I want to be influential in this way…

I started out writing this blog today with “respect” in mind.  But the more I wrote the more I was going down different paths.  I decided to delete that and simplify.  Even though I mention women often in this blog, men this is for you as well.  

This comes to my thought for today.  How would you like others to see you? What would you like your reputation to be? You may be thinking what difference does it make?  It makes a lot of difference.  And that can go either way.  You are known as being a man of faith in our Lord Jesus, or known as a lost person who doesn’t believe and is not trustworthy.  That can affect your whole life.  

I remember a statement someone told my mother years ago.  She was getting her hair done at the beauty parlor.  The lady asked her if that is her daughter’s home on the corner down the hill?  My Mom responded yes it is, why do you ask?  The lady responded and said I just love going by that home.  Her flowers are so pretty.  And her home reminds me of a lighthouse.  Like a beacon on a hill.  Reminding others there are safe places still in this world.  It reminded her that the Lord will be that light in the darkness for us.  He will guide us in the right direction.  

I was so blessed by that statement.  I felt like I truly can make a difference.  I can show hope to someone in need.  Not only that, but my Mom was so proud when the lady told her that.  I never did meet that lady.  

For myself I want to be known as woman of faith and trust in the Lord, a woman who loves the Lord with my whole heart.  A woman who sees others as more important than myself.  A woman who raised her son to respect his father here on earth, and to love and respect his Lord Jesus.  I want to be known as a Proverbs 31 woman.  Am I perfect in all of this.  Absolutely not.  I can surely improve in so many areas of my life.  But I do not need to dwell in guilt, or condemnation.  Jesus knows our weaknesses and our strengths.  The best I can do is to always look to improve and pray that Jesus will use me for His glory.

We all can be the beacon on a hill.  We can be that lighthouse in the darkness.  We can show others in spite of the turmoil in the world today, we can still have peace.  Our homes can be filled with peace, comfort, and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

That’s what I want others to see in me.  What I want my reputation to be.  A Proverbs 31 woman.  A loving wife, mother, grandmother.  A woman that always puts Jesus first.  

That’s what I would leave you with today.  Strive to be your best, and to have a reputation that glorifies God.  Honor Him always.  Show His love to others.  

Proverbs 31:10-31 says so much.  

“Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭

After an adventurous vacation…….

 As you recall from the last blog, we had a series of events that could have very well turned our wonderful vacation into the worst day ever.  But our Provider, Protector, our Lord had other plans.  Instead we saw miracles and blessings.  

We did have a wonderful time with our family.  Grandchildren are the best.  We love being grandparents.  And our trip back was uneventful and pleasant.  We were ready to get back home and start on projects.  

Most of our to do list involved things outside.  Guess who had other plans.  Yup, our Lord Jesus.  I presume He knew best.  We both were exhausted and drained.  The stress from our trip down south was more stressful than we planned.  That is enough to drain you emotionally and physically.  But we figured we could come home and jump right in.  The weather was quite chilly and rainy.  So the outdoor plans of planting flowers, and other items on the to do list had to wait.  That made it easy for us to relax. And that is what we did.  We spent much needed time catching up on our devotions, and prayer times.  That was the most important part of our to do list.  But sometimes it’s easy to push that to the end of the list.  

How often do we run non stop for days? Neglecting our time with the Lord, our prayer times, our devotional time?  That’s something I think we all can get caught up in.  Then we say what about all of the things I need to do?  What about our devotional time we need to do?  Which is more important?  

When we ask Jesus for something we need, does He say wait a minute I’m busy?  Of course not.  So how do we balance?  For me, I have to be in the mindset that I don’t have to read a whole book, or the whole Bible all at once.  I do not have to spend hours of my day writing in my journal.  We just have to put Jesus first.  Often when I’m journaling and praying, time does get away from me.   Next thing I know is 2 hours have gone by.  Oh no, what about my to do list?  Well I guess it wasn’t that important.  It turns out I could spare a few hours.  And I still managed to get some things done.  

So when we got home from a wonderful vacation the Lord saw to it we regained the needed spiritual strength we may have been lacking.  Along with the physical strength we needed to get things done.  You see how Jesus cares for every aspect of our lives.  He leaves nothing undone.

The Scriptures below explain it clearly. Set aside our time to spend with the Lord.  He will help us and guide us every step of the way.  He will remind us what is most important.  

