"Beginnings are wonderful things - they're free, they're full of possibilities and everyone gets a new one every day. What will you do with yours?" unknown
Lamentations 3:22-23 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness"
Beginnings are free!!! They don't cost us anything - God worked it out just this way. We can't work hard to have another fresh morning full of new beginnings - we can't earn them. They just happen. There is nothing we have to do today in order for tomorrow to show up. Day after day after day after day. Isn't that just like God to give us something that we don't deserve and can't earn....just like our salvation through Jesus Christ. Without cost to us, we have a new day every day to change the way we think and act toward each other and in fact, respond to God himself. He is waiting for us to come back to Him, to turn from our own strength and rest in Him.
I read this somewhere or heard someone speak and I wish I could give them credit but I have no idea where it was - I only know that the foundational thought did not come from me. God created day and night in such a way separate each day, to show up tangibly that there is a new day, a new beginning. He gave us 24 hours knowing that we needed time to rest and restart. We needed to depend on Him. Think about the Israelites and the manna. What did he do? Gave them just enough for every day. Don't collect more than what you need. We aren't comfortable with that and neither were they. But, when they collected more and did it their way - the manna was spoiled the next morning. Our lives are just like that. We need to embrace each new morning and live in the blessings God has provided us for just that day knowing that tomorrow will dawn a new and fresh day full of new beginnings and possibilities. Don't beat yourself up for what you didn't to right today - tomorrow is a new chance to try again!! God's mercies are new every morning - forgive yourself as He forgives you and start again and again and again. As many times as you need - He will be there with fresh new days and fresh mercies. Read Exodus 16 for the account of the Israelites and manna.
New beginnings are full of possibilities. This just fires me up and gets me excited!!! We get a fresh chance to change our thought patterns, our habits, our activities, our relationships and so much more. Every morning we wake up and face a brand new day - one that has not been lived and we choose how we are going to spend every minute and what we will do with every thought. Don't we forget that? So many times, we just go through each day putting one foot in front of the other....rushing from one activity to another and we don't stop to think about all the possibilities in front of us!!! ALL the possibilities - I'm overwhelmed by that sometimes, are you? But, it's exciting to know that God has amazing things in store for us if we just open our eyes and our hearts. I have been shown this over and over and over and yet....it is so easy to forget and get bogged down in our problems of today. Two of my favorite verses fit with this context:
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion based on the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."
Ephesians 3: 20-22 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Each day is full of possibilities that He already knows and has given us freely - that is exciting and refreshing. And....His plans are so much greater that we can even imagine!!! So what are you going to do with yours? Is there a relationship you are struggling with that you need to change the way you think and respond? Do you need to take every thought captive? Are you in a job or career that is dragging you under? Are you pursuing being the best your can be and utilizing the gifts God has given you? Do you just need to spend more time at the feet of your Savior? We ALL get the gift of a new beginning and unlimited possibilities - every day!! I'm going to embrace every moment and live each day as if it were my last....knowing that God is in control of each new beginning. I trust Him with all my possibilities - I hope you will too. I love this song - "The more I seek you". I pray as you listen and seek Him that He will help you see every day as a new beginning filled with possibilities and that you will trust him with EVERY ONE!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI_1YliutzA&feature=related
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
We will remember
This is from a devotional that I wrote...have been thinking about post some here so everyone can read them. I hope it speaks to your heart today!!
We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
You’re our Creator, our Life Sustainer
Deliverer, our Comfort our Joy
Throughout the ages
You’ve been our shelter,
Our Peace in the midst of the storm
With signs and wonders
You’ve shown your power
With precious blood
You showed us your grace
You’ve been our Helper
Our Liberator, the Giver
Of Life with no end
We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
When we walk through life’s darkest valleys
We will look back at all you have done
And we will shout
“Our God is good and He is the faithful One!”
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
To the One from whom all blessings flow
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
To the One whose glory has been shown
We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
I still remember the day You saved me
The day I heard You call out my name
You said you loved me and would never leave me
And I’ve never been the same.
