Category Archives: Personal Growth

Walking With Him

This morning this was in my Facebook feed and gave me cause to think…Do I ask God to guide me then do nothing?  Way to often.  How shall I change that?

In Prayer – – Father You alone are the true Guide of my life.  Give me the supernatural ability to follow through with what You want of me. 

In Song – – “I have decided to follow Jesus: No turning back.”  “All to Jesus I Surrender, all to Him I Freely Give” “I’ll Tell the World That I’m a Christian”  “Set My Soul Afire, Lord”

In the Word – – The Great Commission – Matthew 28:16-20,  Being fishers of men – Luke 5:1-11,  Proclaiming the Word – Romans 1:15-17

Heavenly Father, King of All Creation, Master of my life,  I am willing to move my feet just help me know where to move to. Amen and make it so.

God is So Good

The birds are singing, the grass is growing, there are buds on the trees, the sun is shining and in 6 days it will be spring according to the calendar.  God gives us this reminder every year…winter is a cold, dark, waiting time for life to reappear in the spring.

This winter has been a great time of rest and reflection for me.  I was drifting and needed to refocus on what really matters to me.  Daily time with God in prayer, Bible reading, study, and contemplation matters to me.  Time to make decisions on where He is leading me.  Joy in warm blankets, kitties on my lap, really good books, talking with Ray, and planning for spring.

So now what will Spring bring.  First of all great celebration as we have been married for 40 years.  (I tell everyone I was a child bride…) Then, I will be getting to know my brother, whom I just met for the first time in my life about 3 weeks ago, and my new sister whom I will meet for the first time this summer.  (I also have two sisters that I grew up with.)  Perhaps a cruise or some time in the mountains with the man who has kept me laughing and in love for 44 years. 

God is so good!  He has given me so much, so many blessings and miracles.  How can one not believe that HE IS?  I don’t know.  I do know this, without Him in my life I would be nothing, could do nothing, and would be going nowhere.

I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  Psalm 146:2

Shout for joy to the LORD; all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  Know that the LORD is God.  It is He who made us and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.        Psalm 100:1-2

Heavenly Father, King of all Creation, You are my God.  You give me all I need and bless me with mercy and miracles.  You know my sins and forgive me.  You know my enemies and protect me from them.   I give You all my praise and honor and lift this prayer to the throne in the Precious Name of Jesus…Hallelujah!!!

Award Season

What a surprise.  I was recently awarded the ABC Award.  This particular award recognizes the many blogs who create a positive atmosphere in their content.  It is named this because one of the requirements is to alphabetically name those positive things/people/thoughts etc. that define one as a person.  As I thought about it I decided to use some of my favorite hymns to honor the One Defining Person in my life.  (Posted in a previous blog.) It has been my desire and mission to follow Matthew 28:19-20.  To go and teach.  If in that mission I reach just one through my blog or my teaching or my life then I have honored my Jesus and that is what really matters.

The other requirement is to pass the award forward.  These are blogs that inspire me and keep me aware of the many around the world who are “not ashamed of the gospel”.  I grow from them and am blessed by them.

http://awomanforhim.wordpress.com

http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com

http://365devotions.blogspot.com

http://myhmmmcollection.wordpress.com

http://beautyandspice.wordpress.com

http://hallelujahanyhow.blogspot.com

http://mydailywalkinhisgrace.blogspot.com

What a difference you have made for me.  Pass it on.

As I lift this prayer in the Name of Jesus I give you praise for the many people You have placed in my path to remind me of who You are and of Whose I am.  I ask You to bless them and enlarge all our territories for You.   Amen and Make It So!

Humble Pie

Many of you who know me personally know that humbleness is not an attribute often applied to me.  That is not to say I am not humble but that it usually takes something BIG to remind me of my place.  After I graduated from college, at the tender and all-knowledgeable age of 22, I often did solo work and gave vocal recitals.  My degree was a Bachelor of Science in Music Performance and Education.  Of course, I was the best that ever happened to those who heard me  and mistakes were not part of my repertoire.  I thought!  However, as God always has and does with me He was about to show me that I was human and only He is perfect.  Case in point – I had been asked to sing Voi Che Sepete at a recital.  This is my signature piece and one that I often sing so imagine my surprise and embarrassment when I belched, quite loudly, right in the middle of the song.  Yep, Humble Pie, ala mode!  How about this one?  Shortly after we were married and moved to Bryan, OH I was asked to sing at the 1st Church of Christ.  Of course I jumped at the chance to sing in my new community.  I chose to sing The Lord’s Prayer because the accompanist was excellent and would showcase what I could do.  Yes, but…I simply forgot the words (that I’ve known since childhood) about half-way through and showcased what he could do.  Humble Pie, plus!

As my life progressed I began to look at humbleness a little differently.  It became more a reminder of Who is in charge and less’ all about me’. 

I am humbled:

   When my prayers are answered in ways I could not even imagine.

   When Ray expresses his love for me after 39 years of marriage.

   That God chose me.

   At having awesome Christian best friends.

   By the spiritual gift of teaching and the opportunities I’ve had to use it.

   At the mercies and miracles I’ve seen throughout my life.

   With being allowed to worship (freely, daily, hourly) the One and Only God.

I could go on and on, but as I look at the blessings in my life I am humbled more and more by an Awesome God who is loving me through humbling me.

Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.   Proverbs 22:4

Heavenly Father, Creator of ALL, Master Designer, You alone are worthy of my praise.  I am humbled by Your desire for the best for me.  Forgive me when I stumble, make me always humble in Your presence, for You are everywhere.  Oh, Lord, give me strength and courage to pursue Your plan for me with humbleness and joy.  Let this prayer come before the Throne with delightful fragrance in the precious Name of Jesus.     Make it so!

Why?

Have you ever experienced the pain of the Spirit within?  Have you ever been so totally unsettled with a spiritual decision that you can’t even find the words to pray about it?  Have you ever known with all your heart, mind, and soul that something being done by those who are your leaders is not only wrong, but totally not in the best interests of the body?

Can you explain to me why people want to change God to fit their earthly desires?  Can you tell me why the Bible isn’t big enough for some?  Can you tell me why there is such a feeling of defeat when this happens?

What is the solution?  Where are the words?  When will man stop trying to do it better than God?

My heart is breaking, my soul is aching, I have no words, I fear for the future.  Yet my Lord has clearly shown me in so many of these situations that my empty prayers are going to Him with groans and utterings that I can’t understand (Romans 8:26).  He has told me that He truly has my best interests and future in His plan (Jeremiah 29:11).  He sent the Paraclete, the Holy Counselor, to advise me when things don’t seem right (John 16:6-8).  And above all He loves me so much more than I can even fathom (John 3:16).

Abba, I know You are in control of all situations.  I know You have a plan.  Lord calm my heart and give me the peace that passes all understanding.  I believe You and Your word.  Give me peace, Lord.  As I lift this prayer before the throne let me and anyone else who doesn’t get it know that You are working in the background for the greater glory of the Kingdom.  Amen and Make it so.