365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 189

I was very much taken with this message within our sermon yesterday: “God’s main goal in this life is to bring wholeness.” One of the main points in my studies on temperament theory is how we are triune beings with a body, soul and spirit and we were designed to be in relationship with God. Our pastor made a good point in saying that many people hearing this message today will think it a slap in the face because they have been praying for healing for themselves or another and it hasn’t happened or didn’t happen and died. The ways and plans of God are beyond our understanding but I thought it was great that our pastor took the risk stating the truth. We are not just made up of our physical bodies. If our soul and spirit are not healthy and aligned with God, than we are sick. Jesus came to heal the sick not just physically but especially spiritually. People will often put all their focus on the physical and not on the soul or spirit. It is important to feed your spirit and bring wisdom to your soul if you want to be in balance and whole.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 163

Nothing really ever goes as you plan it. Our hike yeterday got postponed to another time due to the looming dark clouds but we did take the kids to a park and tried to get in some walking around the playground to burn off all the calories we just ate from our mexican feast. As I was talking my my sister-in-law around the playground about my ministry and where it could go, she said something that really stood out to me and, of course, my memory won't serve me correctly so this is not a direct quote, "there are lots of hurting people out there that could benefit greatly by experiencing sitting down with others going through the sames kinds of issues and creating scrapbook pages that reflect these issues". The key part of this was the "hurting people". My original ministry idea was to bring believers together so they could study together and create faithbooking pages that will create a legacy of their faith and help in their growth process along the way. I am now seeing how this ministry could reach out to the hurting in the world. The plans for this ministry are not mine, they are God's so I will continue to pray, research and keep my eyes, ears and heart open to all the possiblities that God will bring my way to take this ministry. Thank you Lord for my sister-in-law and speaking through her!
Mark 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."