OH GNATS!

 After four weeks of battling the gnats in my kitchen, I was angry, fed up and ready to leave my home.

Crazy out cry! Right?

This message developing right in my own kitchen coincides with my life and faith. 

Let me explain.

Here is what I was not doing about the multiplication of gnats whirling in my home.

I was not reading up on them and what the experts say about them.

I was sinking in hopelessness, just accepting what was happening.

Until...I realized it was affecting my focus...and then I was like, I'll pray about this.

I want to admit that praying for gnats seemed like a crazy thing...until I did and my attitude began to change. What happened is my thoughts started to be more productive...like...look up gnats and what to do about them.

After prayer, then research, I made up a concoction of trap filled with liquid to lure them in.

Next I sat and thought where are they nesting? All to say, finally, I remembered our recent breakdown of  our trash compactor. When we opened it we discover month old trash. It became a he said/she said they would empty it kind of deal! Friends!, after discovering millions of gnats in it...we got that compactor out of the house and now we are dealing with the remnant. I telling you, upon discovering this and taking action...there was new hope...relief that the end of the critters was in sight. Till I woke up the next day to that not being all gone. I went into despair again. Feelings of giving up!  All to realize that I disappointedly celebrated a bit to soon and put many of the traps away to soon. I got the energy to put the traps back and wait. I did notice they were getting easier to catch, they were slowing down. 

Isn't life just like this when a struggle comes, we cower and give in. The enemy just loves that. The bugs just love that. They are thriving!

Reading my bible, praying, being with other likeminded friends all help to combat the struggle, the bug, lol! Staying fit and alert, helps the battle!

Despair is not an option!

The moments when I did the research, moved into action and saw results were hopeful and joyous. I am not going to be defeated by some bugs/struggles! 

The set back of them not being 100% gone and the recurring feelings that accompanied that was eye opening for me. 

It's a journey of faith and I must remain in the faithful, hopeful camp!

When I step our of the practice, I am filled with thoughts of giving up. 

I know I am talking about stinking bugs, buts there is so many similarities I could see the correlation between me and trusting. Praying about everything! Realizing God wants to be in my life. He helped my thoughts along! He helped me find the remedy. I don't have to go on a rollercoaster with God. With God it is a much more steady ride. He gave us the Holy Spirit to coast! I can coast with God!

Please step out with me and validate me that God is in the small and in seeing that we realize that He can be in the big! 

I thought of this in the end as the bugs are getting slower...as satan knows...the bugs know their time is short!

Pray with me:

God thank you for growing, showing me that way to go. You are faithful to show me. Amen.

Path is in the bible 77 instances.

The verse, "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete John 16:24 NIV."

Assurance of answered prayer! 

Beloved friends! God wants us to have our armor up and ready to use. Prayer being huge! In this day and time, talk to him about everything!

Amen!

FREEDOM; LET YOURSELF GO

 Dear Friend:

I was serving in a 3 year old class and this was our coloring page for the day. At the same time I was chose to take out a children's bible and read the story of Moses life. First you must know everytime I use the simple bible or lessons for the youth, the presentation is straight forward and simple, with all clarity. When I got to the 3 rd plea of Moses asking Pharaoh to "Let the People Go", I stopped. I was convicted that not only was this story for the three year olds it was for me. The people were in slavery. My thought was you are in slavery..

I was like what? I had been trying to sell my house for two years and I wondering if I was not convinced about moving. We had just sold our house. I was second guessing the decision.  In that very moment, I realized I was like the Israelites, doubting the timing, doubting the provision, doubting the new place, doubting the new plan. Don't we pray Lord I want to trust you, lean on you for understanding and then you make our path. He made their path he made my path. The Israelites grumbled, "maybe we should go back to slavery!" No! The message of Moses!

I was asking to go back. Then as I finished the story I heard something within me, "Your house was good for twelve years, but it slavery now, you need to go to the place I'm calling you too. Do you trust me!

Stop! I can't go back. A strength within me came. I could not think about the house, only could only pack up with determination and get out, move forward.

I never look back or question. You know where the bible says the Lord will guard your heart and mind. I was protected. The guard was on my mind and it was a barrier, I can't explain it!

Friends, someone needs to here don't go back to SLAVERY!

Thank the Lord. 

 

LEGACY

 I wrote a paper in one of my college courses, the assignment was to sum up in less than two hundred words a life statement of mine. I don't remember all the criteria for the article but I am sharing this to inspire you to write your own statement. Pray about it.

"Leave a legacy of persistence, humbleness, caring, loyalty to myself and others, all with Christ as my focus or center. Be an example of Jesus. My purpose is to gain new insight about myself and new direction, renewed insight of my abilities, and gain clarity for work. Why I do what I do. To grow for Jesus, and feel accomplished. I want to grow up, be stronger, and maybe network with others. I pray there will be more doors open or possibilities. I want to be God reliant but also more self-reliant (meaning not dependent on others so much). To keep this going will require prayer and time spent with God."

