Saturday, July 30, 2011

why then is it so d i f f i c u l t for me to follow through and do it?

God never takes a person to a certain point to then make the decision to drop them off in a ditch out in the middle of nowhere. He is constantly carrying when we need it, and He is constantly taking care of us. We may not know what the future holds and we may question the purpose. But,comfort can be found in knowing that we are never alone, that God is always there. It is up to us to just hold on, listen and obey.
this came to my mind earlier today. all of it sounds great. is true. has complete overtones of comfort, but then i ask myself the question: "why, is it so hard to do?" my mind becomes filled with actually several questions. you know some of the normal ones: 1.) why is God doing this? 2.) when will it end? 3.) what is He trying to teach? 4.) how could this have happen? 5.) was it my fault? and honestly, i could go on and ask several more...at this point in time my mind is filled with questions. but, as i have written before, we see just a small, tiny place, a corner if you will on a huge canvass. there is no way in the world that it would be possible for us to see the entire picture, and even if we could because of the fact of our mortal bodies and minds we would be incapable of handling all that we would see and know.
as i have sat and intently thought of what our family is going through, i do believe the only way to bear the pain is to constantly give it over to the only one who can handle it and it is God Himself. see now what i just said is a prime example of me knowing what is the truth, my question is why then is it so difficult for me to follow through and do it? i feel like each time that i don't, i am falling short, and sinning. then of course there's the other part of me that says, "Kim, you are human, you will fail, yet at the same time strive to do what is right." i don't think we can apply 100% and all at once that which is the right and proper thing to do,at all times,at least that's what i believe and of course i could be wrong....i just feel as humans that have been saved by grace still live in a body that is earthly and perfection has not been obtained therefore mistakes will be made, even if God has revealed to us the answer and has shown us what we need to do to correct a situation or if we entirely apply that which He has shown, for problems to be much easier to face. i believe we are constantly striving, reaching, and yes there will be times of victories, but there will also be times when we don't quite hit the mark, is that to say that we are hypocrites? no, i believe it expresses the fact that we are human and must rely on God to help us. i fail more than i would like to admit. i write things here on my blog that God places on my heart and then to apply it to my own life, many times i fall short. God gives the answer but it can be difficult so many times to take that answer or answers and put them to practice. i will strive. i will aim for the goal of putting to practice that which God reveals to me. will there be times when i will fail? yes. is it because i don't care? no. it's because i am a human still growing in Christ, still learning how to apply what He reveals to me. and still yearning with all of me to be a servant whose heart longs to follow and obey. 

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

p r a y e r . . .

well, i have been debating this back and forth in my own head. i have been debating whether i should use my blog to ask for a favor. many of you i know are Christians. you believe in God and you believe in prayer. so, i decided that since this is a blog that i started and it is supposed to be transparent that it would be OK to use it to ask for a favor.
my favor is simply this: would you please pray for my family? we are hurting so deeply right now. some things have happen that we clearly do not understand why. what has happen has torn our hearts apart and without help from God there is no happy ending. yes, God hears us. He answers our prayers. so, if you read this just say a quick prayer for the Bostic Family. the way i look at it the more praying the better it will be, and hopefully many will read this and will say a prayer.
well, that is it. that's all that there is this time. i do know that God is in control and that His strength is made perfect when our strength is not, He'll carry us when we can't carry on, raised in His power the weak become strong, His strength is perfect...His strength is perfect.
P.S. it would be so encouraging to know that you prayed. if you did could you comment and just let me know you did? if you don't feel comfortable doing this then that is OK. i feel so blessed just to have your prayer.
God Of My Everything/Bebo Norman

Saturday, July 23, 2011

r e s t o r a t i o n . . .

i am so thankful that God is a God of restoration. He makes worn-out, and destroyed things completely new. i am so thankful that God renews, rewards, redeems, refines, resurrects, revives, releases. He takes what some would consider junk and turns it into something beautiful. He takes a life that has been broken into many pieces, and puts all of the pieces back together. yes, He is a God of restoration, He is a restorer of souls. souls that are repentant are forgiven of their sins, restored yes, restored and made whole. so much to be thankful for, so many blessings that our precious Lord and Savior has showered down on us like a soft cool rain. how thankful i am to be one of His very own. how awesome to know that i have been restored.
Restored/Jeremy Camp