It is so easy to get completely engaged in everyday life here on earth and forget the miracle of God’s saving grace. We keep ourselves busy, busy, busy moving from one task to the next. Have you ever watched an ant colony? If you haven’t, next time you come across one – stop and watch the line of ants back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth. Do you think maybe God looks down sometimes and see’s us like that – noses to the grindstone, focused on the task at hand and completely oblivious to Him? We are taught to work hard and not be idle, or at least I was. It’s as if there shouldn’t be any time for just sitting still. When is there time to hear God’s voice? When is there time to hear and feel him speak to our deepest spirit?
I don’t know about you, but my day starts early and keeps going full throttle until I’m ready to fall into bed. There is laundry and dishes to do, kids and husbands to get off to school and work, homework to help with, dogs to get to the vet, shopping, cooking, a full time job outside the home, baseball or football or band (f you have more than one child – it might be all three), bills to pay, yard work and then there are the “projects”. Not everyday stuff, but still require lots of time and then what about phone calls, notes or visits to the ones we love, vacations (those give us lots of time to be still, right?) and I haven’t even mentioned the activities at church!! Whew…..I’m tired, but you get the idea, where is the time for GOD?
Part of the message of this song is that we will STOP………………………………………………… stop the busyness that keeps us from praising Him and remember who HE is and what He has really done for us. We sing that He is:
Our Creator
Dueteronomy 32:6 (NIV) “Is this the way you repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?”
Dueteronomy 32: 6 (MSG) “Don’t you realize it is God you are treating like this? This is crazy; don’t you have any sense of reverence? Isn’t this your father who created you, who made you and gave you a place on Earth?”
Our Life Sustainer
Psalm 55:22 (NIV) “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”
Our Comforter
Psalm 119:76 (NIV) “May your unfailing love be my comfort. “
Jeremiah 31:13 (NIV) “Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness: I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”
Our Joy
Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)……for the joy of the Lord is your strength
“We will stop and give you praise”
Isaiah 25:1 (NIV) “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”
Psalm 117:2 (NIV) “For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.”
We determined already to stop in our busyness…but what do we do then? We give Him praise for His faithfulness. Pure and true praise that comes from the innermost part of who we are is what He desires. Praise is what we do while we are singing in worship, but it is also recognizing the leadership of Christ in your life. It is so important not to limit praise to when we are in a service or event or even when we are singing in our car. One of the definitions of praise is “the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation. We understand praising our spouse or children to encourage and uplift them, but do we praise God in that same way before men? When we are living our lives in the world, are we living in such a way as to express approval, admiration or commendation of our Lord to others?
“Our Peace in the midst of the Storm”
John 14:27 (NIV) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”
Psalm 107:29 (NIV) “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed”
The bible is full of stories in which a storm is the centerpiece. These storms are used to show us the unmatchable power of God who can calm the storm, protect us through the storm or deliver us from the storm. In Mark 4:35-41 Jesus calmed the stormy seas after the disciples woke him because they were terrified of the storm. In Jonah we find that God delivered him from the storm by giving him the protection inside a “great fish”. Jonah cries out to God in Jonah 2:7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple”. And finally, God protects us through the storm. What better example of God’s protection can we find that the story of Noah in Gen 6:9-8:22? God gave Noah very specific instructions and Noah followed them all. Noah and his family went through that storm and God protected them throughout and delivered them safely on the other side. In Gen 8:15 it says “Then God said to Noah, “come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.’” I hope you understand the power that God holds in his hand to handle anything that we will ever go through. He can calm the seas but He may hold you in His arms as you go through the storms of life, no matter how long or how severe that storm may be. Remember that the peace He gives us is not happiness and good circumstances, but serenity in knowing He is in control.
With precious blood, You showed us your grace.
John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.
