God's Delicious Favor

It's been awhile since I last posted, but in 2011, the Holy Spirit told me (in my mind) that 2012 was going to be a Year of Acceleration. I know from engineering what acceleration is, but from a spiritual standpoint, wasn't quite sure what that looked like or if God meant life in general would be accelerated.

I knew things would be different this year, but just wasn't sure what that meant.

So, in January, God did some things that surprised me. Ended (sort of) one thing very quickly. Then, later in the month, got some bad news, but from there, some really great things happened in terms of some things that were really hard, and I hate using that expression, but they were hard.

My diet, losing weight, all of that was super hard. But, a flip was switched and weight loss, though it's still a lot of work, actually became easier. This is relative to before. Things just really clicked into place.

God provided in some areas that were so challenging. Even my body, in terms of flexibility, some things I've never been able to do and with working on a few things in my body, I'm now finding it relatively easy to do what took me years of trying and not being able to do.

The most recent thing was an electrical issue we've been having in the house for months. Asking the right person the right questions, following his instructions (taking actions), the problem was easily fixed.

I feared getting help because I thought it would be expensive and I didn't want to do that. But, it didn't cost anything but maybe a 2-3 minute conversation with the right person, and about 5 min. worth of actions.

What I learned was that I was super close to the answer, like 95% there, but didn't know it. That last bit of information connected the short in my mind, and thus, literally, electricity was able to freely flow again, and to be used powerfully, efficiently, and the way the builder of the home intended.

It's been awhile since I wrote in this blog and I've been trying to think of something to write, something that'll hit me. The past 10 weeks I've been really focused on my health and getting things under control there.

However, as I think of things in my life, this photo by John Mueller is so beautiful. He is a gifted photographer, as well as engineer. Recently God blessed him with getting married.

Anyway, as I look at this photo, it really is in the eye of the photographer as well as the viewer. It looks both at the same time unsightly, yet filled with great beauty.

I believe the photo was touched up and some photoshop type stuff. How does that relate to our lives?

John has this amazing eye and perspective when it comes to taking photographs and he's one of my favorite photographers. Anyway, the post wasn't to brag on, but the image of this barn has sorta haunted me since I saw it about 2 weeks or so ago, maybe less.

To think of it, it does sorta look ugly. Who would want it? I think we all come to God looking pretty ugly with all our sins. To a Holy God who has no sin, sin is just plain nasty. There is no beauty in it.

However, to an omnipotent God who has a love that I cannot fathom, His love saw me in a completely different way. The sacrifice that He made on the Cross for my sins, took what should've been completely torn down, demolished for good, into life.

There are areas of my life that really look pretty ugly, but God is breathing new life in a different way, His Way. He's the ultimate photographer for my life and I want to see through His lens.

He's working to Photoshop my life into an exquisite masterpiece. He'll do that to Your life, if you'll let Him.

Nature obeys God, even tornados are generated when the conditions are just right.

Sometimes, or often, people think if we experience God the way we want, THEN we will obey. But, that is not true nor biblical. God calls believers to obedience period. You don't have to understand. You don't even have to like it.

It's through obedience, which is really faith in action, when we begin to see God working and doing stuff. Sometimes God and I are on the same time table. If we are not, then it is I who is out of alignment with Him and not the other way around.

What can hinder God from working in our lives effectively? Unconfessed sin. God already knows that everyone sins and He even expects it. It's when we don't acknowledge that we do wrong against Him, not confessing it, and asking for His forgiveness is when we go wrong.

There are countless (okay, maybe not countless, but a lot) times when God wanted to wipe out His people, but through His people repenting, God changed His mind.

Actually, sometimes it wasn't even His people, rather people who realized they just needed God and they humbled themselves before God and asked Him to be Lord in their lives.

When we step out to obey God, it's not always pleasant. It does cost something. Sometimes it costs everything. But, in the end, it's always worth it, if we see with God's heart and eyes, rather than our narrow, limited view.

As I've shared in the past, Skillet is one of my favorite groups.  This is one of the top songs on Air1 right now but their awake album has been out for quite some time.  They have so many good songs.

Today I was listening to Air1 and every time I hear about what is happening in terms of them reaching out to others, especially to those with Cleft Palates in Afghanistan.  I couldn't help but cry as I hear about all the people who donated to help make this possible for these people.  Collectively each making a difference.  Some knit caps and other garmets for someone else for Mike to take over to Afghanistan.  To these people, they made a huge difference in their lives.
 
As I listen to this song, time passes by at the same rate.  Some people waste their time doing trivial things that impact no one, rather everything is ME focused.  Others serve others and give unselfishly.  It's totally amazing and incredible.
 
We cannot control other people, only what we do.  Even if all you can do, let's say you're homebound, is to pray for someone, to encourage them.  It's a huge deal.
 
There are sacrifices that I and others are making for my kids right now and though it may seem crazy, I have these moments of their growing up years and I don't want to pass them by.  Somehow, God will equip (and He has) me to do this and still provide for my kids & I.  I don't regret for a moment all the time with my kids.  God has blessed me beyond measure.

I have been lately thinking about how flawed every single person on this earth is. There is no one that does not have a massive amount of flaws. Some seem to hide it better than others. Some flaunt their flaws. Others live in denial or avoidance.

For a long time, I was all those at various times in my life. But, I'm learning to deal with those flaws in constructive and productive ways. Still a long way to go and there is even grace for those who live in avoidance or in places where I used to be.

However, something I have learned lately more and more is that when we attempt to conquer and get beyond these flaws without God's Divine Intervention, at best, we get somewhere to really end up nowhere.

Honestly, I cannot fix myself. Through so much, God has given me a heart that seems to learn to be in continual repentence and with repentence, which is not only acknowledging what we are doing is wrong and asking for forgiveness, but it's releasing it and allowing/stepping out in faith to allow God to change me.

How would this all be done without God? I have not a clue, because I don't think I could truly repent and that my life would change without Jesus Christ.

As my time on this earth marches on, as I live a repentent life before Christ, it changes.

Another thing I'm learning is that I cannot change anyone or really help someone who doesn't want to be helped. The truth is, I can't change anyone even if they want to change. It's the power of Jesus Christ that can change you, not me.

