Are you in need of a rest?

So often during the Christmas season I hear these words: "I am so tired, I need a vacation".
That always makes me wonder why that phrase is so common during the Christmas season.
I am sure many of us can make a list to what contributes to that feeling of exhaustion. Maybe things like: I have too much shopping left to do, I have so much baking to do, I have so much wrapping to do, it has been crazy at work, if I had a day off so I could catch up, and so on. Think about it,
all of those are just excuses. Trust me, I've used them myself at one time or another. And usually we are our own worst enemy.
I do not intend for this blog to be a condemning blog, or pointing out faults of one another. But what I do want to share is what I have learned over the years. What I have learned from my own mistakes.
When I worked full time I would try to come up with ideas to make the Christmas season more enjoyable instead of full of stress. If it was baking I usually did this with my Mom. We would take a weekend and plan to bake all we needed to get done. We would often start early on in November and freeze the items that could be frozen. Then for the other items we would do closer to Christmas. This way it didn't take so long.
For shopping, I would try to put a strategy together also. But I truly loved shopping with my Mom when she was still here with us, and see how the malls were all decorated for Christmas. I enjoyed that as much as actual shopping.
And the strategies would go on as I needed to have a tolerable schedule. This often helped immensely, keeping the season full of joy.
While all of those things are important, do we make sure we leave time set aside to spend with the Lord? Do we still do our devotions and study the Word?  Do we still set aside time to pray?
I think that is one of the first things to be put aside, sadly to say. Why is that? We make sure we have time to shop, time to do this and that, but we say we do not have time to study the Word or have a conversation with God. We hear the saying "Jesus is the reason for the season". If we truly believe that then why is our time with Him the first to go?
We go through the season rushing around, busy doing things but neglecting our time with Jesus, then we say "God, I need a vacation", or "God I am so tired, I need rest".
Hmm, do you think maybe we are the problem? I think so. We get too caught up with our busy schedules that we forget Who we are celebrating. What is the solution? My friends that is up to you.
But what I will say is that I have learned over the years we must keep the proper perspective. We must keep Christmas about Jesus. And I promise you, He will work out your schedule.
I truly believe the Lord gave me strategies to stay on track , keeping Him first, and getting everything else done that I needed to.
My friends I will tell you, you will find so much more joy in the holiday season. You will have plenty of rest as you feed your spirit with the Word of God. You won't be saying "I wish the holidays were over".
As you finish out our holiday season try to sit back and enjoy this season. Take a few moments to enjoy your tree, reflect on the blessings this Christmas brought to you, and most of all have thankfulness in your heart for God sending His Son to save us. I promise you, Jesus will meet you there and fill you with the rest you needed, and energize you for what is next.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Matt. 11:28

It's Christmas Time

It is Christmas time all around the world. While it may be a little different on other parts of the world, the message is the same. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ. It is the day the Savior of the world was born. The day our hope came in the way of flesh, a baby born to us, to save us and give us the promise of a new life, eternal life.
Every Christmas we are reminded of the gift God gave us, but why do we need reminding? It is easy to think about this during the year when we are celebrating summer or other holidays. But why do we need to remind ourselves of what Christmas really is? I can think of several reasons. First of all, why did Jesus come in the flesh? To save us! Plain and simple, to save us. There are many parts of the world that have never heard the Gospel preached, they have never heard of the story of Jesus' birth.
There are many living in our own country that have never heard the story of Jesus' birth. There are many that have heard, but they did not comprehend the greatness if this story. And then there is "us". We have heard the story, we understand the greatness, we know who Jesus is, but for some reason we have let the daily grind get in the way. We have busied ourselves with work, and more work.  The many things we are involved in such as the gym, social groups, parties, and even many Bible studies and prayer groups. There is nothing wrong with those things in our lives. However, if we have let those things "clutter" our lives, take up every spare moment we have, and even take away from our family time, then we have missed the boat. After all, if we are too busy for our own family then we certainly have no time left to spend with Jesus. Our lives have become too busy to reflect on what Christmas is all about, the birth of Jesus Christ. We have become too busy to enjoy the Christmas season.  So often I hear many say "I will be glad when Christmas is over and I can relax".
Oh my goodness, imagine how Jesus feels. We have rushed through His birthday so quickly we didn't even acknowledge Him. Just think if your birthday comes and goes and nobody acknowledges it, how you will feel. 
We are His children, He has given us His all, He deserves that special treatment on His birthday.
And not just on His birthday, but every day.
So if you find yourself stressed out so much that you are ready to "put Christmas away", you are tired of hearing about it, then try to remember what the true meaning of Christmas is. Remember what the most important gift is that we have ever received, Jesus.
Think back of when you were a child. Christmas time was "magical". It seemed to be so special, and many of us did not even understand why. But somehow we knew. I encourage you, save some time for Jesus. Sit down and give Him an amazing birthday talk. Oh how He loves when we talk with Him. Thank Him for giving us the most amazing gift ever, Himself.
My last thought for Christmas, let's spread that Christmas cheer, the hope, the story of Jesus that brings such joy and happiness to us. There are many in this world today that need that hope we have in Jesus. Let's share our Christmas gift with them.
Merry Christmas faithful readers. I pray you have a wonderful Christmas celebrating our Savior's birth.

Unexpected Emotions

Do you ever experience a time when you get very emotional over something, perhaps a memory? If we are truthful with ourselves I'd say we all experience that type of thing at some point in our lives.
The Monday after Thanksgiving my husband and I took a trip to Tennessee to visit our son and daughter in-law. This was the first time for us seeing their new home they just purchased. We were so excited to spend time with them. However, the trip is a very long car ride, about 17 hours. We planned for a night in a hotel to split the drive up. All of this was going as planned.
Our travels would take us down through Virginia and over to Tennessee. I have family in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, so we knew it would be a beautiful ride with gorgeous scenery. I was excited to see this since it had been several years since I've been there to visit. As we were getting closer I was getting more and more excited. I could not explain why because that is not where we planned to stop for the night. Then I saw the signs of the Shenandoah Valley and Luray.  That's when it all changed.
I could feel myself filling up with emotion. I had so many memories going through my mind. I found myself wanting to step back in time, sitting on my Grandma's porch on her glider, taking in the spectacular views of Skyline Drive. And I could hear my sweet Daddy's southern voice saying we are almost at Grandma's house. Then the emotions flowed down my cheeks in the form of tears. Wow!
I thought to myself where did that come from? Out of nowhere, these emotions came, and were very real. Oh my goodness, I was missing my Daddy, and my grandparents, and many other family members.
So here we were, traveling to Tennessee to see our son and daughter in-law, so excited to see them and have an early Christmas with them, and I was experiencing this emotional time. It wasn't a sad time at all, just a very reflective moment.
What do we do with times like this? Are they ridiculous? Should we try to avoid those type of things? Are they "negative"?  I will say with total confidence, absolutely not. I really believe our Lord Jesus has given us memories for a reason. He has given us emotions for a reason. It is what we do with those that matter. You may be thinking what does this have to do with anything.
One of the most precious memories we all have is the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons spending time with family. We have good memories and some not so good. But we have a choice. We can sit there and feel sorry for ourselves because we have lost our loved ones, or we can stand up tall and do something with those memories. Share those happy times with your children or your grandchildren.   If you don't have anyone to share with then find a lonely person and share some happy memories with them. During the holiday season many people struggle with depression. Use your happy memories, even if they are emotional, to lift someone else's spirits up. Have someone over for tea and cookies. If you can, drive someone around to see the Christmas decorations lit up at night time. There are many ways that we can show the light of Jesus Christ during this season. And don't forget about yourself, stay in the Word of God, worship our Lord, and keep yourself in a place where you can encourage others.
It doesn't matter if you have tears flowing down. They can very well be happy tears.
And to finish my story, we arrived safely in TN and had a beautiful time with our son and daughter in-law. Their town had their Christmas tree lighting in the town square. We had such a wonderful time, we hated to leave. Coming home when we reached the area in Virginia that holds a special place in my heart,  I had more happy memories to add to my collection.
My prayer for you all this Christmas is that you can experience the joy of recalling the memories you have with loved ones and that you can find someone to share those memories with, someone who needs to experience some joy.

