OUR BEST INTEREST

She said she saw me with my arms wide open, and all kinds of weapons pouring down in front of me from heaven like rain.


“Swords, knives and other stuff…God is equipping you for battle – for your future.”

It was a sobering thought, but a welcomed one. And I was thankful to have a friend who was sensitive enough in the ways of the spirit to impart her heavenly vision to me.

Has anything like that ever happened to you? Have there been times in your life when God used a friend or family member to speak encouraging words? Or to admonish you? How did you know their words were from God?

Speaking the truth in love, and edifying one another, is a vital part of living every day with Jesus. We were created for community, for camaraderie. We draw strength from one another – it is God’s way.

And so when my friend spoke those words to me, I received them as they were intended – in love because I felt the deep resonating confirmation of the spirit of God.

I’m not sure what God has planned for my future – or for yours. But we can take comfort in knowing that He is ever watchful of us. If His eye is on the sparrow, we know most assuredly that His eye is even more attentive to us. And He always, ALWAYS has our best interest in mind!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen." (Jeremiah 29:11)

The Great Inventor

“ He is the inventor, we are only the machine. He is the painter, we are only the picture” – C.S. Lewis


Oh how true this quote is and yet how often we get to thinking we are self-made. Often, I get in my mind what I want to make of myself.

 In my 20’s, I wanted to be a successful college graduate, but those plans fell by the way side when I met and married my husband. Then in my 30’s, I was going to be a successful executive recruiter. I realized that dream for awhile, but ultimately decided it wasn’t for me. Now, in my forties, I want to write to make a difference in others. Will this desire also pass off the scene? I do not know. But one thing I do know, my joy is fuller and my sense of self is greater when I make every effort to key into what Jesus created me to be.

And what is that?

It will take a lifetime for me to fully discover it, but one thing I do know, Jesus is all about souls. So I try to very hard to make everything I do about souls too. Loving them, extending friendship, sharing Biblical truths.

All of my goals now, are first put through the filter of Christ’s great commission to ‘go ye therefore and teach all nations'. I believe if what I set out to do in life compliments God’s great agenda, then I am at least fulfilling part of what the Great Inventor planned for me.


"...Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." (Matthew 6:33)

Monday Musings: WHAT'S YOUR DREAM?

It's a Monday morning and very soon I will be rushing around to get ready for work. (I always do this to myselF - the last minute rushing) I get up at 4:45am so I can veg out, drink my coffee, read my Bible and pray. Having this quiet solitude before the demands of the day grounds me, and helps me to maintain my peace as I get bombarded with the stresses of my work week.

This morning I was thinking alot about my weekend and the time I spent with the women of the Maranatha Bible Church. Sharing my heart with women, praying with them and encouraging them has always been my dream. So I'm still revelling in Saturday's experience kinda like a kid who finally gets to go to Great America after a long wait.

Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a writer, to walk into a book store and see a book I'd written on the shelves. I even love the smell of fresh paper and musty books - it's weird I know. But for me, this is what I was created to do. God obviously planted this desire in me because it consumes alot of my waking moments.

So my question to you this morning is: What is your Dream? What consumes your thoughts? If you could do anything you wanted - what would it be? Think about your giftings, what you enjoy doing, your passions and begin now to offer them all to the Lord Jesus. Then stand back and watch how He begins to unfold your personal dreams for His glory!

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Hugs,

Debbie

His Glory - Not Mine

I've been thinking alot about why I blog and realize my motives have changed alot over these past many months.

At first, I blogged because I went to a Writer's Conference and they said that all writer's should have a blog to 'build their platform'. So I jumped on the bandwagon with a gusto and posted mostly devotional type things and then some about my weight struggles etc. But the more I did it, the more it started to feel like I was striving to build a name for myself, ie 'my platform'.

Now, I can't speak for anyone else, but for me and my relationship with Christ, I need to make sure that my goals and purposes are about HIM and not about me. Trying to minister while seeking my own agenda just doesn't work.

So, what I've decided is that I'm going to post more often but it will be about alot of things - sometimes personal and sometimes professional - but hopefully always encouraging in some way.

And if God is in this blog thing for me, then He will send me readers who feel the same way I do. So for now, this is a test, just to be myself and give you, my unseen friends whatever's on my heart and watch and see what happens. :-)

"He must increase and I must decrease..."

Godly Perception

My day started as any other first day of the work week. I hit the snooze button a few times; drank an extra cup of coffee to shock my system into the alert zone; and tried to get my mind wrapped around the fact that 9 hours of responsibility and labor awaited me.

The nice thing is that I used to dread Mondays as much as the next person, but I don't so much anymore. Why? Because my heart fills with anticipation at what treasures God has prepared for me.

You see, every day  I am able to share Christ in some way. And knowing this causes me to look forward to who the Almighty is going to send my way.

For example,  on my lunch hour, I went to a friend's house for a cup of tea and some prayer.

See what I mean? Every day is an adventure with Christ because I see myself as His ambassador and He responds by sending me people to minister to.

What's interesting is that my job itself hasn't changed at all. I have the same work load, the same stresses etc.

But my outlook is different.
The blessings, the joy, the strengthening of relationships, was there all along. But I didn't see it. In essence, my vision was skewed.

And isn't that what Christ wants from all of us? 

 Could it be that Christ  is waiting for us to climb up to the high places with Him so we can see things from His vantage point?

You decide.