I can want, desire, wish, whatever you call it, but unless there is submission to Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, and that once He is, that you give up control of your life so that He can be Lord of it, you won't change in the end.

Sometimes some people's flaws are such a great contrast to mine, that I do have to remove myself from the situation and/or person, or find myself caught in their flaws and not living my life as Christ would have me, fulfilling my destiny.

God bless you.

I heard a story awhile back about these gold miners that kept digging for gold in California back during the Gold Rush days and never struck gold. They gave up and what they didn't realize was that they were 3' from hitting a tremendous gold vein that would've made them incredibly rich. They gave up.

How often do we give up on things that are important because things don't turn out the way we plan, or we run into a lot of detours, roadblocks? It's down right frustrating and aggravating.

When Adam & Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis in the Bible, one of the things God said was that man would have to work really hard, and it would be grueling.

As I look back at certain areas of my life, I think about how hard, yes, how hard, I worked at so many things in my life. No one could say that I did not have heart and passion. And, yet, often I would fail and get back up again and again.

Certainly failing so many times was not in my plan. It seemed like very little came easy to me, but God kept revealing Himself throughout my life to show that I was gifted in many things, but they were not the things that were outwardly as pinpointed.

God gave me heart & passion, a persevering attitude. The past few years, I've been hit with tremendous blows to my life, which sent me reeling and spinning, knocked to the ground not knowing if I could get up again. Actually, I couldn't.

Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord my Provider) came to my rescue, and He brought troops, many people to come to my side to help me back up. There was no strength to stand up, so God has to be my legs.

A couple weeks, I got dealt a blow that I didn't think I could recover. Yet ANOTHER thing! How much can a person take? God needed my undivided attention and expediency to listen to Him, to take action.

I just prayed and cried out to my God. I don't know what to do! Help! God began whispering a few words here and there, and I immediately obeyed.

Two weeks later, I'm so excited. Maybe all those years of hard work and not seeming to get anywhere, now is being accelerated to overcome a bad situation with unsurpassing Divine quickness. I'm truly floored and praise my God!

For the past 2 yrs, I have been just 3' from Gold and didn't know it. This specific journey I'm referring to isn't over and I have a ways to go, but what I've seen in the past 2 weeks I was not able to accomplish on my own in the past 25 yrs.

What can God do to a person wholly submitted to Him? More than I could ever imagine or do on my own. I need Him for every step of my life, every breath.

My God is the most extraordinary ever. He is the Great I AM! He is my all sufficiency.

The following is taken directly from the site:  The Phrase Finder.  I suggest going to the site as it gives links for each of these phrases and the Bible reference.  Very interesting.  I think every adult uses at least some of these phrases in their lives regardless of their religion or beliefs.

Another source I found that has a lot is:  Squidoo

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


A broken heart

KJV, Psalms 34:18 - The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

A cross to bear

KJV, Luke 14:27 - And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

A drop in the bucket


A fly in the ointment


A graven image

KJV, Deuteronomy 5:8 - Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth.

A house divided against itself cannot stand


A labour of love


A law unto themselves

KJV, Romans 2:14 - For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.

A leopard cannot change its spots


A man after his own heart


A multitude of sins


A nest of vipers


A peace offering

KJV, Leviticus 3:6 - And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

A sign of the times

KJV, Matthew 16:3 - And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

A soft answer turns away wrath

KJV, Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

A thorn in the flesh


A two-edged sword

KJV, Proverbs 5:4 - But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

A voice crying in the wilderness

KJV John 1:23 - He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

A wolf in sheep's clothing


All things must pass


All things to all men


Am I my brother's keeper?


An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth


As old as Methuselah


As old as the hills


As white as snow


As you sow so shall you reap


Ashes to ashes dust to dust


At his wits end


Baptism of fire

KJV, Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

Be fruitful and multiply

KJV, Genesis 1:22 - And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

Beat swords into ploughshares


Bite the dust


Blessed are the peacemakers


Born again

KJV, John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Breath of life

KJV, Genesis 2:7 - And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

By the skin of your teeth


By the sweat of your brow

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Can a leopard change its spots?


Cast bread upon the waters

KJV, Ecclesiastes 11:1 - Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Cast the first stone


Coat of many colours


Don't cast your pearls before swine


Dust to dust

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Eat drink and be merry


Eye to eye

KJV, Isaiah 52:8 - Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

Faith will move mountains


Fall from grace


Fat of the land

KJV, Genesis 45:18 - And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Feet of clay

KJV, Daniel 2: 31-33 - His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

Fight the good fight


Fire and brimstone

KJV, Genesis 19: 24-26 - Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.

Flesh and blood


For everything there is a season


Forbidden fruit


Forgive them for they know not what they do


From strength to strength


Get thee behind me Satan

Gird your loins

KJV, 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Give up the ghost


Go the extra mile

KJV, Matthew 5:41 - And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Good Samaritan


Harden your heart

KJV, Exodus 4:21 - And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword

KJV, Matthew 26:52 - Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Heart's desire

KJV, Psalms 21:2 - Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

Holier than thou

KJV, Isaiah 65:5 - Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

How are the mighty fallen


In the beginning was the word


In the twinkling of an eye


It's better to give than to receive


Labour of love


Lamb to the slaughter


Land of Nod


Law unto themselves


KJV, Romans 2:14 - For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone


Let not the sun go down on your wrath


Let there be light


Letter of the law

KJV, 2 Corinthians 3:6 - Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Living off the fat of the land


Love of money is the root of all evil


Love thy neighbour as thyself


Man does not live by bread alone

KJV, Deuteronomy 8:3 - And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

Manna from Heaven

KJV, Exodus 16:15 - And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.

Many are called but few are chosen


My cup runneth over


My heart's desire

KJV, Psalms 21:2 - Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

No rest for the wicked


Nothing new under the sun

KJV, Ecclesiastes 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

O ye, of little faith


Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings


Patience of Job

KJV, James 5:11 - Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Peace offering

KJV, Leviticus 3:6 - And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

Pearls before swine


Physician heal thyself


Pride goes before a fall


KJV, Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Put words in one's mouth

KJV, II Samuel 14:3 - And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.


