or thanksgiving to God, please feel free to either comment or e-mail <a href="http://www.blogger.com/heididh33@hotmail.com">Heidi </a>or <a href="http://www.blogger.com/msievers812@gmail.com">Mary</a>. If you would like for your request to remain private please let us know.<br />
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We encourage you to pray bold prayers! In the book of Nehemiah we learn that it is important to never act without praying and never pray without acting!<br />
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We would also ask that as a prayer warrior you provide updates on the Lord's answers and response to your prayer so that we can be an encourager to one another.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew L. (8-years-old) <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span></span>Matthew L is the son of one of my Mary Kay "sister's". He was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of two and won the battle after cemotherapy and radiation. At his five-year checkup he was rediagnosed with this awful disease and is currently in the Intensive Care Unit receiving treatment. At this point (10/19/09) it appears as though he will need a bone marrow transplant. Matthew's family is very faithful and will find their strength in God, but pray for their continued perseverance and comfort. I will keep you all updated on his progress.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><br />
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10/22/09 - Matthew's mom keeps everyone updated <a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/va/supermatthew/">here</a>. Please check out his story. Katie and Frank, Matthew's mom and dad, are PRAYER WARRIORS! They list specific prayers. I'll let you read their story, however please be praying that someone in Matthew's family is a bone marrow transplant match. Matthew is going to undergo heavy chemo in a very short period of time and the bone marrow transplant will be most successful if complete immediately thereafter.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ashley</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">- </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/10/ashley.html</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Deb Noll and her son John - <a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/09/attn-prayer-warriors.html">Battle Against Ovarian Cancer</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">This Blog </span><br />
Our prayer is that this blog would serve as an encouragement to Heidi, Mary, and other readers. That it would challenge them to continue to grow in their faith instead of becoming complacent. We pray that it would be God-centered and contain only truth.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.compassion.com/">Compassion </a>- The Organization, The Children, The Sponsors<br />
</span>Compassion is an organization that both Heidi's family and my family are involved with. Heidi has a great <a href="http://601hicksfamily.blogspot.com/2009/05/its-girl.html">post</a> about this on her blog. This organization makes it possible for the average person to minister to children and families abroad through sponsorship. We have now received two letters from our sponsored child, Thallison. It is so excited to hear from him! In his letter today he shared that he lives with his grandmother because his mom "didn't want such responsibility" and that he "is scared of his mother". Please pray for him.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Please pray for the other children sponsored in the program, those that are not yet sponsored and those that work for Compassion.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
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<a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/10/reduce-me-to-love.html">Our Love Walk</a><br />
</span>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-64345080992847207402010-02-22T21:44:00.000-06:002010-02-22T21:44:26.595-06:00PeacefulMay I start by saying "thank you" to you? You, meaning if you are actually reading this post. It has been a while since my last post, but I promise you that I have not been complacent in my faith. Unfortunately, I think I have been complacent in challenging my brothers and sister in Christ to grow in theirs.<br />
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For the last six weeks, or so, my <a href="http://blessedinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-sisters.html">Women's Connections group</a> has been reading<i> <a href="http://www.bookschristian.com/books/max-lucado/fearless/576315?&affcode=Mary05">Fearless</a></i> by <a href="http://www.maxlucado.com/">Max Lucado</a> (think we like us a little Max?). This book is just down right incredible. This weeks chapter was "Woe, Be Gone: The Fear of Running Out". <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough. (Matt. 6:25 NLT)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Max writes, "<i>Whether you have enough.</i> Shortfalls and depletions inhabit our trails. Not enough time, luck, credit, wisdom, intelligence. We are running out of everything, it seems, and so we worry. But worry doesn't work." When we become afraid, we become angry. Is fear not the opposite of faith? Max says in this chapter that when we fear what lies ahead we are removing God from our future. The same God that has blessed and provided and given us our daily bread. The Lord provides for today. He does not provide for us everything we need on an annual basis and hope we make it. Nope, He provides just what we need right when we need it because He already knows!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When the disciples worried that they did not have enough bread and fish to feed the masses, the counted five loaves of bread and two fish. They got to seven. They forgot to count to eight, Jesus Christ. We do the same. Max provides us with a list of eight worry stoppers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Pray, first. </div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Easy, now. Slow down. Assess the problem. Take it to Jesus and state it clearly. <i>"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" - Psalm 37:7</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Act on it. Become a worry slapper. Be a doer, not a stewer.</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Compile a worry list. Yes, you heard him right. Compile your list of worries. Pray specifically. See how many of them turn in to reality.</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Evaluate your worry categories.</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Focus on today.</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Unleash a worry army. "Share your feelings with a few loves ones. Ask them to pray with and for you. They're more willing to help than you might imagine. Less worry on your part means more happiness on theirs.</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Let God be enough.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">"Seek first the kingdom of wealth, and you'll worry over every dollar. Seek first the kingdom of health, and you'll sweat every blemish and bump. Seek first the kingdom of popularity, and you'll relive every conflict. Seek first the kingdom of safety, and you'll jump at every crack of the twig. But seek first his kingdom, and you will find it. On that, we can depend and never worry."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Eight steps. P-E-A-C-E-F-U-L.</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-26855181594825633322010-01-18T21:21:00.002-06:002010-01-18T21:24:32.156-06:00TrustMy dear friend Christa wrote this and I wanted to share it with you. Happy Monday.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <p class="MsoNormal">Trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Such a small word to define such a huge thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Synonyms for the word trust include:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>faith, belief, hope, conviction, confidence, expectation, dependence, and reliance.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do you really trust God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are you convicted in your belief that God will provide the benefits that he has promised?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Do you expect, and depend on his promises?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">As it is written in the Scriptures:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“No one has ever seen this, and no one has ever heard about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>1 Corinthians 2:9</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are you experiencing those benefits and depending on them, or do the Bible scriptures and stories you read seem irrelevant in the face of your reality?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I recently started a Bible study by Beth Moore, called “Breaking Free:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Making Liberty in Christ a Reality in Life”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These are some of the hard questions I am asking myself as I read this week’s lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">God wants to do in our life what our eyes have never seen, our ears have never heard, and what our mind has never conceived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But am I letting Him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Do I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">believe</i> that this will happen, do I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">expect </i>it to take place, am I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">convicted</i> that this is possible?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Beth Moore explains, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“areas of captivity can keep us from living out the reality of 1 Corinthians 2:9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God has planned for us.”<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">God desires for us to know Him, to believe in Him, to trust Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He waits for us to have faith in Him, to be confident that He will deliver benefits in our lives that will be what no one has seen, hear d, or imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The level of faith we have in God and His plan for us is an issue in most of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many things in our lives affect the trust that we have in God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What is affecting the trust you have in God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Is it a painful loss?