I thought of us as we pray for the nation. It is long....from Nehemiah chapter 9. If we could all pray for our country this way. Give the Glory due his name! He is wonderful and mighty to save!
“Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!” Then they prayed:
“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!
6 “You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.
7 “You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham.
8 When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.
9 “You saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cries from beside the Red Sea.[c]
10 You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, his officials, and all his people, for you knew how arrogantly they were treating our ancestors. You have a glorious reputation that has never been forgotten.
11 You divided the sea for your people so they could walk through on dry land! And then you hurled their enemies into the depths of the sea. They sank like stones beneath the mighty waters.
12 You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way. 13 “You came down at Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions that were just, and decrees and commands that were good.
14 You instructed them concerning your holy Sabbath. And you commanded them, through Moses your servant, to obey all your commands, decrees, and instructions. 15 “You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them. 16 “But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands.
17 They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,
18 even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies. 19 “But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night.
20 You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.
21 For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell! 22 “Then you helped our ancestors conquer kingdoms and nations, and you placed your people in every corner of the land.[d] They took over the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan.
23 You made their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and brought them into the land you had promised to their ancestors. 24 “They went in and took possession of the land. You subdued whole nations before them. Even the Canaanites, who inhabited the land, were powerless! Your people could deal with these nations and their kings as they pleased.
25 Our ancestors captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took over houses full of good things, with cisterns already dug and vineyards and olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate until they were full and grew fat and enjoyed themselves in all your blessings. 26 “But despite all this, they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They turned their backs on your Law, they killed your prophets who warned them to return to you, and they committed terrible blasphemies.
27 So you handed them over to their enemies, who made them suffer. But in their time of trouble they cried to you, and you heard them from heaven. In your great mercy, you sent them liberators who rescued them from their enemies. 28 “But as soon as they were at peace, your people again committed evil in your sight, and once more you let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever your people turned and cried to you again for help, you listened once more from heaven. In your wonderful mercy, you rescued them many times! 29 “You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen.
30 In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.
31 But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are! 32 “And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered seem insignificant to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings and leaders and priests and prophets and ancestors—all of your people—from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now.
33 Every time you punished us you were being just. We have sinned greatly, and you gave us only what we deserved.
34 Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey your Law or listen to the warnings in your commands and laws.
35 Even while they had their own kingdom, they did not serve you, though you showered your goodness on them. You gave them a large, fertile land, but they refused to turn from their wickedness
Let us not refuse....Let us pray that we will choose to turn from our wickedness.
He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us 1 John 1:9
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Loving God and a Repenant Heart
Recently, I posted a story on how God teaches me a lot about my relationship with Him by using my relationship with my kids....mainly Lily. She is so much like me that it is scary! Anyone who truly knows me and her can verify that.
Well, this last week, Thursday to be exact, both my children were quite sassy in the car ride home from school. Thursdays have always been our most challenging days with the kids. They are just already worn out from the school week. In the past, this was always the meltdown day. It was like clock work. Lily always had an emotional breakdown over something that may have seemed quite silly to me. Tripp gets exhausted and he begins to get squirmy and runs around like a maniac. He also gets a little emotional....that is when I know we have hit the past of no return for him.......
Anyway, Whatever their sassiness was, Tripp was mouthy, and Lily's was an attitude issue. Tripp was easy to reign in...I just reminded him of the consequences of his rebellion and he shaped up. Lily is a little tougher. Though she didn't say much, it was in her attitude, all over her face, and in her actions. I just said a silent prayer to God for a little help here! We got home, she continued her little passive aggressive behavior. I gave a gentle reminder of what happens when we have a rebellious heart, and went upstairs to do something while she practiced her guitar downstairs.
What I haven't relayed it that I was having quite a day of my own. The day before had been very enlightening for me, I had been convicted, challenged, and encouraged. I have a hard time sometimes letting go of the issues of sin in my life and keep it. I Came under some major condemnation. I was walking in some discouragement over some sin.....even though I knew God had forgiven me.....I just couldn't let it go myself.......I was so truly sorry for the things I had done or hadn't done. For me it was an attitude in my thought life, some pride maybe.