Enjoy your time with Jesus! 

“It is good to praise Yahweh, to sing praise to Your name, Most High, to declare Your faithful love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night, with a ten-stringed harp and the music of a lyre. For You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done; I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hands. How magnificent are Your works, Lord, how profound Your thoughts!”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭92‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭

  

Battling through a series of events, and walking in faith.

 

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 — 1 Peter 5:7

We were planning our vacation that was coming up soon. We go through our usual steps of preparation.  Trying to ensure we had everything we would need.  Medications, medical supplies, plenty of water, plenty of snacks, and anything else that comes into mind.  We felt we were well prepared.  And we were.

Then it comes to our vehicle.  My husband is a mechanic.  He knows our vehicle inside and out.  Between he and my brother, I know our vehicle is in the best shape possible for our long trip with those two checking over everything.  

Next we get everything all packed into the vehicle.  Our pup is delivered to her special Auntie and Uncle.  We are completely at ease knowing they love her as much as we do.  

With all of this checked and rechecked, we are ready to go.  Wait, the most important task is to pray.  We pray for Jesus to surround us and our vehicle during our vacation.  Now we are ready.  

We were about 3 hours into our 9 hour drive for that day.  We were in the midst of heavy truck traffic.  We hear clunk, band, thumpity thump, big clunk.  My husband tries to slow down to get over to pull off.  NO brakes.  He could barely steer.  He managed to get us over and stopped.  Thank You Jesus.  When he looked he saw a major part came off of the car.  We sat there a moment, in high speed traffic. Knowing Jesus has been with us to keep us safe and unharmed.  I can hear the What! now.  

We call AAA.  Worth the investment, so far.  They were sending the tow truck and state police.  The police got there first.  He was a very nice young man.  His main concern was to keep us safe.  He said he wouldn’t leave until we were ready to go. In the meantime, no tow truck.  My husband called AAA again.  Oh, they canceled because they couldn’t find us.  On the major interstate highway.  The trooper said I will get someone. But it will cost us instead of AAA . At this point just call.  They were there within 9 minutes.  He said oh you were easy to find.  Hmmm, ok.  

From there we are towed to a garage, in a strange city to us.  My husband and I rode in the back seat of the police car.  That’s a weird feeling.  But he was very pleasant.  We get to the garage.  Towing fee was to be close to 500$.  And we still had to find out about the repairs.  Oh boy.  

The tow truck driver asked to see us.  He talked about the usual fee.  The cost of getting on and off the highway.  He then said there was no way he was charging us.  He was billing AAA instead. We owed him nothing! Zero!  Wow, what a blessing. Thank You Jesus.

Then we could see through the window into the shop, our car upon the lift.  We were wondering the cost.  But God had already taken care of so much, and watched over us, we hated asking for more.  But then where in the Bible does Jesus tell us not to ask?  It doesn’t! The young lady at the desk came over to us, handed us the keys.  She said here you go folks.  Have a pleasant rest of your vacation.  My husband said wait, how much do we owe.  She said nothing.  Wait, what?  She said it was fixable, you have had a rough start to your trip, here is a blessing from us and Jesus.  WOW, WOW, WOW!  Oh my.   In a matter of almost 4 hours we saw Jesus perform several miracles over us.  

We cannot explain it, I just know neither one of us panicked at any time.  We felt at peace knowing Jesus was with us.  And He would continue to be with us every day of our lives.  We had faith all would be ok.  All it cost was 4 hours of our time.  

Remember the Scripture at the beginning.  He truly cares for us.  For our every need, every concern, every illness, and the list goes on.  Just remember His words to us.  His promises to us.  He loves us all. 

Easter! Resurrection Day! He Is Alive!

 It is Easter time all across the globe.  The majority of the world acknowledges Easter.  However, not all celebrate it or observe it.  As a Christian we often say Easter is the most important holiday we observe.  Others wonder why. We hear people ask, isn’t Christmas the most important?  Well yes in the fact that Jesus was born.  But when you think about why Jesus was born, to seek and save the lost.  To save all mankind from the pit of hell.  His birth is one of the most important days of all.  Jesus walked this earth for 33 years.  Sharing the Gospel, teaching all about who He is and why He came to earth.  To save us all from destruction.  

