I've heard of hand, foot, and mouth disease. Lots of children get it. There's also a very embarrassing condition known as foot-in-mouth disease. Lots of adults get it. I had a case of it today. Let me explain.
I put my foot in my mouth today, as the old saying goes. This morning, I ran into a man I hadn't seen in several years. I used to work with his wife. I wasn't sure if he remembered me. So, I said, "Your wife's name is "Jane", right? I used to work with her." He said, "No, I don't have a wife anymore, she left me." I felt soooo bad. What do you say at that point? I was embarrassed for putting my foot in my mouth by bringing up an uncomfortable subject. So, I went with the standard, "Well, I'm sorry to hear that."
Note to self: In the future, don't assume people are still together. Just say hello and leave it at that!
A friend texted me from work recently to share how they had just put their foot into their mouth. My friend asked a co-worker if she was pregnant (because her tummy was all poked out)...and she wasn't! Ouch!
Note to everyone: Never, ever assume anyone is pregnant. If they are and they want you to know, they'll tell you. Otherwise, don't even go there!
Sometimes other people put their foot in their mouth regarding YOU! That's a little more fun..but barely. My youngest son was born on a Sunday. The Monday night of the next week, eight days later, I went to a PTO meeting at school. Someone walked up to me and said, "Girl, when are you going to have that baby?" What could I say? I just smiled weakly and said, "He's at home with Grandma".
One night this week, I did not get enough sleep and I felt tired the next day and apparently, looked tired as well. I met with a client at work who is mentally challenged. When I met him outside, I greeted him and made a comment about how the wind was blowing my hair and messing it up. He said, "Yeah, and your eyes look bad, too".
Note to self: Children and mentally challenged people will tell you exactly what they think about the way you look. If you don't want to know what they think, keep your mouth shut!
Obviously, when it comes to kids or mentally challenged individuals, we have to overlook anything they might say about us. But as adults, what is our excuse? A good rule of thumb for adults to remember is the famous line uttered by mothers for many years, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".
A few years ago, I was picking up a pizza and ran into a former co-worker in the pizza restaurant. He and I had worked together in another pizza restaurant when I was in high school and college. This guy was somewhat "different", a bit eccentric you might say. (I'm being as nice as possible). After he walked to the back of the restaurant, the man operating the cashier made a negative comment about my former co-worker. I laughed and said, "Yeah, he and I used to work together. He's a real character. Is he still married to that crazy lady?" The man operating the cash register said, "Yeah, she's my sister."
Okay....what have we learned from this experience? First of all, don't talk negatively about people. Nothing good comes of it. Second of all, if someone else is talking negatively, that doesn't mean its a good idea for you to join in. Thirdly...this is Johnston County, people. Everybody is related. Keep your mouth shut! LOL!(Just kidding!) In all seriousness, the bottom line is this...what I said was mean-spirited and I had no business saying it. I had to get embarrassed in order to learn my lesson.
Now, my next piece of advice is strong. So take a deep breath. Okay, are you ready? Here goes:
If you ever have to say, "Well, if you ask me...." that probably means that nobody asked you!
That was rough, I know, but its good advice. Everybody does not want or need to know what you think about everything. Some things are best kept to yourself. How did I gain so much "wisdom" on this subject? Because I've messed this one up so much! Proverbs actually says that only a fool vents all his feelings. In another scripture, Proverbs also says that even a fool seems wise when he remains silent. Once your words are uttered, you can never take them back. You may apologize, (and there are times that you should!)but you can never completely repair the damage that words can do. Think before you speak. Often, you may need to pray before you speak! You may find that God wants you to remain silent.
Proverbs 18:13
He who answers before listening- that is his folly and his shame.
Finally, there are some situations where a Christian does need to speak up. If you are aware of situations where someone is in danger, someone is being hurt, if it involves illegal activity or anything regarding harming a child, then its probably a good situation for you to speak up or get involved. Otherwise, stay out of it! Do not get involved in other people's petty arguments, verbal disagreements, etc. If you hear someone talking about another person, its not your job to go and tell the person that you heard someone talking about them. That is only going to stir up more hard feelings.
Proverb 6:16-19 says
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
The Bible actually says that God hates it when people stir up trouble among Christians. That's strong!
Christians have no business spreading gossip. If someone has shared one of their struggles with you recently, do not spread it. Be a person of integrity and keep confident the things they asked you to keep confident.
Proverbs 11:12-13
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says: Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
If you have concerns about a situation involving another person, pray about it first. Ask for wisdom, ask God to intervene in the situation. We are supposed to encourage people and lift them up. In most situations, if it is not speaking life into a situation, remain silent. Don't speak negatively into someone's life.
However, there may be unavoidable situations where you have to give someone bad news. You may have to tell someone that you have discovered their teenager is doing something illegal or dangerous that they need to know about. You may have to tell someone that one of their relatives has a substance abuse problem. If the reason that you are telling the person is in order that someone might get the help they need, then you are on the right track. Pray and ask God to give you the grace to help you deliver the news.
As a social worker, I have had to deliver difficult news to families that I worked with. That is never easy. I always made a point to ask God to give me the right words to say and to prepare the person's heart to take the news well. If you have bad news to deliver, consider praying to prepare yourself before beginning the conversation.
(Random Free Advice: If anyone ever comes to you and says, "people have been coming up to me and saying so and so about you"... I'm telling you right now, mark my words, you can take it to the bank...the person that just told you that has been talking about you. Learned that one the hard way many years ago. Trust me on this one.)
Being the bearer of bad news is not an easy job. Being the receiver of bad news is no picnic, either. If you have received bad news recently, spend some extra time in prayer and ask God for His picture of the situation.
Things always look differently from a heavenly point of view!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
What Kind of Message Are You Sending?
Today has been an interesting day to say the least.
I taught children's church during the 9:00 am service. I had just enough time (so I thought) to run to Dollar Tree just down the street and pick up a few extra stickers for our craft before the 11:00 am service started. Of course, the line was long and the cashier was moving at a snail's pace. So, I only had a few minutes to spare when I sat down in my vehicle and opened my purse to get out my keys and head back to church. Suddenly a confused woman opened the driver's side door where I was sitting and tried to get in my car! At first, I didn't realize who it was and didn't know if it was a man or woman or rapist or car-jacker or whatever, and I screamed. I think I scared her more than she scared me. Once I looked at her and my brain had time to process what had just happened, I realized she was just confused and I probably could have beat her up if I had to! However, I continued to be startled and nervous from the scare of having my driver's side door yanked open. I was so befuddled and confused that I then couldn't remember where I had put my keys and spent five minutes looking through my purse and my church bag for my keys. I ended up being late for children's church and had about 13 kids waiting for me!
After church, I met a friend for lunch at Denny's. I told the waitress that she looked just like someone I knew.(She really did). I think she thought I was trying to flirt with her. (Trust me, I wasn't). When I told her that she looked like someone I knew, she winked at my friend. After I left the restaurant, she told the person that I was eating lunch with, "Your girlfriend is cute". Apparently, I sent the wrong message. I'm thinking I may have to go to Shoney's next time I'm craving breakfast for lunch.
Okay...I've learned some valuable lessons today. Let me make a public service announcement:
1. As soon as you sit in your vehicle, lock your door. Do not look your keys first or crank the car first.
2. NEVER tell anyone that they look like someone you know, even if they really do. They will think its a pick-up line.You don't want to send the wrong message.
