Friday, June 13, 2003
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
I Just Found Out About Love
"I just found out about love and I like it! and I like it! I like what love has been doing to me!" to quote a verse from a favorite song of mine by Diane Schurr with the Count Basie Orchestra.
I remember before becoming a Christian having believers share with me all about God's love. I was told that God loves me so much. That He longs to be with me. That He created me to be with Him. That His greatest desire is for me to love Him. That He sent Jesus, His One and Only Son, to earth to take all my sin and that it would die with Him on the Cross. I was made alive by all this love He so graciously lavished on me. It was awe inspiring to discover such unconditional Love! He loved me so much that it was not possible for Him to love me less! It was not possible for Him to love me more than He does! Woooohoooooo!!!! I was loved so much by the Creator of the Universe that He even counts the hairs on my head...He knows everything about me and chooses to love me! Wow! Such Love!
Sometimes I forget about all that love. Do you? Sometimes I need to be reminded about all that love. Do you?
Life has a tendency to drain the energy right out of me. Life is hard. Sometimes I forget to remember God's love for me. I put Him on the "back burner". I neglect my time with Him. I drift. Not far, but far enough.
Have you noticed that fellow believers, although well-intentioned, also forget to remind each other how much God loves them. I have noticed that before someone becomes a Christian, they are witnessed to and told about God's love...after becoming a believer, we are often told that "it's not God who moved...it's you." I know this...but, just like a child longs to hear "I love you so much" from a parent, I sometimes need to have other believers tell me "He loves you so much". Don't tell me that it's me who moved, I know this. Remind me again how much God loves me and wants to hold me close to His heart. Tell me about how He lavishes His love on me every day and even as I sleep. Share with me how He created all the stars in the heavens, but that I am the star in His eye.
A plea to all believers everywhere...encourage your brothers and sisters. Share with them today about how much God loves them.
Daily Biscuit
1. Describe a good experience you have had in/with a local church.
2. Describe a not good experience you have had in/with a local church.
This is from last Friday, June 6 at Gooddogbaddog. I'm a little late, but who cares?
A good experience would be with my church. I've had so many. I have witnessed this church seek Jesus Christ and work very hard to seek God's will in decisions and in caring for each other. They have helped people financially and more importantly provide counselling to those who are suffering. I have seen this church love it's own, and others, and when it sees a need try to fulfill it. This church utilizes the gifts of each member and constantly seeks to glorify God and edify the body with the use of these special, spiritual gifts. I have seen this church make mistakes and fail, and learn from those mistakes. This church practices New Testament theology and challenges itself to live very biblically. I have seen members held accountable when necessary and I have seen people rejoice over spiritual triumphs. I think what I see as the best experience from this church is how it seeks to worship God with hearts, minds and souls. The church is always striving to reach out to others and share the love of Christ, and it is always teaching its membership and equipping it with tools to advance the Kingdom. I love my church!
A not so good experience? Oh...wow...it will be hard to answer this and not "murder". I will simply say that the negative experience boils down to a failure to love others as Christ loves the church, even if that involves accountability and discipline. Gossip kills.
Hanging Out at the Bar
On my business trip last week I had the pleasure of staying in awesome accomodations at the Orlando World Center Marriott. Wow! What a great place to have a convention!
After the meeting on day one, which was last Thursday, my old assistant manager, Cherub, came to visit with me. She moved to St. Petersburg in February and I MISS HER A LOT! It just so happened that our regional meetings were being held in Orlando, which gave us an opportunity to connect and catch up a bit. It was good to see her.
Well, she came up that Thursday night and we hung out with the other managers from my district. Where is the choice place for them to hang out? Well, since I've started going to these meetings I have never gone to "hang out" so I really didn't know for sure, but I assumed. I always sit in my hotel captivated by the tv...since I don't have but one channel at home, it is a real treat to sit with remote in hand and watch as many programs at once that I possibly can on the hotel tv. The others usually hang out at the bars. Bars?...they just aren't my scene. At all.
So, there I sat in Champions Sports Bar. It was busy...many other managers had the same idea, to hang out there and drink away the night. Some had a few beers, some had more, some had more than enough. I was so out of my element. I was seeing things I don't normally see. I was hearing things I don't normally hear. I was many times shocked by the conversation! Cherub chuckled at me and at one point said "wow, Sue, you are really out of your element!" NOOOOOOO KIDDING!
