Psalm 27

Psalm 27 (NIV)
Of David.
“1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.
4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

This is my favorite Scripture. It has helped me since I was a young girl. In times when I was younger, I would quote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” when I was scared or afraid of something. As I got older, I began to quote this on more “major” things in my life. I really like the entire passage because nothing can come against me. I have Christ on my side. He is who I look to for my comfort, salvation, and needs. He protects and provides for me no matter what or who comes against me. It is also a Scripture I taught my daughter when she was about 3 and was afraid of the dark. She continues to quote it even three years later.
Memorizing and quoting Scriptures can be so powerful in your life. I encourage you to find a Scripture that deals with a situation you are going through. Post it in your car, in your bathroom, or room. Memorize it and quote it often. Do you have a favorite Scripture verse? If you would like to share it, post it in the comments.

Is the reward worth the effort?

When going on a trail walk with my family, I began to think of it like our journey in life. Sometimes, we are on the mountain top where everything is good. We can look out and see God’s perfect creation and His plan. There are other times we go in the valley of life (trials) and need a peace in our lives. When we were in the valley of our trail we saw a stream of water coming from a waterfall. It was very calming and peaceful to me. It made me think of those times where we need peace in our difficult “valley” (trial) of life. As we journey up “the mountain top” of life, we may have a few “rocks” or obstacles we have to overcome. So, my question to you: is the reward in the end worth the effort?

James 1:12

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

As a Christian, I know my end. I know what awaits for me in eternity. I say it is worth the effort (the good and the bad).

Fall Friday Nights

When I think of Fall, I like to think of my childhood / teen years. Growing up in a small school, football games were huge in our town. As a kid, I remember playing with my friends at the end of the bleachers or by the end zone. We would have cheer clinics before Homecoming and we elementary girls would get to perform at half time.
Having a brother four years older than me, we were at football games every Thursday night for three years. Then every Friday night for three years. In seventh grade I began cheering for three years on Thursday nights. I will always have those wonderful memories of cold nights and fun cheering! I loved having my parents there to support my brother and me.

While I was in college, I was dating my now husband. He was a High School Junior and Senior during my first two years. He was also a drum major for his marching band. I loved going to his high school games and watching him direct. He was also in a town where football was (and still is) the highlight during Fall.

Now that we are youth pastors, we get to enjoy games where are students play football, cheer, or are in the band. I love this time of seeing the students. I know I always loved having family and friends supporting me. I also know it creates lasting memories for everyone involved.

Tonight, we took our young kids with us. It was cold, but we had fun together as a family. Both of my kids enjoy the band. My son loves watching the game and my daughter enjoys watching the cheerleaders.

If you have kids in activities at school, go support them any way you can. Encourage them. Make long lasting memories with your family no matter what season of the year it is and during any season of life!!!

The Month of Thankfulness

During the month of November, I read all kinds of “Thankful” posts. I think it’s a wonderful idea to share our wonderful blessings! Being thankful is something everyone can share. Even if life seems horrible at the moment, you can always think of something to be grateful for. Try it today! It may even make you feel better and change your attitude or perspective about your situation. Do not take life and your necessities and even your wants for granted. Do not take the people in your life for granted either. There are many others who have more than us and also many others who have less than we do. Our life situation can change at any moment. Be thankful today. I would love for you to leave a comment about what you are most thankful for in your life. I will begin first. My favorite thanks are for my relationship with Christ, my husband & kids, our families and friends, church, and knowing that our needs are met.

My Savior

As I take on this challenge of posting daily, today I wanted to focus on something for which I am grateful. It is my number one priority in life that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I am so thankful He died for everyone and especially for me. He came to this earth as a man and died as a man for mine and your sins. Doing so, allowed me to have a Savior from this world. Through Him dying on the cross, and rising again three days later, allows me to live for eternity. His sacrifice on the cross gives me forgiveness from the sins I have committed and my future sins. I am very thankful for His sacrifice.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(John 3:16, NIV)

Challenge Accepted!