As we read the Scriptures and learn about all that Jesus did, we realize there is so much more about Jesus than Christmas,  He raised up and used the 12 disciples.   He taught them everything they needed to know.  He shared with them that His days on earth were coming to an end, as they know it.  But He didn’t leave them with that thought alone.  He gave them encouragement, in 3 days He would rise from the grave and return to them.  Can you imagine how the disciples felt? Were they hearing correctly?  Jesus would rise from death, the grave would be empty? Could they even understand what Jesus was telling them?  

And 3 days later, the stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty.  Jesus was alive!  Yes alive!  Can you see why we call Easter the most important days of all?  He came to save us.  

Most of us do not really understand the Gospel until we are a bit older.  Maybe a teen, or young adult, or even an older adult.  Jesus wanted to make sure everyone would hear about His magnificent miracle of rising from the dead.  The tomb is empty.  This is the most important day there is.  It is full of hope, grace, forgiveness, redemption, life.  He came back for us.  

We know there is so much more to this story.  There is so much more that happened to Jesus, so much more that He did for us.  And so much more that happened after He rose from the grave.  That is for a later time. Or pick up your Bible and read about it.  He will change your life.  

As you are sitting around the table with family and friends, take a few moments, go around the table and share what great things Jesus has done for you.  And don’t forget to thank Him.  

Happy Easter my friends.  

Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10

What Type of Battles are You Fighting?

 Let’s face it, we all have battles we have faced in our lives.  Some are small, some are large.  Some downright huge. Some physical in nature, like an illness, or injuries.  Something related to our physical body.  Then we may face other battles, like those with finances, or particular needs we have.  We may have an emotional or mental battle we are going through.  None of these have to be spiritually related.  Or they all could be.  And then we come to a spiritual battle.  These battles can be deep within us. And they also can torment us the most.  Usually we find we have put ourselves in these positions .  We may not be reading God’s Word on a regular basis. We may not be communicating with God the way we ought to.  We may not be attending church the way we should.  There are many things that make us feel like we are in a spiritual battle.  Most of the time, I think, we have the ability to be victorious over these battles if we pray, get in the Word, and commune with Jesus.  Jesus will not let us down or desert us.  

I often wonder why we put ourselves in these places.  I always think of one tool(tools) we have at our disposal in times like these.  The ARMOR OF GOD! (Ephesians 6) This has always been one of my favorite topics.  It is so encouraging and uplifting, giving us hope. 

Our church has been going over the armor the last several weeks.  It is always a nice reminder of the powerful items Jesus has given us to assure us victory in our battles.  Do we walk around with a huge helmet on, or carrying a big shield, or wearing spiked shoes? Of course not.  We are talking about being adorned in the spiritual realm.  These are ours forever.  The enemy cannot take them away from us.  But we must make a conscious effort to have these active in us.  

Sometimes I go through the motions of putting each piece on.  Pretending I have the actual helmet to place on my head, and so on.  No one can see these, but I know they are there. And more importantly so does Jesus.  

So let me ask you to search your heart.  Are you facing battle after battle? Do you feel like it is impossible to get over these battles?  It is alone.  But when we go to Jesus, put those big boy shoes on, lean into Him, we can have victory.  

I pray for you my readers, hand your worries or battles over to Jesus.  Get into His Word.  And grasp ahold of those pieces of armor, put them on.  And I know Jesus is right there with you.  Don’t give up.  Be encouraged.  Be bold, be strong.

“Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

The Container!

 How many containers do we have in our homes?  Or in our garages?  You may be asking what kind of containers am I talking about.  Any and all, with a secure lid.  In your kitchen and pantry alone, we can have dozens of containers, all sizes and types. With secure lids.  Or no lid at all.  

Next question, what is in these containers? Inside the home, there may be food items, cleaning supplies, arts and crafts.  The list can go on and on.  The items being edible or not.  They may be flammable, or toxic,  But all must have a secure lid, if possible a locking lid.  

These containers start out empty.  It takes action from us to fill these containers.  It takes action from us to empty these containers.  Back on February 4th I wrote about being passive or active.  This is the same type of action.

Why am I talking about containers?  This morning my husband and I were talking about how Jesus has filled us with His Holy Spirit.  I pictured us like a container holding His Holy Spirit.  And like those containers I was speaking of above, we also have the ability to hold the Holy Spirit in us.  But is that what Jesus wants us to do, keep it all in without sharing?  I do not believe that.  I believe Jesus has given us His Holy Spirit to strengthen us so that we can share with others.  He has filled us to teach us and give us understanding, so that we can share with confidence God’s Word, and pray with others.  And many other reasons or opportunities we have to share about Jesus and His love for us.  