Put your house in order

KJV, II Kings 20:1 - In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

Red sky at night; shepherds' delight


Reap the whirlwind

KJV, Hosea 8:7 - For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
See eye to eye

KJV, Isaiah 52:8 - Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

Set your teeth on edge

KJV, Jeremiah 31:30 - But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Sign of the times

KJV, Matthew 16:3 - And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Skin of your teeth


Soft answer turns away wrath

KJV, Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Sour grapes

KJV, Jeremiah 31:30 - But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Spare the rod and spoil the child


Strait and narrow


Sufficient unto the day

KJV, Matthew 6:34 - Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Sweat of your brow

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Swords into ploughshares


Tender mercies

KJV, Psalms 25:6 - Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

The apple of his eye


The blind leading the blind


The bread of life


The breath of life


KJV, Genesis 2:7 - And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The ends of the earth


The fat of the land

KJV, Genesis 45:18 - And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

The fly in the ointment


The fruits of your loins


The land of Nod


The letter of the law

KJV, 2 Corinthians 3:6 - Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The love of money is the root of all evil


The patience of Job

KJV, James 5:11 - Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

The powers that be


The root of the matter


The salt of the earth


The skin of your teeth


The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak


The strait and narrow


The sweat of your brow

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

The wages of sin is death


The way of all flesh

KJV, Genesis 6:12 - And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

The wisdom of Solomon

KJV, Luke 11:31 - The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

The writing is on the wall


There's nothing new under the sun

KJV, Ecclesiastes 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Thorn in the flesh


Thou shalt not kill


Three score and ten


To everything there is a season


Wash your hands of the matter

KJV, Matthew 27:24 - When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Way of all flesh

KJV, Genesis 6:12 - And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

What God has joined together let no man put asunder


Weighed in the balance

KJV, Job 31:6 - Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

White as snow


Wheels within wheels

KJV, Ezekiel 1:16 - The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Wisdom of Solomon

KJV, Luke 11:31 - The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Woe is me


Wolf in sheep's clothing


Writing is on the wall


You reap what you sow

Usually when I see the word commitment, people think of getting married. Although that is an interesting subject to talk about, that won't be the point at all for this blog entry.

As I embark on a new journey in a different light with different motivation, I'm finding commitment to be far less daunting than what I originally perceived. What I literally was challenged with all of sudden doesn't seem that challenging.

Yes, it's still sometimes a challenge to follow-through with things, but when you reassess your motivation, and if you're motivated not by fear, rather by love, committing is far easier. God is love.

I presented last week the challenge that was before me to God and frankly, I was incredibly down and discouraged. My multiple failures for over 2 decades was before me and I in it of myself, had no strength to get back up and try ONE MORE TIME.

In a desperate plea to God, I asked Him to intervene and help me. God, in His tender loving care whispered the name of someone, then another person. Thankfully when I called each person, both answered and helped me step into the right direction, providing me with hope that I could get back up ONE MORE TIME.

LH gave me one thing to do and I got on it immediately, though, it was wrought with challenges the simple thing she said to do. LC encouraged me with what was happening on her end, which gave me a hope, as that situation was worse than mine.

As I sought God, He gave me the energy and whispered other things in my ear to do, simple things. Procrastination was not an option. Time was of necessity.

I committed that I would see this through and give it my very best, which did not mean doing it by myself, but relying on God's direction, help from other people. God has moved on the hearts of other people to help, not many, but they are helping.

Things that had beset me, things I could not overcome in the past, so far, nearly a week into this, seem to not be an issue. All the excuses, procrastination, etc., dropping to the side and kicked into the ditch (hopefully permanently).

I have not been able to commit to this level before without constant challenges that kept tripping me up. God seems to have parted the Red Sea for me here to show me that He is truly for me.

Of course, God is ALWAYS good and He is truly for me. God is good regardless of what I do.

When you commit to something, anything, be focused and go for it. I still have a lot to learn. Through all this, I will need to heavily lean on God in every aspect, as I'm sure there will be times when my commitment will wane.
I look forward to the Compound Effect that results from commitment with God & I walking together over the days, weeks, months, and years to come to accomplish what I can never do alone.

Eyes on God - Focus - Commit!

Today I woke up excited that I was embarking on a journey to get to a place I've not been to. Maybe this would be the time, after searching what seems like endlessly for what I've been striving for.

A part of my spirit is competitive, but sheepishly, I don't always deal with failure gracefully. Today, in a different area of my life, I had some great failures that sent me in a course that I'm still not off right now, which I need to get off that course. It has me questioning things in a way that isn't good.

Once again, I'm figuratively humbled and realize I am weak, and that I can't do ANY of this life without Christ. I am utterly depraved. I didn't wake up feeling like this, rather hopeful.

Yet, this evening, my heart is aching and my spirit is still frustrated and angry. Sitting here catching up on my "Experiencing God" study, and so far behind, the Bible verses leap off the pages and convict my heart, but it's not with condemnation.

It's refocusing me on God, not my circumstances. I was far from godly in anything for the past 5+ hrs. I allowed my temper and past failures sink me into a pit of anger & despair.

It feels like I'm in the desert, but there is a mirage. Probably more than ever in my life, I am more focused on God and walking in faith. He has me on a super short leash. Stuff is happening, changing quickly.

No longer do I want to take years to go through things. Repentence is one of the keys. I so need God in EVERY aspect, EVERY thought, EVERY emotion, EVERY action, EVERYTHING!

Sanctus Real has a song called "Redeemer" that really depicts some of what I feel.  Why Sanctus Real wrote this touches me and gets me off my own circumstances:

I really love community so much, and I mean true community. Buildings don't make a community, rather it's the bonds of relationships, compassion, love, and care combined with actions that form community.

Today I got to see great community. It wasn't my plan today to help anyone with moving, as there were other things scheduled. Those things fell through, but during the week, God impressed upon me the need to be more connected and be in community.

Community doesn't always mean that it's convenient. In community, everyone takes up a little bit of the burdens, so that no one is overloaded. I truly love how many people in our church are in community.

It's not to say that everyone is like that, but for those that do, there is a huge benefit. People coming together for one common purpose. It may get a bit dirty and ugly, but so what?

I know there have been countless people over these past 5 yrs who instead of standing by the sidelines, chose to lend a helping hand to us. That meant more to us than those who just thought about it and never did anything.

