Today is day two in our reading plan for 2020. We are reading the New Testament starting with Matthew. If you missed yesterday, HERE is Day 1.
Day 2 Reading Plan is Matthew 4-6
It only takes about 10 minutes for the reading today. I wanted to add here in the blog that I forgot to share this on todays video, it was too pivotal to not share. What our eyes look at. Also what stood out is not only what we physically look at but figuratively speaking what are we ‘looking at’ (focusing on) in our life. Surely things will manifest in such a way similar to what you are ‘seeing’, what you are CHOOSING to see, and where your focus is. I realized in this moment that is why it feels good to focus on God.
Continue reading “The eye is the lamp of the body”
“I can’t do this Lord!” This is the conversation I was having with God this morning as I was in complete tears. It’s January 1, 2020 at 4:44 this morning, this is how my New Year started.
Side note here before I dive deep, I have a feeling this is going to be one of my longest blog posts, I know most people don’t have a band-width for long posts, but I need to get this out, and who knows, maybe I will make a video for those of you who prefer video format.
Would you agree that sometimes it’s not easy to share even with your own best friend those deepest most intimate parts of your journey? Some of this will probably be hard to share too, being fully honest with it all.
Gosh, as 2019 comes to a close, many of us do lots of different things as we reflect going into the New Year, would you agree?
We can feel like time is passing us by and feel nervous for the things we didn’t get done, or even beat ourselves up. Just like the quote I recently shared, we overestimate what we can do in one year and underestimate what we can do in ten rings so true if you are in this space of contemplation. I pray that if you are only noticing the things you didn’t get done, that you see the things you DID ACCOMPLISH, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. You keep believing in yourself.
We also can reflect and see all of our mistakes and give up or feel defeated or we can see them as our stepping stones toward our goals. Wherever you sit with this is completely fine. There is no right or wrong way, yet I do believe there is a productive and a non-productive approach, and I guess that is how I am viewing this now. I have spent times in both, feeling defeated but also feeling grateful for those mistakes. When I think of making those ‘mistakes’ (that really are not mistakes) I can always see the molding process God is doing on me and through me. Not always right away, but over time it begins to be apparent, especially the more I pray about it. So with each passing day and year, I have learned to embrace those ‘failures’. I pray that if you see ONLY your mistakes, that you also remember grace for yourself. Give yourself a hug and know that you are doing good no matter what. Today is a new day and tomorrow is a new year. Clean slate, and you get to create the canvas for a new tomorrow.
Continue reading “I say ‘Thank you 2019’…”
During the waning years of the Depression in a small southeastern Idaho community, I used to stop by Mr. Miller’s roadside stand for farm-fresh produce, as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce, and barter was used extensively.
On one particular day, as Mr. Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me, I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged, but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller and the ragged boy next to me.
Continue reading “Three Red Marbles”
This hits home for me. When I left my job trading the traditional paycheck every two weeks to the unknown, it was really hard for me. I remember thinking, oh, I may need to downsize or let go of this expenditure, or be careful here…. And certainly I’m not saying that I mastered it, I still catch myself with the old way of thinking. I feel like many people may need this message today. Do we fully trust God with our finances? Speaking for myself this area was really hard for me, but I know that when I can be in that space of trusting IN HIM and HIS PLAN, I do reap the benefits.
Normally when someone goes through a rough time financially, we, in our human ego mind, will often say things like ‘oh, I need to just get another job’, ‘I need to cut back’, ‘I need to sell something’… and sometimes say things like ‘I’m so dumb, how did I get myself into this mess’, ‘I am not responsible’, ‘I am a mess’…. God is waiting for us to TRUST IN HIM. Give HIM the access to our finances, give HIM full reign which means full faith (#fiercelyfaithful )
If you need prayers in your financial life, just comment below, Prayers or a simple emoji will do. I am lifting YOU in prayer. May 2020 bring you closer to God and bring you the answers you seek. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
As I woke this morning, (I stayed up late last night writing) and as I lay there thinking about the things I am truly grateful for and having a conversation with God, I looked over and saw a shirt I had worn just the day before. It was a special treasure from a special couple this year.
