Pray that God makes a way where there seems to be no way. Pray that God lets you see the top of the mountain that you've been climbing and then lets you look over and see the beauty of what you've traveled up from.
There is a peace in God that surpasses all understanding. There is an answer in the Almighty One that wipes out all questions.
Rest in Him.
Rest in His control over your life.
Rest.
Monday, April 26, 2010
I watched a man dying of cancer last night. He struggled to breath. All alone in a strange hospital room. And all he wanted to do was get up and go home. All he wanted was to be at home in his own comfortable environment with his familiar surroundings so that he could spend the last few days and minutes where he was comfortable. Yet, we struggled to put him and keep him in a bed in a cold, dark hospital room. I sat at the side of his bed and held his hand and watched him for what seemed like an eternity and asked, "Why? Why does he have to go like this?" What a way to spend your last few minutes of time on this earth. He was scared, alone, and all he had was us in those moments. All I could do was whisper, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus". Over and over I whispered, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus". It was the only thing that brought peace into such a confusing, hurting, struggling, and angry environment.
We don't always understand why things occur as they do. We don't always like to watch people go the way that they go, but we have to remember that our ways, our thoughts, our ideas are not like God's. There is a reason and a season for everything, and we just have to trust that He has it all in control.
Sometimes we want to feel good. We want to be happy. We want things to work the way that WE want them to work.
And, sometimes God wants them to work the way He has planned for them to work, and He plants us in those places, in that place of uncomfortableness so that He can use us in those last moments, and we have to take our eyes off of the situation, off of what would make it more "ideal" for us at the time, and off of the chaos that is around us, and see how we can continue to show that love of Christ even to the very end to a dying person, who is taking some of his last breaths on this earth.
He said at one point that "it shouldn't be like this", and all I could respond to that was, "No, it shouldn't".
I don't have an answer to the "why", the one question that seems to be asked more than the others. But I do know how to love. I do know how to hold a dying man's hand and whisper the most precious name of all. I have been equipped by God to bring peace to an unpeaceful situation.
We don't always have to go the extreme to be used by God. Sometimes it is the simple action of speaking the most beautiful name on earth that brings a chaotic room to complete peace.
God is circling the Yahweh Sisters with looking beyond ourselves, looking past to the depths of comfort and likeness. He is showing each of us, with totally different situations, how to love and how to share His love with others. Because we can have the Lord in our hearts, but are we reflecting His love? It's not the good, sweet, Christian people that need to feel and see His love. But the dying, hurting, poor and needy ones that need to see His love and know He is there with them in those last few minutes.
I know that God is my God. I know that when I die, I will meet the Father and rejoice with the angels in heaven. I know that I will stand with the Father one day, but as I sat there last night and looked into the eyes of someone that was about to experience this personally, I thought, "wow, we will be in two different environments, but right now we are together and if I am the last face that he sees I pray that he sees God and feels His love before he stands before him and truly gets to see God and know His love."
Lord, help me with my actions, with my words, with my attitude that rises up so often in stressful situations. Help me to not get caught up in the chaotic, stressful environment, and forget why I am placed in every situation of my life. I want to be your hands, your feet, your eyes, your voice. I want to truly be able to be a glimpse of You on earth.
See, you don't know me, but I can be a very hard and abrupt person, and for years I have prayed for God to soften me and make me one of those kind, compassionate, sweet spirited Christians. I have to die to the fleshly personality of wanting to rise up and control situations A LOT. I struggle in this area. And, just as we all do, I find myself doing so good, and then I start to slip back into that hardness little by little until one day I am in the full blown, down right mean person again. We have to be careful. The devil will stick his pinky toe in the door and if we are not careful, he will have it kicked wide open and will be prancing right on in the room and find himself a recliner to sit in and kick his feet up, making himself right at home. Let's slam the door shut on his toe before this happens. Get accountability partners in whatever area that you need them in. We have to stay righteous in this unrighteous world.
Find at least one person this week to go above and beyond for and show the love of Christ to them. Look for the one that noone else wants to reach. Look for the person at the grocery store or at the mall that looks like they need "something" at that moment. Ask God to show you that person and to show you how to be used. You never know what impact you may have on an individuals life. Let's love like He loves.
God bless you this week
I am praying for God to open doors for us all to walk through that are uncomfortable and a bit challenging.
(hey, my mother-in-law is coming into town so I know the door that I have to walk through already) (JUST KIDDING...I love my mother-in-law).
Share His love
Be His hand
Be His light
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus....There's just something about that name.
