if you're anything like me, you have those moments in life where you know God was there giving the right words or actions to another person, just for you to experience. today, that happened to me.
i had been recently praying about something in my life, not knowing the direction. clarity came today, when a few simple words were spoken from another person. the ironic thing is, i didn't realize it until much later in the day. once i did, i felt peace knowing God was there.
today, i am thankful for that moment God gave to me,
and i pray that you may be open to one as well.
30 January 2010
...stuff
in our culture today, we always want more or the best of something. it is almost as if we're programed to crave the latest technology, clothing, automobiles, you name it. i fall victim to this as much as anyone else.
when it comes down to it, don't we actually have less, even though it looks like we have more?
here's what i mean, we constantly want more....stuff. and it's just...stuff, that's filling some pain or void in our lives. a temporary fix to some problem, covering like a band-aid. but as we all try to fix ourselves this way, what is really being destroyed in the meantime?
for me, it's time to hear the voice of Jesus on my heart. He wants that deeper relationship with me, with you. and as i start to acknowledge that voice, it starts to get louder. i have to remember to let the voice be heard, to not shut it out because He's better than all this...stuff we have.
so, are we all willing to let this stuff go and grab onto something more deeper and more meaningful in life?
when it comes down to it, don't we actually have less, even though it looks like we have more?
here's what i mean, we constantly want more....stuff. and it's just...stuff, that's filling some pain or void in our lives. a temporary fix to some problem, covering like a band-aid. but as we all try to fix ourselves this way, what is really being destroyed in the meantime?
for me, it's time to hear the voice of Jesus on my heart. He wants that deeper relationship with me, with you. and as i start to acknowledge that voice, it starts to get louder. i have to remember to let the voice be heard, to not shut it out because He's better than all this...stuff we have.
so, are we all willing to let this stuff go and grab onto something more deeper and more meaningful in life?
fear
fear is a powerful thing. it's not a huge revelation, nor is it anything new to many of us.
we can allow it to control us,
to determine our path in life,
and even become a stronger voice than God.
and why do you or i allow this to happen?
it takes courage to fight fear head on. to take hope in the future and trust in God. and sometimes it is very hard to tap into that courage, to find it deep within ourselves. because sometimes it's buried so deep within us that we have forgotten how to use it.
but when we walk through those hard times, God is with us. isaiah 43:2 states, "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."
i find comfort in that fact that God will be with me, that He'll be with you.
so whatever fear or fearful situation you are battling right now, take comfort knowing that God is there with you. He's told us..
"I will be with you"
so, are you with Him?
we can allow it to control us,
to determine our path in life,
and even become a stronger voice than God.
and why do you or i allow this to happen?
it takes courage to fight fear head on. to take hope in the future and trust in God. and sometimes it is very hard to tap into that courage, to find it deep within ourselves. because sometimes it's buried so deep within us that we have forgotten how to use it.
but when we walk through those hard times, God is with us. isaiah 43:2 states, "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."
i find comfort in that fact that God will be with me, that He'll be with you.
so whatever fear or fearful situation you are battling right now, take comfort knowing that God is there with you. He's told us..
"I will be with you"
so, are you with Him?
22 January 2010
rooted
plants, crops, flowers, and even weeds are rooted in soil. you know what i mean...the roots go deep into the soil, holding on for dear life. knowing that the soil is what helps sustain them. it's a necessary part of their life. they don't want to let go of it.
"so then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." colossians 2:6-7
it's an interesting choice of words paul has in this letter to the colossians. why of all words did he choose...rooted?
i think he did so for that perfect analogy,
the visual of really being rooted in Christ.
grabbing ahold of Him for dear life
and not wanting to let go.
"so then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." colossians 2:6-7
it's an interesting choice of words paul has in this letter to the colossians. why of all words did he choose...rooted?
i think he did so for that perfect analogy,
the visual of really being rooted in Christ.
grabbing ahold of Him for dear life
and not wanting to let go.
20 January 2010
seeking
when do we let go of the materialism in the world to seek something greater?
this question has been on my heart and in my mind recently. yes, i would have to say due to the recent disasters in the world, it has definitely been something i'm thinking about more and more. and isn't that sad that it takes tragedy to think of something like this?
you see, the secular world promotes what they see as successful, and Lord knows i've been subject to that myself. sucked into the lies of what's necessary and fulfilling. it's all about finding that one thing that says, "yes, you've made it!" and maybe it's driving in a specific automobile, or owning a big home, or wearing specific brands of clothes.
but when it comes down to it, haven't i found that one thing that says, "yes beth, you've made it"?
haven't you found that one thing that says, "yes ____________, you've made it"?
so let's do something simple and open up our hearts to the call of Jesus,
and allow Him to show us what success really is
...because once we truly seek Him, it is possible that we will have it all...
this question has been on my heart and in my mind recently. yes, i would have to say due to the recent disasters in the world, it has definitely been something i'm thinking about more and more. and isn't that sad that it takes tragedy to think of something like this?
you see, the secular world promotes what they see as successful, and Lord knows i've been subject to that myself. sucked into the lies of what's necessary and fulfilling. it's all about finding that one thing that says, "yes, you've made it!" and maybe it's driving in a specific automobile, or owning a big home, or wearing specific brands of clothes.
but when it comes down to it, haven't i found that one thing that says, "yes beth, you've made it"?
haven't you found that one thing that says, "yes ____________, you've made it"?
so let's do something simple and open up our hearts to the call of Jesus,
and allow Him to show us what success really is
...because once we truly seek Him, it is possible that we will have it all...
too casual?
have you ever thought that perhaps your Christianity is becoming too casual? that we are too comfortable in what we know and believe? maybe we have it all figured out. we have been trained to answer the religious questions with all the right answers.
but does that mean we really feel it, deep in our souls?
check luke 7:36-50. the character i'm most interested in is not Jesus, but that of the sinful woman. do you know why? it's because she is not casual about her faith.
did you catch that? she is not casual about her faith.
she understands what forgiveness means, deep in her soul. she knows and seeks out Jesus at simon's house just to pour perfume on His feet. and the whole time this is going on, simon can't understand it, can't wrap his head around this action.
however, the sinful woman gets it.