I never will succeed when I go so fast.

I'm not very good at keeping things organized.

Something I'd like to change about myself...be more organized, be satisfied with myself, slow down what I think I should do, have less expectations for myself and others, stop asking what would so and so do and finally...begin to do. 

Friends:

I repeat the story frequently when in 1997 me and my little family made a declaration of dependence. Dependence on God. We put scripture on the document and signed it. I have the signatures of my then only two sons. My daughters weren't born yet. You know the idiom or saying, "Draw a line in the sand", which means to establish a figurative boundary that someone refuses to cross or beyond which no further advance or compromise is accepted.

We did this line regarding our direction for life with Christ. We no longer were going to be on the fence just teetering (meaning moving unsteadily; wobbling) in life when it comes to trusting in God. 

I love that document. I'll have to get it out and report back what the verses we selected.

Let's pray:

Thank you Lord for moments. Moments in time where we were brought to a point of realization that everything we have is yours. You created us. You love us. You want us to follow you. Amen.

EVER PERCEIVING AND EVER UNDERSTANDING

Hi! I am getting alot of disruptions as I try to keep my peace and write this quick note to y'all!

Have you ever had that happen...weird texts, phone ringing...

I have something on my heart it's been a battle to write it!

My day started with a walk down by a running river, as I sat on a bridge I saw a momma deer and two baby deer (they still had their whites spots on them, so cute!). My grateful heart got of glimpse of God. God watching over me as the mother watches her babies. I love my kids and to imagine God loving me that much and more, is so mind boggling! Right?

So Lord help me write this message, push back on the distractions and help me.

Scripture comes to me now:

He whose mind is on Him will be in perfect peace...if you know me I say you are P squared (perfect peace=get it, p squared!)

As I was walking I was thinking pondering on the world problems and asked God to not allow my walk to be inundated with those thoughts but thoughts more about Him the prince of peace!

Have you ever seen or read a fiction story about end times or pandemics or even the left behind series. How should I be acting and reacting in this day and age? What I am reminded of is I can glance at history and books but the true inner peace and my going in and going out needs direction from the Holy Spirit and submission to that leading. Do we race ahead with the fiction writers vision or do we seek God for the times through prayer and submitting to God? Before I take a stand on something, I wait for the leading of the Spirit. Do you? It takes spending time with the author of peace to learn to extend peace or live peacefully.

It takes a sensitive spirit. I do know that in the mean time while waiting for the leading we can live what is in the word.
My favorite is:
"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
In the Kings James version it says "so you will lack nothing."

I write this verse a lot this past year because this is a inner work and desire of mine to live this out. So, I take each part of it and do an inner inventory of when I do this and when I don't and make changes.

Today I am focused on "not be dependent on or lack nothing". God what does this mean? There is only one cross reference and I love it!

Jesus told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. (the believer) But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, "they maybe ever seeing but NEVER perceiving, and ever hearing but Never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!" (Mark 4:11-13). This is priceless, worth more than anything material.

This spoke to me! I am reminded in the moment. The chosen people of God, Israel, were wandering in the desert for forty years! Forty years friends! They were provided for the whole time. God says everything I provide, even if it seems difficult to navigate, is allowed by me, but remember I am watching and if you ask I will help you perceive and understand. But if you do not ask you will wander with LACK OF PEACE! Are you navigating these days with the lack of peace? Jesus says, peace I leave you, peace I give you. I DO NOT give to you as the world gives." I understand that to mean Jesus inner peace will divinely help me in hard times. Do you believe this? God was basically saying to the Israelites, DO NOT DESPISE THE MANNA!  He provides daily. (that is the food He gave them daily) Friends, we have to get this! Jesus peace does mean He will help you with reactions, but it does not mean that he will put you in a bubble and you will never run into trouble. In this desert story God was also saying, stop grumbling, to not ask to go back to Egypt or SLAVERY. He took me out of slavery into the light of  freedom. I am free!  He training me to be like Him.

Getting back to "lack nothing or not be dependent on". It is a spiritual blessing to be able to have forgiveness, grace, peace of  Christ, with that I will lack nothing. I shall not be in want (Psalm 23).

So so important to get!

Prayer:  Thank you God that I as a child of God and can perceive and understand. Please help me to remember believe that. Amen.

Part of my perceiving and understanding is starting my day with Jesus. Jesus in this case blessed me with this real live picture of the deer. I pray you find these messages written in the smallest way today.

EVER PERCEIVING AND EVER UNDERSTANDING IS THE OUTCOME OF SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS. You will be able to be led BY THE HOLY SPIRIT for your actions and reactions but be slow and wait.