Saturday, December 31, 2016

Looking Forward to 2017

I am so very excited for a new year to begin! 2016 was a long and emotional year, and I am very ready to move on from it! 

Yesterday, I saw this post by a friend on Facebook, and responded "My Sentiments Exactly": 

"Dear 2016, 
We've been through so much together.  It's not you, it's me.  I've got to be moving along now.  I will always remember you." 

The feelings of moving on, moving forward, in to a new year are overwhelming me with excitement!   I cannot wait to see what God and 2017 have in store for me! 

And, I hope and pray every day, that it is an 'upgrade' from 2016! 

I decided to chose a Bible passage to start off 2017 with, and to make it my 'theme' of the coming year.  In the very beginning of my search for the perfect passage, I came upon 'the one'.   
Psalm 103:1-5
Praise the Lord, I tell myself, 
With my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 
Praise the Lord, I tell myself, 
and never forget the good things He does for me. 
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases. 
He ransoms me from death
and surrounds me with love and tender mercies. 
He fills my life with good things
so that my Youth is renewed like the eagles's. 

My interpretation, in relation to 2017 and myself, is a follows: 
Never stop praising the Lord! 
Notice and rejoice in all good things He does for and in me!
Remember, every day, the mercies of the Lord! 
The Lord loves me more than words can express. 
When I am tired, look to Him for strength and renewal.

Wow!  That turned out to be a great theme for 2017!

Going in to the new year, 2017, I strongly encourage you to: 
*Turn your complaints in to Praise.
*Magnify all good things in your life.
*Remember that you are forgiven.
*Look to the Lord to heal all your ills. 
*Remember how much He loves you. 
*Thank God daily for His mercies. 
*Focus on all your blessings.
*Fly through adversity like a youthful Eagle, and don't let anything bring you down! 



Sunday, December 11, 2016

"I'm Dreaming of a Peace-Filled Christmas"

I just sat down to write a holiday blog post, and I am listening to Elvis Presley's "White Christmas".  I caught myself changing to words to "Peace-Filled Christmas"...

I'm Dreaming of a Peace-Filled Christmas. I am. 


Wow. The Lord just handed me my post topic! (I love it when that happens!)   

Unfortunately, this year's Holiday post is not going to be of the same joyful-spirit that it usually is; but I certainly hope that my words can help others out there that are hurting this Holiday season. 


You see, this year December is very different for me than any other December that I have lived.  


I have lost someone and Christmas can be a difficult time to grieve. 

My Christmas planning partner and shopping sharer from years past is not around to enjoy the season with this year. My 1st mate for attending Holiday concerts and wine tastings is not available to go with me this year and it has changed my holiday spirit dramatically.  


The biggest Christmas wish that I make, over and over, year after year, above all else, is that every human being be surrounded with love, at some point during the Christmas season. 

Baby Jesus was completely surrounded by love!  I mean, he was immediately, unconditionally loved by his mother, who did not plan nor expect the pregnancy.   He and his mother were surrounded with the love of Joseph, who accepted that he didn't have a hand in creating this baby, yet he loved Jesus just the same. Even strangers traveled to surround Jesus with love.  


I guess, if I am to be completely honest, this holiday season, I am a little envious of the immediate and unconditional love that Baby Jesus was surrounded with.  Of course the Savior of the World certainly was deserving, and the amazing miracle of Jesus birth is a story matched by none! 
But, don't we all need and deserve a little love? 

So, I've come to the conclusion that the best way for me to make my Holiday Season brighter, is to share my love with others!  I intend to brighten the season for others around me, and in turn spread the Love of Jesus and the Joy of Christmas to those I encounter.  


Please join me in spreading the Love of this time of year to people around you!  Fill a void for someone in need of holiday joy and make your journey to Christmas brighter too! 




Sunday, November 13, 2016

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

True Friendship

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.

