365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 218

We have had some serious hot weather in the last week and it will be continuing. I haven't had to deal with it much thanks to being at work and when at home we have the blessing of AC but I know others are not so fortunate. I am thankful to God for beautiful warm sunny days and for the AC for those really hot days. They suggested on the radio if you don't have AC to go to the mall, go see a movie or go bowling during the hotest parts of the day. I think Ice Age 3 comes out this weekend so we might go chill-out and watch that. Stay cool and comfortable.

1 Samuel 12:17-18 "...I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain...and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day...."

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 217

Praising God for my co-worker friendships. Our company has changed a lot since the new owners took over. Unfortunately, although a small part has been good the people aspect part has become terrible. We've lost benefits and are being micro-managed to the point that people are making comments about just walking out. In the breadth of those same negative comments, however, are the comments that its the people we work with that make it worthwhile. Its good to focus on the good aspects like this and let the others go since there isn't anything we can do about how the company is run. I am thankful to God for the friendships with my co-workers, the laughs we share, the listening ears for our venting and for making going to work a good thing. The situations we find ourselves in may not be to our liking but in the midst you will always discover that its the relationships with others that makes it all worth it. Here's a good quote from CS Lewis on friendship: 

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”

Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 216

My morning got away from me so this will be a quicky. Praising God for keeping the fire fighters safe. Praying they continue to be safe and get this fire contained soon.
Psalm 37:3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 215

It was a sad and scary day yesterday seeing how the fire has spread and come into our town. Unknown numbers of homes have burned but we are thankful that people are safe and fire fighters are safe. Our homes are like our children in so many ways. We invest alot of time and money into them and we have tons and tons of memories within them. I am thankful that those these people whose homes have been burned are alive and that they had some preparation time to get some of those things that cannot be replaced. They may not have gotten all the things out that they wanted but in the end none of it goes with us in our next life in heaven. I am not going to lie. I came home from work after stopping multiple times to take photos of what I was seeing and collected some of my scrapbooks into one spot. Tonight I will probably get out the suitcase that I packed several years ago for emergency situations. It needs to be updated with clothes that fit the kids and who knows what. I will be checking out the Red Cross website for the list of things they will have that you should have packed and ready to go in case of emergencies. We should not fear but it is good to be prepared for anything. How prepared are you for an emergency situation? How prepared are you to meet your Lord and Savior? How prepared are you if you haven't accepted Christ? Jesus will be returning and it could be at any moment.

Matthew 16:26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 214

The last part of the sermon on Sunday had a beautiful story about a little boy that gets up on a stage with a piano in front of a large audience. The audience is awaiting the entrance and performance of a famous master pianist. To their dismay, they see this little boy get up on the stage and go to the piano. He starts to play Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star. The audience is shocked by what it happening but nobody does anything. The famous pianist comes out and stands behind the boy at the piano reaching to either side of the boy and begins to play an accompaniment to the boy's song. As he does this, he whispers in the boys ear to keep playing. The audience that evening was given a rare gift with this combined performance. Our pastor said, we have to keep playing our little part, our Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star and our master will come put his arms around us and give us what we need to do and be who he calls us to be. I am praising God for this story with this image I now have in my mind of a little boy at a piano in front of a large audience playing his little song and the master coming to support him. It's not about us, the clay pots but the Lord Almighty's spirit within us. With Jesus within us, all things are possible.

Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, "with man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 213

Praise to our Heavenly Father for the gift of our pastor, Jim Singleton who preached his last sermon to us yesterday as pastor of our church. It was bittersweet as we are sad to see him go but we know that he is doing what God calls him to do which is to teach the next generation of pastors. The sermon was about the analogy that many of us have heard before of us being jars of clay and God being the potter. He told a couple of powerful stories to bring home his point that we are all just ordinary people just as the people of the bible were and God used them for some great things. It didn't matter that Moses had a talking problem or Ruth was a Moabite. What mattered was they were obedient to God's call. We are all jars of clay. Some of us are broken, chipped, marred, dirty. Some of us are like new, freshly made pots. It doesn't matter what the pot is. It's what they contain that matters. Jesus is what we should be filled up with. Our pastor told this story of a boy who has cerebral palsy who is away at a summer boys church camp. All week long the boys in his group are constantly teasing and mocking him by imitating his slow awkward speech and the way he walks. On the last day, this group of boys is asked to nominate a speaker from their group. The boys as a final intentional act, all vote for the boy with cerebral palsy to be the speaker. The boy is asked, "what is the most important thing you have learned this week?" It took him a full 5 minutes to get out these 10 words.  God...............................loves.......................................me................................................................
God...............................................................loves....................................................you...................So...
..........................I.....................................................love........................you............................too.
There was not a dry eye in the audience, including the boys who had been be-littling him all week. God can do great things through us no matter who we are. Fill your jar with Jesus and let his love pour out of you.

2Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 212

My daughter and I went to see the new movie "Brave". It was a fantastic movie filled with good laughs, scary moments and a great message. The main theme of the message is about pride. I found myself curious about this word. It's one of those words that you know what it means but you don't have the words to actually define it. So, I did a little research and found pride to be considered the sin that started all sins. This is the sin that Lucifer had that led to the fall. Pride is the excessive belief in one's own abilities that interferes with the individuals recognition of the grace of God. I found a quote that says it very well: Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of Pride "inordinate self-love is the cause of every sin (1,77) ... the root of pride is found to consist in man not being, in some way, subject to God and His rule." There is a very good article about pride that is well worth reading at http://www.allaboutgod.com/sin-of-pride.htm.  It says the opposite of pride is humility. It is like fighting fire with water. It gives two good examples of pride from the bible and talks about how to recognize pride which is very subtle and how to combat it. I am thanking God for the gift of this movie that shows how pride tears things apart and how humility mends them. I pray that others that watch this movie who are suffering from this sin of sins will finally come to recognize the truth. Take a look at your own life, as I will do myself, and exam your motives. That is a good start... 

1Peter 5:5 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 211

So today was a first! I asked my hubbie if he would help me color my hair. Never in our 16+ years of marriage have I asked him to do anything like this but my shoulders are just not doing well and I can't lift my arms above my head like that for long and forget trying to do the back. I didn't do such a good job last time and had my hair dresser cleaned up the mess I made. Summertime is just higher expense time so I had to sacrifice getting my hair done by a professional and pay the $8 for a box of color and ask my hubbie to do it. I have to say it was a good little bonding experience and my husband's attention to detail was a big plus. He did a great job! So, I am praising God for the joy of sharing something with my hubbie that we haven't done together before.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 210

Nobody ever talks about the emotional side of getting old. I think when your body starts not cooperating and is not like it use to be, it can be a bitter pill to take. There is a grieving process that you end up in. Greiving for the body and capablities you once had. In the midst of the grieving, I grabbed onto words from a song by Jeremy Camp, "there will be a day with no more pain, no more tears, no more fears". The hope of what's to come pulled me through another bout of old-age grief. I am forever thankful to God for the gift of Jesus and the hope of what's to come in heaven. He is a light at the end of our journey in the latter part of our lives that can take away the darkness. I will keep looking to my hope.

John 16:20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.  You will grieve but your grief will turn to joy.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 209

Sometimes we have to just thank God for waking up. It's been a struggle the last couple of days. The birds are waking us up at 4am and we manage to get back to sleep.  But come 5:30 when we normally get up, we are wanting to keep sleeping and not get out of bed. It's been a coffee kind of week thanks to the birds. So, I am putting a positive spin on it today and just praising God for another new day to live out his love. May your days be filled with his love and your mornings be peaceful and bird chirping-free.

