Happy Monday! We have jumped into the New Year head first and moving along like a nonstop super jet!  That being said, it is very easy to get caught up in the rush and forget Who it is that gets us through it all. There was a day when I really felt like I had to be independent, not dependent on anyone.  I made big mistakes, struggled continuously and was still hardheaded enough to believe that I could make it on my own.  And I did, sort of….  Unfortunately, I was a stressed out mess who couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out how to be a good mom, make a living and just survive overall. It took a long time but I finally realized that the answer wasn’t in another person, in a job, anything else physical, and definitely not ME! .  The answer was finally realizing that the one thing that I could ALWAYS count on was the One  who created me in the first place. I can talk to Jesus, even when I can’t talk to anyone else.  I can count on Jesus, even when I can’t count on anyone else.  When I need help. I can ask Him.  If an answer doesn’t come in the way I thought it would, I can count on the fact that He has something better in mind for me.  But, I need to ask. Pray Unceasingly!! In His light, Lois Psalm 31:14-15 New King James Version (NKJV) 14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. Need Help? God Is Waiting for You to Ask By Rick Warren “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7 NIV).God never closes his storehouse until you close your mouth and stop asking. God wants to help you, but if you don’t ever ask, that’s a problem. The last time you needed a car, did you ask God for it, or did you just go out and buy it? Before you decided on the best way to do something, did you ask God for wisdom? When you needed help in a relationship, did you pray about it first? Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7 NIV). When you need God’s help, remember to ASK: ask, seek, knock. God spells it out in this verse three ways so that you will get the message. Maybe you never see miracles in your life because you never ask for them. If you want to see God work in your life more, start asking! One of God’s principles for your finances is that before you pay for it, pray for it. Stop and ask God. Give God a chance to give it to you before you go out and charge it. If you depend more on your credit card than on Jesus Christ, then you’re not going to get God’s blessing on your finances. He wants you to pray about it before you pay for it so that you will have his wisdom and make a decision that pleases him. God wants you to ask for things in prayer because he’s a loving Father. Like any father who loves to give his kids good things, God loves to bestow gifts on his children. He’s just waiting for you to ask. “You have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy” (John 16:24 NCV). God wants you to ask so he can give. He wants to give so you can receive. He wants you to receive so you’ll be full of joy. He wants you to be full of joy because it’s a great advertisement for Jesus Christ. Joyful Christians show the world that following Jesus and doing what he commands brings joy, not dread. Stop worrying about your finances. Start praying about them! When you do, you’ll have a lot less worry and a lot more joy.

Happy Monday!

I follow a few different groups on Facebook.  Some of these groups are very positive and encouraging.  Others, not so much.  As for those others, I am weeding them out.  Social media tends to get very dramatic sometimes and I really don’t believe that serves any purpose in my life.

The good ones, as a rule, are helpful.  Sometimes, I am the encourager and sometimes I am the encouraged!

Something I notice a lot on these groups though is fear.  I don’t think we begin to realize how fear can hold us back.  Fear in our weight loss efforts, what if I can’t lose the weight or… what if I DO lose the weight?  Is the extra weight your comfort, your safety zone?

Fear in our marriages, does he/she really love me?

Even the things we do, am I qualified?  Am I good enough?  The enemy is always there, more than willing to tell you no.

I’m curious.  What if you don’t accomplish your goal?  Will you be any worse off than when you started?  If you don’t accomplish the goal the first time, what do you need to do to change that.  So often, it’s the mindset.  I still struggle with that.  It is also SO much easier if you start every single day asking Jesus to walk this walk with you, to guide and strengthen you.  I found out a long time ago that I cannot and do not want to do any of it alone.  If you let the fear rule your life, you will eventually just give up.  We decide we will fail before we even try.  Fear will keep you stuck but God will keep you going!

Isaiah 43:1 “Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.” God actually commands us not to fear, or worry. The phrase “fear not” is used at least 80 times in the Bible, most likely because He knows the enemy uses fear to decrease our hope and limit our victories.

 

Psalm 31:14-15 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.

Pray Unceasingly!!

 

In His light,

Lois

Happy 1^st Monday of January!

Maybe because we are still studying Ephesians 6, and spiritual warfare is on my mind, but it seems like every time I turn around, I see another example.  The following article was shared with me this past week and it really struck a chord.

This is war.

 It may be 2 am terrors, or it may be something much more subtle.  I know, I know, I have talked about this a lot lately.  But It.Is.Urgent.