You have to be careful these days about what kind of message you are sending.
I talk to my children frequently about how they need to be careful about what kind of messages that they are sending, especially online. Many young people have gotten turned down for colleges or scholarships or jobs because a potential employer or interviewer viewed that young person's MySpace page and found inappropriate content or careless comments.
I'm sure you've read people's FACEBOOK posts about where they are going to be all day long or when they are going on vacation and how long they are going to be gone. Even though its not inappropriate, that's not a wise message to send, either. It lets folks know when would be a good time to break into your house! I'm sure you know adults that love to get on FACEBOOK and rant and rave about who they are upset with. My kids have a cousin who likes to complain about his job on Facebook. What's going to happen when his employer reads that one day? Think about the messages you are sending.
You have to be careful about what kind of message you are sending, whether its posting things online, sending text messages, or speaking to another person. Our words have power. The Bible says that you have the power of life and death in your tongue.The Bible has a lot to say about the power of your words and the importance of guarding your speech.
I taught children's church during the 9:00 am service. I had just enough time (so I thought) to run to Dollar Tree just down the street and pick up a few extra stickers for our craft before the 11:00 am service started. Of course, the line was long and the cashier was moving at a snail's pace. So, I only had a few minutes to spare when I sat down in my vehicle and opened my purse to get out my keys and head back to church. Suddenly a confused woman opened the driver's side door where I was sitting and tried to get in my car! At first, I didn't realize who it was and didn't know if it was a man or woman or rapist or car-jacker or whatever, and I screamed. I think I scared her more than she scared me. Once I looked at her and my brain had time to process what had just happened, I realized she was just confused and I probably could have beat her up if I had to! However, I continued to be startled and nervous from the scare of having my driver's side door yanked open. I was so befuddled and confused that I then couldn't remember where I had put my keys and spent five minutes looking through my purse and my church bag for my keys. I ended up being late for children's church and had about 13 kids waiting for me!
After church, I met a friend for lunch at Denny's. I told the waitress that she looked just like someone I knew.(She really did). I think she thought I was trying to flirt with her. (Trust me, I wasn't). When I told her that she looked like someone I knew, she winked at my friend. After I left the restaurant, she told the person that I was eating lunch with, "Your girlfriend is cute". Apparently, I sent the wrong message. I'm thinking I may have to go to Shoney's next time I'm craving breakfast for lunch.
Okay...I've learned some valuable lessons today. Let me make a public service announcement:
1. As soon as you sit in your vehicle, lock your door. Do not look your keys first or crank the car first.
2. NEVER tell anyone that they look like someone you know, even if they really do. They will think its a pick-up line.You don't want to send the wrong message.
You have to be careful these days about what kind of message you are sending.
I talk to my children frequently about how they need to be careful about what kind of messages that they are sending, especially online. Many young people have gotten turned down for colleges or scholarships or jobs because a potential employer or interviewer viewed that young person's MySpace page and found inappropriate content or careless comments.
I'm sure you've read people's FACEBOOK posts about where they are going to be all day long or when they are going on vacation and how long they are going to be gone. Even though its not inappropriate, that's not a wise message to send, either. It lets folks know when would be a good time to break into your house! I'm sure you know adults that love to get on FACEBOOK and rant and rave about who they are upset with. My kids have a cousin who likes to complain about his job on Facebook. What's going to happen when his employer reads that one day? Think about the messages you are sending.
You have to be careful about what kind of message you are sending, whether its posting things online, sending text messages, or speaking to another person. Our words have power. The Bible says that you have the power of life and death in your tongue.The Bible has a lot to say about the power of your words and the importance of guarding your speech.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
Proverbs 16:24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Colossians 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Proverbs 13:3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Proverbs 21:23Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Proverbs 29:20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Proverbs 15:4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
Proverbs 17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Well, according to the verse directly above, if you want to seem smarter...say less! That's powerful. So, on that note...Good Night and God Bless!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Are You Following the Right Instructions?
I bought a new Coach purse yesterday! Guess how much I paid for it? $300? No, even less. $150? No, even less. $100? Lower. $50? Even lower..... Well, at this point, you are saying to yourself, "Girl, you didn't buy a Coach purse for less than $50. You might have bought a Couch purse or a Coash purse, but you didn't buy a real Coach purse for that price!" Well, I paid a low price and the purse has Coach written on it. That's all I know. The fabric has C's written all over it. Now, those C's might stand for "Copied" and "Counterfeit"...but I'm going to carry that thing just like its the real thing! I didn't have a brown purse to go with my brown shoes and now I do. That's all that matters to me. For me, when it comes to purses, they don't have to be real. I don't like to pay a lot of money for my purses. You can't have a low price and a real Coach purse. Sometimes, you just can't have it both ways.
I parked in front of a store yesterday and noticed that the neon sign on the door said "Open" and the flip sign in the window said "Closed". Obviously someone forgot to change one of the signs. There was a problem with the message being sent. You can't have it both ways...you are either open or closed.
This summer my children and I went through all of my recipe books and selected several recipes that we wanted to try. When we try a recipe, we all decide after dinner whether or not we like the dish enough to cook it again, or if we just want to throw away the recipe. I found a recipe for shepherd's pie. We tried it one evening this past fall and it was edible...but something was missing. It wasn't great...it was "okay". My daughter said, "It was okay, but it would have been better if you added more green beans". My oldest son said, "It was okay, but it would have been better if it didn't have any green beans". Okay...so how do I fix that problem?You can't have it both ways.
Since that time, I have checked out some additional shepherd's pie recipes and asked a couple of friends what they put in their shepherd's pie. Well, it turns out, my shepherd's pie never had a chance. My recipe called for tomato soup. All of the other shepherd's pie recipes that I found called for cream of mushroom soup or something similar. No wonder the thing didn't taste right. I followed the directions exactly. I did everything the recipe asked me to do, bought all of the ingredients, and cooked it at the temperature and length of time that the recipe called for...but it just wasn't right. The problem was that I had flawed instructions!
Today, there are a lot of counterfeit messages and mixed messages regarding life, religion, spirituality, etc. You can read a lot of books that sound good, sound inspirational, etc. but our basic instruction manual was written thousands of years ago. It is The Holy Bible. Its our road map, our guide, our GPS, our sword, our weapon, our answer, our inspiration. Please don't misunderstand me. I love to read and I love books. I particularly enjoy devotionals and self help books. I love to study psychology, counseling and social work related materials. I'm not suggesting that the only book you should ever read is the Bible. (I'm hoping that any doctor that ever operates on me or one of my family members has read some medical textbooks in addition to the Bible!) I just had to use a dictionary because I was spelling the word counterfeit incorrectly! There's nothing wrong with that.
However, when it comes to some of the "spiritual" writings that are in print today and some of the "mysticism" out there, I encourage you to please be very careful. Just like my shepherd's pie, you don't want to follow flawed instructions. There are some books that sound "bible-like" but they are not the Bible. There are some things that sound spiritual, but they were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they are actually very dangerous. Anything that you read as a guide or as a plan to live by, should agree with all Biblical principles. If you need a book on finances, choose a book on finances that lines up with scriptural principles. Find out what the Bible says on finances first and then find a book about handling your money according to scriptural principles. If you need a book or resources on marriage, parenting, substance abuse, weight loss, or whatever your issue, I encourage you to use a concordance or online search to see what the Bible has to say on that topic. Then, search for Christian authors who are experts in the area in which you need help.
