God’s Gifts – Some Assembly May Be Required

Once we’ve realized who we are (princesses!) and stopped comparing our gifts to others, and we recognize a mature request – we have to get past the assembly process.

Some Assembly May Be Required

We all have natural giftings – things that require very little work. For example. I love to talk. I have never had a problem talking. Individually, in public, whatever – I can communicate on any level. Some people – maybe my husband – don’t necessarily view that as a great gift, cause he has to listen to me constantly, but there you go. There are times when you see a “gift” in another’s life that you want – that is not out of jealousy or envy, but an honest desire to grow. You take it to the Lord and it’s a mature request. In my own life I did this a few years ago. I wanted to be more merciful, able to give grace to others – because I was lacking big time in those areas. I wanted it to be pre-assembled. Ready to use mercy conveniently packaged up in a little box. I wanted to have it, and take it out whenever I needed it – put it away when I was done. But that’s not exactly how it works. Continue reading

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Devotional – Teaching The Teacher

Romans 2:21 You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

Yesterday, as I sat to have my quiet time with the Lord, it was with a somewhat broken spirit. I felt totally under attack and a little defeated. I’m sure it’s because Saturday I’m speaking at a luncheon for my church. God has given me a message that I’m really excited about – and I know He is doing a mighty work within the women of  Evergreen. It’s amazing how, when you’re seeking the Lord and following His will, being used by Him – the enemy of our souls hones in on your weak spots and starts scheming to derail you. That’s where I was yesterday. I’d taken a direct hit to my soft underbelly and was dragging myself to God for medical assistance. Continue reading

Devotional – Wrong All The Time

Matthew 11:18-19 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Back to the same lessons. God keeps bringing me scriptures to drive home this point. So, I’m sorry if I seem redundant to you – I’m only passing along what I feel the Lord keeps showing me. It’s just your bad luck to follow a blog written by an (apparently) slow learner.  Continue reading

Devotional – Joy and Labor

John 16:21 – A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

I started my devotional today reading a couple verses from John 16. Not the verse quoted above, but a passage about having peace in the midst of trials. Being of “good cheer” because the Lord is with us. (John 16:33) I’ve found the past few days in beginning a pattern of daily devotions that a couple paragraphs and a scripture or two don’t really satisfy me. I keep looking for context in whatever few verses go along with the day’s reading. Today, I flipped back a couple pages and read starting at the beginning of the chapter. Actually, I pulled up the chapter on Bible Gateway so I could read a couple translations at once. I love that site. Anyway, verse 21 practically jumped out of my computer at me. I have never read a verse that so accurately describes the feeling of wonder and joy after my children were born. I had no idea there even WAS such a verse! I went back to mark the verse in my own Bible, and found that it was already marked. Sort of. An area I’d underlined on the opposing page had bled thru so it looks like the part about labor is already marked. God is so cool. I’ve been wrestling with possibly having another child lately, and for mostly selfish reasons am heavily leaning towards a “no way” answer. But told my husband I’d consider it if he would consider being done. We’re in the “pray-and-seek-God” time of making this decision. I’m so thankful that God knows where I am, and is reminding me of the joys associated with children. Family members, calm down. This does not mean I’ve decided to get pregnant. Just that I’m allowing God to speak to me on the subject.

Vaccinations of life

Every time I take one of my kids in for their needed vaccinations I think of how quickly I revert to childlike behavior with God.  Yesterday, as my son looked at me, pain in his eyes and sobs welling up in his little throat, I realized I mirror his reaction when dealing with hard things in life.

I whine and complain. Cry and carry on asking God “why?”. In my finite mind, it seems so without reason, unfair and unnecessary. In hindsight, the needle pricks of life really aren’t such a big deal. But in that moment of pain, it’s all consuming. When getting shots my kids don’t remember that every day I clothe and feed them – lavishing them with hugs, kisses and care. Just as I rapidly forget all the wonderful things God has done for me, focusing instead only on the apparent lack of concern He’s demonstrating just then. I’m sure my thoughts echo my children’s “If you really loved me, you wouldn’t be doing this.” Continue reading

Like a small rudder steers a large ship

My Bible study this week (we’re working our way thru James) was on James 3:1-12. I’ll admit, I had a rough week and (GASP!) didn’t read the study book prior to our group meeting last night. But it’s amazing how, even when we don’t take time for Him, God’s got our back.

Yesterday, I was at a funeral – of a woman who died too suddenly and much too young. As I listened to the way people talked about her, the nice things that were said, the praises of her character, and had all wonderful memories of her running thru my own mind, I realized something…we don’t take the time we should to say those things to each other when we’re still around. Why is it we only make the effort once someone is dead? Encouragement and edification seem to be lost in the hussle bussle  of the world around us. We often think kind things of others, but how frequently do we actually tell them? Continue reading