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Has someone you loved betrayed or hurt you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are you heartbroken or filled with despair over circumstances in your life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you feel blocked in your ability to completely trust God, and His plan for your life, something is holding you back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What in your life is holding you captive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What is hindering the abundant and Spirit-filled life God has planned for you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Whatever it is, seek out God and pray for healing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He is not satisfied with anything less for your life than the benefits He has planned for you, benefits that you cannot even imagine.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“God will do for those who love him what no eyes have seen, no ears have heard, and no mind has conceived.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Belief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Conviction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Confidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Expectation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dependence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Reliance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Trust.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Bible references:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Isaiah 64:4, 1 Corinthians 2:9, Isaiah 43:10 </p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-17905401784298874692010-01-11T14:56:00.000-06:002010-01-11T14:56:14.861-06:00Reduce Me To Love - ReviewLong time... No post... My reason, I have started a <a href="http://www.blessedinthemidwest.blogspot.com">personal blog</a>... While I am having so much fun with my posts there, I don't want this conversation to cease. So, here is my latest post that I think will certainly challenge complacency. It is more or less a book review, but also a bit of my journaling related to my "love walk".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcusFeqWEf1xtOzgSu_nU_FhbE208w9t-jaQPXnm8mZ5JY8CeDSsdih6ikiNqi6zqEofbgeNpZASQYH2c7teKNpGhep1KbaW7DHAF4tdkwLC96ts-2rOMrrlNM6ngUpzkI7LANVpDuvvM/s1600-h/33355117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcusFeqWEf1xtOzgSu_nU_FhbE208w9t-jaQPXnm8mZ5JY8CeDSsdih6ikiNqi6zqEofbgeNpZASQYH2c7teKNpGhep1KbaW7DHAF4tdkwLC96ts-2rOMrrlNM6ngUpzkI7LANVpDuvvM/s320/33355117.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm cheating a little bit. I started reading "The Love Revolution" by Joyce Meyer last week, and still have half of it left. It is <i>fantastic</i>. I have already been trying to figure out how I am going to post a review that won't be way too long to read. Also, I need to really work on my time management (one of my <a href="http://blessedinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2009/12/new-years-resolutions.html">New Year's Goals</a>) and make the time to get my reading in so that I can keep up with my book per week goal.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This week I am going to post a review on the "predecessor" to "The Love Revolution", "Reduce Me To Love". I came across this book this past fall. I was beginning to study the fruit of the spirit in my quiet time, and I kept coming back to "Love".<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is now law. - Galatians 5:21-23</i> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Truly, I felt that the Lord kept calling me back to love, because without love it was difficult to start working on joy, and without joy to start working on peace, etc. Notice that these nine qualities are the "fruit" not "fruits" of the spirit. And, they are from the spirit. They are not from us, or anything earthly, they are drawn directly from the spirit who desires to live in us. So, naturally, love is hard and the devil attacks love at every moment. I wanted to become saturated in love, and to truly understand the love from the Spirit. To love as our Father loved us that he would <i>sacrifice His son</i> so that we might live eternally in heaven.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Admittedly, as I was studying this and praying about this, I came across a "tweet" from Heidi Montag (if you know me you know that "The Hills" television show <strike>is</strike> was my guilty pleasure). Heidi had tweeted about how amazing this book called "Reduce Me To Love" by Joyce Meyer is. So, I thought, what the heck. Ordered it from half.com and started my journey into a "love walk".<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My Women's Connections group just got done reading this book, all together, and talking about it (more of a book club than Bible study, if you will). So, I thought this would be a great time to pull together my thoughts.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First, and most important, if you can find a copy of this book, read it. And then read it again. Then give your copy to someone else to read. And then buy another copy for yourself and read it again. It is so wonderful and moving. That is my review. It is so hard for me to pick out just one or two things to hit on with this book, because I need to read it again.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first time I read through this book, I did some private journaling and I will share just a small excerpt and hope that you are inspired to read this book:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>In the Bible, God tells us that love is even more important than faith! In I Corinthians 13:2 Paul says "if we have enough faith to move mountains and have not love, we are nothing". </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I know my faith is strong right now, but I know my love walk is at the "still learning to crawl" stage. It is our personal love walk that gives us confidence before God and enables us to receive from Him what we ask for in prayer. </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I John 3:18-23 says "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him." </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Meyer points out: Be Christlike. Be His disciple. If I love God, I need to act like it.</i><br />
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[We] have the ability to minister to others. She says, We live in a world of people looking for something real, something tangible. They are looking for love and God is love. I can tangibly show them that. I'm reminded here of a quote "Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks." </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>[As a parent I immediately think of] my son. When he was baptized Kendall said "there will come a time in Matthew's life that it will not be what you say but how you act" that raises Matthew to be a God-fearing Christian. [I do not care "what" Matthew becomes, but "who", it is my highest desire that He would know the Lord and love without inhibition].</i><br />
</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-81719284256507885542010-01-04T21:35:00.001-06:002010-01-04T21:35:59.859-06:00Beyond Myself<span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galations 5:22-23</span><br /><br />As I was mentally preparing for my first night of "Living Beyond Yourself" study today, I quickly blogged on the <a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/">Complacency Challenge</a> how my January calendar was a little overwhelming. I half jokingly asked prayer warriors to pray for that schedule but was quietly begging God to have someone take my request serious.<br />I'm now home from my first night of "Living Beyond Yourself," another Beth Moore study. As I hurried to get there (I was a few minutes late), I wondered if it would be worthwhile. I prayed that it would be relevant. I asked God to really use it in my life and to change me.<br />Uh huh.<br />I'm not even sure where to start when I tell you how excited I am about this study. Let me attempt to break it down.<br /><br />Reason #1:<br />When the video started, Beth quickly went into saying how we were all there for a purpose. As I was thinking, "This better be good. It better be worth the one night a week commitment on my calender," Beth caught my attention by saying<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"> "This is on His calendar." </span><br />He ordained this meeting. He is happening. Right now. Right here. Right in the midst of that 'every day, except for two, is booked solid' calendar.<br /><br />Reason #2:<br />Remember I questioned if it would be relevant? She answered, or rather asked, that too. Bullet point one on living:<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1. The in-depth study of this biblical concept offers an affirmative answer to an important question: Is this relevant?</span> It is! Could he have hit me upside the head anymore than that?<br /><br />Yes. Yes He can....<br />Which brings me to<br />Reason #3:<br />If you've gotten an email from me lately, you've maybe noticed the signature automatically attached at the end.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Courier New,Courier,Monospace; font-size: 100%;"><em>"The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead is alive in me." (ref. Ephesians 1:19-20)</em></span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 100%;"><br />I've looked at this the last week and contemplated changing it. I've wondered i</span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 100%;">f it even resonates in the slightest with anyone that is on the receiving end of those emails. Or, even, i</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;">f others read that and think I'm self-absorbed or boasting (I'm not) that there is power in me. </span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">But there</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;"> is</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> power in me. His. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: times new roman;">And if you know Him, it's in you too.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0); font-family: times new roman;">"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." Acts 1:8</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">This is not a personal power. It's not boasting or saying we are powerful. It is bigger than that. It is better than that. It is His power. He is in us. He fills us with the power for things we would otherwise face powerless. We can do all and accomplish all through Him and with His power.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-family: times new roman;">Through the infiltrating power of the Holy Spirit, I can...</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-family: times new roman;">DO things I COULDN'T</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-family: times new roman;">FEEL things I DIDN'T</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-family: times new roman;">KNOW things I WOULDN'T</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">God is God. He lives in me. and if you know Him, He lives in you.