Today I choose to move. To not stand still and go where God is leading me.
Today is day 35! I can't believe how quickly the days have gone by. I have loved studying 35 different words. God has taught me so much and I have come to a place where I truly crave and want that time with the Lord each day. My quiet time with the Lord has changed into something I truly desire, instead of just something that I feel like I have to get done each day.
I have been challenged to do things that feel big, scary and hard, but I know that God will give me the strength and will open up doors that feel sealed shut and boarded up. I think it is fitting that the final word in my 35 day challenge is move. I have gained all of this knowledge, have been challenged and now I must act. Matthew 21:28-32 gives us a wonderful challenge of making sure that our actions match our words through the parable of the two sons. '"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 'Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.' He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. 'Which of the two did what his father wanted?' 'The first,' they answered. Jesus said to them, 'Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.'" Our actions much match our words. We can't just go through the Christian motions, we have to act, we have to change, we have to learn, we have to grow and we have to open up our hearts so that God can use us.
It's also important that we evaluate what really motivates our faith. "John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.'" (Luke 3:7-9) What motivates our faith? If it fear of the future or a desire to be changed and used by God? Our repentance must be connected to action or it isn't real. We can't just go through the motions of a Christian life, there has to be fruit that shows we are changed and that our salvation has impacted our lives. We have to live differently, we have to live a life that points others to Christ. And in order for that to happen, we must MOVE! We can't just sit around waiting for God, we have to earnestly seek him and follow after his will.
So today, I choose to move. To move on the things that God has challenged me with and to follow after his will for my life.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Today I Choose to Embrace God's Plan...
Today I choose to embrace God's plan. To let go of my plans and embrace what God has planned for me.
If release is the verb behind trust, then embrace is the follow up action to release. We have to be willing to let go and then we have to seek and embrace the plan that God has for us. God's plans will happen and we can choose to embrace his plan or fight against it. Fighting against His plans at first may seem like the easiest way, but in the end we realize that it takes too much effort and drains us. Embracing God's plans is freeing and it puts us in a place where our gifts and relationship with God can be strengthened because He has us just where he wants us.
James 4:13-17 says, Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know that God will never change, his word is everlasting and his love endures forever. We can find rest in the fact that God is consistent and an ever present help in trouble.
We must remember that God can see the big picture, he is like a blimp above a parade. The blimp can see the entire parade, from start to finish. And we are like the people sitting on the sidewalk, watching the parade. We can only see what has passed us and what is right in front of us. We have to trust that God has a plan that is perfect and we should be seeking his plan for our lives. Once we release our plans, then we must seek God's plans and finally embrace them. My challenge for today is, what is God asking you to do? What do you need to let go of so that you can embrace God's plans? Our God is good and there is no better way to walk through life then by his side, seeking his will and following his plan for our lives.
So today, I choose to embrace God's plans, because He is good!
If release is the verb behind trust, then embrace is the follow up action to release. We have to be willing to let go and then we have to seek and embrace the plan that God has for us. God's plans will happen and we can choose to embrace his plan or fight against it. Fighting against His plans at first may seem like the easiest way, but in the end we realize that it takes too much effort and drains us. Embracing God's plans is freeing and it puts us in a place where our gifts and relationship with God can be strengthened because He has us just where he wants us.
James 4:13-17 says, Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know that God will never change, his word is everlasting and his love endures forever. We can find rest in the fact that God is consistent and an ever present help in trouble.
We must remember that God can see the big picture, he is like a blimp above a parade. The blimp can see the entire parade, from start to finish. And we are like the people sitting on the sidewalk, watching the parade. We can only see what has passed us and what is right in front of us. We have to trust that God has a plan that is perfect and we should be seeking his plan for our lives. Once we release our plans, then we must seek God's plans and finally embrace them. My challenge for today is, what is God asking you to do? What do you need to let go of so that you can embrace God's plans? Our God is good and there is no better way to walk through life then by his side, seeking his will and following his plan for our lives.
So today, I choose to embrace God's plans, because He is good!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Today I Choose to Release...
Today I choose to release, to let go, to surrender my plans, my desires and my will to God's will for my life.
I think it's safe to say that most of us like to have control and it can be a battle against our human nature to release and let God have full control. I tend to not let things go easily. If I have done something wrong I can beat myself up again and again and again. I recognize this about myself and I have to work hard and remind myself to just let it go!
As I have been thinking about the idea of release today I had a thought and it had really made me think. To release, surrender or relinquish is act of trusting - the verbs - the words that put trust into action. They are all action words that bring us to a place where we are truly trusting God with a childlike faith. Think about the way a child trusts his or her parents. It is a deep rooted trust that brings so much comfort to the child. The beauty about being a kid is not having to worry about the pressures of life; there's no mortgage to pay, no work deadlines to make and no concern about whether or not your checking account will stay in the positive until your next paycheck. I have wonderful memories of being a little kid and jumping into a pool or off of my grandparents boat into my Dad's arms. All that it takes to convince a child to jump is the promise that you will catch them. Jesus tells us in Mark 10:14-15, "'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'" We are called to have a childlike faith, a faith that trusts no matter what, a faith that jumps when God says jump because we know He will catch us. Psalm 125:1 says, "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever." Our God never changes, his word never fails and he promises to never leave us. Even though we know all of these truths, we still find it hard to let go, to release our lives fully to him and to live a life that is surrendered to his plan.
I have been struggling with releasing our housing situation to God. I have good days and I have bad days. There are days when it feels like things will never work out and there are others where I need God reminds me that he is bigger than any bank or anything on this earth. We are trying to leave our current home and are hoping to buy another one soon. And I feel like God has been telling me...let go! I was trying for so long to figure it all out, to plan things out and think through...if we move by this date, then this can happen. I have to remember that God has a plan and I have to release my plan, the money that we've saved for a down payment and my timing for God's plan and his timing. I was really having trouble this week and feeling overwhelmed that things just won't work out, but Kyle reminded me (because he was reminded by his very wonderful, wise mom) that we can't doubt in the darkness what God has revealed in the light. We really feel like God is leading us to a new home, but we have to step out in faith and seek God's will and not our own.
I know that Jeremiah 29:11 is a very common verse and when I was studying this morning I decided to read before the famous verse and after. I also read a little commentary to give me some background information. In these verses Jeremiah was writing to the captives in Babylon. He was instructing them to move ahead with their lives and pray for the pagan nation that was enslaving them. I was challenged by this and it brought about more meaning to the Jeremiah 29. We can't let life come to a grinding halt when we hit a difficult time, we have to adjust and move forward. We can't give up because of uncertainty and fear, but when we face a time of trouble we need to be on our knees in prayer, actively seeking God's will and then we need to move ahead! We have to release the fear, the what ifs and we need to move to where God is calling us next. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'"
For it is when we release and allow God to take full control that he can use us in the mightiest of ways. He can do so because we are not relying on our own strength, but on his. So today, I choose to release, to put my trust in God alone into action!
I think it's safe to say that most of us like to have control and it can be a battle against our human nature to release and let God have full control. I tend to not let things go easily. If I have done something wrong I can beat myself up again and again and again. I recognize this about myself and I have to work hard and remind myself to just let it go!