What I knew I couldn't apply and that was that the Bible says, "there is no condemnation" in Christ. Condemnation comes from my enemy...not my God.
Well, not 5 minutes have gone by.....(my eyes well up now as I remember this picture) and Lily comes to me. Her eyes full of tears, yet refusing tolet them spill over onto her face. She is trying hard to keep it together. She says something like this to me, "Mommy, I am sorry for my attitude. " One little tear now trickling down her face. She then, through her quivering voice says, "Thursdays are just such hard days for me and I am sorry for my attitude....." Now she is crying and I immediately pull her lovingly into my lap and hold her. I rock her and smooth her hair and whisper to her how much I love her and forgive her. And she sits their in the comfort of my arms for a long time. I remind her of how much I love her and I just want what I know is best for her. That I love her. That it is over. Not to worry. And eventually, she gets up and wipes her face and tells me she loves me.....goes downstairs to practise her guitar.
Oh, I can't tell you how the Holy Spirit ministered to me at that minute. It was like God was saying, "See???" I immediately got the point, and then released it. My heavenly Father was teaching me in that how much he loves me, He forgives me, and it is over. "Now come into my lap and let me hug and hold you and minister to you. Receive my forgiveness, and now receive my love for you, and remember that I know best for you..."
He does love us, he does forgive. We come to him, rendering our hearts and repentant and he is faithful to us. 1 John 1:9 says 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all our unrighteousness.' So shouldn't we forgive ourselves and stop reminding Him of our sin he has already forgiven us of? I pray you receive this and will live joyfully today in your righteousness in Christ. We are co-heirs with him, you know...receive his inheritance today.
Love,
Shelli
Well, this last week, Thursday to be exact, both my children were quite sassy in the car ride home from school. Thursdays have always been our most challenging days with the kids. They are just already worn out from the school week. In the past, this was always the meltdown day. It was like clock work. Lily always had an emotional breakdown over something that may have seemed quite silly to me. Tripp gets exhausted and he begins to get squirmy and runs around like a maniac. He also gets a little emotional....that is when I know we have hit the past of no return for him.......
Anyway, Whatever their sassiness was, Tripp was mouthy, and Lily's was an attitude issue. Tripp was easy to reign in...I just reminded him of the consequences of his rebellion and he shaped up. Lily is a little tougher. Though she didn't say much, it was in her attitude, all over her face, and in her actions. I just said a silent prayer to God for a little help here! We got home, she continued her little passive aggressive behavior. I gave a gentle reminder of what happens when we have a rebellious heart, and went upstairs to do something while she practiced her guitar downstairs.
What I haven't relayed it that I was having quite a day of my own. The day before had been very enlightening for me, I had been convicted, challenged, and encouraged. I have a hard time sometimes letting go of the issues of sin in my life and keep it. I Came under some major condemnation. I was walking in some discouragement over some sin.....even though I knew God had forgiven me.....I just couldn't let it go myself.......I was so truly sorry for the things I had done or hadn't done. For me it was an attitude in my thought life, some pride maybe.
What I knew I couldn't apply and that was that the Bible says, "there is no condemnation" in Christ. Condemnation comes from my enemy...not my God.
Well, not 5 minutes have gone by.....(my eyes well up now as I remember this picture) and Lily comes to me. Her eyes full of tears, yet refusing tolet them spill over onto her face. She is trying hard to keep it together. She says something like this to me, "Mommy, I am sorry for my attitude. " One little tear now trickling down her face. She then, through her quivering voice says, "Thursdays are just such hard days for me and I am sorry for my attitude....." Now she is crying and I immediately pull her lovingly into my lap and hold her. I rock her and smooth her hair and whisper to her how much I love her and forgive her. And she sits their in the comfort of my arms for a long time. I remind her of how much I love her and I just want what I know is best for her. That I love her. That it is over. Not to worry. And eventually, she gets up and wipes her face and tells me she loves me.....goes downstairs to practise her guitar.
Oh, I can't tell you how the Holy Spirit ministered to me at that minute. It was like God was saying, "See???" I immediately got the point, and then released it. My heavenly Father was teaching me in that how much he loves me, He forgives me, and it is over. "Now come into my lap and let me hug and hold you and minister to you. Receive my forgiveness, and now receive my love for you, and remember that I know best for you..."
