365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 334

I have been seeing a lot more “yield” signs lately thanks to our new round-abouts in our area. It is a good message to let you know it is not about “you”. You can’t just drive into a round-about without some thought. That “yield” sign is a reminder to slow down and allow any cars already in the round-about the right of way. Our life with God is much the same way. Every day God is putting “yield” signs in our path trying to remind us to slow down and allow God to lead the way. In the week ahead, let us be looking out for those “yield” signs from God. I would love to hear from you on what kinds of “yield” signs God puts in your path in the week ahead.

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 207

A song by Colton Dixon keeps running through my head with the words “scars remind us who we are”. We are not perfect. We fail and fail again and fail some more. We say things we shouldn’t say. We do things we shouldn’t do. We don’t do things we should do. We don’t say things that should be said. Got all that? We are not God. We are not in control. The mistakes we have made, the scars within us should remind us of how imperfect we are, of how we are not the one in control. We choose what controls us. Do we let the sinful nature control us or do we let the Holy Spirit control us? It is a choice that must be made continually.

Romans 8: 5-8 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 81

I attended a women's day retreat this weekend at a different church than my own. Although it's always a bit nerve-wracking at first because it's a new place, people you have never met and you don't know what to expect, I found it to be very refreshing after getting past the initial gitters. One of the ladies was awesome and probably could see the anxiety in my face as I just have that kind of wear everything on my sleeve kind of face. She got me introduced to a few people at a table and my anxiety started melting away. They are just people for pete sake. I can't seem to remember that. The main message for the day at the retreat was about connections which I was a bit giddy about since it's been part of my mission to make connections with other Christian women through faithbooking. Did I meet my new best friend? No, but it was nice to be reminded of how similar we all are. We all have fears and we can all call on God to help us overcome our fears, to be courageous, to take initiative and seek out other sisters in Christ. I've made the connection with this church and look forward to meeting and building some relationships with my fellow sisters.
Psalm 27:1 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?

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 65

I was reading the story of Noah last night to my daughter at bedtime and the part at the end about the rainbow gave me an "ah-ha" moment. It says the rainbow is a reminder to us of God's promise to never flood the earth again. The word that popped out to me was 'reminder'. If you have never read through the entire bible you will find it's a major problem for us humans. We have this natural tendency to forget. God was helping us out by creating the rainbow as the symbol of his promise to us. He's given us other symbols at well like the dove with the olive branch, circumcision, miracles, the cross and Jesus, himself. He is always putting out there a trigger that will help us remember Him, who He is and what He promises to us. I love that word 'reminder' because it has been a central part of "me". My memory seems to be a little worse than the average person's and that is probably why I love scrapbooking so much because it give me a way to concretly put down the memeories so I can remember them and be reminded of things I have learned. That is why I love faithbooking so much! Each faithbooking page I create becomes another reminder of something about God that I will forget or will become buried in the mess of life. Keeping our focus on God has to be our number one priority. Blessing will flow if we keep our eyes on God. So, if you haven't yet tried faithbooking, I would love to help you out. I have a few kits thus far for you to come and make at an FTLC workshop or you can order a kit and do it on your own time at home.

This kit is about "Treasure" that we can store in our hearts just like Mary did with her memories of Jesus. I am betting she would have loved to faithbook them if they had scrapbooking at that time. This is done with a new paper pack from Close to My Heart called Florentine but it can also be done in any of Close to My Heart's paper packs. You can pick the colors that suit you and your photos. Order online anytime at www.ctmh.com/janinerobertson and I will mail you the instructions and embellishments to complete your project.
My prayers to you that you start to see all the reminders God has given us and that you may keep your focus on Him.
Genesis: 9:15-16 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

To Be Still and Listen to the Lord

My new letter of the month pin is with the letter "C". I have been contemplating lots of things that seem to start with a "C" so it seemed to be where the Lord is leading me. I have been reading another book by John C Maxwell called Everyone Communicates, Few Connect. I got it from the library and about half way through I knew I needed to buy a copy to have to go back to again and again. Connection has been one of my worries over the last couple of years since I learned from a personality test that my personality is actually labeled as "idealist healer" and only about 1% of the entire population of the world has this personality type. My therapist at the time said this may be why I feel like I am not making connections to people because a large majority of people fall into 2 of the more predominant personality types in the population. Don't ask me to remember what they are. Google Myers-Brigg to do your own personality test and get the scoop on yourself. Or maybe not! Since this was reavealed to me, I have struggled with it even more but I came to the realization some time last week while I was in bed trying to get back to sleep that my supposed lack of connection is my perception. Our perceptions of ourselves compared to what others perceptions are of us are usually drastically off! So, I decided I needed to let go of my perceptions of how my connections are to people and just focus on some of the things that John Maxwell brings up in his book, one of the biggest being to stop thinking about yourself and think of others and what they need and want. So "Connections" is one of my remember-to-focus-on-things this month, hence the "C" pin. "C" also will remind me of Christ and all that he has done for me. It will also be a reminder to focus on 'caring' for others. The "C" is a huge reminder to be 'courageous', let go of my fears and be 'confident' in the person I am that God 'created'.

Make your own "C" for your mirror, walls or a pin like me and see how awesome having a little reminder is.
I have to tell you that my "A" pin got forgoten this Sunday by mistake but as we were going through the sermon which was about adultery and divorce our pastor brought up the book The Scarlet Letter, I think my face must have gone beet red as I realized that NOT wearing my pin that day was totally a "God" thing so I wouldn't get really funny looks.