As I have been thinking about the idea of release today I had a thought and it had really made me think. To release, surrender or relinquish is act of trusting - the verbs - the words that put trust into action. They are all action words that bring us to a place where we are truly trusting God with a childlike faith. Think about the way a child trusts his or her parents. It is a deep rooted trust that brings so much comfort to the child. The beauty about being a kid is not having to worry about the pressures of life; there's no mortgage to pay, no work deadlines to make and no concern about whether or not your checking account will stay in the positive until your next paycheck. I have wonderful memories of being a little kid and jumping into a pool or off of my grandparents boat into my Dad's arms. All that it takes to convince a child to jump is the promise that you will catch them. Jesus tells us in Mark 10:14-15, "'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'" We are called to have a childlike faith, a faith that trusts no matter what, a faith that jumps when God says jump because we know He will catch us. Psalm 125:1 says, "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever." Our God never changes, his word never fails and he promises to never leave us. Even though we know all of these truths, we still find it hard to let go, to release our lives fully to him and to live a life that is surrendered to his plan.
I have been struggling with releasing our housing situation to God. I have good days and I have bad days. There are days when it feels like things will never work out and there are others where I need God reminds me that he is bigger than any bank or anything on this earth. We are trying to leave our current home and are hoping to buy another one soon. And I feel like God has been telling me...let go! I was trying for so long to figure it all out, to plan things out and think through...if we move by this date, then this can happen. I have to remember that God has a plan and I have to release my plan, the money that we've saved for a down payment and my timing for God's plan and his timing. I was really having trouble this week and feeling overwhelmed that things just won't work out, but Kyle reminded me (because he was reminded by his very wonderful, wise mom) that we can't doubt in the darkness what God has revealed in the light. We really feel like God is leading us to a new home, but we have to step out in faith and seek God's will and not our own.
I know that Jeremiah 29:11 is a very common verse and when I was studying this morning I decided to read before the famous verse and after. I also read a little commentary to give me some background information. In these verses Jeremiah was writing to the captives in Babylon. He was instructing them to move ahead with their lives and pray for the pagan nation that was enslaving them. I was challenged by this and it brought about more meaning to the Jeremiah 29. We can't let life come to a grinding halt when we hit a difficult time, we have to adjust and move forward. We can't give up because of uncertainty and fear, but when we face a time of trouble we need to be on our knees in prayer, actively seeking God's will and then we need to move ahead! We have to release the fear, the what ifs and we need to move to where God is calling us next. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'"
For it is when we release and allow God to take full control that he can use us in the mightiest of ways. He can do so because we are not relying on our own strength, but on his. So today, I choose to release, to put my trust in God alone into action!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Today I Choose Hospitality...
Today I choose hospitality. To open up my home for fellowship and use the house that God has given me as a blessing to others.
I love a good party! And at our house we are always up for having someone over for dinner. So to be honest, I thought I would be getting more confirmation out of studying this word than challenge, but God always has things he wants us to learn!
As I looked up verses about hospitality, I did find confirmation and really think that God has blessed Kyle and I with a heart to open up our home. We have always wanted people to feel welcome and comfortable at our house and are always up for people stopping by. As I was reading God really challenged me to evaluate my motives behind my hospitality. We see a great example of hospitality through Mary and Martha in Luke chapter ten. Jesus visits them and during his time with them Mary sat at Jesus' feet listening to what he said, while Martha was busy taking care of all the things that had to be done. Martha was so distracted by the preparations that she didn't realize she was neglecting her guests. We have to make sure that we don't turn hospitality into busy work; we need to find a good balance between serving our guests and engaging with them while we serve.
Romans 12:9-13 says, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." The commentary for these verses in my Life Application Study Bible was very challenging to me today! "Christian hospitality differs from social entertaining. Entertaining focuses on the host - the home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host mush appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guest. Their needs - whether for a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or acceptance - are the primary concern. Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and guest are doing chores together. Don't hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain." Do I focus more on the needs of my guests or on making myself look good? I like to have a clean house that is decorated cute and I like to make good food when people come over, but that can't be my main focus! I need to focus on my guests and seeing how God might use me to encourage them. I should be ready to join in true fellowship, not just casual conversations about things that don't really matter. I should be open and willing to share about what God is teaching me and ask questions about how life is going for my guests. Hospitality isn't about making myself look good, it's about reaching out and opening up my home as a place of ministry.
It's also important for us to remember to not only invite our good friends over, but people that we don't know as well. Hebrews 13:1-2 says, "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." These verses are referring to three people in the Old Testament who entertained angels without knowing. We can so easily convince ourselves to not show hospitality with excuses that our home isn't big enough or nice enough, that we just don't have enough time, that inviting over someone we don't know will be awkward or that people just wouldn't enjoy themselves. But we are called to open up our homes, whatever they look like and whatever size they are and make people feel welcomed and comfortable so that true fellowship can happen.
So today I choose hospitality!
I love a good party! And at our house we are always up for having someone over for dinner. So to be honest, I thought I would be getting more confirmation out of studying this word than challenge, but God always has things he wants us to learn!
As I looked up verses about hospitality, I did find confirmation and really think that God has blessed Kyle and I with a heart to open up our home. We have always wanted people to feel welcome and comfortable at our house and are always up for people stopping by. As I was reading God really challenged me to evaluate my motives behind my hospitality. We see a great example of hospitality through Mary and Martha in Luke chapter ten. Jesus visits them and during his time with them Mary sat at Jesus' feet listening to what he said, while Martha was busy taking care of all the things that had to be done. Martha was so distracted by the preparations that she didn't realize she was neglecting her guests. We have to make sure that we don't turn hospitality into busy work; we need to find a good balance between serving our guests and engaging with them while we serve.
Romans 12:9-13 says, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." The commentary for these verses in my Life Application Study Bible was very challenging to me today! "Christian hospitality differs from social entertaining. Entertaining focuses on the host - the home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host mush appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guest. Their needs - whether for a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or acceptance - are the primary concern. Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and guest are doing chores together. Don't hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain." Do I focus more on the needs of my guests or on making myself look good? I like to have a clean house that is decorated cute and I like to make good food when people come over, but that can't be my main focus! I need to focus on my guests and seeing how God might use me to encourage them. I should be ready to join in true fellowship, not just casual conversations about things that don't really matter. I should be open and willing to share about what God is teaching me and ask questions about how life is going for my guests. Hospitality isn't about making myself look good, it's about reaching out and opening up my home as a place of ministry.
It's also important for us to remember to not only invite our good friends over, but people that we don't know as well. Hebrews 13:1-2 says, "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." These verses are referring to three people in the Old Testament who entertained angels without knowing. We can so easily convince ourselves to not show hospitality with excuses that our home isn't big enough or nice enough, that we just don't have enough time, that inviting over someone we don't know will be awkward or that people just wouldn't enjoy themselves. But we are called to open up our homes, whatever they look like and whatever size they are and make people feel welcomed and comfortable so that true fellowship can happen.
So today I choose hospitality!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Today I Choose Joy...