"True Friendship"....what are the characteristics of a true friend?   "Kind, tenderhearted, forgiving"....and I would add, trustworthy, caring, unselfish, and fun!   That certainly is not a complete list of the traits of a true friend, but it is a start...these are certainly the traits that I have been searching for all my life!  

In Ephesians, Paul writes about the traits of a true friend...
Paul was writing about union with Christ, but this certainly also applies to our lives and our friendships of all kinds!

Let's take a closer look at the above verses:

"No corrupting talk...but only for building up...to give grace..."   Wow!   That is quiet a trait!  I try to BE this friend, and always have.  How very important it is, especially for women, to have friends that build them up, not tear them down!   To have people in your life that give you grace in your weaknesses, is so powerful!  Giving grace to another, allows them to further give grace to themselves!  I have lived many situations where my friends have chose to condemn me, rather than give grace, and from experience, I can BOLDLY say, that grace from the people that surround us, is an important part of the road to giving grace to yourself! 

"Grieve the Holy Spirit", this means do not hurt your friends with your transgressions. Do not involve your friends.  Do not cause your friends to be burdened by your transgressions.  This does not mean that we shouldn't talk through life's difficult moments and situations with friends; no, it means that we should not overdo it, to the point that they are burdened too.  The only friend that naturally helps us carry our burdens, is our Heavenly Father!! 

And what a WONDERFUL friend He is! 

With a true friend, in a true and great friendship, there should be no "bitterness...anger....or slander".   True friends lift us up.  Good friends do not put us down, to others or to our faces.  Friends should strive to be calm and supportive in all things! 

Now, all that being said, I have realized over many years, that the ONLY being capable of holding true to those standards of a True Friend, all the time, is God!    I have learned to share all of my burdens, all of my trials, all of my happiness, all of my thoughts and dreams....EVERYTHING...with Him, who IS my True Best Friend Forever! 

Thank for venturing through those verses with me!   May God bless you with many Wonderful Friends and surround you with Grace and Love! 

*********************************************************
My Dear, Dear Readers, I am SO SORRY that it has been over a month since I have posted!   UGGGHH!   I feel terrible about that!!!   In my absence, I was very busy relocating my family to a new home.   It is so BEAUTIFUL, and I cannot wait to continue my ministry of Blogging, Writing, and Teaching, from a new location in God's Great Creation!! 

That being said...I just want to give you all a heads-up, that I will be posting less frequently over the next several months, as I am working diligently on my First Book! :) :) 
The topic is, much like this post, Loneliness and Friendship with God.   Please join me in excitement for this new Chapter for me and my ministry to God's Kingdom, and please give me Grace, dear friends, while I am somewhat consumed in writing my book! 

Peace to you all! 

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Out of the mouths of babes...

This summer, my 9 yr. old son played baseball.  It was so much fun to watch him and his teammates learn and grow throughout the season!   The difference in their skills and teamwork, from the 1st game to the last was tremendous! 

There is one game in particular, that I will not soon forget...
My son played so wonderful!  He had 2 home-runs and bases were loaded one of those times.  It was so exciting! 

My heart warmed each time that I saw his cute face, glowing with pride, at the job that he was doing!  Even more heartwarming though, was the conversation that he and I had after the game...

I gave him a big hug and many congratulations; and when we got in the car to drive home, I asked "Do you know what was different tonight, that you were able to hit so well?"  His response was so perfect....

He said "Well mom, I have had a couple of bad days.  I decided tonight that the bat in my hands was going to help me beat down the devil,  which was the ball.  I've been getting into trouble, and I decided to hit him out of my brain." (Followed by another proud, beautiful smile on his face)

Wow!  I was even more proud in that moment!  I was well aware that he had been having a rough week, so I responded with, "So did that help? Do you feel better now?"  To which he said "Yes!  I beat him!"

VICTORY! 

If only we all remembered, that our response to temptation, to bad days, to less than perfection, should be to fight back, and be even more awesome in return!   When we are frustrated by the devil, and want him to go away, all we need to do is hit harder than him; fight harder than him! 

