Individuality…Who God Called Us To Be

I read a quote today that said, “The hardest battle you’ll have to fight is the one to be yourself.”  It made me think of how we often try to be someone we aren’t or how often we feel intimidated by others or how often we are not satisfied with who we are as a person.  Believe it or not, this is something we all go through.  Even the person that to us may seem to “have it all together”…they hide their insecurities about themselves very well.  But I have heard the following verse quoted more than twice this past week:  “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” ~Psalm 139:14.  It made me think of how I need to be thankful that He created me to be an individual…I am unique…and I am wonderfully made by His own hands.

God made us the way we are…and so often we try to change that or cover it up in one way or another.  Or, we just try to hide who we truly are by a facade of who we want to be…like “so and so”.   Galatians 6:4-5 (MSG) says, “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others.  Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”  …Don’t compare yourself with others.  Unfortunately we tend to do this more than we realize.  But, God gave each of us talents and gifts with which to work.  We need to take a careful look at who we are trying to be and who God wants us to be.  Then, we need to realize that being ourselves is not a bad thing.  We do not have to changed who we are to be accepted.  God has accepted us the way we are…all He asks is that we follow the plan He has laid out for our lives.  Not a hard task if you think about it.  And besides, being yourself has a lot less stressful “strings” attached. 

I can speak from experience…there was a time in my life that I tried to be who I thought others wanted me to be.  I always was afraid to show my true-self.  But, when I finally realized that it was “okay” to be me and that it was acceptable…it was like a big load lifted off of me.  God made us each individually.  We are each unique.  We do not have to be “cookie cutters”.  Think of it this way…when we see the snow falling gently we think of how beautiful it looks.  Every snowflake is different…yet together they make the scenery around us beautiful.  It is okay for us to each be ourselves…and together we can make a beautiful picture for Him.

Running The Race…Helping Those Along The Way

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed" (Heb. 12:12-13).

The Message translation says it this way, "So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!"

In 2 Timothy 4:7 (MSG), it says, "This is the only race worth running. I've run hard right to the finish, believed all the way."  Living for God is the ONLY way to go. Running a marathon race is not easy...it takes lots of training and exercise in order to win.  Life is a lot like that...God has provided us "training and exercise" to win this race we run.  His Word - gives us guidelines to live by.  Our Pastor - teaches us, building up our "spiritual muscles".  We exercise what we learn through prayer, fasting & worship.   In 1 Corinthians 9:24b (MSG), it says, "You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win."  As whole, one body spiritually speaking, we must run to win this race!

Also, as we run this race, there will be fellow runners along the way that may struggle.  It is our responsibility to show them the love and care they need to help win the race.  We can do this in various ways.  We can show our love and support by the encouraging words we say and the helpful things we do for them. And, we can pray for them.  Whether it be a simple little prayer or a deep intercessory prayer, there is power in prayer when we pray in Jesus name.  As it says in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  The word saved in this verse does not only refer to salvation or our souls, but also to deliverance, preservation, healing and restoring.  So do not ever think that the prayer you pray is not effective.  When we pray in JESUS name, there is saving power that sends those prayers from the “outbox” to the “inbox” of the those we pray for.

Lord, today, help us not be too busy running this race that we do not see those that need help along the way.  Help us to be your hands and your feet today!  In Jesus name, Amen – So be it!

When I say… “I am a Christian”

I found this poem on several different web pages and I thought it was worth sharing.

When I Say I am a Christian Poem © Carol S. Wimmer

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I am saved"
I'm whispering "I was lost"
That is why I chose this way.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
And need someone to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And pray for strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are all too visible,
But God believes I'm worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
Which is why I speak His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved.

Ah…Showers Of Blessings

Have you ever stood out in the pouring rain and just felt like a kid again…playing and splashing in the rain?  The kids and I did that once.  It was pouring and we went out in the backyard and laughed and had ourselves a great time. 

