Are U Up for the Challenge?

I was married very young, and the marriage did not work out since neither knew how to love one another. After we divorced, I spent many years wandering around dating different women, having fun but never trying to find someone to marry again. I didn’t think it would happen for me, but God had other plans. I was baptized at the young age of four, but I didn’t know what it was like to walk with God, and I wasn’t currently walking with him when he placed one of the greatest gifts in front of me. I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted my future wife to look like if I were ever to remarry. From the color of her lipstick and hair to what she would say and do every day, I was wrong. One day while my kids were visiting me, they decided they were going to play with a little girl down the block that they had met. I recommended that we go down to the park and play, and if she wanted to come with us, she needed to ask her mother. The mother decided to go with us and come to find out she was single. She wasn’t very talkative when I started a conversation, but it was okay because I talked enough for both of us. I was getting nervous about having things to say, which was not like me. Back then, everything flew out of my mouth with little regard for others’ feelings. What I felt was completely different than anything I had ever felt before but thank God I managed to squeak out, “Can I take you to a movie sometime,” and praise God, she said YES! Taking her out to the movies was incredible, to say the least, but it was the following times we were together afterward that touched my heart. We would walk and talk about our dreams and things we had been through, and it felt like I could talk to her forever about anything. She introduced me to God, taking me to a church where a pastor spoke right to me every Saturday morning, moving me closer and closer on my newly found journey with Him. The more conversations I had with her, the more and more I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life because it just felt so comfortable. On one of our earlier dates, I actually told her that I did not want to get married again. It was too painful with the breakup at the end. Around two months later, I asked for her hand in marriage, and she said yes. We ended up having a wonderful wedding, and a little while after, having a miracle baby girl changed my life even more. I thank God for not answering my prayer about the woman I thought I needed. He ended up placing an angel in my life that I didn’t want to live without. She has touched my heart every day since we’ve been married, even through the toughest of times.

God knew what I needed before I was even born and waited till the perfect time to place her in my life. He waited patiently through multiple attempts at failed relationships to bless me with a perfect mate. She isn’t just a great wife but also my best friend. If you feel like your relationships aren’t going anywhere and you’ve hit a dead end, then get down on your knees and pray to God. I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised at who he has picked out for you. Proverbs 19:21 many are the plans in a human heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that’s possible. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the Nations.” Romans 8:28, and we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

My dog is a nut when it comes to his ball or stick of wood. He will follow it with his eyes and never look away. The attention and devotion that he places on the ball are uncanny as he chases and retrieves it. He brings it back to me with all kinds of energy, putting it at my feet, showing me that he is victorious. This reminds me of how we need to be in our walk with God in our journey with him. We need to devote all of our attention to him and what he wants for us in our life. We need to be willing to seek Him and go out and do what he is asking us to do.

We also need to go out showing and telling others about God just as my dog does with his stick bringing it to you to show you how cool it is. Yesterday I had an opportunity to stay at home and relax. The other option was to donate and deliver furniture from our church to some homeless friends getting off the street into their place. I decided to help them instead of staying at home and putting the giving off for another day. I know that sounds odd, but it has been getting hot the last week or so, and I was not looking forward to the labor in the hot sun. God reminded me that I get help from him quite often whenever I ask, and I need to be doing the same for others. As I loaded up the truck with different items to take over to their new home, I had this sense of peace and relief that I was able to help out these friends by doing what God asked me to do. If I had stayed at home, I would have been doing precisely what the devil wanted me to do, and that is staying away from God and what he wants. Strangely I want to be more like my dog Pepper having that drive and that will to go and do and retrieve everything that God has to offer. Luke 6:38 give, and it will be given to you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. It will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

bible.com/bible/1/num.6.24-26.KJV

As Christians, sometimes we are not prepared for the devil and his deceit. I did not realize as a young married couple; we were under attack. I thought as long as I served God, my life would be trouble-free. Boy, was I wrong? After a couple of years, Gary and I stopped going to church. We thought that was the best decision for our situation. We both agreed we would not quit serving God; we would only stop attending church. The agreement that Gary and I made about continuing to serve God went by the wayside. Instead of reading the word of God daily, it would be months before I picked up my bible. Praying to God was not as it had been when I had a relationship with Him. Praying had become a 911 call to God to help me whenever an emergency arose.