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Reason #4 is a prayer request that I'll keep in between me and God for right now. But guess what, He answered it. He answered it better than I could have imagined.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Isn't He great?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;">Lord, Thank You. Thank You for for ordaining this meeting with You. Thank You for always being here. No matter how full my calendar is, You are always here. Lord, I pray for myself and for each one of my dear friends that as we look at the calendar in 2010 that we make time for You. Lord, please fill our lives with more of You. Please help us to see You in every single appointment on our calendars. Thank You for living in us. Thank You for Your almighty power that those of us that know you have. Lord I also pray tonight for those that don't know You and feel so powerless right now. I pray that You will use me to reach them and to share You with them so that they may be filled to the full with Your power. Thank You, thank You, thank You Lord. Amen.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Blessings! -Heidi</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;"><br /></span></span>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-90806283828072814522010-01-04T15:18:00.004-06:002010-01-04T15:25:11.178-06:00Goodbye Esther, Hello Fruit of the SpiritSooo..... turns out I've been really bad about blogging lately!<br />I still have not wrapped up my thoughts on Esther (in blog format, anyhow) and it's already time for the next study to start. Tonight "Living Beyond Yourself" kicks off at the Ridge. We'll be studying the Fruit of the spirit. I will be trying to keep on top of my blogging about it each week... however as I look at the January calendar it is a little overwhelming. So no promises. (Our January schedule is something for you prayer warriors lists!) :)<br />I'll be discussing Fruit of the Spirit over the next 12 weeks. In the meantime, I will have gotten the new Beth Moore book (So Long, Insecurity comes out in Feb.) and will be following along with her blog until the simulcast in April. If you are interested in attending the simulcast, please let me know! I'd love to have you come with me (and if you don't live in the area, there are a lot of other host churches as well, I'll link up to that soon).<br />So Happy New Year! Happy new studies to all of you!<br />I'd love to hear how you are challenging complacency in 2010!!heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-4823739613237387872009-12-08T12:24:00.002-06:002009-12-08T14:07:25.287-06:00Five StonesSnow day! Not that this changes my routine much, but it makes me feel better about curling up with a blanket, a book, the Bible and my laptop in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon. Thank you God, for a beautiful snow day, the roof over my head, heat and the safety of my family. While we pray those thanksgivings, also pray for those who are without shelter, without electricity and without heat during this snow storm. Pray for the postman that is delivering Christmas cards (and bills) as I type.<br /><br />Okay, on to the "Facing Your Giants" wrap up. We actually finished this up in our Women's Connections Group a couple of weeks ago, and I have been notably absent from blogging for what seems a month now. But I am committed to keeping the conversation going (even if it's just Heidi and me).<br /><br />Fast-forwarding a few chapters (there was so much good material in between, so I highly recommend reading a <a href="http://www.familychristian.com/shop/product.asp?prodID=83657">copy</a> yourself) to the final chapter of "FYG" and Max Lucado introduces us to the five stones that David selected as he prepared to take down Goliath.<br /><br />Remember your Goliath? Was it a failing marriage? Questionable employment? An attitude of arrogance? Depression? Debt? Cancer? <br /><br />David selected five stones to prepare to battle his giant, and we can select the same five stones as we prepare for ours. We can use our hand to remember the five stones. The thumb shall remind you of...<br /><br />1. The Stone of the Past<br /><br />David remembered that God had given him strength to wrestle a lion and strong-arm a bear. Certainly He would do the same with the giants. We can learn from this. Write today's worries in sand. Chisel yesterday's victories in stone. Gaze at God's victories. A good memory makes heroes. A bad memory makes wimps.<br /><br />I came across Heidi's <a href="http://601hicksfamily.blogspot.com/2009/12/month-of-blessings.html">post</a> about her blessings jar. We are going to do that here, and I challenge you to do the same, so that in the midst of your deja vu, you are able to remember His victories.<br /><br />2. The Stone of Prayer<br /><br />Lucado says "Note the valley between your thumb and finger. To pass from one to the next you must go through it. Let it remind you of David's descent. Before going high, David went low; before ascending to fight, David descended to prepare. Don't face your giant without first doing the same. Dedicate time to prayer. Paul, the apostle, wrote, 'Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long' (Eph. 6:18 MSG)."<br /><br />Max continues, "When David soaked his mind in God, he stood. When he didn't, he flopped. You think he spent much time in prayer the evening he seduced Bathseba? Did he write a psalm the day he murdered Uriah? Doubtful."<br /><br />"[God] will keep in perfect peace all who trust in [God], whose thoughts are fixed on [God]" (Isa. 26:3 NLT).<br /><br />Pick up your stone of prayer.<br /><br />3. The Stone of Priority<br /><br />Your tallest finger, as Max writes, should remind you that your highest priority is God's reputation. As a Christian we should jealously guard it, letting no one defame the Lord. "David saw Goliath as a chance for God to show off!"<br /><br />"What if you saw your giant in the same manner? Rather than begrudge him, welcome him. Your cancer is God's chance to flex his healing muscles. Your sin is God's opportunity to showcase grace. Your struggling marriage can billboard God's power. See your struggle as God's canvas. On it he will paint his multicolored supremacy. Announce God's name and then reach for..."<br /><br />4. The Stone of Passion<br /><br />Run toward your giant, emphasizing the Lord. "What good has problem-pondering gotten you? You've stared so long you can number the hairs on Goliath's chest. Has it helped?<br /><br />No. Listing hurts won't heal them. Itemizing problems won't solve them. Categorizing rejections won't remove them."<br /><br />5. The Stone of Persistence<br /><br />David had five stones, because he knew that Goliath had "four behemoth relatives". David was not going to give up. He didn't go in to battle with one stone, he went in with five. Five decisions. Past. Prayer. Priority. Passion. Persistence.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-22981636544358864472009-11-30T10:29:00.000-06:002009-11-30T12:49:35.983-06:00Attn: Prayer WarriorsUPDATE (11/30): I don't have much to say. Just wanted to update you on Deb. Please, please, please, be praying for this boy and his family.<br /><br /><div>John Noll's mother, Deb Noll, passed away this past weekend after battling with cancer. </div><div><br /></div><div>There is a visitation from 5-7 tonight at Steven's funeral home</div><div><br /></div><div>The funeral is tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at St. Cecilia</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------------------------------------------------<br /></div><br />Please, please, please, keep Deb Noll in your prayers. Some of you may know her through the business department at ISU. I know her because her son, John, was in my homeroom last year. She was an amazing homeroom mom. She kept us supplied throughout the year, often making trips to the school to deliver needed materials, other times sending them with John. She is a great mom and it is very evident that she cares deeply about not only her son, but all the children in our district.<br />She has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer (which hits close to home for my family) and the Dr.s' report is not good.<br />I am especially heartbroken over this because John is <span style="font-style: italic;">her family</span>. She adopted him and has been raising him on her own. I remember a time she had to be gone last year and needed a friend to come in to take care of him. I'm sure she is worried more about him at this point than she is herself.<br /><br />If you are willing/able to help there is a walk Oct. 10th at Ada Hayden Park at 9am. If you <span style="font-weight: bold;">email me today </span>(heididh33@hotmail.com), I can get you signed up to walk with my group ($20 for t-shirt, $10 without).<br />If you'd like more information on how you can help them in other ways, please email me and I'll get that to you as well.<br />(Update: On the right column of <a href="http://www.business.iastate.edu/undergraduate/newsletter/September_23_2009">this ISU page</a>, there is a little information about the walk.)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Even if you are not able to help them financially, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">please</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> storm Heaven's door on their behalf</span>; I know they would more than appreciate your support.<br /><br />___________________________________________________________<br /><br /><a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/10/prayer-wall.html">Prayer Wall</a><br /><br /><a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/09/are-you-prayer-warrior-giveaway.html">Are you a prayer warrior?</a><br /></span>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-39951946964538352642009-11-24T20:23:00.000-06:002009-11-24T20:24:08.691-06:00Is it enough?In case you were worried I had a big head after you read my last post, I'll knock myself down a few notches for you (The truth is I can't wait for Beth's "So Long, Insecurity" book to come out, and for the simulcast at the Ridge on the 24th...... but I'll save that post for another day...).<br /><br />God has put a lot of people in my pathway in the last year that are struggling with forgiveness. He's let me listen to nearly a dozen people recently that are having a hard time forgiving someone that's hurt them. People that they work with, people that they used to be friends with, people that they love. He has filled the silences I've shared with those people. He's been in the tears I've shared with them. And He's given me the words that come from my own journey of forgiveness.<br /><br />I was beginning to think that my struggles of forgiving people in the past (as recently as six months ago), was to use me to help others through that process.<br /><br />I had read a book that said "You know you've forgiven someone when you think of them and don't feel anger or hurt. You feel pity. You pray for them." I was there (I still am) with so many of the people I've had to work at forgiving. I thought I was doing pretty good....