Continue reading “Salt & Light”
It’s been so long since I have shared here, I have so much that I want to share and get caught up on, but I will break this into a few posts…. I have so much NEW IN MY LIFE right now, and although it will take some new adjustments with our schedules and stuff, I feel grateful. It’s exciting. And the title to this blog post?…. Let’s start with the google definition of the word exfoliate, “come apart or be shed from a surface in scales or layers.” Have you ever had your face exfoliated? It doesn’t always feel great when it’s getting done, but afterwards when the ‘dead skin’ peels and the new skin underneath is exposed to the fresh air, it’s the most amazing feeling! Your skin feels younger, more vibrant, and more clear. It’s the best word I could think of to describe what I want to share with you. I am sharing where I have been lately, and what I have been up to. Many of you have been reaching out asking about me and my business and what I’m up to….So I decided to share a blog with all of you. 🙂
Continue reading “Exfoliating The Old”
LISTEN TO TODAYS MESSAGE
Today’s message is on Proverbs 14:30:
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
Jerry Kramer is a former professional football player, author, and sports commentator, but best remembered for his 11-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive lineman. Kramer was an all-pro five times, and a member of the NFL’s 50th anniversary team in 1969, (all of this from Wikipedia).
Before his election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 at age 82, Kramer was noted for being a finalist for the Hall of Fame ten times without actually being voted in. And in 2008, he was rated No. 1 in NFL Network’s Top 10 list of players not in the Hall. Kramer was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame on August 4, 2018. At his induction speech, he quoted something his high school coach had told him: “You can if you will”.
LISTEN TO TODAYS MESSAGE
Today’s message is on Mark 12:31: “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
We were moving the weekend in August 2017 from Houston (actually Missouri City, right outside of Houston) to Louisiana when Hurricane Harvey hit causing so much devastation and destruction. We barely made it out of the storm, we had packed our Uhaul and I followed behind my husband, and literally 20 minutes after we passed an area of the interstate they closed it. We would have been stuck there. It was scary, as the water was at a dangerous level for our car.
I remember the news reporting so many stories of people coming from all over the US to help……I love that! Because there is a lot of negative news and sometimes it can be really heavy.
LISTEN TO TODAYS MESSAGE
Today’s message is on 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Yesterday we shared Job 12:13 and as we learned that Job hung on to God’s strength, and God’s understanding and not on his own. I was thinking about people who are struggling with anxiety. It seems to be so prevalent with people that I coach and mentor. Because let’s face it, many times when we are going through things we think we can handle it until the stress or the overwhelm begins to affect us emotionally, mentally, or even physically. And many times the stress or trauma causes us to have anxiety. Continue reading “Shifting my perspective on stressful situations”
LISTEN TO TODAYS MESSAGE
Today’s message is on Job 12:13: To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.”
We won’t always understand why we’re going through trials and in today’s verse we know this was the case for Job, who faced unexplainable and massive suffering and loss. Many of us have gone through incredibly hard times and can relate to his pain. Yet despite the many questions that Job had, in chapter 12 he declares that God is mighty and in verse 14 and 16 “What he tears down cannot be rebuilt” and “to him belong strength and insight”. Even further down in verse 23 it says, “He makes nations great, and destroys them”. And even reading this sometimes it can feel so heavy right? And as I read through all of these things that it says God allows, Job doesn’t mention God’s motives or why He sometimes will allow pain and suffering.
LISTEN TO TODAY’S MESSAGE
Today’s message is on Psalm 55:16: As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.”
In Psalm 55, David shares how he pursued hope. Backing up a bit in this Chapter to the beginning verse 1 through verse 5, Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. Reading this, we can understand the weight of his burdens even though we may not know the specifics of the situations he faced.
Can you relate to how David describes his pain and how he felt? In our own life, like David, we may want to run from our problems or our painful circumstances looking for security or safety from the pain. I have shared here in these messages that something that I would do was run from my problems. Because many times, I didn’t want to feel the pain or deal with it. So I would either run or get myself so busy in life, I didn’t have to make decisions. Of course this is only a delay tactic, because sooner or later, it does catch up with you. I think of David in the scripture, and after considering his options he chose to run to his God instead of running from his problems.
Continue reading “I trust in the power of God’s love in my life”