Over the last 6 years, God has really been working in the lives of my family. One of the greatest things during this time is that both of my children made the decision to follow Jesus. Praise!
Not only was God working in the hearts of my children, He was working in the hearts of myself and my husband. There have been tests that we passed immediately, and there have been others that we have taken more than once.
One of our biggest failures, rest almost entirely on my shoulders. When we moved to Texarkana with Jason's job, we had to sell a house that we built in Magnolia. I knew that God would not want us to go from home owning to renting even for a short amount of time. Please note I said I knew, I did not say we had prayed about what we should do. So we built a house. And we struggled. Jason was not happy in his job. We truly believe that God used that job to move us here, but because of our poor financial decisions (i.e. building the house), he was stuck in it longer than he should have been.
Before the house was even complete, we knew we had made a mistake. However, instead of confessing it, I just kept proclaiming that God was giving us this house. Even after we moved in, we knew we were not supposed to be there. Yet I was not ready to trust God with that. So, I kept proclaiming my version of the truth, and Jason kept struggling to figure out what to do next.
It was a beautiful house, but we were miserable. Jason finally decided to put the house on the market. I did not argue with him, but began praying that no buyer would come. And no buyer came. I prayed daily over this house that God would provide the means to pay for this house. One day I was praying, and I said, "God, you gave us this house..." before I could finish He said, "NO, I did not." I am sure He had been telling me all along, I just wasn't listening. I immediately dropped to my knees and I gave the house to God. That was on a Friday. On Monday, we had a buyer for the house.
We moved out of the house the we had built, and began renting. You see, we never owned that house... it owned us. We rented for about 9 months, and God worked wonders in our lives. Since that time, Jason is no longer in a job he hates. Instead, God gave us a business of our own. We are not renting, God gave us a house that we love. We finally passed the test, it is not about the stuff you have... It is about who gave it to you.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Are You Available?
I recently studied in Acts about God sending Phillip into the desert to share Jesus with the Ethiopian. When the angel told Phillip to go, he didn't know why. He just went. When God directs us to do something, do we do it without questions and hesitation? Or do we want to know the why before we obey? We are to be available 24/7 for whatever God directs. Sometimes we know why immediately. Sometimes we may never know. The important thing is that we obey.
When you are in a relationship with God, you are available to Him. You can't be in a true relationship if you only spend time on Sunday morning with Him. You must walk daily with Him. Read and meditate on His word. Speak to Him in prayer. Listen for what He tells you. It is important to have a daily "quiet time," however, you should be communicating with God all day. 1 Thes. 5:17 says to pray without ceasing. If you only spent 1 hour a day talking and listening to your spouse, your marriage would not be very good. The same is true with God, you can't spend just 1 hour a day with Him, and expect to have a relationship.
God does not always direct us to do what is easy, but He does provide us with what we need to accomplish the task. So, the question I leave you with is this, "Are you available?"
When you are in a relationship with God, you are available to Him. You can't be in a true relationship if you only spend time on Sunday morning with Him. You must walk daily with Him. Read and meditate on His word. Speak to Him in prayer. Listen for what He tells you. It is important to have a daily "quiet time," however, you should be communicating with God all day. 1 Thes. 5:17 says to pray without ceasing. If you only spent 1 hour a day talking and listening to your spouse, your marriage would not be very good. The same is true with God, you can't spend just 1 hour a day with Him, and expect to have a relationship.
God does not always direct us to do what is easy, but He does provide us with what we need to accomplish the task. So, the question I leave you with is this, "Are you available?"
Friday, March 26, 2010
Look for God's favor in the Ordinary
This week, God has really been reminding me to look for Him in the everyday, ordinary, routines of life. It is easy to see Him and Praise Him when something big happens. But do you recognize His favor as you load the dishwasher, take out the trash, or mow the grass?
In 1 Kings 19, God tells Elijah to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." As Elijah stood there, he watched a great and powerful wind, an earthquake, and fire. God was not in any of those. After all of these, there was a gentile whisper. God was in the whisper.
If we are always looking for the extraordinary, we are going to miss that still small voice. God is always speaking to us. He is always loving us. He is always pouring favor on us. Are you looking for it? Or are you waiting for the next "big thing" to come by. I challenge you to enjoy the ordinary that God has blessed you with.
In 1 Kings 19, God tells Elijah to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." As Elijah stood there, he watched a great and powerful wind, an earthquake, and fire. God was not in any of those. After all of these, there was a gentile whisper. God was in the whisper.
If we are always looking for the extraordinary, we are going to miss that still small voice. God is always speaking to us. He is always loving us. He is always pouring favor on us. Are you looking for it? Or are you waiting for the next "big thing" to come by. I challenge you to enjoy the ordinary that God has blessed you with.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Now that you know... what will you do?
