Overcoming Weakness Starts with Recognizing It

As I took my walk last evening, I ended up asking myself what work has God done in me today? I thought of how I saw a friend in the grocery store today but instead of turning around and approaching her to say hi, I blew it off. I did this on Thurs during the middle school open house as well. I saw her and just looked the other way and kept walking. I realize the weakness of my inclusion is this kind of situation. The spontaneous run into someone kind of thing that I do not like. I don’t like to be the initiator in this situation. But God has put it on my heart that I may be missing a chance to give a friend an encouraging word or a listening ear or even a simple hug. I am sorry Lord that I blew off these opportunities to be your hands and feet. Help me to be ready, willing and able to reach out to these people I know when I see them in unexpected places and times. Amen.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 319

My church has over the last couple of years had on display artwork from artists in the church. They create pieces that have to do with an upcoming sermon series and often are shown on the big screen during the sermon as a visual. After seeing a piece of jewelry that someone had made on display this last go around, I realized that I should look into this so I can submit a faithbook page. So, I went to the recent meeting for all artists with our new pastor to go over his thoughts and expectations and we went over a little bit about the upcoming series which will be called Faces on the scripture Isaiah 9:6. The sermons will specifically be about the names in the scripture: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.  These are the faces of God but because we are made in God’s image and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within, we can be a humble glimpse of these faces of God, we reflect in little ways these faces of God in our own faces. A counselor is someone who listens and shares truth and wisdom. We get this all the time from our spouses, parents, friends and co-workers. The friend who listens patiently to you all the time when you need to express the challenge you are facing or the co-worker who empathizes with you as you vent your frustrations or your spouse who will hold you as you cry out your hurts. We see our Mighty God in the faces of people standing up for their faith, in people loving in big ways and in the creative people in the world who can express how great is our God. We can see a glimpse of our Everlasting Father in the dad that has sacrificed his career to take care of his daughter, the mother who in her exhaustion still shows her love to her children, the friend who is always there when you need them. And finally our Prince of Peace can be seen in the face of a family member suffering from cancer with a smile on their face, the friend who lives cheerfully with chronic pain and the neighbor who brings you fresh baked cookies just because. These faces of God are all around us but do we see them in our daily busy lives as the faces of God? Start living each day looking into these faces and recognize that God is with us and working through us all each day. Thanks be to God for showing us who He is, in and through those that are all around us.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 316

This day has blown by and here I am scrambling before bed to get in my praise for the day. I like to do it in the morning when my mind is fresh but Saturday mornings are lazy morning because they can be and one thing leads to another and I end up not doing my normal routine. I am praising the Lord for bringing my long-time mom friend here from Kansas. She need a friend to listen and I need to be affirmed in that I could. Thank you Lord for bringing the people into our lives that can help you see things more clearly and thank you Lord for working through them.
Psalm 86:13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 275

I had a great lunch and vintage shopping time with my sister-in-law yesterday. We talked about our future plans for our working careers and I  felt a sense of freedom after realizing I am not the only one who is getting older and still hasn't figured out what they want to do. I have had a dream to be a counselor and even pursued it slightly about a year ago but was deterred by the time and money it would take. My sister-in-law knows a wonderful counselor who didn't go back to school for it until she was 50. Okay so I have just a few years before I hit that but it made me feel like you are never too old to pursue a dream. So, I will be doing the pros and cons of both medical assisting schooling and counselor schooling and keep praying for God to lead me down the path he wants me to go. I am grateful for a friend like my sister-in-law that I can talk with. Thank you Lord for using the family and friends in our lives to help us find the clear path you want us to take.

Proverbs 4: 18-19 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.