Go into life's struggles with a plan to beat the Devil! Use faith and prayer as your tools to swing hard! Turn your bad days into Victories! 

.......I smiled even larger that evening, knowing that my kids know how to fight back against the Devil! 

Have a GREAT WEEK, and
Knock the Devil out of Your Ballpark!        
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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

When you are Broken and Sinking, Part 2

For some reason, I just can't stop thinking about my previous post, "When you are broken and sinking". 

I just keep going over the content in my mind. I feel like it was sort of a cliffhanger; a sad post... And I don't want that! 

I want to Encourage, Enlighten, and spread Happiness through sharing Trust and Hope in our amazing God!

First things first, I want to say thank you to my readers! I received many encouraging and caring messages and prayers after my last post. It was so touching! This is yet another reason why I love being a Christian blogger so much! The readers of my blog help surround me in times of need, with prayers and hope and the love of fellow believers! :-)

I have been through many storms in life, some bigger than others, but the unsinkable ship that has carried me through them all, is my faith in our amazing God! In some of life's storms, I have learned, that the only being that I can rely on, trust, and speak candidly too, is GOD.  He is always listening, ever helping, and all-knowing! He provides the answers, the tools needed, to get us through all storms of life!

Also, as I have been thinking about this topic, I think about God anchoring me in the extremely happy times of life. The over-the-top exciting, overwhelmingly, wonderful times that come occasionally in this life. I have found myself needing to be anchored to truth and stability during those times too. If I had continued to flow into the clouds of bliss, certainly something would have gone awry with those beautiful blessings. But instead, my faith has anchored me to the non-boasting, not greedy, grateful and thankful happiness that is available when you know our Lord!

So, in follow up to my previous post about being Broken and Sinking; I am happy to report, that the storm is still stirring, but the SON is shining, and my ship is STRONG in HIM! 

May you be anchored by God's love and encouraged by His Word every day!  Peace! 

God's Beauty at the River that Day...


www.frommylifetoyourheart.com



Tuesday, August 23, 2016

When You are Broken and Sinking....

Have you ever felt like your ship was sinking? Like the broken pieces of you could not go on... 

About a week ago, I was that broken, sinking ship. 



The morning that I fell apart, I tried, under my own power, to put my pieces together, just enough to get through the day... But, I was not successful. 

I did reluctantly get out of bed, and I got ready for the day, and I showed up at work, but less than 1 hour later my coworkers gracefully told me to take the day off. You see, I could not stop crying, right there at my desk.  (I thank the Lord for their Grace in telling me to take time for myself.)

Once I had the whole day ahead of me to sort through my broken pieces, I began to try to repair this ship that wants to sail everyday, in glory for my Lord!   But, I was missing something....

I went for a long walk down by the river (seriously, not just a reference of that great hymn).  As I was walking along the riverside praying, with tears streaming down my cheeks, I turned Christian radio on, and this wonderful song was the first to play...


Thank the Lord for that song!  I really needed the reminder, right in that very moment, that I could not fix this on my own!  But through Faith, and with the help of God alone, I would be able to put all of these pieces back together and sail in glory once again!

I kept walking, and the tears began to slow, as I listened to the same song over and over. The words were so reassuring and spoke to me so deeply....

"You Alone are the Anchor, when my Sails are torn" 

"Your Love Surrounds me in the Eye of the Storm" 

"I Find my Peace in Jesus' Name" 

"My Only Hope is to Trust You" 

"When the Storm is Ragging, and my hope is gone; You're still Holding On" 

By the tenth repeat, the tears had stopped. I could feel the Broken Pieces of my soul beginning to plan for rebuilding!  I walked and listened more, not just to the song, but also to God's voice through it. I took pictures of God's beautiful creation, while also forming pictures in my mind of how to move forward; how to rebuild my ship...

In times of Brokenness, it is so important, so extremely VITAL, that we remember Who our Anchor is!  That we know in our hearts that He is the one holding us up and leading us to Restoration; and toward many more days of working/'sailing' for His Glory! 

