Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God,
"Why did you let me down? Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?"
They're out for the kill, these tormentors with their obscenities, Taunting day after day,
"Where is this God of yours?"
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He's my God
What's giving me strength today.
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Spring Break begins.
Today begins the "real" spring break for us.
Granted the kids were off school since last Friday, but today starts my husbands time off.
(Whoopee! Happy dance!)
Last night we stayed up late, okay we kept the kids up late and watched Secretariat. It was a great movie.
I love horse racing, Butter loves horses, Roo loves popcorn, and Rob loves when he can sit on the couch and fall asleep. Everyone was happy.
I love waking up with my husband next to me. That wasn't the case when he was doing the paper route or when he works. He is up before the roosters.
To top my morning off he made breakfast.
No grape nuts for me today, the consequences to that might be felt later in the day.
Moving on.
The remainder of the week will be a hodge-podge of playdates and birthday parties.
My mind is clear today and I am soaking in the fact that God loves me and He is working on the storm that is raging outside my door this very minute, but right now I am taking shelter in what is GOOD.
My family.
Our health.
This time together.
His Love and Promise.
I will be your God throughout your lifetime-until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.~ Isaiah 46:4
I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart.~ John 14:27
Granted the kids were off school since last Friday, but today starts my husbands time off.
(Whoopee! Happy dance!)
Last night we stayed up late, okay we kept the kids up late and watched Secretariat. It was a great movie.
I love horse racing, Butter loves horses, Roo loves popcorn, and Rob loves when he can sit on the couch and fall asleep. Everyone was happy.
I love waking up with my husband next to me. That wasn't the case when he was doing the paper route or when he works. He is up before the roosters.
To top my morning off he made breakfast.
No grape nuts for me today, the consequences to that might be felt later in the day.
Moving on.
The remainder of the week will be a hodge-podge of playdates and birthday parties.
My mind is clear today and I am soaking in the fact that God loves me and He is working on the storm that is raging outside my door this very minute, but right now I am taking shelter in what is GOOD.
My family.
Our health.
This time together.
His Love and Promise.
I will be your God throughout your lifetime-until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.~ Isaiah 46:4
I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart.~ John 14:27
Friday, March 11, 2011
Making friends with my problems.
I've gone back and forth between crying and being strong,faithful.
Still no desire to pack...but I'm not worried. If I pack I won't know where stuff is, what stuff we want to take what stuff we want to get rid off. Nothing that we use is getting packed yet.
I was told to take down our pictures.
NO.
The house is still our home until July.
The pictures of our family, of our life STAY. Until July.
I've been vigilant with doing devotions, both with the family and on my own through out the day. Reading your sweet emails and messages.
All giving me just the right dose of encouragement right when I need it, in the very way my heart can handle it.
Can I share some of it with you?
Good morning Sara! Remember we were talking about crisis mode? Just doing the next thing . . . etc. In my devotion today it talked about crisis which comes from the Greek word that means decision or judgment. A crisis of belief is not a calamity in your life but a turning point where you must make a decision. You must decide what you truly believe about God. The way you respond at this turning point will determine whether you become involved with God in something God-sized that only He can do or whether you will continue to go your own way and miss what He has purposed for your life. The way you live your life is a testimony of what you believe about God. Wow! Isn't that awesome.
Sending my love and a big hug to you today! Ju
Beth Moore devotion:
We would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.~ 2 Corinthians 1:9
The level of trust we have for God is a monumental issue in the life of every believer. Many variables in our lives affect our willingness to trust God. A loss or betrayal can deeply mark our level of trust. A broken heart never mended can handicap us terribly when challenged to trust. Trusting an invisible God doesn't come naturally to any of us.
Our trust relationship with Him grows only when we step out in faith and make the choice to trust. The ability to believe God develops most often through pure experience. "I found Him faithful yesterday. He will not be unfaithful today."
Jesus Calling 365 Devotions for kids.:
Make Friends with your problems.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ~ Romans 8:28
Make friends with the problems you have in your life. Yes, that's right. And don't forget to thank Me for them either. That sounds crazy, doesn't it? But I can use every single problem to teach you something. Just as a sculptor chisels away bits of rough stone to reveal a masterpiece, I can use your problems to chip away rough bits of stubbornness,pride and selfishness, to reveal My masterpiece-you!
