365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 211

My bible study group finished up on the book of Hebrews last evening. I have gained so much more insight into what faith really is. In Be Confident by Warren W Wiersbe he writes the biblical definition of faith: True biblical faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences. Our group discussed the man who did the tight rope walk un-tethered across the Grand Canyon yesterday. He was in constant prayer the whole time across. We don’t know if God called him to do this or if this was his idea and he prayed to God for what he needed but it does demonstrate the kind of confidence true biblical faith is made of. In spite of the circumstances and consequences, would we do as God ask us? Would you walk into a den of lions or a wall of fire? Would you pack up your family and go wherever God tells you? Would you keep strong in faith in the aftermath of losing your home to a fire? Call on Jesus to help you strengthen and keep your faith no matter the circumstances life throws at you or the consequences you will have to endure.

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge

I was reminded of a lesson I learned on love a few years ago. I found out I had some abandonment issues and learned why. My mother who had been going through her own issues at the time didn’t show up to my sisters 3 birthday party. I was 5 at the time. She was gone that whole weekend and when she came back it was only to move out to an apartment. To a five year old girl I felt abandoned and rejected. Thru some therapy and discussions with my mom, I was able to recognize my need to forgive her. Her love had failed me but what I learned was that indeed we are all capable of failing our loved ones. We are not perfect. But God’s love will not fail us. His love endures forever. I made it my mission to not only love on my children but to teach them about God’s love so that if at any time I fail them, they will know that no matter what the people in their lives do that they are loved by a God who cannot fail, who’s love will endure forever. If you haven’t learned this lesson on love or need a reminder of God's enduring love, read Psalm 139.

Psalm 139:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 356

You would think a household could go one day without electricity. Not mine. I got home and the family was out taking Tristan to bible study group so I went around lighting some candles and than they got home. Immediately they all, including my daughter who was so gung-ho about us doing it, agreed that our No electricity experiment was done. TV won. I was actually very thankful as it had been one of those days at work trying to play catch-up to being gone the afternoon before for my shoulder appointment and dentist appointment and vegetating in front of the TV felt like a good idea.  So, my new shoulder PA and doctor take a look at my shoulder and told me I have “frozen shoulder”. Try putting your arms by your sides and hold up you lower arms with fists; keeping your upper arm by your side, move your arms outward. My right one goes out but my left one I could move out about ½”. Wow! Range of motion is dramatically gone. So to surgery I will go. PA explained that this is a fairly common problem especially for women in my age group. The cause a lot of times is related to diabetes or thyroid but I don’t have either of those issues so the doc thinks the probable cause is an impingement which he will take a look at during the surgery and fix anything else that needs fixing. There are lots of things to praise the Lord for in this situation: being listened to, having answers, having hope and knowing that God is in control and taking care of me. I know everything is in His timing and I am thankful for the Holy Spirit filling me with the patience to endure, peace to keep my mood from becoming dark and especially the loving tender care the Lord provides.

Phillipians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 289

I created this scrapbook page recently and finished it up yesterday. I titled it Family Love because these photos reminded me so much of my family and how much we have each endured. My own family going through the scary ride of having premature babies, one being 3 months premature. And my brother's family going through adoption and the issuses they have had been confronted with;  Bi-Polar, ADHD, CAPD. Having children is not all the joyful moments you see on birth announcements or on Christmas cards. God has given us our children for a reason, for his purpose. Both my husband and I have grown tremendously in our faith and have developed a strong marriage because of the adversities we have faced. I know my brother and sister-in-law have struggled but I see them coming out of the hardest part of the adversity stronger and am sure their relationship will end up being stronger for it as well. Is the adversity over? No, there will be more things to overcome and endure as we and our children age. That is life in our fallen world but we have the hope found in Jesus of the life to come and the Holy Spirit to help us through our lives now. This verse about love says it all when it comes to family love.
1Corinthians 13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.