Christmas lives on!

Christmas is my absolute favorite season of the year. It always has been and always will be. I love putting up the tree and decorating it with the unmatching ornaments. The ones made by my kids, the ones I just thought were to cute to pass up, and of course it would not be complete without my Precious Moments ornaments.

But now, that Christmas day has come and the evening settles in, I get a little melancholy. Christmas always comes and goes so fast. This year as it comes to an end, however, I am filled with new thoughts. As a believer does Christmas really ever end? Doesn't the meaning live on in my heart? Shouldn't the joy I feel the urge to spread at Christmas continue on? It really should. The message of my Savior should not stop with the end of Christmas. His story goes on. It doesn't end at His birth. If it did, it wouldn't be so amazing.

What really makes Christmas amazing is the whole story. How my God came down one day and became a baby. He crawled, cried, and felt the touch of a mother's hand. He was rocked to sleep at night, and saw the same stars that I do now. He felt the warmth of the sun upon His skin and walked miles on hard dirt. Then He taught of His Father's love, and how to live life. He showed the way to everlasting life. He went through hard times, and had to say goodbye to loved ones. He saw the pain that this world brings. Then He paid the ultimate price and gave up His life for me. He willingly died so that I don't have, too. He paid the price for all my sins and set me free.

His life should be celebrated everyday. Songs should fill the air of His love all the time. Joy should ring out from sea to sea all year long. Christmas is just the beginning of the story, and it is not the end. So this Christmas even as I take down the decorations and pack them to be put away, Christmas will stay in my heart the whole year through. Joy will come each day, with each new dawn. I will celebrate my Savior's life each and every day. Won't you join with me and let Christmas live on. Have a blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Give Thanks

It's that time of year again. Today people everywhere are getting up early to get the turkey in the oven. The houses have delicious aromas for hours. The Christmas music starts to get played on the radio. The cool weather is a welcome relief, here in Arizona, at least. I love this time of year.

Families will gather around the table today and share what they are thankful for. Time to put aside petty squabbles and enjoy all the blessings we have. I wonder how many of us though, will thank our Lord? Don't get me wrong, I think it's great to be thankful family, pets, and loved ones. I myself am thankful for my wonderful family. But we would have none of this if it wasn't for our Lord. He created this entire world. He gave us our families. He willingly went to the cross and died to pay for all our sins. I don't know anyone else who showed that much love and continues to do so. Do you? So, let's give thanks this year to Him, also.

And there are other important people who don't get enough recognition. Our service men and women. Some of them are even fighting for us today. They don't get to sit around a table with their families and enjoy a grand feast. They are out there with fellow soldiers fighting for our freedom. Some will even give their lives today. Give thanks to all those men and women who have so willingly put others first.

May you all be blessed this Thanksgiving day, and enjoy your families. If your family is far away, give them a call and keep them close in your heart. Be thankful you have the opportunity to say I love you and don't let the day end without doing so.

Amazing

I want to share with you an experience I had on Friday, October 15th that was amazing. I was called by God to go and talk before 800 people at a local event about child sex slavery. It was a five minute talk with slides, and it had to follow the format that was set up. There were other presenters that evening, too. I was in the second half of the evening, so I watched the others go before me. They were all fantastic. I grew a little more nervous as my time approached. I drank two bottles of water backstage before my talk trying to keep from getting a dry mouth out on stage. My time came. I walked out on stage and started out a little nervous. During my first slide I froze after I got out my first two sentences. Finally, the words came back into my mind. I began speaking and I felt my mouth getting drier and drier. I wished I had brought another bottle of water out with me. I felt my tongue get bigger and I felt I could barely talk. I got through all my slides and left the stage feeling I had let God down.

Then the most amazing thing happened. I had people coming up to me, telling me how great my talk was. They told me they could feel my passion for these teens. I had a couple of ladies tell me that they cried. Another woman approached me and invited me to be on her local talk show. I had a college professor of journalism approach me, and wanted to talk more about the subject. She is looking for something for her students to do an in depth story on. I don't tell you this to brag about myself. Quite the opposite. I want you to know that this was not me. It was a miracle. That is the only way I can describe that these people were touched. Out of obedience I did as God asked of me, and opened my mouth. He did the rest. He poured out the words. He made the words passionate and understandable. I still am so amazed as I think on that night. I did nothing at all except walk out on the stage a willing vessel to be used. I want to encourage you, if God is calling you to something big, don't be afraid to take that step. He will do what needs to be done. If He needs to be your voice, He will. As long as you surrender to Him, He will do something amazing with you. It will be something you will not forget.

I am so glad that I experienced this, because I know God is not done with me yet. I know that He is calling me to do more to help end child sex slavery. I know that some of it will be scarier than speaking in front of all those people. But, now I also know that I have nothing to fear, because my Almighty, Amazing Father will be there with me. He will protect me, show me the way, and be right at my side. I learned that as long I step out in obedience, He will take care of the rest. That is an awesome feeling to have. I pray that all of you will have something like this happen in your life so you can experience it first hand.

Become Family

I recently watched an intense movie. It was nothing at all like I was expecting. There are two scenes that stay in mind and keep playing over and over. I will purposely not tell you the title of the movie, so hopefully I won't ruin it for you, but to write this blog I have to share the scenes. The first one shows a father and his son holding hands walking towards a ship that will save them from the end of the world. The little boy looks at his dad with tears in his eyes and asks, “why are they saying that.” There are some men who have come to escort the little boy. The dad cannot hear the men, only the son can. The dad is able to figure it out. He was not chosen to go. Only the boy who could hear these voices and was chosen. The boy does not want to leave his dad behind. He is torn. His dad though, insists his son go and tells him they will all be together again.

I watched this story and it really made me start to think. Do we all know people who we love who are not chosen? Who are not serving the Lord and when the end comes we will have to be separated from them? It should cause all of us to reach out even more. We need to do all that we can so that when the end comes our family is with us and not left behind. And if we as humans feel this strong pull, how much more does our Father and Creator long for all to choose Him. He wants all of His children to be with Him. He is holding out His hand and waiting as long as He can so that more will choose Him. His word says, He tarries not because He is unloving, but because He does not want one to perish. He is waiting for His children, to reach back and grab onto Him.

The second scene that haunts my mind, shows a family huddling together waiting to die. They know the flames are coming and they understand the truth. Now all they can do it wait for death. To me these people symbolize the people who waited to long to decide. What a horrible feeling to find the truth after it is too late. It is worse than not knowing. But I do know. I have known the truth since I was six years old. Yes, I have rebelled and tried to walk away when it hurt too much. But my heart always returns. I feel the truth inside of me and it overcomes the lies every time. It burns in me and refuses to be quenched.

So, now I know the truth, what do I do? Do I keep quiet? Do I just pray that things will change? I can't. I feel just a little bit of what our Father does. I feel the pain of those who are undecided. I grieve for them, even though they don't understand why. I long for them to see the truth and be set free. I want the scene to change for them. I want them to be holding my hand getting ready to meet our Creator. I don't want them to be left behind. I believe that is why God has me writing these blogs. I can share my faith, my feelings, and be totally honest. For those of you out there who have questions and doubts, don't give up on finding the truth. Jeremiah 29:12-14 speaks this truth. When you search for me with all your heart, you will find Me. This verse has always had a very special meaning to me because my name means seeker of Truth and this is the verse that goes with it. I was given a plaque with this at a young age and I always remember it. Seek Him with all your heart, you will not be disappointed. Don't put it off. Become a part of the family.

Unconditional Love

When you were younger did you come up with a list of what your perfect mate would be? The color of their hair or how tall they would be? I know I had a list. My sisters and I would talk about it a lot and then we would “play house” and our “perfect husbands” would be there. Almost so real you could see him. For those of you who have never done this I am sorry. You must be thinking, “Where is she going with this?” Well, I will tell you where.

At times as adults, I believe we still keep lists in our heads. We want our spouse to be just like so and so's spouse with a little of this other person's spouse. We expect them to behave in a certain way and answer all our questions they way we want them answered. I believe we put unfair demands on them in our mind, and then we get upset when we feel they failed us. But, how could they have failed us when they don't have a clue what is going on in our minds? Why do we set ourselves up for this pain time and again when we know what the results will be? I wish I had an answer for you. The best I can give is that we are human and we make mistakes. I know for me, that I like to play out the conversation in my mind so I will prepared for it and know what to say. I get nervous when I have to stop in a conversation and think. The other reason I have done it, is because I like a lot of people tend to think the grass is greener on the other side.

We don't just do this with our spouses. We do this with every person we know, and even with people we don't know. We expect our friends, family, even strangers to behave a certain way. Just like I am sure people expect us to behave in certain ways. I believe if we would all stop playing this game we could truly be real with others and they could be real with us.