Loving,
Jennifer
We don't always understand why things occur as they do. We don't always like to watch people go the way that they go, but we have to remember that our ways, our thoughts, our ideas are not like God's. There is a reason and a season for everything, and we just have to trust that He has it all in control.
Sometimes we want to feel good. We want to be happy. We want things to work the way that WE want them to work.
And, sometimes God wants them to work the way He has planned for them to work, and He plants us in those places, in that place of uncomfortableness so that He can use us in those last moments, and we have to take our eyes off of the situation, off of what would make it more "ideal" for us at the time, and off of the chaos that is around us, and see how we can continue to show that love of Christ even to the very end to a dying person, who is taking some of his last breaths on this earth.
He said at one point that "it shouldn't be like this", and all I could respond to that was, "No, it shouldn't".
I don't have an answer to the "why", the one question that seems to be asked more than the others. But I do know how to love. I do know how to hold a dying man's hand and whisper the most precious name of all. I have been equipped by God to bring peace to an unpeaceful situation.
We don't always have to go the extreme to be used by God. Sometimes it is the simple action of speaking the most beautiful name on earth that brings a chaotic room to complete peace.
God is circling the Yahweh Sisters with looking beyond ourselves, looking past to the depths of comfort and likeness. He is showing each of us, with totally different situations, how to love and how to share His love with others. Because we can have the Lord in our hearts, but are we reflecting His love? It's not the good, sweet, Christian people that need to feel and see His love. But the dying, hurting, poor and needy ones that need to see His love and know He is there with them in those last few minutes.
I know that God is my God. I know that when I die, I will meet the Father and rejoice with the angels in heaven. I know that I will stand with the Father one day, but as I sat there last night and looked into the eyes of someone that was about to experience this personally, I thought, "wow, we will be in two different environments, but right now we are together and if I am the last face that he sees I pray that he sees God and feels His love before he stands before him and truly gets to see God and know His love."
Lord, help me with my actions, with my words, with my attitude that rises up so often in stressful situations. Help me to not get caught up in the chaotic, stressful environment, and forget why I am placed in every situation of my life. I want to be your hands, your feet, your eyes, your voice. I want to truly be able to be a glimpse of You on earth.
See, you don't know me, but I can be a very hard and abrupt person, and for years I have prayed for God to soften me and make me one of those kind, compassionate, sweet spirited Christians. I have to die to the fleshly personality of wanting to rise up and control situations A LOT. I struggle in this area. And, just as we all do, I find myself doing so good, and then I start to slip back into that hardness little by little until one day I am in the full blown, down right mean person again. We have to be careful. The devil will stick his pinky toe in the door and if we are not careful, he will have it kicked wide open and will be prancing right on in the room and find himself a recliner to sit in and kick his feet up, making himself right at home. Let's slam the door shut on his toe before this happens. Get accountability partners in whatever area that you need them in. We have to stay righteous in this unrighteous world.
Find at least one person this week to go above and beyond for and show the love of Christ to them. Look for the one that noone else wants to reach. Look for the person at the grocery store or at the mall that looks like they need "something" at that moment. Ask God to show you that person and to show you how to be used. You never know what impact you may have on an individuals life. Let's love like He loves.
God bless you this week
I am praying for God to open doors for us all to walk through that are uncomfortable and a bit challenging.
(hey, my mother-in-law is coming into town so I know the door that I have to walk through already) (JUST KIDDING...I love my mother-in-law).
Share His love
Be His hand
Be His light
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus....There's just something about that name.
Loving,
Jennifer
Sunday, April 25, 2010
No other Gods.................
Exodus 20:3; You shall have no other gods before or besides me......... As I took care of this precious patient this weekend, I was blown away by this flashing green, red and yellow light in her room. The family had placed it there above her head. I was told not to get in between it and the patient. As I approached the device it would chant without stopping. I was so amazed. This was their god!!! Can you imagine? On the device was a half naked elephant. Come to find out this was the highest of their gods.
I ended up at first just staring at it not knowing what to do in a room that had idols set up. There were statues in different parts of her room and even gifts laid at one of the statues feet. The more I moved about the room I was totally like "Ok God, how is it that you could use me in this situation?" I knew I was totally out of my element. For those of you who do not know... Jen, Amy and I are all critical care nurses. I recently left our unit where we had all worked together on nights for over 5 years. I am now a part of a resource team and only go to Critical Care Units in different areas : Trauma, Neuro, Surgical, Medical or Cardiac. Sometimes the job can be very exhausting. You never know what you are going to walk into. It can break your heart and suck the life right out of you and leave you feeling that you have nothing else to give. I praise God that I work part time and I am able to stay home with my girls. I try to work 2 days a week, which are 12 hour shifts. I leave my house at 6am and return home around 8pm at night. Very long, exhausting days with very sick patients. But the reason I am telling you this is because Amy, Jen and I all feel that this job we do with the sick and dying are a part of our ministry. We feel with all our hearts that God has placed us with the sickest patients and the dying for a reason. We are sometimes the only light in the dark and have endured suffering at times for where we stood with God. But before I go to work every week I get up at 4:30 and I pray: "Father let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I yield my life to you. Use me today Father. Give me the patients that you want me to have. Let me be your vessel today. Whatever happens Father I trust you."
