Friday, July 30th, 2010
Are there some questions you’re currently asking about God and your relationship to Diety?
I’d love it if you’d share what you’re thinking and wondering! This website is designed to serve you and help you connect with God, so if you have a question you’ve been wanting to ask – here’s your opportunity! I’d love to give you my best shot at answering it, and maybe someone else has a contribution they’ll share too. Let’s all join in the discussion and compare notes. Just click on the “comments” word directly beneath this entry and leave your comments or questions! Please join in the discussion, we need each other’s insites!
Tags: Connecting with God, Discussing God, God help me., Postive Encouragement, Who is God?
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Thursday, July 29th, 2010
I love to share the really exceptional things I run across, so here’s one taken from Tough Times, Tough People in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Written by Johnna Stein, it reminds us of two of the primary spiritual principles: Less is More, and Attitude is Everything:
Good Times in Bad Times
The economy’s failing is what they all say, Don’t worry ’bout tomorrow, appreciate today.
Those stocks and 401Ks have shrunk and gone down. It’s my own choice to wear a smile or a frown.
The gas prices shoot sky high, then lower than low. I have learned to conserve wherever I go.
The cost of heating our home makes me want to weep; I don double socks, then curl up in deep sleep.
Beans and rice make great protein when meat prices soar. There is no gas shortage in our home anymore.
Our drink of choice has become good ole H2O. We have it on the rocks to put on a good show.
We snip out coupons and dream of discounts galore. We await final sales in our favorite store.
No more nights on the town; we eat more homemade fare, Which leads to conversing and becoming aware.
Forget box office tickets and the movie debut; Renting DVD’s is cheaper, with no ads to view.
The TV reminds us of things we can’t afford. Turning it off provides its own great reward.
We’ve rediscovered board games and the fun they bring. Free books from the library, another new theing.
Getting back to basics has brought us joy and fun. Could it be this cutting back has merely begun?
There’s always someone worse off than we are, they say. Which remins us we’re blessed in a really big way.
In good times or bad times, we know one thing is true: Having faith in our God, helps us see our way through.
The conomy’s failing is what they all say. Don’t worry’bout tomorrow delight in today!
Tags: attitude of gratitude, Living for today, Paradigm shift, Postive Encouragement, Practical Spirituality
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Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Dr. Hans Selye, “The true pioneer in discovering the impact of emotions on health,” “named vengeance and bitterness as the emotional responses most likely to produce high stress levels in human beings. Conversely, he concluded, gratitude is the single response most nourishing to health.”
I love the Dayenu, a portion of the Seder celebration at Passover which lists God’s gifts and our response:
“If He had rescued us from Egypt, but not punished the Egyptians, We should have been content!
If He had punished the Egyptians, but not destroyed their gods, We should have been content!
If He had destroyed their gods, but not killed their frist-born, We should have been content!
If He had killed their first-born, but not given us their property, We should have been content!
If He had given us their property, but not divided the Red Sea before us, We should have been content!
If He had divided the Red Sea for us, but not drowned our oppressors, We should have been content!
If He had drowned our oppressors, but not supplied us in the desert for forty years, We should have been content!
If He had supplied us in the desert for forty years, but not fed us with manna, We should have been content!
If He had fed us with manna, but not given us the Sabbath, We should have been content!
If He had given us the Sabbath, but not brought us to Mount Sinai, We should have been content!
If He had given us the Law, but not brought us to the Land of Promise, We should have been content!
If He had brought us to the Land of Promise, but not built us His temple, We should have been content!
If He had built us His temple, but not provided permanent salvation, We should have been content!
If He had provided permanent salvation throught the sacrifice of Jesus, but not indwelt us with His Holy Spirit, We should have been content!”
But, Praise the Lord! For God has provided us with it all and His power to succeed!
Reading this list always puts me in a profound attitude of gratitude.
Tags: attitude of gratitude, Dayenu, Gratitude, health, Passover, Seder
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Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
There are many connections to God that we can utilize. Our internal one accessed through prayer and meditation, and our external one accessed through reading the word and talking with other believers. But there is one heavy-hitter connection that is often ignored. Thomas A Kempis calls this “the mystery that delights heaven and keeps the entire world intact.”
It’s definately a mystery as to how it works so powerfully; but why is it such a mystery to those who are seriously seeking God? It should be a regular shot-in-the-arm for all believers like a daily vitamin, or weekly game with the guys, or girls lunch out!
What am I talking about? – Only that which was a huge focus of Jesus’ ministry! Communion, Euchrist, or the Last Supper! Chapter 9 tells us: “Jesus initiated this tradition during his Last Supper meal with His disciples as He partook of Passover traditions. It was as Jesus and his disciples broke the bread and drank the wine sanctified by the Kiddush prayer celebrating God’s provision, that Jesus commanded “Do this in remembrance of Me.” –Remember Me, celebrating God’s provision! Thomas A Kempis elaborates: “In this Sacramant spiritual grace is granted, the soul’s lost strength is restored, and it’s bearty, often disfigured by sin, returns again. And sometimes this grace is so great that, through the fullness of the devotion offered to God, not only the mind, but the wakened body as well, feels an increase in strength.”
Look for opportunities to celebrate communion, or make some! Let’s start a movement of strong-souls, soaring with the wings of eagles, in God’s strength!
