clarification

Are you ever confused?

I am.

We expect so much to be predictable. People, the weather, the plans for the day. Things don’t always turn out as we wanted. There always seems to be something or someone that disrupts our “normal” flow.

I was thinking of the “never quit” post and praying through some things. Sometimes we do need to quit before we can move forward on the road He has called us to travel.

The verses lately say, “study how He did it” and “learn to think like Him.” That is the renewing of our minds, isn’t it?

Instead of OUR expectations – HIS expectations.

To Him – 2 fish and a loaf might be enough instead of us trying to take over the whole event. If we’re doing all the planning – where is HE?

Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. Gal 3:2-3

Thank You Lord that You give such grace. Help us to give ourselves grace too.

receiving gifts with grace

If you get something you don’t work for –
it’s usually called a gift.

The best one I ever received, I tried to ignore for a long………long time. Grace.

I thought to embrace Jesus I had to DO and GIVE UP. You know…that long list of the Old Testament.

I was a skeptic but dared to say yes. The GIFT hasn’t stopped giving!! God’s grace is there even if I didn’t do anything else.

He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! Ephesians 2:5-8 Message

late payments

Mural in Haiti - 2009

ahhhhhhhhhh what a feeling.

After four years of irregular income and months of collection calls. I told the last collector, “YES – I can pay the past-due amount next week.” She said if you do it by this date we will credit $90.

I remember when they offered this and I had ZERO income so no matter what “special offer” – I couldn’t pay a dime. That wasn’t a good feeling.

Often in a faith journey you wonder God’s purpose for the bad stuff.

I may never understand but it’s brought such a full and deep relationship with Father, Son and Spirit, I can’t regret this time.

Mortgage yet to resolve but He said I won’t lose anything… I lost some sleep, weight and credit rating but what are those compared to walking with Him? (One debt the finance charge was reduced to zero…I did not mind that loss at all!)

I think of the pearl…irritation is needed for it to be formed. Without it you’re stuck with nothing or a cheap imitation.

Now time to get ready for a trip back to Haiti – where they showed me how to live simply and with joy…it helped a lot through this time.

Thank you for prayers – I know many of you were covering my back! God bless you!

The journey ain’t over but I will keep praising!!

written in His book

Do you ever feel bad because you know something you did wasn’t what God wanted?

Do you try to hide it and worry at judgment day it will be held against you?

Yesterdays scratched the surface of forgiveness. He says we are completely forgiven through Christ. As I continued reading in Revelation I read three places about His Book showing our reward “according to what was done.” Footnotes say it’s about the GOOD things done not the bad. Not a Works philosophy but definitely not a concentration on our bad list ONCE we receive the grace and forgiveness of Jesus.

If you’ve been worrying yourself about those bad actions – shift your focus to His amazing grace.

He loved you enough to die to cleanse you of all sins….sins past, present and future. Not that He wants us to sin further but when He said, “It is finished.” He meant it!

forgive and forget

“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” Romans 4:7-8

What does forgiveness mean to you?

If you forgive someone do you forget it? OR do you find yourself digging in the shadows when you want to prove a point?

I’ve heard it said as human’s we can’t forget but God can and does – Jesus died for that purpose.

Psalm 103 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Unfortunately, I think of several I have forgiven but I don’t want to put myself in the line of fire again.

Lingering memories affect relationships – people get separated, friendships cease, marriages are torn.

Can we find a way to let God’s love and light fill the darkness waiting to destroy?

Yes – some weeks I have deep topics I wrestle with.

what to say

"Garden Grace" sold

When you commit to writing daily, some days the topic seems elusive. Today is one of those. A few things came out and I just couldn’t fill in the blanks so I asked God, “What do you want me to write?” This is what He gave me.

“Take hold – don’t let go.
The time has come for something new.
Show the joy I give today and share the hope within.
Bring the drum and make some noise.
Shout your praise and dance.
The time has come for something new.
My grace WILL see you through.”

A message for me? A message for you?

I’ll receive it….and I think for today….enough said.