He does love us, he does forgive. We come to him, rendering our hearts and repentant and he is faithful to us. 1 John 1:9 says 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all our unrighteousness.' So shouldn't we forgive ourselves and stop reminding Him of our sin he has already forgiven us of? I pray you receive this and will live joyfully today in your righteousness in Christ. We are co-heirs with him, you know...receive his inheritance today.
Love,
Shelli
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Love no matter what.......
People are often unreasonable, illogical
and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you
of selfish, alterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some rue enemies;
Succeed anyway
If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway;
What you spend years building, someone
could destroy overnight;
Build anyway
If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway;
The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway
Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway
You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
-Mother Teresa
and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you
of selfish, alterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some rue enemies;
Succeed anyway
If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway;
What you spend years building, someone
could destroy overnight;
Build anyway
If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway;
The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway
Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway
You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
-Mother Teresa
Monday, October 5, 2009
Question of the Day
What does the word Courage Look like in your life? Courage is one of my favorite words. I was glancing back through a study on Esther that I did last spring and that is one of the things about her that really inspired me. Her Courage. Esther, a Jewish girl raised by her uncle Mordecai in Persia, was taken to "try out" for queen. King Xerxes had banished his first queen because of her refusal to honor his drunken request of parading about in front of all his drunk officials at a party he'd thrown for about 180 days. So, he got rid of her at his officials suggestion, and is now on the lookout for the new queen. So the officials went out in search high and low for young, beautiful, virgins. They were brought to his kingdom, given one year beauty treatments and nutritional (choice) foods to enhance their beauty. After the contest was over......Esther won and was crowned the new queen. Now, Mordecai warned her to keep her Jewish heritage a secret...hence her name Esther....before, her birth name was Hadassah.....a very Jewish name.
So, the courage part comes in when Mordecai warns her that the King has signed a law that will annihilate the Jews forever and that SHE must save her people and go to the king. Law also stated that anyone coming before the king without being invited to do so by him would be executed. It is a fascinating story. Only 10 chapters. I highly recommend you reading it. It took tremendous courage. After 3 days of prayer and fasting, she went before the king. She is reported as saying, "If I die, then I die." What is your "If I___________, then I ________?"
Are you being commissioned for something that will take great courage?
I would love to hear stories from you on Fear and Courage from your own life to encourage others who read this blog.....I know I am just starting out and only have a few followers. But, I would love to make Tuesdays, "Testimony Tuesdays"
If you have a story to share....please post it or email it to me privately and I will post it.
Did you know that the phrase: "Do not be afraid..." is the most frequent command in the Bible....Can we even imagine living without fear?
Psalm 138:8 - 8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.
From Beth Moore..." There is no denial in courage! Courage looks at fear flat in the face ad denies its authority over me!"
Guys, take courage today....."you may be one brave decision away from the most important destiny of your life!" (Beth Moore in Esther)
And Please Remember, from 1 John 4:18 "perfect love casts out all fear!"
So, the courage part comes in when Mordecai warns her that the King has signed a law that will annihilate the Jews forever and that SHE must save her people and go to the king. Law also stated that anyone coming before the king without being invited to do so by him would be executed. It is a fascinating story. Only 10 chapters. I highly recommend you reading it. It took tremendous courage. After 3 days of prayer and fasting, she went before the king. She is reported as saying, "If I die, then I die." What is your "If I___________, then I ________?"
Are you being commissioned for something that will take great courage?
I would love to hear stories from you on Fear and Courage from your own life to encourage others who read this blog.....I know I am just starting out and only have a few followers. But, I would love to make Tuesdays, "Testimony Tuesdays"
If you have a story to share....please post it or email it to me privately and I will post it.
Did you know that the phrase: "Do not be afraid..." is the most frequent command in the Bible....Can we even imagine living without fear?
Psalm 138:8 - 8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.
From Beth Moore..." There is no denial in courage! Courage looks at fear flat in the face ad denies its authority over me!"
Guys, take courage today....."you may be one brave decision away from the most important destiny of your life!" (Beth Moore in Esther)
And Please Remember, from 1 John 4:18 "perfect love casts out all fear!"
