I read an email yesterday that I thought was really good and kinda brings things into perspective. I am going to have to paraphrase (I do that a lot) because I deleted the email but it went something like this:

A mother came home exhausted from working all day and was greeted at the door by her 5 year old son.
"Mommy, how much money do you make an hour?"
The mom got upset that her son would ask such a guestion after she had worked so hard all day long.
"Son, that really is none of your business" the mom said.
The more the mom thought about how rude her son was, the angrier she got at him, but she finally gave in and told him, "Well, if you have to know, I make $20 an hour."
Then the son replied, "Well, mommy, can I borrow $5?"
This really set the mother off. She couldn't believe that he would be so selfish and ask for such a thing after she had worked so hard for the money that she makes. The mother sent the boy to his room.
The more the mother sat and thought about what her son had asked, the angrier she got. She was tired and couldn't believe that her child would be this selfish and self centered about such a thing.
But, then the mother thought that what if her son needed the $5 for something important, so she went up to his room. She sat on the side of his bed and asked, "Son, are you still awake?"
The son replied, "Yes, mommy I'm still awake."
She handed the boy the $5 bill. The boy sat up in the bed and pulled out more money from under his pillow. This floored the mother. How could her son ask for $5 when he already had all of this money stashed away. She began to get mad again. Just then the boy started to count out his money. He counted $15 and then turned to the mother, "Mommy I had been saving this money and when you said you made $20 an hour, I knew I only needed $5 more to make that."
He gave the money to his mother.
"Mommy, can I buy just one hour of your time? Will you come home early one hour early from work tomorrow and spend it with me?"

If we die tomorrow, the company that we work for could replace us within the hour, the family and friends that we leave behind would feel the loss forever.

Let's slow down, look around at what we have consumed ourselves with, and change it if we need to. Our family, our children, and the people that truly care about us are what is important in life. What kind of impression are we making on them?

Jennifer

I was looking back at some of my old journal entries and was in awe at what God was speaking to me then and where He has taken me over the years.
One of the entries was when God spoke to me through Isaiah and Jonah.
Isaiah, the prophet, is saying, "Look, what you see happening today also happened then." (paraphrasing of course)
Then you see Jonah, who turned and ran away from God BUT God captured Him. Jonah realized then what he had done, and "Oops, now I am in the belly of a whale." Jonah cried out to God to save him, and He did.
Things that occurred back then are still occurring today.
We are the same way. We constantly run away - in the opposite direction of what God wants for us - and then end up in a mess, and what do we do? WE CRY OUT FOR HELP. And, God helps us...it may not always be the way that we had planned for Him to help us out, but He will pull us out...sometimes with a lot of discipline to go along with it.
I know, believe me, I KNOW that God's ways are sometimes hard to travel and it is hard to walk away from somethings that are comfortable and that "feel good" to us physically, but listen to me for a second, we don't have a lot of time left on this earth. God is going to call His people home one day and we do not know when that may be. Let's not waste any more time living a life of "feeling good". Let's step out of our comfort zone. Let's stop saying, "Not yet God. I'm not ready just yet. I have a family. I have this house that I waited for so long for. I have a good job that I like. Can't you use me there? Come on God, do you really think I could do that?"
God will use the open vessels that say yes to Him. If He plants something in you and you resist it for too long, He will find a "rock to cry out for Him".
Seek Him, Find Him, Know Him, Follow Him, Live for Him, and Go wherever He wants you to Go.
Open your arms to Him today and commit yourself to go and do what it is He would have you to do. He will ALWAYS be right there with you even to the ends of the earth, He will not leave you or forsake you, cry out to Him to take you there, and He will.

Be blessed today

Jennifer

"For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalms 51: 16-17
Brokenness doesn't mean you are weak. It means you are submitted to authority. God is our authority. Submit to Him.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."
1 John 3:4
Sin is to violate God's authority. Sin is simply disobeying God's authority, will, or word.
All authority comes from God. God appoints all rulers. When you resist authority, you are resisting God.
Who wants to be the one that resist God? Not me, not on purpose at least. If we are not following God's calling and God's word, then we are resisting God. Let's not be known as individuals that resist God. Let's be known as broken hearts seeking out the will of the Father and living that will out in our lives.
No, it may not be easy, but I promise you that it will be worth it.
There is nothing good for you outside the will of God.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