Thursday, July 21, 2011

thinking p o s i t i v e the right choice...

at·ti·tude
noun
manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind: a negative attitude

there are days when i loose count of how many times i have to "check" my attitude. i lean towards negative (yep, that's me just being real) and to turn that negative attitude into a positive one takes effort. i wouldn't say i have an angry attitude, walking around with a "chip on my shoulder" just more of a negative one, it's not always this way but more so than i would like. honestly more than any other thing our attitude is what determines the kind of life we are going to have. there is such power in having a positive attitude. i've noticed the difference in my own life, have you? when my attitude is positive things are better and when i'm negative things are not so good, it's actually as simple as that. put in good you get good, put in bad you get bad. it is especially important to have a positive attitude because God is positive, have you ever thought of it that way? what's amazing is that when we are positive it releases God to work in our lives. no matter what we face, the truth is..."He who lives in me (and you if you have a relationship with Him) is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world." -I John 4:4. knowing this is so comforting. and what an awesome difference in my outlook and in my life when i choose to be positive. when i have a positive attitude it is a result of focusing on the right thing-God. 

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

just jotted down my thoughts...

i am sitting here thinking, and my mind keeps coming back to the place where a question is. the question is:"who does God use?" and the word that just seems to be most prominent is "humble." some people think that they are effective leaders, and many of them are numbers people, always concentrating on the number of people that arrive at church, the number of people that come out to this function, to that function, which honestly makes me wonder if it's more about themselves being given the opportunity to flaunt then it is about anything else. of course this is just my thinking, it's not to say that all who are numbers people also like to flaunt it, because many could just genuinely be excited about the number of people because the larger the number the more opportunity for lives to be changed and of course that should be the reason for desiring a big crowd to begin with. but, earlier i mentioned "humble" God uses individuals who exemplify the heart of servant hood. these individuals are thankful and are in awe to think that a God would see fit to use someone such as themselves to further His Kingdom. these individuals realize that aside from Christ they are nothing. they know that they are weak aside from His strength, and they aren't arrogant and do not come across as promoting themselves, but instead every ounce of who they are desires to give God the glory because they realize that all belongs to Him. the humble people that God uses are driven to their knees and many of them live with scars. honestly, i believe that this is the type of person that God uses to the fullest. they may be very good at one particular thing or have a certain gift in which they excel or may even have multiple gifts, but what's so awesome is that they are not arrogant, always trying to out do the other person, or are in competition and almost become irritated when something good happens for others, no they are happy for others who are being used of God, and thank God for other brothers and sisters in the Lord that are helping to build the Kingdom. yes, God uses the humble, those who are driven to their knees, some with many imperfections because when given to Christ He heals and He also takes those who live with scars and uses them as examples that Christ can heal and can help a person fully forgive. so, sitting here all of this is what came to mind. maybe i haven't typed it out to perfection but mainly just jotted down my thoughts as they came. if any of it made sense then praise be to God.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

the only life you can enjoy is your own...

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." -Abraham Lincoln

the only life you can enjoy is your own. that may seem so obvious that it is unnecessary for me to write it, but think about it. i have found with me personally that often one of the major reasons i don't enjoy my life is that i'm not happy with the life i have. does that describe you? maybe not all the time but sometimes? well, as i said it does me....sometimes. instead of embracing the realities of life we may spend our time thinking, i wish i looked like her (been on my mind a lot lately since i'm so over weight), i wish i had his or hers job, i wish i were married, i wish i wasn't married, i wish my marriage wasn't so difficult, i wish i had children, i wish my children would grow up, i wish i had a new house...and the list goes on. i know i need to work extra hard at accepting the life that i've been given, it's possible that you deal with this as well...i do not know, but what i do know is that there's just no way i'm in this boat alone. if you experience any of this we must not allow jealousy or comparison to cause us to be absent from our own lives because we want someone else's life. each one of us are given the opportunity to make the most of our lives, we should embrace (l love that word!) our lives. because it all boils down to the fact that we will never receive any one else's, just the one that God us given to us. i've heard it said, "Don't complain; don't compare; don't covet someone else's life, and don't spend your valuable time wishing things were different." oh, how true, and yet, to be honest sometimes it feels like it is more easier said than done. so, for me personally, i'll keep striving along. asking God to help me in many areas of my life, because i have so many areas in which i haven't nor will i ever meet perfection. i've often said, "perfection doesn't happen until we reach heavens gates." as long as i am here on this earth i want to strive, and set goals to be one that overcomes. when i do stop and think about the wonderful things that i have, i realize just how blessed i truly am. if you have a moment why don't you set some time aside to think about and thank the Lord for all of the blessings that He has given to you? when i do this it always helps, but, for me it's something that i have to do quite often, who knows you may not have to, you may not be as stubborn and as hard headed as i am, and if you aren't well, then that's just one more blessing you can thank the Lord for. let's remember that everything about us is by His design, we can accept the way that God has made us and the life that He has given. of course every life includes good and bad, easy and difficult, strength and weakness. nobody has the perfect life. i've also heard it said that "true life is really not found in arriving at the destination; it is found in the journey." take one day at a time as we travel on this journey, appreciate and thank the Lord for the wonderful life that we've been given, and take the time to smell the roses along the way. 