Today I choose joy. To be joyful in all that I do, during all circumstances; so that others can see God's joy in me.
"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11) We are called to be joyful in all circumstances, but joy can be hard. We need God's help and we need to be walking closely with him!
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." When we are walking with the Lord he will carry us through each high and low of life. It's easy to be happy when life is good, but we are called to go beyond happiness to joy and we are called to be joyful even when life is hard. We have to walking closely with the Lord so that he can make our joy complete.
We are told in John 16:33 that life won't be easy! "I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." We have to claim God's peace and joy during the trouble and hardships of life. We will all experience hardships, but it's how we react to those hardships that can be an example to others and bring glory to God. And God can teach us things through hardships. If are hearts are hardened, we might miss out on the blessing of those lessons, but if we are choosing joy, our hearts are more receptive to the things that God is trying to teach us through life's circumstances. To be blessed means fully experiencing hope and joy regardless of outward circumstances; whether life is good or bad.
Philippians 4:4-9 offers us great encouragement! "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." We have to be growing in our relationship with God and choosing to respond to life with joy. Joy that comes from God alone, not from a superficial happiness that comes from the world. And putting what we are learning into practice and showing others the joy we receive from God will bring glory to Him. We need to ask God to fill us with joy, regardless of the circumstances that we face!
So, today I choose joy!
"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11) We are called to be joyful in all circumstances, but joy can be hard. We need God's help and we need to be walking closely with him!
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." When we are walking with the Lord he will carry us through each high and low of life. It's easy to be happy when life is good, but we are called to go beyond happiness to joy and we are called to be joyful even when life is hard. We have to walking closely with the Lord so that he can make our joy complete.
We are told in John 16:33 that life won't be easy! "I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." We have to claim God's peace and joy during the trouble and hardships of life. We will all experience hardships, but it's how we react to those hardships that can be an example to others and bring glory to God. And God can teach us things through hardships. If are hearts are hardened, we might miss out on the blessing of those lessons, but if we are choosing joy, our hearts are more receptive to the things that God is trying to teach us through life's circumstances. To be blessed means fully experiencing hope and joy regardless of outward circumstances; whether life is good or bad.
Philippians 4:4-9 offers us great encouragement! "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." We have to be growing in our relationship with God and choosing to respond to life with joy. Joy that comes from God alone, not from a superficial happiness that comes from the world. And putting what we are learning into practice and showing others the joy we receive from God will bring glory to Him. We need to ask God to fill us with joy, regardless of the circumstances that we face!
So, today I choose joy!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Today I Choose to Be Used...
Today I choose to be used. To look for ways to serve and use the gifts that God has given my to bless and encourage others.
I am very grateful for the gifts and resources that God has given me. We are called to use our gifts to serve God and serve others. The amazing thing about God is that he uses us just as we are, where we are, with the resources he has given. In Judges 3 we see God use Ehud to kill Eglon king of Moab to free Israel. Ehud killed the king by hiding a sword on his right leg because he was left handed. Being left handed was considered a handicap in Ehud's day, but he was able to defeat the king because he was left handed. God has created us just the way he wants and he can use us to accomplish his work. The world might tell us that we have a "handicap" or we may think we have a "handicap" that God just can't use, but he is telling us that he can use us just as we are!
We are tools in God's hands and we need him to use us. Isaiah 10:15 says, "Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it, or the saw boast against him who uses it? As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up, or a club brandish him who is not wood!" No tool can accomplish its purpose without someone using it. Think about a hammer, it can't pound a nail into wood by itself, the hammer has to be used so it can fulfill its purpose. We are tools for God, just like the Assyrians were in Isaiah, but we will not be tools that fulfill their purpose unless we allow God to use us. We need him to be the carpenter that swings our hammer! We have to recognize that God has gifted us and that he wants to use us!
Are we willing to faithfully use the gifts that God has entrusted to us? Romans 12:6-8 says, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."Are we using our gifts to their full potential? God can use us in mighty and powerful ways if we step back, let him take control of our lives and if we are willing to follow Hiss will and not our own.
I want to by used, I want my gifts to bring glory to God; my creator, provider and King. So, today I choose to be used!
I am very grateful for the gifts and resources that God has given me. We are called to use our gifts to serve God and serve others. The amazing thing about God is that he uses us just as we are, where we are, with the resources he has given. In Judges 3 we see God use Ehud to kill Eglon king of Moab to free Israel. Ehud killed the king by hiding a sword on his right leg because he was left handed. Being left handed was considered a handicap in Ehud's day, but he was able to defeat the king because he was left handed. God has created us just the way he wants and he can use us to accomplish his work. The world might tell us that we have a "handicap" or we may think we have a "handicap" that God just can't use, but he is telling us that he can use us just as we are!
We are tools in God's hands and we need him to use us. Isaiah 10:15 says, "Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it, or the saw boast against him who uses it? As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up, or a club brandish him who is not wood!" No tool can accomplish its purpose without someone using it. Think about a hammer, it can't pound a nail into wood by itself, the hammer has to be used so it can fulfill its purpose. We are tools for God, just like the Assyrians were in Isaiah, but we will not be tools that fulfill their purpose unless we allow God to use us. We need him to be the carpenter that swings our hammer! We have to recognize that God has gifted us and that he wants to use us!
Are we willing to faithfully use the gifts that God has entrusted to us? Romans 12:6-8 says, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."Are we using our gifts to their full potential? God can use us in mighty and powerful ways if we step back, let him take control of our lives and if we are willing to follow Hiss will and not our own.
I want to by used, I want my gifts to bring glory to God; my creator, provider and King. So, today I choose to be used!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Today I Choose to Believe...
Today I choose to believe. To believe in God's word, in his plan and to confidently know that God is who he says he is.
The word believe gets thrown out there a lot in culture. As children we can believe in Santa, we are told to believe in the magic of Christmas time and believe in the magic of Disneyland. But what does it really mean to believe in God? Do our lives reflect what we claim to know and believe?
I have called myself a follower and believer of Christ since I was a young child. I had the blessing of growing up in a Christian home where God's truth was taught and applied. It wasn't until Jr. High that I really started to understand and desire to have a intimate, real relationship with God. And it was in Jr. High that I was challenged to live out my faith on a daily basis. I attended a Christian school in Jr. High and we had weekly chapels that we attended. Most of the time they were OK and I am sure that I didn't get as much out of them as I should have because I was probably distracted by my friends, but there was one chapel that made a lasting impact on my life. The point of the entire message was, "If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it must be a duck." The pastor even wore a Donald Duck hat to get his point across. He challenged us that if we called ourselves Christians then our walk, our talk and our lives needed to reflect our relationship with Christ. I will never forget that analogy and ever so often it comes back into my mind. If I walk like a believer, talk like a believer, then I must be a believer.
In Deuteronomy 27:9-10 Israel is given some instructions, "Then Moses and the priests, who are Levites, said to all Israel, 'Be silent, O Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God. Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees I give you today.'" Are we living out God's commands in our lives? Do our actions reflect his character? Are we living out what we claim to believe? Psalm 18:30 describes God's character and what we believe, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." Only God can save and protect us. He has a perfect plan and his word is flawless! No one else is like that!