It convicts me in a deeper way to reach out even more and love on people right where they are at, which is not always convenient with my schedule. There is a balance and one could get all nutso about this, but if God impresses upon your heart to reach out and help or minister to someone, do it.

You'll definitely bless them as well as receive a blessing yourself. God is so very good.

And, I'm just so impressed with just the people that showed up to do 2 of the moves while I was there helping. People showing love by lending a helping hand. God bless you.

I thought this picture was so awesome and I was thinking of the topic of "Falling in Love" last night, to fall ridiculously in consuming love.

Hope my friend doesn't me borrowing this from something he wrote me:

I love Skillet and it's no secret.  Sometimes there is this dark side to me and it helps to have a Christian group that just has that edgy sound as I sometimes feel, that harshness.  Sometimes people think that I'm all happy go lucky, but those closest to me see that isn't the case.  I do have those down, depressing times more than I'd like to admit.  However, due to "The Compound Effect" of certain things I am disciplined in doing, this keeps me on the more positive side, praising and thanking God.

Some of those things are regular time in God's Word, doing worship with my kids in Gratitudes & Blessings, and Prayer.  Daily doing these things has really helped transform the lives of my kids and I, and where there are many times we could've sunk deep into the pit of despair and depression and just hanging on a thread, God does something supernatural.

I come from a pretty private family, and for a very long time, I was overall a private person. Sure, I'd share aspects of my life and seemed like a super social person. But, the truth was, I didn't think that if anyone knew the real me, the one on the inside that no one knew, no one would like me, including myself.

I go to an absolutely amazing church. If you have these paradigms about church being a boring and stiff place, you've never been to my church. Or, if you think church is filled with a bunch of perfect people who sit around gossiping and judging you all day long. You haven't been to my church.

If you live in the Phoenix metropolitan area (particularly the East Valley), just click on the "TVC" link in the upper portion of this blog for more information on trying my church out. No need to dress up. Crawl out of bed and come, even if you're stinkin' drunk. We don't care. We'll love on you.

The past 5 yrs as I've gotten more integrated into life groups, which is the heartbeat of our church. They are small groups that meet during the week in people's homes. Some are Bible studies, but it is more a time to be transparent, get to know other people, fellowship, eat, pray for each other. You've just gotta come and be a part of it to know what I'm talking about.

All those years I held everything so close to my heart, it was not just hurting me, but I was causing pain and hurt to other people because I didn't know how to deal with my crap, or that even some of it was pure crap to the nth degree.

There is this lie that if you're known, that no one will like you, or that you are beyond lovable. It's a complete lie of the enemy to get you to stay isolated and alone. This does not mean that you can share everything with everyone, as that's not wise, either.

However, there is this thing about being able to have others help you bear your burdens, to pray for you, to help you work things through or to walk with you, sometimes even carry you. No man is an island.

We may like to think we are all self-sufficient, but none of us are. Everyone has the desire to be loved and accepted by others. Some do this by pushing people away, by needing no one. That's so lonely and sad. We say we don't need anyone.

Then, sometimes just having people love you - that's scary. We are all broken people to some degree.

Let other people love on you, to accept you. You are not alone. You are safe with us. Come and see what we are about at the Tempe Vineyard.

It's taken me a long time to learn to be transparent. It is very freeing to not have to bottle all this stuff in. It is good to be loved, and I feel so incredibly loved.

I love science and I find the Leindenfrost Effect quite interesting how it occurs. You can see this happen when the pan is hot enough and you drop some water into it and the drops just skitter across without evaporating quickly due to where the temperature of the pan is at or above the Leidenfrost temperature.

Today is the beginning of the new year for billions of Chinese around the world. It is the Year of the Dragon. It's supposed to be a good year, but I'm not superstitious nor do I subscribe to superstition.

So, how does Chinese New Year's, the Leidenfrost Effect and this spiritual God blog all correlate in this Chinese woman's mind? I've been thinking a lot about life and death, about man's search for significance, and does what we do really matter.

Logic would dictate that if water hits a hot pan, it should quickly evaporate, but when it doesn't, that's pretty odd. Just as when gold is refined, and a person is refined spiritually. How does turning up the heat help them to get better, to become a purer entity?

The question Solomon asked so very long ago, my paraphrase is, does it matter? That's the book of Ecclesiastes in a nutshell -- DOES IT MATTER?

If you died today, would it really matter to anyone? Did you make enough of an impact that anyone really cared if you were gone? Was your life worth it? Do you even care?

Or, were you so self-absorbed in all your own "stuff", being comfortable with you, that you didn't pour into anyone? What if you disappeared? Would it matter?

I think everyone has a God-shaped void in their lives that only the one and true God can fill. However, many of us attempt to fill it with all sorts of things - work, pleasures, money, travel, people, doing stuff, self-improvement, various religions & gods, and the list goes on. Only the ONE TRUE ONE can fill this need in your life.

I had someone recently want me to care and love for them so much. It was really important. Why? If I didn't give my love, what would happen? When I did, what would happen? A God-shaped void that only He can fill, not me.

We have this effect when the sh** hits the fan, or maybe there isn't any pressing thing but there is an unrest in our souls that just nags at us. We try to soothe it with all sorts of things, but nothing except God can fill this.

Maybe as the breath of the dragon attempts to ignite us, maybe we've grown so cold and stale, that it's easier to not feel, to not want, to make excuses. Maybe it's easier to not matter to anyone, because that requires action.

I just want to encourage those who don't think they matter, you do matter. There is one who cares -- Jesus Christ. And, if there is no one else, He cares for YOU!

Don't be fooled. Make your life count for something. Sometimes we don't get a pouring out into our lives because we've never poured into anyone else. Start today to make your life count with at least one person other than yourself. Invite Christ into your life to give you the strength to live a life that counts for something.

God bless you! I'd love to hear how you matter to other people.

I would have to admit that I see where I am in my life and being a person that is continually seeking to improve, to be better, to be healed, to grow & mature as a person, that somehow I assume and want that for others. The fact is, not everyone wants that for their lives or if they do, do they want it at the rate I want it, or in the method I do. Just because someone may see it differently for themselves, does not mean that is either right or wrong, it's just not me.