<br /><br />But. He isn't finished with me yet.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">"But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept." Genesis 33:4</span><br /><br />You see, when Esau had been hurt deeply by Jacob, he didn't just forgive him...<br /><br />.....he <span style="font-style: italic;">embraced</span> him.<br /><br />He was hurt by Jacob. He was in mourning.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">"Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4</span><br /><br />He was in mourning and he was comforted. He let go of his bitterness and was set free. His heart was made whole.<br /><br />It wasn't enough for him to forgive Jacob. Forgiveness alone is not complete. Forgiveness is about the past. Healing is about the now. Is about the future.<br /><br />We. need. <span style="font-style: italic;">healing.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted..." Luke 4:18</span><br /><br />He was sent here to do much more than help me to forgive. He is here to heal me. Here to give me life to the fullest. Here to <span style="font-style: italic;">make me whole</span>.<br /><br />And He's here to do all of that for you too.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lord, I recognize my brokenness. I recognize my vulnerability. I see that I'm not living life in full like You have planned for me when I merely forgive. Lord, lift me up. Hold me close to You. Take away the pain that's still there. Put back together the shattered pieces. Give me life to the fullest like only You can give. I need You. I love You. Amen.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br />note: If you are in the same week of the Esther study as me, you may be wondering how this ties in.... It doesn't directly.. but last week as Haman was begging Esther for his life, one of my sweet Esther sisters asked if Esther should forgive him. If Esther should give him another chance. We talked about how we are to be Christlike and how that fits into our lives. I realized I have forgiven people but I still keep them at arms length. I was (okay am) following Proverbs 4:23 pretty literally and wondering if I'm following it too literally. The following Sunday (two days ago), Pastor Mike was talking about Esau and Jacob. I have a lot of "Jacobs" in my life I need to embrace... Which brought me to the above post....</span>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-79244553325069931842009-11-17T19:09:00.001-06:002009-11-17T19:09:53.576-06:00I am great (no really, I am)So remember how I mentioned yesterday my head was spinning a million directions after last night's Esther study?<br />One thought I was trying to wrap my mind around was "Haman stepping off."<br />As a little background reminder, Haman is the "villain." He sentences all of the Jews to death (Esther is a Jew).<br />Haman is interested in fame, in honor, in power.<br />He wants to do great things and to be someone great.<br />The entire time I've read about him, I've thought what an awful person, who could live like this?<br /><br />But the truth is, I'm not always that different from him.<br /><br />Growing up, I wanted to stand out, I wanted to be different. I liked being known, I liked feeling in control and I liked feeling like I had the power.<br />Okay, so it's not at all on the same scale as Haman. I wasn't seeking control over an entire country, just wanted to be the president of my class, of most of the organizations I was in, and the United States of America (okay that last one hasn't happened yet but the dream was there...).<br />I basked in the 'glory' of awards and honors. I loved being elected a state officer and named a state "student of the year." Then, as an adult, in my first "real" job, I loved being named a national "outstanding educator of the year" my first year on the job.<br />It wasn't until I took another position and <span style="font-style: italic;">didn't</span> receive an award that I realized I had been feeding off of them.<br />I liked the "honor" and the "glory." I liked the attention. I liked the feeling of being appreciated.<br />I felt like I was doing something great. I thought I was going to be someone great.<br />Sadly, I thought that receiving awards was a great measure of success to show that I truly had become someone great.<br /><br />But.<br /><br />The truth is, I was wrong.<br /><br />(I know. You're shocked. But it's true... )<br /><br />as much as I hate to say it..... I. was. wrong.<br /><br />The glory isn't mine. I didn't do any of that. I don't deserve any awards. I didn't earn a single one of them.<br /><br />It's. all. His.<br /><br />He did that. He worked through me. He even blessed me with some awards along the way, as undeserving as I <s>was</s> am (yeah, I'm guessing he knew I needed a confidence booster at the time).<br /><br />You see, it's not the awards, the titles, or the honors that make us great. <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">And while we are called to the fame of Jesus, it's not our glory.</span> It's His. It's all His.<br /><br />He doesn't want us to do a million things for His kingdom (which is good, because I'm guessing I cant). That's not what makes us great in His eyes.<br />But I can do a few.<br /><br />I can stop being afraid of being mediocre and stop trying to do great things.<br />I can allow myself to be great in Him. Just like he wants me to.<br /><br />At after school club tonight, the students were working on a building challenge. Part of their points came from how high they could build their tower to hold a golf ball. Another part of their points came from being able to knock the golf ball out of the work area at the end. They were focused on getting the highest number of points possible for the highest tower. According to the points the tower could be 60" tall. They decided they wanted to make it as tall as they could, their goal being 60" tall. The big problem was that they didn't have 60" of materials to work with in the first place and even if they stretched the materials as tall as they could to build a tower, it wouldn't be sturdy enough to support a golf ball. Having focused all of their energies on this goal, when the timer went off, they had no tower and hadn't even set up the golf ball to attempt to get the second part of their points.<br />You see, while they were trying so hard to do great things, they were disqualified for not even completing the small task.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lord, please help me to be great in You. Help me to set my focus on using the gifts You give me and doing what You would have me to do. Don't let me be so focused on doing something great that I forget about all of the small tasks that make me great in You. Please remind me (often) that being great in You is not the same as being great by the world's standards. And thank You so much that it's not!</span> Amen.heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-66966022033727891322009-11-16T21:27:00.001-06:002009-11-16T21:27:23.571-06:00How?Just got home from Esther study. My head is spinning in a million directions. I'm not sure if it is from 'Session Seven Viewer Guide" or from the new trimester starting tomorrow (or maybe I'm way off and it's from the shot the dentist gave me tonight....).<br /><br />I digress.<br /><br />Esther is coming to a close. In two more weeks, we'll wrap up. We are starting "Turn Arounds" this week. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiastic_structure">chiastic structure</a> form, we'll be looking at the "It's tough being a woman...." scenarios and turning them around.<br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">Turn Around Scenario #7</span><br /> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">It's tough being a woman who feels responsible for the "how." </span><br /><br />Um. Yeah. Just a little bit. Am I alone here? Do you ever feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Like it is up to YOU to figure out where to go from here? Like you need to be the peace keeper, the decision maker, the doer? Do you feel the need to be in control? to work it? to make it work? Dare I ask, do you ever feel like you need to play God?<br /><br />Maybe it's just me... but I often feel responsible for the "how." Ask Rusty, he'll tell you that he is the thinker and I am the doer. "Let's do this and get it done. Let's make this work. Let's go this direction."<br /><br />But guess what?<br /><br />(I know you are going to be shocked!)<br /><br />We're not! We're not responsible for the how! It's not our job!<br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">"The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment." 2 Peter 2:9</span><br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">"For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust." Psalm 103:14</span><br /><br />Did you catch that?<br /><br />"The Lord knows."<br /><br />"For He knows."<br /><br />I will not fret my way to victory. But TRUSTING in Him, HE will take care of the HOW. Because HE already KNOWS.<br /><br /> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord, thank You for taking care of the 'how.' Thank you for holding me safely in your arms and giving me rest while you work it out. Lord, I trust in You. I believe You. I will wait for You. This is all Yours, God. I'm giving it over to You. Amen.</span>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-43760268659945114832009-11-11T05:29:00.003-06:002009-11-11T06:18:31.901-06:00Become UndignifiedSounds strange right? Become undignified? Become undignified before the Lord. As <a href="http://www.davidcrowderband.com/enter.php">David Crowder</a> sings, "I will dance, I will sing to be mad for my King. Nothing Lord is hindering this passion in my soul. And I will become even more undignified than this. Some may say it's foolishness, but I'll become even more undignified than this. Leave my pride by my side and I'll become even more undignified than this." <br /><br />That's exactly what David did in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%206&version=NIV">2 Samuel 6</a>. <br /><br />But, I'm getting ahead of myself. What would cause David to be undignified? What would cause him, in verse 14 to wear nothing but his <a href="http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/choshen-ephod.jpg">linen ephod</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephod">what's an ephod?</a> You'll wish you had one.) and dance for the Lord with all of his might? Okay, this would be like the President of the United States dancing before the Lord, in the middle of Dupont Circle, in his underwear (well, the ephod was much more sacred than Hanes, but you get the image nonetheless).