Loving Others

Good Morning and happy Friday! And what's more, Happy Memorial Weekend!! I hope you will find much rest and relaxation this weekend whatever you do. :-)

Just wanted to hop on here for a few minutes and share what's on my heart today:

I've been meditating on I Corinthians 13 - you know the "LOVE CHAPTER". I have to tell you that the more I contemplate it's concepts the more convicted I am becoming. I honestly felt like I was showing the love of Christ on a regular basis but now I realize even on my best day I am offering only a shadow of what God intends. Below is a portion of 1 Corinthians 13 from The Message. I've put a few of my own reactions/short comings in parenthesis next to each line.

Love never gives up. (I give up dozens of times in dozens of ways. On myself and on other people)



Love cares more for others than for self. (I do this to a point, but when push comes to shove, I still press for my own way alot of times)


Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. (All I can say is OUCH!)


Love doesn't strut,


Doesn't have a swelled head,


Doesn't force itself on others,


Isn't always "me first," (I struggle with this sometimes as I have a competitive nature. I'm an overachiever and like to "win".)


Doesn't fly off the handle, (I've mellowed with age, but still need work on this)


Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, (I'm pretty good with this. Experience has taught me to let things go)


Doesn't revel when others grovel, (Think, I'm pretty good with this one too)


Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, (I do!)


Puts up with anything, (I don't and need to work on this. Things irritate me and then I get mad and then... well you know how it is)


Trusts God always, (I'm fairly good with this)


Always looks for the best, (Sometimes I do...)


Never looks back, (I need work on this)


But keeps going to the end. (Yep, I do)
 
Okay, now it's your turn. It'd be cool if you posted some of your comparisons to I Corinthians 13. But even if you don't, take stab at doing it offline and see how you measure up. Trust me, it's a real humbling experience.
 
Know I pray for you. I don't know your name or even if you're reading my blog unless you leave a post but I pray for God to bless all who happen by. Have a glorious day!
 
Debbie

Just As You Are

(It's much later than my normal posting. I spent too much time chatting with my husband over coffee this morning! Normally, I am getting ready for work by this time so this post will be short, but hopefully minister despite it's brevity.)

If you've been following my blog you know that on Wednesdays I write about my weight loss journey. It was HARD to post today because I had a very upsetting and stressful week: the death of a family member; a dear, dear friend who's little boy is having siezures and in the hospital etc. And when I'm stressed or upset I overeat. This is a habit I'm trying to break through prayer, exercise, meditation and sound eating but it's an uphill battle.

I normally weigh-in on Wednesdays, but I'm skipping today  (which I don't  recommend) but my emotional reserve is low and I don't want to completely tap myself out. So my plan to is to regroup, build up my inner strength by following all I know to do, and be 'back in the saddle' for next Wednesday.

But what I really want to share this morning is about a sweet, sweet lady I met at the Maranatha Bible Church last Saturday. (See earlier posts. I spoke at this church.) To be honest, I don't even know her name, but she glowed in the Holy Ghost. Here is her picture (to the left) in case any of my readers know her name and can tell me.

In my talk to the women that day, I mentioned my weight issues and the ongoing struggle to surrender it to the Lord. She came up to me afterwards and said:

 "I wouldn't worry so much about your weight. You look beautiful, and  God loves you just the way you are."

She went on to say several more things to me that strengthened and encouraged me. I felt like she was an angel sent from God just to minister to me, like God did to Elijah after he'd been running from Jezebel and just slept and ate and wanted to die. Her sweet spirit refreshed me and renewed me.

I thank God for precious women of God like this sister who see beyond themselves and their own lives and offer a "cup of cold water in the name of Jesus". Her words were like a cool, refreshing drink on a hot summer's day.

May we all learn to accept each other just as we are - and to accept ourselves - JUST AS WE ARE. Yes, God wants us to continue to grow in Him but  often we are so hard ourselves. (I know I am)

So today, " I will forget what is behind me and press toward my goal to the prize of the high calling." Knowing my prize isn't the weight loss - although that will be a nice benefit - but a deep acceptance of who I am in Christ Jesus - weight and all!

Stop Striving

(My brain is a little fuzzy this morning although I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee already so bear with me as I try to share what's been on my heart today.)

So much of life seems to be about striving, pushing, trying to accomplish more, to get noticed, to succeed.

I've been guilty of this myself numerous times. I am an overachiever by nature. There's something inside of me that drives me to want to be the best. Now that in and of itself is not bad, but when that desire gets out of balance and you deny yourself adequate rest and relaxation in order to meet self-imposed expectations then it's time to re-evaluate.

I've been guilty of striving so often in my life. For example, when I coached a Bible Quiz team I put in countless hours in preperation and practices to insure we'd win the championship - and we did 7 years in a row. This is just one example and trust me there are many.

But what I've learned as I'm gotten older (45 years old now - yikes!) is that the more I push and press and exhaust myself, the less glory God recieves when the goal is achieved.

 I told you yesterday that speaking at women's groups and selling and autographing books I've written at those speaking engagements has been a lifelong dream of mine. And it is. But what's worth noting is that so far, every speaking opportunity I've had did not come to through any effort aka 'striving' of my own. Instead, it came unexpectedly through sources that I had not even considered.

So the lesson for me in this is that if I will just relax and be faithful in what I know to do, God will do the rest. And I think that's what He's been trying to tell me all along.

And what about you my dear reader? What things do you strive for? Share your struggles with me and together we can grow towards more trust in God, and less striving on our own.

May you have a blessed and strengthened day. I do hope to hear from you. The give and take in sharing is how we sharpen one another towards good works!