Tonight as I took ministry training at church, it was reiterated to not manipulate or cause damage to someone in their healing process, in how God wants to work in their lives.  It totally struck me as I wanted so desperately to get past my own issues, that I wanted that for others.  One person came to mind in particular, and I feel bad for how I pushed that person to heal quickly, to do it in my own timing, rather than just letting God deal with the person.

Anyway, today was Class 1/5 of ministry training and it was really good.  I can be a person that really aggressively wants good for people's lives and make things go too fast, push too hard, and just really not realize it.  Good intentions. 

Maybe some people really don't want to heal, and I need to be okay with that.  Because when you get healed of crap in your life, things change.  Expectations changes.  Lots of things change.  Maybe some people don't want that change for whatever reasons.  It's not my place to tell someone they need to change.  It's up to them.  Timing.

I'm sure there were times others were frustrated with me because I just wasn't getting it, but through the course of time, circumstances, God changing me, I eventually was ready to change and did.  God does the real changing, but only when I am ready to surrender to God to allow Him to change me.

In the meantime, I'm called to love people just where they are at and let Jesus flow through me and do the stuff Jesus did.  I have so much learn.  Anyway, I can't heal myself or anyone.  Only Jesus can heal.  I'd like to share this song by Sheri Carr called "This Heart of Mine".  I hope the song blesses you as it's blessed me.  It's from her "Fearless Now" album.

"Freedom is not the absence of bars, rather it is the presence of Christ." Sheila Walsh

She goes on to say that freedom isn't circumstantial, but true freedom comes from the inside when the Son of Christ sets you free, you are free indeed.

Freedom doesn't come when this or that happens, it comes from Jesus Christ. I've been learning a lot about freedom in a somewhat painful way, through relationships with people, one in particular.

I found that I was in prison with certain beliefs and mindsets that kept me in bondage. I had become accustomed to feeling and thinking that way, that I knew no difference, that I was even enslaved.

God is so patient. He used the Holy Spirit and certain recent relationships to reveal just how faulty my thinking was. Humbling. But, along with gaining freedom, though Jesus Christ is already my personal Savior, I wasn't living in total freedom, there was a cost for it.

I'm learning some of the cost for me gaining freedom is some people will not come along with me because they remained enslaved to wrong thinking that they cannot or think they cannot get out of. In it of themselves, they can't. But, Christ and total surrender to Christ will bring freedom.

I realize that as I change, some people will become a greater part of my life, some people depart, new people come in. It shows me that I am growing as a person.

Are the people that are showing up in your life steeped in all sorts of bondage & turmoil, a prisoner of their thoughts, feelings and circumstances? Maybe you should look no further at yourself in what God is attempting to show you about yourself.

Observe your life to see what is showing up. It's very curious and interesting.

Today has been a jam packed day filled with lots to do, and well more than I could handle. As the Chinese New Year approaches in a couple days, I think about and begin acting upon what I know and what is right to do.

Though I was born & raised in the U.S., the core of me is still Chinese. And, just like billions of Chinese this weekend have been preparing for the new year through cleaning, so have my kids and I.

Sometimes we don't even see the chaos or turmoil we are in until we begin to look more closely. I heard someone say today that sometimes God will allow chaos into our lives to bring clarity. Honestly, I don't even know if that was a biblical statement or not.

I didn't realize how messy something things had gotten physically in our home until we began cleaning. The more we cleaned, the worse things looked.

I've been doing similarly with relationships in my life and my finances. Sometimes before things can really look better, they actually get worse for a period of time. Then, there is that point where things are trending in the right direction.

In the Wizard of Oz, when the tornado came at Dorothy's house, what was the first thing that went? It was the white picket fence. Chaos just erupted. Eventually, out of that chaos came clarity, but it wasn't without its pain & heartache.

Now is the time to get rid of the fantasies and to live God's dream for my life. Just walking this out one day at a time. Thank you for letting me share my life with you.

Today as I look back at my past, I think of so many people who have been courageous and have role-modeled this to me. Some have long since passed away, while others still living.

In Joshua 1:9, it says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." The Israelites in this time were going to be entering a foreign land that God promised to them that is flowing with milk and honey.

Although the land was bountiful, it was a dangerous land and they had to conquer, to fight for the land. It was dangerous. But, God said that He would be with them throughout all of that.

As I think of my own life, God does not desire for my kids and I to live in spiritual poverty, to be fearful and timid. He has lands for us to conquer and He will help us conquer those lands. It doesn't mean there aren't giants in the land, because surely there are.

What does that translate into? What are the things that hold you back from living the life you can and ought?

It's taken a lot of courage to stop being a private, hidden person, the one I was in my 20s and 30s. In my 40s, I'm learning to let go and face the demons I have allowed into my life whether it is through the generations I was born into, or that unknowingly allowed into my life.

As I've faced the havoc these demons and their workings have marred in my life, I am reminded of who I am. I am the Lord Jesus Christ's and I can tread over serpents, take my authority in Jesus Christ (so as long as I confess & repent of wrongdoing so there is nothing that would give the devil an opening) over the demonic.

It's easy to run from our problems and just say we are too messed up. The Truth is, nothing is beyond Jesus to fix in our lives. It's easier to live in indifference and apathy, saying we don't really care or even allowing other people to love us, then to make a choice to love or care, because those things require real action, not just words.

It takes courage to step into the Promised Land and take it, then to sit back and gripe, complain, make excuses why you're so f***ed up. I realize that most people don't have the guts to be courageous, but there are those who would venture and say that those demons must be conquered at all costs.  They keep pressing through when it would be so much easier to give up when things don't go your way.

I'm glad God has given me 2 children to whom I can influence, but He's given more so much more than that as I teach little 3-4 yr olds. Some of them now are nearing teenagers and I know that I've gotten the privilege to role-model courage to them. I hope it makes a difference in their lives.

Cowards are a dime a dozen. They take and never pour back.  They run from their problems and take no action. They make excuses and are just talk. Heroes may be afraid, but they continue to take action despite their fear, tiredness and discouragement.  They give back and are living sacrifices.  Their lives count for something.