Did We Get The Answer We Wanted?

We all have prayed for many things in our lifetime. Some of those prayers have been what we call urgent, or an emergency. Some of those prayers are for direction in our lives. Some of those prayers are in desperation for finances. And so often some of those prayers are in desperation for a loved one's life, or for our own life.
This past week in the tiny village I live in we have seen the desperate prayers lifted up.  We saw a family lose their mother and sister in a horrific house fire. The family lost their loved ones and every possession they had. Of course the possessions mean nothing in comparison to the lives lost.
Also a very dear friend of ours lost his wife to cancer on Thanksgiving Day. This friend is like a brother to my husband and myself. They have two beautiful children.
These are two very different scenarios of what we call desperation for life. Does this mean our prayers were not answered?
The awful fire that broke out in the home of the family mentioned above was a raging fire within minutes. It broke out so quickly during mid morning that the mother and daughter could not escape.
There was an adult child and 2 small children that were rescued. Several other children were in school and the husband was at work.  So how do we pray in a situation like that?
Even though lives were lost, which is a horrible tragedy, the family was left with every need we could even imagine. Clothing, a home, food, financial needs, and the list goes on. Prayers were being lifted up for this family. And within 24 hours the majority of the needs of this family had been met. More clothing than you could imagine. A temporary place to stay with a permanent residence in the works. Enough food to feed this entire family, hoping to feed this family for a year. And funds raised to cover funeral expenses and financial needs for this family for sometime.
Were the prayers answered? Absolutely! This tiny village came together to help this family. Prayers for provision were answered.
Sure we'd hope this situation had never occurred, but it did. And our Lord Jesus heard the prayers being said and answered them.
Then we saw a loving wife and mother pass on into a life of eternity with our Lord Jesus. Cancer had robbed this lady of quality of life for months. There were so many praying for the Lord to heal her. We must remember, healing takes place in many different ways. While we prayed for healing, which we had hoped meant the cancer would be removed forever and she would live on here with her family, we also had to remember the Lord would perform her miracle in a way that would bring Him glory. And even though she has passed on, she lives in eternity with our Lord Jesus, no more pain, no more sorrow. Her husband is a strong believer in our Lord Jesus, and has been a great witness for God's glory.
We have two very different scenarios of someone passing away. The prayers for these families are and will continue to be totally different. And the answers we see will also be totally different in many ways. This is a very vivid reminder, we must not lose hope, we must continue to pray, and we must be open for an answer that we do not expect.
I am totally confident our Lord Jesus will take care of these families, from the youngest to the eldest. You may be thinking why did these things have to happen?  If there is is one thing I have learned over my years of praying for myself, for my loved ones, is to never ask why. That is something that can drag us down and pollute our attitudes and our faith. So I do not ask why anymore. Instead I ask for the Lord to fill me with peace, comfort, wisdom, and understanding. And that I always remain hopeful knowing Jesus will always take care of me, and my loved ones.
I ask you faithful readers as you go about your week, and especially this Christmas season, to please say a prayer for these families. Pray for peace and comfort to fill their lives. And most of all pray that they become closer to Jesus than they ever have before, and that they will be filled with faith once again.
We may not get the answer to our prayers that we want or expect, but we will get the answer that our Lord Jesus has declared the best for us.

Psalm 50:15Amplified Bible (AMP)

Call on Me in the day of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.”

Cast Your Cares

Does it ever seem to you there are so many needs that crop up all at once? Not only in your own life, but in others as well?  Perhaps there are many needing a miracle in their life. A physical healing, financial needs, emotional healing, and so on. 
During this season of Thanksgiving I feel so much more aware of the miracles I have seen in my own life, and also the needs that many have currently. But what we do with that awareness is the key.
The Bible tells us how we can better deal with some of these issues.  
Philippians 4:6-7- Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (HCSB)
During this season of Thanksgiving is the perfect time to get into the habit of turning our worries into prayer.  Can you imagine the miracles we would see and the lives that would be changed if we were persistent with this?  Actually it is quite exciting to think about how God would move in our lives when we put our trust in Him more. 
There is another verse that tells us this also.
1 Peter  5:7 casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. (AMP)
Wow, what a statement!  All of our concerns! All of our worries! 
Then the Scripture tells us how much He loves us. With deepest affection!
And He watches over us.  Oh my goodness, those words alone encourage me so very much. Those words make me want to leap for joy at the thought of how much Jesus loves me. 
So faithful readers, I want to encourage you, no matter what your circumstance, what miracle you need, no matter what your worries are, our Lord Jesus wants to carry those burdens for you. He lovingly wants to lift that weight off of your shoulders. We do not have to endure our trials alone. Jesus is right here with me, and with you.
Lift those burdens off of your shoulders and hand them over to Jesus. I promise you, you will feel the relief. It is hard to do sometimes, but put your trust in Jesus, turn those worries into prayer. And watch the miraculous occur. 
I have a song to share with you this week to encourage you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKuAMmTqUbs

Happy Thanksgiving!

Is Prayer a priority to us?