Only through the blood of Jesus Christ can we find victory and salvation. There might be someone reading this that has never fully understood that it is through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross that we have eternal life. What an amazing gift of love that God would allow His only son to be the sacrifice for our sins. I still remember the day you saved me, the day I heard you call out my name. If you cannot clearly remember that day – I pray that today would be the day that you would let the barriers down, peel away the layers of pride and self reliance and get alone with God. It’s a simple prayer where you admit that you have sinned and acknowledge that you know that Christ died for your sins and only through His death we have eternal life…ask Him to forgive you and then open your heart fully to allow God to have complete control of every area of your life. Trust me; you will NEVER be the same. If you have been saved, this is an important part to listen to…..stop and remember the day He saved you. Do you remember where you were, the peace and joy that filled your entire being? Do you really? For some, that time was so long ago that it’s easy to forget and continue “being a Christian”. You go on doing the right things and little by little the fire gets a little dimmer and burns a little cooler. We should be living every day as if it was the first day God saved us because our lives are NOT the same!! We should be shouting from the rooftops and burning with the desire to share what God has done…..with everyone!! Not just on mission trips or service outings but here in our every day lives – the people we work with, our families and neighbors. We should be living every day so that people around us wonder where that peace comes from. OK…so I’m completely convicted!! Thank you God for speaking to me and may I continue to be changed by you!!
When we walk through life’s darkest valleys, We will look back at all you have done.
Psalm 23:4 (NIV) “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, the comfort me”
Matthew 4:16 (NIV) “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned”
These words were the ones that reached out and grabbed me and gave me a catch in my throat when we sang them the first time. As I look back on all God has done and where I might have been if it were not for His saving grace – it literally leaves me breathless. Think about the times that He walked with you in the valley. Those really, really hard times that you just didn’t think you could make it. I can remember one specific instance where I said the words “God, I just can’t to this anymore” and He said to me so clearly “YOU don’t have to do anything”. That was a long time ago and I remember it like it happened yesterday. Can I ask you to spend some time really thinking about what God has done for you? Can you list some things that you are thankful for? Not just the standard surface stuff that we normally think of, like: I’m thankful for my salvation or family or kids. While those things are important – reach beneath the surface and think about WHY you are thankful for those things because that is the only way for us to really grasp what God has done for us. Where are the valleys you have walked through – can you look back and truly see how He has worked in your life? Then, we should think about people we have shared Jesus with and…those we have not. It’s important to remember what God has done for us but it’s more important for us to use that knowledge to fuel the fire to tell others and share HIM!! Because we ARE NOT THE SAME!!
“We will remember the works of your hands”
Psalm 92:4 (NIV) “You make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands”
Psalm 143:5 (NIV) “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”
In good times and tough times, we should be able to reflect on the mighty and awesome works of His hands. He is our Creator, Sustainer, Deliverer, Comforter, Joy, Shelter, Peace, Helper, Liberator, and the very Giver of Life with NO END!!! The things that He has done in the past will give us an understanding of who He is. The stories of how He worked in the lives those in bible times and other times in history need to be remembered and studied. Think about Corrie Ten Boom or Jim Elliot and Nate Saint whose stories of Gods hand at work are miraculous. That understanding will help us build the foundation so we can stand in confidence and know what He can do in the future. Remember that he is active and alive and working in our lives today!
Take some time today to really stop and remember all God has done in your life. Remember the works of His hands, His faithfulness and most importantly His saving grace. Were could we be today if not for the gift of Jesus Christ? Praise Him whose glory is shown in our lives every day. Thank Him for His blessings – the ones that make us happy and the blessings that are a struggle. Remember the valleys you have walked through or are walking through now and Praise God that you don’t have to go alone!
Read Deuteronomy 32:7. There are similar calls to remember all through the book of Deuteronomy as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land. They are called to remember they were slaves in Egypt
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Procrastination
Well, it's been over 30 days since I last posted so I thought it would be appropriate to title this blog "Procrastination" since I mentioned it over a month ago!!!!! I'm not sure it will really end up being about procrastination but I think it's a good place to start. Here is the definition of procrastination: "to defer action, delay or to put off till another day or time". Interesting synonyms are "postpone, prolong, suspend, dawdle". Two words jumped out at me here....prolong and dawdle. I'd like to think that I use my time wisely but I think tend to dawdle sometimes. What a crazy word, really!! We think about that for kids but we grown ups are guilty, too.