I would love to hear your hero stories and to be inspired by your courageousness. God bless you!

Do you know who you are?  I mean, really.  Do you know who you are?  What is your identity wrapped in?  Is it your job and work?  Is it who others say you are?  Is it what you do?  Your personality?  What you haven't done?  Who are you?

In this song, Jason Gray talks about God reminding us who He calls us, but showing that we often don't call us who He calls us.

What do you call yourself?

I know for a long time, though intellectually I knew who God said I was, I lived out the belief that was the complete opposite.  We always live out what we believe.  What do you believe?  Do you believe who God says you are?  If we do, then let's see if our lives confirm this.  If not, there is room for each of us to step aside to allow God to show us who He says we are. 

Yes, I constantly need reminders.

Skillet is probably one of my top 10 favorite groups.  There is something angry, depressing about them that I love as there is a part of me that is that way. Yet, that is a small part of me and the greater part of me is hopeful, optimistic, loving.  But, lately, a number of Skillet's songs have been dotting my days and this one in particular has been coming up:

This is "Hero".  The lyrics - I need a hero to save me.  Often as humans, we want someone to save us from all our miseries, or maybe that event will occur and something will magically happen to reverse everything around.  And, on the rare occasion, something like that does happen.  Probably the most noticable one that we can all see is someone winning the lottery.  Perhaps it's a person that is broke and wins mega millions and is instantly thrust into riches.  But, usually, less than a decade later, the person is even broker than before winning the lottery.

Did their "hero", the lottery really benefit their lives in the long run?  No.  They weren't ready to have money yet and when they came into it, they could not steward the money well as they did not have the character that could help them use it well.


The past few years, though I have known Jesus as my personal Savior for over 35 yrs (wow, that makes me sound old), it's not until all my super hardships hit and I totally had to lean on God, because my Plan B, C, Z all failed.  I realized that I had placed my focus on the wrong places and people, that Jesus was really my hero.

When we lean on the right things to help us through life, I think God can also create people who can be great role-models or "heroes".  I think about my parents and what they had to go through growing up, or raising 5 children (especially me, because I greatly challenged them and probably made them rethink being a parent), or the many things they endured.  They are my first heroes.  My siblings are also my heroes, because I know that them being my siblings and me their sister hasn't been easy either.  I tend to challenge those I'm closest to.


But, I see many people that have risen above the great challenges they've faced to overcome beliefs they've been living out that were not healthy or good, to smash those wrong beliefs, to create new beliefs in which they stepped into.  I've been doing that a lot in the past couple years very aggressively.  My family, church, and friends have come along side of me to help me when I would fall down and can't get back up.


Other times, it's just God and I and asking Him to give me the courage to face the ugly things I've believed, those lies, and to smash them.  What I've learned when you challenge your belief system, you will come under great opposition the harder that belief system is engrained into you.  But, every time you get knocked down as you challenge wrong beliefs, and get back up to take action against that wrong belief, it chips away at that wrong belief a little at a time.  Eventually, that wrong belief is whittled away to nothing and you've replaced it with a correct belief system.


As we are at the beginning of a new year and New Year's resolutions are at the peak of the year, one of the big challenges that many people face is to lose weight.  Those who succeed will be the ones that continue chipping away at wrong actions that led them to where they are by making healthier choices until they no longer make those choices.  With some, they may need to spend years to do this, others not too long.  But, whatever it is, it's to not give up and to keep on keeping on until you have a correct belief system in place.


How do you know if you have a correct, healthy belief system?  The actions you take, how you live your life will reflect your belief system.  We always live out what we believe.

What do you believe?  What does your life say you believe?  Are you making hero choices?


It's not that heroes aren't afraid, rather they choose to continue to act inspite of opposition and difficulty.  Are you a hero?  Share your hero stories with me.  I'd love to hear them.  Let's inspire each other.

There is a lot of fanfare, as well as controversy over Tim Tebow. Admittedly, I'm not a football fan, though, I know many football fans. I don't know a whole lot about Tebow other than the stuff that has been circulating the internet. I've never personally watched him play and I'm sure it's incredible.

What I wanted to just briefly talk about are some articles I read on athiests commenting on Tebow giving credit to God. I think it's awesome that He gives credit to God. So many people are so narcissistic that they think every single thing is due to themselves or their own skill or whatever, but often it isn't.

That car narrowly missing hitting your car wasn't because you were such a skilled driver. What about you getting the job not because of your skill, rather you caught the people at the right time? There are many things that happen to us is not because we deserve or made it happened, rather some other thing caused it or didn't cause it.

If Tebow gave credit to his mom or dad for his playing, would people be bashing him? Seriously! Of course not. He gives credit to God and that opens him up for bashing.

My beliefs are that ultimately everything I have comes from God. Yes, God uses people to help them to help me. Is that so bad? I've helped other people and I do think God prompted me to help others.

Yes, Tebow has to go out to work, to be disiplined, to take risks. Yes, he has to physically do those things, to build his body. But, ultimately, if you trace everything back, it goes back to God and Tebow is just being thankful and acknowledging God.

Are we so selfish and self-absorbed that people criticize others for being grateful? My gosh. How awful is that?

If you're going to be an ungrateful jerk, keep your nasty comments to yourself so you don't sour the whole bunch. The guy is a good guy, a good role model, and inspirational. Is he perfect? Heck no, but neither are any of us.

Of course he's inspirational, far more than the complainers and whiners against him. Maybe that's why those people aren't inspirational. Let Tebow be grateful and pray. It's his right, just like it's your right to not pray or be narcissistic and nasty.

And, yes, God does care about football, or the fact that a mommy in central AZ wants to see & be involved in her children's lives, or for a daddy to throw a football with his son, or the milk you've spilled you're crying over. Yes, God does care for all those things, including the starving children in Africa. God does care.

The problem is, you want to dictate how God cares and if He doesn't care in the manner you deem good, you've written him off. God is God and He can do anything. He allows a nasty person like the people making comments to exist just as He allows a Tebow to exist. Fair? It's life. Life is not fair, and unfair things DO happen. I've had my share of unfair things. That's life.

Eventually we all get over it and move on. Let the guy pray and be grateful and leave him alone.