Sometimes, its okay to have a counterfeit. My daughter wanted some Uggs boots. Well, I saw the price. For right now, she's going to have to settle for some "Fuggs" (Fake Uggs). That's okay, she likes her new boots. However, when you are dealing with spiritual issues, you absolutely must insist upon the real thing. There is only one way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. There is only one inspired Word of God...and its The Holy Bible. Do not accept a counterfeit message and do not follow counterfeit advice!
I encourage you in this new year, to develop a habit of daily Bible reading. If you aren't a fan of reading, find a Bible on CD. You can listen in your car or while you are getting dressed each morning There are Bible plans you can research online that will help you read through the Bible in a year. If you struggle with reading the Bible, maybe you should try a different translation that is easier to read. Try the Everyday Bible or The Message translation. Go to a Christian bookstore and see just how many Bible choices there are! Google "through the Bible in a year" and see what resources are available to help you read through the Bible this year.
2 Timothy 3:17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Set aside time today to get into the Word!
I parked in front of a store yesterday and noticed that the neon sign on the door said "Open" and the flip sign in the window said "Closed". Obviously someone forgot to change one of the signs. There was a problem with the message being sent. You can't have it both ways...you are either open or closed.
This summer my children and I went through all of my recipe books and selected several recipes that we wanted to try. When we try a recipe, we all decide after dinner whether or not we like the dish enough to cook it again, or if we just want to throw away the recipe. I found a recipe for shepherd's pie. We tried it one evening this past fall and it was edible...but something was missing. It wasn't great...it was "okay". My daughter said, "It was okay, but it would have been better if you added more green beans". My oldest son said, "It was okay, but it would have been better if it didn't have any green beans". Okay...so how do I fix that problem?You can't have it both ways.
Since that time, I have checked out some additional shepherd's pie recipes and asked a couple of friends what they put in their shepherd's pie. Well, it turns out, my shepherd's pie never had a chance. My recipe called for tomato soup. All of the other shepherd's pie recipes that I found called for cream of mushroom soup or something similar. No wonder the thing didn't taste right. I followed the directions exactly. I did everything the recipe asked me to do, bought all of the ingredients, and cooked it at the temperature and length of time that the recipe called for...but it just wasn't right. The problem was that I had flawed instructions!
Today, there are a lot of counterfeit messages and mixed messages regarding life, religion, spirituality, etc. You can read a lot of books that sound good, sound inspirational, etc. but our basic instruction manual was written thousands of years ago. It is The Holy Bible. Its our road map, our guide, our GPS, our sword, our weapon, our answer, our inspiration. Please don't misunderstand me. I love to read and I love books. I particularly enjoy devotionals and self help books. I love to study psychology, counseling and social work related materials. I'm not suggesting that the only book you should ever read is the Bible. (I'm hoping that any doctor that ever operates on me or one of my family members has read some medical textbooks in addition to the Bible!) I just had to use a dictionary because I was spelling the word counterfeit incorrectly! There's nothing wrong with that.
However, when it comes to some of the "spiritual" writings that are in print today and some of the "mysticism" out there, I encourage you to please be very careful. Just like my shepherd's pie, you don't want to follow flawed instructions. There are some books that sound "bible-like" but they are not the Bible. There are some things that sound spiritual, but they were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they are actually very dangerous. Anything that you read as a guide or as a plan to live by, should agree with all Biblical principles. If you need a book on finances, choose a book on finances that lines up with scriptural principles. Find out what the Bible says on finances first and then find a book about handling your money according to scriptural principles. If you need a book or resources on marriage, parenting, substance abuse, weight loss, or whatever your issue, I encourage you to use a concordance or online search to see what the Bible has to say on that topic. Then, search for Christian authors who are experts in the area in which you need help.
Sometimes, its okay to have a counterfeit. My daughter wanted some Uggs boots. Well, I saw the price. For right now, she's going to have to settle for some "Fuggs" (Fake Uggs). That's okay, she likes her new boots. However, when you are dealing with spiritual issues, you absolutely must insist upon the real thing. There is only one way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. There is only one inspired Word of God...and its The Holy Bible. Do not accept a counterfeit message and do not follow counterfeit advice!
I encourage you in this new year, to develop a habit of daily Bible reading. If you aren't a fan of reading, find a Bible on CD. You can listen in your car or while you are getting dressed each morning There are Bible plans you can research online that will help you read through the Bible in a year. If you struggle with reading the Bible, maybe you should try a different translation that is easier to read. Try the Everyday Bible or The Message translation. Go to a Christian bookstore and see just how many Bible choices there are! Google "through the Bible in a year" and see what resources are available to help you read through the Bible this year.
2 Timothy 3:17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Set aside time today to get into the Word!
Friday, January 6, 2012
A New Year, A Whole New You!
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So, its January 6....How are you doing on those New Year's Resolutions?
My children and I went to the gym last night. We have been to this particular gym on several occasions and my children reallly enjoy it. However, last night when we were about to enter the room with the weight equipment and cardio equipment, my children were a little nervous about entering the room, because they had never seen the room that crowded before. My daughter said, "Let's don't go in there, there are too many people". I reassured her to just go in and exercise and have fun. I told her, "You don't know them and they don't know you. Don't let them keep you from getting your exercise. Besides, come February you will never see half of them again!" We all went in the exercise room and had a great time. On the way home, the children commented on how good they felt about what they were able to accomplish at the gym.
I don't know what new thing you have committed to do or change about yourself in 2012. Maybe you are going to stop doing something, such as smoking or overspending. I have resolved to continue to lose weight and to reach the 100 pound weight loss benchmark by spring. I was in the gym last night, working towards that goal. My kids wondered why I told them that they would never see half of the folks in the gym again come February. I'm sure you already know why I said that. Gyms are always crowded in January because so many people make New Year's Resolutions to lose weight or exercise more.
Have you noticed that on the week after Christmas, stores like Wal Mart and Target replace the empty shelves and aisles that were once filled with Christmas decorations with things like Protein shakes, Special K cereal, granola bars, Slimfast, and exercise equipment? Because they know we will buy it in our hope to improve ourselves for the new year. Yet, before long, those aisles of healthy food and weightloss items will be replaced with box upon box of Valentine' s Day candy! If everyone really stuck to our New Year's resolutions and goals the Valentine candy would stay on the shelves and the stores wouldn't order so much next year. They put the candy on the shelf because they know we will buy it! (Wouldn't you like to get a hold of a Whitman's Sampler right now? Yeah, I know you would. You don't fool me...you eat the good caramel ones first and leave all the nasty ones with the gooey green and orange stuff inside... And after all the good chocolate is gone, you finally eat the Jordan almonds, even though you don't really want them. I know you do.)
So, if so many people don't succeed at their New Year's resolutions, why do we keep making them? Hope for change!
Whatever you want to change or improve upon in 2012, commit it to God and ask for HIS help. Maybe you can't do it by yourself. But, with GOD, all things are possible. You can do all things through Christ, who strengthens you!