Satan knew not to waste his time enticing me with the world and everything it offered. I had been brought up in church and knew right from wrong. I would never do what I call a blatant sin….you know, things like drugs, smoking, and drinking; I would never cheat, steal, or swear. I was on the road to living a life to make a good impression on others. I was arrogant, prideful, and self-righteous. You would call me a “goody two shoes.” The world considered me a Christian, but in reality, I was just a good moral person who was not living close to God. Don’t get me wrong. I called on God many, many times throughout my life, and He was always there for me even though I let the devil convince me that I was above sin. Oh, what a fool I was. It was as if I thought I had never done anything wrong in my entire life. And, of course, I failed to remember that I was born in sin, just like everyone else in this world.

And then there was a changing point in my life:

I started having a recurring dream for almost a year. I dreamt that I had killed someone. I saw the deep, open grave and strained to see who was in the grave. It was too dark and seemed bottomless. I knew I was a murderer. I woke up with my heart racing and the horrible guilt engulfing me. It felt like the weight of the world was on my chest. I had never felt so much conviction in my entire life. The more I dreamt the dream, the more intense it got, and I could not distinguish between reality and imagination. It seemed so natural; it felt so real, I thought I must have done it. I would tell Gary how I felt every morning after the terrifying dream. He would take me in his arms as I cried and reassure me by saying, ” Honey, you didn’t kill anyone.” I always responded, “Then why does it seem so real?”

After several months of the same dream, I realized God was showing me what a wretched sinner I was and, most importantly, how much my sin weighed when he carried it to the cross. My pride, self-righteousness, and vanity all equaled a murderer in God’s eyes. You see, God doesn’t measure or grade our sins. He calls it like it is; Sin is Sin one is not worst than another. It is the only thing that can separate us from God. God Loves us unconditionally and showed me what I needed to see and feel, the real me, the sinner I was. One night I was looking through the old bible that had carried me through my years in the wilderness without a relationship with God. I was reading Genesis chapter 6 when I saw words that I had written when I was fifteen, “Don’t commit murder against your soul.” The chapter is on the wickedness of man. God said,” More and more of my people are turning against me. The human body has become its god. My Holy Spirit will not work with them endlessly.” It was only then that I knew who I murdered in my dream; it was me, my soul. I asked God to forgive my murderous sins and rededicate my life to Him. Gary and I are prodigals that came home. If you have left the fold, Jesus is searching for you and pleading for you to come home. It is never too late……Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is calling you home! ❤️

Good morning Heavenly Father. Thank You for each thing You do for us daily. Guiding us, comforting us, healing us, opening our eyes to what is right in our site, yet we can not see it. You soften our hearts and help us align them with Yours. You open our minds to new or different ways to do things, learn, love, communicate, and go out of our way for someone, sometimes known, other times a stranger. Thank You for Your promises I rely on, You have supplied me with all that I need today, and You will never leave me. Thank You, Lord.

I lift to you all your children worldwide. Some of us do for others and continue to do without regard for our needs. You know who we are. Help us to remember to get our fill of You daily, rest, and take breaks when physically we need it. Hold our hands, Lord. Some feel guilty we are not doing enough, and some feel less than others because someone else can keep going, reminding us that we were made differently, and it is okay. Remind us we are loved by our Father in Heaven and to respect ourselves in all areas.