Now here's the thing - there are lots of little things, you know....stuff that needs to be done. I get that - I wish I could make that go away so I can focus on the important things....but the "stuff" remains. How I deal with the "stuff" is another thing all together. How much do I think about something, set it down, pick it up again, move the pile, put it on the list etc etc etc. Or how often do I do something else that is not useful instead (can anyone say Facebook or television)? When instead, I could just take care of it right away. Here is a very small example but struck me as funny. Last weekend I was getting something out of the fridge. I noticed that something spilled on one of the shelves and honest to goodness, the thought in my mind was "I'll have to take care of that"....like at some point in the future. That means it stays on my mind or appears again next time I open the fridge. Still waiting for me to do something about it. Why in the world was the thought not "I'm going to get something to clean that up?" Because if I do it right away - it would take literally 2 minutes or less and then it's not there the next time I open the door. I have loads of other examples but I think I've embarrassed myself enough. Please tell me someone else does the same thing!! Does this mean prolong to you? It does me...why do I prolong what I know will need to be done?
What about at work? You need to make that phone call but you stare at the phone...thinking, pondering deciding just what you'll say. Then the phone rings so you handle that "stuff" but the other call still needs to be made. Here you are again, thinking....getting ready. Then someone comes up to your desk and chats...not about anything important but I DO enjoy talking so....see how easy it is? Before you know it - the day is gone and have accomplished even half of what was on the list. Which means the list is longer tomorrow and your run and run and run and never catch the end of that list. I'm not saying that we shouldn't engage in relationships...that is so important but I know I need to watch how much time I spend having meaningful conversation that is honoring to God vs chatter. Proverbs 21:23 (NIV) "Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity"
Here is where I'm going to get personal. How many times have you neglected to reach out to someone at the moment the spirit laid it on your heart and mind? Or how much time do you spend in God's word vs the world? Up till now, this blog has been frustrating but kind of funny but how does that time wasted effect our ability to reach out, minister and encourage others or grow closer to the Lord? How often does our putting off to another time mean we completely forget? I'm writing this for myself because I KNOW there have been countless times that the moment passes and something else catches my attention and then.....it's gone. The opportunity to make a difference in someones life, to grow closer to Him and the opportunity to see God's hand at work through us!!! Gone....those moments will never happen again. Psalm 143:10 (NIV) Teach me to do your will for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground"
I'm hoping it won't be another 30 days for my next post - thanks to anyone who reads. I hope and pray in some small way - the embarrassments of my "simple life" will resonate with someone else. Lord, may your Spirit lead me on level ground!
Betsie
Now here's the thing - there are lots of little things, you know....stuff that needs to be done. I get that - I wish I could make that go away so I can focus on the important things....but the "stuff" remains. How I deal with the "stuff" is another thing all together. How much do I think about something, set it down, pick it up again, move the pile, put it on the list etc etc etc. Or how often do I do something else that is not useful instead (can anyone say Facebook or television)? When instead, I could just take care of it right away. Here is a very small example but struck me as funny. Last weekend I was getting something out of the fridge. I noticed that something spilled on one of the shelves and honest to goodness, the thought in my mind was "I'll have to take care of that"....like at some point in the future. That means it stays on my mind or appears again next time I open the fridge. Still waiting for me to do something about it. Why in the world was the thought not "I'm going to get something to clean that up?" Because if I do it right away - it would take literally 2 minutes or less and then it's not there the next time I open the door. I have loads of other examples but I think I've embarrassed myself enough. Please tell me someone else does the same thing!! Does this mean prolong to you? It does me...why do I prolong what I know will need to be done?