Then the flesh kicks in and I have doubt as I drive into this level one trauma center not knowing what God has in store for me. Where is my trust?
So Saturday when I arrived and there was a very sick patient with her god running off of electricity, I was like "Oh my God, How? How are you going to use me? I can't do this."
I didn't know whether to be mad or sad. At first I could even feel my flesh rising up in me and saying things like, "You're kidding. You have to plug your god in! MY God is plugged into me all of the time, and He doesn't need electricity. He invented the electricity for goodness sakes!!"
But thank God that I have the Holy Spirit that takes over. I went in and with an open mind, I began to have the desire to want God to use me in whatever way He wanted to. It began to rise up in me just as I had prayed earlier.
I took care of this patient and ended up being so blessed. I fell so in love with her family (which was extremely large). I hugged and met each and everyone of them. They were the most gracious and kind family that I have ever met. I would look at them and feel such love for them, Unexplainable Love. I can't even put it into words what I felt for them.
I would pray for them quietly as I worked in the room and I heard the softest little voice in my heart say to me: "Be the light with how you treat them, how you help them, how you respect them, show them MY LOVE!!! Show them His Love!!!!"
Can I tell you it was so easy!!! I was led by the Holy Spirit!! I embraced them. I showed them the Love of Christ!! The rest is up to God!! Praise Him that I can leave it at His feet. I was obedient and He will do the rest. What a relief to know that my God is so big that He can reach anybody if He chooses!
I wanted to share this with you because it is so easy for us in our little world where we Christians are in a protected little bubble A LOT of the time. We have to break out of our security nets and walk where Jesus wants us to walk. Where the dying and the hungry and the ones who have no idea who OUR God is!!! Step out of your comfort zone. Our God is BIG. Let's be careful not to put Him in a box. Sometimes all He wants for us to do is SHOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST!! He will do the rest. Remember LOVE is the greatest gift of all. LOVE your neighbor as yourself. Love others as you want to be treated.
Those precious people are my neighbors and yours. Stop stepping over the ones who need to know God to get to the ones who are like us.
You and I may never see the seeds that are planted until we stand in glory with God one day. But those seeds will reap a harvest!!! Spread the Love. Love the unloveable and please don't judge. God died for everyone. Make a choice. PUSH that Flesh down!! Push it down. The LORD has our heart. SURRENDER your life to him. He knows what to do with it.
Blessings to you all.
Learning to surrender,
Robbie
I ended up at first just staring at it not knowing what to do in a room that had idols set up. There were statues in different parts of her room and even gifts laid at one of the statues feet. The more I moved about the room I was totally like "Ok God, how is it that you could use me in this situation?" I knew I was totally out of my element. For those of you who do not know... Jen, Amy and I are all critical care nurses. I recently left our unit where we had all worked together on nights for over 5 years. I am now a part of a resource team and only go to Critical Care Units in different areas : Trauma, Neuro, Surgical, Medical or Cardiac. Sometimes the job can be very exhausting. You never know what you are going to walk into. It can break your heart and suck the life right out of you and leave you feeling that you have nothing else to give. I praise God that I work part time and I am able to stay home with my girls. I try to work 2 days a week, which are 12 hour shifts. I leave my house at 6am and return home around 8pm at night. Very long, exhausting days with very sick patients. But the reason I am telling you this is because Amy, Jen and I all feel that this job we do with the sick and dying are a part of our ministry. We feel with all our hearts that God has placed us with the sickest patients and the dying for a reason. We are sometimes the only light in the dark and have endured suffering at times for where we stood with God. But before I go to work every week I get up at 4:30 and I pray: "Father let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I yield my life to you. Use me today Father. Give me the patients that you want me to have. Let me be your vessel today. Whatever happens Father I trust you."
Then the flesh kicks in and I have doubt as I drive into this level one trauma center not knowing what God has in store for me. Where is my trust?
So Saturday when I arrived and there was a very sick patient with her god running off of electricity, I was like "Oh my God, How? How are you going to use me? I can't do this."
