It is raining today. I dont like the rain, though it is a needed thing. My mom enjoys it thoroughly. But for me, it tends to make me feel a little down. It brings back memories, it is wet, it is cold, and I just dont really like it. BUT...it is a much needed thing. Isn't it like God to bring things into our lives that we dont really enjoy. THough, they are needed. Without rain, we would have a drought. Plants would die. Animals would die.
Babies have about 75% water in their bodies at birth. By adulthood men and women range from 55 - 65%. Can you imagine life without water? So when I see the rains come it is a simple reminder of God and how He works in our lives. As quick as the rains come.....they leave. So smell the rain...walk in the rain...laugh in the rain...enjoy the rain. Because it will pass and allow the sun to shine once again.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Abraham staggered not at the promises of God
This is a recap of last nights preaching from Pastor Ken Sullivan, the highlights which stuck out to me:
Abraham staggered not at the promises of God. He would go through with the sacrifice of his only son. This is an act that was being carried on by the surrounding tribes, God now asked Abraham to do the very thing that everyone else was doing, to test his faith in God. Abraham simply told his son Isaac, that God would provide himself a lamb. He knew that God would come through for him somehow. Abraham staggered not at the promises of God.
When Abraham was about ready to sacrifice his only son, God had provided a ram in the brush behind him. But the angel of the Lord had to hold back his hand because he was so consumed with the circumstance and what he had to do, he took no notice to the "lamb God had provided." There right behind him was the answer to this test. The ram. It was there. For how long was that ram in the brush, we don't know. When he bound his son and placed him on the altar that ram may have been there. When he pulled out the knife to slay his only son, that ram may have been there. He had his head down looking at what had to be done. His immediate circumstances. He had to lift up his head and his countenance to see that God had provided. He had the faith that God would provide but he had to position himself, that is reposition himself to be able to see what it was God had provided.
We get so wrapped up in our situations that we are not looking at what escape God has provided for us. Lift up your eyes and look for the open door.
Life is meant to be lived
Stop staggering
Abraham staggered not at the promises of God. He would go through with the sacrifice of his only son. This is an act that was being carried on by the surrounding tribes, God now asked Abraham to do the very thing that everyone else was doing, to test his faith in God. Abraham simply told his son Isaac, that God would provide himself a lamb. He knew that God would come through for him somehow. Abraham staggered not at the promises of God.
When Abraham was about ready to sacrifice his only son, God had provided a ram in the brush behind him. But the angel of the Lord had to hold back his hand because he was so consumed with the circumstance and what he had to do, he took no notice to the "lamb God had provided." There right behind him was the answer to this test. The ram. It was there. For how long was that ram in the brush, we don't know. When he bound his son and placed him on the altar that ram may have been there. When he pulled out the knife to slay his only son, that ram may have been there. He had his head down looking at what had to be done. His immediate circumstances. He had to lift up his head and his countenance to see that God had provided. He had the faith that God would provide but he had to position himself, that is reposition himself to be able to see what it was God had provided.
We get so wrapped up in our situations that we are not looking at what escape God has provided for us. Lift up your eyes and look for the open door.
Life is meant to be lived
Stop staggering
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
What Jesus Means to Me by Jessica McDermott (12)
I woke up one morning to get my coffee and saw a piece of notebook paper in front of my coffee pot, in fact there was two. One said in large print with an arrow pointing toward the other one " Read this and tell me what you think". So I figured it was an essay for school, so I began to proofread it totally unsuspecting what I would read. Here it goes, word for word, what my 12 yr old daughter wrote:
"What Jesus Means to Me"
Jesus means so much to me that, if I had to, I would die for Him. It's a simple as that. Jesus means so much to me that I want to praise and worship him for the rest of my days.
Jesus has been so good to me, even though I am only 12. It makes me think about what he's going to do for the rest of my life. Once he performed a miracle for me. I put my bright wallet on my dads tire in a parking lot before. I forgot about it and we left. After a while I remembered it. We couldn't go get it until after church though.
It had 30 dollars in it. During church I prayed that he wouldn't let anyone pick it up. After church we went to see if it was still there, and it was! I counted the money and it was all there! Even thought, I was 7 years old, he proved that he would answer even little kids prayers. Another time my mom took a weight loss class, and they made her do the bike for 30 minutes everyday. Her legs hurt her so bad that she could barely walk. We were again, in church and she prayed that He would heal her. God spoke to her and told her to run the aisle. She didn't want to but she did. Immediately she was healed, and her legs didn't hurt her anymore.