Thank You, Lord, for loving us just as we are and where we are. May You surround everyone with your presence today, whisper what they need to hear, and assure them of whatever they need to know.
I ask all things according to Your will and plans. In Your precious and holy name Christ Jesus, amen. 🙏 Shelly

I used to focus on all the negative things day to day and if positive things happened I would pick those apart as well. I would want more of something if something good happened to me not appreciating the things that were given to me. I was really negative around other people wanting them to live in my misery as well. Walking with God teaches you to be more positive and care about those around you and their feelings. Not to say that I don’t slip up and have the occasional negative thing to say or have a bad day in general but I try to stay focused on the good. I thought at one point in time I wanted to be a teacher, showing people how to build things like what I did for a living in construction. In the past I haven’t been a very good boss barking orders at people and talking down to them if they made a mistake. If you were constantly telling somebody that they’re not good enough and that they don’t measure up. They start believing they aren’t good after a while which doesn’t make for a better worker. Instead of yelling or being frustrated take the time out to do it right, if they are doing something incorrectly tell them and show them the right way to do it don’t just tell them. Like me I am a visual learner you could tell me to your blue in the face or have me read something and ask me to get it done and the chances are pretty slim on me accomplishing that goal. If you show me I can repeat the process identically every time. Giving someone an attaboy or telling them how much you appreciate what they’ve been doing and how much they’ve learned so far can go a long way. The same can be with someone who is going through struggles in life and just need a friend to come in and pray for them, telling them that they’re doing a good job and that they have the strength to get through whatever situation. This could also be just giving someone a hug, or good advice, or just being a listening ear. Friends need someone who will help build them up help encourage them on the right road in life through God and we can be that person. I challenge you today to make a difference in someone else’s life. If you are saying I already do that with a couple different people then try going out and doing it with a couple others. I can get stuck in the same routine uplifting just the friends that I have now instead of outreaching to others. I know that when I outreach though it makes me feel so much better knowing that someone else out there could use a friend. If this is your goal today then please join me in prayer. Dear heavenly father thank you so much for yet another beautiful day. Please help us to go out and change the life of someone today Lord and please put that person in our path. Speak through us when we speak with them, touch our ears to better listen, and touch our hearts to have compassion and love for them. In Jesus precious name, Amen! Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Have you ever been betrayed by someone you trusted, or had moments when you wondered why your life was filled with disappointment, hardship, and injustice? In moments of pain, loss, and betrayal, it’s normal to want vengeance. Because we are broken people living in a broken world, our first reaction is often a desire for the people who hurt us to experience equal or greater amounts of pain.

When we were kids, we were taught, when we were mad, to count to 10 before we said or did anything, we would regret it.
Yes, calling upon Jesus is like counting to ten. He tells us to be slow in our speech, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:19-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.1.19-20.NLT

“A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.15.1.NLT

Thank you Jesus, for hearing our cry to help us to have self control and patience which you desire. Help us to reflect your character in everything we say or do. In Jesus name, amen

A kaleidoscope was my favorite toy when I was about eight or nine. I asked my mom how it made such beautiful designs. They were never the same. She told me about the colored rocks and the mirrors inside. When you turn it, the little stones fall in various ways. I told her I wanted to see them. She said, “Karen if you take it apart, it will be broken.” The last thing I heard my mom say was, “Your dad will not be able to fix it.”

My dad may not be able to fix my kaleidoscope. However, our heavenly Father can pick us up and transform our brokenness from the inside out. He not only repairs our brokenness, but he shines through us so people can see the beauty of Christ Jesus, our savior in us. Thank you, Melva, for posting today about a kaleidoscope; I love that my brokenness may be used to glorify God.

“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.3.18.NLT

Glory be to God; thank you, Jesus.