I didn't know whether to be mad or sad. At first I could even feel my flesh rising up in me and saying things like, "You're kidding. You have to plug your god in! MY God is plugged into me all of the time, and He doesn't need electricity. He invented the electricity for goodness sakes!!"
But thank God that I have the Holy Spirit that takes over. I went in and with an open mind, I began to have the desire to want God to use me in whatever way He wanted to. It began to rise up in me just as I had prayed earlier.
I took care of this patient and ended up being so blessed. I fell so in love with her family (which was extremely large). I hugged and met each and everyone of them. They were the most gracious and kind family that I have ever met. I would look at them and feel such love for them, Unexplainable Love. I can't even put it into words what I felt for them.
I would pray for them quietly as I worked in the room and I heard the softest little voice in my heart say to me: "Be the light with how you treat them, how you help them, how you respect them, show them MY LOVE!!! Show them His Love!!!!"
Can I tell you it was so easy!!! I was led by the Holy Spirit!! I embraced them. I showed them the Love of Christ!! The rest is up to God!! Praise Him that I can leave it at His feet. I was obedient and He will do the rest. What a relief to know that my God is so big that He can reach anybody if He chooses!
I wanted to share this with you because it is so easy for us in our little world where we Christians are in a protected little bubble A LOT of the time. We have to break out of our security nets and walk where Jesus wants us to walk. Where the dying and the hungry and the ones who have no idea who OUR God is!!! Step out of your comfort zone. Our God is BIG. Let's be careful not to put Him in a box. Sometimes all He wants for us to do is SHOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST!! He will do the rest. Remember LOVE is the greatest gift of all. LOVE your neighbor as yourself. Love others as you want to be treated.
Those precious people are my neighbors and yours. Stop stepping over the ones who need to know God to get to the ones who are like us.
You and I may never see the seeds that are planted until we stand in glory with God one day. But those seeds will reap a harvest!!! Spread the Love. Love the unloveable and please don't judge. God died for everyone. Make a choice. PUSH that Flesh down!! Push it down. The LORD has our heart. SURRENDER your life to him. He knows what to do with it.
Blessings to you all.
Learning to surrender,
Robbie
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Prayer.............
Do I; do you realize what a gift that prayer is? Until Jesus came we didn't have access to God! Through His death the veil separating us from the presence of God was torn in two from top to bottom! God himself opened up the way for us to enter into his presence----through prayer!!
Praise God! Through prayer, we are invited to come into His presence as children come to their father. Jesus' death revealed the love of God for us.
Jesus prayed!!!!
If Jesus found it necessary to maintain a continual, active prayer life, what is your excuse for not praying? What is my excuse? I know that I complain that I don't have enough time. I also use the excuse that I am to tired. etc. What about you? What excuses are you using? If Jesus can pray the night before his execution then none of our excuses mean anything. We cannot get close to God without prayer. It is a gift!!
Do you want to know Him? Do you want to know him just casually like you would an acquaintance? Or do you long to know him like Adam, Enoch, Noah; where they walked with him and talked to him. When he was preparing the disciples for his departure they were devastated. Jesus was their friend. They were going to miss him. I want to know him like they knew him. I want to be OBEDIENT to his call on my life. I want to care more about what God thinks than what others think. I want to be God's friend!! Can you image him looking down from heaven and calling us his friends? We have to make a deliberate decision to seek to know God, and that comes from alone time with him in prayer and reading his word. However you are spending your time and with whom determines your wants and your desires and your dreams. It determines everything.
I know I have said this before that salvation is free but to follow Jesus will cost you everything. God has big plans for you and me. We have a purpose to fulfill for God! Jesus had a purpose to fulfill for God. In order for Jesus to finish God's work, Jesus had to keep the focus and embrace the purpose with a single mind and heart! He had to yield his life to God. (surrender, submit, humility).
If you and I are able to finish God's plan for us then we can't be satisfied with just squeezing by to get to heaven. We have to become single-minded and focused as we embrace God's purpose for our life. We have got to take our eyes off ourselves and put them on God! If not we will miss it. We will miss the most incredible gift of all : KNOWING GOD!!
Trying to put both eyes on the Father,
feeling a little cross-eyed!!
Robbie
Praise God! Through prayer, we are invited to come into His presence as children come to their father. Jesus' death revealed the love of God for us.
Jesus prayed!!!!
If Jesus found it necessary to maintain a continual, active prayer life, what is your excuse for not praying? What is my excuse? I know that I complain that I don't have enough time. I also use the excuse that I am to tired. etc. What about you? What excuses are you using? If Jesus can pray the night before his execution then none of our excuses mean anything. We cannot get close to God without prayer. It is a gift!!