Believing in God is only the first step. We have to have a personal relationship with him that is constantly growing. And that relationship should transform our lives, change how we live and show others that we are followers of Christ. We are given the best gift, salvation for all who believe. "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:21-24) We have all fallen short, but we are offered redemption. Let's live our lives like we are saved, because we are!
So today I choose to believe and to have my words, my thoughts and my actions reflect what I believe.
The word believe gets thrown out there a lot in culture. As children we can believe in Santa, we are told to believe in the magic of Christmas time and believe in the magic of Disneyland. But what does it really mean to believe in God? Do our lives reflect what we claim to know and believe?
I have called myself a follower and believer of Christ since I was a young child. I had the blessing of growing up in a Christian home where God's truth was taught and applied. It wasn't until Jr. High that I really started to understand and desire to have a intimate, real relationship with God. And it was in Jr. High that I was challenged to live out my faith on a daily basis. I attended a Christian school in Jr. High and we had weekly chapels that we attended. Most of the time they were OK and I am sure that I didn't get as much out of them as I should have because I was probably distracted by my friends, but there was one chapel that made a lasting impact on my life. The point of the entire message was, "If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it must be a duck." The pastor even wore a Donald Duck hat to get his point across. He challenged us that if we called ourselves Christians then our walk, our talk and our lives needed to reflect our relationship with Christ. I will never forget that analogy and ever so often it comes back into my mind. If I walk like a believer, talk like a believer, then I must be a believer.
In Deuteronomy 27:9-10 Israel is given some instructions, "Then Moses and the priests, who are Levites, said to all Israel, 'Be silent, O Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God. Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees I give you today.'" Are we living out God's commands in our lives? Do our actions reflect his character? Are we living out what we claim to believe? Psalm 18:30 describes God's character and what we believe, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." Only God can save and protect us. He has a perfect plan and his word is flawless! No one else is like that!
Believing in God is only the first step. We have to have a personal relationship with him that is constantly growing. And that relationship should transform our lives, change how we live and show others that we are followers of Christ. We are given the best gift, salvation for all who believe. "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:21-24) We have all fallen short, but we are offered redemption. Let's live our lives like we are saved, because we are!
So today I choose to believe and to have my words, my thoughts and my actions reflect what I believe.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Today I Choose to Not Fear...
Today I choose to not fear. To not allow the worries of life to overtake me and to put my trust in God alone.
I am a worry wart and often my mind wanders to the worst case scenario. My mind can take me to dark places of fear if I am not focused on God. And if I could sum up my life in one sentence it's that God is faithful even though I am fearful. Fear can be paralyzing, it can prevent us from doing something that God has called us to do and can distract us from being effective.
God tells us to not fear, because he is with us. In Genesis 15 we read about God promising a son to Abram. In 15:1 it says, "After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.'" God always has our best interest in mind, he has a perfect plan and even when life seems uncertain, we will never leave us!
In Mark chapters four and six we see Jesus do two amazing things. In chapter four he calms the storm and in chapter six he walks on water. In Mark 4:39 we see Jesus get up and rebuke the waves, telling them be quiet and still. Then verse 40 says, "He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" Later in Mark chapter six Jesus walks on water and the disciples are afraid because they think Jesus is a ghost. "Immediately he spoke to them and said, 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.'" (Mark 6:50) We can be at peace and not fear during the storms of life if we are looking to God for strength. Even if our waves don't calm down when we want them to, we can still find peace and comfort in God's strength.
Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 reminds us of where we find our strength. "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." When we use the gifts that God has given us, he will give us the courage, strength and power we need. We have to not allow fear to prevent us from being effective for God and we need to look to God for strength so that we can do his work.
It think when God asks us to do something that feels really big, the hardest part is just getting started. We can allow our fears to overtake us, to stop us in our tracks and to paralyze us. I have to be honest, I have been allowing my fears to stop me in my tracks. I feel like God has given me an idea and a vision for this word study journey that I been on and my fear has made me believe that it would never be possible. I have convinced myself that I should just keep praying about my idea and if it is really what God wants, he'll just make it happen. But today I realized that I have to move! God has given me a vision for this word study to turn into a devotional and up until now I have been afraid to even say that out loud. I think I have been fearful of what others might think and probably mostly fearful of even getting started. It feels big, it feels overwhelming and to me it feels funny to even say that I want to write a devotional book. I felt like God was telling me today, just move and if this is not my plan I will close all of the doors. And I have to find peace in that truth! I have to stop letting my fear keep me from moving! I need to rest in the fact that "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1)
So, today I choose to not fear and to move forward because if God calls I must listen.
I am a worry wart and often my mind wanders to the worst case scenario. My mind can take me to dark places of fear if I am not focused on God. And if I could sum up my life in one sentence it's that God is faithful even though I am fearful. Fear can be paralyzing, it can prevent us from doing something that God has called us to do and can distract us from being effective.
God tells us to not fear, because he is with us. In Genesis 15 we read about God promising a son to Abram. In 15:1 it says, "After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.'" God always has our best interest in mind, he has a perfect plan and even when life seems uncertain, we will never leave us!
In Mark chapters four and six we see Jesus do two amazing things. In chapter four he calms the storm and in chapter six he walks on water. In Mark 4:39 we see Jesus get up and rebuke the waves, telling them be quiet and still. Then verse 40 says, "He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" Later in Mark chapter six Jesus walks on water and the disciples are afraid because they think Jesus is a ghost. "Immediately he spoke to them and said, 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.'" (Mark 6:50) We can be at peace and not fear during the storms of life if we are looking to God for strength. Even if our waves don't calm down when we want them to, we can still find peace and comfort in God's strength.
Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 reminds us of where we find our strength. "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." When we use the gifts that God has given us, he will give us the courage, strength and power we need. We have to not allow fear to prevent us from being effective for God and we need to look to God for strength so that we can do his work.
It think when God asks us to do something that feels really big, the hardest part is just getting started. We can allow our fears to overtake us, to stop us in our tracks and to paralyze us. I have to be honest, I have been allowing my fears to stop me in my tracks. I feel like God has given me an idea and a vision for this word study journey that I been on and my fear has made me believe that it would never be possible. I have convinced myself that I should just keep praying about my idea and if it is really what God wants, he'll just make it happen. But today I realized that I have to move! God has given me a vision for this word study to turn into a devotional and up until now I have been afraid to even say that out loud. I think I have been fearful of what others might think and probably mostly fearful of even getting started. It feels big, it feels overwhelming and to me it feels funny to even say that I want to write a devotional book. I felt like God was telling me today, just move and if this is not my plan I will close all of the doors. And I have to find peace in that truth! I have to stop letting my fear keep me from moving! I need to rest in the fact that "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1)
So, today I choose to not fear and to move forward because if God calls I must listen.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Today I Choose to Worship...
Today I choose to worship. To recognize how much God deserves my worship and to worship him with all of my heart.
One of my most favorite things about going to church on a Sunday morning is the time of worship through song. I love worshiping God through music, it feeds my soul and it's a time where I feel very connected to God.