"It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel." (Proverbs 20:3)

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

Pentecost Sunday

Today is Pentecost Sunday and since the Pentecostal experience is a huge part of my walk of faith, I wanted to share a little about it's history and how speaking in an uknown holy tongue as the physical sign of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost has radically transformed my life. I have a writer friend who explains it better than I do. Her name is Vi Moore. Vi has this to say about Pentecost:

"Pentecost, originally a Jewish celebration fifty days after Passover, is now recognized as the birth of the Christian church. The New Testament second chapter of Acts is the common reference to the first audible and visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit, even on Mary the mother of Jesus. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers,” (Acts 1:14, NKJV). Apostle Paul first mentions the importance of this celebration after he was filled with the Holy Spirit, “For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost,” (Acts 20:16, NKJV). Again St. Paul mentions Pentecost in his letter to the church at Corinth, Greece, “In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost,” (1 Corinthians 16:8, New Living Translation). That historical annual Jewish Feast which took place fifty days after the Passover was conferred with a greater meaning when it was heavenly ordained as the beginning of the New Testament Christian church. It is both ironic and sad that while major traditional churches in Christendom who will celebrate with colorful ceremonies tomorrow have not experienced Pentecost. Others who have a personal Pentecost with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, will let this day slip by unrecognized."

But Pentecost is so much more than a day to celebrate, or even an experience to have. It is a lifestyle of living with the empowerment of the living God. So many people know God, love God and serve God in all they know, but they have yet to experience the powerful and dynamic presence of the holy God they serve by recieving the Holy Ghost like they did in the book of Acts. (See Acts 2,8,10 and 19) The Apostle Paul came across many honest, faithful people like this while on his missionary journeys. As a matter a fact he told the believers at Ephesus :

"Have ye recieved the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" and their response was "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost!"  (Acts 19-1-3) Paul then goes on to explain to them about water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost as evidenced by tongues and it says in verse 4 "and they were baptized, and spoke with tongues and prophesied"

Oh my precious reader, the Holy Ghost is for you today too! Read the book of Acts and pray for God to fill you full to overflowing.

I was so privildeged to speak at the Maranatha Bible Church yesterday to their women's group. They are a dynamic group of Bible believing women. As I spoke the Holy Ghost moved, God's presence was there so strong! With all my heart, I wanted them to experience this life changing infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I did tell them of Acts 19 and what Paul asked the Ephesian church, but I stopped short of challenging them to recieve it for themselves. A few of them came up to me afterwards and told me that they HAD RECIEVED THE HOLY GHOST WITH TONGUES! This made me so happy!! (I will write more about these incredible women in the days to come)

But for today, my prayer for you is that you embrace ALL GOD HAS FOR YOU - including the HOLY GHOST!!

Hugs,

Debbie

I Refuse to be an OSTRICH

It's Wednesday, and I promised myself - and you - (my readers) to report how I was doing with trying to lose over 100 pounds.  (See earlier posts labeled '100 pounds')

Well, let's just say it's NOT been a good day. I GAINED 2.5 pounds which means I ate too much and didn't exercise enough. That's the thing, weight loss is not rocket science. Basically, if you consume less calories than you expend you will have a loss. And so conversely if you consume more calories than you expend, you will have a gain. Let's just say we all know what I did this week.

But still I feel I am making progress. Last Wednesdays post "Progress Not Perfection" touched on this. The fact that I'm even willing to bare all and post each week brings accountability and balance to my life. It keeps me from burying my head in the sand. It forces me to look at the facts:

• 
  
  I am a very large women.
• 
  
  This didn't happen overnight.
• 
  
  The weight is not going to come off overnight.
• 
  
  I can be beautiful and have self-worth despite my size.
• 
  
  The number on the scale does not define me.
• 
  
  I must daily - and sometimes hourly - remind myself that it really is progress not perfection.
• 
  
  Most of all, I am not alone in this effort to change my behavior and body size. I have friends, family, my readers and of course the empowering help of the Lord Jesus Christ to offer support and encouragement.

And so, on this Wednesday that started with a disappointing weigh-in, I am proudly holding my head upright and looking all around me. Because that is how I will succeed. The ostrich doesn't get anywhere when his head is stuck in the sand. But when he lifts his head and starts to run - look out. It's said an ostrich can run up to 50 MPH. And one, day very soon that will be me!

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it." (Philippians 3:13-15)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r-b8uY7C9E&feature=related

"Key Generation"

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18

Has anyone noticed that key mania is sweeping our jewelry counters, fashion magazines and TV commercials? This is not a key fetish criticism. In my jewelry box I have few of my own. So I took this picture of my little key collection as evidence. There must be something fascinating about keys. Often times, a key is a sign of trust, love, wisdom and commitment. For example, my neighbor entrusts her keys to me when she is away so I can feed her cat. With this key to her apartment I feel like she has given me a gold medal for trustworthiness, and for that I am exceedingly grateful. Sometimes lovers exchange their keys as a sign of commitment and love. Parents give their car keys to teenagers, and then pray to God that they don’t crash.

I must admit my “Key Generation” title sounds odd even to me, so I searched for this phrase online and found out from Wikipedia that “Key generation is the process of generating keys for cryptography. A key is used to encrypt and decrypt whatever data is being encrypted/decrypted.” This made me leave my title as it is. Aren't we struggling to understand how and why human beings are created? Philosophers are searching for the Key that unlocks the knowledge of Universe; poets lament of the lost key; scientists and religious leaders are trying to break the code of life for centuries. Nowadays we are more drawn to the key symbology than ever before.

But I really believe only God has a key, and He has already given us its copy – Holy Bible.

 

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19