Pslam 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 208

This is going to sound so pathetic but right now but I am praising God for the gift of air conditioning. We have been having some record heat the last few days and our state is burning up. We have been praying every night together for the firefighters to be safe and the Lord to put out the fires. It's hard to imagine 180 homes being destroyed and all those families are probably feeling shock, loss, greif and more. So, as I sat in my cool home last night I was thankful for the comfort. We take these kinds of things for granted because we have them all the time or when we need them they are there. But life can happen and any of us can be in that position without a home, clothing, food, etc. My prayer this morning is for these people who have suffered this loss and that they will find comfort knowing that the Lord is with them no matter what the circumstance. I pray they see God in the face of the strangers who are providing them with food, shelter and other necessities. Help them to let go of the worldly and look to you. Amen.

Pslam 119:76 May your unfailing love be my comfort

Donate to evacuees using this website, http://www.helpcoloradonow.org/

If you want to help the evacuated animals, you can donate to the Larimer Humane Society online here: http://www.larimerhumane.org/.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 207

My daughter had the choice of going to her YMCA camp on Wednesday and the field trip they would be going on or going to a swimming birthday party. It turns out the field trip is just not exciting enough and the birthday party wins. It makes me think about our own choices. We have an un-told number of choices that we have to make each day. Some of these you have forgotten they are choices like how you choose to approach the day with your attitude or how you react to interuption after interuption when you are trying to do something. There are more choices we are making everyday than we realize and in the busyness of life we can go from choice to choice without much thought. We just make them and deal with any consequences. It's a challenge to stop, think and pray for God to guide us in every choice we make but it is something that will inevitiably be beneficial to our life. Seek God in everything and God's blessing will be with us. How do we go about trying to seek God with every decision we have to make? It starts with a simple prayer every morning that sets you up for the day. Father, we thank you for another day to live out our lives shinning your light. Guide us today in each choice we have to make and steer us down the straight path towards you. Amen.
Proverbs 3:6 ...in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 206

We watched the movie Acts of Valor yesterday as our Father's Day afternoon movie. It's a movie based on true events of Navy Seals and even has the Navy Seals doing the acting. I won't give away the whole story but it makes you think of all the sacrifices our military have given. The Navy Seals are the best of the best. What they do for our country is amazing. There is evil out there and it is working hard to get to us and get to our country. I am thankful for the men and women who take up arms and work even harder to keep that evil away from us. Praise God for the soldiers of our land who are out there doing everything they can, even dying to keep us safe. We, too, are soldiers in this war for souls. Here's a thought to ponder: How can we be the best of the best in the war for souls?

Romans 12: 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 205

Today is the day we honor and celebrate our fathers. My Dad is the kind of guy who doesn't talk much except for those things that really interest him like politics, sports or their traveling adventures. We actually have that in common. I, too, tend to not be a big talker except when it's regarding those things that interest me the most which are God and scrapbooking. My hubbie will testify to the times I get on a soap box about something, too. I do have my talking moments. But in the end it's not the talking that really counts but the listening. How well of a listener am I? I tend to be a very focused thinker. I can multi-task like all women do so well but it's got to be with less-brain focusing activities. This makes my listening a bit more challenging when someone is trying to communicate something to me. My focus has to be directly on the person talking so I can fully take in and process what they are saying to me. To truly be listening to God is very much the same way. We have to have our focus on Him. This, like everything else, has to be an intentional thing that we commit to doing to really receive the blessings that will flow when our listening ears are in-tune to God. What are you doing everyday that puts your focus soley on God? Make today the first day you commit to one way you are going to focus on God, be it in prayer, reading scripture or a devotional, singing worship songs, journaling or faithbooking. Have a blessed Father's Day! Glory be to our God and Father of All!
Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father, who gave you life...