Today is Sunday and I was able to experience corporate worship. I wanted to enter today with a heart that was prepared for worship, so I spent some time studying God's word before I left. The enemy doesn't like it when we worship God and he can distract us from our worship. Even as I was standing in our worship center singing, I found my mind wondering, thinking about things other than worship. It is easy to get distracted from worshiping God and our minds can easily become filled with our to do lists and also with the worries of this world. We are called to worship God because he is our creator, because he deserves it and because he is our top priority.
Psalm 81:1-2 says, "Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre." God has given us music to worship him with and it is so important for us to be experiencing that type of corporate worship on a regular basis.
I love the expression of worship in Psalm 95:1-7. "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hand formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."
Worship should be a part of our every day lives, not just when we are sitting in church on a Sunday morning. We can worship God through prayer, through giving our money towards his ministries, through serving others or through song. The thing is, we have to make worship a priority. We have to look at life differently. We have to love; love God and love others. We have to be willing for God to change our plans, to use us in ways that we weren't expecting and we need to have him as our top priority.
I am not a morning person at all! I love night time and when I was in school I was the student who was up until 3am writing papers. All that to say, this 35 day challenge that I have been on has helped me to see the value of waking up earlier. I have been trying hard to wake up early, (with the help of my wonderful husband who thinks that 6am isn't early at all :) so that I can have some real quite time with God before my kids are up. It doesn't always work because some mornings they wake up earlier than I want, but the point is that even if I don't have much time where my house is totally quiet, at least I have some time and I am making it a priority. I want my life to be a living example of what it means to follow God wholeheartedly, to worship him and to use my gifts for his glory because that is what I am called to do as his child. I am a work in progress and there is still a lot that I don't know, but I love learning about God and learning how to apply his word to my life. I must worship him in every area of my life, through the way that I live my life.
So, today I choose to worship!
One of my most favorite things about going to church on a Sunday morning is the time of worship through song. I love worshiping God through music, it feeds my soul and it's a time where I feel very connected to God.
Today is Sunday and I was able to experience corporate worship. I wanted to enter today with a heart that was prepared for worship, so I spent some time studying God's word before I left. The enemy doesn't like it when we worship God and he can distract us from our worship. Even as I was standing in our worship center singing, I found my mind wondering, thinking about things other than worship. It is easy to get distracted from worshiping God and our minds can easily become filled with our to do lists and also with the worries of this world. We are called to worship God because he is our creator, because he deserves it and because he is our top priority.
Psalm 81:1-2 says, "Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre." God has given us music to worship him with and it is so important for us to be experiencing that type of corporate worship on a regular basis.
I love the expression of worship in Psalm 95:1-7. "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hand formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."
Worship should be a part of our every day lives, not just when we are sitting in church on a Sunday morning. We can worship God through prayer, through giving our money towards his ministries, through serving others or through song. The thing is, we have to make worship a priority. We have to look at life differently. We have to love; love God and love others. We have to be willing for God to change our plans, to use us in ways that we weren't expecting and we need to have him as our top priority.
I am not a morning person at all! I love night time and when I was in school I was the student who was up until 3am writing papers. All that to say, this 35 day challenge that I have been on has helped me to see the value of waking up earlier. I have been trying hard to wake up early, (with the help of my wonderful husband who thinks that 6am isn't early at all :) so that I can have some real quite time with God before my kids are up. It doesn't always work because some mornings they wake up earlier than I want, but the point is that even if I don't have much time where my house is totally quiet, at least I have some time and I am making it a priority. I want my life to be a living example of what it means to follow God wholeheartedly, to worship him and to use my gifts for his glory because that is what I am called to do as his child. I am a work in progress and there is still a lot that I don't know, but I love learning about God and learning how to apply his word to my life. I must worship him in every area of my life, through the way that I live my life.
So, today I choose to worship!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Today I Choose to Serve...
Today I choose to serve. To serve God wholeheartedly and to serve others.
It is really easy to convince ourselves that we don't need to serve. As Christians we have our list of excuses that often hold us back from serving. Things like saying we'll pray about it, I mean praying about serving is good, but we can't pray for too long...we have to move! We can also easily convince ourselves that someone else will just take care of that need. After all we are busy people with lives and how could we possibly add one more thing to our busy schedule. I think that finding balance in our lives is important, but we still have to serve! And if life is getting in the way of serving then I think that something needs to change in our priorities.
I think Paul's words to the people of Philippi in Philippians 2:1-11 is a perfect challenge and explanation of what it means to be a servant.
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Jesus Christ came to serve and there is no question about it; we are supposed to serve as well.
One of my favorite examples of a servant and following God's plan is Mary. I love her answer to the angel in Luke 1:38, "'I am the Lord's servant, ' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.'" Then the angel left her." Do we have the kind of willingness? Do we value God's plan and his purpose for our lives more than our own plans and desires? I want to have that kind of willingness! I want to be all in, willing and available for God to use me as he sees fit.
So, today I choose to serve. To emulate Christ's humility in my life and become a servant!
It is really easy to convince ourselves that we don't need to serve. As Christians we have our list of excuses that often hold us back from serving. Things like saying we'll pray about it, I mean praying about serving is good, but we can't pray for too long...we have to move! We can also easily convince ourselves that someone else will just take care of that need. After all we are busy people with lives and how could we possibly add one more thing to our busy schedule. I think that finding balance in our lives is important, but we still have to serve! And if life is getting in the way of serving then I think that something needs to change in our priorities.
I think Paul's words to the people of Philippi in Philippians 2:1-11 is a perfect challenge and explanation of what it means to be a servant.
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Jesus Christ came to serve and there is no question about it; we are supposed to serve as well.
One of my favorite examples of a servant and following God's plan is Mary. I love her answer to the angel in Luke 1:38, "'I am the Lord's servant, ' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.'" Then the angel left her." Do we have the kind of willingness? Do we value God's plan and his purpose for our lives more than our own plans and desires? I want to have that kind of willingness! I want to be all in, willing and available for God to use me as he sees fit.
So, today I choose to serve. To emulate Christ's humility in my life and become a servant!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Today I Choose to Put Others Before Myself...
Today I choose to put others before myself. To look for the needs of others and put those needs before my own, living a less self focused life.
I think that parents have a good understanding of what it means to put someone else before themselves. The second that you find out your are pregnant your baby's well being and needs come first. You have to sacrifice things that you love, like real coffee and settle for decaf or you give up that yummy sushi for something fully cooked, all because those things could harm your baby's well being. Although at times you may feel like you NEED those things, you give them up because you love your baby more than you love anything you are giving up. We learn to put someone else before ourselves because we love them. Our children shouldn't be the only ones that we put before ourselves, we are called to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself."(Philippians 2:3)
Putting others before ourselves is not easy, it is a constant battle that we must face. Because truly, the easiest thing is to be selfish and the devil tries to convince us that we will gain the most out of being selfish, but in reality it is the most destructive. Luke 9:23 says, "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" We are called to follow Christ's example daily, not every other day, not once a week, but every single day. We have to make a choice to follow Him and give up our own personal desires. Luke chapter 9 goes on to say, "'For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Nothing on this earth could ever compensate for the loss of eternal life. At the end of my life, when I meet my Savior face to face I want him to tell me well done, good and faithful servant. In order to be a good and faithful servant, I must love others, put them before myself and follow God's will for my life.