Tags: Communion, Connecting with God, Euchrist, last supper, Spiritual Power
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Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
Are there some questions you’re currently asking about God and your relationship to Diety?
I’d love it if you’d share what you’re thinking and wondering! This website is designed to serve you and help you connect with God, so if you have a question you’ve been wanting to ask – here’s your opportunity! I’d love to give you my best shot at answering it, and maybe someone else has a contribution they’ll share too. Let’s all join in the discussion and compare notes. Just click on the “comments” word directly beneath this entry and leave your comments or questions! Join in the discussion, we need each other’s insites!
Tags: Discussing God, Questions about God
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Monday, July 12th, 2010
Today I got an email report from a couragous teenager who is the daughter of a precious friend. Erica just arrived in Nepal where she is going to support local Christians and train other young-people to share about the love of Christ.
I was struck by her joy and her observations:
“Yesterday we went to a Buddist temple commonly known as the “monkey temple” and wow- how thankful I am that I serve the God that I do! This is the third most famous/popular buddist temple in the world and it was so crowded with people, idols, incence, monkeys, dogs, flags and prayer wheels. It was quite an experience as as we hiked up the 365 steps to the top and wandered around the different areas. It was so disheartening because looking around at the participants, they were all so burdened.
Today (Saturday) is the Sabbath here, so our translators took us to their church and it was awesome! The people were so passionate about living out the life of Christ and sharing with those around them. It is also incredibe to worship the same God with a body of believers who couldn’t be more different, yet we were all unified in Christ! It was also incredible to see the stark difference between the people at the temple, and those at the church – they couldn’t have been more different. The people at the church had life and hope in their eyes – it was so refreshing!”
How I need to appreciate the God who has given me the light in my eyes and the joy in my steps by lifting the burdon of death – Thank you Erica for the reality lesson! And THANK YOU God Almighty for being a God of love, and power, and grace!
Tags: Buddist, Christian, God of love
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Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Last week my college-age daughter called me with one of the many distressing challenges of life. Now that she is far away and my influential days are decreased, has she learned from me to rely on God and trust in His constant care for her? Have I done my job well and prepared her to tap into the ultimate power source and succeed? Does she have the ego-strength to know that she is His “treasured possession?”
I remembered the classic parental directive in Scriptures “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy is bursting with the “why?” for us – that we might always prosper, that God will keep His covenant of love with us, bless us, causing us to prosper, and be free from disease, enjoy long life, (and the list goes on and on and on…) The “why?” for God is in Psalm 76, “Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands.”
As parents we all see the need for our children to obey us. And now, yes, I want to be remembered, and I hope that my daughter will trust me and want to follow my lead! As I returned to that classic parental passage I was surprised to find it one sentence behind the all time classic directive: “Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” The commands God wants followed are all about love! I found myself asking “Have I lived my life in front of my children showing them that my focus was on God who is LOVE?”
Then I asked “How has God parented me?” I immediately remembered God’s coo “The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” That is exactly how God has loved me! I remember the times we’ve shared and what a delight they were. I remember the scary nights and the comfort I was able to receive from God and give to my daughter. I remember the “you can do it’s!” and words of encouragement. Yes, she knows she is loved and where it came from! That’s why she doesn’t call so often and is doing fabulously. She’s flying on the wings God has given her. And I can too!
So faithful parents – be encouraged. Just keep your eyes on the prize – God, and His love will flow through you in increasing measure, and your children will not depart from it!
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Deuteronomy 7:6, Deuteronomy 6:24, Deuteronomy 7:12-15, Deuteronomy 6:2, Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Zephaniah 3:17, Proverbs 22:6.
Tags: all about love, faithful parents, loving children, Parenting
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Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
Where is the hope? That’s what Steven Curtis Chapman’s song Heaven in the Real World asks.
If you’re old and cynical like me your immediate reaction is “There is NO heaven in this real world!” Yet we forget what Steven is really talking about: “When you know in your heart that you’ve found the missing part.” –
That is Jesus Christ! And for the multitudes that have gone from lost to found they know that they’ve found Heaven in the real world when they suddenly realize that they are loved (if only by God) and the booze turns to milk for their children and the abuse turns to respect for their spouses. That transition definitely feels like heaven for those experiencing it. But what happens then? Why do we usually lose that unabashed JOY?
I think we forget that God is a God of growth. We want simple answers and an easy-button. Our God definitely does NOT function with easy-buttons! In Steven’s song he has Billy Graham preaching the answer: “the hope is in the power of God working in the hearts of people!” That’s God’s plan, and after the joy of discovery fades, we are left with the challenge of growing. That always hurts. But I am rejoicing to realize that in the lives of the people around me who love God, I see growth – and lots of it!
There is hope – God is working in our hearts! Maybe not the easy-way we wished, but He is doing a great work that will result in blessings for those around us now, and an eternal blessing we cannot now guess at. That is reason for a lot of Hope! Beyond economics, Past our failures, In our hurts, Through our unknown future. We have HOPE! Buckle down child-of-God, and know that heaven is in your heart and it’s growing with you – even through the pain. Hold onto that hope and choose Joy. Read chapter 9 for more inspiration to choose Joy!
Tags: Hope, real world, Steven Curtis Chapman
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