It's your choice. you can keep your problems all to yourself, so that they grow and become stumbling blocks that trip you up. Or you can make friends with your problems by introducing them to Me and letting Me make them part of My plan. I may not take your problems away, but I will make something good come out of them.
Each day brings a new set of feelings. Each day is a new day to CHOOSE where my thoughts will go.
I want to come out of this a polished stone. I want God to use this time to chisel away my stubbornness and pride. I want to TRUST God fully and believe that He is working to make this good. I want my testimony to be one of Trust and His Faithfulness.
"So Hello, forclosure, though I didn't ask for you to drop into my life, you are here now. I don't really want you to make yourself at home, but feel free to sit and watch what God has planned for me and well; you, because it is going to be God-sized and it is going to be GOOD!"
Still no desire to pack...but I'm not worried. If I pack I won't know where stuff is, what stuff we want to take what stuff we want to get rid off. Nothing that we use is getting packed yet.
I was told to take down our pictures.
NO.
The house is still our home until July.
The pictures of our family, of our life STAY. Until July.
I've been vigilant with doing devotions, both with the family and on my own through out the day. Reading your sweet emails and messages.
All giving me just the right dose of encouragement right when I need it, in the very way my heart can handle it.
Can I share some of it with you?
Good morning Sara! Remember we were talking about crisis mode? Just doing the next thing . . . etc. In my devotion today it talked about crisis which comes from the Greek word that means decision or judgment. A crisis of belief is not a calamity in your life but a turning point where you must make a decision. You must decide what you truly believe about God. The way you respond at this turning point will determine whether you become involved with God in something God-sized that only He can do or whether you will continue to go your own way and miss what He has purposed for your life. The way you live your life is a testimony of what you believe about God. Wow! Isn't that awesome.
Sending my love and a big hug to you today! Ju
Beth Moore devotion:
We would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.~ 2 Corinthians 1:9
The level of trust we have for God is a monumental issue in the life of every believer. Many variables in our lives affect our willingness to trust God. A loss or betrayal can deeply mark our level of trust. A broken heart never mended can handicap us terribly when challenged to trust. Trusting an invisible God doesn't come naturally to any of us.
Our trust relationship with Him grows only when we step out in faith and make the choice to trust. The ability to believe God develops most often through pure experience. "I found Him faithful yesterday. He will not be unfaithful today."
Jesus Calling 365 Devotions for kids.:
Make Friends with your problems.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ~ Romans 8:28
Make friends with the problems you have in your life. Yes, that's right. And don't forget to thank Me for them either. That sounds crazy, doesn't it? But I can use every single problem to teach you something. Just as a sculptor chisels away bits of rough stone to reveal a masterpiece, I can use your problems to chip away rough bits of stubbornness,pride and selfishness, to reveal My masterpiece-you!
It's your choice. you can keep your problems all to yourself, so that they grow and become stumbling blocks that trip you up. Or you can make friends with your problems by introducing them to Me and letting Me make them part of My plan. I may not take your problems away, but I will make something good come out of them.
Each day brings a new set of feelings. Each day is a new day to CHOOSE where my thoughts will go.
I want to come out of this a polished stone. I want God to use this time to chisel away my stubbornness and pride. I want to TRUST God fully and believe that He is working to make this good. I want my testimony to be one of Trust and His Faithfulness.
"So Hello, forclosure, though I didn't ask for you to drop into my life, you are here now. I don't really want you to make yourself at home, but feel free to sit and watch what God has planned for me and well; you, because it is going to be God-sized and it is going to be GOOD!"
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Disappointment.
Disappointments can come in many forms:
Your favorite team looses it's game.
That pair of jeans you really wanted was just out of your price range. (Or worse you find THE perfect pair at the perfect price and they don't have anymore in your size!)
That batch of cookies you slaved over didn't turn out like you wanted...
A friendship fades...
You promised yourself you'd have more patience with the kids, and then you find yourself in that moment when patience was lost...
Your husband, though you reminded him a lunch, forgot the milk...again.
Why am I writing about disappointments?
Well, frankly, it's where I find myself these days.
Chalk it up to having expectations.
Chalk it up to thinking...maybe...this time...
Chalk it up to "that time of the month" or WHATEVER.