I have been resettling with this idea and question that I thought of today. Is giving up our own plans and desires really a sacrifice when we know that God has a plan that is so much greater than we could ever imagine? I think our human side sees it as a sacrifice because we are selfish by nature, but I think we have to see it as faith, trust, and hope in God who dreams so much bigger than we ever could. We should desire his plan because his plan is best! It's all about our perspective. What we give up now could never compare to what we gain, eternal life with our Savior. So I think we need to live out the words of 1 Peter 1:22-25 and have an eternal mindset. "Now that you have purified yourself by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable; through the living and enduring word of God. For, 'All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.'" The things of this world will fade, people and their accomplishments are forgotten, but the word of the Lord stands forever. It is never fading, never changing and never forgotten. I think when we start to look at life with the eternal mindset of what we can do while we are on this earth to bring God glory and how we can tell others about the gospel, putting others before ourselves becomes easier, our love for others becomes more sincere and in the end God receives all of the glory.
So today, I choose to put others before myself. To God be the glory!
I think that parents have a good understanding of what it means to put someone else before themselves. The second that you find out your are pregnant your baby's well being and needs come first. You have to sacrifice things that you love, like real coffee and settle for decaf or you give up that yummy sushi for something fully cooked, all because those things could harm your baby's well being. Although at times you may feel like you NEED those things, you give them up because you love your baby more than you love anything you are giving up. We learn to put someone else before ourselves because we love them. Our children shouldn't be the only ones that we put before ourselves, we are called to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself."(Philippians 2:3)
Putting others before ourselves is not easy, it is a constant battle that we must face. Because truly, the easiest thing is to be selfish and the devil tries to convince us that we will gain the most out of being selfish, but in reality it is the most destructive. Luke 9:23 says, "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" We are called to follow Christ's example daily, not every other day, not once a week, but every single day. We have to make a choice to follow Him and give up our own personal desires. Luke chapter 9 goes on to say, "'For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Nothing on this earth could ever compensate for the loss of eternal life. At the end of my life, when I meet my Savior face to face I want him to tell me well done, good and faithful servant. In order to be a good and faithful servant, I must love others, put them before myself and follow God's will for my life.
I have been resettling with this idea and question that I thought of today. Is giving up our own plans and desires really a sacrifice when we know that God has a plan that is so much greater than we could ever imagine? I think our human side sees it as a sacrifice because we are selfish by nature, but I think we have to see it as faith, trust, and hope in God who dreams so much bigger than we ever could. We should desire his plan because his plan is best! It's all about our perspective. What we give up now could never compare to what we gain, eternal life with our Savior. So I think we need to live out the words of 1 Peter 1:22-25 and have an eternal mindset. "Now that you have purified yourself by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable; through the living and enduring word of God. For, 'All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.'" The things of this world will fade, people and their accomplishments are forgotten, but the word of the Lord stands forever. It is never fading, never changing and never forgotten. I think when we start to look at life with the eternal mindset of what we can do while we are on this earth to bring God glory and how we can tell others about the gospel, putting others before ourselves becomes easier, our love for others becomes more sincere and in the end God receives all of the glory.
So today, I choose to put others before myself. To God be the glory!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Today I Choose to Look for Needs...
Today I choose to look for needs. It's not enough to help when a need falls into my lap, I have to look for the needs of others and help meet them..
God has really been challenging me to choose an active faith, to be intentional, choose to react in a way that would honor him and to actively seek out ways that I can be a servant. I want to be aware of the ways that I can meet the needs of others and that means that I have to look outside of myself and become less selfish. Matthew 23:11-12 says, "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself with be exalted." Jesus Christ came to serve, not to be served. He was the ultimate example of what it means to serve others and we should emulate that in our lives.
I think that we have to get to a place in our lives where we truly desire to love others, to share God's love and where the things of this world just don't matter anymore. We place such a high value on things, on being successful and on earthly gains. I am all for being productive, setting goals and achieving them, and working hard but it is when those things become our driving force in life that I think we loose sight of our purpose...the purpose of making God known! We have to find a balance in life and make sure that we are living in a way that is different from the rest of the world. Luke 6:32-33 says, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that." We should be the ones that stand out, who look for needs and are willing to help without expecting anything in return.
When we have an eternal mindset we begin to see all that we have on earth as blessings from God and things that he can use to bless others. Romans 12:13 tells us to "Share with God's people in need. Practice hospitality." We need to take what we have been blessed with and bless others!
1 John 3:16-18 was a great challenge to me today. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongues but with actions and in truth." Do our actions match our words? We may never be asked to give up our lives for someone, but we might be asked to put our day on hold to help someone or put our own desires aside and put someone else before ourselves. We need to live out what say we believe each day!
So today I choose to look for needs and to actively help meet those needs.
God has really been challenging me to choose an active faith, to be intentional, choose to react in a way that would honor him and to actively seek out ways that I can be a servant. I want to be aware of the ways that I can meet the needs of others and that means that I have to look outside of myself and become less selfish. Matthew 23:11-12 says, "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself with be exalted." Jesus Christ came to serve, not to be served. He was the ultimate example of what it means to serve others and we should emulate that in our lives.
I think that we have to get to a place in our lives where we truly desire to love others, to share God's love and where the things of this world just don't matter anymore. We place such a high value on things, on being successful and on earthly gains. I am all for being productive, setting goals and achieving them, and working hard but it is when those things become our driving force in life that I think we loose sight of our purpose...the purpose of making God known! We have to find a balance in life and make sure that we are living in a way that is different from the rest of the world. Luke 6:32-33 says, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that." We should be the ones that stand out, who look for needs and are willing to help without expecting anything in return.
When we have an eternal mindset we begin to see all that we have on earth as blessings from God and things that he can use to bless others. Romans 12:13 tells us to "Share with God's people in need. Practice hospitality." We need to take what we have been blessed with and bless others!
1 John 3:16-18 was a great challenge to me today. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongues but with actions and in truth." Do our actions match our words? We may never be asked to give up our lives for someone, but we might be asked to put our day on hold to help someone or put our own desires aside and put someone else before ourselves. We need to live out what say we believe each day!
So today I choose to look for needs and to actively help meet those needs.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Today I Choose to Help...
Today I choose to help. To help those around me in whatever ways I can.
I love how the words that I have been studying are all connecting! Yesterday we looked at giving and today it's all about helping! And the word that connects them all...love. We should help because we love. If we love our desire to give and to help will flow out naturally because we care for those around us. But loving others is not easy and we need to ask God to give us the strength and desire to love. We can live out God's kind of love, love that expects nothing in return, if we ask him for help. 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 says, "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." These are the qualities that we need to live out on a daily basis and we will never be able to do so without God's help. Why? Because these qualities all go against our natural human instincts. Our human nature is self-seeking, impatient, unkind and keeps records of wrongs. We are called to live out the words of Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." We need to help others, care about what they are dealing with in live, give and reach out!
Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." God is our help and if we are relying on him, we should have the strength to be a help to others.