Do you want to know Him? Do you want to know him just casually like you would an acquaintance? Or do you long to know him like Adam, Enoch, Noah; where they walked with him and talked to him. When he was preparing the disciples for his departure they were devastated. Jesus was their friend. They were going to miss him. I want to know him like they knew him. I want to be OBEDIENT to his call on my life. I want to care more about what God thinks than what others think. I want to be God's friend!! Can you image him looking down from heaven and calling us his friends? We have to make a deliberate decision to seek to know God, and that comes from alone time with him in prayer and reading his word. However you are spending your time and with whom determines your wants and your desires and your dreams. It determines everything.
I know I have said this before that salvation is free but to follow Jesus will cost you everything. God has big plans for you and me. We have a purpose to fulfill for God! Jesus had a purpose to fulfill for God. In order for Jesus to finish God's work, Jesus had to keep the focus and embrace the purpose with a single mind and heart! He had to yield his life to God. (surrender, submit, humility).
If you and I are able to finish God's plan for us then we can't be satisfied with just squeezing by to get to heaven. We have to become single-minded and focused as we embrace God's purpose for our life. We have got to take our eyes off ourselves and put them on God! If not we will miss it. We will miss the most incredible gift of all : KNOWING GOD!!
Trying to put both eyes on the Father,
feeling a little cross-eyed!!
Robbie
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
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
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
Monday, April 19, 2010
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
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
Sunday, April 18, 2010
"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
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
Saturday, April 17, 2010
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
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
Thursday, April 15, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
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 before
she 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
she 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
Friday, April 9, 2010
So, yesterday I got to see my husband's grandfather, who is 89 years old. He is almost blind in both of his eyes and can only see you, as he describes it, through a cloud (which may not be so bad sometimes). A couple days before that I got to visit my father, who is 76 years old and can hardly get out of his chair to walk because of a blood clot that has now formed in his leg. 
(pic of PaPop and the kids)
These two individuals are getting old, and along with it comes some hard times and hard things to have to face. My dad never sat still. He was always outside rambling the woods. Don's grandfather was always traveling, and he mentioned yesterday that it had been 8 years since he has driven a car.
Why do we get stopped in our tracks sometimes? Why do we get the things that are so important to us taken away from one week to the next? One year we find ourselves living life to the fullest and the next we look around and we are no longer living that same type of life.
Why do we get stopped in our tracks sometimes? Why do we get the things that are so important to us taken away from one week to the next? One year we find ourselves living life to the fullest and the next we look around and we are no longer living that same type of life.
(pic of me and my dad)
I think we need to look around today and see where we are heading. I'm not talking about these two men now. I'm just taking a look at something physical and trying to make sense of it spiritually for my own sake. What kind of life are we living for Him? Are we too busy doing our own thing that we can't see what's right in front of our eyes? Let's not get so caught up in the things of this world and the works we are doing that we miss the one thing that God has planned for us.
Robbie mentioned that we asked God to slam the door shut on the speaking engagement if it were not His will. But, wait....what if....it IS His will. We have begged Him to use us, and then when He tries, we freeze up and run away from it like dogs with our tails tucked between our legs. We run, looking back and screaming, "Lord, shut the door if you don't want us to do this." He's looking down going, "What? What did they just say?"
God doesn't know what to do with the Yahweh Sisters sometimes. I know He has to be sitting up there on that throne laughing at us.
We have to start truly being used by the Father because we never know when things are going to stop in their tracks for us. Everyday we get another day older. Even though we grow older and have some ailments that slow us down sometimes, it doesn't mean we can't continue to be used by the Father. My dad continues to bless others with his wisdom.
Let's not wait until we get slowed down to move forward with God.
"Lord, today I ask for your hand to rest upon our lives. I ask that you open our eyes to see clearer the direction that you have for us to go in. We don't have to see the whole picture, even though, we will look if you want to show it to us, but we want to see us moving in the right direction. Draw us closer to your side today Lord and direct us in the decisions that we make and the words that we speak. Give us your grace to walk in the world around us that you have placed us in. I ask for your continued healing on my dad and on PaPop. I thank you today Lord for your mercy, your love and your forgiveness. I thank you for provision and protection over my family. You are such an amazing God and I never grow tired of being in your presence."
For Your will to be done
Jennifer
Thursday, April 8, 2010
I realized this week that the Yahweh Sisters shouldn't all go on vacation at the same time because we never know who is posting & on what days. Sorry if we have slacked a bit in the postings.