As I have begun posting more on my blog, I have decided to take on a new challenge. I have recently learned that many bloggers take time to post daily in the month of November. I want my readers to be aware that I will begin posting daily for the rest of the month of November. (After November, I will go back to once or twice weekly.)

Please feel free to follow my blog. If you would like to receive these directly, you may become a follower. My posts will then be sent to you via email.

I am challenging myself with this commitment praying that I will be able to follow through with it completely. I pray it blesses each of you who read it.

Don’t RUN!!!

Jonah 1:1-3 NIV

1The word of The Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ”
2″Go to the great city of Ninevah and preach against it, because it’s wickedness has come upon me.” 3But Jonah ran away from The Lord and headed for Tarshish.

God told Jonah to got to Ninevah and give a message to the people. Ninevah was a wicked town. The country was an enemy with Jonah’s home country of Israel. Jonah ran in a different direction than what God told him to do. Can you imagine how he felt? What would his friends, family, and even his own country think of him if he went to Ninevah? He had no desire to go there.

What if God is calling YOU to do something that doesn’t seem normal? What if your friends, family, and maybe even your country think you are crazy?! Would you do it, or would you run as far away as you can?

Jonah was given a message to take to the Ninevites. In the end, this was to save them of their wickedness, but Jonah did not want to think of their spirituality. We as Christians are to reach out and spread the message of the Good news of Jesus Christ. We are to do this no matter a person’s background, culture, religion, or what kind of a person whether good or bad that they are.

I think missionaries who go all in for God are in a similar place in life as Jonah. Some may have ran but others go all in not caring what others think. Some missionaries may have family or friends not wanting them to go off to a far away country. We have to do what Jesus Christ asks of us to do in life. It can’t depend upon what others think of us or what they feel we should do. Yes, seek wisdom from godly counsel, but ultimately if God is calling you to witness to someone or to do something, you better do it. While continuing to read Jonah Chapter 1, we know in the end that Jonah was in a massive storm and swallowed by a big fish. (Read the next post to find out what happened to Jonah.) I would rather do God’s will then to find out what would happen to me if I didn’t do it.

If God is calling you to do something, that is part of the purpose He has set out for you to do. Don’t Run!!!

Another year older!?

Have you ever dreaded a birthday and becoming another year older??? The birthday I turned 25, I dreaded it up until the day. Then, it passed and I had to “look forward” to turning the big 30…. Before the day approached I had many (especially my younger husband) remind me (daily) of the day. I couldn’t believe I was actually 30. It didn’t feel right to have been married and have two kids (one being age 5).

I had a goal that I wanted to accomplish of running in a 5K for my 30th birthday. This was a big accomplishment for me being that I am a heart patient. I had always been taught not to go too far past my limitations. During that year, my husband began to help me reach past all of that. I focused upon God each day that I ran. He gave me the strength to push farther than I had ever imagined. I did finish the 5K and ran most of it like I had wanted to do. It made my 30th birthday complete.

Now, last weekend, I turned 31. Up to the day, I was beginning to dread it again. However, God began to deal with me about my birthday… I needed to celebrate the life He has given me. As people began to tease me (all in fun), I began to be proud of turning 31!

Recently, I had my yearly heart check-up and found out that my heart is not working properly like it should be. I had to have some tests ran to check it all out. It really got me to thinking. I’m even more thankful for God touching my life and the doctors that He gives knowledge to. The Lord has allowed this congenital heart defect girl to survive 31 years of life. Since then, my tests showed that everything is looking ok right now and I don’t have to go back for another year to see the doctor! God has been so good to me through it all!

Here’s what I have learned: we do not know our future and when the day will come that our time on earth is done. We also do not know when Christ will come back for The Church. We must be ready every day to meet Him.

Birthdays are something to celebrate. I hear middle aged and older people (and even myself) say “it’s just another day.” Well, I want it to be a celebration! I think every year for every individual no matter how young or old needs to look at birthdays as another year to: learn more about Christ, love others, and follow through with the Purpose you are created for in life.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

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.