Yes, I am still on the prayer topic. Do you ever get stuck on a specific topic or subject for awhile? As you can tell, I do. I think what I love so much about prayer is the intimacy it gives us with our Lord Jesus. It is a personal time with just you and Jesus. It is a private time between you and Jesus. You do not have to speak in front of anyone, or feel awkward in front of anyone because your words do not flow as smoothly as others. It is just you and Jesus. That's what I love about my time in prayer.
So I have that point explained. Now how about how often do we pray, how much time do we allow ourselves to pray, and are we rushed? That brings me to this weeks point about prayer and what I've learned in my study time. 
We need to have a scheduled prayer time. Did I just say scheduled? Yes I did.
Face it, unless we have a schedule for our daily tasks or events, most of the time we will forget something. Or we will be too busy, making us rushed in our prayer time. That is how we are these days. We have so many things to do in our given 24 hours that often we put prayer on the bottom of the list.
Think about it, prayer is that given time that we can spend alone with our Savior. It is the time we can talk to Jesus about anything that is on our hearts. And it is the time we can sit and listen to Jesus talk to us. Oh my goodness, there is no greater "scheduled event" in my book.  This is my time with Jesus.
OK, you get my idea here, how important our prayer time is. So if it is that important why do we have it at the bottom of our list? Because we are too busy. We need to learn to say no at times to different things.
In Psalm 55:17 David tells us he calls on the Lord morning, noon, and evening.  Daniel prayed routinely 3 times a day, even when it was dangerous for him to do so.
And in the books of Mark and Luke we read how Jesus rose early in the morning to spend time in prayer.
These were scheduled prayer times. They all knew it was important to set aside a specific time of their day to pray. Otherwise the business of the day would probably get in the way.
I can almost hear your thoughts now, how in the world can I fit prayer into my day 3 times when I can hardly do 1 time. This day and age I'd dare say most of us cannot. But we can set aside time in the morning, or time during the day, or time in the evening before bedtime. I realize not all of us may have an hour to sit and pray. We may not even have half an hour. But what we do have is strategy. Make your schedule work for you. Choose your time. If you need to break it up choose your 2 or 3 times a day that you can pray for a few minutes. We do not have to be rigid in our length of time.
I do not want you to feel badly about yourself if you haven't been able to figure your time out. But I want this to encourage you, use your own strategy as to what works best for you.
Most of all what I want you to realize is how much Jesus wants that "alone time" with you. He loves to have those conversations with you. He loves to hear your voice.
The Lord Jesus Christ wants to spend time with us. How awesome is this?!!
Be encouraged faithful readers, I am confident you will find your time, you will work it out for your schedule. Treasure your time with Jesus.

Is God Listening?

Do you have confidence that when you pray God is listening? Do you wonder why your prayer wasn't answered? Perhaps it was answered, just not the way you expected.
Matt. 7:8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Jesus doesn't say "some who ask receive, but He says EVERYONE receives. Jesus wants to hear our prayers. He wants us to have that conversation with Him. We are created by our Father in heaven. We are His children, children of the living God, children of the King of Kings, heirs to His throne, princes and princesses in the Kingdom of God. Think about that for a moment. We are royalty. We are heirs to the throne. We have a direct phone line to God through Jesus Christ. If Jesus loves us this much, why then would He not answer our prayers?
Truth is He always answers, it just may not be in a way we expected or "wanted". 
God knows what is on our hearts, even before we speak it. He knows what we need before we realize we need it. And He knows the perfect answer to those prayers, those needs. He knows the perfect way to answer so that the glory goes to God. 
God deserves all the glory and more. He sacrificed His own Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins. So that we can be redeemed and forgiven, and live freely to worship Him and live for Him. If He sacrificed all for us then why do we so often think He won't answer our prayers?
There is no prayer too large or too small for God. There is no prayer that is insignificant to God. Every prayer that is on our hearts, every concern we have, they all matter to God. 
I encourage you faithful readers, have that faith the size of a mustard seed, believe what you read in the Word of God, trust in the Lord that He wants to answer your prayers. He loves us more than we can even comprehend. He wants His very best for us.

Proverbs 3:5-6English Standard Version (ESV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

Prayer and More

The last few blogs I’ve been talking about prayer. It has been so strong in my heart lately. Today being no different. Last blog I was talking about praying for ourselves. And today that is still so very important to me. So this blog will be a little like that but with a different direction.
As I have been studying about prayer the Lord is showing me so many different aspects, but not new aspects. What do I mean by that?
We have all been taught about prayer, about how to pray, and what words to use and so on.  This morning my heart was very concerned for a friend. She truly needs a miracle from the Lord. I have often fashioned my prayer time to be mostly interceding for someone else.  As I began praying for my friend clearly I felt a tug on my heart. God was redirecting me towards Him.
Those early lessons on prayer came flooding back into my mind. I remember the JOY method of prayer. Jesus, others, you. I knew I needed to redirect my prayer time. I had to praise our Lord Jesus first and foremost for what he has done in my life, in my family’s life.  He is the most important one we should be including in our prayer time. We need to thank Him, praise Him, and worship Him everyday. Then all else will fall into place.
I know for me when I get the focus off of me, off of the troubles of the week, and give Jesus the praise and adoration He deserves, then He guides me through my prayer time.
When I got done with that part of my prayer time, then praying and interceding for my friend who needs that miracle became much more fluent. I felt that every word I uttered, every groan, every tear meant so much more.  I knew my heart had been cleansed by the Holy Spirit and prepared for intercession.
This prayer time reminded me of this vital lesson. We must take care of our hearts, clean the cobwebs out as my husband would say. It is then that we are in the place to move on and do battle in prayer.
I encourage you prayer warriors out there, no matter how important or not, no matter how big or not, whatever you have on your heart, it is very important to God. So shake out the cobwebs and get those prayer shoes on. Jesus is there waiting for you to have a conversation with Him.  Your heart will be filled with His love.

Praying for “me”

When we often read about prayer it is talking about praying for others and interceding for others. When we think of prayer we automatically think of the prayer needs of those around us. But how often do we pray for our own needs?  I know for myself I take comfort in knowing others are interceding for me.  I must remind myself it is important to pray for “me” also.
Honestly, I think most of us feel guilty about praying for our own needs before praying for others. But think about it, why should we feel guilty? Would Jesus not want us to pray for our own needs?
Jesus was the ultimate example of praying for Himself.  We often read in the Bible of Jesus praying to Father God for wisdom, strength, direction, and for His needs.
This shows us that we have a responsibility to ourselves to pray for our own needs.  We don’t need to feel guilty. Jesus showed us many times that it is ok to pray for ourselves. He wants us to cast our cares on Him. He wants us to come to Him and lay that burden at His feet. Jesus wants to take care of our every need, our every concern.  Why?  Because He loves us!
Jesus wants us to be able to come to Him in humility, and trusting in Him completely for our own needs.
Sure, it is so very important to pray and intercede for others and the situations around us. But Jesus doesn’t want us to forget about “us”. I have learned through my trials over the years to rest in the knowledge others are praying for me, but I also have learned to pray for myself as well, and trusting in the promises of our Lord Jesus.
I would like to encourage you my friends, when you start your day in prayer, or praying in the middle of the day, or praying at bedtime, include yourself in those prayers.  You aren’t being selfish, you are just going to your loving Father and laying those burdens down at His feet.