Friday, October 2, 2009
I had such a great day yesterday! I got to go get my hair spruced up a bit....with a cut and color...I went for a glorious walk on a glorious day, my son played a great baseball game last night and got game ball. Who doesn't love a good baseball game on a wonderful fall night? And the best part..... I have made a new friend....but let me share this story....
As I was waiting for my morning flight to Orlando, about a month back, I noticed a family on my flight. I kept trying to place the mom, but couldn't. So, I landed in New Orleans and had about an hour lay over there and went to get some lunch at Subway (EAT FRESH). This Family was behind me in line. Again, I couldn't place it, but felt immediate kindred spirit when I heard the mom order her girls a plain sub with only ham. Yes! there are other people out there with picky girl eaters. I went on to sit alone and read my awesome new book that I devoured in a day.....it is called The Flies on the Butter by Denise Hildreth. A story about a young woman facing some of her painful childhood memories while on her long drive back home. Great book as I am on my way home....and hey, lets face it....Who DOESN'T have a painful childhood experience or two? Anyway, getting offtrack here.
When I boarded my next plane to Orlando, I saw this family AGAIN on my flight. "Are you going to Disney?" I asked the oldest? She nodded and I said, "OOOOH you are gonna have so much fun!" and then the mom and I agreed with each other that we felt like we knew each other. She said they were from Franklin and we tried to think about it all while I am traveling down the aisle looking for a seat with a bunch of people behind me wishing I would move it along, sister!
Well, that was the last time I saw her. I thought about that family on my way back home to Franklin 5 days later, and wondered if I would ever run into her again? This was on Tuesday night, by the way. Wednesday morning, I went to my Bible study that I am doing at another church. AND LO AND BEHOLD, who do you think came over to me the minute I sat down? It was this mom! We immediately embraced like we were best friends! That, sisters, is the way of it in the South. You know its true too! You may have just met a person and when you leave, you are kissing them on the cheek telling them how much you adore them. Can I get a witness?
Anyway, we chatted a few minutes and then saw each other again the next week. We decided to meet up for coffee to get acquainted with each other since we are already all huggy and all. So, we met for coffee at my favorite coffee spot in Franklin, called the Beanery. It is so cozy and quaint...and quiet! Plus, they have really good food too! Anyway, for the next hour and a half, we got to share with each other parts of our "story" and I can tell you that I just know that I have a new bff! I am so thankful for new friends. If I had never done this Bible Study at another church that is not my own, then I know I may have never been blessed by her. You see, I was all gonna do one at my own church, but didn't really feel a pulling at any of the topics. Then, I found out about the one at the Journey church called The Whole Woman Revolution and I am loving it. It is all on Faith! It has been a very very powerful study!
Actually, I know my God is a much bigger God than that, and we may have met at another time....but I am so glad that I met her now. So, that, my friends, was the cherry on the milkshake (or the fudgy frosting on my cupcake) for my day yesterday! I just had to share it!
I hope you have a cherry on your milkshake kinda day today! Be blessed. I pray God will show you more of himself today in a very special way.
Love,
Shelli
As I was waiting for my morning flight to Orlando, about a month back, I noticed a family on my flight. I kept trying to place the mom, but couldn't. So, I landed in New Orleans and had about an hour lay over there and went to get some lunch at Subway (EAT FRESH). This Family was behind me in line. Again, I couldn't place it, but felt immediate kindred spirit when I heard the mom order her girls a plain sub with only ham. Yes! there are other people out there with picky girl eaters. I went on to sit alone and read my awesome new book that I devoured in a day.....it is called The Flies on the Butter by Denise Hildreth. A story about a young woman facing some of her painful childhood memories while on her long drive back home. Great book as I am on my way home....and hey, lets face it....Who DOESN'T have a painful childhood experience or two? Anyway, getting offtrack here.
When I boarded my next plane to Orlando, I saw this family AGAIN on my flight. "Are you going to Disney?" I asked the oldest? She nodded and I said, "OOOOH you are gonna have so much fun!" and then the mom and I agreed with each other that we felt like we knew each other. She said they were from Franklin and we tried to think about it all while I am traveling down the aisle looking for a seat with a bunch of people behind me wishing I would move it along, sister!