In reading the Bible we are told to love one another. That is it. That is the sentence. Just love. Not change, manipulate, or control their lives. We don't need to tell others how to live their lives. It is not ours to live. To truly love someone where they are at, shows great character. No demands get in the way. There are no expectations. You won't get disappointed, because all you will be doing is loving.

We are suppose to follow the ways of Jesus. Did you ever once hear Him say I will love you if you only do this? I find the exact opposite. We are told that no matter what sin we do, He still loves us. He loves us when we don't even know Him. When we won't even acknowledge Him, He still loves us. He loves us so much in fact, that He sent His only Son down to this place to suffer and die for us. That is true unconditional love.

I would like to challenge you all to start out by loving your spouse unconditionally. Note the changes you see in yourself, and maybe even in your spouse. You will free them to be themselves. No more pretending, or walking around on egg shells. Then move on to your kids, and so on. I would love to hear from you to see how it changes your life. I will be taking the challenge right along with you.

From Hurting to Loving

Have you ever had things not go your way? Did you just want to pitch a fit and let the world know you were not happy? I think at times we all have. Let's face is the world is full of humans and we are bound to run into someone who will upset us at some point in our life. We'll get some news by phone that we just didn't want to hear. We'll go to bed at times and wish we could have a do over for the day.
So now that I have convinced you it will happen, what's next?

For me I have learned that there doesn't always have to be a next step. Just because you get upset does not mean that you have to vent it all. And also, at the same time don't walk around with a fake smile. Those closest to you will notice it. Sometimes you just need to take a time out. Think about what is really bothering you. Have you given it to God yet? Have you prayed about it? If you answer no to either of these then you should do that first, before opening your big mouth. Lessons I am learning lately. Why do we have to do something first to realize it wasn't a good idea?

The world is watching you. How you handle yourself in any given situation says a lot about who you are. Do you want people to know you as disagreeable and selfish, always having to have the last word? Or do you want people to see you as patient and in control of your emotions. Emotions aren't a bad thing as long as they are not used improperly. If you use your emotions or problems to hurt others, its wrong. You don't have to hurt someone to make a point. Words once spoken cannot be taken back. Once they leave your lips they are out there. If they are words spoken out of line, or at the wrong time they will be remembered most. Do this for a test if you don't believe me. On one side of a piece of paper write down all the things you can think of that people have said to hurt you. On the other side write down all the things people have said to encourage you. Which list is longer? If you are honest, the negative side is usually longer. Not necessarily because people have said more wrong things to you, but because there are raw emotions tied to those negative words.

And what if you are the person who has made someone else's day bad? Let's face it, not one of us is perfect, so at times we will be the one to upset others. More times than not it will be the people we love the most, too. We feel safe hurting them, because we know they will still love us. If you have hurt someone lift them back up. Apologize, and then take it one step further. Do something positive for them. Make them feel loved.

Love is the bottom line. We all want to feel accepted and loved. Treat others this way and they will want to treat you the same way. Stop abusing the ones you love and start loving them like they deserved to be loved. Start with fixing yourself, and let the others in the world do the same thing. You can't change someone with anger, but you can with love. You can make their life better.

Isn't that what Jesus did? He didn't make the prostitutes, or the tax collectors feel worthless. He showered them with love and He changed their lives. I read a fictional short story lately about a grumpy angel. He was a man who was grumpy his entire life and then given an assignment as an angel to help three people. He was really cranky at first and then he saw how the other grouchy people made others feel. His heart began to soften. He felt remorse for how he had treated his own family and became a very happy angel. God was so impressed with how much he had changed, He gave him a second chance. It was a cute little story with such a powerful message. Take your second chance now and make things right.

Surrender

If I asked you how to define surrender, how would you do it? What are the first words that come to mind? Probably something along the lines of, "put up the white flag" or "throw in the towel right"? We have been taught in our lives that surrender has a negative connotation to it. It means to give up. Doesn't sound like something we would want to do. Especially not something we would want to do voluntarily.

If however, we are to think of surrender with our faith it takes on a whole new meaning. It is the most positive thing you can do. Surrender to God. Surrender to the One who knows what He is doing, and allow Him to have control. Would you like to have less pressure? Do you want help in making the big decisions? Surrender. I am not promising it will be easy. If you are like me and have control issues it will be very hard.

Surrender can bring peace to your life. It can make you realize your true place in life. We were not meant to conquer all evil. We weren't given super human powers to be in all places, taking care of all situations. We were born with a Father who can take care of everything if we let Him. By putting your trust in God and allowing Him to lead the way, so many problems can be averted. You won't have to learn so many hard lessons. I have tried over and over to fix problems. I make them bigger and messier than when they started out. My heart might be in the right place, but that is the problem. I act with my heart and don't think. I just start doing something and sooner or later I am faced with a bigger problem. The sooner each of us learns to surrender the better it is.

You may be thinking that your life is going just fine right now. Why surrender? Well, when things start crashing down and life throws you a curve ball, don't you want to be in the correct position? Take it from someone who has been down this road many times. Being totally surrendered to God could have saved me a lot of pain. I still have issues with total surrender and am trying to let go. If you think you can fix everything and you try and fail it depletes you. And if you're stubborn like me and keep trying you get a little more depleted each time. There is no need to wear yourself out. Troubles will come. We do not live in a perfect world. Sooner or later you will need help. Its much easier to recognize that when you are in a good position.

I have made the decision to surrender all to God. I will stop trying to fix everything and allow Him to do what needs to be done. I have surrendered. I pray that you will be encouraged to do so, too. Allow Him to have His rightful place. Be a servant like you were called to be and be freed by not having to make all the decisions. Submit to God, and allow Him to show you the way. You will be able to do more for Him than you can on your own.

In the Game

Johnny looks up at the coach and says, “ Coach, coach, put me in. Come on I am ready.” The coach turns to Johnny and says, “ I am sorry, but you have not made it to all the practices this week, and you don't know the plays. I can't put you in there. You will either get hurt, or confuse the other players. I am sorry, but until you discipline yourself to make it to practices and study the plays, you can't play.”

Haven't we all been in that place before? Now, you might not have played sports, but isn't there something you would love to do but you can't? It hurts when we can't do what we want. No one likes to be told no. But sometimes we truly aren't ready for what it is we want to do.

Our walk with God can be like this. We may feel like we can take on any ministry. Which you can if you have done what it necessary to prepare. Going into a ministry takes preparation. You need to first of all know the word of God. Not everyone out there is willing to listen. There will be people who want to fight with you on what the word says. You have got to know your word. You have to study them, and be familiar with them. I understand that most of us will never be able to memorize large portions of the Bible. You do however, need to be familiar with what the Bible says.

How else do you prepare? You pray. Not just a five minute prayer. You pray continually. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Don't go onto the field without praying. There are some big players out there ready to tackle you. It won't be easy, no matter how much practice you have. You have to have the heart to stay in the game and be ready to fight. Prayer will help you. It will strengthen you and keep you focused.

You need to find a local church and be a part of it. This will be your biggest support. Everyone needs their supporting fans. They will be to encourage you, pray with you, and give you advice when you need it. You can't do this alone.

To be ready for ministry you have to be willing to be a team player. You have to realize that there are others working alongside you. Some of them will be strong where you are weak. Some will have more knowledge than you. You have to know your team players and be willing to work with them. More importantly you have to recognize you are all on the same team, and the goal is the same. Don't forget who the Coach is. Sometimes we tend to get out there and things are going well, and we start to let pride creep in. We can forget who the Coach is if we are not careful. God is the one calling the plays, not us. He know the game plan. He knows how we can have the victory. You have to be ready and willing to listen to the Coach. Don't go into anything blindly. Take the time to train your ears to hear the voice of God. He wants to teach you. He wants you to be able to hear Him. This is what He created you for. When you truly seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. Then you will be ready to play in the big game.

Don't you long to hear Him say, “You are ready. Go in there and do what I taught you. Remember the plans. Stay on the right path, and victory will be ours!”

May God show you your position, and may you listen for His voice so you can be an active part of the game.

How Big is Your Faith?

I always liked to imagine that if I was in Peter's place when he stepped out of the boat, to walk to Jesus that I would have made it the whole way. Then reality hits me. Things in life happen and I want to run the other way. I want to stay in bed and pretend its all just a bad dream. But I can't do that. There are people who depend on me and I am forced to get moving. It's then I realize I don't even have faith the size of a mustard seed.

I used to think that scripture was weird. “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move that mountain.” Surely everyone that calls themselves a Christian has faith bigger than that right? Why aren't mountains moving? Again reality hits and it all makes sense.