<br /><br />Did I mention that three months prior to David's "crazy dance" he had requested the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ark_of_the_covenant">Ark of the Covenant</a>? The ark was commissioned by Moses and symbolized God's provision (the manna), God's power (the staff), God's precepts (the commandments), and, most of all, God's presence. Max says that, "During the temple era, the high priest would be granted a one-a-year audience with the ark. After offering personal sacrifices of repentance, he would enter the holy of holies..."<br /><br />God had given very specific orders for the care and transportation of the ark. Orders that involve acacia poles, priests to carry the ark with a system of rods and to carry the sacred objects on their shoulders, and not to touch. When David plans for the massive parade and requests the ark, Uzzah, a Koathite priest, who knew better loaded it up on a wagon with oxen. As Max says,<br /><br />"The holy became humdrum. The sacred, second-rate."<br /><br />An exchange of commands for convenience. No obedience or sacrifice; expediency instead.<br /><br />In God's anger, He struck Uzzah dead. Dead? Why? Why did Uzzah have to die for breaking commandments?<br /><br />Joe Shulam, who grew up Jerusalem, studied at the Orthodox Jewish Rabbinacal Seminary, and still lives in Israel says "The question is not why did God will Uzzah but rather why does he let us live?"<br /><br />And that is why, after David is confused and hurt of the Lord punishing Uzzah in His anger David retreats back to Jerusalem. But after three months David returns for the ark. This time, priests replace bulls. Sacrifice replaces convenience. God comes. God comes on His terms. His presence is known because His commands are revered, hearts are clean, and confession is made.<br /><br />David dances with all of his might before the Lord.<br /><br />David didn't care what anyone else thought. Micah was disgusted that her husband, the King, would disrobe himself in front of the slave daugthers of his servants. She was embarassed because he lost his dignity in the presence of the Lord. Scripture had never portrayed David dancing at any other time. He slayed Goliath, and he did no victory dance. The ultimate touchdown, and no dance. He was named King of Jerusalem and quietly took his throne. No dance.<br /><br />So, when God came to town David "rolled back the rug and celebrated the night away". When's the last time we did that? Set aside our own pride, set aside our cares for what other people were going to think, zoned out the world around us and danced for the Lord. Dance for Jesus. Because of Him, we are not struck down to our death as we daily break the commandments of the Lord. Because of Him, we are not struck to our death because we trade in His commandments for convenience. <br /><br />Max says "God loves you too much to leave you alone, so he hasn't. He hasn't left you along with your fears, your worries, your disease, or your death. So kick up your heels for joy." He also points out, "Uzzah's lifeless body cautions against such irreverence. No awe of God leads to the death of man. God won't be cajoled, commanded, conjured up or called down. He doesn't respond to magic potions or clever slogans. He looks for more. He looks for reverence, obedience, and God-hungry hearts.<br /><br />And when He sees them, he comes! And when he comes, let the band begin. And, yes, a reverent heart and a dancing foot can belong to the same person.<br /><br />David had both.<br /><br />May we have the same."<br /><br />Our Father would not miss a chance to dance with His children.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rPbBWtRGJv8xo91WfmAaQUHUg2QvFDqQJSA1QjGgqyL_HZJt-V3bGxQbgMXc8r9Hbn_nqyz5PaW2Av1YjKQtKtIfTqISYe5wh685vLmApF7Y8lWuUYNWTJgp3EVJHu70Qw3bn6ZzVAs/s1600-h/Picture1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rPbBWtRGJv8xo91WfmAaQUHUg2QvFDqQJSA1QjGgqyL_HZJt-V3bGxQbgMXc8r9Hbn_nqyz5PaW2Av1YjKQtKtIfTqISYe5wh685vLmApF7Y8lWuUYNWTJgp3EVJHu70Qw3bn6ZzVAs/s200/Picture1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402819207478572818" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-21810271719989126602009-11-05T14:19:00.001-06:002009-11-05T14:19:22.724-06:00His Unfailing Love<span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">And You never change<br />God You remain</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><br />The Holy One</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><br />My Unfailing love</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><br />Unfailing love</span><br /><br /><br />You never change, God. You remain.<br /><br />Early in the Esther study, Beth talks about feeling like<br /><br />God<br /><br />is<br /><br />so<br /><br />far<br /><br />away.<br /><br /><br /><br />When God feels far away, <br /><br />it's easy to feel<br /><br /> alone.<br /> discouraged.<br /> exhausted.<br />overwhelmed.<br /><br />Sometimes life just stinks. There's struggles at work, at home, with family, with friends, and everywhere in between. Sometimes I feel like I'm a terrible wife, horrible sister, bad aunt, awful friend, lazy teacher, and not to mention a lacking Christian. When life gets hectic, when things get crazy, it's easy to question God. It's easy to ask Him where He's at in all of this.<br />But His answer is always the same,<br /><br />"Right here."<br /><br />We are told time and time again in His Book that <span style="font-style: italic;">He will never leave us</span>.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; <span style="font-weight: bold;">I</span></span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;"> will never leave you</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> nor forsake you</span>." -Joshua 1:5</span><br /><br />He is always here. Always by my side.<br /><br />When I'm stressed to the max and don't take time to read my Bible, <span style="font-style: italic;">He's here</span>.<br />When I'm running late in the morning and don't read my daily devotion, <span style="font-style: italic;">He's here</span>.<br />When I'm too sick to get out of bed to go to church, <span style="font-style: italic;">He's here</span>.<br />When I'm angry with Him and lacking in prayers of thanksgiving, <span style="font-style: italic;">He's. still. here.</span><br /><br />He doesn't change. When I feel far away from Him, it's not Him that's moved, it's me. He's always the same. He always remains. He's always good.<br /><br /><br />He will never leave me nor forsake me.<br /><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;"> And He wont you, either.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">He will never change<br />He will remain</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><br />He's the Holy One</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><br />He's my Unfailing love</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><br />Unfailing love</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"> "'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my <span style="font-style: italic;">unfailing love </span>for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the LORD, who has compassion on you." -Isaiah 54:10</span><br /><br /><br />Lord, there are times I feel so far away from you. Times I feel like I'm failing in everything. Times I feel like I'm just grasping to whatever I can to keep from falling farther and farther away. During those times, even when I cannot feel You, I know You are there. You are there to hold me, there to carry me. You love me. You love me with an unfailing love that I cant fully comprehend. Thank You for remaining steadfast. For never changing. For always loving me. Thank You for Your unfailing love. Please help my heart to always feel the warmth of Your <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">unfailing</span> love, Lord. Amen.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">("Unfailing Love" by Chris Tomlin: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MyC6kJzPg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MyC6kJzPg</a> )</span></span>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-61223390897875074722009-11-03T07:05:00.005-06:002009-11-06T06:05:22.275-06:00Consult Your MakerOkay, I've had a case of writer's block. And, a case of the "too tired's" and "too busy's". I'm back, sans excuses. Two amazing chapters out of Max Lucado's "Facing Your Giants" (fondly referred to throughout as "FYG"). I wish I could just retype both chapters here. It is difficult to pick out the highlights and share them. If you find me quoting Lucado a lot in this post, it is because there is no better way of explaining what he has to say, nor a more profound way to paraphrase.<br /><br />Max starts off Chapter 11 talking about his sense of direction, or lack thereof. He can practically get lost in his own home. I can relate. Unless I am on the interstate, I have no idea whether I am going north, south, east, or west. All I know is what is to my right, and what is to my left. I get where I'm going by familiar landmarks. When there are no familiar landmarks, I'm lost. (Thank you, God, for GPS. Amen.)<br /><br />Isn't that how we feel in life, though? We come to a tough decision and we aren't sure which way to go? There are no familiar landmarks, we've never been faced with a decision quite like this before. What about the little choices in your day? What should I have for lunch? A juicy cheeseburger sounds so good, but that grilled chicken salad is so much healthier? I know I only have $20, but that $30 sweater is <span style="font-style: italic;">much</span> higher quality. Are we including God? Are we consulting the maker?<br /><br />Oh, our reliable David. Certainly not perfect, but a true Biblical hero. David makes a habit of running his options past God.<br /><br />The Lord says, <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." - Ps. 32:8 NLT<br /><br />"Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths." -Prov. 3:6 NLT) </span><br /><br />Max says, "Consult your maker. You have a Bible? Read it."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way; walk in it." - Isa. 30:21 NLT<br /><br />"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" - Heb. 4:12 NIV<br /><br />"I will never fail you. I will never forsake you" - Heb. 13:5 NLT </span><br /><br />"Don't make a decision, whether large or small, without sitting before God with the Bible, open heart, open ears, imitating the sprayer of Samuel:<span style="font-style: italic;"> 'Your servant is listening' (I Sam. 3:10 NLT)"</span><br /><br />"God will not lead you to violate his word. Do not disguise your sin as a leading of God. He will not lead you to lie, cheat, or hurt."<br /><br />Max encourages us to find a strong Christian fellowship, to turn to his family of faith and consult them. He says, "Is your marriage tough? Find a strong one. Wrestling with business ethics? Seek sage advice from a Christian businessperson. Battling midlife decisions? Before you abandon your family and cash in your retirement, take time to get counsel.