If you ever need to speed to get somewhere, and do not want a ticket if pulled over ... Don't ask me to drive! In my 20+ years of driving I have been pulled over 5 times. I have received 3 tickets. This is just one reason why I rarely drive over the speed limit.
I received my first ticket as a teenager. I had been on vacation to Florida with my mom. She was allowing me to drive home. We were headed through "Podunk", Louisiana when I was caught in a speed trap. A tobacco spitting Deputy Dawg took great pleasure in giving me a ticket and keeping my license. To this day, I have no idea where that 30 mph sign is located.
My second ticket came while I was in college. I lived in Camden, but attended college in Magnolia. I always pushed the envelope of how late I could leave, and not miss the start of my class. This morning in particular I had waited too long. I was flying low on the back roads hoping to make up time. I knew I was speeding, and so did the officer that pulled me over.
My third ticket happened a couple of years ago. I was driving 55 in what I thought was a 65. When I passed the police officer, I remember looking at my speedometer and thinking I am 10 miles under. Even when his lights came on, and I realized he was pulling me over, I couldn't figure out why. Not until he asked me why I was doing 55 in a 30? Just like that I went from 10 miles under to 25 miles over. I looked at him, and honestly said "I didn't know it was a 30." I did go back and look, and sure enough the sign was there. I had missed it.
Sin in our life is often like my tickets. Sometimes you can be right in the middle of sin and you have no idea how you got there. Sometimes you know you are about to sin and you go full force into it. And sometimes you don't know you are in the middle of sin until someone points it out to you.
The question is... Now that you know, what will you do?
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
I received my first ticket as a teenager. I had been on vacation to Florida with my mom. She was allowing me to drive home. We were headed through "Podunk", Louisiana when I was caught in a speed trap. A tobacco spitting Deputy Dawg took great pleasure in giving me a ticket and keeping my license. To this day, I have no idea where that 30 mph sign is located.
My second ticket came while I was in college. I lived in Camden, but attended college in Magnolia. I always pushed the envelope of how late I could leave, and not miss the start of my class. This morning in particular I had waited too long. I was flying low on the back roads hoping to make up time. I knew I was speeding, and so did the officer that pulled me over.
My third ticket happened a couple of years ago. I was driving 55 in what I thought was a 65. When I passed the police officer, I remember looking at my speedometer and thinking I am 10 miles under. Even when his lights came on, and I realized he was pulling me over, I couldn't figure out why. Not until he asked me why I was doing 55 in a 30? Just like that I went from 10 miles under to 25 miles over. I looked at him, and honestly said "I didn't know it was a 30." I did go back and look, and sure enough the sign was there. I had missed it.
Sin in our life is often like my tickets. Sometimes you can be right in the middle of sin and you have no idea how you got there. Sometimes you know you are about to sin and you go full force into it. And sometimes you don't know you are in the middle of sin until someone points it out to you.
The question is... Now that you know, what will you do?
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Monday, March 22, 2010
Being a Christian around Annoying People
Everyone knows someone who annoys them. Does your reaction reflect that you are a Christian? If you are practicing self-control, it does. You cannot always change someone else, but you can change the way you react to someone.
Galations 5:22-23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentileness, and self-control. Against chuch there is no law.
If you are a Christian, you have the Spirit of God inside you. When someone is annoying you, the Spirit inside you still loves that person. No matter what our flesh is feeling, the Spirit is still kind and patient toward that person. If we allow our spirit to direct us, we can have self-control. Then our reactions will be in line with what God expects from us.
How do you practice self control?
In John 2, noticed what Jesus did before he drove out the money changers.
John 2:13-16 Now the Passover of the Jew was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned tables. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"
Before he cleaned out the temple, He made a whip. He removed himself from the situation first, and took time to make a whip out of cords. When you find yourself around someone who annoys you, excuse yourself and evaluate the situation.
While you are away, ask yourself and God these questions...
1. Is it really them, or is it me?
Have you done something to them that you need to get right with them? or Are they reminding you of something that you need to get right with God?
2. Is is something that needs to be addressed?
If so, what is the best way, time, and place to address it?
3. Is it something that you need to overlook?
Somethings just aren't worth the hurt it may cause. You need to ignore it and move on.
As you spend time "making your whip," God will help you better understand both yourself and the person who is annoying you.
Galations 5:22-23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentileness, and self-control. Against chuch there is no law.
If you are a Christian, you have the Spirit of God inside you. When someone is annoying you, the Spirit inside you still loves that person. No matter what our flesh is feeling, the Spirit is still kind and patient toward that person. If we allow our spirit to direct us, we can have self-control. Then our reactions will be in line with what God expects from us.
How do you practice self control?