What about at work? You need to make that phone call but you stare at the phone...thinking, pondering deciding just what you'll say. Then the phone rings so you handle that "stuff" but the other call still needs to be made. Here you are again, thinking....getting ready. Then someone comes up to your desk and chats...not about anything important but I DO enjoy talking so....see how easy it is? Before you know it - the day is gone and have accomplished even half of what was on the list. Which means the list is longer tomorrow and your run and run and run and never catch the end of that list. I'm not saying that we shouldn't engage in relationships...that is so important but I know I need to watch how much time I spend having meaningful conversation that is honoring to God vs chatter. Proverbs 21:23 (NIV) "Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity"
Here is where I'm going to get personal. How many times have you neglected to reach out to someone at the moment the spirit laid it on your heart and mind? Or how much time do you spend in God's word vs the world? Up till now, this blog has been frustrating but kind of funny but how does that time wasted effect our ability to reach out, minister and encourage others or grow closer to the Lord? How often does our putting off to another time mean we completely forget? I'm writing this for myself because I KNOW there have been countless times that the moment passes and something else catches my attention and then.....it's gone. The opportunity to make a difference in someones life, to grow closer to Him and the opportunity to see God's hand at work through us!!! Gone....those moments will never happen again. Psalm 143:10 (NIV) Teach me to do your will for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground"
I'm hoping it won't be another 30 days for my next post - thanks to anyone who reads. I hope and pray in some small way - the embarrassments of my "simple life" will resonate with someone else. Lord, may your Spirit lead me on level ground!
Betsie
Monday, January 10, 2011
Are you who you want to be?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Interesting that many, many months ago…maybe even years ago – I heard this Switchfoot song that has this line “This is your life, are you who you want to be? Is it everything you dreamed that it would be when the world was younger and you had everything to lose?” The words impacted me then……. and now.
This is my life – am I who I want to be? Am I who GOD wants me to be? And, if I’m not – then what do I do about it? In my last blog, I admitted that I feel like I have not been faithful in listening to God and following His direction. Today, I want to look not only at the question “am I who I want to be?”...but highlight how easy it is for us to get locked into what we know and forget what our dreams were or what God’s plan may be for us. Is our life everything we dreamed it would be? Let me start with that question.
When I was young and dreamed about my life – I remember wanting to be an artist, maybe a commercial artist living in New York City
But.....if I let myself really dream about what my desires are for the future and pray for God's direction - AM I who I want to be? Is there something more that my life could be? If my life is good right now - could it be great? Am I doing anything to get there? These are all great questions for me (and you).
Eph 3:20-21 (NIV) "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, accoring to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen
This is one of my favorite verses because it reminds me that God's plan is so much bigger than mine. I think pften we sell ourselves short of living the life God designed for us to live because we get “stuck”. I guess this is very similar to the basic idea of my last post but it just seems to keep coming up over and over and over. I want to live the abundant life God has planned. I don’t want to get stuck in the everyday and wake up one day realizing that most of my life is gone and I’m still doing the same old thing. I don't want to get to the end of my life and realize that I was not who I could have been. I want to go out and do things, impact the world, and share God’s love. I want to live that life where God is doing immeasurably more than I can even imagine. What about you?
I’m going to be brutally honest here…today I had a plan to get certain things done and get in front of my computer to do some writing. It did not happen. There were too many other things that got my attention. Some of them absolutely necessary and others…maybe not so much – well, definitely not so much!! I think my next blog should be titled “I’m a procrastinator” because it’s easy for me to get distracted by the little things. I’m guessing I’m not the only one. This idea might seem a little like a rabbit trail leading off to nowhere but I think it’s important. Part of getting “unstuck” is looking at what we do each day. Is it productive and honoring to God’s kingdom? Many times the answer is yes. When we as wives and mothers care for our family and their needs we are honoring Gods plan. Fathers who provide for their families – absolutely. When we mindlessly watch TV or play on the computer – maybe not. There is so much we miss in todays world because of the distractions (and there are SO many). So I invite you to join me in looking at how we spend our time and to begin dreaming again.
Colossions 3:17 (NIV) “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Are you who YOU want to be? Better yet – are you who GOD wants you to be?