So our bodies, which Jesus tells us are the temple of the Holy Spirit, are containers with lids, to receive more of Him, to be filled up by Him, and to open our lids and use the Holy Spirit and give to others.  

We must remember, the contents we fill our containers with may spoil and become rotten, if the contents were bad to begin with.  Or it may have passed the expiration date.  This is all about those containers in the natural.  Like plastic bags and bins.  But when we talk about our body and the Holy Spirit, there is no expiration date.  Jesus fills us everyday if we ask Him. He intends for us to open our hearts and use the gifts He has given us to bless others with.  We don’t want to be selfish.  We want to be generous like Jesus is generous to us.  

Open your container.  Spread the love Jesus has given you. There is no waste when it comes to Jesus and His Holy Spirit.  

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit — the Father will send Him in My name — will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Trust, Courage, Peace

 “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭HSCB

Have you ever felt you weren’t qualified for the “job”?  Let me put it another way, you weren’t qualified for the task Jesus has given you or asked of you? 

The above verse has three words in it that stand out by themselves.  Peace, suffering, courageous.  Jesus tells us He will give us peace.  In the same verse He tells us we will have suffering.  Then the final thing He asks of us is to be courageous.  He tells us “He has conquered the world”. 

Wow what a powerful few words.  Jesus doesn’t waste any time asking and encouraging us to do His will.  He doesn’t ask us to be courageous, He tells us.  Why can He be so certain and bold?  First because He is God.  Next because He has conquered the world.  Conquered the world!  Wow!  

We all can grasp the idea of having peace and to be courageous.  But why did Jesus put suffering in the middle of that. That seems to me that Jesus was making it “real” for us.  Suffering is something we all can relate to.  In one way or another we have suffered.  Physically with sickness or ailments.  Emotionally because we have lost a loved one.  And many other ways we have walked through suffering.  But Jesus tells us to be courageous.  Stand up tall and face the situation with the courage Jesus has filled us with.  He has prepared our way.  He has prepared us.  

Jesus isn’t asking us to take on the problems of the whole world.  He just gives us a particular task to do.  We often think what if we fail.  Do you really think our God is going to throw us out into the world, all alone, and watch us fail.  Absolutely not!  Jesus loves us way too much.  Like Peter walking on water with Jesus nearby.  Peter started to doubt, became afraid, and began to sink.  What did Jesus do?  He reached out and grabbed Peter’s hand and pulled him in closer to Jesus.  He wasn’t going to stand there waiting for Peter to fail and drown.  He won’t let that happen to us either.  His love is so strong and powerful.  He loves us so much.  

Jesus says TRUST Him, have COURAGE in Him, and to have that powerful PEACE within us.  

We are not alone, He is with us. 

Passive vs. Active

I am sure we all have heard the phrase “Passive vs. Active”.  We have been challenged in our school years.  We have been challenged in our relationships.  In our work places, work habits, study times, devotion times, and countless other times.  Then the question is “What do we do about this”?  Let me ask you, are you a passive person or an active?  Your answer is probably something like “what do you mean or in what topic”? 

Exactly!  There are times to sit back, be passive, rely totally on Jesus.  Then there are times to stand up strong, be active when He tells us to.  

Here are a couple of examples.  Hope!  This can go either way. We can be feeling distraught about losing someone we care deeply about. We search our hearts for comfort and hope.  But we find ourselves feeling helpless.  We cry out, Lord help me.  

What kind of hope is that?  It seems to me it is passive.  We do not have the strength within us to find hope.  It feels like everything is drained from us.  Those are the times to rely on the strength of Jesus.  And the hope He gives us.   This is passive hope. 

“We wait for Yahweh; He is our help and shield. For our hearts rejoice in Him because we trust in His name.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭33‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

This is one example of being passive.  Not having the strength to get up and take action.  Instead we can lean on Jesus.  Which is wonderful.  But there are times in our lives when Jesus has given us the tools and power we need to get up and move forward.  To take action.  He has given us the power and belief to stand firm, move out in faith and hope, take action and step forward into our victory. 

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Also He has given us every tool we will ever need to take this active approach.  