<span style="font-style: italic;"> 'The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice;' - Prov. 12:15 NIV"<br /><br /></span>My prayer is that we would all feel the nudge of our Christ-possessed heart. That we recognize the decision which makes us peaceful is so many times God letting us know that what we are feeling can be different that what we want. I pray that Satan would not assist us in disguising our sin as a leading of God. Lord, we trust that you will faithfully lead us through your Scripture and that your advice is faithful. Remind us to turn to you with EACH decision of our day.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-17294144876967622832009-10-26T21:26:00.002-05:002009-10-26T21:36:18.427-05:00Just WaitI love the song, "While I'm Waiting." And it always seems to come on the radio just when I need to hear it. Waiting in a long line at the drive-thru, waiting in traffic, waiting on a friend. Waiting.<br /><br />The Lord tells us to wait and He will renew our strength.<br /><br />But what is it we're waiting for?<br />Are you waiting for a new job to work out? Waiting on your paycheck to come in? Waiting on a family member to do what they said they would do? Waiting on the Dr's report? Waiting on a child? Waiting for a wedding? Waiting.<br /><br />Waiting on things, on people, on events, can be so draining. We can grow so weary while we are waiting.<br /><br />But God tells us to wait on <span style="font-style: italic;">Him</span>.<br /><br />We're familiar with:<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">"But they that wait upon the <span style="font-style: italic;">LORD</span> shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." --Isaiah 40:31</span><br /><br />So why do we continue to wait on <span style="font-style: italic;">things</span> and not on <span style="font-style: italic;">Him</span>?<br /><br />"Wait upon the <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord</span>."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He</span> will renew our strength.<br /><br />Lord, Help me to be patient. Give me the strength to wait on <span style="font-style: italic;">You</span>. Take my focus off of the things, the events, the times that I'm waiting for. Give me a God ward focus. Turn my eyes towards <span style="font-style: italic;">You</span>. Amen.heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-31220266116163503132009-10-22T11:23:00.002-05:002009-10-22T11:26:14.431-05:00Ashley"This is going to sound weird, but...."<br /><br />This is how I started a message to Ashley (she said I could post her real name). I found a message she posted on a random page (on facebook) about needing help. I told her I felt led to send her a message and to tell her I was praying for her.<br /><br />How she responded broke my heart.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Thank you very much. My boyfriend was just omitted into a hospital. He overdosed on a mixture of heroin, coke, crack, pot, oxy's, and alcohol and then stabbed himself three times in the neck. I'm struggling with the idea that there is really nothing more I can do but support him and be there for him. Thank you for the prayers. </span><br /><br />I replied and not knowing what else to do, asked if I could post a prayer request for her here. Please be in prayer for Ashley.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lord, Please be with Ashley. Be close to her, hold her tight. Lift her up and show her a peace only you can give. I know she must want to be there for her boyfriend right now, but please give her the strength and wisdom and courage to take care of herself. Make her strong and fill her with joy. I don't know where she lives, I don't know what she does for a living. But I know You do, Lord. I know You know everything about her and you accept her just the way she is. Please let her know that today. Amen.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-37081105054106410502009-10-21T18:20:00.002-05:002009-10-21T18:20:36.359-05:00Ephesians 4:15<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzseHed4DrqGg6UrhOhCXsaSPAhm4KeamM46t69ICjSetqkATgFGIIK514xdvO0WNZJNP319HI67QlCX-RN5HPgYMJuDsKrQvDiIL-ar0YYP2i-zN7eQTd6SVQvOZlw6o9G8uB34zNlVZ/s1600-h/eph415.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzseHed4DrqGg6UrhOhCXsaSPAhm4KeamM46t69ICjSetqkATgFGIIK514xdvO0WNZJNP319HI67QlCX-RN5HPgYMJuDsKrQvDiIL-ar0YYP2i-zN7eQTd6SVQvOZlw6o9G8uB34zNlVZ/s400/eph415.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395197173311964658" border="0" /></a>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-42801012958892098522009-10-20T06:34:00.003-05:002009-10-20T07:04:18.589-05:00A me focus or a He focus?Ever noticed that when God is trying to tell you something, He can be very persistent? That the message simultaneously shows up during your study of the Word, in a book you are reading and coincidentally in general conversation? That something you have been thinking about ends up being the topic of the sermon on Sunday morning?<br /><br />Last week I wrote about my "Love Walk" and, truly, what a struggle it is to fully comprehend and put in to action in my life. Sunday evening I picked back up with "FYG". Chapter 7 "Barbaric Behavior" is based on Nabal and Abigail. I'll let you read up on that, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Samuel%2025&version=NIV">I Sam. 25</a>. But, what hits home for me is the Love Walk that Max Lucado challenges us to become a part of. While he never directly calls it a love walk, it certainly ties in to exactly <a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/10/reduce-me-to-love.html">what I read in RMTL</a>.<br /><br />Lucado opens with the story of Ernest Gordon, former chaplain of Princeton University. Gordon was a prisoner of war, captured by the Japanese in World War II. When Diphtheria took over his body he was left by the Japanese to die. New prisoners encountered Gordon and rather than focus on their own long sufferings the began to "cleanse Gordon's ulcerated sores and massage his atrophied legs. They give him his first bath in six weeks. His strength slowly returns and, with it, his dignity."<br /><br />I don't know about you, but I can honestly say that I am not certain I would have been the soldier who could have focused on the dying, rotting body on the cot. I fear I would be way to caught up in my own misfortune to notice the suffering of those around me. Thank you, God, for putting your Word in my life as a lamp unto my feet a light unto my path.<br /><br />The story of these soldiers, Abigail and Christ all show that goodness is contagious. Selfishness, hatred and pride saturate the world around us. But over time the tone of "camp" will soften and brighten and sacrifice will replace selfishness.<br /><br />Abigail places her very life in the path of David's army and in Nabal's place "begs not for justice but forgiveness, accepting blame when she deserves none". I feel so convicted when I read about Abigail. It's easier to place blame than to take it when it's not deserved. I think we know someone else like Abigail. Not someone who stood between David's army and certain death for Nabal, but someone who stood between our sinfulness and the wrath of God. Jesus.<br /><br />The lessons we learn from this story? "Meakness saved the day... ...gentleness reverse[s] a river of anger. Humility has such power. Apologies can disarm arguments... The contagious power of kindness. The strength of a gentle heart."<br /><br />When you are facing your giants this week, face them with beauty. Max writes, "His sacrifice begs us to ask this question: if he so loved us, can we not love each other? Having been forgiven, can we not forgive? Having feasted at the table of grace, can we not share a few crumbs?" "Shift your gaze to Christ. Look more at the Mediator and less at the trouble makers. Be the beauty amidst your beasts and see what happens."<br /><br />I leave you this morning with these verses, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2025:15&version=NLT">Proverbs 25:15</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:21&version=MSG">Romans 12:21</a> and these questions*:<br />Describe a time you saw the good influence of one person change the atmosphere of a group or organization. What specific environment could you reshape by your good influence? Do personal possessive pronounds dominate the language of your circle? My career, my dreams, my stuff. I want this to go my way on my schedule. If so, you know how savage this giant can be.<br /><br />*From Max Lucado's study guide for "Facing Your Giants"Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-21771629056234984832009-10-19T10:23:00.003-05:002009-10-19T10:47:45.008-05:00DestinyDo you know what your purpose in life is? Do you ever find yourself having a hard time making decisions? Do you know how you fit into God's <a href="http://601hicksfamily.blogspot.com/2009/08/incourage.html">big picture</a>?<br /><br />I'm not sure.<br />I do!<br />and I'm working everyday to figure that out.<br /><br />And Day 4 of Esther study this week was a great tool for me use in this quest.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">"And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14</span><br /><br />There's some big questions packed into that short verse.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Who knows?</span><br /><br />A time such as this?<br /><br />To put the verse into context. Esther is between a rock and her husband (the king). The king has issued a decree that all Jews will be killed (Esther is a Jew). Her uncle tells her to go talk to the king about it. But she hasn't been summoned by the king in 30 days (there's trouble in paradise) and if she goes without summons, she could be killed.<br /><br />Esther has a tough decision to make.<br /><br />Do you ever feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you have to make a decision about it? And quick.<br /><br />Have those big decisions ever come your way, right when your in the middle of your own crisis?<br /><br />When life throws us a giant weight and we are in the middle of our own crisis, we are tempted to say, "not me, not now."<br /><br />But <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> is God's perfect timing. If is right on schedule. His schedule.<br /><br />Beth talks about it being hard being thrown a giant sized weight. She says,<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">"Know the feeling (of being thrown a weight)? So do I. Every giant-sized weight drops into our laps right on schedule. None of our purposes will be fulfilled easily. All of them will require the most difficult decisions we think we can make. Decisions that we may feel will practically kill us. Then God does something miraculous and we become something we are not. That's when "who knows?" becomes "I know!"</span> <span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">At some of the hardest times in my life, I have been able to make the more difficult choice out of pure blind-eyed, bent-kneed acceptance that it was somehow part of a greater plan. I was beaten by a conviction that throbbed relentlessly against my strong self-centeredness. As much as my flesh wanted relief, I knew that when all was said and done, I'd sit on that side of glory having much rather fulfilled my calling than served myself all the way to meaninglessness. I had to accept that I was not called to an easy life I was called to a purposeful life."