In John 2, noticed what Jesus did before he drove out the money changers.
John 2:13-16 Now the Passover of the Jew was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned tables. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"
Before he cleaned out the temple, He made a whip. He removed himself from the situation first, and took time to make a whip out of cords. When you find yourself around someone who annoys you, excuse yourself and evaluate the situation.
While you are away, ask yourself and God these questions...
1. Is it really them, or is it me?
Have you done something to them that you need to get right with them? or Are they reminding you of something that you need to get right with God?
2. Is is something that needs to be addressed?
If so, what is the best way, time, and place to address it?
3. Is it something that you need to overlook?
Somethings just aren't worth the hurt it may cause. You need to ignore it and move on.
As you spend time "making your whip," God will help you better understand both yourself and the person who is annoying you.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Self-Control
A few weeks ago, I was shopping at Wal Mart. To be specific, it was a Saturday, near the first of the month, and I had my 4 year old with me. I had managed to navigate through the store with out losing my temper or my sanity. Then, it was time to find a checkout line. All the lines were 7 - 10 buggies deep. (Seriously, no exageration.) I was stopped considering which line to get in, when I heard a manager tell a checker to open line 9. Of course, I followed her. By the time I maneuvered through all the other shoppers, only 1 person was in front of me in line. I was pleased with my spot in line. Then a lady pushed her over loaded buggy in front of mine. She nearly ran over my daughter in the process of securing her spot in line. I was more than a little aggrevated, but chose to not say anything. The lady then yelled across the store to her mother to join her in line. Her mother came over in her hover-round, pushed my buggy back and preceded to take her place in line. In a matter of seconds, I went from second in line to fourth. At this point, I was beyond angry, venom was rising inside of me. Then to make things worse, the mom turns around and thanks me for allowing them to break in line. Knowing that my daughter was watching me (and who knows who else), I chose to just smile. I knew if I opened my mouth, it would not be nice.
In the meantime, I noticed that a manager was about to open register 10. I decided not to move because about half a dozen other people were noticing as well. Just as quickly as he turned on the light to open the register, he turned it off again. I quit watching, and continued waiting in line. The next thing I knew, this young manager had his hand on my buggy and was leading me to the front of the line at register 10. That my friends is the favor of God. Because I chose to exercise self control, God rewarded me. We may not always receive instant rewards. But be assured, when we allow the Spirit to influence our choices, God is pleased.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law. Galations 5:22-23
In the meantime, I noticed that a manager was about to open register 10. I decided not to move because about half a dozen other people were noticing as well. Just as quickly as he turned on the light to open the register, he turned it off again. I quit watching, and continued waiting in line. The next thing I knew, this young manager had his hand on my buggy and was leading me to the front of the line at register 10. That my friends is the favor of God. Because I chose to exercise self control, God rewarded me. We may not always receive instant rewards. But be assured, when we allow the Spirit to influence our choices, God is pleased.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law. Galations 5:22-23
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Just Getting Started
I am starting this blog in order to share thoughts and insights of things God has shown me through His Word. This is my first ever blogging attempt. Hopefully, it will not be painfully obvious that I am clueless on what I am doing.
Let me begin by explaining the title of my blog, Daughter of I AM. I spent many years trying to hide mistakes from my past from the people of my present. It was like I had a bag that I would drag around with all my secrets. Often, I would find myself opening the bag and wallowing around awhile. Satan would encourage this. As a matter of fact, he took great pleasure in whispering in my ear all the things that I was. He would tell me things like, "They will never like you when they discover you are a _____________." (I will use a later blog to fill in the blank for you.) One day I had dug myself deep into that bag. From inside the bag, I called out to God proclaiming the things I was and why no one would like me. God spoke to me very clearly. He laid these words on my heart, "You are no longer the things of your past, you ARE the daughter of the Great I AM, you ARE a princess of the Most High King."
From that moment forward, I proudly proclaim, "I am the daughter of the Great I AM."
Let me begin by explaining the title of my blog, Daughter of I AM. I spent many years trying to hide mistakes from my past from the people of my present. It was like I had a bag that I would drag around with all my secrets. Often, I would find myself opening the bag and wallowing around awhile. Satan would encourage this. As a matter of fact, he took great pleasure in whispering in my ear all the things that I was. He would tell me things like, "They will never like you when they discover you are a _____________." (I will use a later blog to fill in the blank for you.) One day I had dug myself deep into that bag. From inside the bag, I called out to God proclaiming the things I was and why no one would like me. God spoke to me very clearly. He laid these words on my heart, "You are no longer the things of your past, you ARE the daughter of the Great I AM, you ARE a princess of the Most High King."
From that moment forward, I proudly proclaim, "I am the daughter of the Great I AM."
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