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Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the lord, trust in Him
•Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and your plans will succeed
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Maybe you have given up on even making any New Year's resolutions, because you have learned from previous experiences that you do not stick with them. Are there areas for improvement in your life? Ask God to show you where you need to improve or change.
“Search me O God, and know my heart, test me and see if there is any evil way in me”
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Do you know what plans God has for you?Maybe HE would like to help you change, so that you can have the abundant life that He came to give you (John 10:10). Maybe he has improvements and plans for you that are beyond your wildest dreams, "exceedingly abundantly more than you could ever even ask or think!" (Ephesians 3:20). I saw a sign outside a church that read, "Have you included God in your plans, because He has Plans for you!" God had a plan for you before he formed you in your mother's womb. He knew you, personally, before the earth was even formed! Jeremiah 29:11 says "I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you a hope and future!" Psalm 139 says that you were fearfully and wonderfully made. God has plans for you, Baby!
•Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s pupose that prevails
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Psalm 33:11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm, forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations
It is possible to know God's will for your life. If you want to know God’s perfect and acceptable will, you must have a renewed mind. Romans 12:2 says “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God. If you want to know God’s perfect and acceptable will, you must have a renewed mind. If you truly want to be transformed, or changed, you must renew your mind. In order to renew your mind, you have to think about what you are thinking about. Proverbs says "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he". That means that you will become what you think about. You will also have what you say. Have you spoken curses over your own life? Do you speak negative words over yourself that cancel out those changes you want to make and those blessings you want to receive? If the truth were told, you are probably your own worst enemy. You probably say more bad things about yourself than anyone else does!
If you want true and lasting change or improvement in 2012,
1. Commit everything you do to God. Ask Him for His will
2. Think about what what is good in every situation. Talk about what is good in every situation (Phillipians 4:8)
3. Talk about what you want to see happen . Keep talking faith, even if things gets worse! (Even if circumstances look pretty grim. Don't be moved by anything you can observe with your senses)
4.Proclaim God's Word, his actual promises over your life and your situation.
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5. Believe, in faith, that what God said He will do, HE WILL DO! Speak to the negative situations in your life and tell them to be moved, in the name of Jesus. Ask and believe in His name (Mark 11:24). Now you might feel a little crazy, you might have to do it at home, behind closed doors, with the blinds pulled, when no one is home but you...but just do it. Begin to declare some things out loud, in the name of Jesus! We can speak to the mountains in our life and they can be moved, in the name of Jesus!
Joyce Meyer says that many years ago, she made a list of the ways that she wanted to change,. She wrote down the things she wanted to be, even though she was not yet that way at the time. She declared that she was already all of those things. She used the Biblical principle of "calling things are are not as though they were".She wrote it all down on paper and read it out loud and declared it each day. An example would be : "I am patient. I am a diligent worker. I eat healthy. I exercise every day. I read my Bible daily and I am growing spiritually...etc." Make your own list and declare it each day. I'm starting mine now: "I am skinny...I am organized, I am debt free...I am a rich man's wife" (LOL!)
I can't wait to see what God is going to do in you and through you in 2012. I stand in agreement with you that God is going to remake a whole new you in 2012!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.
I declare that "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ!"
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Honey, You Must be Paying the Bill!
My previous post was about how everything comes with a price. I menioned how weight loss and exercise and eating healthy all come with a price. Ministry comes with a price. Helping others comes with a price. However, I didn't even think to mention how much we women sacrifice to try to look good. We pay the price when it comes to trying to look good.We get our eyebrows waxed (ouch!), dye our hair, wear shoes that hurt our feet, and try all sorts of tricks and remedies in the name of beauty. Have you ever seen what a woman looks like when she's getting her hair foiled? Its a long process and you look pretty silly. That's the price you have to pay. It takes a lot of work to keep yourself up these days! (Is anybody else finding out that the older you get the more work it is?) Sending a shout out right now to my hairdressers current and past...God bless you every one!
Some folks understand the price you have to pay to keep yourself looking presentable. I went to the post office recently and was wearing my new red cape and new red purse that my best friend gave me. I paired them with the new royal blue blouse my mom gave me, jeans, and some open high heeled shoes that I paid $3.99 for! I must say, I was feeling quite sassy. A man approached me in the post office and asked, "Aren't your feet cold in those shoes?" I just shrugged my shoulders and laughed and said, "Well, I guess that's the price to have to pay to be cute" and walked off. He said, "Well, honey, you must be paying the bill!" That cracked me up. Now, that was a man that understood that the price must be paid!
(Note to the ladies that live in my area. Not sure what is up with the Princeton post office. Apparently men at the Princeton Post office who are checking their mailboxes also think that they are the fashion police. Another man at the post office recently made a comment about the purple dress I was wearing. I don't know if he was trying to tell me he liked my purple dress or if he was making fun of my purple dress. I was wearing a purple dress, black heels, and black stockings. He gave me a sideways glance and said "You're wearing some purple today, aren't you?" What does that mean? Is purple somehow offensive? Purple is my color, people. I have purple purses, purple boots, scarves, dresses, rings, bracelets, sweaters, and a purple cape. I wonder what the "Purple-Hating Post Office Man" would have thought if I had been wearing my purple jewelry and carrying my purple purse, too that day?? That would have really been too much for him! I once had a purple velour blouse and pants set. I quit wearing it because one of my relatives at the time called me Barney every time I wore it! LOL! )
Enough with my silliness... In addition to not mentioning the price that women pay in the name of beauty, my previous post did not mention the most important price that has ever been paid. You may have paid a high price for your education or made a great sacrifice to achieve certain goals or personal successes in your life. Any great achievement in life comes with a price or some kind of sacrifice. Just think about what women have to go through to bring a baby into the world! Every accolade or award you have received came with a price. Every gift you have ever been given, came with a price, including your own children.Yet, the greatest gift you have ever been given, did not cost you a thing.
Your salvation, your ticket to eternal life, your relationship with Jesus Christ, your ability to talk directly to God, all came with a tremendous price. Yet it cost you nothing. God sent his son into the world to pay the price for your sins. We all know John 3:16. But how often do we really stop and think about it?
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life". God loved you and me so much that he sent his own Son to pay the price. Did you think about that this Christmas season? God sent His son to earth to be born to a simple teenage girl, to be delivered in a barn, to be placed in a feed trough for a crib. To be rejected, mocked, lied about, spat upon, abused, beaten. The King of Kings paid the price for you and me! He left a heavenly throne where he was being worshipped by angels...and came to earth to hang on a cross and wear a crown of thorns for you and me. The ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate price has already been paid.
God's gift of salvation is free. Most of you reading this have already received it and accepted it. If you have, then thank God for it! But if you have not accepted this gift, you need to do it TODAY...RIGHT NOW! Ask God to forgive you of your sins and thank Him for paying the price for you! Its just that simple. Its like having a present sit on your front porch for years. All you have to do is open it. Its yours and its already been paid for. If you had a present on your front porch with your name on it...you would open it as soon as you saw it. I know you would. You wouldn't wait days, weeks, months or years to open it. The gift of salvation, the gift of eternal life..its there waiting for you! Accept it!
