Diagnosing & Witnessing

I was listening to a Christian Radio station, KLOVE, this past week & they were talking about witnessing to others. They were saying to put it into perspective…when a friend, relative, or whoever is sick or in pain we often suggest medicines or which doctor to use. Most of us use our symptoms to “self-diagnose” them & recommend “treatment” based on our sicknesses we’ve had in the past. Why is this different from witnessing or sharing our testimony with others? It’s not!! I agree that it’s more of a sensitive subject & we can be rejected at times but isn’t telling someone about our gracious Father much more important? You say, yes, of course it is! Especially when telling people about Christ can ultimately lead them to a place where there will be no more sickness or heartache, Heaven. I know that just telling people about Christ doesn’t always BRING them to Him but it does however “plant a seed”& we can continue to fervently pray for their salvation.

Matthew 5:14-16 is described in the children’s song “This little light of mine”. It tells us that we are the light of the world when we know Jesus as our Saviour & for us to let our light be seen by men so they can see Jesus in us. I love this verse as well as the children’s song. hope that this brings you some encouragement & strength to let your lights shine for the Ultimate Healer, Father, & Redeemer!

 

Matthew 5:14-16"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

 

 

 

Like a Bird...

I hope you've all had a wonderful week. Today I'm going to do something a little different with the Happy Friday e-mail. I'm going to tell you about a very special person that has always been and still is a strong Christian influence in my life. My Nana drug us grand kids to church EVERY Sunday morning & night in hopes we would develop a relationship with Christ. To say that she loves the Lord is an understatement; She taught bible study & led song service as long as I can remember. She always thought of others & in my eyes was truly the hands & feet of Christ. She has slowed down physically the past couple years but can still sing any old hymn by memory. Last week she went to the doctor for severe back pain. Long story short, her 4^th vertebrae from the bottom has shifted forward, thus  pinching her spinal cord. She went from getting around pretty good to not being able to walk & ultimately bedridden. My Mom sits with her everyday to take care of her now. While Nana was napping yesterday, Mom walked outside & thought she heard Nana crying. She hurried back inside & realized she wasn't crying at all. Mom said she was, “singing like a little bird”. Here is my little old Nana physically frail & broken, singing praises to her Savior! I hope I'm half the woman in Christ she is one day!

She reminded me of the poor widow who gave 2 coins to Jesus as a offering in Mark 12:41-44. Jesus saw how she gave & said she put in all she had, her whole livelihood. Nana has given God glory & praise all her life in the way she lived for Him. Her life is a testament of God's love & faithfulness when we totally rely on Him. I pray this has brought you some encouragement today & humbles you as it has me. I hope you have a wonderful weekend & remember to praise God always!

Four letter word...

I hope you've all had a wonderful week! With Valentine's day coming up, I wanted to
study how the bible explains love. Well did you know that in the NKJV Bible the word “LOVE” occurs 362 times in 323 different verses? Yeah me neither...thanks to the internet. So as I'm reading all of these verses it became very apparent what Jesus wants us to know about this mysterious word. I'm not very good at math but I'm gonna guess that 25-30% of the verses about love say the same thing over and OVER! In short, “Love the LORD your God with ALL your heart...”and “Love one another as I have loved you...”. These are commandments that Christ was fervently trying to show & teach His
children.  Not only did God send Jesus to teach us about love, He gave His only Son as the ULTIMATE sacrifice to show His love for us. As a parent & even as a wife I can say that when I have something EXTREMELY important to get across, it seems like I have to repeat
myself 100 times before they even acknowledge that I'm talking. :0) We are called to 1^st love God will all of our being,

 Mark 12:29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is:
‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, This is the first commandment.

Then Jesus says to love each other, Mark 12:31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You
shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Jesus said there are NO other commandments greater than these! Plain & simple...to the point...no ifs, ands, or buts! If you continue to read in verse 33 He states that to do these things “is worth more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
I pray that you remember God's everlasting love for us & what He has called us to do! I love you & hope you have a LOVEly weekend!
Happy Valentine's Day!

Barricades...

I have been reading a bit in Matthew lately & came across the story when the wealthy man asks Jesus how to enter into His kingdom. I've read it before but this time it struck a cord with me... 

Matthew 19:16-22 (The Message) 16Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" 17Jesus said, "Why do you question me about what's good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you." 18-19The man asked, "What in particular?" Jesus said, "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself." 20The young man said, "I've done all that. What's left?" 21"If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me." 22That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crest-fallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go.

You could learn a number of lessons from these few verses but I'm gonna share how Christ convicted my heart. As Christians we are called to put God first & foremost in our lives. However, I can only speak for myself, but I've held onto bad habits & worldly things that have hindered my relationship with Christ. I've ok'd these things in my head but I know in my heart that God's been convicting of these barricades I've held onto. Jesus told the wealthy man what he already knew in his heart & still the man walked away from Jesus' offer, as stated in the last verse. I refuse to go out like he did! I know I have to make some changes in my life and while I'm apprehensive I know, that I know, that I know that I am NOT alone!