Jesus gets it.
in the end, her faith has saved her (v. 50)
but does that mean we really feel it, deep in our souls?
check luke 7:36-50. the character i'm most interested in is not Jesus, but that of the sinful woman. do you know why? it's because she is not casual about her faith.
did you catch that? she is not casual about her faith.
she understands what forgiveness means, deep in her soul. she knows and seeks out Jesus at simon's house just to pour perfume on His feet. and the whole time this is going on, simon can't understand it, can't wrap his head around this action.
however, the sinful woman gets it.
Jesus gets it.
in the end, her faith has saved her (v. 50)
06 January 2010
listening
..imagine what it would be like to not only listen with your ears, but also with your heart...
02 January 2010
words
have you taken the time to think about the impact words have? honestly, it's not something i always think of, but today i did, as something was said to me. the truth is that words have impact, regardless of our intent behind them.
tender words...
"i love you"
anger filled words....
"i hate you"
meaningful words...
"i'm so proud of you"
all of this made me think of how it must have been to be at the baptism of Jesus (see matthew 3:13-17). imagine how it must have been to hear God's voice when He said, "this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (v. 17). can you even visualize what that must of been like? how must it feel to hear words like that?
i think about how john the baptist must have felt. first, he doesn't feel that he's worthy enough to baptize jesus. then as he's in the jordan river he hears a voice booming down at him.
he was able to hear something so affirmative and positive about the one he had just baptized. john was there, knowing and feeling God's glory and approval.
so, when have you heard words like that, that impacted you in your life?
how did it make you feel?
for me,
it was today,
and it took my breath away.
tender words...
"i love you"
anger filled words....
"i hate you"
meaningful words...
"i'm so proud of you"
all of this made me think of how it must have been to be at the baptism of Jesus (see matthew 3:13-17). imagine how it must have been to hear God's voice when He said, "this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (v. 17). can you even visualize what that must of been like? how must it feel to hear words like that?
i think about how john the baptist must have felt. first, he doesn't feel that he's worthy enough to baptize jesus. then as he's in the jordan river he hears a voice booming down at him.
he was able to hear something so affirmative and positive about the one he had just baptized. john was there, knowing and feeling God's glory and approval.
so, when have you heard words like that, that impacted you in your life?
how did it make you feel?
for me,
it was today,
and it took my breath away.
risk
do you ever think of your life as an adventure? a time to go out and explore, be amazed at all God is doing in the world, and in your life.
maybe it's just easier to sit back passively and watch the world go by. thinking you're actively involved in life, but when it comes down to it, it's just more comfortable to sit back and watch the world go by. to think, "wow, it would be cool to do....," but you never take advantage of it.
why?
because it is out of your comfort zone...out of my comfort zone. we're so afraid of what could come about and it's just easier to live life as we always do, without a risk.
but let's stop for a second. what if we all decided to live in the moment, right here, right now?
what if we decided to live life as an adventure?
you see, it normally takes a "wake up call" to get us to do that. not all of us are willing to see or even acknowledge those wake up calls. it just makes us too vulnerable. and the truth is, we're probably scared of what could happen.
so what's it going to take for you and i to really live these lives that God has given to us? are we going to allow ourselves to be vulnerable and unsure; yet confident knowing that it is in God's hands?
you see, we only have one shot at this. God gives us one life to live.
it's so much better saying that you lived your life to the fullest, full of wonder and adventures, then to say i lived a life of "what ifs?".
maybe it's just easier to sit back passively and watch the world go by. thinking you're actively involved in life, but when it comes down to it, it's just more comfortable to sit back and watch the world go by. to think, "wow, it would be cool to do....," but you never take advantage of it.
why?
because it is out of your comfort zone...out of my comfort zone. we're so afraid of what could come about and it's just easier to live life as we always do, without a risk.
but let's stop for a second. what if we all decided to live in the moment, right here, right now?
what if we decided to live life as an adventure?
you see, it normally takes a "wake up call" to get us to do that. not all of us are willing to see or even acknowledge those wake up calls. it just makes us too vulnerable. and the truth is, we're probably scared of what could happen.
so what's it going to take for you and i to really live these lives that God has given to us? are we going to allow ourselves to be vulnerable and unsure; yet confident knowing that it is in God's hands?
you see, we only have one shot at this. God gives us one life to live.
it's so much better saying that you lived your life to the fullest, full of wonder and adventures, then to say i lived a life of "what ifs?".
01 January 2010
fresh start
as the beginning of the new year is upon us, it's generally the time for a fresh start, a fresh beginning. where do you see that need in your life right now?
i think it's hard to start resolutions because within a week i've usually forgotten about it or sabotaged myself to the point where it's just not worth trying anymore. and even though i feel that way, there's One who is not giving up on me....or you.
He is there day after day,
waiting for us,
providing unconditional love,
grace and mercy,
and a fresh start....
daily.
i think it's hard to start resolutions because within a week i've usually forgotten about it or sabotaged myself to the point where it's just not worth trying anymore. and even though i feel that way, there's One who is not giving up on me....or you.
He is there day after day,
waiting for us,
providing unconditional love,
grace and mercy,
and a fresh start....
daily.
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