When something bad happens what's the first thought that comes into our heads? If we are honest more than likely its, “Why didn't God step in?” “Where is He anyway?” Our questions show our lack of faith. We don't even think it may be our own fault. How much time do I devote to God? How much do I really put into the relationship? If I do spend a lot of time with God then I would recognize that its not in His nature to watch His children suffer. He allows us to go through things so that we will spend more time with Him and searching for Him. He wants our lives to shine for Him. When we stop shining, He allows things to happen to get us back on track. Let's face it. This world we live in is not our home. Its a temporary place filled with disappointments, hurt, and sin. We have joy at times, it's not all gloomy. But we will never truly feel at home this side of heaven.

Getting back to our faith. Could you just imagine if we all could somehow attain faith the size of a mustard seed. Have you seen a mustard seed? If not, check it out. One tiny mustard seed is not big at all. If we all could have that kind of faith, even in the tough times, mountains would be moving.

Imagine the difference we could all make. If we could actually show God's power in our lives. If people saw that power we wouldn't be begging others to attend church with us for special events. We would have trouble finding space to fit everyone, because they would all want what we have.

Miracles would be happening more, people would be kinder to one another. The sick would get the help they need. People would be taking in the homeless. Debts would get paid. We would be a family instead of everyone out for themselves. It would be the closest thing to heaven on earth if we all stepped up to the plate. You may be thinking, “I don't know what I can do.” Or, “But you don't know what I am going through.” That may be true. We all go through things though. Paul was flogged and left for dead. Stephen was actually stoned to death. Many disciples were beaten and died martyr's death. There are still Christians today being persecuted and killed. Death does not scare them away from helping. Many are reaching out to strangers in a foreign land. People put their lives on the line for someone they never met, just to get the chance to help them. How do they do this? They have faith. Are they super human? No, they just believe the Word of God and live their lives like they do. I want to have faith like that. That is where I want to go. Are there obstacles in my way? Of course. But when I get that faith as big as a mustard seed, those mountains will come crashing down. I pray the same will happen for all of you.

Being a good Wife

As a little girl I knew I always wanted to be a wife and a mother. I played house a lot and always dreamed of the day I would have my own family. I started babysitting at age 11 and loved spending time with the kids. As a little girl though and even in to my adult years though I didn't fully understand what it meant to be a good wife.

You all have heard the saying we marry our husbands hoping to change them. We go into the marriage feeling confident enough we can get our man to do what we want. The focus is all on us. He needs to make me happy. He needs to be like so and so's husband. The lists go on and on in our head and we start building up the dream man. We totally lose focus on what it is to be a wife. I know this. I failed miserably at being a wife for the longest time in my marriage. Even after I returned to God and to church I still acted to selfishly. If something wasn't going well my answer was always maybe we should just call it quits and get a divorce. Or we need to go talk to someone about our marriage. I am embarrassed at my behavior. Why I am sharing all this then? Because I know I can't be the only wife out there that feels like this. And I hope that if a younger wife or someone thinking about getting married will learn from my mistakes.

Husbands need to know we will be there for them no matter what. When we take our vows in front of our family, friends, and most importantly God we need to listen to what we are saying. Don't just repeat the words so that you will be married. Listen to your vows and take them seriously. You are promising to be by your husbands side through the good times and the bad. When there is money and when you are broke. When you healthy and if one of you were to get sick. You are promising to love only him, be with only him, and honor him. And for how long? Until he does something that makes you upset? Until you find someone “better”? No, until death do you part. You are promising to be with him until you draw your last breath.

When we think of our husbands we think of them being strong and confident. We don't realize we can crush them. And even little things add up after a while. Have you ever gone to a party and just had to tell your friends about this crazy thing your husband did? Did you ever glance at his face? He may be laughing but deep down you just hurt him. How would we feel if our husbands did that to us. We would give them the glare of death and they would know they would be in trouble.

We as women know the power we have over our husbands and we need to stop playing games with it. We need to build our husbands up. We need to let them know each and every day that we love them and are there for them no matter what. They need to know that there is nothing they can do that will ever disappoint us so much that we give up on them. Isn't this our Christ loves us. Can't we mess up time and again and He still forgives us? If we can practice forgiving others so well, why can't we forgive our husbands? We want to be forgiven don't we? Because we as wives make mistakes too. In a marriage there are two people. If a marriage fails its not one person's fault. It takes two to make a marriage and it also takes two to destroy one.

If you don't know where to begin read Proverbs 31. Here is what a wife should look like. Start listening to how you talk to your husband. Build him up. Let him know that you are there no matter what. Let him know how much you love him. Take care of the house. Make it look nice so when he comes home he sees your love in action. Prepare him his favorite meal out of the blue not just on birthdays. When he has to go on trips let him know how much you will miss him. Allow him to have his place in the house. God put man over woman in the house. He is to be head of the household. Let him be. Stop trying to control everything. Pray for your husband on a daily basis. Ask God to give you a scripture to pray over him. Be there for him.

It has taken me many years and tears to learn this. Don't take so long in finding it out. Save both of you some heartache and be the wife you have been called to be.

Love

I have been asked at times why I think my God is the real God. Why the God I serve is the right one. And there is one word that can answer that question. It is how God said people would know we belonged to Him. Love. You will not find the love that Christians have in any other religion. Not only love for fellow Christians but for their neighbors, community members, and the world. For people who are lost and need hope. I want to share with you just a few of the many organizations that show this love on a daily basis. My hope is that this will stir up something in you. That you will see the love that shines through and you will want that same love. Then also you may want to support or even volunteer for a organization and start changing the world too. It all begins with love.

Convoy of Hope is an organization that responds to tragedies world wide and even right here in the United States. When earthquakes, floods, and other disasters hit; they organize a team immediately and get on the road. They have a 300,000 square foot warehouse stocked with water and food to get out to the people. They have a fleet of trucks ready to roll. To date they have helped over 28 million people in 112 countries and 45 states. They have also started up nutrition programs in 120 countries. All volunteers, all filled with the love of Christ. If you go to their website you can learn more about them. You can see videos of their amazing work. They have doctors who willingly give their time and go to places like Haiti to help with the sick. In a world where money seems to talk that is not so with these people. Its about changing lives and spreading love.

World Vision is another organization. Reaching millions all over the world with the necessities of life. They are able to do this through sponsors who sign up and agree to sponsor a child. They find the way to provide food and water to these children. Giving these children a chance to grow, to be healthy, and to just be a child.

Teen Challenge was started by Rev. David Wilkerson. He was saddened by teen violence and the toll it was taking on his community. He gave up his pastoral job and went into helping teen gang members full time. It was the start of this wonderful program called Teen Challenge. Today teen challenge not only helps teens, it is there for adults as well. It is a well respected drug and alcohol addiction program that works. Why is it so successful? Because they don't just help these people get clean they help them find Jesus. They find the hope and the joy there is in God. A lot of love is in this program.

Home of Hope is a branch of the Teen Challenge program. It extends the program to moms with children. Often the children have no place to go when a mom enters a drug rehab program. Home of Hope offers a place for both the mom and the child. While the mom is getting well, she can still see her kids and families aren't separated. This can make a big difference in a mom deciding to stay.

The last program that I want to share is called Project Rescue. This program became a reality because K.K. Devarej. He was in India as part of Teen Challenge program there. He was helping get young people out of the drug world. He saw the sex trafficking problem and knew something had to be done. Project Rescue helps sex slave victims. They go in and negotiate the terms to get the girls and women out. They take in women who have been rescued from raids done by the police. They help to get the children out of the brothels and provide a safe place for them. Then after they get the women out, they give them medical attention, counseling, and job training. They help them to get back on their feet again. For those who have contacted HIV the provide care to them. Such a wonderful organization.

This is what happens when people believe in my God. They have this love inside of them to help others and they put it into action. They are the arms and hands of God here on earth. They are His workers and servants all doing it for the love of people. No one gets rich doing these things. Its not about money. Its about the people. And these are just a few organizations that are changing lives. There are so many more. There are individuals changing lives all over the place who we don't even know. You won't here about any of these people on the news. But that's okay because they aren't out for the glory. There goal is to reach as many people with the love of Christ as they can and to change lives. This is how I know that the God I serve is the God. No other God can inspire this much love. He has changed my life and He has changed the lives of so many others who are willing to give Him the chance. May you find the love of Christ to be true and then may you share it with others. God bless.

Come Home

At times we allow our minds to wander off the path. We start to think that we can handle life and anything that comes up. We begin to rely on ourselves. Before we know it we are off on our own and don't know how we got there. Its been so long since we allowed God to help us or even asked for His help. Can I really ask for His help now? Will He remember my voice? Do I remember how to talk to Him? Is it too late? Does He even love me anymore?