As a native Arizonian, I've been used to scorching summers where you could easily fry an egg on the sidewalk (don't forget to add the oil), but I would have to say that I've never experienced a winter as cold as this picture looks.

Honestly, I cannot imagine that anyone would have to shovel snow, but many people around the world do so each winter. The work that is sometimes involved - blizzards, snow plows, shoveling snow, wearing boots and much warmer clothes, making sure you have enough heat, snow warnings. That's a lot of stuff.

As I sit here today in flip flops, a pair of capris and a light long-sleeved shirt with the fan on, it's hard for me to imagine trudging up a snowy bank.

Snowy winters make me think of a spiritual winter. Granted, not all wintery conditoins are awful. Some, I'm sure, are quite pleasant. Some have navigated the snow to become expert snow athletes.

It seems the past 7 years, I've been in a spiritual winter. My tree has been weathered and stripped of all its leaves. It's been really cold. Yes, there are moments of light, feathery snow that makes things look picturesque, but often, it's been harsh and dreary, making me anxious for Spring to come.

Who doesn't like Spring? When things are in bloom, green, birds are chirping, animals are out, water flows. But, for winter, the water freezes over, the skies often look gloomy, stark trees. It's as if there is no life left.

The reality is, underneath everything, there is life. It's just dormant and things are working. Things are not dead, they just appear dead.

It's been a long winter with me, but I can see the beauty of the winter of my life. It gives God time to work, get rid of the junk, and start anew as I've been freshly pruned for Spring.

Looking forward to my spiritual Spring. What about you? What season of your life are you in spiritually?

I'm discovering a lot about writing. It's been awhile since I did business writing and it's completely different than writing for a personal blog, a journal, a forum. For me, writing has been something I do for pleasure, or to express my thoughts and feelings about something.

However, business writing is not about pleasure and depending who you are writing for, you need to cater to the business needs. I've been forcing myself the past few days to write what does not come natural now, but hoping that at some point in time that it does become natural.

As I think about my daily walk with God, unless it's something I do daily, it doesn't become too natural, like a habit. It's something you must consciously do, sometimes even forcing yourself to do things like spend time in God's Word (the Bible), praying, time of worship to God.

It does not come naturally for people to pray outside of crises. For me, worship is to come before God in gratitude. That is something that has become a habit for my kids and I that we do daily. We are working on the daily Bible reading. Prayer is something we have done since they were infants.

However, the big thing that is not natural for my kids and I is worshiping God in song. We don't do it that often and it's something I feel we need to do as a part of worship. There is something about music that lifts the heart and I believe it lifts our hearts to touch God's, sorta like the "Finger of God" painting.

This morning I feel a mixture of intense sadness and joy.  Joy that I get to live another day and share it with some of the people that I love, that I get to take another breath freely.  Sadness as last night a local media personality died along with his wife.  It is suspected that it was a murder-suicide.  Bill Heywood has been around a very long time.

This song is by Skillet, one of my favorite groups (I have quite a few of them), called "Would It Matter".  Some of the lyrics say "If I wasn't here tomorrow, would anybody care?  If my time was up, I would like to know, you were happy I was.  If I wasn't here tomorrow, would anyone lose sleep?"  The lyrics are a bit depressing, and as I think about Skillet's songs, though I love the actual music, a lot of their lyrics are pretty somber and hard.

Bill is the second media person in the past 3 months I've learned that has been involved in a suicide that was successful.  And, there have been a number of other people that I've read, or seen their pictures, or heard of that has committed suicide.  Each of these people are making a choice to end their lives because they saw no hope, no way out.

I don't know any of these people personally, but my heart weeps for them, tears flow from my face as I mourn their choice, a choice they can never take back. 

Did you know that there is always someone, at least one person that loves you?  That's Jesus.  With Him, even if things are so incredibly dim, there is hope.  Did you know my Jesus.  Did you know there is hope?  I guess you didn't because you chose the wrong way out.  It wasn't your time.

Today as I stopped at Staples to pick up a few office supplies, I vaguely remember the blonde cashier.  She asked me if it was okay to give me all 5's back as change.  I don't remember what she looked like.  She was just a person that momentarily dotted my life.  Bill Heywood was just a voice on the radio, but today I shed tears for him and his wife.

That girl at Staples, I wonder if she knows that she's loved?  I wonder the faces in the cars that zoom past me on the freeway, have they lost their hope? 

Tomorrow the sun will come up again.  Another day.  How do we view it?  Do you still have hope no matter how bad things are?  Will you make a choice that can never be changed?  Know that you are loved, that Jesus loves you and that He cares.

Let me know how I can pray for you.

I want to thank God for showing me some things in the past few hours that really opened my eyes to some things in my life. For the past 2-3 yrs, I've really been challenged with my financial situation, that it's really puzzled me a great deal as to how I've reacted and responded.

It doesn't make sense to me, being a rational person, but it probably doesn't make sense to a lot of people either that know my situation.

This evening, as I looked at people, things, events that have come into my life over the past 6 months, there have been many questions that have hovered over me. Some, I've been unwilling to ask until tonight.

Maybe the reason why I chose never to ask those questions is because I didn't want to know the answer, but as time continues to march forward, I can no longer remain where I am financially and need to be making better and more aggressive progress than what I am.

There have been many fears that have beset me, but none of those fears are from God. The acronym for FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real.

My biggest fear financially is to not have the time to raise my children in the manner that freedom with one's time allows. I have taken my role very seriously as a parent in raising my son and daughter in God's ways, but also to teach them to be responsible, incredible people.

My daughter has 6 more years left of school before she goes to college, and my son, 9 yrs. The time goes by very quickly. Those years when I worked outside of the home while they were younger tore my heart apart, as I wanted to be home with them raising them myself, not someone else.

I've enjoyed the privilege of the past 5 yrs to do this, and I don't know if I'll be able to figure out how to make money and enough of it and still be able to stay home with them. But, for now, I need to do what I need to do financially to get us from where we are to where we need to be.

Maybe I need to ask different questions and let God go to work, just trusting in Him, while also just stepping out in faith to just do what I need to do jobwise - to be okay even if the answer is not what I want it to be.