I sat there thinking should I be here? Does it appear that I might condone this type of activity just because I choose to sit here? I couldn't really participate in the conversation because, well, just because of the crude language being used and the topics were really NOT something I could contribute to. One of the guys kept "apologizing" for being so crude and saying things like "Sue, this is the first time you hang out with us, and well, I guess I'm giving you quite an initiation". I still kept wondering if it were right for me, a bible believer, to be sitting there?
Was I being convicted to leave? I held a mini conversation with myself. I concluded that there was nothing wrong with me being there. Part of the time I was having fun. I laughed, I did converse some. At other times I was offended by what was being said and every time, I got an "apology". I told them that I knew that I was free to leave at any time. I found myself waiting for an opportunity to share my faith. I thought...you know, Jesus hung out at these types of places and He always seemed to wait to be invited into the conversation. I decided I would wait too. I never got the opportunity. I figure that Jesus was sometimes at parties and never had the opportunity to share, but that even so, he stood for something. People saw him. They heard him in conversation. They saw him having fun.
Cherub, who I have tried hard to be a witness to, saw me. She heard me in conversation. She saw me, a Christian, having fun...even among the wolves. So did the others'.
I eventually was so tired that I left and went to my hotel room. I did a lot of thinking that night on that experience and at some points I doubted if I should ever be in those situations, but I do eventually conclude that there is no way to develop relationships with people if I always withdraw to my hotel room instead of "hanging out" with people on their turf. What do you think?
Posting
Sorry, I've been soooooooooooo busy with work work work and fatigue that I haven't had the energy to post anything profound. I'll be back in form soon! I do see that Katie has been keeping things going around here though. I love it when she blogs!
Monday, June 09, 2003
I Want to Give
Author: Katie
I don't get much time to be on the puter these days. So, when I get the chance, I check e-mail and I blog or read other blogs. On the all too rare occasion that I get to surf through a few blogs, I find that it is like reading a daily devotion...only better. When reading a daily devotion book, a person cannot comment about what he/she reads to the author. On the other hand, a "bloggee" can not only comment directly to the author about what he/she has written, but can also discuss the devotion with the author as well as with other readers. I think that is like the coolest thing!
Today I want to comment on an entry or two by Irene Q. I tried to comment at her site but had trouble so I decided to blog about it. Irene has written about her struggles with guilt in the area of tithing. First of all, guilt does not come from God. So many Christians are living defeated lives because of guilt, shame, or condemnation from the enemy. There is a difference between healthy conviction from God. The rest is just lies straight from hell.
Jesus didn't come and die to leave us feeling defeated and condemned! He died to set us free from all of that!
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1)
I understand these feelings because I get them often myself and I have to remind myself of this scripture on a regular basis. Christ died to set us free and in Him we are free indeed! There is therefore no condemnation.
Proverbs 11:24
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
Here is a brief testimony about my situation regarding tithing. I often reflect on the parable in the Bible when a very poor woman only gives a few pennies. She is ridiculed for giving so little. Jesus is blessed by this. He says that she gave most of all because it was all she had. This story is what I think about when I tithe. It helps me to give cheerfully. There are so many people who can afford to write big checks and help the needy (which would be me). I get discouraged sometimes because I want to be on the giving end. I want to help others instead of always needing help FROM others. I can't see the whole picture like God can and I know that He has me in this position for a reason. I do know my calling and it will require fundraising so maybe He is teaching me humility in accepting help from other people because I will need to have that character trait in order to fulfill what He has called me to do. I don't know. But what I do know is this......when I receive help I MUST tithe. I don't see it as an obligation anymore. I don't count it as a loss. He holds fast to His promise to provide. God has never failed to multiply and return to me over and above my tithe. He does more than just provide financially. He provides physically, emotionally, mentally. I am blessed to overflowing with love, friendships, spiritual growth, encouragement, material gifts, blessings, blessings, blessings...all around me everyday. He showers me with blessings. But, being the human that I am.....I can search among my mountains of blessings to find the one thing that can steal my joy. Then I focus all my energy on that one thing. That one thing usually stems from selfishness, envy, guilt, shame, condemnation, pride, etc.... None of which is from God. So, my advice to Irene and the many of us who struggle in this manner is to remember Who sends the blessings and who steals the joy and focus on the One who blesses us. Let the conviction of tithing be a conviction, not a burden of guilt. Trust in the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is your Provider, not the government, not the person who owes child support, not your employer, not your pocketbook, not the bank. Only Jehovah Jireh. Only God. This is the secret to cheerful giving and joyful living.