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:3, 6-7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Prayer

Prayer! Well now that can open up a whole barrel of thoughts. Just that very word can bring a whole host of emotions in us. It can bring us joy, laughter, sadness, and even weeping. However, prayer is our direct access to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The God of the universe, our Creator hears our every prayer, He hears my voice, He hears your voice. How awesome is that?! WOW, my God in heaven hears my voice. Oh my goodness, that brings chills to my body, it brings tears to my eyes, it fills my heart with gladness.
So then why do we not pray? What gets in our way? What are we afraid of? 
I'd say many times we do not feel worthy to pray. We may think sin has stained us, or we feel we are currently in sin. We may feel we are not important enough to God because we are not as successful as others. Let me tell you, we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for you, for me, that gives us the privilege to pray. By the power of the blood of Jesus we are worthy. Our sin is forgiven when we ask Jesus to forgive us. We are the very creation of God. He loves us more than anything. He doesn't care how important we are in man's eyes, or how much our income is, or how successful we are. He cares about you and me, and our eternity with Him.
We do not have to ask permission to pray. We have that direct link, His direct phone number to call Him whenever we want. There is nothing to fear. We do not have to be a scholar and pray with all the correct wording, we do not have to be an elder to pray, we don't have to be a pastor to pray. We all have the permission and authority and privilege to pray. 
When we pray with that confidence, with that enthusiasm, knowing that God is on the other end of the phone, then I believe our prayers will be so powerful that we will see with our very eyes mountains move, miracles like we've never seen before.  We will have victory!
Philippians 4:6-7  Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
When I thought about these verses and what God was stirring in my heart, I thought of this-" We have a peace officer around our hearts". 
A peace officer in the natural is responsible for keeping peace. We are so privileged to have the Holy Spirit in us 24/7. Our Lord Jesus told us we would have a helper, a comforter, a counselor with us always, the Holy Spirit. When we pray, and cast our cares to Jesus, let Him know our concerns, our fears, our needs, then the Holy Spirit will remind us, in our hearts, that He is right there and has everything in control. He is our peace officer.
There are so many more thoughts I have on this, but I want to keep this in blog form and not "book form". 
I will leave you with this. When we pray, that enables us to trust in Him and rest in Him.

Faith

Faith! Oh boy, here I go again, talking about faith. That is because it is so important to me.
All that I am, with everything in me, with all I have to offer, I want it to be based on my belief, in faith, and my trust in my Lord Jesus Christ.

The definition of FAITH in the Webster's dictionary:

1 a : devotion to duty or a person : LOYALTY b : the quality of keeping one's promises

2 a : belief and trust in and loyalty to God b : belief in the doctrines of a religion c : firm belief even in the absence of proof d : complete confidence

3 : something that is firmly believed; especially : a system of religious beliefs

I wanted to include the actual definition, sometimes it is good to remind ourselves. 

My faith in Jesus is my foundation of who I am. I want to be known as a "woman of faith". I have often spoken or written about my faith, therefore I need to actively be that person of faith. However, I am human just like you, so I will at times be weaker in my faith. I may have doubt that I will overcome something. Those are the times I rely mostly on my husband to encourage me, and pray for me, and to pray over me in faith. That truly will set me back on the right track. Those are the times I must pick myself back up and move forward in my faith.

We have seen horrible natural disasters lately. The hurricanes, the earthquakes, the wildfires. Many of the people interviewed clearly had faith that they can pick themselves up and press on, they know they will be ok. Then some were distraught, they have no idea what to do or how they can move forward. Those people need our prayers desperately. Prayers of faith that God will meet their needs. That is intercession, when we are praying and believing the best for others. 

I have friends who are going through health crisis. It is my responsibility to stand in faith and intercede for those friends. Some have faith and believe they will be fine, others not so much. But it doesn't make any difference, I pray for them just the same. 

I know for myself, many people pray for my health and believe in faith that God has His best for me. 

And this is why I can be in faith for myself. I draw on the strength of others. The Bible tells us to pray for one another, encourage one another, support one another, and so on. 

Folks this is my point. We do not have to be super strong. We do not have to be perfect. If we find ourselves weak those are the times to reach out to our spouse, loved ones, friends, and ask for them to intercede in faith for you. 

I am honored when someone asks me to pray for them. I consider it a service and duty to God. And a privilege. So along with asking for prayers lets make ourselves available to others to pray for them.

God wants us to be a people of faith. If we want to please God and honor Him, we must walk in faith. 

My prayer for you today is that you can find that faith deep down inside and believe that Jesus Christ has His very best for you. And that you have the faith to pray for others who are struggling.

Hebrews 11:6Amplified Bible (AMP)

6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

Ambassadors For Christ

How many times have we said to ourselves or to others "it doesn't matter what others think, only what God thinks"? Or we say to ourselves "I know where I stand and that is what counts"?
I know I am guilty of that many times. But think about it, is that really how we should think when presenting ourselves to others?
What I am talking about is our reputation. Our reputation as a follower of Christ. We are representing Jesus to the world. We are ambassadors for Christ. Therefore, shouldn't we be concerned about what others think of us? Our primary goal in life should be representing Jesus in the best way possible.
Whether we like it or not, others are watching us to see how we behave in certain situations, how we dress, how we take care of our own bodies.
This was the topic of my devotions this morning, and it really made me think. Do I take pride in my appearance, in my speech, in my actions? I remember when I could still work I always tried to have my uniform clean, without stains, and ironed. I wanted my shoes to be clean and polished. I wanted my appearance to look professional. If I was that concerned about my regular job and how my appearance was, how I conducted myself, then shouldn't I be so much more aware of how I represent who Jesus is in my life.
I am not just talking of outward appearances but also inward. Our attitudes, our willingness to serve, how well do we express the love of Jesus to others, and so on.
Jesus truly cares about our reputation, He cares about how we represent Him and the Kingdom of God. He has trusted us to be His ambassadors. Wow, think about that. He trusts us to be a representative of the Kingdom of God. He trusts us to show others His love, the same way He shows us His love. This is quite a responsibility. It is humbling, and an honor.
Jesus loves us so much that He trusts us to be His ambassador.
Jesus tells us in His Word that if we do not care about our reputation and appearance then we are setting ourselves up for failure and a weakness that could lead us into a trap from the devil.
Wow, how often do we have these "wow" moments?  I have plenty, and this was one of them.
I know how much Jesus loves me and loves you. So much that He gave His life for us. But it didn't stop there. He continues to teach us everyday how to live victoriously, how to live in a manner that brings Him glory. He wants us to succeed, He wants us to have victory.
Being reminded of these things this morning encouraged me to do my best everyday to bring Him glory. To do my best to live in a manner that is worthy of being called His ambassador.
I encourage you faithful readers, Jesus has His best for you also. He wants us all to have the reputation that He is proud of.
We don't have to feel guilty if we mess up because He will help us to get back on the right path and continue being His ambassador. Stay faithful to Him and He will reward you abundantly.