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 204

I have been struggling with my weight the last couple months. I have gained to that weight some of us set for ourselves that tell us, Uh Oh, time to watch what I am eating and get moving. I reached that weight a couple months ago after my trip out to Texas with my mom and sister. To make matters worse, instead of going down it's gone up more. Ugh. Last Friday I committed to myself to not eat desserts for a week. No chocolate, candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, NOTHING. I did it which is great but the weight is still there. I know it's only a week but I have been use to doing good for a couple days and see my weigth drop a pound. I have been getting in some excercising too so maybe I am just building muscle back that I lost and that's counter-acting the weight loss I had hoped for? In any case, I am thankful to God for the abundance of food options we have and I am praying that he will provide me with the self-control and to be prepared. That was one of the things I learned from Weight Watchers, to be prepared. Plan ahead on what you will eat. My planning has been very piece-meal so I know I can improve upon that. I will have to keep holding on to the three P's. Patience, Persistence and Prayer.  I will get my weight back to a heathly level with God's help.
1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 203

My thoughts are with the fire fighters battling the big fire up by Ft Collins and now with the Lake George fire down here. We pray for their safety and for rain to help put this fire out. I heard yesterday the scope of the fire up by Ft Collins is over 80 acres. A friend at work put that into a perspective I could understand. It's like all of Washington DC. OH MY! I just stood their with the shock of realizing how big that is. We lived near DC when I was 17 so I have been out there. When things are so big and so overwhelming, who can overcome it? That's right only God. Praise be to God the creator of all things who has the power to overcome all things. Please continue to pray and remember everything is according to His timing and His plan. When big things are on your path, look up.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a theif. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 202

Sometimes you just need to get in bed and read a good book! Camping out in front of the television night after night just doesn't work for me. I have my coach potato tendencies but I do like to mix it up a bit. Mostly, I will either go out in the hot tub or go down in my studio and do some creating but every once in a while a good book crosses my path. Several family members recommended 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult. If a book doesn't grab me in the first 20 pages it isn't going to make it. Okay, this one has me hooked. I am to the point now where I want to read more to see what's going to happen. I am praising the Lord for the gift of writing that he has given to some people. Words can take you somewhere other than your own reality, make you think and inspire you. The bible does this for me everyday giving me words of wisdom, words of inspiration, words that make me think and takes me to a place with just me and my saviour. I wanna go back to it again and again because it gives me something every time. Thank you Lord for your words and for using others in their writing to bring out truths about you.

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 201

I started writing about something else but my daughter just came down and said "mom you are needed" in her sweet voice. I just had to grab her into a hug. I have to go help her with the milk so this is short and sweet. Praise God for the feeling of being needed and the heartfelt words that come out of children.
Matthew 18:3 "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 200

Standing up for yourself and others is something that many of us don't do very well. Off the top of my head, I think it's probably the whole fear of what others will think thing coming into play. I have seen and read a couple of things in the last day that remind me that standing up for your beliefs, a person, yourself, etc is something we all need to do but don't always do. I saw it last night on the Bachlorette. Yes, I watch that show and I don't care what you think. The bachlorette is a single mom of a 6 year old daughter so there is a dynamic to the show that has not been there before. One of the men commented to the other men that she has baggage, referring to her daughter. Only one of them ended up going to her and telling her what happened because he too is a father and wouldn't want anyone saying such things about his son. She did a great job of standing up for herself and her daughter and booted the guy off the show. She said she felt she lost trust in them all because only one spoke up. I understood her feelings but was happy to see she got past that once she talked with each of them some more. Courage is rare and should be celebrated. We should be inspired ourselves to stop thinking and just do the brave thing. I am praising the Lord for showing another example of being able to stand up for yourself or someone else and be able to forgive those who don't.

Exodus 14:13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today."