Joshua 1:9 (NLT) 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I pray this has encouraged you to work towards tearing down any barriers that's been hindering your relationship with Christ. We can overcome these if we truly live out this final verse.

Philippians4:13 (NLT) For I can do everything through Christ,who
gives me strength.

Life's Road Map...

This morning I was praying on my way to work & was just contemplating some things. Have you ever been driving & look up and asked yourself...Where am I? OK well I had one of those moments. I knew I was coming into Baton Rouge but I wasn't sure if I'd already been over the bridge or through the construction...Well then up ahead I see a sign that let me know that the lanes were shifting & that I'm coming into the road construction. (Relief) So I asked myself , Wouldn't it be great if Jesus just handed out personalized road maps to our own lives? We could be more prepared in whatever twists & turns life throws our way. That thought was short lived b/c as soon as I thought it I immediately reprimanded myself. I mean Jesus died a horrible death for us & all we have to do is accept Him as our Saviour & live our lives for Him. Plus He did give us a road map for our lives. Psalm 19:7 The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.
I'm not saying that His word says exactly what you should do in every situation but that we should cling to Him in everything we do & He will faithfully answer in His time. He also says that our road with Him will not be easy and requires hard work.
Matthew 7:13 "Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is
flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.
I pray this was humbling for you as it was for me. I also encourage you to open your hearts & eyes for the God-signs He lays before you. I love you & hope you have a wonderful weekend! Remember to praise Him Always!

Consistent in my Inconsistencies...

I want to talk to you a little about inconsistencies. Well maybe a lot...This morning on my drive to work I was having my very own personal pity party. It involved me beating myself up over my inconsistencies in everything I do or try to do. In fact, the only thing I
feel I AM consistent in is my inconsistency. Prayer, cooking, cleaning, reading my bible, reading to my kids, healthy eating, exercising, & many more I have chosen not to share for your own sanity. Why can't I just get it together, kept playing over & over in my head! My life feels instable b/c of my incapabilites to get things done. I was letting myself have it, when I heard the radio in the background, reporting about the earthquake in the midwest this morning. One of the reporters asked what we think is most stable on this earth? The earth or ground! She said that even the most stable “thing” shakes & moves. Thus leaving God's word the only thing unshakable. Boy did I needed that! I've often heard that we can't truly love or feel love until we seek & experience God's unconditional love. Then we can truly learn to love others like He does. Well doesn't my inconsistencies apply also? I can't be 100% consistent with anything, until I lay everything aside & seek God's unshakable word! The verse below is just what I needed, as it is very straight to the point! I hope this brings you some encourangement today! I love you & pray you have a safe & wonderful New Years!

Psalms 16:7-9 (NIV) 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will
rest secure,

Tumbleweeds...

It's Friday & the Happy Fridays are back up & running. If you don't already know we've been adding on our house & moved in 2 weeks ago. I'm sorry I couldn't keep up with the e-mails during this time. I
hope you've had a wonderful week & are already getting into the Christmas spirit. How many times have you said or heard it said, " I don't know how people can live without Christ in their lives."? I know I say it or at least think it often. I know we've all been there when we think we can handle things
on our own. We pray for what WE want instead of what God wants for us. I'm stepping on my own toes this morning! :0) In verses 5-6 God describes us as tumbleweeds not only aimlessly scurrying around but not being able to get nourishment & grow. Grow closer with Christ. I struggle daily with having God as the center of everything I do. Instead I find myself putting Him on a shelf, theoretically speaking, & pulling Him down only when I need Him. This is wrong & goes against everything God has taught us. Verses 7-8 are so beautiful to me. Blessed is the WOMAN who sticks with God. They are rooted, nourished, & people can witness the fruits of their spirit in Christ. AMAZING! I love how in verses 9-10 it says that God doesn't just know us, he has searched & examined your heart in great depth. He knows our true being, while we think we have everyone fooled! These verses really opened my eyes to my own hap-hazard life & the way I live it.  I hope this has brought some encouragement to you today. I hope you have a great weekend & a wonderful Merry Christmas! I love you & pray your day is amazing!

^{Jeremiah 17:5-10 (The Message)5-6} God's Message: "Cursed is the strong one who depends on mere humans,Who thinks he can make it on muscle alone and sets God aside as dead weight. He's like a tumbleweed on the prairie, out of touch with the good earth. He lives rootless and aimless in a land where nothing grows. 7-8"But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God. They're like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers—Never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf,Serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season. 9-10"The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind.I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be."