</span><br /><br />I've been in the middle of making some tough decisions lately, so I can relate. Mary tweeted this to me awhile back. I saved it because I knew it applied to me and have been working on it for awhile.<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);" class="status-body"><a href="http://twitter.com/Mairs812" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/exit/to/Mairs812');" target="_blank">Mairs812</a> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);" class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">To @<a class="tweet-url username" href="http://twitter.com/heididh33">heididh33</a> RT @<a class="tweet-url username" href="http://twitter.com/DougBench">DougBench</a> Your brain doesn't have to believe in your goals at the start. </span><span class="meta entry-meta"><a href="http://twitter.com/Mairs812/status/4026123599" class="entry-date" rel="bookmark"><span class="published">4:44 AM Sep 16th</span></a> <span>from web<br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);" class="status-body"><a href="http://twitter.com/Mairs812" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/exit/to/Mairs812');" target="_blank">Mairs812</a> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);" class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">Nothing of any significance was ever accomplished by a realistic person!</span><span class="meta entry-meta"><a href="http://twitter.com/Mairs812/status/4026124868" class="entry-date" rel="bookmark"><span class="published">4:45 AM Sep 16th</span></a> <span>from web</span> </span></span><br /><br />While the decision I make will affect my husband, my coworkers, my students, and myself, the choice is not to be about me. It's about Him. It's about His Kingdom.<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">Beloved, in the times of greatest struggle when you make the Godward decision over convenience, earthly comfort, or carnal pleasure, you too have come to a critical moment in the fulfillment of your destiny. A defining moment. A war is being waged over your head in the unseen realm, and a great cloud of witnesses is cheering you on. </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">You have no idea what is at stake.</span><br /><br />Lord, Be near to me as I make these tough decisions. Help me to know that it's not about me. It's not about my comfort. It's about You, Lord. It's all about You. It always has been, and it always will be. Amen.<br /><br /><br />(I'll be back with more about <span style="font-style: italic;">Who Knows</span>. Soon.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhCWM2xHN08M2BGNmuRhCTViBwx-EjIcmJCFXSQGGYMqs1vF53V-aLcNgUe9SQIByPdEQzEavAT3dijmPbD2BbglNpx4YqlPxFwgK5NgZLu_nFjrxCU0QmmXUMp8CNw6Ke6LbivGv21zW/s1600-h/cccsig.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 91px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhCWM2xHN08M2BGNmuRhCTViBwx-EjIcmJCFXSQGGYMqs1vF53V-aLcNgUe9SQIByPdEQzEavAT3dijmPbD2BbglNpx4YqlPxFwgK5NgZLu_nFjrxCU0QmmXUMp8CNw6Ke6LbivGv21zW/s320/cccsig.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394338185674018674" border="0" /></a>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-39681998764951069012009-10-14T05:48:00.003-05:002009-10-14T06:36:53.615-05:00Reduce Me to LoveOff week for FYG.<br /><br />Last week I finished reading the book "Reduce Me to Love" by Joyce Meyer (keep an eye out, maybe a copy will be a give away). I use the term "finished" loosely, because this is one of those books that I marked up the pages and know that I will come back to many times, mostly because for me loving like Christ is a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute battle. But yet, the most important attribute of Christ (I Cor. 13:2 <span style="font-style: italic;">If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing</span>) and the first thing we are to draw up from the spirit (Gal. 5:22 <span style="font-style: italic;">But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy...</span>).<br /><br />Faith that can move mountains. My faith is strong, but does my faith stand up to my mountains, that they will be crumbled, to my giants, that they will be slayed. I'm getting there, I know I am.<br />But love. Love is one of those things, for me, that it took digging in to realize I need to be humbled, that in learning the love walk, I am still merely crawling. If that.<br /><br />On September 9, 2009 I wrote in my personal blog:<br /><br />The deal is, the devil... SUCKS. I don't particularly care for the word "sucks" but in this instance, I can't describe it any other fashion. He is putting me in situations and around people that are difficult to LOVE. They don't treat me with LOVE and so my initial reaction is not to give it back. If they don't love me, why should I love them? Then God says, "Really, Mary?! Really?" Or something like that. Then you have a duh moment. God sent His son to save the WORLD. The whole WORLD. All of us, the undeserving.<br /><br />Meyer points out that when Jesus was being crucified, He was comforting the thief next to him (Luke 23:39-43). When Stephen was being stoned, he prayed for those stoning him asking God not to lay the sin to their charge (Acts 7:59-60). When Paul and Silas were in prison, they took time to minister to their jailer (Acts 16:25-34).<br /><br />Here I am reminded of the song by Casting Crowns called "If We are the Body". The song talks about people entering the church, looking for a refuge and realizing that they are being teased, that they are being judged. That people are picking and choosing who to love and the song says "Jesus paid much to high a price for us to pick and choose who should come" and continues with, "But if we are the Body, why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the Body, why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? There is a way. Jesus is the way."<br /><br />I have so much work to do. I am incomplete, but I am still completely His.<br /><br />This morning, this is the <a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/10/prayer-wall.html">prayer </a>that I would ask you to join me in.<br /><br />"Lord, you are putting me face to face with some challenging people.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>People who do not treat me with love, nor do they treat themselves with love. People that are easy for me to judge. People who put their judgmental weight on my shoulders. People who make me feel like I am better than they. People who encourage me to fall prey to the material things of this world. Thank you for these challenges so that I may grow in love and learn to love as you first loved us. Forgive me for my judgmental thoughts and glances. Forgive me for my words. Guard my heart, Lord, that I may love everyone. Be my words, Lord, that I may be your light. Give me your contagious Spirit, that I may be a woman of your word. Give me your strength. Give me your wisdom. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me, the underserved. Thank you for forgiving me so that I may start fresh in my walk with you. Go ahead of me and blaze my trail. Help me to love others without regard for what I will receive in return. Show me your ways. Amen."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0KSdWFcfDHjq4Z7SZ2p0KGBKwnqfeFD1bOddHdMsY31U_IxpYJejWaccj4HQctklppLfJVVAaRiRPR1JWnyA_BawccUrtBm3wqre6xIZeg5T-2UYUUBrRNPvbfDx3XdPUScv8F9avhk/s1600-h/Picture1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 111px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0KSdWFcfDHjq4Z7SZ2p0KGBKwnqfeFD1bOddHdMsY31U_IxpYJejWaccj4HQctklppLfJVVAaRiRPR1JWnyA_BawccUrtBm3wqre6xIZeg5T-2UYUUBrRNPvbfDx3XdPUScv8F9avhk/s200/Picture1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392418076524388418" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-87595113037190211702009-10-14T01:13:00.000-05:002009-10-15T10:27:38.916-05:00Quick.. GOSome of you I've already talked into taking a road trip with me for one of next year's Living Proof Ministries Live events (you know, with BETH MOORE!).<br />Well TODAY and today only, you have a chance to win two free tickets (you know, one for you, one for me). :-) They are giving 30 away for Amanda's (Beth's daughter) 30th Birthday.<br /><br />So go <a href="http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/">here</a> to wish her a Happy 30th. And let me know if you win!<br /><br />http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-90415444563416277252009-10-06T18:59:00.002-05:002009-10-06T19:08:24.802-05:00Time?I mentioned I was feeling slightly overwhelmed last week. Sometimes when I feel that way, I start slacking on some of the things I normally do. <span style="font-style: italic;">Sometimes</span> I even start slacking on my daily time with God.<br /><br />Because it just seems on top of everything else I don't have enough <span style="font-style: italic;">time</span>.<br /><br />Time.<br /><br />I once heard a pastor say,<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"> "it's not a time issue, it's a priority issue."</span><br /><br />Time.<br /><br />Do you ever feel like you don't have enough time? Is your calendar full of dates and appointments?<br /><br />Don't stress. <span style="font-style: italic;">Every </span>moment can be a moment spent with Him. As Beth puts it,<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">"<span style="font-style: italic;">Every</span> date on your man-contrived schedule can be a date with Christ. He'll do the driving."</span><br /><br />How are you spending your time with Him this week?heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-10980325735177682782009-10-06T05:53:00.000-05:002009-10-17T22:57:14.379-05:00As you visit us today...Remember to visit the <a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/10/prayer-wall.html">Prayer Wall </a>and comment on the <a href="http://proverbs1v32.blogspot.com/2009/09/are-you-prayer-warrior-giveaway.html">Week Three Challenge</a> to be a prayer warrior!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-21579595299218437272009-10-06T05:47:00.004-05:002009-10-07T05:41:55.916-05:00Untitled.<span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">Where do I begin with what to say? I've played this conversation in my head so many times. I'm certainly not claiming to know everything, but what I do will save your life.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">I know, I know that God is able [and will]. I know, I know that He still reigns. I know, I know that love has found [and will find] a way.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">-MercyMe</span><br /><br />This lyric is hitting me hard this week, anyone else find Christian music to be an incredibly powerful voice of the Lord? Wow. This blog is not a plug for MercyMe. But, I do have to share more powerful lyrics throughout, because they are all blending together in to one big message for me.