Well, that was the last time I saw her. I thought about that family on my way back home to Franklin 5 days later, and wondered if I would ever run into her again? This was on Tuesday night, by the way. Wednesday morning, I went to my Bible study that I am doing at another church. AND LO AND BEHOLD, who do you think came over to me the minute I sat down? It was this mom! We immediately embraced like we were best friends! That, sisters, is the way of it in the South. You know its true too! You may have just met a person and when you leave, you are kissing them on the cheek telling them how much you adore them. Can I get a witness?
Anyway, we chatted a few minutes and then saw each other again the next week. We decided to meet up for coffee to get acquainted with each other since we are already all huggy and all. So, we met for coffee at my favorite coffee spot in Franklin, called the Beanery. It is so cozy and quaint...and quiet! Plus, they have really good food too! Anyway, for the next hour and a half, we got to share with each other parts of our "story" and I can tell you that I just know that I have a new bff! I am so thankful for new friends. If I had never done this Bible Study at another church that is not my own, then I know I may have never been blessed by her. You see, I was all gonna do one at my own church, but didn't really feel a pulling at any of the topics. Then, I found out about the one at the Journey church called The Whole Woman Revolution and I am loving it. It is all on Faith! It has been a very very powerful study!
Actually, I know my God is a much bigger God than that, and we may have met at another time....but I am so glad that I met her now. So, that, my friends, was the cherry on the milkshake (or the fudgy frosting on my cupcake) for my day yesterday! I just had to share it!
I hope you have a cherry on your milkshake kinda day today! Be blessed. I pray God will show you more of himself today in a very special way.
Love,
Shelli
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
If Only.......
I think that God uses my relationship with my children to teach me a lot of lessons about His love for me. I know it sounds weird, but true......at least for me.
The other day, I was again, frustrated with Lily's attitude. It was getting ready to be her birthday. Her party was a week away. She had NO idea that I had planned for her a big surprise sleep over at a hotel with some of her friends from school. She actually thought she wasn't getting a party at all, because of a previous punishment. For some reason, she was really being a "stink-pot" that particular morning one week before this awesome surprise I had worked up for her. Again, here comes an ungrateful heart, thus a stinkin thinkin attitude with it. AND she's not even in PUBERTY YET. Lord help this mama!
So, I'm in the kitchen makin her lunch and slammin down the bread, and slappin on the peanut butter, and throwing in the juice box and all the time just a rantin (in my head) on and on about "if only you knew the surprise I had in store for you....you wouldn't have such a bad attitude . and if only you knew the things I had planned........"
I stopped right there dead in my lunchbox tantrum of my own in my own stinkin thinkin.....
"Really!? God, Really?! can't I just express myself here first before you jump on in with my thinkin?" UGHHHH....I immediately hear his voice, gently again, remind me of this awesome love he has for me. He appeals to my heart by repeating back the words I was just thinkin about my own child. He says, "Shelli, if only you knew the blessings ahead....my glorious plans for you, my dear child, you wouldn't_______(fill in my yucky things here)________ Plus my ungrateful heart...blah blah blah......
If only......I wouldn't waste so much time on _______________. I would be thankful. I would be content. I would spend more time with you Lord.....
If Only....................
How would we all be different, IF ONLY...........
God is so full of grace and mercy. There is NO other God like this. There is NO OTHER GOD period. When will we embrace this. When will we truly understand it?
God has a glorious plan for our lives. We get sidetracked in our muck, and in our stinkin thinkin. We get off on tangents. Not Him. I want to receive my full purposes, I want to receive all that he has for me. I choose the straight path.....I choose to get off the tracks and back on the road. How about you?
What is your If only????????
The other day, I was again, frustrated with Lily's attitude. It was getting ready to be her birthday. Her party was a week away. She had NO idea that I had planned for her a big surprise sleep over at a hotel with some of her friends from school. She actually thought she wasn't getting a party at all, because of a previous punishment. For some reason, she was really being a "stink-pot" that particular morning one week before this awesome surprise I had worked up for her. Again, here comes an ungrateful heart, thus a stinkin thinkin attitude with it. AND she's not even in PUBERTY YET. Lord help this mama!