These are the questions we ask ourselves. And sadly sometimes we answer ourselves with the wrong answer. In our human minds we can't imagine the forgiveness that God holds in His hands. We can't imagine the love that He has for us. Humans aren't capable of it so we limit God and think He is not capable of those intense emotions. But He is. He is more than capable. The love He has for us is so overwhelming. There is nothing we can do to ever push Him away forever. He always wants us back. He is always waiting there with arms open wide ready to hug us. We just have to whisper the words and He runs to us. He picks us up with tears and a huge smile and says “I love you child.”

At times we can feel like God isn't there. We don't see the need to have Him around. He has done too good a job at taking care of us. He has spoiled us with His provision. He has helped us out of so many tough situations. He saved us from heartache we didn't even know was coming. We take Him for granted. We are selfish and demanding and want more. We learn at a young age to get what we want out of relationships. How many of us have ever been playing with a friend and they upset us, so we tell them, “I am not going to be your friend anymore.” We hope to make them feel what we are feeling. I believe we do that to God, too. We look up at the heavens, and we don't get our way when we want it and so we blame Him. We tell Him we don't need Him anymore.

Its easier to put the blame on someone else. It couldn't possibly be our fault that He didn't answer a specific prayer yet. We aren't the ones who are suppose to be all powerful. He is. We begin to treat Him like this magician. We want Him to wave His magic wand and make everything how we want it. Then when He doesn't we stop talking to Him. It breaks His heart. But you know what? He is still there. He is just waiting for you to knock on the door again. He is waiting for you to take that first step and then He will once again pick you up and welcome you home again.

That is love. That is true, unselfish love. Doesn't He deserve a little more from us? Can't we try and give a little more? I understand that He may be slow to answer your prayer and things may not be as you want them. But don't forget all the prayers He has already answered. Don't forget all He has already done for you. You will never find another friend who will give up their life for you. You will never find another friend who will take you back, no questions asked after hurting them time and again. You need to have Jesus as your friend. He is the only one with the ability to love like that.

Here His plea, “Come home.”

Who He Is

Jesus poses a question in the New Testament. Who do you say that I am? It is a good question and one every person must answer. Since my blog page is entitled Tammy on Faith, I decided it was time I answered that question. So, I will tell you all what it is that I believe.

I believe that God, our Father in Heaven, created this entire beautiful world we live in. I believe He created every creature great and small. I believe that He is a loving, merciful, and just God. He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to this earth to become a man. Jesus Christ was born a virgin birth, in a manger one special Christmas Day. He grew to be a sinless man. He is perfect. He was beaten, spit upon, ridiculed, and became the ultimate sacrifice; all for me. And for you, too. He gave up His life so that you and I could be forgiven of our sins. He rose again on the third day and now reigns with God in Heaven. One day He will return again, and gather up all His people and bring them home.

We have not been left on our own here, though. We have been given the special gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us, and help us live our lives the best we can. We are also given the Bible. The written living word of God. God speaks to us today through the Bible. All of the problems we face today, we can use the Bible to find the answer. I believe that if you search with all of your heart for God you will find Him. It is His desire that every person come to know Him as their personal Savior.

I believe that we have many troubles here on earth today because of two main reasons. We are all born with sinful desires and we cave into those. No one is perfect and can do everything right. I also believe we have a hard time living here because this is not our home. Our home is in Heaven where God anxiously awaits our arrival. I believe that when I die I will be greeted in Heaven by my Heavenly Father. He will take me in His arms and say “Welcome home my child.” I will gaze upon His face and be filled with unspeakable joy. I will worship with the angels and all fellow believers for eternity.

I also believe that those who choose to deny the existence of God and His precious son will spend an eternity in Hell. It is a place of utter darkness and loneliness. There will be no joy there and only great sadness. I long for all human kind to choose to follow God. I do not want to see even my worst enemy suffer an eternity. It is unimaginable. My heart breaks for the lost souls and I pray harder each day that all will come to know God like I know Him.

I believe there is only one way to get to Heaven. By believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and that He rose again. You can never do enough good works to earn your way in. You can't be a good enough person. You cannot buy your way in, cheat, or lie you way in.

Won't you consider today searching out Jesus? Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Read His word. Hear how much He loves you. Trust in Him. Have hope in a life after this one spent with the Magnificent Creator. He is longing to welcome you into His arms. He created you. You are His child. Allow Him to be your Daddy.

This is who I say He is.

Not Just for Emergencies

We all know to dial 911 in emergencies. And if you are a parent you probably have the number to poison control close by in case your little one gets into something they are not suppose to. We are ready to call when we need to. And if we are honest some of us have that kind of relationship with God.

We put God on our emergency list. We call out to Him when we don't know what to do. We expect Him to solve our problems, and in a quick manner. Then when He does we forget how desperately we needed Him. God doesn't want that kind of relationship with us. He wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. Stop thinking of Him as a genie in a bottle. Don't go to Him just to have your prayers get answered and stuff Him back in the bottle. He is not just for emergencies.

Invite Him into every part of your life. Greet Him in the morning. Thank Him for keeping you and your family safe at night. If something good happens during the day, share it with Him. He is waiting like your parents were on your first day of school. Remember how eager they were to hear how your day went. He wants to hear about your first crush, first kiss, and He'll be there to wipe your tears after your first heartbreak.

He is more than a problem solver. He is your best friend you can share all your secrets with. He's your provider when you need a little extra. He is your Savior. He is your Dad. He saw you play in your first big game. He cheered you on when you ran the bases. He is your biggest fan.

Don't wait for an emergency to reach out to your Father in Heaven. Reach out to Him now. Enjoy the good times with Him. Build on your relationship with Him. Then when the hard times do come, you will know who to run to. He'll be there to clean up the cuts, put the salve on, and hold it together while you heal.

Surviving the Storm

Get bottled water! Stock up on the can goods. Do we have enough batteries? Where are the candles and the matches? Do these questions sound familiar to you? When I hear them I know a storm is coming. It's time to prepare. We never know how big the storm will be or how long it will last. And after each storm we always seem to learn something new. We see what worked and what didn't. We need to keep this in mind for when the next storm comes. Life is like this, too. We all will face many storms in life. Some will be mild like rainstorms, and others will try and knock you down like a blizzard. Your actions will determine if you get buried or if you stay alive. Your faith can help you if you rely on it. There are many choices you will face as the storm approaches, during the storm, and even after the storm. Doesn't it seem wise to be prepared? So how do you prepare?

The first step is to recognize there is a storm approaching. It is best if you are not caught off guard; especially if the storm is a big one. Learn to recognize signs. Has everything been going smoothly lately? Are you embarking on a new ministry? Are you preparing to do something new? If your answer if yes, then most likely a storm is coming.

The next step is to prepare. To prepare find shelter. Find a church where you feel loved and accepted. A place where you belong. The people there will be your shelter. They will be there when the storm hits. They will make sure you don't run out of supplies. When it feels like you are starting to drown, they will pull you up out of the water. I believe this is one of the reasons God tells us to get plugged into a local body. He knows we will need them. And others will need you.
Be prepared. Dust off the Bible and read it daily. Draw encouragement and wisdom from the Psalms. Hear how David praised his God all the days of his life. Read the story of Job. A man who lost everything, but never lost his faith. See just how mighty and strong God is. Keep a journal of all the good times. It will be a handy tool to reflect upon when the lies of the storm tell you God has never helped you.

Ok, you've made it through the first two important steps. The next step is decide now that you will survive the storm. Your attitude going into a storm will determine how you weather it. Don't enter into a storm defeated and crushed. Recognize you are the child of the Creator of the universe. There is nothing to big for Him. There is nothing He can't handle. He has promised you that when you put your trust in Him, there is nothing you will go through that is too big for you to handle. Declare victory even in the middle of the storm.

Now, the storm sets in. Your next step is to rely on the previous steps. Get down on your hands and knees and pray. Cry out to your Daddy like you never have before. Don't worry if your mascara is running. Don't worry if one of your buddies sees you. Cry out to God! Ask Him to be your strength. Resist the urge to run to the phone and computer and let everyone know you are in a storm. Talk to God first. I know you will need support. I recommend that you find a couple of strong, tell it to me straight, good friends. They are the ones that will help keep you afloat and remind you to stay on track, when you start to veer off.

The most important thing is to never cease praying. Pray without ceasing like the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. Never stop bringing your petitions to God. Spend more time in His word and listening to praise music. You will be amazed when you turn on the radio and you will hear just the right song. Sing praises loudly. Nothing defeats misery like praise.