1 Timothy 3:7Amplified Bible (AMP)

7 And he must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside the church, so that he will not be discredited and fall into the devil’s trap.

Refuse to Quit!

You have all heard me say this before, never quit, never give up. But persevere!

The last several days I've heard many say "I give up", or " I don't think I can keep going on like this".
Those words really bother me when I hear them.  After all, if we do quit or give up, how do we know if we could have been victorious in our fight or not?
As I have said many times, perseverance is very important to me. I have to make that conscious decision every day to fight for every step I take, for every breath I breathe, for every day of sunshine I experience.
If we don't fight for ourselves how can we ask others to fight for us?  My husband fights every fight with me. He sheds every tear with me. He would gladly take my pain from me and bear it himself.
I have to think my perseverance encourages that in him.
We all need to take that initiative, stand our ground with heels dug in, and fight!
When you ask for prayer for something within your church family, or your circle of friends, or even on social media, do you then sit back and wait passively for those prayers to come forth, and for the answers to come? I hope not. I say that in love, because I want you all to be victorious in your fight. My heart will weep when I hear of others struggles, especially physically.  I don't want anyone else to ever experience the pain I've had or the physical hardships I've experienced.  Therefore I do pray and intercede for others.  That is so very important.
However, again, I stress the importance of our perseverance and fight for our own victories.
I encourage you, don't give up.  Press on, press in to Jesus.  He has His best for us.
“So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭HCSB‬‬
Jesus tells us in His Word, don't give up.  He will reward us at the proper time.
Am I healed yet? No, I am not.  Some things are much better than they used to be.  But I stand on God's Word, and His promises for me.  I know without a doubt, God is faithful, He will not desert us.
I am so thankful and forever grateful that God has given me a spirit of perseverance and a desire to fight and be victorious.  I truly believe that same spirit is within all of us.  I encourage you to reach deep within and pull it out.
I pray you all find that strength as you pray and trust in Jesus. 

Waiting for an Answer

Have you ever had a prayer that goes deep in your heart, so much so that you really cannot explain it?  And you wait years for the answer or a conformation. Let me try to explain.
I spent most of my childhood in NJ.  I had a best friend that lived right next door.  We would do everything together.  Even though my mother took us to church and Sunday School at our own church, sometimes I would go to church with my little friend and her family. As a child it was always special to me but I never really could pinpoint why. Then my family moved to Upstate NY and we lost contact.  Back then we didn't have social media.
Over the years since I have become closer to the Lord, I have prayed that somehow I could let my childhood friend and her family know how much that Godly influence into my life meant.  I prayed so many times for the Lord to make this happen somehow.  We are talking over 30 years of praying for this. But I always trusted that God would make a way.
It was several weeks ago, I was looking at Facebook for something and I noticed the name of my friend's father.  It is a very distinct name so I knew it was him. I almost jumped out of my skin. I immediately sat down and sent him a message. I told him how thankful and grateful I am that he and his family imparted into my life the way they did. I asked about my friend as well.  I didn't think much more of it. We had gone on vacation, returned to everyday life.  But my heart felt "relieved" that I could finally share with him and his daughter, hopefully, what that fruit produced in my life.
Last night I received a message back from him.  Oh my goodness, this is a divine intervention by God.  He was thrilled to hear from me.  His words were that of a blessing back to me.  He was going to share with his daughter. I sat almost stunned that all of this has taken place. I've been praying for this moment for a long time.
We  know that God is faithful. We do not know His timing or even understand it, but we do know it is perfect. He does answer our prayers. And usually in a way we do not expect.  This was such a surprise and blessed my heart so.
My hope for all of you out there is that no matter how long it takes, you will have the faith to know that God has a perfect plan. His timing is perfect, His plan is perfect. I encourage you all, never think your prayer is not important to God. Never think it isn't that big of a deal so why continue to pray.  Every prayer, every concern of yours is important to God.  It may take a little time, or a long time for God's perfect plan to come together. Don't give up. Don't stop praying. Your answer will come.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 HCSB
There is an occasion for everything,
And a time for every activity under heaven. 

Amplified Bible-
“TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven:”
‭‭

Vacation!

For the last 2 weeks Paul and I have been on vacation which would explain the lack of a recent blog post.  This is the first vacation we have had in several years, with the exception of our son's wedding in Colorado. We had been trying to plan a time away for quite sometime, but illness usually prevented us from traveling. We were trying to get to Nashville to visit our son and daughter in law. Every time Paul could get time off that worked with our son's schedule I was too ill to travel. I was determined this time to go. We were planning this for several months.
As you may recall recently I was battling the side effects of some treatment for the leukemia. As recent as a month ago. Have you ever wanted something so badly that it was all you could think about. Oh my goodness, I prayed and prayed, I wanted to be able to visit our son and daughter and law. I did not want illness to once again ruin our plans.
This time seemed different though. When I was praying I found myself asking God to keep the doors open for our vacation, but then I would move on to the Word of God, and asking the Holy Spirit what I should focus on. It was no longer just about our vacation. It was no longer about what I wanted, or about my illness. I had a total peace about what was to be, and God's will. I truly felt in my heart that God had this under control and He would direct our paths and pave our way.
As I have written before, I try to live my life as a "woman of faith", trusting and believing God for my every move and His protection over me. So actually this may seem odd that I am writing about struggling or fretting about vacation. Or perhaps about my focus being on something that I want to take place. I will be honest with you, I did struggle with the feeling of being a hypocrite. I did not want to interfere in any way with God's plan for us.
It was then when God placed that peace in my heart. I had that feeling in my spirit that God had this under control. It was then that I could let go and let God.
The days before we were to leave I had horrible pain in my leg and hip area. I could hardly walk, sit, stand, or lay. It was very severe pain from the nerve damage. But I was determined. My husband laid hands on me and prayed over me several times. We had 2 days of travel ahead of us in the car.
It came time to leave. We started out in the morning. I was in a great deal of pain. But we looked ahead and had such excitement for what God had for us on this vacation. The first day we had a goal of how far to get. About 500 miles. The roads were hectic from the moment we left. We continued to pray God's protection over us.
Our travel that day ended up being over 600 miles. It turns out there was an Indy car race in the area and also a bicycle race in the area. Hotels were booked for miles. Once again we prayed for the Lord to open up a place for us for the night. The place we found was reasonable and very clean and comfortable. That was a big thank you. By this time I was walking a little better. Wow, after so many hours in the car, I was doing a little better.
The next morning we headed out, first praying. At one point we sat at a complete stop on the major highway in Ohio. Cars lined up as far as we could see. A tractor-trailer overturned a few miles down the road. They were waiting for a crane to come to remove it. We turned the car off to conserve gas. It was close to 100 degrees out. Then my husband said "what would Jesus do during this time". He then took several bottles of water we had in the car and he walked up and down the road to pass them out. People were so grateful for that water.  We then saw one of the plans God had for us, to offer some help or relief to others.
We continued on down the road to our first destination, Kentucky to visit friends. That is a beautiful state. When we arrived our spirits felt an immediate feeling of being in a sanctuary. We were totally convinced God had a plan for us on this vacation. Our friends opened their home to us and were so gracious and loving. And I had two more praying for me. I would sit on the porch, surrounded by hummingbirds, flowers, and more birds. Oh my, my heart was content. We spent a few days with our friends. It was wonderful. By the time we left my leg was feeling almost normal. I was able to walk around on the property with minimal difficulty.
Then we had about 2 hours in the car to get to our son and daughter in law's in Nashville. We arrived at our rental, once again God did not disappoint. A very clean, comfortable townhouse for us to stay in. And the best of all, a hug from our son and daughter in law. We had the best time with them. Matthew drove us to see all of the "tourists" sights downtown. Melissa took me for a pedicure.  And are you ready for this, this was my first! Yes you read that right, my first. Oh my, that was amazing.
We had a wonderful time with them. And of course we hated to leave.
When we were getting ready to leave I realized, my leg did not hurt at all.  It was completely gone.
You may be wondering at this point what I am trying to say in this blog.
The point I want to make is we all need a VACATION. A real vacation that takes us away from the daily grind. One that lets us act like tourists. We can eat and not feel like we over did it. You can sit and do absolutely nothing if you feel like it.
God has vacation in His master plan for us. I truly believe that. We all need a rest. We all need a "sanctuary" to go to. And not feel guilty about it. Yes, we must plan and prepare as much as possible for a vacation, but that  is a whole different conversation.
One point I'd like to make however, just because we were on vacation, we in no way felt as though God was not going to use us. As you recall, there were those in need of some water to drink. We had plenty and shared it. That is God using us in a time when others had a need. We did not take a vacation "from God".
So I will finish by saying a vacation is a good thing and can be truly part of God's plan. He met my needs during that time. He met my husband's needs during that time. And He met others needs. He gave us a truly restful time away. He gave us time with our son and daughter in law.
I encourage you, even if you cannot travel, take the time off that you are able to, sit back, relax, and forget the "to-do" list. It will be there when you get back.