If you are already a Christian, then I have a New Years' Resolution for you. Yeah, for you. Your New Year's Resolution is to pray and ask God to give you souls in 2012. Yes, ask God to give you opportunities to lead someone to Him. Have you ever prayed with someone to be saved? If you haven't, then ask God to give you the opportunity and I promise you He will! Pray right now that God will give you the opportunity, the boldness, the open door, the words to say...whatever you need. If you have previously witnessed to someone or prayed with someone to ask Jesus into the heart, then I want you to pray that you will lead more people to Christ in 2012 than you have ever before. Do it! Stop and pray that right now!
By the end of January, I want to start getting phone calls, emails, instant messages, written notes, facebook posts, and more from all of you guys telling me how you have had opportunities to lead someone to accept the gift of salvation. Make a list of friends, relatives, co-workers and neighbors that you are praying and believing will be saved in 2012. Put people on the list that don't even like you. Do it! Get out pen and paper and do it. I'm serious. Get up right now and get out a piece of paper and pen and start righting down names. Put the paper on your bathroom mirror, in your car, beside your bed and pray for them every single day. Put them on your hit list! I'm believing God for great things from you in 2012! Remember, the price has already been paid! Please read the prayer below and pray and agree with me that this will be true for you, your friends, and family.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray and believe right now that everyone reading this post will be filled with the boldness of your Holy Spirit, that they will worship you in spirit and in truth, and that they will become a prayer warrior, intercessor, and soul winner for you in 2012 and beginning even right now! I believe that they will witness for you in 2012 like never before, that they will lead souls to you like never before and will be used mightily in ministry like they have never been used in their life. God, if there is anyone reading this post or that has read any of my previous posts that has not accepted you as their Savior, I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict them and you will reveal yourself to them like never before and that they will be saved. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. I ask that this blog will touch more lives in 2012 and that everything that is done in 2012 is for your Glory and to your credit. Thank you, God for what you are going to do in the lives of everyone reading this and praying this. I believe for salvation, restoration, deliverance, breakthrough, and healings that are physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual.. It is already done in the name of Jesus!
Amen
Some folks understand the price you have to pay to keep yourself looking presentable. I went to the post office recently and was wearing my new red cape and new red purse that my best friend gave me. I paired them with the new royal blue blouse my mom gave me, jeans, and some open high heeled shoes that I paid $3.99 for! I must say, I was feeling quite sassy. A man approached me in the post office and asked, "Aren't your feet cold in those shoes?" I just shrugged my shoulders and laughed and said, "Well, I guess that's the price to have to pay to be cute" and walked off. He said, "Well, honey, you must be paying the bill!" That cracked me up. Now, that was a man that understood that the price must be paid!
(Note to the ladies that live in my area. Not sure what is up with the Princeton post office. Apparently men at the Princeton Post office who are checking their mailboxes also think that they are the fashion police. Another man at the post office recently made a comment about the purple dress I was wearing. I don't know if he was trying to tell me he liked my purple dress or if he was making fun of my purple dress. I was wearing a purple dress, black heels, and black stockings. He gave me a sideways glance and said "You're wearing some purple today, aren't you?" What does that mean? Is purple somehow offensive? Purple is my color, people. I have purple purses, purple boots, scarves, dresses, rings, bracelets, sweaters, and a purple cape. I wonder what the "Purple-Hating Post Office Man" would have thought if I had been wearing my purple jewelry and carrying my purple purse, too that day?? That would have really been too much for him! I once had a purple velour blouse and pants set. I quit wearing it because one of my relatives at the time called me Barney every time I wore it! LOL! )
Enough with my silliness... In addition to not mentioning the price that women pay in the name of beauty, my previous post did not mention the most important price that has ever been paid. You may have paid a high price for your education or made a great sacrifice to achieve certain goals or personal successes in your life. Any great achievement in life comes with a price or some kind of sacrifice. Just think about what women have to go through to bring a baby into the world! Every accolade or award you have received came with a price. Every gift you have ever been given, came with a price, including your own children.Yet, the greatest gift you have ever been given, did not cost you a thing.
Your salvation, your ticket to eternal life, your relationship with Jesus Christ, your ability to talk directly to God, all came with a tremendous price. Yet it cost you nothing. God sent his son into the world to pay the price for your sins. We all know John 3:16. But how often do we really stop and think about it?
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life". God loved you and me so much that he sent his own Son to pay the price. Did you think about that this Christmas season? God sent His son to earth to be born to a simple teenage girl, to be delivered in a barn, to be placed in a feed trough for a crib. To be rejected, mocked, lied about, spat upon, abused, beaten. The King of Kings paid the price for you and me! He left a heavenly throne where he was being worshipped by angels...and came to earth to hang on a cross and wear a crown of thorns for you and me. The ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate price has already been paid.
God's gift of salvation is free. Most of you reading this have already received it and accepted it. If you have, then thank God for it! But if you have not accepted this gift, you need to do it TODAY...RIGHT NOW! Ask God to forgive you of your sins and thank Him for paying the price for you! Its just that simple. Its like having a present sit on your front porch for years. All you have to do is open it. Its yours and its already been paid for. If you had a present on your front porch with your name on it...you would open it as soon as you saw it. I know you would. You wouldn't wait days, weeks, months or years to open it. The gift of salvation, the gift of eternal life..its there waiting for you! Accept it!
If you are already a Christian, then I have a New Years' Resolution for you. Yeah, for you. Your New Year's Resolution is to pray and ask God to give you souls in 2012. Yes, ask God to give you opportunities to lead someone to Him. Have you ever prayed with someone to be saved? If you haven't, then ask God to give you the opportunity and I promise you He will! Pray right now that God will give you the opportunity, the boldness, the open door, the words to say...whatever you need. If you have previously witnessed to someone or prayed with someone to ask Jesus into the heart, then I want you to pray that you will lead more people to Christ in 2012 than you have ever before. Do it! Stop and pray that right now!
By the end of January, I want to start getting phone calls, emails, instant messages, written notes, facebook posts, and more from all of you guys telling me how you have had opportunities to lead someone to accept the gift of salvation. Make a list of friends, relatives, co-workers and neighbors that you are praying and believing will be saved in 2012. Put people on the list that don't even like you. Do it! Get out pen and paper and do it. I'm serious. Get up right now and get out a piece of paper and pen and start righting down names. Put the paper on your bathroom mirror, in your car, beside your bed and pray for them every single day. Put them on your hit list! I'm believing God for great things from you in 2012! Remember, the price has already been paid! Please read the prayer below and pray and agree with me that this will be true for you, your friends, and family.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray and believe right now that everyone reading this post will be filled with the boldness of your Holy Spirit, that they will worship you in spirit and in truth, and that they will become a prayer warrior, intercessor, and soul winner for you in 2012 and beginning even right now! I believe that they will witness for you in 2012 like never before, that they will lead souls to you like never before and will be used mightily in ministry like they have never been used in their life. God, if there is anyone reading this post or that has read any of my previous posts that has not accepted you as their Savior, I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict them and you will reveal yourself to them like never before and that they will be saved. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. I ask that this blog will touch more lives in 2012 and that everything that is done in 2012 is for your Glory and to your credit. Thank you, God for what you are going to do in the lives of everyone reading this and praying this. I believe for salvation, restoration, deliverance, breakthrough, and healings that are physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual.. It is already done in the name of Jesus!