Monday, July 18, 2011

ok, time to get real transparent...

i have come to the point in which i am sick and tired of being over weight. i never had a problem with my weight growing up and after i had each one of the girls, i lost the weight that i had gained with both pregnancies. so, with this post i am going to be way transparent and to some of you on the verge of whining. honestly, this issue in and of itself has driven me to tears. being bipolar means that i must take medications, a side effect is the possibility of gaining weight, you'd know i'd fall into the possibility category. honestly, i watch what i eat, and yes i have started, walking, with scott and our dog nilla 30 minutes a day, and we are making sure we keep up a brisk pace. am i doing this all wrong? i miss my slender shape. i miss the way i felt in my clothes, i miss the way i felt about myself. it's downright making me angry to see me so overweight...i mean we're not talking 10 pounds, more like 50 or so. 2 years ago i had knee surgery, so that set me back, but right now i feel like i need to do something more and something fast before i pull all of the hair out of my head. now, all of what i have said thus far is being said fully through the mindset of me thinking negatively about the entire situation. but, after doing some thinking i've come up with some productive thoughts. it is quite possible that God is allowing me to remain at the weight that i am to help me take a whole different view of the situation. maybe he's trying to teach me that instead of me being obsessed with the outer beauty, the part that fades with time, i must work at what lies within. as i am getting older i am realizing that my looks are changing and if i do not put the time and effort into beautifying that which lies within and becoming comfortable in the skin i am in and showing appreciation more often for the beautiful new days that God gives, which are really awesome gifts granted from Him. i may find myself sad, clinging to the past and wishing things were different instead of living a life in which i through His grace am making a positive difference in the lives that i touch. instead of being so consumed with the issue of losing weight built solely on cosmetic purposes, i should do what i can do to loose the weight because of health related reasons but, accept myself as God has made me, and not compare myself to others. when a person exemplifies an inner strength an inner radiance one cannot help but be beautiful. so instead of being sick and tired of being fat, maybe i should just take one day at a time, do what i need to do to shed the pounds but have an attitude and a heart change. i know if i do this it would sure make me feel a lot better. God didn't intend for us to spend our days unhappy, sad, and lack joy. He wants us to enjoy the life that He has given us. being all wrapped up in that which lies on the outside takes away the times that should be spent investing on the inside...where it really counts. guess i don't feel so bad after all. just typing this out and sharing these thoughts have been like a healing balm to my soul, who knows maybe it's been the same for you...that would simply be awesome if it has.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

an amazing friend...

to realize that God is my friend, and wants to be my friend has always been a truth and promise that simply "blows me away." becoming friends with God is not difficult. if we are followers of Jesus Christ, He calls us His friend because He has shared with us everything He has heard from the Father in John 15:15 it says that He no longer calls us servants, but, instead calls us friends, because everything that He has learned from the Father, He has made known to us. you see friendship is based on sharing, openly and honestly, and we share with God through prayer. not emergency prayers, just during the times when we are desperate. it's based on regular times of sharing, and fellowship. the way that we develop great friendships is to invite people to be part of our everyday lives. we must invite God to be part of our everyday lives, we must share with Him throughout each day. we can do this by prayer, including Him in our thoughts, conversations, or as we go through our regular routines. see that's what's so cool about it. we don't have to be in a certain, place, a certain setting, around certain people we can go to Him wherever we are and at anytime, we can talk to Him as a friend, while we are walking the dog, driving the car, or even while making a meal, how wonderful is that? What also amazes me is that He wants to be our friend, He of course doesn't have any favorites, but He does have those believers who are intimate with Him and these are those who put the effort into developing an intimate relationship with Him, a close friendship. those who spend times throughout the day talking, and sharing, spending time with Him. that is my goal, to become intimate with Jesus, to feel His presence ever so near, and know without a doubt that i am His and He is mine. 