Dare to Dream

Do we dare to dream? Is it okay to dream?  What I mean by dream is "visions" for our future, or for our children, and so on.
Let's face it, I think every parent has a dream for their child's future.  We wonder what will they be when they grow up, or what path will they take.  I think every parent wants nothing but the best for their child, or at least we should want that.
And then we let doubt set in and think to ourselves "that will never happen ".
Well now, let me tell you, it could happen. Here is a look into my and my husband's dream for our son.
From the time he was a tiny toddler, music flowed through his veins.  With or without an instrument. That little boy could make music appear spontaneously.  We always felt we had something to do with that, when I was pregnant my husband played guitar and we would sing everyday to that pregnant belly. That beautiful baby inside would feel as though he was dancing. That made us wonder if that helped develop his love for music.
First of all, we believe our son was given this gift of music from the Lord.  And we just helped nurture it. Did that also spark a dream or vision in us for our son?  Yes it did. My husband and I would often say what if....., or can you imagine if he plays before thousands, or maybe he will be known for his musical ability.  So yes we did dare to dream.
We did not share these in detail with our son because we did not want to "mess" with what the Lord was doing in his life. But in our hearts we knew there was something special brewing.
As our son grew older we began to see that he had a dream as well. He did everything he could to learn about his instrument. He practiced day and night. Often we would remove his guitar from his hands because he fell asleep in his bed while practicing.
Our son is an adult now and a professional musician. He has been around the world, played before thousands, and played with some of his "idols" in the music business. He is living the dream.
I must add, it is vitally important to remain humble.  We must never think we are more highly than the next, because we are not.
To this day our son practices his instrument, he is continually learning new techniques, he is always searching for more knowledge.
To describe how we feel knowing this was our dream, and our son's dream, and we have seen it come to fruition, it is almost impossible.  I cannot describe it. But I say to you "DARE TO DREAM".
It is okay.  Our Lord God created us to have visions and dream, and to be creative.
Dream for yourselves, for your children, grandchildren, and anyone else.
“And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

What Does Your Attitude Say About You?

Most of us can say just about anything to make ourselves look like overcomers. We can even have others believing that about us.  Are we being totally honest or pretending?
There is a very familiar Scripture that most will quote at one time or another.
Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 
This this was one of my Dad's favorite verses when he was battling cancer. He truly believed this until the day he went to heaven. This is one of my favorite verses. You all know by now I say I am a conqueror over the health issues I battle. What you may not know, is it true, do I really believe that. 
Yes, I do!  I really believe that Jesus Christ has given me the strength to get through the extremes, get through the battles, and to continue to believe that He has His best for me. 
We speak out in faith, many of us quote this verse in faith. Do you speak it out in confidence? Does your faith have confidence in it?  I can say all day long that I have faith that our Lord God will heal me, or give me the strength and endurance to get through the next trial ahead. But if I doubt that in any way or question it, then where is my confidence.  We truly need that confidence to push us past that victory line.  Sure, I have bad days. And thankfully my husband is by my side to help me through those days. But I must choose not to stay in that place. I must choose this everyday. 
I really believe so much of this is exhibited through our attitudes. If I sit around all day and mope and ask why me Lord, I know that my body will not react well to that. It will add an extra stress on my physical being that I do not need. And that in itself will hinder the outcome.  
We cannot afford to have an "extended " pity party for ourselves.  It is essential to keep our attitudes in that confidence mode.  
You may be thinking this is impossible. Well guess what, my God turns impossibles into possibles. When I am having a hard day, I repeatedly quote this verse or another that may be speaking to me.  I have to be active in maintaining my confidence.  
I would like to encourage you, if your day is not turning out how you would like, if your battles seem too difficult to handle, Jesus Christ is right there to help you through. If you feel like your faith isn't strong enough, reach out to your spouse, your pastor, a friend. Someone who you feel confident they can carry you during this weak time.  
God's Word is full of verses that tell us we ARE or we WILL BE victorious!  He gave us His Word because He knew we would need it. 
Hang on friends. When your grip is slipping, He will help you. 
I pray that you find your confidence in your faith. It makes so much difference when that difficult trial comes our way. 