So, I'm in the kitchen makin her lunch and slammin down the bread, and slappin on the peanut butter, and throwing in the juice box and all the time just a rantin (in my head) on and on about "if only you knew the surprise I had in store for you....you wouldn't have such a bad attitude . and if only you knew the things I had planned........"
I stopped right there dead in my lunchbox tantrum of my own in my own stinkin thinkin.....
"Really!? God, Really?! can't I just express myself here first before you jump on in with my thinkin?" UGHHHH....I immediately hear his voice, gently again, remind me of this awesome love he has for me. He appeals to my heart by repeating back the words I was just thinkin about my own child. He says, "Shelli, if only you knew the blessings ahead....my glorious plans for you, my dear child, you wouldn't_______(fill in my yucky things here)________ Plus my ungrateful heart...blah blah blah......
If only......I wouldn't waste so much time on _______________. I would be thankful. I would be content. I would spend more time with you Lord.....
If Only....................
How would we all be different, IF ONLY...........
God is so full of grace and mercy. There is NO other God like this. There is NO OTHER GOD period. When will we embrace this. When will we truly understand it?
God has a glorious plan for our lives. We get sidetracked in our muck, and in our stinkin thinkin. We get off on tangents. Not Him. I want to receive my full purposes, I want to receive all that he has for me. I choose the straight path.....I choose to get off the tracks and back on the road. How about you?
What is your If only????????
Ya know, the sooner we learn about grace....God's grace, I think it would be better for us all. I mean GRACE. Not the, "thank you God for our good food" kinda grace. But Grace. Getting something we don't really deserve at all based on our attitude or actions. If I don't get it...then how are my sweet children gonna get it.
Recently, I was so frustrated with my ______________ attitudes. Fill in the blank with a person or persons of your choice. For me, it was my lovely children. Sound familiar? I was downright mad at their little ungrateful hearts. AND I was also sick and tired of apologies. I wanted RESULTS darnit! I am tired of the eyes rolling. I am tired of the complaining about having to do _______________ or the "I wish I had this new ___________" You get the idea. In my family, the ungrateful heart breeds a terrible attitude.
So, I am sick and tired of this display, and as I am driving down the road, I am just steaming about it. I want results. I am sick and tired of hearing the, "Sawwwwwrrreeeeeee" whine. I am thinking about how the NEXT conversation is about to go down. I am rehearsing how it will play out in my head. I am thinking, "The next time I hear one of you say 'I'm sorry', I'm gonna say back to them, All you ever say is sorry! But you never change, You keep doing the same things.....if you were truly sorry, you would change! You just keep doing the same old things!"
HMFFFFF! I'm driving, I'm fuming......I'm thinking this through some more, and almost immediately I am reminded of my sins and I MEAN IMMEDIATELY, I hear my heavenly father, my Papa, say this back to me. Like, a gentle loving dad. Not the way I sounded in my head ranting at my own children who I dearly love, by the way. He says it softly. Not condemning, but more like me at his lap, saying like my children say to me....."I'm sorry Papa, Daddy, I won't do it again. I am sorry for my unforgiving spirit.....my ungrateful heart, my judgemental heart, my mean words about people in my life who have hurt me. I am sorry God for not doing what I said I was gonna do for you. I am sorry I lost my temper with my kids. I was so busy yesterday, and I am sorry I didn't even talk to you or get in your word. I am sorry I don't see myself the way you see me....that I put myself down. How that must hurt you to hear how harshly I judge myself. Will you forgive me?" "I will try to do better, I promise......."
Can't we hear our children taken back to this with us? How much we love our children. How soft our hearts are for them. This is how our God feels about us.......to the power of about a .......million or so. I know we can get frustrated. I know our children test our patience. So do we test patience and frustrate.