Amen
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Everything Comes with A Price
Have you made any New Year's Resolutions, yet? Well, whatever you have resolved to do or change or somehow improve about yourself, it will come with a price. Whether you want to lose weight, exercise more, eat more healthy, get out of debt, or to pray and read your Bible more, it will cost you something. In some way, you will have to make a sacrifice of time, energy, money, watching less TV, spending less time or money on certain hobbies, etc.
Everything Comes With A Price!
My children have teenage cousins visiting from out of state. Last night one of them spent the night with my three children, along with additional cousins and friends. I had a house full of kids. Those kids had a homecooked country meal for dinner. Homemade chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, buttered rolls, chicken salad, and corn and string beans that came from my parent's garden. For dessert...chocolate chip cookies my mom made from scratch the day before. Quite a spread, right? Cooking the dinner alone took over an hour, not to mention clean up time afterwards, (and that doesn't count the time my Mom spent making the cookies.) But it was worth it to fill those kids up, right? Well, by 10 pm they were starving again and ate a small fortune in snacks and tore up my clean kitchen. Everything comes with a price.
If you've ever decided to lose weight, get in shape or eat healthy, you know it comes with a price. Many people have recently asked me how I have lost so much weight. I just smile and say "blood, sweat, and tears". They want to know what program I am on or what secret I have discovered. There isn't one. Its hard work. That's the price you have to pay. Even my friends that have lost weight through weight loss surgery have found that it isn't easy. They had to pay the price through the cost, pain, recovery time, and a complete lifestyle change. Everything comes with a price.
Eating healthy costs more. Cooking tacos, spaghetti, and fried bologna sandwiches is cheap. Cooking grilled chicken and buying fresh fruit and vegetables costs more. Its the price you pay to eat healthy. Last June, I bought a juicer. Fresh juice is delicious, but it is more expensive, more time consuming, and creates more of a mess than buying it in the carton. That's the price you pay! My nephew spent the night during the Christmas break for a sleepover with my kids. After I went to bed, he and my oldest two kids went into the kitchen and got out the juicer and "juiced" about $40 worth of fruit. When I got up the next morning, there was pulp and peels everywhere and juice running down the kitchen counter and cabinets. When I went to bed the previous night, my kitchen had been clean...now it looked like a fruit cocktail had exploded. I joked with my sister about it a few days later. She said her son had so much fun he wants them to buy a juicer now. He went on and on about how good it is to mix fresh apple juice with fresh orange juice and how you can add carrots in there, too. Well, I guess, some teenagers spend then night with their friends and sneak into the parent's stash late at night and experiment with alcohol or drugs. When they spend the night at my house, they sneak into the kitchen late at night and experiment with juice! Want your kids to eat more fruit? Buy a juicer. Jack LaLane's Power Juicer is $99 at Wal Mart. Everything comes with a price!
I've told my children and their friends they can call me at any time they need me and I will be there for them. Guess what? That comes with a price. I was eating an Outback one night with a special friend. Two of my daughter's friends called my cell phone. "Ms. Leigh-Ann, are you at Outback? We are at the movie theatre and my car won't start. Will you come get us?" So, I did, and two teenage girls joined me and my friend for dinner at Outback and a movie afterwards. Everything comes with a price!
When you are in ministry, it comes with a price. When you offer to help people, it comes with a price. Growing spiritually, taking a closer walk with God, becoming more Christ-like, it all comes with a price. If you help others, you may pay the price of being taken advantage of or being criticized. Your efforts to help others may be misconstrued or twisted and used against you. SO, you should just worry about yourself and let others fend for themselves, right? NO! Look, I've learned that people are going to talk about you anyway. Don't let it keep you from doing good. If the worst thing that people can say about you is that you did something good for somebody, then do what's right and forget about it! Let's be honest...if people want to criticize you, they will. They will just make something up, whether its true or not. Stop worrying about them and do what you know to do.
Giving, working, serving, and blessing others does come with a price. However, the Bible says that if we know to do good, and do not do it...then that's a sin! If you know of a way to bless someone, then do it. You may pay the price with criticism or false accusations. You may help someone and have your motives questioned. You may help someone and then they turn around and ask for more! (I've also learned that people have a lot of nerve!) Don't let that stop you. In the Bible, we are encouraged to go above and beyond. If someone asks us to go one mile with them, we should go two. The Bible also says that someone that gives to the poor is lending to the Lord! If you give as little as a cup of water, even in the name of one of Jesus' followers, you will be blessed.
In the Bible, a woman was even criticized for blessing Jesus, because they thought the perfume she anointed him with cost too much! (I guess they were suggesting that she wasted it...ON JESUS?)
Matthew 26:6-13 says Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it upon His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor. But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. For the poor you have with you always; but you do not always have Me. For when she poured this perfume upon My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be spoken of in memory of her.” (NASB)
Today, find a way to bless someone or to make a change towards your own spiritual growth and just don't worry about the cost. Everything comes with a price. But... anything you do for God will have a heavenly reward that is even greater!
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Everything Comes With A Price!
My children have teenage cousins visiting from out of state. Last night one of them spent the night with my three children, along with additional cousins and friends. I had a house full of kids. Those kids had a homecooked country meal for dinner. Homemade chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, buttered rolls, chicken salad, and corn and string beans that came from my parent's garden. For dessert...chocolate chip cookies my mom made from scratch the day before. Quite a spread, right? Cooking the dinner alone took over an hour, not to mention clean up time afterwards, (and that doesn't count the time my Mom spent making the cookies.) But it was worth it to fill those kids up, right? Well, by 10 pm they were starving again and ate a small fortune in snacks and tore up my clean kitchen. Everything comes with a price.
If you've ever decided to lose weight, get in shape or eat healthy, you know it comes with a price. Many people have recently asked me how I have lost so much weight. I just smile and say "blood, sweat, and tears". They want to know what program I am on or what secret I have discovered. There isn't one. Its hard work. That's the price you have to pay. Even my friends that have lost weight through weight loss surgery have found that it isn't easy. They had to pay the price through the cost, pain, recovery time, and a complete lifestyle change. Everything comes with a price.
Eating healthy costs more. Cooking tacos, spaghetti, and fried bologna sandwiches is cheap. Cooking grilled chicken and buying fresh fruit and vegetables costs more. Its the price you pay to eat healthy. Last June, I bought a juicer. Fresh juice is delicious, but it is more expensive, more time consuming, and creates more of a mess than buying it in the carton. That's the price you pay! My nephew spent the night during the Christmas break for a sleepover with my kids. After I went to bed, he and my oldest two kids went into the kitchen and got out the juicer and "juiced" about $40 worth of fruit. When I got up the next morning, there was pulp and peels everywhere and juice running down the kitchen counter and cabinets. When I went to bed the previous night, my kitchen had been clean...now it looked like a fruit cocktail had exploded. I joked with my sister about it a few days later. She said her son had so much fun he wants them to buy a juicer now. He went on and on about how good it is to mix fresh apple juice with fresh orange juice and how you can add carrots in there, too. Well, I guess, some teenagers spend then night with their friends and sneak into the parent's stash late at night and experiment with alcohol or drugs. When they spend the night at my house, they sneak into the kitchen late at night and experiment with juice! Want your kids to eat more fruit? Buy a juicer. Jack LaLane's Power Juicer is $99 at Wal Mart. Everything comes with a price!