I love the way God speaks to me as I read blogs. I want to reccomend a blog that is somewhat related to this issue. It is another inspiration of my blog today. It can be found at Jenn's Musings. The title is "Dried Brooks and Empty Barrels". Sometimes I see this as the story of my life. It all depends on the perspective taken. The dried brooks and empty barrels have the most room for filling.
May God rain His showers of blessing to fill your brooks and barrels today and every day!
I don't get much time to be on the puter these days. So, when I get the chance, I check e-mail and I blog or read other blogs. On the all too rare occasion that I get to surf through a few blogs, I find that it is like reading a daily devotion...only better. When reading a daily devotion book, a person cannot comment about what he/she reads to the author. On the other hand, a "bloggee" can not only comment directly to the author about what he/she has written, but can also discuss the devotion with the author as well as with other readers. I think that is like the coolest thing!
Today I want to comment on an entry or two by Irene Q. I tried to comment at her site but had trouble so I decided to blog about it. Irene has written about her struggles with guilt in the area of tithing. First of all, guilt does not come from God. So many Christians are living defeated lives because of guilt, shame, or condemnation from the enemy. There is a difference between healthy conviction from God. The rest is just lies straight from hell.
Jesus didn't come and die to leave us feeling defeated and condemned! He died to set us free from all of that!
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1)
I understand these feelings because I get them often myself and I have to remind myself of this scripture on a regular basis. Christ died to set us free and in Him we are free indeed! There is therefore no condemnation.
Proverbs 11:24
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
Here is a brief testimony about my situation regarding tithing. I often reflect on the parable in the Bible when a very poor woman only gives a few pennies. She is ridiculed for giving so little. Jesus is blessed by this. He says that she gave most of all because it was all she had. This story is what I think about when I tithe. It helps me to give cheerfully. There are so many people who can afford to write big checks and help the needy (which would be me). I get discouraged sometimes because I want to be on the giving end. I want to help others instead of always needing help FROM others. I can't see the whole picture like God can and I know that He has me in this position for a reason. I do know my calling and it will require fundraising so maybe He is teaching me humility in accepting help from other people because I will need to have that character trait in order to fulfill what He has called me to do. I don't know. But what I do know is this......when I receive help I MUST tithe. I don't see it as an obligation anymore. I don't count it as a loss. He holds fast to His promise to provide. God has never failed to multiply and return to me over and above my tithe. He does more than just provide financially. He provides physically, emotionally, mentally. I am blessed to overflowing with love, friendships, spiritual growth, encouragement, material gifts, blessings, blessings, blessings...all around me everyday. He showers me with blessings. But, being the human that I am.....I can search among my mountains of blessings to find the one thing that can steal my joy. Then I focus all my energy on that one thing. That one thing usually stems from selfishness, envy, guilt, shame, condemnation, pride, etc.... None of which is from God. So, my advice to Irene and the many of us who struggle in this manner is to remember Who sends the blessings and who steals the joy and focus on the One who blesses us. Let the conviction of tithing be a conviction, not a burden of guilt. Trust in the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is your Provider, not the government, not the person who owes child support, not your employer, not your pocketbook, not the bank. Only Jehovah Jireh. Only God. This is the secret to cheerful giving and joyful living.
I love the way God speaks to me as I read blogs. I want to reccomend a blog that is somewhat related to this issue. It is another inspiration of my blog today. It can be found at Jenn's Musings. The title is "Dried Brooks and Empty Barrels". Sometimes I see this as the story of my life. It all depends on the perspective taken. The dried brooks and empty barrels have the most room for filling.
May God rain His showers of blessing to fill your brooks and barrels today and every day!
Sunday, June 08, 2003
God is Faithful
Author: Katie
Don't let anybody kid you into believing that God does not provide everything His children need. He never fails! He is faithful! Sometimes it seems he doesn't provide because it isn't what we expected. But, for me, He is always faithful!
This morning, I sat in bed thinking about my trip to the mall with my daughter. It has been a very long time since I have updated my wardrobe and I was looking for a matching shirt for my daughter and I to wear on our plane trip next week. For two days we have been shopping. Yesterday we went to the mall. We had lots of fun trying on all kinds of awesome clothes. Of course, most of it ended up back on the shelf until we decided on a shirt that came in both our sizes and it was something we could agree on.