Saturday, July 16, 2011

saturday morning...thoughts from God & of course my cup of coffee

i've heard it said, "that you don't have to sit back and let life happen TO you." here on earth we don't get the opportunity to choose whether or not we'll be free from pain. of course if we did we would never choose it. the truth is whether things are good in our lives or they are difficult there are always seasons in life. sometimes it may feel as if life is pressing in on us, however that's not going to change, as long as we live in our mortal bodies. we've all been frustrated by outcomes in life. we've all been hurt. we've all had our share of pain, stress, trials, and hard times. many times it has felt like life was pressing in on us. But, you know God did not create any of us to be doormats to be stomped on and walked over every day. the postive side to all of this is that God has given us an incredible power. He has given us His strength, His power to help overcome and press through any issue that may come our way in our lives. often i have sat back and said, "i sure do wish this situation wasn't the way that it is." but wishing isn't going to change it. wishes don't have the power to change my life, to change your life. but, if i rely on the power of God and i determine in my heart to do as paul said in the Word of God press forward as i run this race and reach for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, and keep my determination to run this race with integrity and vow to have the victory, of course with His guidance and strength there is nothing that i cannot press against or press through. what is pressing against you? what is your greatest source of stress? one of my major sources of stress is worry, and although i know that it is a sin, it still raises its ugly head, and far too often i surrender to it, and yes i committ the sin of worry. satan knows that this is my weak point. but, i can break the habit of worry by pressing through and allowing the Lord to grant me strength to do so. what is your greatest source of stress? what ever it is God can help you press up against it and with His strength break through it to victory. something that i must always remember is that i cannot for one second do it on my own, i must tap into the awesome power of God. we can do it. it's not impossible. but it doesn't happen without us deciding to change and cry out to God for His power and His strength. we must first realize that we have certain issues in our lives that causes us the most stress, and then bring them to Jesus and follow His guidance, believing in our hearts that with Him showing us the way and providing us with His strength we can overcome. God can and will help us to press against, to press through and gain the victory, we first must make the choice to do so.
what i have written comes from learning under the teachings of Joyce Meyer. she has been used of God in numerous ways as i face the battles of life.
The following is a song the touched me and ministered to me this morning.
Strong Tower/Kutless

Thursday, July 14, 2011

even the seemingly smallest of things...

when was the last time you helped to put a smile on someones face..."just because?" or just helped spread random acts of kindness..."just because?" when was the last time i did? as a Christian those simple acts are done for a purpose...to show the love of Jesus and to spread it wherever we go. when is the last time you got so caught up in your life that you forgot to reach out and touch another persons life? when is the last time i did? God has placed us where we are throughout the day, where we live, where we attend church, where we work, for very specific reasons, nothing is coincidental with God, everything is directed by Him and serves a purpose. but, far too often opportunities to be His hands and His feet aren't carried through because we are "living" our lives. i allow too many days to pass in which i don't do any of the above. so many opportunities to shed some light, to share some love, to give some support just slips right through my fingers, or passes me right by because i am in deep thought about...well, myself. i'm engulfed within my own world that i become blinded by what is going on all around me. do you ever experience this? i'm sure each one of us have to some degree, some more so than others. as Christians we are to share Gods love in several ways, and you know what? the world is watching. why does it seem so difficult to carry out some of these simple things? i believe it is because satan clouds our view, gets us so wrapped up in "our own life" and we get in such a hurry that we loose sight of what really matters. but, actually when the rubber meets the road, we make the choice. we choose to allow satan to gain the victory, and yes it is a very big victory. i allow him to gain this victory far too often, sometimes i allow myself to become so lame that i hand it right over to him, instead of claiming the power of God, standing strong and firm and doing what is right. Jesus Christ has called each one of us who claim to be Christians to do the right thing, to reach out to a world that desperately needs love, needs random acts of kindness. it may seem like a little thing to do, and yet we pass up opportunities that are so simple, help put a smile on someones face, share the love of Jesus Christ. just remember behind every set of eyes is a story...we honestly do not know the impact that being kind and bringing a smile to someones face can do. i personally need to look past myself and place my attention onto those around me, God will bless even the seemingly smallest of things done in His name.
Follow You/Leeland