I've told my children and their friends they can call me at any time they need me and I will be there for them. Guess what? That comes with a price. I was eating an Outback one night with a special friend. Two of my daughter's friends called my cell phone. "Ms. Leigh-Ann, are you at Outback? We are at the movie theatre and my car won't start. Will you come get us?" So, I did, and two teenage girls joined me and my friend for dinner at Outback and a movie afterwards. Everything comes with a price!
When you are in ministry, it comes with a price. When you offer to help people, it comes with a price. Growing spiritually, taking a closer walk with God, becoming more Christ-like, it all comes with a price. If you help others, you may pay the price of being taken advantage of or being criticized. Your efforts to help others may be misconstrued or twisted and used against you. SO, you should just worry about yourself and let others fend for themselves, right? NO! Look, I've learned that people are going to talk about you anyway. Don't let it keep you from doing good. If the worst thing that people can say about you is that you did something good for somebody, then do what's right and forget about it! Let's be honest...if people want to criticize you, they will. They will just make something up, whether its true or not. Stop worrying about them and do what you know to do.
Giving, working, serving, and blessing others does come with a price. However, the Bible says that if we know to do good, and do not do it...then that's a sin! If you know of a way to bless someone, then do it. You may pay the price with criticism or false accusations. You may help someone and have your motives questioned. You may help someone and then they turn around and ask for more! (I've also learned that people have a lot of nerve!) Don't let that stop you. In the Bible, we are encouraged to go above and beyond. If someone asks us to go one mile with them, we should go two. The Bible also says that someone that gives to the poor is lending to the Lord! If you give as little as a cup of water, even in the name of one of Jesus' followers, you will be blessed.
In the Bible, a woman was even criticized for blessing Jesus, because they thought the perfume she anointed him with cost too much! (I guess they were suggesting that she wasted it...ON JESUS?)
Matthew 26:6-13 says Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it upon His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor. But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. For the poor you have with you always; but you do not always have Me. For when she poured this perfume upon My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be spoken of in memory of her.” (NASB)
Today, find a way to bless someone or to make a change towards your own spiritual growth and just don't worry about the cost. Everything comes with a price. But... anything you do for God will have a heavenly reward that is even greater!
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Have you had an ROE lately?
Have you been to a Christmas program or pageant this year? I have. I love them.
My church held its children and teens' Christmas programs on this past Sunday night. The kids were precious. Everyone remembered their lines and they looked extremely cute in their costumes.The soloists didn't miss a note.The teens' depiction of the Christmas story and return of Jesus was very moving and made a beautiful display. It all came together very nicely, which was a huge relief for me, because I was the director! If there's one thing I have learned over the years, its that no matter how bad it looks, no matter how bad your final rehearsal goes, when it comes time for the performance, everything is going to work out just fine. I've also learned that anything that can go wrong on the day of the play or on the week of the play, usually will. Just keep praying and go with it!
I went to a special performance of "The Child of the Promise" at the Paramount Theatre in Goldsboro last Friday night and I must say it was spectacular! Its a musical retelling of the nativity story by Michael and Stormie O'Martian and all of the proceeds went to benefit the Wayne Pregnancy Center. The actor/singer who played King Herod was great. It was one of those performances that give you goosebumps. When he sang his solo, he really "knocked it out of the park". After his song, the audience erupted into applause. After the applause, when everything had quieted down and you could hear a pin drop, my friend's six year old daughter sitting beside us yelled out "Well, I'm not clapping for Him! He's trying to kill baby Jesus!" She sounded so exasperated at all of the adults that had cheered for such a mean man. It was so funny! All of the little grannies and grandpas sitting around us got really tickled at her comment.It was a good night and a great way to spend a Friday evening.
I hope what I'm about to say doesn't sound cheesy and doesn't make you perform one of those famous ROE's that teens text about. (Don't have teens??> ROE is "roll of eyes"...usually performed when something is corny or lame. Can also by texted as RME> or "rolling my eyes") I'm an eye roller. Got in trouble for that in kindergarten in Mrs. Winslow's class. I make no excuses. I was a five year old who hung out with a sister and cousin that were seniors in high school. My other cousins were teenagers or pre-teens and I stayed with them all the time. I liked KISS and Peter Frampton and the Commodores. I rolled up in kindergarten and they were trying to get me to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider???" I don't think so! Sorry, but that called for an "ROE" (Great...Now I'm going to have those songs stuck in my mind all day! "Sail On! Honey! Good times never felt so good.".. My sister and I listened to that on 8-track while we got ready for school! Ha! Ha! When we wanted to mix it up we listened to "Three Times a Lady or "Brick House. Good times! Good times!)
Anyway, I digressed....as I was saying, I hope this doesn't sound lame, but I enjoyed that performance of A Child of the Promise so much because I know that Christian drama is something that I am meant to do.Its something I am called to do. Performing is in my blood. I used to dress up and perform plays and skits and make my family watch them when I was very little. A cousin told me that I had to be "The COA" (Center of attention). Oh, the photos we have of me in my costumes and outfits that I created for my "shows". (You won't be seeing any of those in my Facebook profile!)
When I watched those actors on stage last Friday night, I could barely stand it. It was all I could do to stay in my seat. I wanted to be up there on that stage so bad I could taste it. Everyone else enjoyed the play too, because it was excellent. But for me, it was different, it was more than that. Remember, in the Bible when Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist and Mary came to see her and greeted her? Elizabeth exclaimed that when Mary spoke, the baby in her womb leaped because he heard the voice of Mary, the voice that was carrying God's son. When I watched that play, I felt something inside me leaping...saying "That's it! That's it!". I described the feeling to a minister I met at work this week and she said that I was feeling the unction of the Holy Spirit. I have heard that word in church before, but its not a word I use on a regular basis so I researched it.
1 John 2:20 says "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" Unction means an anointing. The Bible says, "But the anointing which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him".
I have heard that what you are called to do or anointed to do, God gives you the grace to do.
I've tried to teach sixth grade. Didn't have the anointing, didn't have the grace. Cried every day (literally!) I've done different volunteer jobs at church to help out or fill in because someone was sick or on vacation, but I was just helping out, it wasn't my calling. I didn't have the anointing for that particular task. When you are functioning in the anointing, when you are functioning in your calling, you will be able to do things you didn't think you could do, because it won't be you doing it. It will be God doing it through you.
Have you ever felt the unction of the Holy Spirit? What are you called to do? What makes the baby inside your spiritual womb leap for joy? Start thinking about your personality and your spiritual gifts as well as your natural talents. Somehow, they will all be tied or related to what you are called or anointed to do. Now, everyone is not meant to be a preacher or evangelist. Just because you aren't a preacher, does not mean that you are not called. God needs good Christian plumbers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, waitresses, and stay-at-home Moms out there in the world today to spread the gospel, provide encouragement, and be a light in a dark world.
Is there a job out there that you almost feel guilty getting paid for because you like it so much? When I direct a children's play and people thank me or congratulate me in some way, it makes me feel funny.I don't feel right about being thanked. Its something that I want to do. Its something that I have to do. When I changed churches in June 2010, my greatest struggle and sadness came from not being able to work with the kids in their dramas any more. In September of 2010, my Pastor at my new church called me out of the blue at work one day and said "You don't know anything about how to do a Children's Christmas program do you?" I just started laughing. God knew I needed that.
