Plan or Flow?

I love planning. I have the philosophy that fun should planned to maximize the fun to be had, less time wasted on deciding because it’s already pre-planned, organized, and things just go smoothly.

I enjoy fun, I enjoy spontaneous plans (if given enough time to plan), and if they crowd out “non-fun” activities…all the better!

So when I make my plans for the month/week/day/hour and they get interrupted…I tend to be cranky, annoyed, and frustrated, and I begin to frantically to replan the time interrupted, how can I reshuffle, what can I get rid of, well there goes my nap time.

Those reactions all point towards a selfish, self-driven mind that demands control.

Not a pretty picture…

“I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”-Isaiah 48:17

So…I have to give my plans over to someone else? Yes He’s all-powerful, knowing, etc…but really then I’m not controlling my future. O what’s that? I don’t control my future? O…well…do I really have to trust that someone else knows what’s better for me? Hm…I don’t like that at all.

And I wish I had some magic formula to help…but I don’t. Make the right choices every day, lean on the Lord, ask for His strength to rely on Him, sounds confusing, but we don’t have the strength to trust Him.

So as I re-plan my day, Lord please direct me. Help me reach out to those who need me, encourage those who need a smile or compliment, listen to those who need to talk, spend my money on what you want, read, watch, and listen to that which glorifies you, Lord…I need you to help me plan my day and stay flexible as you lead.

Communicate Hope

Do you ever hear a phrase that just jumps out at you? A powerful combination of together that strung together express your vision or feeling.

Today just such a phrase jumped out at me.

::communicate hope::

am I daily communicating hope to those around me?

How does one communicate hope?

To understand this I think of love hopes all things from 1 Corinthians 13:7

hope:: does not allow the failure to be final

hope:: allows us to look forward, to get up & to move on

Hope is a powerful emotion, an outlook on life, a glimpse at a better tomorrow.

What are you hopeful for?

Why do you have hope?

Who are you communicating this valuable lesson to?

 

Hope Communicates 

Hope Communicates

Failure is not the end

Hope Communicates

Get up, Move on

Hope Communicates

There is a better future

 

The sorrows of life, they

drag us down

The storms, the trials,

all surround us

 

We Fall, We Fail

But we Rise up Again

 

Hope Communicates

Failure is Not the end

 

 

Follow Up:: Trust

Proverbs 3:1-7

My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

³ Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

 

This passage says so much about a life of Trust. When we keep the commandments, when we are living a Spirit controlled life, we a trusting God. His Steadfast love & faithfulness should be my meditation.

Verses 5, 6, & 7 are “classic” trust verses, but do not underestimate the power they contain.

Trust, Acknowledge, Turn –all actions that we must be living out in a life a trust.

::TRUST:: 

Heart Check

a good article on a healthy heart

Tis the Lovely Month of {February}

Also Known As: National Heart Month

As a nurse who works in the unhealthiest county of Wisconsin I take this month seriously.

Our hearts are important. Yet we treat it with no respect, we shovel in fats & sweets (which turn into fats & cause insulin resistance which sets off a whole boat-load of problems). My town has the most bars (based on population) in WI…Our state fair featured Deep Fried Butter last year… What could be better? A Beer & Deep Fried Butter (on a stick)

A Recipe For Disaster!

Check out the American Heart Association & see what you can do to make a difference (www.heart.org)

But this causes me to pause & think about my spiritual heart.

Matthew 5:8 reminds us that only the pure in heart will see God.

{is my heart pure} 

Romans 1:21 reminds us “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened”

{am i thankful}

Paul’s advice to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:22 “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart”

{is my heart seeking God}

 

 

 

Son of Encouragement

Barnabas 

We first meet Barnabas selling his property to help those in need (Acts 4:36) His given name was Joses, but he was re-named Barnabas by the apostles, which means Son of Encouragement. Barnabas lived a life that encouraged others.

Barnabas was an encouragement to Paul. When Paul converted to Christ on the road to Damascus the Jews were not at all excited to accept him (for obvious reasons since he was known as a Jew killer). But Barnabas stood along side Paul, he supported, he was an encouragement while others rejected Paul.

Barnabas was an encouragement to his nephew(or cousin?) Mark. He gave Mark a second chance. He stood along side and he supported Mark, even when Paul rejected Mark.

Barnabas was an encouragement when others gave up on people.

{Who are you encouraging today?} 

 

On Faith

I love the Hebrews 11 passage, often called the “Hall of Faith” or the “Heroes of the Faith”

I’ve been reading through all of these wonderful acts of Faith the Patriarchs committed in their lifetime.

Such as Noah building an ark without even knowing what rain was, Abraham leaving his country without knowing his final destination, Sarah waiting for a child, Enoch walking with God and not having to face death, as well as the many many many unnamed Christians who suffered for their Faith.

I finished chapter 11 today and decided to keep reading into chapter 12.

And I am so glad I did.

The writer of Hebrews (PauL?) spends the whole of chapter 11 building up to chapter 12.

12:1 & 2-Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have seen all these wonderful examples of a life lead by faith. But Christ is our ultimate example. He is the reason we live by faith, because He died for us.

The writer encourages us by three significant verbs in these verses

• Lay aside: Get rid of the sin and don’t be weighed down by things that don’t matter
• Run: Get out there and do something! After you’ve spent the time preparing, move
• Looking: Keeping your focus always on Christ, do not let your eyes stray to the distractions around you, focus 

Just what I needed to see/hear today!

Stagnancy in Christ-likeness

~Stagnancy~

Stagnant: (Of a body of water or the atmosphere of a confined space) Having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence

**Showing no activity; dull & sluggish: “a stagnant economy”

 

 

 

 

I feel that right now I am stagnant in my spiritual life. I feel that my attitudes are tending towards negative and complaining. The smell of a stagnant life is not pleasant. Ups and downs have mellowed out into a flat, dull, stagnant state.

I know you can’t live by feelings…but that’s how it is. I feel Stagnant, dull, with no flow, I probably even smell bad. What can change that?

 

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

I need to start memorizing scripture. Delving into the Word of God and allowing Him to rule my life. Only His word can pierce my heart.

~Starting with:

Colossians 3

¹If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

²Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

³For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

⁴When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

⁶For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

~I’ll letcha know next week how far I’ve gotten.