As you weather this storm, hold your head high. Just because you are getting attacked does not make you less of a person. Every believer goes through this. We all hurt, we all stumble, and we all fall. Then with the strength of our Lord we all get back up again. We are prepared to face another day.

When the storm finally does end, write about it. Remember what happened. Keep it tucked away for the next time. And most importantly thank God for keeping you through this storm. Share you testimony with others if you feel led. A lot of times God will bring others into our life who need to hear how we survived. Let me leave you with these final thoughts. Your Father in Heaven love you so much, He gave His only Son to die for YOU! He wants to hold your hand and be there for you. Allow Him to be your strength when you have nothing left. Praise Him, and thank Him every day. This is how you will survive the storm.
God bless you.

Have Faith

Think about all the relationships you have in your life. Who is someone you know you can count on? Someone you know will always be there for you. You believe in that person. When you believe in someone you have faith in them. How does that faith come about? Over time as you have gotten to know the person, you know who they are. You know when you can count on them. You know if they are reliable or not. This relationship is not instant and it takes effort. It takes time. It is something that needs to be built up.

The same can be said of your walk with God. You believe in God because you have faith in Him. You have faith that He will hear your prayers when you call on Him. You have faith that though you may be having a rough time now, there is hope for the future. If you were to look up faith in the dictionary you would find something interesting. Faith is confidence and trust in someone. Faith is also defined as a belief not based on proof. Wow. Did you catch that? Faith is a belief not based on proof.

Faith is like the games you played with your friends when you were younger. When someone would be blindfolded and not able to see their surroundings.. Then you would ask that person to fall back and trust that you would catch them and not let you fall. That is what God is doing. He is asking you to have faith in Him that He is there, and will always be there even though you cannot see Him. He is asking you to trust who He says He is. He may choose at times to reveal Himself to you in different ways. Does it mean He is not there if you can't see Him? Of course not. Just like your friends wouldn't let you fall to the ground. At times it may seem like you can't even feel or hear God. But I encourage you to hang in there. He is always there. Sometimes He has us go through things so that our faith can be built.

Other times you friends may blindfold you and lead you down a path where there are obstacles in the way. You have to trust that they will guide you down the smoothest possible path. God is also like that. Some times we can't see where the paths in life will take us and what along that path will hurt us. But our loving Father does. He wants to be like that best friend and lead you down the path where you will survive. Its the best path for you and He knows that. Sometimes He puts the obstacles up where we shouldn't be going. We at the time; think He is withholding from us. But we can't see what all the consequences are of the choices we might make. He has made a promise to us, that He will not let us go through more than we can handle. He wants to keep that promise to us. I have noticed that at several time in my life when I have gotten stuck behind a slow driver, I have been saved from being involved in a car accident. I always get the goosebumps and thank God immediately. I know He has intervened and saved me from tragedy. Other times there has been a cop ahead. He spared me the price of getting a ticket.

I have believed in God almost my entire life. I have gone through dry spells where I wondered where God was. I questioned why He allowed the dry spells. And then after I got through those hard times, I learned a lot more about myself and about my God.
I learned that though I am totally weak on my own, if I trust in Him and His strength, nothing is impossible for me. I have learned that He allows me to be tested so that I can be refined. He can't use me if I have things in my life that would get in the way. Sometimes He needs to clean us up a bit to get us ready for the work He has ahead. He needs us to learn that we can rely on Him, and that He is enough. Friends, family, spouses, they will all let you down. They are all human and at some point in your life they will hurt you, just as you in turn will hurt others. We may not set out to do so, but our humanness gets in the way. We can't escape who we are.

I would much rather go through life blinded and having faith, then to go through this life in the dark. I remember the times, I thought I could go it alone. They are some of the darkest and saddest times in my life. Blind faith is 100 percent better than no faith.

I can promise you if you let go of all your preconceived notions that you may have of who God is, and take a leap of faith, He will show you who He is. It may not be in the way you think. He is after all the Creator of the universe. He doesn't exactly fit into any box. He defines who He is, we don't. He tells us who He is.
Remember faith is not based on proof. Stop searching for all the answers and waiting for everything to line up. It may not ever fit the equation you want. Have faith.

The Truth About Pride

If you asked most people if pride was an issue in their life they would probably reply no. But I would argue that pride is an issue in each of our lives. It is so much an issue that we don't even recognize it.
I know for myself I thought I was always pretty humble. Until God began to reveal to me areas where I was prideful. I needed to ask forgiveness and change my way of thinking.

First I want to give you the definition of pride. Pride is a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc. (Taken from dictionary.com)

Pride is thinking highly of yourself. It's feeling you are superior because of something you did. Pride causes you to place yourself above others without even knowing it. You begin to feel important because of an accomplishment you did. Pride has brought about the destruction of many great men. Recently I was reading the story of King Saul in the Bible. His pride lead to jealousy which lead to his demise. He stopped asking God what he should do, and felt as king he could make wise decisions on his own. His first big mistake. False confidence in who we are can make us believe we know what is best for our lives. Wouldn't our Father who created us, know what is best? Then when David came along and he saw God at work in David's life, he became jealous. Often pride will lead to jealousy and vice versa. You become jealous because you see someone else doing what you want to be doing. Then you become prideful because you think you could do it better than them.

Think back to when you were a child. You parents had to constantly remind you that they knew what was best for you and that is why they set up certain rules. They wanted to protect you from facing unnecessary hurts. As a teenager I remember thinking of their rules and God's rules as just things they made up to keep me from having fun. I thought I knew what was best for me. You know where that thinking got me? I ended up a pregnant teenager forced to grow up before it was time. I faced a lot of hurts and hard times that could have been avoided if I was willing to listen to parents who love me.
God loves us,too. He loves us so incredibly much He sent His Son to die for us. He wants to be close to us. This is why so many times in the Bible, He cautions us not to be prideful. We can't have a true relationship with Him, when we are prideful. He gave us life. He provides every breath that we take. All that we do, we do because of Him. He has given us our talents and abilities. He has gifted us with everything. In return He wants us to remember Him. If you have a talent, thank Him. Even now as I am typing these words, it is not me speaking. It is God speaking through me. He has put the passion in me to write. He speaks to my heart and tells me what to share. I take no credit if my writing touches anyone. I am only being an obedient vessel for Him to use.

We all need to get to the point in our lives where we recognize God for He who is and what He has done. We would not exist if He chose not to create this world. He chose to give us life. He wants us to choose Him. Do you want to thank God? Then serve Him with all your heart. Give Him the credit for the work He does through you. Don't think more highly of yourself. Don't let your pride separate you from the One who can change your life. Stop trying to do everything on your own. Allow Him to help you. It's what He longs to do. He is our Heavenly Daddy reaching out His Mighty hands to us, waiting or us to reach back up to Him.

When you get to the place in your life where you become truly humble, you will find you are truly happy. We weren't created to rule the world. We were created to serve the world. Jesus is the greatest example of this. He got down on his hands and knees and washed the dirty, grimy feet of His disciples. He gave up His life for you and me. He didn't order anyone else to do it for Him. When you get the point when you surrender and say, “God take over,” get ready. He will do some amazing things in your life.

In His Timing

You have 5 minutes to get to the store before it closes. You scramble to get your keys, get in your car, and head out the door. During this time you are thinking, please don't let anyone stop me. I have to get to the store before it closes. I don't have time for any interruptions. Whatever anyone else needs can wait. I just need to get this one thing done and then I will be available. Sound familiar? We all have moments like these. Imagine now the different scenarios that could play out, if we weren't so focused on the time.

What if your neighbor who you haven't talked to in a while happened to be outside that day. You have been wanting to talk with them and get to know them, but right now just doesn't fit your schedule. You are just running to the store surely they will still be outside when you get back. Maybe, what you don't know is that they really needed to talk to someone at that moment you happened to walk outside. Maybe they won't be outside when you get back. You may miss your opportunity to reach out to someone if your focus is on the time.

I have been guilty of this a lot. I will be in a store and see someone I just know I was meant to run into and I will say to myself, I'll catch up with them later. But I know what I felt in my heart. I know there was reason I was running into that person on that day. But I was too worried about the time.

Sometimes our timing isn't God's timing. Actually probably most of the time if we are honest. When He wants us to do something it always seems like there is time for that later. We say, “I hear you God. I know what You want me to do.” Then we put it off. And then there is the other end of the spectrum. We are hurting and need answers. We want the answer immediately and don't want to wait. Then we are like, “God, I need you to answer me right now.” We begin to throw tantrums like we are 2 years old all over again. What if He is answering slowly because it is for our benefit? What if He wants us to grow a little? And sometimes I think He does answer but we don't listen close enough.