So, I tell God I am sorry, and I am truly grieved at my heart's condition. (kinda like my sweet ones are sorry) "Lord, please forgive me," I beg. "Lord, will you help me in these areas? I want to be better." He says back to me, "Yes my child, I love you, I forgive you." 1 John 1:9 tells me that "If I confess my sin he is faithful and just to forgive it and then (here is the kicker) he cleanse me from all my unrighteousness" My sin is as far as the east is from the west now. I am clean and made righteous again. And his help is there. His help is in his word. His word, the Bible is life. It is full of instructions, right there for me to take in......
So what this teaches me is that while I don't really deserve God's grace here because my heart can be black, He still forgives. I am humbled. I want to show my children a picture of God in me. I want them to see love, patience, and forgiveness. The best picture of God that my children can ever receive is through my relationship with God. My love, patience, forgiveness, gentle instruction, gentle answers, gentle and loving discipline is teaching them more about God than any Bible devotion or lesson we have at the breakfast table.
The minute I understand His Grace and Mercy to me....The minute I choose to receive that Grace, is the minute I can extend it to my own children. I pray you will truly know God's love and grace, and his peace today.
Blessings,
Shelli
Recently, I was so frustrated with my ______________ attitudes. Fill in the blank with a person or persons of your choice. For me, it was my lovely children. Sound familiar? I was downright mad at their little ungrateful hearts. AND I was also sick and tired of apologies. I wanted RESULTS darnit! I am tired of the eyes rolling. I am tired of the complaining about having to do _______________ or the "I wish I had this new ___________" You get the idea. In my family, the ungrateful heart breeds a terrible attitude.
So, I am sick and tired of this display, and as I am driving down the road, I am just steaming about it. I want results. I am sick and tired of hearing the, "Sawwwwwrrreeeeeee" whine. I am thinking about how the NEXT conversation is about to go down. I am rehearsing how it will play out in my head. I am thinking, "The next time I hear one of you say 'I'm sorry', I'm gonna say back to them, All you ever say is sorry! But you never change, You keep doing the same things.....if you were truly sorry, you would change! You just keep doing the same old things!"
HMFFFFF! I'm driving, I'm fuming......I'm thinking this through some more, and almost immediately I am reminded of my sins and I MEAN IMMEDIATELY, I hear my heavenly father, my Papa, say this back to me. Like, a gentle loving dad. Not the way I sounded in my head ranting at my own children who I dearly love, by the way. He says it softly. Not condemning, but more like me at his lap, saying like my children say to me....."I'm sorry Papa, Daddy, I won't do it again. I am sorry for my unforgiving spirit.....my ungrateful heart, my judgemental heart, my mean words about people in my life who have hurt me. I am sorry God for not doing what I said I was gonna do for you. I am sorry I lost my temper with my kids. I was so busy yesterday, and I am sorry I didn't even talk to you or get in your word. I am sorry I don't see myself the way you see me....that I put myself down. How that must hurt you to hear how harshly I judge myself. Will you forgive me?" "I will try to do better, I promise......."
Can't we hear our children taken back to this with us? How much we love our children. How soft our hearts are for them. This is how our God feels about us.......to the power of about a .......million or so. I know we can get frustrated. I know our children test our patience. So do we test patience and frustrate.
So, I tell God I am sorry, and I am truly grieved at my heart's condition. (kinda like my sweet ones are sorry) "Lord, please forgive me," I beg. "Lord, will you help me in these areas? I want to be better." He says back to me, "Yes my child, I love you, I forgive you." 1 John 1:9 tells me that "If I confess my sin he is faithful and just to forgive it and then (here is the kicker) he cleanse me from all my unrighteousness" My sin is as far as the east is from the west now. I am clean and made righteous again. And his help is there. His help is in his word. His word, the Bible is life. It is full of instructions, right there for me to take in......
So what this teaches me is that while I don't really deserve God's grace here because my heart can be black, He still forgives. I am humbled. I want to show my children a picture of God in me. I want them to see love, patience, and forgiveness. The best picture of God that my children can ever receive is through my relationship with God. My love, patience, forgiveness, gentle instruction, gentle answers, gentle and loving discipline is teaching them more about God than any Bible devotion or lesson we have at the breakfast table.
The minute I understand His Grace and Mercy to me....The minute I choose to receive that Grace, is the minute I can extend it to my own children. I pray you will truly know God's love and grace, and his peace today.
Blessings,
Shelli
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