So, today I choose to look for tangible ways that I can help. There are simple things like holding open a door for someone when their arms are full or picking up the penny that they dropped while paying at the store. Or helping could be bigger, maybe we need to offer financial assistance to someone or sit and listen as they pour out their hearts. Whatever it might be, we should help because we love!
So today, I choose to help.
I love how the words that I have been studying are all connecting! Yesterday we looked at giving and today it's all about helping! And the word that connects them all...love. We should help because we love. If we love our desire to give and to help will flow out naturally because we care for those around us. But loving others is not easy and we need to ask God to give us the strength and desire to love. We can live out God's kind of love, love that expects nothing in return, if we ask him for help. 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 says, "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." These are the qualities that we need to live out on a daily basis and we will never be able to do so without God's help. Why? Because these qualities all go against our natural human instincts. Our human nature is self-seeking, impatient, unkind and keeps records of wrongs. We are called to live out the words of Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." We need to help others, care about what they are dealing with in live, give and reach out!
Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." God is our help and if we are relying on him, we should have the strength to be a help to others.
So, today I choose to look for tangible ways that I can help. There are simple things like holding open a door for someone when their arms are full or picking up the penny that they dropped while paying at the store. Or helping could be bigger, maybe we need to offer financial assistance to someone or sit and listen as they pour out their hearts. Whatever it might be, we should help because we love!
So today, I choose to help.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Today I Choose to Give...
Today I choose to give. To be generous with the blessings and talents that God has given me and give to others!
We have so much stuff! As I sit here, I am thinking about my house and all of the things that fill it. I have a closet filled with clothes, my kids have a toy room filled with toys, we have furniture in every room and I have a kitchen filled with wonderful pots, pans, baking equipment and more! All this to say, I am blessed!! And out of those blessings I need to give. I need to give of the material items that I have been blessed with and of the talents and gifts that God has given me. I know for myself that it can feel funny to talk about the talents and gifts that I have, it can feel boastful to say that we are really good at something. God has been challenging me and reminding me that I should be not ashamed to talk about the talents that he has given me, instead I should be using those talents for his glory!! The enemy can come in and easily convince us that we have nothing to offer and nothing to give, but God tells us that we are created in his image and that we are valuable. We have something to offer the body of Christ because we are all created differently, we all have different gifts and we need to use them for God's glory.
Proverbs 3:9-10 says, "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Although we might not have crops to give today, we still have much to offer the Lord. We are called to give money, time and things to the ministries of God. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 tells us, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." We are called to give with a cheerful heart, recognizing that God will provide for all of our needs! I have been amazed at the times in my life when God has provided for our needs. We have experienced times of unemployment and I have watched God's people generously give. I want to give generously so that I can be an encouragement to others as others have been an encouragement to me.
We should give because we love! Paul challenged the Corinthian believers to give generously in 2 Corinthians 8:7-8. "But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others." My Life Application Study Bible gives some great insight into these verses, "The Corinthians believers excelled in everything - they had faith, good preaching (speech), much knowledge, much earnestness, much love. Paul wanted them to also be leaders in giving. Giving is a natural response of love. Paul did not order the Corinthians to give, but he encouraged them to prove that their love was sincere. When you love someone, you want to give him or her your time, attention and to provide for his or her needs. If you refuse to help, your love is not as genuine as you say."
If we're not giving, is it because we aren't loving? Do we need to ask God to give us love for others, so that we in turn care to provide for their needs? I think we need to do just that! We must ask God to give us a heart to love others, to see them as he does and to meet their needs. I am so blessed and I want to be a blessing to others, whether it means giving of my things, my time or my talents. I want God to use everything I give and I am going to give God my best.
So today, I choose to give!
We have so much stuff! As I sit here, I am thinking about my house and all of the things that fill it. I have a closet filled with clothes, my kids have a toy room filled with toys, we have furniture in every room and I have a kitchen filled with wonderful pots, pans, baking equipment and more! All this to say, I am blessed!! And out of those blessings I need to give. I need to give of the material items that I have been blessed with and of the talents and gifts that God has given me. I know for myself that it can feel funny to talk about the talents and gifts that I have, it can feel boastful to say that we are really good at something. God has been challenging me and reminding me that I should be not ashamed to talk about the talents that he has given me, instead I should be using those talents for his glory!! The enemy can come in and easily convince us that we have nothing to offer and nothing to give, but God tells us that we are created in his image and that we are valuable. We have something to offer the body of Christ because we are all created differently, we all have different gifts and we need to use them for God's glory.
Proverbs 3:9-10 says, "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Although we might not have crops to give today, we still have much to offer the Lord. We are called to give money, time and things to the ministries of God. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 tells us, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." We are called to give with a cheerful heart, recognizing that God will provide for all of our needs! I have been amazed at the times in my life when God has provided for our needs. We have experienced times of unemployment and I have watched God's people generously give. I want to give generously so that I can be an encouragement to others as others have been an encouragement to me.
We should give because we love! Paul challenged the Corinthian believers to give generously in 2 Corinthians 8:7-8. "But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others." My Life Application Study Bible gives some great insight into these verses, "The Corinthians believers excelled in everything - they had faith, good preaching (speech), much knowledge, much earnestness, much love. Paul wanted them to also be leaders in giving. Giving is a natural response of love. Paul did not order the Corinthians to give, but he encouraged them to prove that their love was sincere. When you love someone, you want to give him or her your time, attention and to provide for his or her needs. If you refuse to help, your love is not as genuine as you say."
If we're not giving, is it because we aren't loving? Do we need to ask God to give us love for others, so that we in turn care to provide for their needs? I think we need to do just that! We must ask God to give us a heart to love others, to see them as he does and to meet their needs. I am so blessed and I want to be a blessing to others, whether it means giving of my things, my time or my talents. I want God to use everything I give and I am going to give God my best.
So today, I choose to give!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Today I Choose to Reach Out...
Today I choose to reach out. To include others, make them feel welcome, look for the needs of others and to step out of my own comfort zone and reach out to others.
It's really easy to get settled into our comfortable lives with our comfortable friends, in our comfortable routines. As believers we aren't called to a life of comfort. We are called to live a life of love, generosity, service and sacrifice. We need to reach out, make people feel welcomed and love others.
John 13:34-35 says "'A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.'" We can't learn to genuinely reach out if we don't love. We have to desire to love others because we were loved first, so that we can show others that we are children of God.
I love the picture that we see of the fellowship of believers in Acts 2:42-47. "They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and good, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." These verses really made me think about the church today. How can we expect new people to come to church and stay if we don't reach out, if we don't include and if we don't go beyond our comfort zones? We have to sacrifice our comfort so the Lord can add to our numbers.
I have a wonderful husband who has been challenging me to reach out and to be honest I have resisted. Several months ago Kyle told me that we should set aside one night a week to have someone from church over for dinner. When he brought up this idea we had just had Eliza and I was not really in a place were I wanted to have someone over for dinner every week. I felt like I was barely keeping up with things around our house and was hesitant to say the least. Kyle understood and after some time decided to push me again. In all honesty I'm not sure what was holding me back. I love having people over for dinner, but I think that I was feeling on the "outs"myself at church and wasn't really desiring to reach out. I decided that I should support Kyle and make the dinner thing happen. And I am so glad that I did! We have been able to have several different people over and now that the holidays are over, I am looking forward to having more people over. It has been such a blessing to get to know new people at church and I can only hope that us opening up our home will help people feel welcome at church.