You know, life can bring its tough times.  Whether it be a small little trial or a seemingly oversized trial…We can look up to God and know that He has it all under control.  Just as it says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG), No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.  Knowing that, I can say to myself , "Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings.” (Psalm 116:7 - MSG)

That doesn’t mean that I can relax to the point that I become “spiritually lazy”.  God still expects me to be the person He has called me to be in Him…but I can be rest assured that He has showered me with blessings in the past and that my future is no different as long as I continue to follow His leading and trust in Him. 

I am So thankful for the showers of blessings in my life.  I have been blessed with a loving Husband, great kids, a nice home, dependable vehicles and we all are in good health.  I have no excuse to complain when little or big trials come my way…I just need to look beyond my trials and troubles and see the showers of blessings.

Trying to find time to blog…

It seems like it has been ages since I have blogged here.  I guess I have been so busy with the last weeks of school, summer break beginning and “Farming” on Facebook!  Ah yes, Facebook….it has become quite an “addiction”.  But, alas, I am trying to restructure my time since we are seriously considering putting the kids back into homeschooling this fall.  I have so many ideas and thoughts that I have had to try to tackle one thing at a time before I overwhelm myself and then end up getting no where!  The kids are actually excited about homeschooling.  We plan on making it as fun, educational (duh, of course) and interactive as possible.  We are looking into local homeschooler groups locally as well as getting together with other homeschoolers from the church.  I do not want my kids to feel or be sheltered to the point that they are reclusive.  My kids are naturally outgoing so I will have no problem getting them to interact with other kids from church or a local homeschoolers group. 

So needless to say it has been quite crazy around here and my thoughts seems to blur because they are going so fast down the highway of my mind.  But, I am aiming at making this a more common event.  I enjoying blogging because it is like an outlet for my thoughts.  So, in case you thought that I dropped off the end of the earth…I am still here.  I hope to write more within the next few days…

Dark vs. Light

I took this picture one day when a rain storm was moving into the area. I loved the contrast between the light/bright and the dark. One of the first things that came to my mind was how this "world" can seem like a dark and gloomy place at times. A place that may seem hopeless. The economy is not looking at its best...prices are up...people are loosing jobs, homes and families are falling apart. BUT...there is a ray of hope in this world that can be like this bright beautiful iris. That ray of hope has a name...JESUS. He can give you peace that passes all understanding. He can add some "color" to your dark and dreary life. One thing that I that I have learned is that living for God is not always easy. You have to stand up for what is right, which means you may have to go against the "flow"...in doing this you must live a life that reverberates Him. But, in the long run, it is SO worth it. One of my favorite verse of scripture is Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". I have held onto that verse so many times. He has a hope and a future planned for each of our lives.

So, even though the things around us may seem dark at times...look to Him, He is the light that gives life!

Spring rain inspired thoughts...

It is amazing what kind of thoughts the Spring Texas rain can inspire. But, I have always enjoyed the Spring rain. It smells so refreshing. I always think of Spring as a time of renewal. The gentle rains wash away the "left-overs" of winter and the trees begin to blossom and bud into new life.

Proverbs 16:15 (MSG) says, "Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives; they're like spring rain and sunshine." The Spring rain and sunshine can be so invigorating. It can lift our spirits and put a bounce in our step so to speak. Proverbs says that good-tempered leaders can have the same effect on lives. To be good-tempered means that one is not easily angered or upset but is friendly, kind and cheerful. As a parent, I am a leader. It is important for me to be a good-tempered leader as an example to my children. I want to invigorate the lives of my children. Proverbs 14:1 (NIV) says that "the wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." When one builds, they assemble, form and establish something by putting parts and materials together. A good-tempered leader/woman does just that when she focuses on being the best God wants her to be. Establishing and forming the lives of my children to be ALL God wants them to be is my responsiblilty. To teach them how to become responsible and God-loving adults and to lead them by my example. It is a big task...but God has the ability to give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to be the good-tempered leader He wants me to be.