Relationships

A few months back I went to see a movie called Do You Believe? I sat alone in the movie theater, and enjoyed a really good movie. I decided when I left I wanted one of the crosses that Pastor Matthew passed out. Looking online of course I found them, but I also found a 40 Day Devotional, based on that movie by Robert Noland.

I'll be completely honest, it has taken me a lot more than 24 days to get to Day 24, but I want to share with you a passage from that day about relationships, that I think we could all use!

"People will hurt us, but people will help us.
When we get hurt, we can begin to shut out all relationships. This is never a valid solution.

People will leave us, but people will come into our lives.
We all have an exit door and an entry door in our hearts. While we will never be able to stop anyone who decides to leave us, we must always look for those who are trying to come in and get to know us as well"

I would like to challenge each and every one of my friends AND anyone else that might see this, to look around them and see if anyone is trying to get in, and maybe take the chance on someone. Everyone needs a friend, including YOU!

ReWriting the Bible

Unbelievable!!!!

Rewrite the Bible to eliminate references to homosexuality.  

Read the article here:  Gay Man Sues Zondervan

Alright here is my stand! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!! Seriously do you really think that you can sue a publisher and change the way your parents think?

Even if you are successful, by suing the right people in court (the translators), do you think that you can change the way your parents treat you.

On a larger scale, we all have the 1st amendment right, not just the minorities. YES, I agree, you've been denied those rights, but now that you have them (I agree with this part) do NOT think that you can reverse things and take everyone else's rights away. THAT is not how it's supposed to work.

I have the right to religious freedom and the right to free speech just like you and everyone else do. Do not try to limit me, I won't sit still for it.

AND.... AND....

As a Christian, we are supposed to love. Love our neighbor the same way we love the Lord. I am sorry not every so called Christian understands this. Loving our neighbor does not mean that we have to love the sin they are committing. AND since we are ALL sinners and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Then it really doesn't matter what the sin is that we are committing, cause we all have sin, and we are to love the sinner, not the sin.

If you manage to legislate the Bible into something that it's not, that's on you, and between you and God. Anyone that truly has a relationship with God, will have God's Word on his heart, and will know the truth, cause the Holy Spirit will tell him, if we only ask.

Your sin is between you and God. It won't stop me from loving you, as I hope that my sin won't stop you from loving me. BAck to my point, IF you succeed in changing through legislation the wording of the Bible, this will not make your sin okay with God. What God says is a sin, is a sin, and sin keeps you from having a real relationship with God. And even though legislation may say that "it's" okay, doesn't mean it's okay with God.

Please give this some thought... God loves you! regardless of our sins. But he also will not excuse our sin. (Hosea, Jennifer Rothschild)

Heavenly Father

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am so scared about the things that are happening in the world today.  Scared, frustrated, concerned, and at my wits end, at the things that have become acceptable by mainstream society.  There is already so much cursing and killing on the television, and that's not even from the news.  The same sex kissing has just begun.  Now with the Supreme Court of the U.S. saying it's okay for guys to marry guys, and girls to marry girls, its going to explode on the tv worse than it is now.  Drugs are legal in a few states on the West Coast, means that drug use will become a state of normalcy for television shows.

All of these things just a few decades ago were taboo.  Now it's plastered all over the media as okay.  How does a parent instill in their children that these things are NOT okay, when they see it every where?  How does a parent shelter their children from this blatant acceptance of sin, without sheltering them from society as a whole?  How can they learn to stand on their own moral foundation, when most of the world around them has no moral foundation?

Lord, I know that you can do these things.  I know that you can help me.  I know that you will instill in their hearts a desire to know you.  And to know what is right.  And to do those things that are right, and for them to grow on their own, and not be swayed from You by peer pressure, and societal perversions.

I love you, Lord, please show me, day by day, the steps to take with You, with them, and with me.

Amen

Vacations

I have returned from an almost month long vacation.  Gary took me and the kids to the east coast, to visit: Richmond, Baltimore, DC, and Philadelphia, and few other cities in there too.  Exposing the kids to our nation's capital, it's founding, and the history contained within.  We also visited Busch Gardens and Hershey Park.

I got to visit three of the homes of Edgar Allan Poe, one of my favorite authors.  There are 5 Poe houses all together.  We visited the ones in Richmond, Baltimore and Philadelphia.  At the Poe House in Philadelphia I got to read The Raven to my kids while sitting IN Poe's own reading room.  This was totally awesome!!!

I did not do much on my Bible studies while I was gone, and am eager to get back to them.  I did stay in the Bible while I was gone though.  With two reading plans from YouVersion.

I do recommend this app for your smart phones.  It's easy to use, and the latest update has made it fun to find new reading plans.

YouVersion (Read about it here)

Kerusso Shirts

I'd like to give a shout out and some free advertising to Kerusso Shirts.  They are a supplier of Christian T-Shirts right here in Arkansas.   Berryville, I believe.

With my size right now, I find it hard to find shirts that fit right, and comfortably.  The shirts that I blindly ordered off line from Kerusso are so soft, durable, and comfortable.  And they have LOTS to choose from.  As opposed to the 1 (one) that you might find big enough at the Christian store in town, you can find literally dozens of shirts on their website.

Here are a couple that I got.

I love them so much, that I just can not find it easy to decide which one to wear each day.  