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

how awesome is the Word...

this morning as i was reading Gods Word and thinking about what to write, i decided to take some time and type out scripture that spoke to me this morning and other times in my life. i trust that the following scripture verses will touch you and speak to you as they have to me.
*****
Psalm 100
"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. for the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations."
Psalm 27
Verse 1: "The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall i fear? the Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall i be afraid?" Verse 13: "I am still confident of this: i will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Verse 14: "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
Psalm 34
Verse 1: "I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips." Verse 2: "My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice." Verse 3: "Glorify the Lord with me;  let us exalt His name together." Verse 4: "I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears." Verse 5: "Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." Verse 6: "This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his trouble." Verse 7: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them." Verse 8: "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that takes refuge in Him."
*****
all of these verses are verses that have touched me in tremendous ways. i have opened my Bible and have read them countless times. it helps me immensely to have verses that i can run to and read. of course there are many other Bible verses that have helped me, filled my heart with joy, peace, strength, etc. however, this morning the ones that i have typed came to mind immediately and touched me deeply. my prayer is that they will do the same for you. mediate on them. let the words sink in, for each word has been inspired by the awesome God of our universe.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

His love endures forever!

Love...such a beautiful thing especially when it is given unconditionally. the love of God is unconditional, the love of God covers us through the good and bad times, it never ends, but endures forever. when i am reading God's word sometimes i will take the Bible, pray for God to show me something that He would have me hear for that particular moment. i don't know if you've ever done this, but, i close my eyes open the Bible and wherever my finger lands i then open my eyes and see what God has for me to read. this morning i thought i would do that. i closed my eyes opened the Bible pointed and opened my eyes to this verse found in Psalm chapter 118 verse 1. "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. the thought of His love enduring forever touched my heart deeply. this of course encouraged me to think about His unconditional love. i honestly cannot imagine a day without the love of God. to know that His love spreads over me, hems me in from behind and before, and is for all of eternity...never ending. to experience this love personally all one needs to do is pray asking God to forgive them of their sins and come into their heart. it is then that the Holy Spirit indwells within and a personal relationship with the Heavenly Father begins. just to think that Jesus would go to a cross, shed His blood because of such unconditional love is beyond what words could describe, such love is boundless, never ends and constantly covers, like a big beautiful and soft wing, covering and protecting. His love eternally forgives. no sin is too big, that He cannot forgive, it says in His Word that His love "Covers a multitude of sins." that when He forgives, He forgives and forgets and sees our sin no more and that the sin becomes as far as the east is from the west. yes, his unconditional love endures forever, for He is good He is above all things, praise God His love endures forever. 
The Love Of God

Monday, July 11, 2011

this is the day the Lord has made...

this is the day that the Lord has made...

what a wonderful weekend i had. i trust you had a wonderful one as well. do you ever notice though how fast the weekend goes? i know i sure do. sunday was the best day of my weekend, i enjoyed attending church and just being around other believers, it sure gave a real boost to my spirit. this morning before i got out of bed i spoke the verse: "this is the day that the Lord has made i will rejoice and be glad in it." many of you i know are familiar with that verse, it's a wonderful verse. my reason for speaking it was to attempt to start my day off on the right foot, so before my feet hit the floor that verse was spoken from my lips. now comes the day, the day to live out that verse. God has given me a brand new day and to set as my goal to live it rejoicing and being glad. this takes effort, effort on my part. i can choose to put forth that effort or choose to just speak the verse and not allow it to really penetrate my soul and effect my entire day. honestly, however, if i make it through half the day meeting this goal, i'm happy because i'm  making progress. i've heard it said, "i'm not where i need to be but praise God, i'm not where i used to be." so even if i take baby steps forward, it's progress, and yes, usually my steps are baby steps with a few larger steps thrown in here and there. i can still see the hand of God working, it just takes me to stop and notice, and rejoice that He is at work in my life. do you notice this in your life? do you see His hand at work? each step that we take are so much easier walking along side of our Master, our Savior, our Friend. there are so many things in our lives to rejoice over, so many things to be thankful for. God pours out His blessings in our lives each day. i know personally i don't always notice, but, that's usually because i'm not looking, but allowing the noise, and chaos of this world to drown out and cover my eyes to the glorious things that He is doing every single day.
so, today i have two choices. will i rejoice and be glad that this is the day that the Lord has made? or will i allow myself to take my eyes off of the one who will allow me to see how blessed i really am and blessed enough to rejoice? God can't make me choose wisely, no, it is my choice to make. Lord, help me to choose what is right. 

