Sunday, May 29, 2011

Everyday Simplicity: Five things that make me happy : )

Everyday Simplicity: Five things that make me happy : )

Stepping Out On Faith means...Knowing Who You Are Traveling With.


God is...

Who is God to you?

God is our shepherd. In Psalm 23 it says, "The Lord is My Shepherd." The Hebrew name for God is Our Shepherd is Yahweh-Rohi. It means protector,comforter, Guide.   I love knowing that on this journey I have a Guide. Someone to protect me from harm and comfort me when the going gets rough. All I have to do is call on Him and He is there. What joy and peace this brings me as I hope it does for you too.

That's What Faith Can Do

     God has been showing me some amazing things regarding faith. The Bible says that faith is the things hoped for and the evidence unseen. My personal journey has taken me on many roads in which my faith has been tested and tried. In the midst of trials and suffering is where God says Let me handle this. He gives us the strength to endure and the wisdom and hope in Him that we will get to the other side.
     It is tempting to put God on the backburner or to blame Him for the trial or get angry at Him but if we abide in Him, He will abide in us and equip us with everything we need for that particular season in our life. I use to pray for God to keep me out of trials but I have found, as it says in James 1, that if we count it all joy when we encounter trials for it will produce patience.
Notice it does not say "if" but "when". We all at some point in our life will encounter a trial that may seem it is too big for God or that we will never get through it, but if you just stand firm and run to God and look for His wisdom, you will find yourself stronger and better in the Lord than you were before.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Strength for the journey

I like to read. No scratch that. i love to read. its not uncommon for me to have several books going on at once. in the mornings i love to make a cup of coffee and settle in the quiet and read and wake up slowly. in my morning reading time i read a book called "streams in the desert" by mrs. charles cowman. it never ceases to amaze me that the reading for that day seems to be about just what i am going through. todays selection was no different. it really touched me so i would like to share it with you.my way led up a hill, and right at the foot i saw a boy on a bicycle.  he was pedaling up hill against the wind, and evidently found it tremendously hard work. just as he was working most strenuously and doing his best painfully, there came a trolley car going in the same direction up the hill.it was not going too fast for the boy to get behind it  and with one hand to lay hold of the bar at the back. then you know what happened.he went up that hill like a bird then it flashed upon me. "why i am like that boy on the bicycle in my weariness and weakness. i am pedaling uphill against all kinds of opposition and am almost worn out with the task. but here at hand is a great available power, the strength of the lord jesus. i have only to get in touch with him and to maintain communication with him  though it may only be one finger of faith  and that will be enough to make his power mine for the doing of this bit of service that just now seems too much for me. " and i was helped to dismiss my weariness and to realize this truth.  the life of fuller purpose. " not by might, nor by power,but by my spirit sais the lord.  zech. 4:6

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Being Available

I have been so encouraged lately by how God is prompting me to just be available. By me just being free and not tied up I have been so blessed to be able to minister to others. It may not be a big deal to some, but it really touches my heart to take the time to just be there when someone needs it. How encouraging it would be if we just kept our schedules open for a little one on one time for our friends and loved ones. It is a blessing.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Trust

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5 -6

It is so hard at times to trust. We live in a scary world and we have been trained to second guess just about everything. Lately I have been learning what it means to live on faith. A key component in faith is trust. I must remind myself to have a "childlike"faith. Children do not have difficulty trusting. They don't think about it, they just do it. I pray that I can return to my childlike faith and trust in God to be my security always. If I am to live a life of radical obedience I must begin with trust.