For several days after my ship nearly sank, the most Peace that I was able to find was in this song combined with prayer.

With each time that I listen and pray, another piece of my brokenness is repaired.  God is right beside me, holding me together and Anchoring me to the truth that He cares for me! 

I now have a picture of a boat, on my desk that says 
"Keep Rowing!   God is Good!  1 Peter 5:7" 

 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
                                1 Peter 5:7
                                                                   Click to Tweet


Friday, August 12, 2016

The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness.....
Sometimes forgiving is a very difficult thing to do, other times it comes easily.

There are so many different factors in each situation or relationship, that make each and every offense needing forgiveness different than the previous...

No matter what the offense, the stature of the offender, your relation to the individual......no matter the history......     

The #1 reason to forgive is YOU!
                                                      Click To Tweet


Ephesians 4:32, 
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (NIV)


I have seen and lived the power of true forgiveness! The level of freedom and peace that comes through full forgiveness is incomparable.

Take my word for it; taking the time to deeply forgive and let go of grudges is completely worth it, if for no other reason than you and your own well being!

If you'd like to hear more about my struggle with forgiveness and my freedom after forgiveness, here is a link to my interview with the Center for Greatness LLC, about Forgiveness:


Enjoy!   And THANK YOU Tandy for having me on your program! 

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Consumed






consume



verbconsumed




1.
to destroy or expend by use; use up.
2.
to eat or drink up; devour.
3.
to destroy, as by decomposition or burning:
Fire consumed the forest.
4.
to spend (money, time, etc.) wastefully.
5.
to absorb; engross:


Consumed...that is a perfect definition of how I often feel!  I am "Used Up" by my children and my household responsibilities.  I am "Spent Wastefully" by the requirements of this life; required work to earn money to live, kids' school requirements, society requirements, family requirements, etc.   I just want to spend all of my energy and all of my time praising God and teaching about God and living always reflected God's love! 

But, that is unrealistic.  Unfortunately, even becoming a Pastor would not take away the many requirements of society, that I feel "waste" my energy and God given gifts.

I would guess that many of you have felt this way at one time or another, or maybe feel CONSUMED by something right now....

Thankfully, our reserves of energy and positivity ARE "New Each Morning"!  I find that in the evenings, as day comes to a close, I often feel sad about the lack of productivity that day, in my Ministry and my writing.  I see all of the ways that my time was used that day, many of which were not utilization of my God given gifts. 

But I know, because of God's promises, that each morning, all things are new! I will have the energy again in the morning, I will have the day ahead of me again in the morning, I will still have my hopes and dreams and focuses, and Can revisit my to do list in the morning!

Thank you Lord that your compassion's are new each morning!

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Chaos Calls




I'm listening to a song, and the lyrics say "Chaos calls, but all you really need, is to just breathe".

Isn't that the truth! This lifestyle in America today really is chaos calling us each and every day, to jump right into the chaotic days of this life. 

As the same song says, from the moment our alarm clock goes off in the morning, we are rushing for deadlines and schedules; Kids schedules, work schedules, exercise schedules, prayer schedules, church schedules, hobby schedules, and the list goes on...   And then, there's all the events for extended family. Parties, celebrations, sporting events, music events, and more. Don't get me wrong, I love my extended family, and wouldn't trade time with them for anything, but our event calendars these days are just too chaotic!

So today, as I begin to feel panicky about planning for the trip and traveling to my hometown, the best reminder I could have asked for, came from this song on the radio; just Breathe. 

As good memories came flooding back, so did the bad ones, the unpleasant ones, and my brain feels chaotic about going back to that place. 

"Rest at Jesus feet, and breathe".

"Take it in, fill your lungs, it's the peace of God that overcomes",  that is just what I did.

(Link to "Breathe" by Jonny Diaz) 

Take Several deep breaths, of God's grace as a reminder that we are His, and he's got this!. That no memory good or bad, compares to the love and peace found in Him!