It has taken me a while to get back into the swing of our culture here after being gone for my week to Guatemala. When God takes you on a journey that He has set for you, then it is quite a ride. I have felt like I have been in a different world altogether. You get on a spiritual high & it is hard to operate in "this" world...just ask my friends & family...I've been a little weird lately. But when you begin to do what you know God has called you to do then you have such a peace...with everything. The house can be falling down, tornadoes all around you, bills piling up, & you remain at peace with everything. I had to snap myself out of it so that I could get back to "operating".
I sat at the beach this week & looked out at all that God has given us & thought about how ungrateful we can be at times. We forget to say thank you for even the small things. We go all year & then on Easter Sunday we remember to say thank you God for your Son & for dying for our filth & sins & then raising from the dead so that we may live. Let's remember to thank Him every morning & every night for all that He has done. Even if you have had the "worst" day of your life, still thank Him. You don't know how much worse it could have been. He has done so much that we don't even see. He has us wrapped in His arms at all times & let's us move & go about as He wills & as we allow Him to will.
I think God is taking the Sisters on a journey that none of us knew was coming...some things as a group & some things individually. I am so thankful today for what He is doing in us & as much as we resist some things sometimes...if He has a plan & we are open to it then it will come to pass. Be open. Be thankful. Be in His will. God has so much for you, for me, for us....
continuing to grow...
Jennifer
It has taken me a while to get back into the swing of our culture here after being gone for my week to Guatemala. When God takes you on a journey that He has set for you, then it is quite a ride. I have felt like I have been in a different world altogether. You get on a spiritual high & it is hard to operate in "this" world...just ask my friends & family...I've been a little weird lately. But when you begin to do what you know God has called you to do then you have such a peace...with everything. The house can be falling down, tornadoes all around you, bills piling up, & you remain at peace with everything. I had to snap myself out of it so that I could get back to "operating".
I sat at the beach this week & looked out at all that God has given us & thought about how ungrateful we can be at times. We forget to say thank you for even the small things. We go all year & then on Easter Sunday we remember to say thank you God for your Son & for dying for our filth & sins & then raising from the dead so that we may live. Let's remember to thank Him every morning & every night for all that He has done. Even if you have had the "worst" day of your life, still thank Him. You don't know how much worse it could have been. He has done so much that we don't even see. He has us wrapped in His arms at all times & let's us move & go about as He wills & as we allow Him to will.
I think God is taking the Sisters on a journey that none of us knew was coming...some things as a group & some things individually. I am so thankful today for what He is doing in us & as much as we resist some things sometimes...if He has a plan & we are open to it then it will come to pass. Be open. Be thankful. Be in His will. God has so much for you, for me, for us....
continuing to grow...
Jennifer
Monday, April 5, 2010
Prayer & Faith......
It is real simple, either God is a God who answers prayers, or he doesn't. If He doesn't answer prayer it is foolish to pray, and if He does answer prayer then it is foolish not to pray. I believe He answers prayers!
Do you ever feel like you see God only as the giver and you as the receiver? I know I do. This is why we miss the true meaning of prayer and faith! Did you know that prayer and faith are how we become givers to God? Prayer is a way for us to become instruments for God to do what he wants. We have to become aligned with God's purpose, then our prayers will be able to move mountains. They shouldn't be used just to get things from God. Prayer and faith should be used as a way to give to God and please him.
We spend so much time asking for things in prayer that will change our circumstances instead of allowing prayer to change us. But if you are like me you might not know how to pray! To be effective in our prayers we have to meet certain condition's for approaching God in prayer in a way that will bring answers:
First you start out by praising him. Thank him about everything in your life. Praise him for the sunshine, anything that comes into your mind praise him. If it is a serious prayer always pray with your bibles open. Read scripture to him. There are lots of scripture that describe His attributes, look for them and read them aloud to Him. Remember that the Spirit of God and the Word of God ALWAYS work together! The power of the Holy Spirit works through our prayers ONLY if they are in line with the Word of God. This means that to pray effectively we must know what the Bible says. We must bring the Word and the Spirit together in our prayers because then the whole creative power and ability of Almighty God is available to us.
Then you want to make sure that you ask for forgiveness for all your sins. Spend some time doing this. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any unconfessed sin. Unconfessed sin creates a barrier between you and God. It even short-circuits faith and assurance. Failure to repent will cause estrangement from God. For example when Jesus was about to take his last breath and he cried out "Father why have you forsaken me?" At that moment Jesus had taken all the sins of the whole world upon himself. And at that moment Jesus could sense God had turned his back on him. God cannot get near sin! The minute we confess our wrongdoings, God is right back flooding our hearts with peace, joy and assurance. I have always laughed with Beth Moore whenever she says she stays "prayed up for forgiveness". Don't let to many hours pass without asking the Holy Spirit's help with revealing to you any unconfessed sin. Pray without ceasing.