Thank you Kerusso for supplying me.  

PS. they have other sizes too, all the way down to the junior sizes!

Find your next shirt here:

Kerusso Shirts

Breaking Free ~ Beth Moore

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

I must start off by saying, I love me some Beth Moore.  Those of you that have done some of her studies will know why I said it that way. 

She has got some spunk, and some fire, and just some common ground with so many people.  You just have to love it.  

Beth digs her way into the Bible, she pulls stuff out of it, that I know it's there when she's done, but I would have never gotten it on my own.  So because of that, Yes I will continue to do her studies. 

Breaking Free, is a very deep, in depth look at self, and the things that we have allowed to bind us, and keep us from the Lord.  I spent the time doing the homework, I learned so very much in this study.  I did not however, "Break Free".  I think, that's because I had already broken free on my own.  

We all have things, that could bind us.  I have several things in my past that did bind me.  I, with God's help, have worked through all those things.  (As far as I know, and He revealed nothing to me during this study).  

I really can not comment on the success of this study for it's intended purposes.  I am just not mature enough in the knowledge of the Word, and with Christ to know "if" this would work for others, to pull them out of things.  But it sure looks like it would. 

Beth, helps whomever takes this study to completion, to deal with bondage that separates us from God.  From things done to us by others, things done to us by ourselves, from things said to us, things that we think about ourselves.  From child abuse, to past sins, she goes in depth with it all.  If you are struggling with any of those things that separate you from God, and/or being who God intended for you to be, please take the time and go through this study, with a group, or even by yourself.  

I'm not going to go into them deeply, but I do want to mention, that Beth talks intensely about the 5 Benefits God Intends for every One of His Children.  If you do NOT know all 5 of these benefits, then please take the time to do this study, or one on the topic of bondage and/or freedom. 

The 5 Benefits that Beth Moore says YOU should have are:

  

1.  To know God and believe Him. 

2.  To glorify God. 

3.  To find satisfaction in God. 

4.  To experience God's peace. 

5.  To enjoy God's presence.  

Beth will give you the keys that you need to get all 5 of these!! I recommend this study to those that are separated from God.  

Shalom!

12 Keys to Enjoying a Healthy Life Now ~ Joyce Meyer

I'm torn in two as to what to say about this book.  

First off, I enjoy the work of Joyce Meyer.  I am getting so very much out of implementing the advise she has given me in her book Battlefield of the Mind. 

You see, I have struggled with weight issues ever since I started birth control pills at 19.  I have long since stopped the pills.  Had two kids.  Lost most of the weight.  BUT then, I stopped smoking last February (2014), and no matter what I did, the weight just started to add back on.  I am almost as big as I ever was, and it's, quite frankly, depressing.  

In July of 2014, my husband, (at my request) got me a membership to the gym.  I went regularly until March of this year.  I felt so much better after working out, but alas, I lost no weight.  I've tried supplements.  Walking.  Strength training.  I cut sodas.  Added water.  LOTS and LOTS of water.  I just have had no success.  

When I found this book, at the local used book seller, I was so excited.  I have talked with God a lot about this subject.  Asking for His help, His direction, His advise.  I still feel that finding this book was in a way an answer to my prayers.  

As I was reading this one, I found myself agreeing a lot.  A lot of what Joyce offers is stuff we already know.  Stuff we've heard, done and failed at numerous times.  It's all compiled into one easy accessible place, this is a good thing.  Her suggestion for the 12 keys, pick one option on each set of Keys (there are 5 each, except for the last), implement one of them a week, or slower until you are comfortable, and it's second nature, and then add one of the options from the next key.  And so on.  

My trouble with this... for example, Key 1's 5 option, I already do 4 of the 5.  So do I add the 5th? Or move on to Key 2?  Well, if you move on to the next Key, I wouldn't change anything.  Because after struggling this long, I am already doing one or more of the steps to each Key already, on a regular and consistent basis.  

Joyce tells us that if we just do one in each Key we will be successful.  And I am living proof that is not the case.  I am almost 50, recently quit smoking, recently unemployed, recently married.  My lifestyle is in an uprooted state, and my metabolism is next to nil.  Some say that exercise increases metabolism.  They could be right, I am no medical expert.  But mine... just isn't normal.  

I've been to the doctor, there is nothing wrong with me physically.  

I stated earlier that I cut sodas...  I was drinking 6-8 Dr. Peppers per day.  900-1200 calories a day, CUT them, replaced by water, which is OH so good for you.  That has had NO (read that as NO) affect on my weight.  

There are a few Keys, that I haven't really applied as much as I think I should, and that is where I am now.  So, Joyce, thank you for reminding me, that God can change things for me.  I have asked God to help me on this journey, and I talk to God while I exercise, and many times throughout the day.  I am also "visualizing" my end goal.  I think the power of positive thinking is very much under played in most of us.  And am trying very hard to "shuck" my negativeness, and the "I can't" attitude, and visualizing myself back at my pre-birth control pill state.  My fitter state.  My (not skinny) but Healthy state!!!

So for those two things, I think the book is a good read.  It's going to be a helpful item to keep close.  And an excellent reference book on diseases, stress, and vegetables.   And if anyone out there is struggling with weight too, please let me know.  Would love to talk with you.  

Shalom!!