GRAPPLE YET GROW

I thanked God that he creates space where I am vulnerable allowing me to "grapple yet grow".

This is what I wrote in a 2 minute speech. Recently I prayed about this speech and I woke up on Nov. 12 at 5 am and it was time. Time to write with no edits the catch phrase, GRAPPLE YET GROW. God is so good. Amongst all the words God was helping convey this came out of no where.

Grapple-engage in a close fight or struggle without weapon; wrestle

Many of our faith founders in the bible grappled. We as believers are grappling many things at once. 

I picture it like a juggler and his colorful balls, each ball with a name on it like:

grappling with; friendships, family, health, co-workers.

Each of my balls as it gets tossed up seems to constantly be going round and stirring me up. I pray no weapon formed against me will prosper. 

I love that some answers of these come fast! Yet others continue to go around. When the answered prayer comes and that ball get tossed out of the game, don't you know another ball gets added. But like the word grapple defines, they aren't real weapons, it is a struggle.

I was praying for the chance to meet new people. It seemed for ever life was stagnant, a struggle. Can you believe my husband and I were sitting in a restaurant and the couple next to us starting talking or maybe I talked first, but anyway, we had so much in common that we have gone out for months now meeting and catching up. Wait for it! Their names are Mary and Joseph. I love saying we are meeting up with Mary and Joseph.

I found a item on marketplace FB and when I picked it up I talked with the lady and was so blessed it led to us praying for her and her husband's health. That happened all in a day that began with prayer, reflection and asking for opportunities to share. As I was driving over to pick up the item I was excited to see if God would use me. That morning I was reading that the word angel appears in the bible more than the word love. Not that we worship angels. In context it means God uses them for revealing, conveying and administering to His people. Just like He commissions us to do. God uses the testimony for His glory. 

I am writing all this to say, at the same time we are grappling, God is moving to answer prayer, grow us up in Him. It is His amazing grace that stretches us to pay attention to His word and gives us a chance to not rely on ourselves and our emotions. 

The Holy Spirit's timing is perfect. We will be able to say the things that need to be said in difficult situations if we hang in there and wait on Him.

There is so much to be said about every day living and grappling. But me telling all my stories may inspire you but it's really your journey and His leading that will grow you. Get with someone and pray about everything. 

It will open the door of love and make your path straight just as the Lord promised. Proverbs. 3:6-7

Let's pray:

Lord I am grappling with.......help me to wait on you and your opportunities where we will figure things out and grow. IN Jesus name I pray Amen.

Juggling is something that is learned and you get better with time so it is with Grapple yet Grow.

THIS IS A DAY

Sitting, Thinking, praying, being, doing the right thing, watching, listening, waiting...all things we do in a day. 

Making a cup of coffee I looked down at the tea cup with tulips, hydrangeas, and lilacs a very nice gift I recently received for my birthday. I had received a vcry pretty similar tea cup. Which should I use?

Once again another decision to make in my day. 

I could think of it as a tea cups for two. 

The world brings us to many decisions in a day. What a good problem to have two delightful tea cups.

At times I can be critical, analyzing so many things:  the news, the dress someone is wearing, my class I'm in (what went wrong, what they should have done).

Do you ever catch yourself being critical? Our family catches one another and when they do they yell, "Critical spirit or you are stirring the pot."

As I catch myself doing it, I pray Lord stop this critical spirit. 

I tell you a story. I realized while waiting to buy a cup of coffee at camp, what could I be doing right now? I was convicted asking, "What I was doing in the line of the coffee shop."

1. complaining- trying to understand why so many kids were in the line for coffee! This is what's wrong with our country. Why do parents supply the money for kids to get over $5 coffee? Why do so many kids need coffee?

2.  I feel crazy. I'm an adult I'm justified to have coffee, I should ask to move in front of them. I kept picturing myself asking to move ahead in the line.

3.  Then I stopped and in the moment remembering I'm here at camp as a student leader. This is their time. Ugh! Hit my head! (not really but really)

4.  I turned to a boy behind me and started up a conversation; where are you from, how are you liking camp, what do you like about camp. I was delighted to learn so much about him Before I knew it I was at the beginning of the line ordering my coffee with my new friend. 

Do you know every time I saw this boy around camp we connected and talked. It made camp even more than I expected.

Establish our purpose. Serve others. Care for others. Stop focusing on myself.

 I would like to add another camp story. I went to camp with sixth grade girls after hearing the gospel completely the camp speaker sent the students outside in the beauty of nature for ten minutes of quiet time. At the end of the time we went to the cabin to talk. Many of the girls were deeply considering their quiet time. 

Here is what one girl said, "I felt clean. I felt a desire to talk to God. I felt cleansed. Sin was taken out of me. I get like a second chance. I asked, "What's the feeling?" To which she replied, "It's inexplainable. I felt something come into me. I felt peace."

That declaration meant so much to me, I have been telling so many this precious commitment this young girl made. What a delight.

NEED TO HEED

 2 Timothy 3:13-17

King James Version

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Friends: I had to post this in the KJV because I was writing a note to a friend about things in this world and the words I wrote, as men "wax worse and worse." Then I looked up where is this coming from Holy Spirit and the above verse showed up.

Here is your warning today. As things "wax worse and worse"

ask God that you could be a watch person, you can see with His eyes and determine what to believe with Him. Please heed this warning, watch particularly what is in the heart of a person, give it time to come out of them. They appear to agree with God, morals, values, way, truth, life but then they make a decision, just one decision and it doesn't line up with God. You need to heed THIS WARNING. Be cautious then on if that will be someone you will believe or trust. 

I am talking about:

Doctors, politicians, people rising in positions, especially the elevation of women over men. Please don't think I am crazy for saying women over men, but look around...it is happening. You have to ask yourself about family, family building and the way God designed us. It is off base today and our only true north is Jesus Christ and what He says. 

Remember in John 1:1-2 it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

Jesus was and always was present in the beginning and He SPOKE and created all things and He is the intelligent designer of men and women and above all His words rule!

Need to Heed:

Follow Jesus; verify if he said it or some man made it up! Ask God to continue to do a inner work of your thoughts and heart so your actions follow that work.

Prayer: Lord help me to see what is going on and Holy Spirit give me the convictions to live your truth out and stop believing lies. Amen.

I AM RICH BECAUSE OF WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR ME

 Why so offended so easily?

Praying about the quick triggers we get when someone snaps at us and then we react so quick to defend.

Think about when this happens and you feel down after you have responded just as bad as the accuser.

Let's pray now;  Lord give me a response if this happens again,  Holy Spirit give the words for next time.

In Jesus name I feel that you can change my response because you say I am able to be transformed. Help me. Amen

The Lord is so gracious and exceedingly abundantly wanting to help.

This is the rich life that God promises us. Not materialism but rich inner works that produce good fruit.

It's a process, give yourself a break.

I am reminded today that each verse or song that comes to my mind is from the Holy Spirit and it is so rich to go to them asap. When ever a I put a song on repeat that the Spirit led me to always and I mean always is a rich blessing. That verse emboldens me and gives me new outlook, strength. Today the song is  GIVE THANKS, by Steffany Gretzinger, Melissa Helser.

The verse, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life." Romans 6:4 KJV 

I focused on "walking in the newness of life." A gift!

Be RICH!

Never want a humans love as much as you want the creators love. His love is perfect and unconditional.