After repentance, then align yourself with God's will. I want you to think about this prayer that we are all familiar with:
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This is the Key to unlocking God's Will in your prayer life. This is how you align yourself up with God's will and not your own. We address God as our Father and that is who we are praying too. Hallowed be Your name, is a sign of worship. It is an attitude of reverence. Notice the next lines "Your kingdom come" and then "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Notice you aren't praying for what you need! Then the prayer continues with "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses." Always start with God's purposes, what is important to God. We have to get out of our prayer pits where we sit and wonder why I can't get what I want? Who is going to help me? What do I get out of this prayer? By aligning ourselves with God's will instead of what our inner man (aka the flesh) wants, we will start to see the powerful impact of our prayers. A powerful prayer life that can changes lives! Don't you want that? There is so much that God has for us and we are cutting ourselves short of the many blessings God has for us because we are so wrapped up in our lives and it is all about me, me, and more me.
God is not some magic Genie in a bottle who is here to grant us three wishes. It is so easy for me to be happy with my prayers and think they are just fine when things are going my way. But let me hit a bump in the road and all of a sudden, what I wanted isn't coming to me. I start praying God you are bound by your word. You are supposed to do this ....... is your word really true?
These are only some of the reasons we miss how Prayer and Faith can affect our lives. The most beautiful thing I can share with you today is: We cannot sin our way out of God's Grace! Nothing can pry us from our Fathers hand!
Father thank you for loving me even when I have accused you of not living up to my expectations. Help show us how to have a powerful Prayer life. Align us Father with your will for our lives. Renew our minds Father, teach us to be humble and not proud. Father I pray that we, your children, will release the aroma of Christ in our lives. We pray for your will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Trying to align myself with His will,
Robbie
Do you ever feel like you see God only as the giver and you as the receiver? I know I do. This is why we miss the true meaning of prayer and faith! Did you know that prayer and faith are how we become givers to God? Prayer is a way for us to become instruments for God to do what he wants. We have to become aligned with God's purpose, then our prayers will be able to move mountains. They shouldn't be used just to get things from God. Prayer and faith should be used as a way to give to God and please him.
We spend so much time asking for things in prayer that will change our circumstances instead of allowing prayer to change us. But if you are like me you might not know how to pray! To be effective in our prayers we have to meet certain condition's for approaching God in prayer in a way that will bring answers:
First you start out by praising him. Thank him about everything in your life. Praise him for the sunshine, anything that comes into your mind praise him. If it is a serious prayer always pray with your bibles open. Read scripture to him. There are lots of scripture that describe His attributes, look for them and read them aloud to Him. Remember that the Spirit of God and the Word of God ALWAYS work together! The power of the Holy Spirit works through our prayers ONLY if they are in line with the Word of God. This means that to pray effectively we must know what the Bible says. We must bring the Word and the Spirit together in our prayers because then the whole creative power and ability of Almighty God is available to us.
Then you want to make sure that you ask for forgiveness for all your sins. Spend some time doing this. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any unconfessed sin. Unconfessed sin creates a barrier between you and God. It even short-circuits faith and assurance. Failure to repent will cause estrangement from God. For example when Jesus was about to take his last breath and he cried out "Father why have you forsaken me?" At that moment Jesus had taken all the sins of the whole world upon himself. And at that moment Jesus could sense God had turned his back on him. God cannot get near sin! The minute we confess our wrongdoings, God is right back flooding our hearts with peace, joy and assurance. I have always laughed with Beth Moore whenever she says she stays "prayed up for forgiveness". Don't let to many hours pass without asking the Holy Spirit's help with revealing to you any unconfessed sin. Pray without ceasing.
After repentance, then align yourself with God's will. I want you to think about this prayer that we are all familiar with:
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This is the Key to unlocking God's Will in your prayer life. This is how you align yourself up with God's will and not your own. We address God as our Father and that is who we are praying too. Hallowed be Your name, is a sign of worship. It is an attitude of reverence. Notice the next lines "Your kingdom come" and then "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Notice you aren't praying for what you need! Then the prayer continues with "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses." Always start with God's purposes, what is important to God. We have to get out of our prayer pits where we sit and wonder why I can't get what I want? Who is going to help me? What do I get out of this prayer? By aligning ourselves with God's will instead of what our inner man (aka the flesh) wants, we will start to see the powerful impact of our prayers. A powerful prayer life that can changes lives! Don't you want that? There is so much that God has for us and we are cutting ourselves short of the many blessings God has for us because we are so wrapped up in our lives and it is all about me, me, and more me.