Jennifer

I just spent an amazing afternoon with a group of women that God connected me to a few months back. God gave me a vision for some pillowcase dresses that I have seen online. I felt that God wanted me to send them to these third world countries that are so poor and in need and have orphanages and children on the streets without any clothes even on their backs. I tried to go down a few avenues but didn't get far until I met a wonderful woman that God hooked me up with (too long to explain how we met but we definitely had a spiritual connection). I shared my idea with her and had no idea that she would even be interested in what I was seeing God doing with these dresses; however, she took the idea and ran with it. She has a ministry called The Kilgoris Project that goes to help raise money for a village in Africa that her sister-in-law and brother-in-law are missionaries in.
So, we had a project day where a bunch of women got together, we advertised the event, and then we made these dresses, embellished them with different things, and they will be sold on Etsy and the proceeds will go to The Kilgoris Project and tohelping this village over there. Some of the dresses will go back with the sister-in-law (she is here for a little visit) and will actually clothe many of the children there in the village.
We made about 40 dresses in about 3 hours.
At one point one of the ladies looked at me and said, "Wow, this was your creation and your idea. Aren't you proud?". All I could say was, "No I'm not proud at all. I'm amazed at what God did with such a simple idea."
He never ever stops seeming to amaze me and WOW me with His goodness and provision and cleverness. It took a simple dress, actually made out of pillowcases, and made it something so wonderful for this small village in Africa to benefit from.
We have to look beyond what WE think can happen and see what GOD knows can happen.
We have to look around us and see what it is that God has gifted us with, what it is that we enjoy doing, what it is that we are naturally good at, and ask God to use us in that area. We are all born with some type of talent whether it is sewing, cooking, singing, talking to people, or having the most amazing smile in the world. God puts things in everyone that can be used for His kingdom.
Ask God what it is that He can use. And BE READY when He tells you what it is...it may be more than you could have ever thought it would be....But, then again, that's just how our God does things...He speaks and things happen...Let Him speak to you.

Jennifer

What is Love? I was studying John 14:15 tonight: "If you love me, you will obey what I command."
As I looked at this verse and dissected it, I wondered what the true meaning of LOVE really was. It is more than simply warm feelings. It is an ATTITUDE that reveals itself in action, which equals OBEDIENCE!! (Attitude = Action = LOVE).

Then God took me to a place in the bible to give me His definition of the word LOVE.

Look at 1 Corinthians 13, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not LOVE, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all the mysteries and all the knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not LOVE, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not LOVE, I gain nothing."

It goes on:
"LOVE is patient, LOVE is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. LOVE does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and LOVE. But the greatest of these is LOVE."

God is showing us in His word that great faith, acts of sacrifice, and even miracle working power produce nothing without LOVE. God's definition of LOVE is for us to direct it outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is totally unselfish. This where I feel like I sound like a broken record to myself...I think God is just beating it over my head. This is the kind of LOVE that goes against the flesh! This a battle between your Holy Spirit and your flesh. One is going to win. The only way to have this kind of LOVE is with the Holy Spirit's help. In the world today, just like in the days of the Corinthians, the true meaning of LOVE is all messed up and is mis-used. LOVE is the greatest human quality that God gave us. It is an attribute of God himself.

Look at 1 John 4:8
"Whoever does not LOVE does not know God, because God is LOVE."
We LOVE because God first LOVED us. God is LOVE, "not" "LOVE is God." If we claim to be "Christians who know God" then the LOVE that we know will be to LOVE as God LOVES.

(all this information was taken straight from the Bible NIV; Life Application Bible)

God speaks primarily through His word and I was studying one simple little verse John 14:15; and God took me to all the different verses I have shared with you tonight. Wow!!

Thank you Father for showing us your meaning of LOVE. We praise you for the LOVE you have for us. Father help us to have your LOVE for people, even the ones who are not like us and are hard to LOVE. Give us the power to LOVE unselfishly. Thank you for showing us what true LOVE is by sending your only Son to die for us. How we praise you Father. You are true LOVE, You are Holy, Just, and Perfect! In Jesus name, AMEN.


Wanting to LOVE like God,


Robbie

What is your Heart full of?

Would it surprise you to know that whatever your heart is full of will come out your lips?

This is some of what I learned this week in my bible study. "Pursuing More of Jesus."

What do you feel passionate about? Is it your children? Your spouse? Material things? What is it that you feel deeply about? Think about it and ask God, "What is my heart full of?" Because whatever you feel deeply about, you are able to open your mouth and speak about it without any training, experience etc. Why are our hearts not full of Jesus? Are we Christ-centered? Or are we self-centered?

I find myself living by what feels good at the time, and seeing what I can get by with, you know like a lazy christian? The kind that wants all the benefits without putting the hard work into it or the sacrifice. I even look for happiness in temporary, superficial things. Think about this for a minute. Happiness is circumstantial, but joy...joy commeth from the Lord!

Do you ever sit and think about your future, or eternity? Why is it that we are living in a world that everything is instant gratification? This world's pace is so fast that who has time for prayer, bible study, or God. Some people go to church ocassionally on Sunday, because they are so tired and worn out from the pace of this world. And they consider Sunday the only day to be home and relax. We can't walk at the world's pace and walk with God at the same time! If we truly love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves then we wouldn't be preoccupied with our own circumstances!