Is it just me?  When you find yourself battling a health issue, an emotional issue, OR a spiritual issue, do you feel the enemy prowling closer and closer, just looking for the smallest crack in your armor?  Be diligent!  Check your armor every day, every hour, every minute, if needed.  Do not give him a toe hold anywhere!

I was loaned a book this past week, Gods at War, Defeating the idols that battle for your heart, by Kyle Idleman.  My first thought when I started reading was, this really isn’t going to apply to me.  Really?  After getting through the introduction for the book, the serious stuff begins.  What Gods??  Well, how about: the god of food, the god of sex, the god of entertainment, the god of success, the god of money, the god of achievement, the god of romance, the god of family, the god of me?

 None of these things are a bad thing in the proper context.  They are all great things and gifts of the one true God.  BUT – have they become idols?  Do you eat to live or live to eat?  This is a daily battle for me.  The internet is an amazing thing, and very useful.  BUT – has it become the highlight of your life?  This may include the worst, like pornography, or something as innocent as Facebook.  We all like success, money, romance; we love our families and sometimes become a little obsessed with the “me” factor.  But stop and think.  Have they become idols?  Do they carry more time and weight than God?  The spiritual battle continues.

We have a gracious and loving God.  His grace and mercy amaze me.  But our God is a jealous God.  He doesn’t want us to put other gods before Him.  Has this become a thing for us?  I want to say no.  But sometimes I spend time on Facebook that I should be spending studying His Word.  The god of food?  Never ending battle.

Maybe it’s time to step back and reassess where our focus and our time is spent.  Lord, help me focus on YOU.

Psalm 31:14-15 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

Never Bring a Horse to a Tank Fight

August 14, 2019 – Live Love Laugh Learn

There is something about 2 am. I don’t think the devil takes much time off in the day but I know for sure he pulls double shifts at night. I can’t go back far enough to recall a day where I didn’t struggle with the terror by night that causes my stomach to flutter, my skin to glisten with sweat as I think about all the different ways I could die at my own hands. I lurch from my sleep with a sickening quickness like an unbuckled test dummy in a simulated collision. My mind races and my eyes burn. The voice in my head telling me I am going to kill myself sounds like me but it is not on my side. Variations of this 2 am ritual have played out as far back as I can remember.

This is war. These kinds of nights remind me that this battle isn’t one that can be won alone. I don’t know if you can relate to me on all my issues. Maybe you have never had to towel down like you just finished an Orange Theory workout in your sleep, but I have a feeling that the things you’ve been declaring war on can trap you in this same dark, helpless cage. The cage that says “This is all a nice idea but you’ll never change. You’ll never get through a day without yelling at your kids, you’ll never kick the negative self-talk, you’ll never beat the depression, the anxiety, or the vicious argumentative cycle with your wife. You can’t beat this. This is too much for you.” In and of yourself, in your own strength and in your own power, those statements might ring true. Positive thinking is important, so is watching how you speak and minding your habits, but if the practical tools we’ve discussed are all you walk away with, then these 5 days have simply been self-help. There is something much better than self-help—there’s God’s help.

You have enormous backup and firepower at your disposal. Don’t try to fight these battles in your own strength, or by relying on your own lung power. When your breath is taken away you need to rely on God for a second wind. The first wind is the natural air that was given to you at creation when God breathed into the dust He formed us out of. The second wind is the power of the Holy Spirit that was given to us after Jesus rose from the dead.

The Bible says no weapon formed against you can prosper. You are more powerful than you think…but not on your own. Listen, you are no match for the war you are facing. But that war is no match for God.

Discover what David said is possible when you are willing to call in God’s help as you declare war on all that holds you back. “He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not turn. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet. You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the Lord, but he did not answer. I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured them out like mud in the streets. You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me. As soon as they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cringe before me. They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.” (Psalm 18:34–45)

He’s got the power, you just need to ask for it. He is a good father. He won’t give you a tarantula if you ask for a fruit-roll-up. But He will give you the Holy Spirit if you ask Him to.

Remember: 

You can’t do God’s work without God’s power.

Merry Christmas!!