Maybe somewhere in relinquishing freedom with my time, maybe I gain something much better in the interim that God needs to do in my life or maybe in the lives of other people. God would not call me to do something He will not equip me to do.

This evening I cried as I used some tools God has given me over the past decade to release the emotions that keep me bound in a bad place financially. I'm just surrendering all of this to Him.

Perhaps for those reading, this is a no-brainer, but for me, it wasn't logic that dictated what I did, rather my emotions. I'm going to ask God to reveal more to me, and to help get rid of all the fears that keep me from making good choices in this area that please Him.

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It's one of my life verses.

And, Deuteronomy 8:18 says, "It is God who empowers me to be able to create wealth." But, to be able to create wealth, one must take action. Here goes.

In John 8:32, it says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”   There is freedom in truth.  Facing the truth isn't easy, but lies weigh on people.  They are yokes that shackle us.  Maybe initially they seem to give freedom, but it is a deceptive illusion.  A few light weights are put on that yoke, and with more lies, more weights get heaped on.  Next thing you know, the burdens are so intensely great, that it buries us.

It takes courage to live in truth.  For most of my life, I lived under the deception that I didn't have to be true to myself, that I could rationalize a certain way of life.  It never brought freedom, but the chains that bind grew tighter and tighter, digging into my flesh, tearing at it, draining the very life blood from me.

There are things and people that I love, and I have learned letting go and not hanging onto some things or people are what is best.  Give people freedom to grow, to be their best, to live their truth, even if it's not how we envision things.  It takes courage, humility and confidence that God's ways are always best, not mine. 

As the Truth sets people Free, true love is truth and it sets people free.  The love that Jesus Christ has for all mankind is true love.  THAT love sets us free from an eternity that is damned, if we so choose. 

Freedom in relationships allows each person to live true to themselves.  As I raise my children, I am learning this.  As I go through all sorts of different relationships with people, I've learned to hold what I can, but when it's time to let go or to change how I hold, then I do.  God is good all the time.  It's all a part of the learning process and to give people freedom to be their best is what is best and what is true.  Not always easy, but I'm all about freedom.

Sometimes that freedom is walking hand-in-hand.  Sometimes it's not.
Do you choose freedom today?

This evening I cried for a friend, for her sadness and grief, as I also prayed for her and joined with her in her questions and heartache. Why does God allow suffering? What happens when we pray for good things and they don't happen? What are we to do when bad things upon bad things keep on happening?

I definitely don't have all the answers, or maybe even any answers, rather all I can share are my experiences and what God has done in my life, and how He has changed me through my own heartaches, suffering, and hardships.

There are countless bad things that have happened to me over the past 7 yrs and it seemed that at every turn, more bad things were happening. I remember so clearly asking God to restore my marriage. Afterall, God ordains marriage, right? How can asking for that be wrong? It didn't happen. God gives free will and though it was something I wanted, my husband did not want to be married to me. God wasn't going to force his hand at it. My marriage ended.

My home gone. My retirement gone. My savings gone. My dogs that I had since puppies who were old gone. My vehicles (most) gone. My career gone. My identity gone.

I cried and I cried. It seemed like the tears would never end. I kept crying and couldn't stop. People prayed. I cried so much I would've thought all that water that I had lost would've helped me to be thinner. I cried some more.

I begged God and asked Him why? But, amidst all my tears, every day I learned to humbly come before God and just thank Him for stuff in my life. Every day through this journey over the past 5+ yrs, I have entered into the courts of the Lord to praise Him amidst the steady stream of tears flowing from my face.

My God is not a cruel, heartless God that desires to see me suffer and scoffs at that. But, through my tears, they soften the clay and allows God to mold me more into the image of His Son Jesus Christ.

Do you see His face in me? None of our tears are wasted. God is good ALL the time. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, my children and I are loved beyond measure.

He loves you, too. Do you know my Jesus?

A discussion I had with long time girlfriends last night had me pondering the paths we choose. Andy Stanley writes this book Direction of the Path and he sheds insights on our choices and the paths we take in life.

We all choose a path to take in life and sometimes that path seems different from another person, but the end destination is the same.

One person may have an awful childhood, another whose childhood was intact, but the child broken inside. One chooses a safe route, or so she thinks. Another chooses a dangerous route. They both end up at the same place.

How is that so? Maybe the one who thought she was on the safe route walked in the center of that path, no fear of veering off the path. While the other, on the same path, walked the edges, enjoying the thrills.

In the end, it was the wrong path for both. Where did they choose the wrong path initially? At the crossroads.

The only way to get off the path, Pastor Stanley says, is to change the direction and get on a different path. You can't do that unless you acknowledge that you are on the wrong path and that you must change directions.

The expression, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Intentions is not enough for you to be on the right path. You must CHOOSE the right path.

Jesus Christ ----> Heaven

Not choosing Christ specifically -----> Hell

Pretty stark, profound, but simple. You must not only believe there is the right path, but you must contientiously make that choice.

Ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior by realizing you are a sinner, that Christ came to earth to die for your sins. He is the only way to God, and there are no other means (i.e., good works, giving money to needy people, doing good things, being what you think is a good person).

Jesus conquered death and is alive today. Not only believe all these things, but ask Him to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life, to be Lord & Savior of your life.

Really mean it as much as you can right at this moment, but that's it in choosing the right path for your eternal destination.

Maybe you think you're a Christian because you live in a Christian nation or you've gone to church, or even grew up in the church. None of those things make you a Christian. Not only must you individually believe in what Jesus Christ did for you, but you must accept & receive it for your own.

It doesn't count if someone else wants it for you. You must make the choice yourself.  Don't rationalize it.  It doesn't always make sense.  Intention is not enough.  You must take action.

Once you're on the right path, then to continue on that path (by the way, once you're on that path, you can't ever get on the wrong path again, but you can still make wrong choices, like being on the fringes of the path), I suggest you find a good Bible believing and practicing church that suits you to grow.

There are many different churches for all different people. I've gone through the gambit, but one thing remains, they are all strong in the Word of God - the Bible.  However, as a caveat, not all churches are good churches or the right church.

If you have any questions, concerns or just want to know more, leave a comment for me or message/email me.

God bless you.  You can make the right choice for your eternal destination in a matter of a couple minutes.  That's it.