Yesterday at church was absolutely awesome. I haven’t been sleeping well over the last couple years because of sleep apnea and I end up falling asleep during the sermons. I have been working out and eating healthier and my sleep has gotten a lot better giving me an opportunity to stay up like yesterday through Bible study and church! That was just part of the story the rest is way better. My daughter who is 8 years old decided she wanted to sit in the balcony so we followed her. I was actually dreading being up there because your voice really echoes at the top of the church and I thought to myself,” If I fall asleep up here every single person will know by the sound of my snoring!” That wasn’t the case this day however as the traveling pastor came and sat down by the podium while one of our church members came up and led the song service, I noticed the look on the pastor’s face. I felt the Holy Spirit moving me to pray for him because he looked depressed and saddened by something. So I said a quick prayer but I could not keep my eyes off of him. After song service was over and the donations were collected he walked up to the microphone and with a saddened heart told us what was going on. He had multiple deaths in the last couple months from friends and family. As if mourning the passing of one friend or family member wasn’t hard enough but multiples,” Sheesh,” I couldn’t even imagine standing up there and having to deliver a sermon with all that heartache. As he was telling us about all his trials that he is going through currently he started tearing up and I felt the holy spirit’s moving me again only this time he said,”Go up and pray for him,” I immediately said,”No,”out of embarrassment. I didn’t want to walk up there and take a chance of someone saying,” You can’t go up there right now while he’s talking,” or me fumbling my words through a prayer for him in front of our entire congregation! The second time the Holy Spirit asked I left the balcony and made my way to the stage with nervousness on my mind and my heart feeling like it was going to beat out of my chest. I walked straight up to him and said can I have a hug? He said yes and then I asked his name. Then I asked you if I could pray for him right then and there on the spot. He told me his name and I started praying aloud for everyone to hear. It was an amazing feeling to have that much empathy and love running through my veins and my mind all at once. It was even better being able to hold him and show him that he is loved even though he knows that God loves him. As I was walking away I felt a calmness through my mind and my heart that just felt comfortable to say the least. It was like the Holy Spirit telling me,” You can rest now, thank you for doing what I asked. We tend to forget that a pastor has needs and wants also. A lot of times we just go up and lay our problems on them and expect them to pray for us when they need that interaction as well. They are only human and in need of love and prayer just like the rest of us. I was amazed that God would use me in a time like this, getting me out of my comfort zone. 2 Timothy 1:10 He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and Grace. Romans 8:28 and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Ever since I was little there has been many fights between my mother and father about money. My mom spends money as fast as she can get it and my dad will save every little penny. This continues on from marriage to marriage unless you’re both on the same page. I could care less about money personally, but it takes money to do at least 75% of things in your life. God has shown me different things that I can do that cost little to no money whatsoever and I share these things with my family. I have seen marriages take a hard toll over this issue and it is such a shame to fight over something like that. I like to look back at a couple different verses that shows you that we need to have faith and trust in God with our needs and he covers those needs every time. Luke 12:33 “Sell your possessions, and give them to the needy. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moths destroy. This is talking about being rich in the Lord and doing things for others where no one else notices. Not like having money and flashing it around everywhere for everyone to see or storing it in the bank where it can’t be useful to anyone besides your family. There is so many people out there that need financial assistance and who are we to hoard all that money out of fear that we feel like we need that nest egg. Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from the Love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ” I will never leave you nor forsake you.” We need to have trust in the Lord that he meets all of our needs because he does just that every second of every day. He has got us financially covered so long as we trust in him and ask him for guidance. I challenge you today to release yourself from the Love of money. The happiest times I ever had was when I was “Poor.” Financially poor that is, but I was rich at heart I had my family and loved ones around me and God leading my way. Don’t let the devil get a foothold in your brain over money. Just trust in God. If you would like to have this feeling of contentment and financial freedom then please join me in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father we give you all that we have this morning laying it at your feet, all of our problems, worries, stresses, and fears. Lord we no longer want to have a bondage to money and the fact that we need lots of it to get us through this life. You are what is important in this lifetime and we should not keep our eyes off of you since you are our guiding light. Help us to keep our treasures stored in heaven not rely on the physical money that we cannot take with us when we pass. Thank you for meeting our needs each and every day Lord, in Jesus precious name, Amen!!!!!