6 Years Ago!

It was 6 years ago when I faced the second spinal cord surgery. I have to be honest here, as much as I try to not think of this event every year, I cannot lose the memories of it.  I literally feel sick to my stomach.  Yes, this is me, a woman who tries to walk in faith, but feeling very vulnerable on this anniversary. I cannot get the memories of the horrific pain I went through for 3 months before I noticed any difference out of my head.
Then in less than a month I had to have the 3rd spinal cord surgery. This one just as delicate as the others but in a different way. This was when the dural sac that houses the spinal cord and spinal fluid and the nerve roots ruptured spontaneously. That added to the pain, in a whole different way. And when I was told I would be at danger of this happening at anytime for the rest of my life. And to expect the nerve damage to progress and not improve. And to expect the pain to progress as well because of the damage to the nerves. That was a lot to absorb!
This was also when I was diagnosed with the leukemia.
So yes, I have horrible memories about that time. Memories I would rather forget, and yet for
 some reason they are as vivid as ever. I pray, Lord God, why do you want me to remember this so vividly?
Then He gently reminds me of the miracle I am, of the protection He has given me and my fragile body, and of the Body of Christ, the Church that selflessly gave of their time to help me.
From the very beginning, in 1990, I have always prayed that the pain I endure, the hardships that Paul and I have faced because of my medical needs, that I would never forget what God has done for us and how He has brought me through these times. I always prayed that if I had to endure these things let it be so no one else would have to. I asked God that He would show the doctors what they needed to learn, and pour wisdom into them so they might be able to help someone else.
I also asked God that these things would be all for His glory. That somehow what I went through would bring glory to God.
Now let's go back to today, why am I reminded so vividly? I would say to remember the wonderful ladies that volunteered their time to come stay with me, and care for me so that Paul could work. They cooked for me, they lifted me into the wheelchair, they waited on me continuously. This is what the church is all about, caring for one another. There is a blessing in this that is indescribable.  A blessing for both sides.
I also am reminded about our son and daughter in law coming to visit. I was discharged from the hospital the day after they arrived.  I remember my son lifting me from the bed into the chair. I secretly cried out to God and said no child should have to see their Mom go through this. I again asked God to please make it so no one else has to experience this.
I also remember that my son's in-laws were on Skype and together they all prayed for me. I truly knew at that time I would be an overcomer and get through all of this.
You may be thinking where is the faith in all of this. How does this glorify God? With every step I take, even in pain, I am reminded that it is a miracle I can even take a step. I am reminded that it has been 6 years, I have had many surgeries in the last 6 years, I have faced leukemia and chemo, and the dural sac has remained intact. That, folks, is plenty to praise God about.
These are the reasons I can walk in faith, I can trust God, and I can believe He has His best for me.
And I think one of the most important things I have learned is that whatever I go through, no matter how severe the pain is, whatever else comes my way, I want God to be glorified above all. And I want others to be touched and receive their own miracle.
Does that mean it will be easy? Absolutely not! I am sure it will be quite hard many times. The outcome may not be what I wanted or expected. But every morning when I read God's Word and pray to Him, I ask Him for the strength to get through my trials, to have the faith to face them with boldness and confidence.
So my point faithful readers, it may not be easy, but with the help of Jesus Christ, we can have faith and we can face our trials and EXPECT victory. What ever you are facing, call on Jesus, and also call on the Church. We are not meant to face things alone. We have a huge family through God that can help us, lift us up, and stand in the gap in prayer for us.

Philippians 4:13Amplified Bible (AMP)

13 I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]

Who is to blame?

How many times have we heard the phrase "Who is to blame?"  How many times have we thought it, or felt like we needed to blame someone?

Last week I had a treatment for the leukemia.  This was the 3rd try for this treatment. Each time I have had a severe reaction. This time the dose was lessened and the length of time for the infusion extended. Still, I had another severe reaction.  It was awful. But I knew it wouldn't last forever, even though it seemed like it. 

This got me thinking, when we have a difficulty with something, or things don't go our way, how do we react?  Do we start blaming someone, or even blame God? Think about that for a moment.  Truthfully we all have had moments when we felt someone was to blame.  And as time goes on we realize that usually we were just as much to blame as anyone else.  But, have you blamed God?  I hope I am never that desperate to blame God for anything.  He is the one that truly will never desert us. He loves us unconditionally. 

I'm sure some may be thinking how can I say that, knowing my medical hardships. Because of the truth, the fact that He loves me, and the fact that He has His best for me. 

I don't know why my spinal cord was tethered and damaged. I don't know why I have leukemia on top of all of that. But I do know that God did not cause it.  We live in an imperfect world.  We have imperfect bodies.  Things will go wrong, things will happen. That is the way our universe works. 

However, we have a choice to sulk in our own self pity or pick ourselves up and move forward. 

I stand on God's promises for my life. And the fact that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made by our creator God. That doesn't mean my body won't fail me. But what it does mean is that God will always be by my side. He will always see me through my trials, He will always carry me through when I don't feel I can make it on my own. 

God will do that for you also. No matter what your circumstance, call on Him. He will always be by your side. Whether it is something we have done, or something you'd like to blame someone else for, or just a fact of life, God is near. 

Just another little point to make, God is near to help us through. But sometimes we still need to take an active role in our victory. After all, if we were always handed our victories without having to do the hard work, how would we learn? 

I hope this encourages you my friends.  I pray that as you go through a trial you feel the presence of God right next to you. Reach for your victory.  It is there for you. 

"A Work in Progress"

I was listening to a song this morning and that got my interest. The song talks about how God is not finished with us yet. Whether we have weight issues, hair issues, health issues, or just plain issues, it does not mean we will always be in that situation.  God is at work in us all of the time.  Not just on a Sunday, or when we are in church.  There is a scripture in Philippians that tells us this very thing.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:6
God has promised to finish what he has started in us. But we have to remember, not everything is instant.  Sometimes it takes many of life's lessons to get to that place God wants us to be at.
Let me tell you from my perspective.  As you know by now, I have major spinal cord damage and leukemia.  The spinal cord has been operated on 3 times.  All 3 surgeries lengthy and risky. Those surgeries were necessary to keep me alive and with some quality of life. I was not promised the cord would be fine or that I would be good to go for life.  Instead I've been told I may need the surgery again, and again.  I have to say this literally makes me feel sick to my stomach. So what gives me the will to go on, the fact that Jesus promises He will finish what He has begun in me.  I don't know when that will be, but I know without a doubt it will happen. And I know the same for the leukemia.  The kind I have is chronic. This means it will never go away or be in remission. But it is treatable.  Sure I deal with the effects of it in my body. The fatigue, the susceptibility of repeated infections, these do wear me out.  But still, God is bigger than all of that. He has a perfect plan. I have to take comfort in those promises He gives us.
No matter what you are going through or dealing with, God has a plan, and He promises to finish it.  I encourage you to reach out for that strength He gives us, no matter what others say, or what your diagnosis says, God is bigger. And I am so very grateful for that.
Take a listen to this song.  I pray you find the strength and hope Jesus has for you.