I firmly believe that God knows ahead of time what will happen in our lives. Have you ever been going through something and then turn on the tv or watch a movie and it speaks to your heart? That is God's timing. Especially when it happens over and over. He knew you would need to hear He is thinking of you, but in a non confrontational way so He lets things around you speak to you. So many times in my life when I felt at the end of my rope I would hear His voice come through a song, a movie, a person. And I would know it what His timing.

At times right now, I would love nothing more to fast forward to see the ending to some questions I have but I know that would not be for my benefit. I would miss all the stuff He does in the middle and the ending wouldn't mean as much. When we are feeling frustrated and hurting we need to take a breath and realize its beyond our control. He is in control, and its His timing.

Spend Time with God

Do you want to know who God is? Do you want to know what the will of God for your life is? There is only one way to do this. You must spend time with God. Fill your life with Him. The more time you spend with Him, the more you will get to know Him. You wouldn't marry just some stranger off the street would you? No, you spend time with the person. And even if you claim to fall in love at first sight, true love takes time to develop. The love that is able to withstand all troubles takes time to be established. Trust needs to be built. You need to learn what the other person is about.

The same can be said of your relationship with God. You need to spend lots of time with Him to build a relationship. He needs to see that you are committed to Him. When you wake up in the morning, thank Him that He has given you another day. Start out your day praising Him. Read His word, and fill yourself with truth to be able to battle the lies you will face during the day. Arm yourself with the Word of God. It is after all called the Sword. Pray to Him. Let Him know what is on your heart and mind. You matter to Him. He cares about what you're going through. He wants you to be able to pour out your heart to Him. He created that heart after all. He cares about every detail of your life.

Don't let your communication stop there. Put on some praise music on your way to work. Sing out loud. Don't hold back. Give all of yourself to Him. He will be blessed and in turn will bless you. When someone cuts you off or gets on your bumper, you won't be filled with rage if you are filled with praise. When you pull into your parking spot and head into the office, don't leave God in your car. Take Him with you. Put a smile on your face. One of your co-workers might need a smile that day. Just your smile can make a difference.

When you take your lunch break, take a walk and send up a little prayer to God. Let Him know you are still thinking of Him. Ask Him to help you finish your day strong. You don't have to have hours available at a time to pray. You can use just a few minutes. Whatever your day allows.

Soon, you will be heading back home, and singing your heart out again. There is no better way to travel than to do it singing to the Lord. It makes you smile and your heart feel light. When you get home you will enter your house with a good attitude and your family will appreciate it.

Spend quality time with your family. God blessed you with them for a reason. He loves to see families talking, having fun together. He created family. He was once lonely and created us. Relationships are special to God. At night pray again. Ask Him for protection for your family and you. Ask Him to fill your thoughts and dreams with good things.

The more time you spend with Him, the more you will get to know Him. Communication takes time and practice. We have to learn to listen as well as to speak. We don't come out of the mother's womb talking. We have to learn how to speak. I believe children are closer to God than any of us, because they learn at an early stage the importance of listening. Its how they learn everything. Its sad that as we grow we forget that importance and the focus is more on being heard. Make it a priority in your life to spend time with God. Don't let the busyness of life keep you from getting to know Him. It is the most important relationship you have. Treat it like that. Go and spend time with your Heavenly Dad. He is waiting for you.

It's a Heart Matter

I remember as a young child my parents telling me that Jesus was standing outside the door of my heart knocking. He stood and knocked patiently until I would open the door and let Him in. I think of this story a lot and how much it rings true. Our hearts contain our passions. We love, we hurt, we feel everything deep in our hearts. Doesn't it make sense that our Savior would want to enter into our hearts? He wants our love, our emotion. He wants all of us.

It's a heart matter.

When we open the door to our hearts and let Him in, we should open it wide. At times, I think however we try and limit how much we let Jesus in. Its like we tell Him, He can come in this room, but not in another. It can't work that way. Jesus wants to be a part of our whole life. We cannot have a complete relationship with Him until we let Him occupy our whole heart.

It's a heart matter.

We all want to feel that Jesus loves us. We all long to feel that He is there. We want to know beyond a shadow of doubt that He really does occupy our hearts. How can we know all these things? Well, we can know He does love us because He willingly went to the cross for us, to die for us. Is there anyone else in your life who would do that? Who would be beaten, spit on, and tortured for you? I don't know of any. That is true love. We can feel Him, by spending time with Him. We need to give up our own selfish desires and want Jesus more than anything else. He wants a relationship with us, not just mere words. Yes, He longs for us to tell Him we love Him, but more than that He wants to see it in our actions. When we spend time worshiping, praying, and reading the Bible we will feel Him in our hearts. But first we have to open the door wide and let Him fully come in.

It's a heart matter.

My favorite poem is entitled “Footprints in the Sand.” The story it tells shows the heart of Jesus. It tells the story of a man struggling with why at the toughest times in his life he sees only one set of footprints. He feels like Jesus left Him when things got tough. He is so hurt. Then Jesus reveals to him, that when he sees the one set of footprints in the sand that is when Jesus carried him. I know this to be true in my life. When I have felt I couldn't take another step forward, Jesus has been there. He carries my burdens, my hurts, my fears. He takes it all and helps me carry on. In this life your heart will get broken. At times it will feel like the pieces won't ever go back together. That is when you need Jesus the most. That is when your heart will feel the need for your Savior the most.
Listen to you heart. Listen to the pounding beat. Open the door and let Him in. Open it fully. When we become most vulnerable that is when He can come in strength. When we truly say I need You to be a part of all of me and hold nothing back, we will experience the love of Christ.

It's a heart matter.

Hearing God

Have you ever needed to hear an encouraging word and a friend happens to call you? That is God. Have you ever been listening to a sermon and felt it was just for you? That is God.

Sometimes I think we complicate how God speaks to us. We put God in a box and say, “Okay this is how God talks to people.” Why do we do that? Why do we attempt to limit the Creator of the Universe to our ways. His ways are so much better and are perfect. Why do we imperfect humans try and get in the way?

God doesn't have to speak from a cloud or a burning bush to speak to you. He can speak through every day opportunities, if only you will listen. Sometimes we need to also listen with our hearts and not just our ears.

So many times in my life when I have been dealing with a tough issue, I will turn on the radio. Playing on the radio just at that moment will be a song that speaks to my heart. It will be about what I am going through. This has happened to me too many times to count.

Some days I will just need a sentence to lift my spirits. I will open my daily devotional, and wham! It is exactly what I needed that day. My mom just sent me a desk calendar with a scripture on each day. As I turn the page each morning, it has been exactly what I need.

So many times things like this have happened in my life. Each time they do I can only smile and say “Thank-you God.” I know He knows my heart. He knows what I need and He provides.
When you put your trust in Him, He will not let you down. The key is putting your trust in Him. I have learned the hard way that you need to become vulnerable and let go of control. Know that He will speak into you and He will be there. He won't force His way in, however. You have to let Him in.

Will you try today to do this? Tell Him you are ready to listen. Be like young Samuel and say, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” Maybe you're reading this blog today and you don't know God yet. He is speaking to you now. Will you respond? Will you tell Him today that you want to be His? Its easy to do. Just pray:
Father, I know I am a sinner. I have made mistakes in my life. I believe you love me. I believe You sent Your only Son to die on a cross and that He rose again for me. His blood had made me clean. I know I need you in my life. Come into my life. I am yours. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

After you pray this, share your experience with a pastor of a Bible-believing church, or a Christian friend. And most importantly listen for God. He speaks through many ways. Don't put Him in a box and tell Him who He is. Instead, allow God to show you who He is. Your life will never be the same.
God bless you!

If We Are His Body. . .

If We are His Body...

The Casting Crowns song has been playing in my head a lot lately, along with the words from a video series I am watching. John Bevere made a very good and startling point. If 80 percent of your body was not working, what would you call it. Invalid or cripple, right? Doesn't this apply to our church body as well? With only 20 percent of most church bodies doing the work, is it any wonder why we don't see any big revivals going on. We all want to see God at work, but are we willing to do our part to make sure that it happens?

When we become part of a local church we become part of that body. Our calling is not to just go to church on Sunday's, receive and uplifting message and return home. Every singe believer has a calling on their life. Every single person has a job that they are meant to carry out. And one job is not more important than the other. Without people cleaning the church, we would not have a welcoming environment for people to come into. Without the nursery workers, we would not have a service quiet enough to listen too. Without the coffee makers, there would be no refreshments to enjoy while fellowshipping with others. Without each member making a sacrifice, the work does not get done. Too many people face burn out, because they serve in all kinds of areas, and see too many others just sitting on the sidelines.