Do you long to blend in? I know I do. I actually have a costume closet with different masks for different people!! (lol) just kidding. But I do feel like that sometimes. I have had to ask myself all of these hard questions this week. This was not an easy ride with God and it certainly wasn't pretty. I have always wanted to fit in. Not stand out in the crowd, but to blend. I have never wanted anyone to think I was weird! But God is showing me that in order to work for Him that we have to stand out in the crowd. If we are not separeted from this world; we will be shaped into the world's mold. Let us not forget that if we choose to separate ourselves from the world that the world will resent us for it. Look at John 15:19 "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it's own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."
Hates you? I know this to be so true. The minute we go out into the world and start proclaiming who Jesus is...that is the minute that we will be labeled as a "bible thumper", "religious person", or "extreme fanatical". Let me ask this very hard question that I have already asked myself: Do your friends, family , and co-workers see a difference in you and your life? What are your activities? Your habits? Your choices in movies? Your choices in the music you listen to. Your choices in what you wear? Do they even know that you are a Christian? I find myself even in women's ministry worrying so much about offending someone, even to the point that I water down or try to minimize the differences between me and them. How sad! I need COURAGE from Jesus. I need courage from Him to stand out in a crowd! Think about it, Jesus stood out in the crowd for what His heart was full of and His lips proclaimed what was in His heart. And in return they didn't just persecute Jesus for being different, but they CRUCIFIED Him.

We have to stop conforming to this world. We have a purpose in our life. We are to proclaim who Jesus is to everyone we come in contact with. Not only should it come from our lips but it should show in our everyday lives. Throw the costumes away, stop trying to blend in. Pray for courage from God to stand out to be different. Not to be of this world BUT to start thinking of eternity.

Thank you Jesus for showing us that we are being molded into this world, and oh how we don't want that. Thank you for reminding us that this world is only our temporary home that provides only temporary happiness. We long for our hearts to be full of you. Give us the strength to speak up Father for you and not worry what people think of us. Let us be worried what You think about us! Father give us more of You in our hearts. We praise You and love You.

Praying for God to fill my heart with Him,

Robbie

As you may know, we just got back from a trip to the beach and made all of our rounds to see the family. It can be such a fun trip or it can be a stressful trip. For the most part, it was fun. We got to visit with all of the parents and grandparents and even spend some time on the beach just as a family. I watched all of my children as they played on the beach. They are all so different in how they act and respond to certain situations. My oldest is the cautious one, always wanting to know what to expect beforeshe ventures out too far, and even if daddy was with her in the water, she still wanted to make sure it was "safe" to go out that far. My middle one went in head first, running as fast as she
could and going out as far as she could without me yelling for her to get back.
The youngest one (my boy) was not interested in the water at all. Instead he preferred picking up the sand and throwing it at us and laughing. Eventually he started to venture out some and went into the water with daddy holding him tightly and laughed the whole time, but once he was back to shore...that is where he wanted to be.



I joked with Robbie on the drive home about how we had stopped for gas and I made all of the kids get out and go to the restroom then because I knew that once we got back in the car that we were going to be banned from stopping again. She said that she was feeling the same way...We were PRISIONERS in a car of 3 children and a husband trying to play nascar speedracer the whole 6-7 hour drive home. I never do more praying and reading my word than when I am in the car with my husband driving on a long trip. I really cry out to God in those times.

I always offer to drive, but for some reason he never wants me to.

It is always nice to get away and spend some time with your family, building memories that you know you will carry with you forever. As I took all of the trip in and looked at my family that day on the beach, I realized just how different we all are. We each have our own personalities, our own characteristics, our own ways of doing the same thing in such different ways. Just as my children took on the adventure of the beach in 3 different ways, we too take on things in different ways. Even our walk with Christ is different. Some of us are on fastforward with God...We get saved, know our calling, and run straight for the goal, and the next year we are in the mission field in Africa feeding starving children and building an orphanage. Then some of us are on a much slower pattern...we get saved, go to church, do our bible studies, read the word, help people in the community, and live our life with God evident in it. And, then there are those who may go out and test the waters some, go on a missions trip, do what God wants us to do when He calls us to do it, but we always come back home and live our Christian life here.

We all have different callings. We all have different backgrounds. We all have different ways to attack this life of Christianity. Is one better than the other? One right and one wrong? NO.

Just like my children, I love them all for exactly how they are and who they are. I laugh at how they approach things in such different ways, and love to see them at least dipping their feet in the water...BUT if they didn't ever want to touch the water and they just wanted to stay on shore and play in the sand....then I would still love them the same. We can't all be missionaries, we can't all be preachers, we can't all be sunday school teachers, we can't all be worship leaders, BUT we can all love God and do HIS will for OUR life. We have to find out what that will is and then live it out to the fullest. My son can throw some sand with all of his strength probably better than my girls can. And, if that is what he has been called to do, then let him do it.

God will plant a desire in each of our hearts to serve Him in the area that He has called us to serve, and when He does we will know it. That desire will burn in you until you start to push forward with fulfilling it. Does it mean that we will only have one calling? I don't think so. Sometimes our callings change as our seasons do. My son may not always be on the shore throwing sand, my oldest daughter may not always be so cautious with every decision that she makes in the water (although I pray she is still careful), my middle daughter may one day be the one on the shore sunbathing instead of swimming with the sharks. Our seasons change and God will use us as we grow in different areas and ways. That's what is so beautiful and amazing about Him. He loves to see us change and grow, just as we do our own children or friends or family or ourselves.

Let's bend and crawl and walk and play and throw sand for awhile.

God has a call and He has prepared us for that call.

Let's not miss the fun.

Jennifer