I fell asleep last night and woke up this morning thinking about the clothes I had tried on. They were all so trendy. Tiffany kept saying either "Yuck, Mom! Old lady clothes!" or, "Oh Mom, that looks so good and you are in style!" She wanted me to buy the outfits as much as I wanted to but we have to be careful with what limited funds we have (story of my life). I was going into the depressed state of mind that I slip into every now and then when I get so sick of always being so needy. I was having a pity party because my wardrobe contains very little along the lines of feminine or pretty. T-shirts and shorts or jeans, and a couple of causal sweats. I own a few button down shirts but nothing with ruffles or lace. Nothing "pink" (not the color...the attitude) At the mall yesterday, for the first time in a very long time I actually felt "pretty" in a couple of those blouses.
I was already blessed this month because I recieved an unexpected check. I have been fighting a battle to collect child support that has not been paid at all this year. The process is very slow and I have been so stressed out and so broke. I was worrying about having money to take with me on my trip. Sue was too. Things weren't looking very promising. So, I prayed. I just asked God to provide. I didn't know how and I didn't know what. I only knew that I needed and I asked for His provision as He saw fit. It seems that in all of the record processing there was a child support check that was kept from me from two years ago. It was when things were so whacked in court and everybody overlooked it. I'll spare all the boring details of how it happened and move on to the other provision God made tonight.
A friend called and has been bugging me to accept money from her for a long time and I've been turning her down. She said that God has blessed her and it has been heavy on her heart and she really wants me to accept this help. I got discouraged. I told her I was sick of always taking and never giving. She was so encouraging. She told me that I give. She told me that I do so much for people and that I bring so much joy to their lives. She blessed my heart. So, I told her I would only accept the money if she would order cakes from me at no charge. She was thrilled since she's getting married in July. So, we are both helping each other. And........she has a couch that she's giving me to boot!
Tiffany told me she wanted matching shoes. She really kept pushing the issue. I think I'll take her shopping tomorrow. Jehovah Jireh.......God the Provider. I am blessed.
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matt 6:28-33)
Amen!
Don't let anybody kid you into believing that God does not provide everything His children need. He never fails! He is faithful! Sometimes it seems he doesn't provide because it isn't what we expected. But, for me, He is always faithful!
This morning, I sat in bed thinking about my trip to the mall with my daughter. It has been a very long time since I have updated my wardrobe and I was looking for a matching shirt for my daughter and I to wear on our plane trip next week. For two days we have been shopping. Yesterday we went to the mall. We had lots of fun trying on all kinds of awesome clothes. Of course, most of it ended up back on the shelf until we decided on a shirt that came in both our sizes and it was something we could agree on.
I fell asleep last night and woke up this morning thinking about the clothes I had tried on. They were all so trendy. Tiffany kept saying either "Yuck, Mom! Old lady clothes!" or, "Oh Mom, that looks so good and you are in style!" She wanted me to buy the outfits as much as I wanted to but we have to be careful with what limited funds we have (story of my life). I was going into the depressed state of mind that I slip into every now and then when I get so sick of always being so needy. I was having a pity party because my wardrobe contains very little along the lines of feminine or pretty. T-shirts and shorts or jeans, and a couple of causal sweats. I own a few button down shirts but nothing with ruffles or lace. Nothing "pink" (not the color...the attitude) At the mall yesterday, for the first time in a very long time I actually felt "pretty" in a couple of those blouses.
I was already blessed this month because I recieved an unexpected check. I have been fighting a battle to collect child support that has not been paid at all this year. The process is very slow and I have been so stressed out and so broke. I was worrying about having money to take with me on my trip. Sue was too. Things weren't looking very promising. So, I prayed. I just asked God to provide. I didn't know how and I didn't know what. I only knew that I needed and I asked for His provision as He saw fit. It seems that in all of the record processing there was a child support check that was kept from me from two years ago. It was when things were so whacked in court and everybody overlooked it. I'll spare all the boring details of how it happened and move on to the other provision God made tonight.
A friend called and has been bugging me to accept money from her for a long time and I've been turning her down. She said that God has blessed her and it has been heavy on her heart and she really wants me to accept this help. I got discouraged. I told her I was sick of always taking and never giving. She was so encouraging. She told me that I give. She told me that I do so much for people and that I bring so much joy to their lives. She blessed my heart. So, I told her I would only accept the money if she would order cakes from me at no charge. She was thrilled since she's getting married in July. So, we are both helping each other. And........she has a couch that she's giving me to boot!
Tiffany told me she wanted matching shoes. She really kept pushing the issue. I think I'll take her shopping tomorrow. Jehovah Jireh.......God the Provider. I am blessed.
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matt 6:28-33)
Amen!
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