Monday, January 3, 2011
It's a New Year
Romans 7:15 (NIV) "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do but what I hate, I do"
Here we are at the beginning of a new year and many of us have made the dreaded “resolutions” or have expressed the desire to let God work through us to grow, teach an mold us into more mature Christians who understand (and follow) His Will. I've never been big on resolutions but either way – the beginning of a new year is traditionally a time for looking over the last year and making plans for the new one. For me, God spoke clearly on the last day of 2010 and showed me through His word that I have missed overflowing blessings because I was not listening. I heard the whisperings of the Holy Spirit but ignored them because God was not shouting. Or, was I listening but just not doing anything about it? How often do we hear, but can’t or won’t clearly understand because we just don’t try hard enough? It requires change….a movement away from one thing toward another. It requires….work!! It might even require sacrifice. Here is the scripture that I read:
Malachi 3:7-12 (New Living Translation)
7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple
I’m thinking…”how can I return to you Lord when I’ve never gone away…how have I cheated God?” And then it hit me. A lovely Christian sister shared with me once that we should think about our tithe not only in terms of money but time. What a concept!! In the busy world we live in – sometimes it seems difficult to find 15 minutes in the morning to just read some scripture or do a devotion. Are you kidding me? If you are like me and look at your day to determine if you are giving God one tenth of it….you might be saddened by the cold hard facts. I was. I have cheated God. I have robbed God. Not only in the amount of time I spend with Him but because I have not done what He was clearly calling me to do.
Not that I want to test God, but I’m pretty sure that because I have ignored His direction, gone my own way and not spent the time with Him that He deserves…… I’ve missed out on the floodgates of heaven being opened and the blessings poured out. I know He loves me no matter what but Oh, what we miss because we are too busy living our crazy lives!! So, that brings me back to the Romans scripture at the top of the page. Why is it so hard to do what I know I should do when I know I will be overwhelmingly blessed if I do? I want to make sure I’m clear that I’m not talking about physical or monetary blessings here. The overwhelming, abundant, amazing blessings I’m talking about are the peace and contentment of knowing that God has a plan for your life so much bigger than you (or me!!). The times in my life where I have followed Him with abandon have been the most amazing experiences...shouldn't it be easy to follow? Sadly, sometimes we think we know better or we get stuck in the habits we've formed.
So, for me, there are no “resolutions” this year. There IS the desire to allow God to have my life. ALL of it!! It will require some change, work and sacrifice on my part but I’m excited by the possibilities of a life bigger than what I could plan!! (even my "one simple life")
Saturday, January 1, 2011
One simple life.....
As with many of the thoughts and feelings I will share, the seed is often a song. God many times uses either the lyrics or musical style to touch my heart. The one line in this song that jumped out at me after I heard the song many times was "from one simple life to another". It just made me think that God can use us even when we think we are just one simple life. It's amazing to think of all the average and simple people that God has used to impact the lives of others, isn't it? Think for a minute or two about Moses - he stuttered and was a murderer; David - first he was too young and then he had an affair; Mary was a simple virgin; Abraham was just too old..... and so many more. I've posted the lyrics to the entire song which is absolutely worth a listen and/or adding it to your play list - the full message is so awesome!! I could do an entire devotional on just the words to this song (hey....maybe I will some day) but for now - I want to give credit where credit is due for the title of my new blog. I have been challenged to start 2011 by allowing God to work in and through my life in any way He chooses.....this blog is a small but tangible part of that. I encourage you to step out in faith in whatever area God may have been calling you. Let's not forget why we are here......you never know who your "one simple life" might impact!!!
Ephesians 5:15 (NIV) "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but wise making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of God is."
Philippians 2:3 (NIV) "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interest but also to the interests of others."
I Peter 6:10 (NIV) "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
Ephesians 5:15 (NIV) "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but wise making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of God is."
Philippians 2:3 (NIV) "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interest but also to the interests of others."
I Peter 6:10 (NIV) "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
Sidewalk Prophets - The Words I Would Say lyrics
Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,
Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,
From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,
Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,
From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say
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