It can be a little intimidating to have someone over for dinner that you don't know and it's really easy to just turn to go to friends, but that's against the idea of reaching out! I don't think there's anything wrong with having good friends over for dinner, but it's also important to have a balance and reach out to those you don't know. And I think it goes beyond hosting someone in your home. We have to reach out when we see someone at the store and say hi. It's easy to duck down the other isle and not make eye contact. Or when we are talking with someone on a Sunday morning, we should be aware of who else is around us and who else might want to included. I have learned a lot about including others from my three year old. Parker has a natural part of his personality that is such an includer and his willingness at the young age of three to make sure others feel included is inspiring! I want to be like that, I want to look outside of myself and reach out!
So, today I choose to reach out!
It's really easy to get settled into our comfortable lives with our comfortable friends, in our comfortable routines. As believers we aren't called to a life of comfort. We are called to live a life of love, generosity, service and sacrifice. We need to reach out, make people feel welcomed and love others.
John 13:34-35 says "'A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.'" We can't learn to genuinely reach out if we don't love. We have to desire to love others because we were loved first, so that we can show others that we are children of God.
I love the picture that we see of the fellowship of believers in Acts 2:42-47. "They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and good, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." These verses really made me think about the church today. How can we expect new people to come to church and stay if we don't reach out, if we don't include and if we don't go beyond our comfort zones? We have to sacrifice our comfort so the Lord can add to our numbers.
I have a wonderful husband who has been challenging me to reach out and to be honest I have resisted. Several months ago Kyle told me that we should set aside one night a week to have someone from church over for dinner. When he brought up this idea we had just had Eliza and I was not really in a place were I wanted to have someone over for dinner every week. I felt like I was barely keeping up with things around our house and was hesitant to say the least. Kyle understood and after some time decided to push me again. In all honesty I'm not sure what was holding me back. I love having people over for dinner, but I think that I was feeling on the "outs"myself at church and wasn't really desiring to reach out. I decided that I should support Kyle and make the dinner thing happen. And I am so glad that I did! We have been able to have several different people over and now that the holidays are over, I am looking forward to having more people over. It has been such a blessing to get to know new people at church and I can only hope that us opening up our home will help people feel welcome at church.
It can be a little intimidating to have someone over for dinner that you don't know and it's really easy to just turn to go to friends, but that's against the idea of reaching out! I don't think there's anything wrong with having good friends over for dinner, but it's also important to have a balance and reach out to those you don't know. And I think it goes beyond hosting someone in your home. We have to reach out when we see someone at the store and say hi. It's easy to duck down the other isle and not make eye contact. Or when we are talking with someone on a Sunday morning, we should be aware of who else is around us and who else might want to included. I have learned a lot about including others from my three year old. Parker has a natural part of his personality that is such an includer and his willingness at the young age of three to make sure others feel included is inspiring! I want to be like that, I want to look outside of myself and reach out!
So, today I choose to reach out!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Today I Choose to Pray...
Today I choose to pray. To pray without ceasing, on all occasions, about all things.
Prayer is a powerful thing! Our God is so big and so capable and we have the honor of being able to pray to him, to talk to him, to let him know how we feel and to ask him for things.
God hears our prayers when we are sad, when things are hard and when we are joyful and things are good. God answers our prayers in his timing and in his way. Prayer needs to be a part of our daily lives and not just as our heads are hitting the pillow at night, it should be an important part of the different moments throughout our day. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." We have to make prayer a continual part of our day.
I know that I have a long way to go to make prayer a continual part of my day, but I am getting better. I have been challenged to change my habits. I have to look for ways that I can thank God throughout my day and I have to recognize the times where I need to ask God for help. Prayer can be a simple ten seconds of saying, "God help me know what to say right now" or it can be a long conversation with God where we are pouring out our hearts because we are broken. Romans 8:26 says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." We should find this so comforting, God knows what we need before we even ask and he knows what we need even when we do not.
Over the past several years God has continually reminded me to not pray him into a box. I tend to pray for the things that I can think God is capable of doing and he gently reminds me that he is so BIG and that nothing is impossible with him! I have to pray God sized prayers, not Ruth sized prayers.
I love the reminder from Hebrews 4:14-16, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Jesus walked this earth, he was tempted like we are tempted, he understands us! I think that is amazing, he knows how we feel, and how comforting is that?!
Even when we experience times where it feels like God is silent, we must remember how he has answered our prayers in the past. "I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds." (Psalm 77:12) We have to trust that God has a plan, even if our prayers are not answered in the way we think they should be. We have to pray, asking for God's will to be done in our lives and in the lives of others. 1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." We are called to present our requests to him and to desire his will for our lives, even if that doesn't match our desires.
I want to be a women of prayer, one who prayers all throughout the day, one who prays God's will for my children, one who brings all things to God. I am praying for big things in my life right now and I need to make sure that I am asking for God's will to be done, not just my own.
So, today I choose to pray!
Prayer is a powerful thing! Our God is so big and so capable and we have the honor of being able to pray to him, to talk to him, to let him know how we feel and to ask him for things.
God hears our prayers when we are sad, when things are hard and when we are joyful and things are good. God answers our prayers in his timing and in his way. Prayer needs to be a part of our daily lives and not just as our heads are hitting the pillow at night, it should be an important part of the different moments throughout our day. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." We have to make prayer a continual part of our day.
I know that I have a long way to go to make prayer a continual part of my day, but I am getting better. I have been challenged to change my habits. I have to look for ways that I can thank God throughout my day and I have to recognize the times where I need to ask God for help. Prayer can be a simple ten seconds of saying, "God help me know what to say right now" or it can be a long conversation with God where we are pouring out our hearts because we are broken. Romans 8:26 says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." We should find this so comforting, God knows what we need before we even ask and he knows what we need even when we do not.
Over the past several years God has continually reminded me to not pray him into a box. I tend to pray for the things that I can think God is capable of doing and he gently reminds me that he is so BIG and that nothing is impossible with him! I have to pray God sized prayers, not Ruth sized prayers.
I love the reminder from Hebrews 4:14-16, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Jesus walked this earth, he was tempted like we are tempted, he understands us! I think that is amazing, he knows how we feel, and how comforting is that?!
Even when we experience times where it feels like God is silent, we must remember how he has answered our prayers in the past. "I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds." (Psalm 77:12) We have to trust that God has a plan, even if our prayers are not answered in the way we think they should be. We have to pray, asking for God's will to be done in our lives and in the lives of others. 1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." We are called to present our requests to him and to desire his will for our lives, even if that doesn't match our desires.
I want to be a women of prayer, one who prayers all throughout the day, one who prays God's will for my children, one who brings all things to God. I am praying for big things in my life right now and I need to make sure that I am asking for God's will to be done, not just my own.
So, today I choose to pray!
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