365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 195

It's been on my mind and heart where this ministry is going as you already know. After lots of thought and prayer and discussing this with my hubbie, I am at peace with what I now know is the correct mindset. I joined the business mastermind group in January to be in a group that would be helpful in giving me ideas, encouragement and guidance. It did do that but I have also found that it made me think of this ministry more as a business and how to generate money. I have looked at it from all angles and find it's just not possible to do enough workshops to make the kind of money I am making at my current job. My dream of doing my scrapbooking as a business and having it be my full-time job is not feasible. This is a ministry to help women and that's what it will be. Where God takes it, I will follow. Thanks to the Lord for giving my husband the words of encouragement, wisdom and guidance that I needed to steer my course where God wants it to be.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 194

I have two more doses of medicine that are needed to heal the disease to please that I have to share with you.
Being shackled by expectations was another morsel in this sermon on Sunday that gave me a good visual too. Am I so worried about what other people think of me that I am not truly serving God in the best way possible? Yes, it is true. I am not trying to win the approval of God, but the approval of man. I am ashamed and will be everyday asking the Holy Spirit for his help to let go of wanting to get people's approval and focus only on making God proud of me. Paul says it well in Galations 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Chist. Step number two will be to pray everyday for my faith to rule over my actions and let go of the fears that keep me from being the servant of Christ I want to be. I especially like this quote said by who knows who? "Courage is fear that has said it's prayers."
We will encounter rejection, suffering and misunderstanding said Pastor Singleton. It's not something anyone wants to encounter but it is a truth and it should not be a deterent to taking action for Christ.  Another quote I found speaks well of this idea of using action to conquer fear, "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to couquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." Dale Carnegie.
I read an article on-line about the steps to conquering the fear of rejection. The method was simple, just go out and face that fear and do it.  Let it be your goal to be rejected 10 times and you will find that the more you just do it, the easier it gets.  It may take the 10 "no's" to encounter the "yes" and it is always worth getting the "yes".  The third dose of medicine to heal us from this disease to please is to take action.
So, I put all this into a faithbooking layout and starting contemplating the photos I would use. I started looking through some photos already printed I had lying around just to do some photo placement on the design and came across the perfect photos.  These are photos of myself taken back in the late 80's that I put into my hope chest because I didn't want to show anyone. They have been there all these years and I pulled them out recently and my hubbie saw them for the first time. Again I have been self-conscious about what others will think and I knew that my first action in conquering my fear of this is to put them in my faithbook page and display it.  It wasn't any coincidence that the color I am wearing in the photos goes with the faithbook design colors. Thank you Lord for bringing me this lesson and leading me to use these photos. It feels good to be free of the fear! I will continue to take my meds to help me overcome my fears. Are you in need of some medicine too?
Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 193

Our sermon on Sunday was definitely profound for me because I feel I am at a crossroads with my fears and my faith. Do I take the road with my fears or do I follow the straight path to God with Jesus by my side and the Holy Spirit within me? There were so many good tidbits in this sermon that my mind was having trouble just keeping to one.  Let's start with the disease I now have a name for... the disease to please. Pastor Singleton said this fear is rooted in self-love and the desire for wanting others to love us. I think the lesson that I thought I knew about God's love being the most important and only love that a person needs to feel hasn't sunk in enough. I do care what others think of me and it is stopping me from taking my dreams of my ministry onward. I looked up some quotes about fears and one that really nails it is "You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith." Mary Manin Morrissey. Thank you Lord for making me aware of this disease to please and giving me the medicine I need to cure my sickness.  Intentionally focusing on my faith all the time and growing it is the first step. More on step two tomorrow...
Matthew 10: 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 192

It was so facinating to watch our daughter process the mix of emotions going through her as we got her off to Upward Bound camp. She was excited and scared all at the same time but as we got her to her lodge and found her bed and counselor, you could see the scared part melting away. Than we walked around looking for her brother and that took away the rest of the fears. As we were walking away to leave, we saw her standing there unsure of what to do, where to go but when I turned back one last time, I saw her talking with one of the adult counselors and knew she was going to be fine. I am so thankful for God that we can give this opportunity to our children to enjoy the company of believers in the beautiful setting of the forest camp in the mountains. What a wonderful experience it will be for them!
Psalms 47:1-2 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth!

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 191

My yougest will join my oldest today and start their week long adventure at their church camp. I have mixed feelings as I do feel a bit of worry for my youngest and how she things will go for her during the week. My other feelings have to do with how quiet it will be in the house without them both. Just me and my hubbie. Hmmmm. I am praising God for this upcoming week as an opportunity to have a one-on-one camp with my hubbie. It will be a good refreshing thing for our marriage. So though it's bittersweet and a little worrisome with both my kids leaving us for a week, I am looking forward to the time for renewal and peace. My prayer is all the kids at camp this week stay safe, sunburn-free, enjoy the experiences and open their hearts to the Lord.
Phillipians 4: 6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving. present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 190

People at my work having been talking about the negative path the new owners have taken us on. One co-worker was complaing this week how she was ready to walk out. Others have been searching for new jobs, polishing their resume's and just coping the best they can with the workload that has been put on us all without further compensation. I spoke with a co-worker at the end of the day as we were leaving and she needed to vent so I let her. She made the mistake of not taking a job she was offered because they wouldn't give her two weeks so she could quit without leaving her fellow co-workers with more crud piled on us. She won't make that mistake again. I told her I would have no hard feelings and would be glad she found something else that will hopefully end up being better than our current situation. I am learning slowly but surely that I just need to keep my mouth shut and my ears open. No need to give them a reason to let me go before I am ready to be let go. My wise husband says it's better to get a job while you still have a job. He is right, of course. So, I am thankful to him for being my listening board and giving me some good wise advise. Have you been in a situation that made you want to vent? Vent to God and a trusted spouse about what's going on.
Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 189

I was  listening to the radio as I drove to work yesterday and they had an exclusive interview with Jeremy Camp about my current favorite song of his and where he got the idea from. The song is "Overcome". He said he met and spoke to a man from New Life Church right here in Colorado Springs and found out he had written this song after the tragic shooting at the church. That church has gone through some challenging ordeals with the shooting and the scandal regarding the lead pastor but they have overcome and are still thriving. With Jesus, we too can overcome just at the song says. Listen to the song here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhmcmpX4Zn4&feature=related  It is a wonderful song of worship so listen when you can really listen to the words and worship the Lord. Like another current favorite song of mine says, "love has come, love has won." Let the love of God fill you up today and all the days to come.
Galations 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.