So now, I move forward with another chaotic day, filled with rushing and events and exhaustion and COFFEE.

And through it all, I try to radiate that my life belongs to God, and i hope that others see His glory through me.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Guest Post on "Blossom in Faith"



Check out my Guest Post titled: 
"3 Strikes Doesn't Always Mean You're Out", 
on Kelly's Blog, "Blossom in Faith"! 

Here is the short link - http://wp.me/p45OCW-xT

Enjoy! 




Sunday, June 26, 2016

Grey.... to FULL COLOR!

For so many years, I chose the lifestyle of living in the "grey", of not stirring the waters, of trying to be what I thought others wanted me to be.   Often, I felt "Grey" inside, because I was not being true to myself.  I was not living out who I really am inside. 

With many important people in my life, and some not so important, I have acted how I felt they wanted me to act; and discussed what I felt they wanted me to discuss; and socialized in the way that I felt they wanted me to. I have spent many years requiring myself to have the proper energy-level and attitude, based on the crowd or event of each day. 

Lately though, I have been very true to myself!  I am learning to hold tight to my values, my beliefs, my style, etc.   It feels so very good to be ME!!

Another area deep in my heart, that I have had many times/situations, in which I felt the need to hide, is my faith.   I've spent so long "Following the Leader".....but, not fully following THE LEADER (God, my heavenly Father, my everything), rather "the leader", as in society, peers, requirements of others....


www.frommylifetoyourheart.com

Yes!  What a beautiful and true verse!  I have finally found the power to be of sound mind, with who I am! 

I have found the strength to no longer care what society and other people want me to be, but to be true to exactly  who God made and intended me to be! 

What a freeing feeling to no longer  heed external pressures to be someone different that who I was created to be! I even feel more in touch with my faith and with God, because I now feel free to act and speak like a Child of God whenever I want. I now feel free to share my faith, my humanitarianism, my drive and positive outlook on life, with anyone and everyone that I encounter!  I am living life in FULL COLOR! 

I want to share this song with all my readers; it explains the feelings that I wrote about above perfectly! 

I hope it peps up your day too, and reminds you to be comfortable with exactly who God made you to be! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFPHuFnmAds

Blessings to your week! 


Sunday, June 12, 2016

Hyper-Sensitive!

As I am writing this, I am standing in a beautiful park. It is named"Peace Park", and peace is what I am seeking...

You see, a few weeks ago, something very personal happened, that has caused me to become hyper sensitive to everything! My senses are heightened in a very cranky, crabby, and negative way, since this event.

I have recently done a few out-of-character things, like running away from someone that I thought was following me (even though now I'm certain they weren't), and like calling local police to report a gunshot near my home, when I now believe it was quite likely the road work up my street.  Ugh! 

These feelings of hypersensitivity; of constantly feeling skeptical, are not healthy. This does not feel good inside.

So here I stand, in Peace Park, near the beautiful water fountain, all alone, asking God to help me find the peace that I know, that He wants for me...

I began purposefully thinking about the places in Scripture where I have heard the word Peace... 
These verses came to mind first:

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalms 29:11

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his 

people with peace.



What comfort each and every one of those verses gives me, on this beautiful day, and for every day to come!

Just reading them, refreshes my mind and soul, and helps me recall the beautiful truth, that God wishes nothing less than peacefulness for all his beloved children.

I certainly came to the right place today, and am now reminded that peace is not only found at Peace Park, but within God's promises, and His Holy Word. 

I pray that I go forth from this place and continue my journey away from the hypersensitivity that has been affecting my life, and toward the peace God intends for me.

God intends Peace in Him, for us all! 


Post - note: 
Ok.....I wrote the above words 2 days ago.  Today, as I am sitting down to proof it, prior to posting,  My mind is filled once again, with alarming events....   The worst mass shooting is US history, has taken place early this morning;  a dear woman, wonderful Christian influence, and someone that I could always count on for a smile, kind words, and a hug, passed away yesterday, unexpectedly, and without time to say goodbye.....

