365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 315

Admitting your weakness, that you need help or you can’t do it on your own is fairly common. It is the way God designed us. However, it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can take this weakness and turn it into a strength that will glorify God. He made us with these potential weaknesses within our temperament so that we would turn to him and ask for help. He wants to help us in every way possible and nothing is impossible with God. I came across a person who didn’t like the idea that God would make us with weaknesses but it is only a weakness when it turns us away from God or creates barriers between us and God. He designed us to be in communion with Him. It is through our weaknesses that we are made strong with the help of the Holy Spirit. Do you have fears of failure, rejection or afraid nobody can love you? God does. He thinks you are fabulous. He thinks you are wonderful. He knows you can be a success with His guidance and wisdom. If a weakness is plaguing you, it is time to take it to God and ask for help. Let Him turn your weakness into strength.

2Corinthians 12:9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 229

In reading the seventh chapter in Acts, I was questioning along my reading why was Stephen reiterating the history of the Jews but as I read further I realized that within this history is the pattern of rejection and rebelliousness they had towards God. He was boldly attempting to show them that they were continuing with that pattern with how they rejected Jesus and how they are rejecting the apostles who are now speaking in His name. There can be truth spoken to us through our past history. I know my own testimony in coming to know the truth was through accepting the sins of my past as sins so that I could lay them at the cross. We continue that pattern set by the Hebrews of rejecting God and rebelling against Him. That first thing that needs to be conquered is this history. We have to recognize and accept that we have indeed been rejecting God and rebelling against Him. Not many of us will be boldly told to look at our past history to see the error of our ways but the truth will set you free. How can we be boldly share with others the truth that is shown in each of our own histories? Through the Holy Spirit…Stephen was filled with it and we can be too.

Acts 7: 55-56 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 

Have a Friday filled with boldness and the Holy Spirit!

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 68

Last evening, I picked up my 16 year old son at this bible study group and we headed home. On the way, he courageously asked me for advice on Valentine’s Day saying this was the first Valentine’s Day that he wanted to do something for someone. My son has a girlfriend that he met through his church youth group. I gave him my suggestions and we talked about how he has gotten a boost of confidence because he knows someone likes him. I had to tell him that there are probably other girls that like you but just haven’t had the courage to say anything. I remember having a crush on a boy starting in 5^th grade and never did I say or do anything about it. Fear of rejection is so very real for all of us. We have to choose to let go and know that we are loved by our God who gave himself so that we might live. There is a road ahead for my son that will have rejection and heartache but I will be praying that he will draw closer to God and be filled with His love.

Romans 5:2-5 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 68

Last evening, I picked up my 16 year old son at this bible study group and we headed home. On the way, he courageously asked me for advice on Valentine’s Day saying this was the first Valentine’s Day that he wanted to do something for someone. My son has a girlfriend that he met through his church youth group. I gave him my suggestions and we talked about how he has gotten a boost of confidence because he knows someone likes him. I had to tell him that there are probably other girls that like you but just haven’t had the courage to say anything. I remember having a crush on a boy starting in 5^th grade and never did I say or do anything about it. Fear of rejection is so very real for all of us. We have to choose to let go and know that we are loved by our God who gave himself so that we might live. There is a road ahead for my son that will have rejection and heartache but I will be praying that he will draw closer to God and be filled with His love.

Romans 5:2-5 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge

I was reminded of a lesson I learned on love a few years ago. I found out I had some abandonment issues and learned why. My mother who had been going through her own issues at the time didn’t show up to my sisters 3 birthday party. I was 5 at the time. She was gone that whole weekend and when she came back it was only to move out to an apartment. To a five year old girl I felt abandoned and rejected. Thru some therapy and discussions with my mom, I was able to recognize my need to forgive her. Her love had failed me but what I learned was that indeed we are all capable of failing our loved ones. We are not perfect. But God’s love will not fail us. His love endures forever. I made it my mission to not only love on my children but to teach them about God’s love so that if at any time I fail them, they will know that no matter what the people in their lives do that they are loved by a God who cannot fail, who’s love will endure forever. If you haven’t learned this lesson on love or need a reminder of God's enduring love, read Psalm 139.

Psalm 139:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 62

God gave me an idea this week. You know how an idea can just come to you out of the blue, yeah, that's God. After my experience with my new friend who came to the first FTLC Crop and my conversations with her, I could see how crucial it is to get people to try out faithbooking and that what was going to really convince them of it was actually going through doing their first layout. So, how do I get in front of women to do that? My new friend suggested to do a workshop at a Women's retreat which is an awesome idea and a day or two later God popped that little idea into my head. Women's bible study groups. Oh yeah, and I have one that I am in. So, yesterday as our bible study group was wrapping up for the evening, I conquered my fears and made the pitch to them. It will be an experiment and they are my guinea pigs. LOL! They were agreeable and I left feeling on top of the moon with excitement and amazement that with the Lord's help, I let go of my fear of rejection or 'what are they going to think' and kept saying to myself just as Jesus says to us over and over again in bible, "Don't be afraid" He was right there with me, I knew it. So, I am So praising him for the enlightenment that I got last night. Like Max Lucado says in our bible study Fearless, you can't do anything about the storms that may come your way but you can choose not to fear. How about you? Do you have a fear that needs to be knocked flat? Look to the Lord and he will help you take that fear and shove it.
Mark 5:26 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."