 

We are in one of the single most busy, stressful times of the year.  Is this saying it is not a time of joy?  I certainly hope not!  What I am saying though, is that it is very easy to get so wrapped up in shopping, planning, wrapping, cooking, decorating and a plethora of other things we can find that “needs” to be done, that we forget what Christmas is about. I know how exciting it is to watch our children and grandchildren open gifts with that wide-eyed sense of wonder.  I can only imagine Mary and Joseph’s wide-eyed sense of wonder when they became the earthly parents to the Savior of the world!  Were they worried/ fearful when they had to settle into a cave, outside of Bethlehem, for the son of God to be born?  Were they worried/fearful of having the responsibility of raising the son of God? I think I would have been terrified!  Maybe those fears were lessened after conversations with heavenly angels. What about Joseph?  How he must have felt when he learned Mary was with child!  I can imagine anger, humiliation and – fear of what was to come?  Gabriel must have been pretty convincing to ease all of that! In the end though, it wasn’t worry or fear that kept them going or saw them through the birth of Jesus.  It was pure and simple faith.  “The more you trust God, the less afraid you will be.” Never easy, but so true. When the busyness and stress begin to get the best of you, remember who holds our hand and has our back.  Remember we are celebrating the birth of our Savior, not how many gifts Santa Claus or mom or dad, or grandma and grandpa can put under the tree.  Remember Emmanuel – God is with us! Pray Unceasingly!! In His light, Lois Your Time Is in God’s Hands By Rick Warren “I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15 NIV). The opposite of fear is faith. When you fill your life with faith, fear goes out the back door. When things don’t happen on your timetable, the more you trust God, the less afraid you will be. In Mark 5:36, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me” (TLB). This is such a big message in the Bible that the phrase “fear not” appears 365 times. God wants us to get the message that we don’t have to be afraid because we can trust his timing. Trusting God is the number one stress reliever in your life—an important truth to remember at Christmastime. The more you trust God, the more your stress is going to decrease. Another way to relieve your stress and demonstrate your trust in God is when you ask him for something in prayer. When you do, don’t try to set a time limit or deadline on God’s answer. Leave the timing up to God. To help your faith grow deeper, you need to pray a prayer like Psalm 31:14-15: “I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands” (NIV). Why not memorize that Scripture? When you get up every morning, read Psalm 31 as a prayer and tell God, “I trust you, Lord. You’re my God. My times are in your hands.” Practically, that means you probably have more to do today than you’ve got time to get done. So, you ask God to help you sort it all out so that you can do what matters most and not worry about the rest. You say to him, “I surrender my schedule. I surrender my calendar. I surrender my agenda. My times are in your hand, and that means I’m not going to fear. I’m going to trust you.”

Happy 1^st Monday of December!

Once again, we have almost completed a full year.  We may complete it BUT, it is not the end!  Until the day Jesus returns for His church, every day is a new beginning!

 “ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have HOPE.” (Romans 15:4)

 From the beginning of time, there has been preparation for the present days and the days to come.  Sometimes, we will hear it said that the Bible is just a grouping of old fashioned stories, or worse yet, a book of mythological stories.  And yet, you can compare so much of what went on all those years ago and today and with a change of costume and the language, you see how little change there has really been.  From ostracism, persecution and atrocities of every kind, you can find them happening somewhere today, just as they did then.

This is the first week of Advent, something I did not grow up with, but have come to embrace fully.  This first week is for HOPE, which represents the hope of eternal life brought by Jesus.  We are waiting and contemplating the hope of that eternal life with Him and also His return!  What a glorious hope that is!

Are you prepared for His coming or do you need to work on your preparations a little more?

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

 

Make Every Step Count By Rick Warren

“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but  we do it for an eternal prize. So, I run with purpose in every step. I am not just  shadowboxing” (1 Corinthians 9:25-26 NLT). Spiritual growth must be purposeful. We don’t know how many days we have left. Our next breath may be our last.  So, every step in our journey with Jesus should be taken on purpose. We must be disciplined. To become the person God wants you to be, you must deny yourself. I’ll be honest with you: You won’t get to do everything that other people do. You can’t follow everyone else’s plan and follow God’s plan at the same time. Being a disciplined disciple of Jesus means sometimes taking the more difficult path. Olympic runners must give up all kinds of stuff that other people do in order to go for the gold. They must go to bed at a certain time. They must eat a certain way. They must train in a certain setting. They must deny themselves. They must count the cost. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:25-26, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So, I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing” (NLT).

Every step, Paul says, must be purposeful. That’s how you finish the race God has marked out for you. Don’t be tempted by shortcuts. Stay on the straight and narrow path, and keep pressing forward toward your goal. Remember the purpose God has called you to. Remember the example of Jesus, who used his time on earth for God’s glory and was not distracted by the things of this world. Make every step count.