Memorials

Memorials, a word that can have so many different meanings. The one I am thinking of today is "happy memories", or "important milestones" in your life.
This week my husband Paul and I celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. Yes 36! And I can say we are quite proud of this. But then why wouldn't we be proud, right?
You see marriage takes work from both husband and wife. It also takes sacrifice, not 50/50 but 100/100.  That's right, it takes total commitment from both. And this is why I am proud of our 36 years.  Has it always been roses and sunshine. Of course not. We need trials and testings to make us grow and mature, and make us stronger. But we both love each other more than we can even describe. We never would even think of giving up on our marriage. And honestly, I think after 36 years, we even value our times together more than ever. We find ourselves talking of retirement days when we can spend every day together. For us, marriage is a very special memorial in our lives. We feel fulfilled, blessed, and very thankful to have each other.
OK so enough of that part. There are many types of memorials you can have in your life. I like to think of it as something that is so very important to you that you can remember every moment of that day. Maybe your high school graduation or college graduation. Maybe the birth of your child. Or the first day of your first job. How about the first new car you bought, the color, the price, even the smell. Whatever it may be, memorials are important. And often something we can be very proud of.
We all need something to strive for, or something to keep us energized and motivated. Our life is meant to be full of life, love, and happiness. Sure we all have had our times of sorrow and grief. That is why it is important to have something to keep us motivated and to keep joy in our lives.
So ask yourself today, what is my special memorial. Who or what motivates me? Why is it so important to you?
We all have them, we just may have never looked at it in this way before. God has created each and everyone of us uniquely. Our DNA is only ours. We have our own personality, our own talents, our own memories. And I know God has intended for us to have joy and happiness in our lives. Someone may be thinking "you don't know what I am going through", or you may be asking yourself how you could have happy memories when you have faced many crisis in your life. Trust me, I have faced many trials, and I know how important it is to focus on those happy memories versus the trials.
We need to learn from our trials, but we do not need to dwell on them.
I would also encourage you to journal about your memorials. I have tons of journals filled with all kinds of things. It is good to go back and look at them every so often.
I pray that as you read this blog it spurs happy memories for you. I pray you feel that joy and contentment as you ponder those times. And even some pride as you think of something great you have accomplished.
Be blessed my friends. Find your happy place. You deserve it.

Mother's Day

I've been thinking all week about my next blog.  I knew I wanted to talk about Mother's Day.  At first I was having a hard time putting it all together. Then I looked at it differently.
I will start with being a Mom. There is no way to explain the joy, the elation, the deep love that a mother has for her child.  The day I became a mother my heart was ready to explode with love when I laid eyes on my son for the first time. I felt so honored and blessed that God chose me to care for this baby boy with the help of his Dad. But you see, it actually began 9 months earlier.  My husband and I prayed over our child day and night. My husband played guitar and we sang worship songs to that baby every day. And he would bounce around in that tiny womb every time.   Back then we did not know whether the baby was a boy or girl. And it did not matter. This baby would be loved regardless of sex.
This got me thinking, Mother's Day we honor our precious mothers. But to a Mom, it is so much more, to me anyway. This is the day that I am reminded of the tremendous blessing it is to be a Mom.  And the responsibility that comes with that.  Let me say, I am not the perfect mom, and I am sure I made plenty of mistakes. However, my love never changed for our son Matthew. Everyday I would marvel at how could I love more each day. Sometimes love is tough when it comes time to discipline or teach a hard lesson.  But when we love unconditionally those hard times are overtaken by the love.
The other thing I think of is encouraging our child to be who God wants him/her to be. Not who we want them to be. My husband and I knew our son was gifted in music. A God given talent. We vowed to encourage Matthew in any way we could. But that also came with the reality that he may choose a different path.  And that would be ok. We trusted God to lead and guide Matthew and we trusted Matthew to follow that lead. Today Matthew travels all over playing that guitar, making it sing to the Lord. He truly has followed his calling to minister God's love through music.
My husband and I are so very proud of him. And he has a beautiful, Godly wife who supports him as well.
So when I celebrate Mother's Day, I do think of my own Mom now in heaven, and the wonderful things we did together. And I will also continue to thank God for the privilege of being a Mom and pray I will always bring honor to God.
I know not all of you have wonderful memories like I do. But know this, God still is your Creator. He created us all to be the best we can be with His help. We all have someone in our life that has left a positive, lasting impression on us. That is a gift from God. That is something to celebrate. If you are not a Mom, God has still used you to bless someone else. Rejoice in that.
I am forever grateful that God gave me the son he did.
So yes, I want to say a special greeting to all Mom's out there.  But also to the rest of you, be blessed with who God has placed in your life as well.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

He is Good!

We all have heard and have said "God is good". Sometimes we may say it with total sincerity, other times that phrase is said very flippantly. Either way, I really believe for the most part we have it in our hearts to be sincere.
Last week I was determined to go to church no matter what. I was so excited to get there and worship with my church family. I absolutely love to worship God. It was just so refreshing and good to be there and see all those beautiful faces.  I truly felt in my heart that "God is good". Why would I think otherwise. I made it to church for the 1st time in weeks.
We were having gorgeous weather last Sunday. Warm and sunny, and my husband was off work. I was looking forward to sitting outside on the swing with Paul, and enjoy the beautiful day we were having.
It didn't take long, my legs were paining me terribly. I was having excruciating back pain. I could only sit on the swing for a few short minutes. I had to go lay down. I just wanted God to yank on my legs to make them feel better. When that nerve pain kicks in like that it is horrible. I was so disappointed, I wanted to spend quality time with Paul on his Sunday off. I wanted to enjoy the warm weather. Did I still think "God is good"?
I was in extreme pain, I was disappointed, and so on. But not for one moment did I ever doubt God's goodness. God certainly did not cause my flare up of pain, it was the result of standing/sitting too long. It is the nature of the spinal cord damage. But God is faithful, He is good ALL THE TIME!
He got me through that and let me rest comfortably for a few hours. Then Paul and I had the rest of our beautiful day to enjoy.
You see no matter what your circumstance, your trials, God will meet you there and He will pour His goodness, His love, His peace all over you. He never deserts us or disappoints us.  We can actually do that on our own without His help.
We all have had disappointments in our life. It is how we respond that matters. If I went on with my day pouting and having a pity party for myself, that would not have helped my situation at all. But instead I chose to hold on to the fact that God is good and I was able to have a very peaceful rest that did more for my body than any pity party would have.
I encourage you friends, hold on to that hope that Jesus will get you through your trials, He will carry you when you cannot walk, He will hold you and comfort you when you need it most, and He will never desert you.
He is GOOD ALWAYS! Not some of the time, not when He feels like it, but all of the time.
Place your painful situations in His hands, whether physical or emotional, He will get you through.
I have another song for you to listen to this week. As you listen to the lyrics try to see all of the "good" things the Lord has done for you. He loves you, He loves me. Amen.