The church in Acts knew how to work together. They shared everything. People felt honored to be asked to do any task. Think of the seven men chosen to serve the widows. This is the story I heard recently in a video series by John Bevere. These men were delighted to be asked to serve the church in this manner. What was the result of their obedience? Many people began to believe. We all want to see God move in our churches. We want to see the miracles of the Bible happen among us. And some do. But, there could be more. The outpouring would be stronger if we all stepped up to the plate and started serving God. Others would see our love and caring and come to check it out. Then they would have the desire to get involved. You want God to show up? Then show up yourselves.

We have become to complacent in the United States to just have God around when we feel desperate. Then we have the urge to see Him at work and answer prayers. Why aren't we praising Him just for who He is? Just for what He did for us? Wasn't sending His only Son to the cross to die for us enough? Shouldn't this cause us to want to help someone?

The people who have the greatest joys in this life are people who are serving God. Who are not concerned with themselves, but think of their neighbors. When a missionary comes to speak at a church they all have a glow on there faces. They are a part of a mighty work of God. They have seen what He can do and they have come to trust He will always be there. They have given up the comforts of this life to serve others. And I bet if you were to ask any of them if they felt they were missing out on life, they would answer “NO WAY!” We could all take some good lessons from them.

So, I urge to search out your calling. We all have one. Like the song goes:

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
This song is about people who come into a church looking for hope and no one reaches out to them. We are ambassadors for Christ. We are suppose to be modeling Him to others.

Be the arms that reach out. Teach others about what Christ has done for you and what He has to offer them. Get your feet moving and go do something for God. When we do this we will see God move. We will see what third world countries see today when missionaries go over there. We will see the miracles of God at work.

Lessons I Learned from A Young Boy

Recently I went to the movies with my family to see, "Letters to God." The movie changed my life. After it was done, no one moved in the theater for a few minutes. There was just silence. I know that I wasn't the only it touched.

After processing what I saw I realized some important lessons. First is my faith should not be based on my circumstances. This little boy has an aggressive brain cancer, and his faith never wavered. He wrote a letter to God everyday, some days he wrote several. He never got angry for having cancer, or questioned God's existence. He knew deep in his heart God was there, and he trusted God was listening. When he saw answers to his prayers, he said with great confidence, "See God is listening to me." He knew who to give the credit to. It made me realize who weak I can be. I let all kinds of tests shake me. I get angry. Now, I can honestly say I won't. I will remember the God I serve is in control. If a little boy facing death so bravely can do that, I can too.

Second I learned life is not about me. I always react to problems as attacks on me. I see how things affect me. I use to pray selfishly for things to turn around to make my life easier on me. When this little boy wrote his letters, he wrote them about his family and friends. He even asked God to take care of people he just met. He was concerned for others. His letters and prayers were the most unselfish ones I ever heard. You can't teach that kind of faith.

Also I learned how showing the kind of faith he did changed more lives than preaching at people ever could. He touched the lives of so many people. Children in his school, his entire neighborhood, and his family. And now with this movie he continues to touch lives. This is a true story. I think I forgot to mention that. So many times I have caught myself trying to shove God at people I love because I want to change their life. My time would be better spent, showing them how God has changed my life by my actions. By living my faith. Letting His joy shine for all to see.

And lastly I learned God uses all circumstances to show who He is. I won't spoil the movie but sharing the ending or too much more about it, so I will keep this short. I encourage you to see this movie, and I pray that your life will never be the same after watching it. I may even be inspired to write my own letters to God.

Beauty in theEye of the Beholder

Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder.
Tammy Godin

As I look at a photo of me in my wedding dress, I see a story. I awoke this morning to God revealing so much to me just through a simple photo.
I was not a very pretty bride. I was a size 20, and in the worst shape of my life. But even more on than that I was mess on the inside. To simply and bluntly put it, I was crazy. I had so much jealousy, guilt, and anger in me that poor Leo never knew who he would be talking to or dealing with at any given moment. Here is the amazing part. He married me despite all of that. He married me at my worst. When the justice of the peace said, “for better or for worse,” I could only imagine what must have been going through his mind. Worse? Could it get worse? I would have run and run fast.
Then it hit me. Jesus is like this and even more. Jesus sees all of us. He sees the complete picture. He hears all our thoughts, he knows our every motive. Jesus sees our ugly inside. He sees through all the lies and the makeup. And you know what? He still wants us. He still loves us with an unconditional love. He still gives us oppurtunity after oppurtunity to become His. It makes me wonder, why? Why would He want to add me to His family as crazy as I can be? And then I hear His answer. I love you. I see your potential. Sure, I can see how confused, hurt, and messed up you are. But, I also see how beautiful you are. I see your potential. I see my child that I created. I see the reason I died on the cross for. Amazing isn't it. Just sit and take this in for a minute. Absorb this. Christ loves you wherever you are at. There is nothing to ugly for Him. He sees your beauty and He longs to make you His.
15 ½ years later, I am still married to the wonderful man who married me despite my imperfections. It has been a hard journey, but a very rewarding journey. And through it all I have found my faith again. I am inspired to better myself each day because my Savior, Jesus died for me at my ugliest and saw my potential. He deserves the best I can give Him. He deserves it from all of us.
Stop listening to the lies that you are not worth loving. Don't look in the mirror and see imperfections. See the child of God, created by Him, and loved by Him. See the beauty you truly are.

Finding Joy

Have you ever heard such bad news that it knocked the air out of you? Something so utterly shocking and devastating that you felt you lost your reason to live? Where can you go from there? How do you find your way out of the pit before its too late?

If you are blessed as I am, you have something greater than any sorrow. Its so simple really but it requires action. Faith. Faith that the Creator, your Heavenly Dad is there for you. He is your Rock. The only One you can run to and have your tears wiped away. One whom you can put your trust in and not be let down. He becomes your source of strength.

Again you may ask how does knowing God do all this? Through the many blessings of having that relationship. He surrounds you with friends who have compassionate hearts and allow you to cry until you can't shed another tear. He has others praying for you, praying for your situation. The power of prayer is indescribable. Too lengthy to discuss now but I feel another blog coming on that subject in the near future. And, there of course, is always at least one person who speaks the truth into you, as painful as it might be to hear.

I am not God. I am not more powerful, more knowing, and strong. I am weak, easily hurt, mere human. I don't know what's best for people. I don't know the future. I do not have control over any one's life. And you know what, that's okay with me. Because the hurt I feel, the pain in me, is nothing like the pain God feels. His heart is broken even more than mine because of all the hurt, lost, searching souls today. He sees His children, whom He created, turning from Him and going there own way. Not just one, two, or three. But thousands. People you and I don't even know. He feels our pain and He feels the pain of the world. Yet He still has joy. Joy for the ones who have followed Him. Joy for the hope of the others that will come.

I recently have been knocked to the ground and shaken. The pain burned in my chest so bad. I didn't want to be awake for any amount of time, but I couldn't sleep. Are you there now? Do you feel like all hope is gone? Then stand up and trust in the One who has your back. People will let you down. People will disappoint you. It is a lonely place when your trust is in mere humans. So cry out to your Heavenly Dad! Don't fight against Him, join Him in the battle. Pray knowing He is in control. Don't tell Him what to do, let Him show you what He can do. He can restore your joy even in the storm. He can bring you peace when the rest of the world brings chaos.

When you fall, get on your knees and pray like you've never prayed before. I'm not telling you this after a storm. I am still in a storm. In one of the biggest storms of my life. I don't have the answers to when it will end. I only know that it will end. God is in control. He calmed the sea when the boat was rocking on the disciples with just a few words. Be still. His voice is heard above any noise, and His words contain POWER. He only gives us what we can handle. Sometimes it feels like too much, but thats where trust comes in. That is when we allow Him to carry us through. Allow yourself to become weak, so He can become strong.

Surround yourself with friends who know the Truth. Read your Word daily! Pray without ceasing! Draw strength from your Savior, and find joy!

Find joy in the smile of a child. Find joy in the warmth of the sun. Find joy in the promises of God. He will see you through. He will see me through. Claim it for your life.

May the God who gave you life, reach down and take your hand now and lift you out of the pit. May He hold you tightly in His arms, and let you hear Him say, “I love you my child.”

Seeing God

Recently I began a journey of looking into my heart and finding out why and how I believe what I do. At night or sometimes early in the morning I am reminded of the things that I draw my faith and hope from. I began to realize how much I see God every day and not even notice. A friend reminded my of a verse lately about seeing God in nature and this is where my mind is going today.

