365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 316

Reality TV has a special quality to it. It’s real. I love to see the interaction between people and what is said and not said. It is really a fascinating study on people and our relationships with one another. Survivor is my long-time running favorite reality show. Last night, a tribe member that was in a 5 girl alliance made the choice of going to another girl in the alliance and suggested voting out another girl in the alliance that she was personally getting annoyed with because of all her strategy talk. Unfortunately, the girl she told went to “annoying” girl and told her. The “annoying” girl went to the girl that started this all and asked her if she talked to so and so about voting her off. The girl that started this all chose at that moment to lie. At tribal council, it was mentioned in the discussion that “trust has to be earned”. And yes, they voted out the girl that broke the trust. This morning as I was thinking on this statement I was able to see how our trust in God works in the same way as with others. Trust is earned. When we meet someone for the first time, some of us more than others will be more naturally trusting but the truth is that it will take some time and getting to know this person before a real trust is formed. This real trust, however, must be maintained. If you lie to a person like this girl did, that other person has lost their trust in you and it will take more time and effort to regain that trust. The beginnings of trusting God will come more easily for some depending on what has happened in their life and what kind of foundation if any was built with learning about God as children. But to get to that “real” trust you have to get to know God. The more you study and pray, the more time you are spending working on building up the “real” trust, the deeper that trust will go. You have to keep working on getting to the point where you really know God and with that knowing you will have a “real” deep trust in Him. The things that happen to us in this world will not shake you. You will be able to overcome all trials and tribulations because you know God is always with you, never fails you and will never forsake you. Evaluate your trust in God this week and commit to working on building up the “real” trust through prayer and study in His word. The reward of having that trust is valuable beyond measure.  

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

 

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 110

Reality TV is popular for a reason. It is real and you see some real emotions. Usually, it is the heartfelt tears but this week’s Survivor had a man who was really mad. He was so mad he literally dumped out the rice and beans for the tribes food. That is a big bad on Survivor! His tribe had unanimously voted to forfeit the immunity challenge to the other tribe and go to tribal counsel which has never been done before on all the seasons of this show. This man was crazed with his anger and it was like a volcano going off to watch it. He was out of control. He is one of the fan favorites from a past season who from the past talked about his faith and God but not this season. He has strayed the path and it showed in his total loss of self-control and tantrum of anger that he displayed. He was proud to be voted off in the end because he wanted to control his destiny. He needs our prayers. This was a very real example of how our temperament weaknesses can be played out. Without God in his life, this weakness with anger was able to take reign over him. I pray that he will find his way back to God and get in the Word and ask the Holy Spirit to help him with his anger, give him self-control and especially understand and accept that God is the one in control. 

Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. 

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 286

Ah, the interview process. It is not a favorite of mine. Although, I have prepped for all the typical questions, it was those hypothetical ones that had me shaking in my boots. I am thinking I did the best I could do. I went back over one of those hypotheticals with my hubbie and he said that would have been the answer
he would have given. Of course, it came out better when I told him because I had been thinking about it for several hours. But the answer was there. Hopefully, they saw it through my rambling thought processing of an answer. I get to do it all over again today with another panel of people. I think this time I may write down the key word for each question so I don't end up taking a tangent on my answer and not getting back to answering what they asked. I feel very honored to have found out that I am one of 4 remaining candidates. I feel like I am living a reality TV show where people get voted off, like Survivor. I am fighting for survival to get this job. The good news is I will probably find out fairly quickly if I make it to the final two because the final two get to do another panel interview next week. Whew! It is a very thorough process they have done trying to find the right person for the job and I told them so. It says something good about the place I want to work for which happens to be my church. But in the end, it will be God's will that is done. Thank you Lord for this opportunity at my church and though only one can get the job, I pray that each of us feel blessed as I do for having come this far.

Psalm 105: 1-2 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!