God is not some magic Genie in a bottle who is here to grant us three wishes. It is so easy for me to be happy with my prayers and think they are just fine when things are going my way. But let me hit a bump in the road and all of a sudden, what I wanted isn't coming to me. I start praying God you are bound by your word. You are supposed to do this ....... is your word really true?
These are only some of the reasons we miss how Prayer and Faith can affect our lives. The most beautiful thing I can share with you today is: We cannot sin our way out of God's Grace! Nothing can pry us from our Fathers hand!
Father thank you for loving me even when I have accused you of not living up to my expectations. Help show us how to have a powerful Prayer life. Align us Father with your will for our lives. Renew our minds Father, teach us to be humble and not proud. Father I pray that we, your children, will release the aroma of Christ in our lives. We pray for your will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Trying to align myself with His will,
Robbie
Thursday, April 1, 2010
I just returned home from a medical missions trip to Guatemala. It was my first missions trip and I was not sure what to expect. Now I know why. You can't go expecting anything because what you bring back from a trip like that is far more than any expectations that you could have had.
We started out a little slow. The government confiscated our medications and would not release them from customs, and we had to end up paying a large tax and bribe to get the medicines released to us. Once we prayed through that and got our medicines released, we went to work. We saw over 1000 people in 3.5 days. We went to an orphanage and saw the children and helpers there. Then we went to a church, an island, and up 9500 feet on a mountain to see pa
tients. The people there have very little healthcare, and what they do have they cannot afford to pay for, so they are unable to be treated or seen by any type of healthcare provider.
tients. The people there have very little healthcare, and what they do have they cannot afford to pay for, so they are unable to be treated or seen by any type of healthcare provider. We took a team of 6 doctors, 5 nurses, and 3 helpers and were able to see everyone 
that came out. We treated a lot of arthritis, skin conditions, infections, respiratory problems, and pain, and we gave everyone a pack of vitamins. We gave out deworming medication and gave eyeglasses to those that needed them. The medicines that we brought and distributed were only temporary fixes though. The one thing that we could bring these people that would last forever is the love of God. We were able to pray for them and hold their hand, hug them, tell them we loved them, tell them God lov
ed them, and let them feel His love flow through us 
to them.
that came out. We treated a lot of arthritis, skin conditions, infections, respiratory problems, and pain, and we gave everyone a pack of vitamins. We gave out deworming medication and gave eyeglasses to those that needed them. The medicines that we brought and distributed were only temporary fixes though. The one thing that we could bring these people that would last forever is the love of God. We were able to pray for them and hold their hand, hug them, tell them we loved them, tell them God lov
ed them, and let them feel His love flow through us 
to them.
It was amazing in every aspect of the word. I cried as I left the airport to go there, thinking "what have I gotten myself into?". Then, I cried as I left to come back home, thinking "my heart belongs here". There is such a feeling of
emptiness when you leave those places and the people there. Although I missed my family back home something terribly and longed to see them, I felt like Guatemala was where I was needed. It was where I felt "full" at a
nd leaving it was pulling a part of my heart away with it.The last morning before we left, I went to the rooftop and was spending some time praying. I kept hearing a bird on a bush beside me, so I looked over. It was a black crow and was perched so perfectly on the bush singing as loud as it could. I sat and watched it for about 2 minutes and then as quick as it came, it flew away, singing the whole way. I asked God what He was trying to tell me. I felt like He was saying, "You are like that bird. You are here only temporary to come and plant your feet firmly where I have you to work. You sing a beautiful song with the gifts that I have given you to use, but when I am finished with you here, you have to spread your wings and fly away to the next place.". That is not an easy thing to do. You start to bond with the peop
le of Guatemala, you feel their pain, you see their hurt, you take on their burdens and spiritual struggles, you try to bring hope into their life, and then you have to leave. It pulled very hard at my heart strings as we left those places eac
h day, but I found life in knowing that God put me here for only this short time. He knew that I would come and go, that I would land, sing, and then fly away again. He purposed me for this time and only for this time.I cannot tell you how blessed I am by what I have been able to experience in those days. The opportunity that I had was such a life changing event for me and I praise God for the chance to serve.
God knows where I shall go to next. I have ideas, but He knows. In His timing will it be revealed. I know that this is part of my life now and I will go and do as He says go.
Until then, I will continue to spread my wings and fly...my feet will land when God is ready for them to.
Jennifer
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