My husband and I celebrating my 31st Birthday.

Peace in the Storms of Life

Philippians 4:6-7

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Do you need Peace in your life? Is something troubling you? I have been there and needed peace in my life. When we have trials of many kinds, we just need peace to be there with us. I’m not talking about a peace that everything will all be wonderful, but a peace that God is right there with you no matter what occurs within the circumstance.

When I was 17, I was told I needed to have open heart surgery. I felt as if my world came crashing down upon me. I was to go to church camp within a few days of hearing this news. I was also to start my senior year of high school within less than 2 months. I’ll never forget hearing those words and trying to sleep that evening. I cried in my mother’s arms for a long time. I knew “some day” I would need surgery, but why now?! Why at this moment in my life where I am getting ready for my last year in high school and preparing for college?! This didn’t seem fair or right.

We began scheduling the surgery and I went on to church camp. That week while I was there, I had three of my closest spiritual leaders in my life lay hands on me and pray for me. (My future husband was standing behind me praying for me, too.) After they prayed over my heart, I had a complete Peace come over me. This is a peace that only I can TRY to explain because there really is no way to completely understand it. It was God’s presence upon my life. I can tell you for a fact, this peace stayed with me from that moment until the morning of my surgery. My flesh began to kick in for a few minutes leading up to the surgery but other than that I had a peace. It was a peace that yes I was having open heart surgery but God was there beside me. I didn’t have to be anxious or worried about what could happen because I had such a peace in my life.

Yesterday, over 13 years later, I needed that same kind of peace. Things didn’t go as planned and as I began to get a little anxious I prayed asking God for his peace in my life just as in Philippians Chapter 4. God gave me that peace again. His presence of Peace made everything go so much better for me. I’m so thankful for a loving caring God to send His Peace in the midst of our storms.

If you need His Peace in your life today, begin to call out to Him. I encourage you to memorize and post this Scripture from Philippians where you can see it all the time. May His Peace come upon you just like He has done for me. All you have to do is ask Him for His Peace.

1 John 5:14-15

14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.

Be wise, not foolish.

Galatians 3:1-5 (NIV)

3 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Paul wrote to the Galatians about the Law and a personal relationship with Christ. While studying this passage for a sermon, God really spoke to me. (There is so much more to this passage, but this is just one portion of it.) Paul had been with the Galatians previously as recorded in Acts. Many salvations, healings, and baptisms occurred. However, some were not accepting this “new” way of salvation. They were saying you need to live as the Jews lived and under the Law given to Moses. I can imagine this was very confusing for the new Christians. So, Paul wrote to them. He pretty much said that just by living according to the law and doing good things does not make you a Christian. He stated that just as they heard when he preached that it is by hearing the Word, having Faith, and a relationship with Christ is what matters. He told them to remember what all God had done for them previously which is in the book of Acts in the Bible. He said they no longer have to live as the Jews because anyone could become a follower of God.

We will not make it to Heaven just by doing “good.” He states that once we ask Christ into our hearts that the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. He gives us wisdom in how to live. When The Holy Spirit speaks to us about a situation, we must go the way He intends for us to go. If we do the opposite, we are rebelling against Him. We will do good and follow after the holy living that God has lined out in the Old Testament. This is because our hearts want to live for Him and do what is good and right.

God made the Old Covenant with Moses and the Israelites. When Jesus died on the cross, a new covenant was formed. A week ago we celebrated this covenant. We also know we serve a God who is alive. He died for our sins, yet rose from the grave so we could live eternally with him. All we have to do is ask Jesus Christ to come into our hearts and begin a personal relationship with Him.

We do not have to go through all of the legalities prior because now we can go straight to Him. Let’s not look at Christianity as a way of do’s and dont’s, let us look at it as a heart thing. Don’t live a foolish life such as the Galatians were doing, be wise in everything you do. Be a Christian who has a heart after God.