Every time I get down about God, I think about that and I can't resist but to love Him for it. I'm also very happy that he died on the cross so that we could go to heaven. I could write so much more about Him and eventually I will. In fact, I am very fired up about witnessing. Once I witnessed to my friend about God, and now I want to win a soul.
After I wiped the tears from my eyes, I wrote back to her and told her how wonderful a job she did in writing this. It truly came from her heart. I was so proud at that very moment to have such a thankful 12 year old girl as my child. God is so good to have watched over us and kept our minds through troubled times. You just never really know what your kids are thinking, sometimes you worry that they may go in the wrong direction, but you just have to leave it up to God. Like my Pastor says all the time" there is no perfect parent here on Earth, only the one in Heaven is perfect". That takes a lot of stress and worry off your back. Just do the best you can, pray and leave the rest up to God. He gave us these children, He will see them through along the way.
"What Jesus Means to Me"
Jesus means so much to me that, if I had to, I would die for Him. It's a simple as that. Jesus means so much to me that I want to praise and worship him for the rest of my days.
Jesus has been so good to me, even though I am only 12. It makes me think about what he's going to do for the rest of my life. Once he performed a miracle for me. I put my bright wallet on my dads tire in a parking lot before. I forgot about it and we left. After a while I remembered it. We couldn't go get it until after church though.
It had 30 dollars in it. During church I prayed that he wouldn't let anyone pick it up. After church we went to see if it was still there, and it was! I counted the money and it was all there! Even thought, I was 7 years old, he proved that he would answer even little kids prayers. Another time my mom took a weight loss class, and they made her do the bike for 30 minutes everyday. Her legs hurt her so bad that she could barely walk. We were again, in church and she prayed that He would heal her. God spoke to her and told her to run the aisle. She didn't want to but she did. Immediately she was healed, and her legs didn't hurt her anymore.
Every time I get down about God, I think about that and I can't resist but to love Him for it. I'm also very happy that he died on the cross so that we could go to heaven. I could write so much more about Him and eventually I will. In fact, I am very fired up about witnessing. Once I witnessed to my friend about God, and now I want to win a soul.
After I wiped the tears from my eyes, I wrote back to her and told her how wonderful a job she did in writing this. It truly came from her heart. I was so proud at that very moment to have such a thankful 12 year old girl as my child. God is so good to have watched over us and kept our minds through troubled times. You just never really know what your kids are thinking, sometimes you worry that they may go in the wrong direction, but you just have to leave it up to God. Like my Pastor says all the time" there is no perfect parent here on Earth, only the one in Heaven is perfect". That takes a lot of stress and worry off your back. Just do the best you can, pray and leave the rest up to God. He gave us these children, He will see them through along the way.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
What was it like....
Mary, what was it like to hold baby Jesus?
What was it like when He cried?
What was it like when for 3 days you looked, and Jesus you could not find?
What was it like when He turned water into wine?
What was it like to meet Him at the well?
What was it like to casually speak with Jesus, just you and Him?
What was it like to have Him say to your accusers..cast the first stone those who are without sin?
What was it like to have Jesus standing near you...protecting you?
What was it like to feel life breathe back into you by Jesus himself?
What was it like Lazarus to be beckoned by Jesus to come forth?
What was it like to sit at his feet and listen to the parables straight from the King?
Children what was it like to sit on Jesus' lap and let not the disciples forbid you to come?
What was it like to eat the bread and fish directly multiplied by Jesus hand?
Peter what was it like to walk to Jesus on waves of water?
What was it like to sink but have the Father there to grab your hand and lift you up?
What was it like when he said "Peace be still" and you watched the waves calm upon his words?
What was it like Mary, to sit at Jesus feet and wash His feet with your tears?
What was it like to dry them with your hair?
What was it like to annoint Him for His burial, so soon to come?
What was it like to push through the crowds just to touch the hem of His garment?
What was it like to feel the virtue flow from His body to yours as you were healed?
What was it like when you were addressed by Him and told you were made whole?
What was it like when He cried?