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬ 

“Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your  feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.”

‭To put on the armor of God this is an active approach.   You may be thinking how do I put something like that on, physically?  Just because we do not hold it in our hands physically doesn’t mean we do not have possession of it.  Jesus has given us possession of the whole armor of God.  Spiritually.  When you pray and ask God to equip you, list those items and take hold of them.  Spiritually in your heart, in your mind, put every piece of armor on.  Stand firm holding that shield of faith, declaring victory in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And don’t forget to thank Him.  

I pray for you faithful readers that you feel an abundance of strength and power as you pray.  Whether it be passive or active.  It all comes from Jesus.  

Inauguration Day in the USA. And Hope!

 This is a title that will seem like scrambled eggs.  All mixed up. Let’s see if I can make any sense.  

The USA has had many ups and downs the last several years.  I will not get into politics, but we desperately have needed hope.  As we know many try to get hope from all the wrong places. But many of us know who authors hope, who gives hope, the Creator of hope, and is HOPE itself.  Jesus Christ is hope. So why do we look elsewhere?  

Today is Inauguration Day in the USA.  Our newly voted in President was sworn in to be our President for the next four years.  Along with a new vice-president.  This day brought many extremes of hope or hopelessness.  Depending on your belief.  I will focus on the hope.  This new president depicts hope for the majority of the population.  Financially, peace, protection, and prosperity, among many other issues.  This brings hope to the people of our country.  It is a very exciting hope just to see so many filled with high expectations.  There was very high energy and excitement.  That’s encouraging to see.  Our country needs that. 

What does this have to do with Jesus?  I believe everything.  Jesus is hope.  He encourages us to have hope. He tells us hope will not disappoint.  But we must trust in Him, believe in Him. The Bible is full of verses about hope. Some popular verses:

“and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14   

—————————————————————————————————————————-

“For I know the plans I have for you” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you” — this is the Lord’s declaration — 

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Jesus is our hope and our future.  He has promised us.  He is here for us.  How do I tie this into our new President?  The Lord has given us a new hope in this president.  He has given us a confidence in this new administration.  We may not always agree with decisions they make. But Jesus says rely on Him.  Lean into Him and pray for our country, our leaders, and for hope. 

My prayer for you readers, is that you can find that hope that comes from Jesus.  Hold onto it tightly.He never leaves us stranded.  

Happy New Year

Wow, here we are again, another new year.  And not only another year, but now we are 2025.  It seems like yesterday everyone was in a panic over Y2K.  I say everyone loosely.  I was not, and so many others were not.  Why?  Our trust is in Jesus.  Now a quarter of a century has passed since then.  We have faced so many other disasters, trials, hardships since the year 2000.  

So  how will we approach this year, 2025? I would hope with eager anticipation of what the Lord has in store for us this year.  How will He use me?  Where will He take me?  To whom will He have me speak to?  The list can go on and on.  And it is NOT all about me.  It is about His will, including my family, your family. We do not walk this life alone.  He has placed us within a family, within a church family, within a circle of friends, and more.  

Have you ever wondered why Jesus puts us with others to walk with us, when we have Him walking with us?  For one thing, we are in the flesh.  We still walk in the flesh.  That is where our weaknesses are. But also we all do not have the same gifts, or knowledge , or experience.  Therefore we rely on our brothers and sisters to help us minister to others more effectively. 

 “There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope at your calling — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭HCSB

We work together and enhance one another, we complement one another with our own gifts and strengths.  And they do the same for us.  

“And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

The Word of God spells it out for us.  I know for me, I’ve read these verses over and over.  Yet I need to remind myself over and over about these verses.  I need to read them over and over.  And walk in these truths over and over.  

This is so encouraging.  Knowing we are not alone.  And knowing even those that actually walked with Jesus day by day in the flesh needed reminding.  There isn’t anything wrong with us.  We are who God made us to be.  He has enabled us in the gifts He has chosen for us.  And He will use us how He intends for us to be used.  

I truly hope that you all are encouraged by these words.  Do not feel useless or down on yourself.  Jesus has the perfect job lined up for you.  Do not fret.  It may even take longer than you thought.  Jesus has your timeline prepared.  And He is constantly perfecting it.  

Start the new year of 2025 with enthusiasm and gusto.  Ready to take His Word to the streets and to others.  Get ready to be used by God.  Amen