Have you ever looked at leaf from a tree. Hold one in your hand some time. For me its a little more difficult since I now call Arizona home, but I remember doing this back in NH. Look at the leaf closely. There are veins running through the leaf, that carry nutrients to give it color. In that one little leaf there are all kinds of things going on with big names. I have been learning some of them again while homeschooling my 13 year old son. Then look at the roots of those trees. They dig deep into the ground. Spreading out to gather all the nutrients the tree needs to live. Amazing. I think to myself a rock couldn't have known the tree would need this. Would need the roots to provide for it. Someone with thoughts, would have to have known this.

The human body is my main focus. Now I want to warn you that at some points in my few paragraphs this might get PG. But to me this is the good kind of PG. Not violence and blood but of life. The human body has so many nerves. We can feel so many things. When you touch something hot it sends a message to your brain, “Ow, that's hot.” Its how little ones learn not to touch the stove. Everything in us and on was created for a purpose. Skin holds everything inside of us, bones give us strength, and muscles help us with the ability to move. The whole system is so complex. So much is going on inside of us, we can't even comprehend it. And what is more amazing we don't even realize it. We take for granted just walking. Do we ever stop and think how we are able to do that. All the messages our body has to send out before we can even take one step.

And all our senses. The things we can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. How is is possible? It blows me away to just dwell on these simple everyday things we do. For everything to work right and function takes a lot of processes that we don't even realize. People who study the human body do. We learn some of what they know if science classes throughout school, but sadly I think we mostly take for granted all that is required for us to take our daily breath. Our moment to moment to breath.

Ok, here is where it may get a little PG. Don't worry though I won't get too mushy on you.

Ever you ever stopped to think that there are male and female of all species that reproduce sexually? Could a rock know that we would need a male and a female to create life? And think of all the parts that each person has to create that life. I can only describe it in one word. Miracle. First I began to think on the location of the sexually producing parts. They have to be able to line up so that it is even possible to have sex. They were placed perfectly. Everything fits together just right. That is not an accident. God knew what He was doing.

After the couple has sex a baby just isn't instantly formed. Another long, sensitive process takes place. The sperm and egg have to unite in just the right place at just the right moment. Nothing can be off or it won't work. And then after united, all kinds of miracles take place. Everything has to happen at just the right time, for the developing baby to grow and nourish. Speaking of nourishment. Isn't it amazing how the mothers body has all the little one needs to survive. The placenta contains nutrients supplied by the mother, and attached by the umbilical cord. It is all so complex. And the body knows when the baby is ready to come. Most of the time anyways. Some come a little early and some a little late. Think back to before there were ultrasounds, to even before there were doctors. The babies came when they were done growing. The woman's body is equipped to send signals when everything is finished and life is ready to be born. Amazing.

And still after the new life comes, moms have the ability to feed their young ones. All the nourishment they need to survive their first precious few days, months of life are provided in breastmilk. There are too many things that were thought it about what it would take for human life to begin, sustain, create, and do all the daily functions for it to be just an accident.

My eyes are open wide now so that I can see God all around me in the little things of life. I can see Him wherever I look. Life is too precious, too fragile to have all been created by just an accident. It took a loving hand, a wise One, to put everything together so that it works just right. Take a walk and look at all the different animals, plants, insects, and people. Our universe is so complex and how everything works together and does so, so perfectly is nothing less than a miracle.

I hope you have enjoyed this and that it causes you to pause and wonder. It may be for the first time you hear this or maybe it just confirms something in your heart. Either way, I pray that God reveals Himself to you in the beauty and wonder of this beautiful world he created.

Wonderfully Made

Did you ever stop to look at your body? Did you ever take just stand or sit and just carefully examine all the parts you have? I know for some of you the thought of looking at yourself that closely can be a scary thing, but I want you to try something. Take a look at your body, but don't search for imperfections. Look at how each part is perfectly formed and in just the right place.
Start with you head. You have hair on the top of your head, or at least most of us do. Without the hair heat would escape causing you to get cold. Without the hair, you would be forever getting a sunburn on the top of your head. The hair serves a great purpose and most of the time I believe we take it for granted. In fact I think we take most of our body for granted.

Then move onto your eyes. They are put in a location that is most helpful. Imagine if they were on the back of your head. I know most of us have been told my our mothers that they have eyes on the back of their heads, but wouldn't that be silly. Pointless even. Your eyes are placed in a position where you can see the easiest. Your nose and mouth which work closely together for eating and enjoying foods are right next to each other. And right in the center of your face. Anywhere else and dinner time could become a very comedic show. Could you imagine having your first kiss with your mouth on the side of you head? The intimacy would be removed. Having your lips on the front, right where they are allows you to look into the eyes of the one you love, see them, and truly enjoy them. Breathtaking.

Move around the sides of your head to your ears. They are placed perfectly on the side of your head so that you can hear all around you. There positioning serves as a great purpose to you. What you may not be able to see, you can hear. So our mothers may not see us misbehaving but they can hear us. Moving downward you have your neck. Your neck is flexible and can turn quite far in either direction. You can see so much. If your neck didn't have all the muscles and flexibility is did you would miss so much.

Continuing on, we have arms placed at our sides. Ever thought of what it would like to have them be in a different location. If they weren't spaced apart just right, it would make giving that special someone a hug hard to do. Picking up your newborn child could be an impossible task. Having the arms on your sides, gives us the ability to do so much. Everyday tasks would seem daunting if one arm was on your back and one on your front. Or if they were just a little lower, our poor backs would be in constant pain.

Take a good look at your hands. It is becoming one of my favorite spots. The hands are truly a work of art. With our hands, we do so many incredible things. Artists create masterpieces, authors write novels, and kids play in the mud. Lovers hold hands as an act of intimacy. You get the pleasure of touch with your hands. Holding the phone to talk to a loved one far away would be impossible with out your hands. For a blind person their hands become their eyes. They see the world with their hands. Amazing isn't it? Which brings me to another point. If one of our parts does not work correctly, our body is created so that it can still survive. Because everything was placed so perfectly and put together with so much thought, we still operate on a daily basis. Back to the hands now. We have 4 fingers and a thumb. All spaced just the right amount so that we can do what needs to be done. Right now I am typing. This I could not do without my fingers. Picking up items without fingers would not work. Think of all the daily things you do with your fingers. If you had a different amount, or if the thumb was just another finger, things would not work as smoothly. The hand is so vital, yet we give it so little thought. There is so much love in our hands, which is why it is becoming one of my favorite parts.

For women the placement of the breasts is perfect. At just the right height, the task of feeding her newborn is made special. A mother can look down at her child and spend precious quality time bonding while feeding. They can look into each other's eyes, and just get taken away into their own little world during those precious moments. Placed anywhere else on the body and those moments would be missed.

Continuing on our exploration, we come to the stomach and waist area. The first thing I notice is the bellybutton. Whether it be an inny or outy, have you ever thought of how special that bellybutton is? While you were in your mother's womb growing all your parts in just the right way you were fed through that bellybutton. It allowed you to be nourished so that you could grow. Your bellybutton itself is part of the miracle of life.

How you came to be that miracle of life growing inside your mother has to do with perfectly placed body parts also. When man and woman were created, they were created to fit together. Like a puzzle our pieces fit inside and finish the picture. Making love with your spouse is intimate, and special. And it is this way because everything is placed perfectly. Holding each other, and becoming one is only possible because of the way we were created.

Our legs on which we stand come next. They are used for balancing and holding us up. Again placed perfectly so that we can live in the most comfortable way. Without two legs moving together, yet separately, walking would be impossible. We would have to hop everywhere. They might be fun for a minute or two but not a lifetime.

Our feet, are our anchors. They hold us in position. Ever stop to think what would happen if you didn't have feet? You would fall flat on your face. You would not be enjoying the world around you. You would only be seeing the world beneath you. And your toes. At first glance them might seem pointless. Have you ever busted a toe? Is so then you know just how truly important toes are. For the toddler just learning to walk, the toes help to grip and balance. For us the still give us that same balance. And we have 5 on each foot perfectly spaced out so that if one does happen to get busted for a little while, the others help to keep you upright still.

Have you enjoyed looking at your body in this way? I hope that you look at yourself like this each day. I hope that you come to truly appreciate just how wonderfully made you are. Because of this I know that I know, that I was created by a loving, intelligent Creator. He knew exactly how the body needed to work to make life so enjoyable. He also put nerves inside of this wonderfully made body so that we could have the pleasures of truly enjoying life. The human body is so complex, and everything has to work in just the right way that I know it was no accident. It was nothing short of a miracle. You are wonderfully made and you are loved by your Heavenly Father. He would not have created you the way He did, for any other reason.