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 199

God gave me some more reminders of how I need not be afraid of what other people think, that only him matters. A watched a movie in the afternoon about a daughter of a pastor who reflects the love she has for the Lord in inspiring ways. She ends up connecting with a troubled boy who, because of her, changes into a wonderful young man. The movie is called A Walk to Remember which is based on a book by Nicholas Sparks. What really spoke was how she didn't care what others thought of her. She did and was what the Lord wanted for her. I won't give away the story... You have to go watch it and get the inspiration that I got. Another reminder of how we need not to be afraid of what other people think was in the book by Max Lucado I read to my daughter last night called You Are Special. It's about a world with wooden people who go around putting star or dot stickers on each other based on the good things you do or the way they look. The main character meets another who doesn't have any stickers and finds out how he too can be like that by going to see his maker, the carver Eli.  It's a great analogy type story of us and God and how we need not be afraid of what other people think. It only matters what God thinks and he thinks you are special. It's a must read for adults and kids. I am thankful to the Lord for reminding me because of my forgetful nature of how special I am and that only what he thinks of me matters.

But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

365 Days of Praise Challenged-Day 198

You would think it was July or something? This heat is not fun. We braved the heat and went to the Renaissance Festival yesterday. I think my brain is still melted from it. I do not do well with hot weather but I made the best of it and just plowed along enjoying those moments that will come but once. My son had a momentous occasion and bought his first hunting knife. My daughter's momentous ocassion came while she was eating a vanilla shake that was topped with chocolate sauce. She blended it in and was making a good mess of it on her face when a Renaissance Festival character walked by and said "are you eating mudd?" Her face was just classic. Another personal highlight of the day for me was the wild animal show. This year they brought out a white tiger that was only 8 months old. Mind you at 8 months, they look full grown but he acted like a cub with a very playful nature. It was quite the site to see the tiger giving the trainer a playful hug. Tigers are my favorite animal in all of God's kingdom so when I saw a drawing at a booth of a tiger and his reflection in water, I knew I had to get it. It reminds me of how we are always casting a reflection. Whether we see it in a mirror, water or not at all; it is there. We constantly are reflecting what is in our hearts and minds. I have to be more aware of how I am reflecting my thoughts and feelings. Is the love of Christ being reflected or is it my own frustrations of life? More often it is the latter but I am praying that there will come a time when I will be reflecting my love of Jesus more than anything else.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 197

We picked up our kids from camp yesterday. Our daughter was very happy to see us. She apparently only had the fever Wednesday night and Thursday morning and than it was gone and did not return. The nurse and head counselor both said that perhaps it was a case of home sickness. Anything is possible. What we think can definitely have an effect on our bodies. Her one comment that stuck with me as we drove home was, "I can't wait to be home." Our ultimate "home" is heaven. Like my daughter, we can also get home sick. Are you feeling disconnected from God? Has life gotten in the way of your focus on the Lord? Have your trials and tribulations taken you further from God rather than closer? Do you know the Lord? Perhaps, like I was at one time, still searching for a "home"? We have a home but while we are here on Earth we have to cure our home sickness with a dose of the truth in the Word of God or a dose of fellowship with other believers or a spoonful of medicine called "worship".  Take your daily dose of vitiamins called Jesus and prevent the home sickness from infecting you again. Let the Lord make his home in you.
John 14:23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 196

You don't want to get a phone call about any of your kids when they are away at camp. It can only be not good news. I got one of those phone calls yesterday from the head camp counselor. Someone's in trouble or sick?. Faith had a fever the night before of 102. She apparently was fine now and said she wanted to stay so they were calling to give us a heads up in case the fever came back. The thing that both my husband and I picked up on the most was the fact that she really wanted to stay. She is apparenlty having a great time despite the fever on night 4. So though it was not a call you want to get, we both took it as good news that all was well with our baby girl out in the world. We have been praying that she would reach that point of independence and getting away from the clingingness to her mom and dad. I think we are getting there! She's been overcoming her own natural fears and conquering them. Thank you Lord for walking with my kids and giving them what they need to grow in their faith and become all you want them to be.
Proverbs 3:26...for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

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.