What was it like when for 3 days you looked, and Jesus you could not find?
What was it like when He turned water into wine?
What was it like to meet Him at the well?
What was it like to casually speak with Jesus, just you and Him?
What was it like to have Him say to your accusers..cast the first stone those who are without sin?
What was it like to have Jesus standing near you...protecting you?
What was it like to feel life breathe back into you by Jesus himself?
What was it like Lazarus to be beckoned by Jesus to come forth?
What was it like to sit at his feet and listen to the parables straight from the King?
Children what was it like to sit on Jesus' lap and let not the disciples forbid you to come?
What was it like to eat the bread and fish directly multiplied by Jesus hand?
Peter what was it like to walk to Jesus on waves of water?
What was it like to sink but have the Father there to grab your hand and lift you up?
What was it like when he said "Peace be still" and you watched the waves calm upon his words?
What was it like Mary, to sit at Jesus feet and wash His feet with your tears?
What was it like to dry them with your hair?
What was it like to annoint Him for His burial, so soon to come?
What was it like to push through the crowds just to touch the hem of His garment?
What was it like to feel the virtue flow from His body to yours as you were healed?
What was it like when you were addressed by Him and told you were made whole?
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Orphans
I write this to all those people out there that may have grown up with a single mom or a single dad. Maybe you grew up with a family that you were not born into. They chose you out of so many other needing children. I write this from my heart. A heart which comes from a single mom. I write this from a heart that did not grow up knowing what it meant “you just wait until your dad gets home!” I was raised without realizing what it meant for a mom to share the responsibility of a household with another. I watched my mom do it all. I matured thinking that you do not share a task with another you simply just did it yourself.
I want to discuss more than just the tasks of life, though. The heart and spirit are affected deeply by this as well. The heart learns to depend on just the motherly love. It learns some discipline but not like that of a household of two. As I grew I would stand in awe and wonder of my friends that had the Mom and Dad household. I never really wanted that instead of what I had. I did not see that as an option. But as I look back I think of the father I never really had. I ponder what would it have been like? Then it hits me…. I had a father as I grew.
I had this father watching me in more ways than one. I did not grow up lack of a parent. I was given the Father of all fathers as a parent. He chose to be my sole father on Earth. He saw that He was all I would need in life. He knew I needed a mom. But as far as the father image…He would supply all my needs. There is no perfect parent here on Earth but there is one in heaven. So I did not grow up fatherless, I was blessed with being one of many that has a Perfect Parent : Jesus Christ.
What is your walk in life like? Did God choose to be your sole parent? Did he fill those gaps in for you? Has He taught you what you needed to learn? If you answered no, then maybe you have not allowed Him to. Take some time out and think on this. Then search His word and pray…He will supply you with all that you need.
I write this to all those people out there that may have grown up with a single mom or a single dad. Maybe you grew up with a family that you were not born into. They chose you out of so many other needing children. I write this from my heart. A heart which comes from a single mom. I write this from a heart that did not grow up knowing what it meant “you just wait until your dad gets home!” I was raised without realizing what it meant for a mom to share the responsibility of a household with another. I watched my mom do it all. I matured thinking that you do not share a task with another you simply just did it yourself.
I want to discuss more than just the tasks of life, though. The heart and spirit are affected deeply by this as well. The heart learns to depend on just the motherly love. It learns some discipline but not like that of a household of two. As I grew I would stand in awe and wonder of my friends that had the Mom and Dad household. I never really wanted that instead of what I had. I did not see that as an option. But as I look back I think of the father I never really had. I ponder what would it have been like? Then it hits me…. I had a father as I grew.
I had this father watching me in more ways than one. I did not grow up lack of a parent. I was given the Father of all fathers as a parent. He chose to be my sole father on Earth. He saw that He was all I would need in life. He knew I needed a mom. But as far as the father image…He would supply all my needs. There is no perfect parent here on Earth but there is one in heaven. So I did not grow up fatherless, I was blessed with being one of many that has a Perfect Parent : Jesus Christ.
What is your walk in life like? Did God choose to be your sole parent? Did he fill those gaps in for you? Has He taught you what you needed to learn? If you answered no, then maybe you have not allowed Him to. Take some time out and think on this. Then search His word and pray…He will supply you with all that you need.
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