Thank God once again, for the time that I had in Peace Park, because without that time of reflection and study, I would not be able to handle today's events as well as I am! 

When looking to social media, for details about the horrible shooting that took place eary this morning, I came across this prayer in my Facebook feed, and wanted to share it with you all: 
Prayers on the Prairie 
(shared here with permission) 
"O Lord our God,
The world overflows with tragedy and pain. Violent shootings, destructive weather, rampant viruses and horrific, nasty words continually rip apart what you have knit together. And then for a moment...the storm is stilled, the world quiets in the hush of a silent respite; written upon the sky is a gentle message of hope and love. Once again, we are reminded of the promised glory in resurrection. One day the trumpet will sound. One day wounded hearts will be healed and whole. One day Your peace will reign. One day the sting of all death will end and Your kingdom will blanket us in the grace of life eternal. ~Amen.
"I have written these things so that in me you have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" - John 16:33.

Wow.... look at that....the same verse from the glorious Bible, that I used to create the above image; the centerpiece of this post....and therefore, I am evermore praising God that He has overcome the World, so that I may have Peace! 

PEACE to your week to come! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I feel so deeply about hypersensitivity being a major problem in our ever-changing, fast paced world, that I will be holding a one night group study about "Hyper-Sensitivity", at Peace Park.   I pray that all believers gathered may, through listening and conversation, help each other to find Peace!If you live in or near my community, and wish to join a mixed group of beautiful, broken, believers; come to Peace Park, on Front Street, at 7:30 on June 22nd!    Bring a blanket or towel to sit on in the grass.  We will learn together! 


Sunday, May 22, 2016

Scars Make Us Beautiful

Scars make us beautiful!

It has taken me 17 yrs. to understand and truly  believe that...

For many years, I hated the external scars on my face and chin from a very bad car accident. I styled my hair in a way to hide the scars on my forehead; I tried every "scar reducer" and "concealer" that exists.

Also, as a mother, I have "scars" (stretch marks) on my stomach, from carrying babies, and for several years after child bearing, I tried every stretch mark cream available for purchase; finding none that worked well. For a while, I had told myself that I would never again wear a swimsuit that showed any of those "scars".

And then there's internal scars... the ones from simply living.  The scars from a broken heart or shattered dreams. The scars from lost friendships and lost loved ones.

Recently I've found a deep new appreciation for all of my scars, both external and internal, as I've realized and admitted to myself that they are what have formed me into who I am today!

The physical scars from my car accident once reminded me each and every morning as I looked in the mirror, of pain, shattered glass, and emotional brokenness. But now, each time I see them, I am reminded how strong I have become, how much my faith has grown as God brought me through that, and of my passion to share my story of faith and perseverance with others!

The scars from carrying babies, now are proud reminders of my greatest blessings!  God has blessed me with 2 wonderful children, and some people never get the chance to experience child birth or motherhood.  I am thankful every day, that I was given the opportunity to bring my children into this world, and to watch a growing belly in anticipation.  

Watching children grow and form into who they are going to be as adults; watching their personality's bloom and their beliefs form, is such an incredible blessing.

The internal scars, of hurt and heartache, of disappointment and lost dreams; these are our scars that no one knows about, unless we share the story. These are the scars that, I believe, form us the most!  

Those internal scars have brought me closer to God, each and every time. They have shaped me into the strong woman that I am today. The internal scars, the trials, teach us things that cannot be taught without living through the traumatic event.  

Today, I can honestly say "I am proud of my Scars!" I am proud of all that I have been through, and of who I have become. And I hope and pray that you too can be very proud of the scars that you have earned! 

Thank you Lord, for the way that you pre-destined our lives and for all the blessings that you have given us, even blessings through trials.  Amen. 

May you all learn to view your scars as blessings too, and value all that you have learned through them!

Here is a beautiful song, that prompted me to write this post: 


"That's What Scars are For" by Mandisa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gvt__r9EU0

Enjoy!  Blessings to you today and always!