It really doesn't matter WHY or WHAT.
What matters is the AND.
As in AND I'm gonna take it to the cross.
AND I'm gonna pray about it.
AND God promises to be my rock and salvation.
I could spend hours, pages complaining.
Life just isn't...blah blah blah.
Why can't things...blah blah blah.
BECAUSE; Life was never guaranteed to be unicorns and glitter, daisies and marigolds, beer and pizza. {that last was one for my hubby}
Life has and always will be about WHO we turn to. What we let hold our thoughts captive. What we let come out of our mouths...
For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45
There are days when I go to church and hear a message and my heart feels convicted to change instantly. There are other times when it sinks in, when I can feel it marinating inside. No quick response, just...knowledge; I guess you'd call it. Understanding.
Today, I was met with great disappointment, right before heading into church. It sucked, I have to admit, it made me feel like turning around and going home. I didn't want to worship. This mood was too big to bring here. {church} I was irked, the songs irked me, the worshiping irked me...fowl mood. My sweet husband read me, he knew...placed his hand on my knee as he always does, and willed me to be still.
I listened, though, antsy. Our pastor touched on transformation. What am I allowing to transform me in my life. I was allowing this disappointment to break my heart, to bleed me dry of my joy today.
I'm still digging through the band-aid box trying to find the right fit for this bleeder! But I know it will heal and I know that more disappointment will come; AND I KNOW that whatever bumps or bruises come my way I have a constant healer waiting...
Father God,
Thank you for mercies. I know that I choose to take most things on myself and that I need to do a better job of letting things go and giving them up to you. I could really use some toughing up. I'll work on the grip if you could dry up the tear ducts a little...
Remind me, stalk me with your holy spirit, to forgive those disappointments. Love when I want to complain, praise when I want to pout, forgive when I want to keep score! I need you, Father God.
I pray this in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Your favorite team looses it's game.
That pair of jeans you really wanted was just out of your price range. (Or worse you find THE perfect pair at the perfect price and they don't have anymore in your size!)
That batch of cookies you slaved over didn't turn out like you wanted...
A friendship fades...
You promised yourself you'd have more patience with the kids, and then you find yourself in that moment when patience was lost...
Your husband, though you reminded him a lunch, forgot the milk...again.
Why am I writing about disappointments?
Well, frankly, it's where I find myself these days.
Chalk it up to having expectations.
Chalk it up to thinking...maybe...this time...
Chalk it up to "that time of the month" or WHATEVER.
It really doesn't matter WHY or WHAT.
What matters is the AND.
As in AND I'm gonna take it to the cross.
AND I'm gonna pray about it.
AND God promises to be my rock and salvation.
I could spend hours, pages complaining.
Life just isn't...blah blah blah.
Why can't things...blah blah blah.
BECAUSE; Life was never guaranteed to be unicorns and glitter, daisies and marigolds, beer and pizza. {that last was one for my hubby}
Life has and always will be about WHO we turn to. What we let hold our thoughts captive. What we let come out of our mouths...
For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45
There are days when I go to church and hear a message and my heart feels convicted to change instantly. There are other times when it sinks in, when I can feel it marinating inside. No quick response, just...knowledge; I guess you'd call it. Understanding.
Today, I was met with great disappointment, right before heading into church. It sucked, I have to admit, it made me feel like turning around and going home. I didn't want to worship. This mood was too big to bring here. {church} I was irked, the songs irked me, the worshiping irked me...fowl mood. My sweet husband read me, he knew...placed his hand on my knee as he always does, and willed me to be still.
I listened, though, antsy. Our pastor touched on transformation. What am I allowing to transform me in my life. I was allowing this disappointment to break my heart, to bleed me dry of my joy today.
I'm still digging through the band-aid box trying to find the right fit for this bleeder! But I know it will heal and I know that more disappointment will come; AND I KNOW that whatever bumps or bruises come my way I have a constant healer waiting...
Father God,
Thank you for mercies. I know that I choose to take most things on myself and that I need to do a better job of letting things go and giving them up to you. I could really use some toughing up. I'll work on the grip if you could dry up the tear ducts a little...
Remind me, stalk me with your holy spirit, to forgive those disappointments. Love when I want to complain, praise when I want to pout, forgive when I want to keep score! I need you, Father God.
I pray this in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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