<br /><br />Studying our giants can bring up some difficult truths to face. Remember,<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">There is a season for everything. There is a reason for all things here on earth. Every second of every moment seems to have its worth. Rest assured life's not in vain, for all things work here for His fame.</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);"> It won't be long until we all go home with all things revealed, and on that day we'll finally know oh, as we are fully known. </span><br /><br />This week, in "Facing Your Giants" (FYG) we talked about "Dry Seasons" and "Grief Givers". Reading this, assembling the prayer wall, and hearing other stories this week about heartache and misfortune made the devil seem so prominent, so powerful. But then I was able to realize and feel that God is bigger. Bigger than the air we breathe, bigger than our giants and SO much bigger than the enemy. But, the only way to overcome the enemy is through Christ's love. <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">Time has come to raise our hearts as one and glorify the God of everything. We live our lives for the renown of Christ, oh </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">we are children of the sovereign king</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">.</span></span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">My heart will fly when I finally see you face to face, and my tears will fly away, away.</span><br /><br />The enemy stands between us and God, He has since the book of Genesis, and the only way back to God is through Christ. And so, we are to live our lives trying to be imitators of Christ and overcome the enemy. We have so many questions for God, all beginning with "why?" <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">Why this happened I cannot explain. Why write the script with such heartache and pain? Could there not have been an easier way? Watching life through this glass so faded, I cannot see the bigger picture taking place. Oh, to understand one day</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">... When I finally make it home. Then I'll gaze upon the throne of the King frozen in my steps. And all the questions that I swore I would ask, words just won't come yet. So amazed at what I've seen, so much more than this old mind can hold. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><u>Stability</u></span><br />Max Lucado says in Chapter 5, "But sometimes we have no vote. Calamity hits and the roof tips." The devil starts to isolate us by removing every source of stability from our lives. We become disconnected. Disconnection turns to deceit. For David, the enemy is Saul. Max (I figure, we're journeying together, we're going to be on a first name basis with Max) says, "Has your Saul cut you off from the position you had and the people you love?" Where is your refuge? Where do you go to be renewed?<br /><br />Are we turning to our job, to find that it is not secure? That no matter how hard we work today, it might not matter tomorrow? Are we turning to our spouse or significant other only to find that they are not rock solid?<br /><br />Max says "Make God your refuge. Let Him, not [your] Saul [giant] encircle you. Let Him be the ceiling that breaks the sunshine, the walls that stop the win, the foundation on which you stand." Max also talks about a man in his church who had just buried his wife and had a daughter becoming more ill by the day and he said "You'll never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have".<br /><br />Let me just say, I am incredibly inspired by those that have had their Saul remove every earthly stability from their lives and still they find their rest on Christ the solid rock. I am taking this lesson now, and am thankful for the Lord putting their example in my life.<br /><br />When we find refuge in the Lord, He WILL restore us. Find your refuge in Him, and your comfort in His people. David did, and in the "midst of [his] desert [he wrote his] sweetest psalms."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><u>Grace</u></span><br /><span>Our Saul's can be the people in our lives that Max refers to as "Grief-Givers". Once David has been restored and Saul hears of his location, Saul once again begins his hunt for David, with the ultimate goal to kill him. So many times David and his army are in a position to slay Saul, and yet David continues, with a "God saturated mind", to remember that Saul is the Lord's appointed King. David hears the Lord, and allows Saul to live, even though he knows that Saul will continue to hunt him down and try to kill him.<br /><br />How are we reacting to the Saul's in our life. Are we focused on our Saul? Will we slay our Saul if given the opportunity? Are we able to forgive our Saul? Max says "We forgive the one-time offenders, mind you. We dismiss the parking-place takers, date-breakers, and even the purse snatchers. We can move past the misdemeanors, but the felonies? The repeat offenders? The Sauls who take our youth, retirement or health? Failure to do so could be fatal. 'Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple' - Job 5:2 Enemy destroyers need tw</span><span>o graves."<br /><br />Max says that David "refused to see his grief-giver as anything less than a child of God. David didn't applaud Saul's behavior; he just acknowledged Saul's proprietor - God." God is saying to us the offender and the offended, "What he [you] did was unthinkable, unacceptable, inexcuseable, but I'm not finished yet." Our enemies, God is not finished with them yet. Did we think that He was? This was such an eye opener for me. I certainly know that He is not finished with me yet, but have I stopped to think that about my enemies, my Saul's? "You honor God when you see them, not as His failures, but as His <span style="font-style: italic;">projects</span>."<br /><br />I think it is important to take a moment here to point out, as Max and so many others have, that forgiveness is not acceptance. God hates sin, loves the sinner, and calls us to do the same. Forgive the sinner, but keep your distance if you need to. </span><span>As Max puts it, </span><span>forgive the child molester, but keep him out of the school. "To forgive is to move on, not to think about the offense anymore. You don't excuse him, endorse her, or embrace them. You just route thoughts about them through heaven. You see your enemy as God's child and revenge as God's job."</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);">And what appears as incomplete is still completely Yours and one day we'll see as we've been seen and we'll soar.</span></span><br /><br /><span>Max closes this chapter the same way I will end this post "We, like Saul, have been given grace. We, like David, can freely give it."<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFyh-Lz-DfiNUHzKbfZNgg1o79ZLxEoxpMQQnY8H_DmTuNC7dyD3pfgmX8YB6fxS4zfF0k-A0NZVpcfVW9Wjr_yyierIwn4dShjdtzeVuTvCfhYH-4QMop1k2dpabRSi18HfyEqvm2_4/s1600-h/Picture1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFyh-Lz-DfiNUHzKbfZNgg1o79ZLxEoxpMQQnY8H_DmTuNC7dyD3pfgmX8YB6fxS4zfF0k-A0NZVpcfVW9Wjr_yyierIwn4dShjdtzeVuTvCfhYH-4QMop1k2dpabRSi18HfyEqvm2_4/s200/Picture1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389801601321506834" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194177789083945149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345705369186525017.post-85308872251974980202009-10-05T13:27:00.002-05:002009-10-05T14:03:29.434-05:00OpportunitiesThis is (one of) my week(s) off from Esther. While I was not looking forward to it, it ended up being a nice break this week as I've been feeling (just a little) overwhelmed. (What? You noticed from my poor quality of blogging and worse than usual returning of messages? Sorry!)<br /><br />So while on my Esther hiatus, I picked up my "Life Above the Negativity" book again. One of my favorite pieces from the book is:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">"I am not my own. I am bought with a price. I belong to God. I choose to grow in and put on love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. I recognize the opportunities God gives me to grow in these areas."</span><br /><br />The <span style="font-style: italic;">opportunities</span>? That's a nice way to put it. You know the kind. When a family member hurts your feelings, a coworker says something discouraging, your stuck in traffic, a friend says something about you, an unexpected bill, a poor doctor's report, and on and on and on.<br /><br />There are <span style="font-style: italic;">opportunities</span> all around us to grow in love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. But <span style="font-style: italic;">how</span> do we do it?<br /><br />I've been working on first <span style="font-style: italic;">recognizing</span> the opportunities. If you are feeling frustrated, upset, or annoyed, it's a pretty good indicator there's an opportunity for you to grow in that area (and believe me, I have a LOT of room to grow in a lot of areas!).<br /><br />Sometimes I'm upset about something and feel like talking about it. Sometimes that talking turns into complaining, grumbling, whining, even gossip (gasp!*). Society calls this "venting" and tells us this is okay.<br /><br />But God says it's not.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." -Ephesians 4:29</span><br /><br />In fact, He tells us to avoid those who do it.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">"A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don't hang around with chatterers." -Proverbs 20:19</span><br /><br />I came across this quote today, <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">"When you are tempted to complain, think of it as an invitation from God to </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">give thanks</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">." </span><br /><br />An<span style="font-style: italic;"> opportunity</span> to go to God in thanksgiving.<br /><br />So after recognizing the opportunities that come my way, I take them to Him. I talk to Him about them and seek guidance. Sometimes it's an opportunity to give Him thanks that I even have the problem I'm having in the first place (giving thanks for having a job, rather than complaining about the job I have). Sometimes the answer is to simply be still. Be quiet. Sometimes I have a really hard time finding what the answer is and I just lay it in His hands.<br /><br />Whatever the answer, He is trusting me with a lot of opportunities to grow and I am definitely a<br /><br />work.<br /><br />in.<br /><br />progress.<br /><br />What opportunities has He trusted you with lately? How do you recognize them and what do you do to grow in the fruits of the spirit?<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*"Life Above the Negativity" defines gossip has something you are talking about but are neither a part of the problem or the solution. Sounds like a whole new post for another day.....</span>heididh33http://www.blogger.com/profile/13442112953517498932noreply@blogger.com0