The following is a song that blessed me this morning. 
Beautiful Lord/Leeland

Saturday, July 9, 2011

as i sit here on this beautiful saturday morning with my cup of coffee...

i am sitting here on this beautiful saturday morning with my cup of coffee listening to classical music. some may not get into classical music, however i find it to be music that is helpful to clear my head. of course i have my favorite composers and trust me i don't get into all of it, but, i do enjoy a great deal of it.
so, on this sunny saturday morning as i sit and listen to classical music and hear the birds sing their tunes, i am at a loss of what to write about. my last post spoke heavily on positive thinking and what a difference it can make in ones life. but, you want to know what's interesting? right after i finished writing that post, negative thoughts began to unload in my mind. of course i thought, "OK kim, here comes the time to practice what you just wrote, which isn't always the easiest thing to do, i don't know if you've ever experienced this, but i often do. of course i knew who it was coming from and at the moment i don't even feel like writing his name, because to be quite honest he makes me sick, as he should, if he didn't i would have a problem in which words could not describe. at first when the thoughts flooded my mind i didn't cut myself much slack, but i should have because the bottom line is...i am human, as you are, we come up against so much in this life, and to try and control it, change it, make it all better, is something that we cannot for even one second do on our own, no we need our heavenly Father to be at the helm, to guide, and to sail each one of our vessels. do you ever find yourself thinking that you can do it alone? if your answer is yes, then maybe you've gotten to the place in which i don't believe i'll ever arrive...as i said i'm human, just a mortal, with struggles that i face each day. yes, each day is a wonderful gift from God but because we still live in a fleshly body we will face struggles. the father of lies, the disgusting one will try with all of his strength to sell us a boat load of lies. with me, he has almost daily tried to make me think that life is just one big struggle. now, you may not have experienced this to the degree that i have and to the degree that many others have and if you have reached this point, i would love to talk with you. i realize that with each struggle God is always there, but, i also realize i must listen, grasp His hand, and hang on. you may wonder why i talk about issues regarding the power of the mind, thinking positively instead of negatively, struggles that we face, etc., etc. well, it is because i am being transparent, sharing with you, things that go on in my life, and i suppose it is just me being real and open. do i dread each day? No! i realize that God in all of His mercy and love grants each one of us a new day to live. but, i am also very aware that with each day struggles can come our way. however, it's not in the struggles that come but, in how we handle the struggles, do we fall flat on our faces (as i have ....remember my blog is "transparent thoughts") or with the strength of God and the fact that we are covered, stood in the face of adversity and said, "i will not be moved?" from the way i talk you may probably think that i have never experienced this type of strength from God, but, praise God i have and how awesome to know that God held me and helped get me through. if you are a Christian, and you are daily experiencing a personal relationship with Him, you will have that strength given by God to stare the father of lies straight in the eyes and remain strong because you are clinging to and covered by the mighty one. however, daily we must ask for that strength and then daily allow God to cover us with it. but, since we are still human there may be days in which we fail. but, you know what's cool? we can cry out to Him and He will lift us right back up and allow us to stand on our feet once again.
well, this morning i have felt like what i have written has been somewhat poured out in a fashion in which it may be difficult to follow. i suppose i've just jotted down thoughts that have come to mind. hopefully you can make sense of some of it...if not all of it. often i have so much that fills my mind i don't know where to start. i can only hope and pray that you will have received a blessing and that God has spoken to you through the typed words of a person that's all over the map this morning.
now, since i mentioned that i was listening to classical music, i am going to include a title and a youtube link to one of my favorite pieces of music. i am drawn to the strings, and find them to be so beautiful...who knows maybe you'll enjoy it as well :)
Adagio For Strings/Samuel Barber