In the Bible, Jeremiah talked about God's word being like a fire in his bones "But if I say,'I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,'his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." Jeremiah 20:9. He just couldn't hold it in. He couldn't help himself. He was a God-called, God-anointed prophet. He had to do what he was created to do. When he tried not to preach or speak about God, he just couldn't stand it! The Word of God was like a fire in his bones, just waiting to burst out.
What were you created to do? What starts a fire in your bones like nothing else? When are you the happiest? What are you best at? It might be driving a tractor. Find a way to drive that tractor for Jesus! If you are called to do something, especially if God has a special ministry calling or anointing on your life, you will be MISERABLE until you do it. Stop running! Embrace your calling today. I'll bet some of you reading this, already know deep down inside what your calling is. God made you and he gave you that talent and that desire. Use it! Don't worry about what others think. You will always have critics. Jesus had critics and he was perfect! If you wait for all your life situations to be perfect and for you to have everyone's approval before you start something, you will be spinning your wheels for the rest of your life! Don't despise a small beginning. Take a small step towards your calling today.
Find your calling and pursue it today!
My church held its children and teens' Christmas programs on this past Sunday night. The kids were precious. Everyone remembered their lines and they looked extremely cute in their costumes.The soloists didn't miss a note.The teens' depiction of the Christmas story and return of Jesus was very moving and made a beautiful display. It all came together very nicely, which was a huge relief for me, because I was the director! If there's one thing I have learned over the years, its that no matter how bad it looks, no matter how bad your final rehearsal goes, when it comes time for the performance, everything is going to work out just fine. I've also learned that anything that can go wrong on the day of the play or on the week of the play, usually will. Just keep praying and go with it!
I went to a special performance of "The Child of the Promise" at the Paramount Theatre in Goldsboro last Friday night and I must say it was spectacular! Its a musical retelling of the nativity story by Michael and Stormie O'Martian and all of the proceeds went to benefit the Wayne Pregnancy Center. The actor/singer who played King Herod was great. It was one of those performances that give you goosebumps. When he sang his solo, he really "knocked it out of the park". After his song, the audience erupted into applause. After the applause, when everything had quieted down and you could hear a pin drop, my friend's six year old daughter sitting beside us yelled out "Well, I'm not clapping for Him! He's trying to kill baby Jesus!" She sounded so exasperated at all of the adults that had cheered for such a mean man. It was so funny! All of the little grannies and grandpas sitting around us got really tickled at her comment.It was a good night and a great way to spend a Friday evening.
I hope what I'm about to say doesn't sound cheesy and doesn't make you perform one of those famous ROE's that teens text about. (Don't have teens??> ROE is "roll of eyes"...usually performed when something is corny or lame. Can also by texted as RME> or "rolling my eyes") I'm an eye roller. Got in trouble for that in kindergarten in Mrs. Winslow's class. I make no excuses. I was a five year old who hung out with a sister and cousin that were seniors in high school. My other cousins were teenagers or pre-teens and I stayed with them all the time. I liked KISS and Peter Frampton and the Commodores. I rolled up in kindergarten and they were trying to get me to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider???" I don't think so! Sorry, but that called for an "ROE" (Great...Now I'm going to have those songs stuck in my mind all day! "Sail On! Honey! Good times never felt so good.".. My sister and I listened to that on 8-track while we got ready for school! Ha! Ha! When we wanted to mix it up we listened to "Three Times a Lady or "Brick House. Good times! Good times!)
Anyway, I digressed....as I was saying, I hope this doesn't sound lame, but I enjoyed that performance of A Child of the Promise so much because I know that Christian drama is something that I am meant to do.Its something I am called to do. Performing is in my blood. I used to dress up and perform plays and skits and make my family watch them when I was very little. A cousin told me that I had to be "The COA" (Center of attention). Oh, the photos we have of me in my costumes and outfits that I created for my "shows". (You won't be seeing any of those in my Facebook profile!)
When I watched those actors on stage last Friday night, I could barely stand it. It was all I could do to stay in my seat. I wanted to be up there on that stage so bad I could taste it. Everyone else enjoyed the play too, because it was excellent. But for me, it was different, it was more than that. Remember, in the Bible when Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist and Mary came to see her and greeted her? Elizabeth exclaimed that when Mary spoke, the baby in her womb leaped because he heard the voice of Mary, the voice that was carrying God's son. When I watched that play, I felt something inside me leaping...saying "That's it! That's it!". I described the feeling to a minister I met at work this week and she said that I was feeling the unction of the Holy Spirit. I have heard that word in church before, but its not a word I use on a regular basis so I researched it.
1 John 2:20 says "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" Unction means an anointing. The Bible says, "But the anointing which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him".
I have heard that what you are called to do or anointed to do, God gives you the grace to do.
I've tried to teach sixth grade. Didn't have the anointing, didn't have the grace. Cried every day (literally!) I've done different volunteer jobs at church to help out or fill in because someone was sick or on vacation, but I was just helping out, it wasn't my calling. I didn't have the anointing for that particular task. When you are functioning in the anointing, when you are functioning in your calling, you will be able to do things you didn't think you could do, because it won't be you doing it. It will be God doing it through you.
Have you ever felt the unction of the Holy Spirit? What are you called to do? What makes the baby inside your spiritual womb leap for joy? Start thinking about your personality and your spiritual gifts as well as your natural talents. Somehow, they will all be tied or related to what you are called or anointed to do. Now, everyone is not meant to be a preacher or evangelist. Just because you aren't a preacher, does not mean that you are not called. God needs good Christian plumbers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, waitresses, and stay-at-home Moms out there in the world today to spread the gospel, provide encouragement, and be a light in a dark world.
Is there a job out there that you almost feel guilty getting paid for because you like it so much? When I direct a children's play and people thank me or congratulate me in some way, it makes me feel funny.I don't feel right about being thanked. Its something that I want to do. Its something that I have to do. When I changed churches in June 2010, my greatest struggle and sadness came from not being able to work with the kids in their dramas any more. In September of 2010, my Pastor at my new church called me out of the blue at work one day and said "You don't know anything about how to do a Children's Christmas program do you?" I just started laughing. God knew I needed that.
In the Bible, Jeremiah talked about God's word being like a fire in his bones "But if I say,'I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,'his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." Jeremiah 20:9. He just couldn't hold it in. He couldn't help himself. He was a God-called, God-anointed prophet. He had to do what he was created to do. When he tried not to preach or speak about God, he just couldn't stand it! The Word of God was like a fire in his bones, just waiting to burst out.
What were you created to do? What starts a fire in your bones like nothing else? When are you the happiest? What are you best at? It might be driving a tractor. Find a way to drive that tractor for Jesus! If you are called to do something, especially if God has a special ministry calling or anointing on your life, you will be MISERABLE until you do it. Stop running! Embrace your calling today. I'll bet some of you reading this, already know deep down inside what your calling is. God made you and he gave you that talent and that desire. Use it! Don't worry about what others think. You will always have critics. Jesus had critics and he was perfect! If you wait for all your life situations to be perfect and for you to have everyone's approval before you start something, you will be spinning your wheels for the rest of your life! Don't despise a small beginning. Take a small step towards your calling today.
Find your calling and pursue it today!
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