Thursday, July 7, 2011

making "mountains out of molehills"

did you know that we can make "mountains out of molehills" just by thinking negatively? negative thinking tends to blow things out of proportion. when we think this way we begin to view things larger and more difficult than they really are. when i think negatively i magnify the unpleasant or undesirable aspects of a situation or my circumstances and i fail to see anything good in it. i don't know but it's possible that you as well play out this same routine in your mind. the mind becomes conditioned, almost trained to gravitate towards this type of thinking, especially if you've been practicing this over a long period of time....it's as if it is an automatic reaction. i know personally i am this way, and i must consciously put forth the effort to make myself see the good, and the positive. every person's life and even our circumstances include more good than bad, if we simply determine to personally think positive thoughts as opposed to negative thoughts. there is such power in the mind far more than we realize. satan does not wish for us to realize the capacity in which our minds can control our lives. God wants us to know and wants us to learn to automatically dwell upon Him from which all things that are good come from. "But, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."-Galatians 5:22-23. also, it says in Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 
All that is contained in each of these verses are positive. we must think on such things...i must think on such things. even if it does not come natural to do so, i must, because in doing so it will place my mind in the right place, it will begin the process of using the Spirit of God and the positive thoughts upon which He stands to fight against the lies of satan. satan cannot win as long as we cling to God, speak His word, and pray with a heart that believes. satan only buzzes around trying to scare us into believing that he can sting again, but God removed that sting on the cross. i and if you struggle with this must make it a point to breathe in God and His voice which is the voice of truth and breathe out fear and doom which comes directly from satan. we must lean on God for His strength, and allow Him to embrace us and saturate us with His love, friendship, grace and truth. remember God speaks in love, and truth. satan speaks in fear and lies. we must listen to the voice of truth, think positive, and not allow ourselves to think negatively, we must not allow ourselves to make "mountains out of molehills." think on the Love of God, all of the love that covers us who believe. remember His words are full of love, He expressed the most unconditional love ever on the cross. satan wishes for us to forget about this, to concentrate on the hardships of life,etc., but, God wants us to remember that His grace covers us, His mercy endures, His goodness never ends, His love is unconditional, and His voice is the voice of TRUTH.
O The Deep Deep Love Of Jesus

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

good grief, i ran out of coffee

i have come to the conclusion that i am hooked heavily on coffee. i used to drink one cup of coffee every morning and now i am up to four sometimes five. in the past i was much worse, but because of the negative effect it was having on me, i decided to cut coffee out of my diet. well, now for quite a long period of time i have incorporated it back into my daily use. i guess the reason i just started jotting down thoughts regarding coffee, because this morning we were out of it. don't know how that happen, none the less it did and i found my self in real frustration. i missed the house smelling like coffee, the feel of the mug in my hand, with wonderful coffee in the cup, knowing i could sip it's delicious flavor when i felt like it. now no coffee. so, i thought what shall i do? well, i also carry different types of teas. needless to say i am on my second cup of "Awake" a tea made by Tazo. not the same, not one bit. i need my coffee. isn't it interesting how we can get so attached to something such as i am to coffee. i began to think. what would happen if i got that attached to prayer? man, imagine the things that would happen? or that attached to reading the Bible, just had to have it or i would become fidgety and restless? can you imagine how Spirit filled and equipped i would be to face anything that satan throws my way because i would be so filled with the word of God with not just head knowledge, but heart knowledge as well? just some thoughts rendered up by my lack of coffee this morning...interesting to say the least. at least i had tea in the house...but, honestly it hasn't done the trick...grocery list for today -1. COFFEE

Friday, July 1, 2011

God of my hope, God of my need...

what a marvelous thought: the Lord is bigger than any of our needs. our needs come in all different sizes, pertaining to all different situations, but regardless God has them covered. God will richly fulfill your need through Christ Jesus. in Philippians 4:19 it says just that. "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." so it doesn't matter what type of need, how big or small the need may be, He is right there to handle it, to take care of it, and if we give it over to Him, He will take it off of our shoulder's because with Him in control it does not have to be our burden to carry. that's God's job and you know what's really cool? He enjoys doing that because of His great and unconditional love for us. a quote that i love is: "let go and let God." that's it. in just five short words it says so much, but, for many (including myself) it can be a difficult thing to do. let's strive for that..."let go and let God" take care of our every need.
God Of My Everything