Altar Sunday

Do you have too much clutter in your life?

Are your thoughts overwhelming?

Is your heart at its capacity?

Do you hoard negative thoughts and world things?

If so, today is the best day to head to the altar, and dump it off.

Let the Lord remove what's not needed and fill you with the things of Him that are needed.

Cleaning Out the Excess-Part 2

Yesterday we looked at what bad thinking does to our hearts. If you missed that post you can read it here.

Today, we are going to look at how we can combat those negative, stinky thoughts with God's Word. 

This is the first step to cleaning out the excess in our hearts.

Do y'all know how many thoughts we think about on an average day? I don't either, but what I do know is it is a TON. 

From the time we wake up, to the time we finally fall asleep, our mind is full of thoughts and our hearts are absorbing a majority of them.

So how can we sort through all these thoughts and ensure only the good are going in.

1. We ask God to make us aware of every thought. Good and Displeasing thought.

     Here are a few passages that will help us. (These are great verses to memorize, write on a card and carry with you.)

•  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." 

•  "May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart, be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14        

2. We take every thought captive and place it under the obedience of God's Word

• "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)
• What exactly does this passage mean and how do we take our thoughts captive?
• 1. We literally grab a hold of the thought we are having. For example let's say we are having a critical thought. We take that critical thought, and place it under God's microscope, view it, dissect it, and find out the root of it. We then take the root of that thought and place it under the obedience of Christ, by casting it down and going through these next two steps below.

3. We acknowledge and confess it.

• "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
• When we confess our sinful thoughts, we bring them out into the "Light" for Him to expose, examine, forgive and cover in His blood. We need to be doing this daily. This is a huge part of bringing our thoughts into captivity and placing them under the obedience of Christ. 
• Confession must always lead to repentance. 

4. Then we remove it and replace it with God's truth.

• Once confession and repentance takes place. The second most important and crucial part to getting rid of the excess and sinful thoughts, is removing it-by nailing it to the Cross. (This means you literally get rid of it. Once you do, it is no longer yours. It's not available, it's not accessible. It has to be destroyed.) Then you have to replace the empty with God's Word. (God's Word is clutter free, stress free, beautiful, enjoyable, and doesn't leave a mess.)
• To Remove it
• We have to be willing and we have to choose to LET IT GO! This can be a huge stronghold for many. Especially if it is something that has been apart of our life for a long time. Hoarding negative and sinful thoughts has become a bigger issue than we are truly aware of.
• "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit." Romans 8:5
• Are you dominated or are you controlled?
• If you are dominated removing the stronghold will be hard, but can be done.
• If you are controlled, letting go will be easy.
• We have to remove all the things that fill our thoughts with darkness.
• "Your eyes is a lamp for your body, A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!" Matthew 6:22-23
• Where does a majority of your sinful thoughts stem?
• TV
• Music
• Friends
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Self
• Co-workers
• Internet
• Books
• Magazines
• It's important to be aware of how your thoughts get started, for then it will be easier to remove them. 
• "Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth." Colossians 3:2
• "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Romans 12:2
• Do you know the best way to remove the sinful clutter of thoughts? Is by crowding them out. Don't allow there to be any room for them in your heart. We do this by doing this final step.
• Replacing the empty spaces the clutter left behind.
• This is so very important, let me tell you why.
• "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ' I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and clean. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before." Matthew 12:43-45
• Sweet one we can clean up all this clutter within our thoughts and hearts, but if we don't fill it up with God's Word, we too will be worse off than before. 
• Now, we have an entire Bible full of amazing things to fill our thoughts with. But to break it down, I have one that I believe is very powerful, helpful, enriching and fulfilling.
• Philippians 4:8-9-"Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you." 
• How exactly does this all work?
• Let's take that critical thought we were having and see how all this ties together and works for His glory and our good.
• We have the critical thought. It is placed under the microscope, we are aware of the root of it, we know begin the process of elimination.
• God gives us 8 steps in Philippians 4:8-9
• 1. Is this critical thought true?
• 2. Is this critical thought honorable?
• 3. Is this critical thought right?
• 4. Is this critical thought pure?
• 5. Is this critical thought lovely?
• 6. Is this critical thought admirable?
• 7. Is this critical thought excellent?
• 8. Is this critical thought worthy of praise?

Brethren when you focus on these 8 steps in your thought life, before you even get to number 3 God will have already revealed to you that thought is either good or no good. Then, it is up to you to acknowledge it, confess, repent from it, remove it and replace it. 

All of this takes action and obedience. Without either of those taking place, the work you are doing to clean out the excess will be done in vain. 

So as you can see, there is work to be done. Keep your eyes on the prize and don't give up. You will have a few set backs, you will probably have a few interruptions, but just keep your eyes on Jesus and the end result.

Happy cleaning day!

"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish." Hebrews 12:2

Cleaning Out the Excess-Part 1

When you think of excess, do you think of an overflow of stuff? Excess seems to be something we battle in all areas of our lives. In our hearts, in our thoughts, in our homes, in our jobs, in our to-do lists, and on and on and on.

So how do we cleanse ourselves of all the excess?

By starting in one of the most important areas. Our thought life.

If we fill our thoughts with the lies of Satan, and the world over and over again, it goes in, takes root within our hearts and begins to sprout and overflow into our daily lives, in our homes, in our relationships, in our jobs etc.

"It is the thought-life that defiles you. For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God." Mark 7:20-23

Our thoughts are powerful. They have an enormous effect on our lives. It only takes one thought to fill us with an excess of many other thoughts.

Let's look at some examples.

One of the most common thoughts we all have, is a negative thought.

Let's look at an example of what happens when we take that thought in and digest it.

Do you see how it begins to sprout? Now imagine your heart filled with this plus more.

Do you see why we need to clean out the excess of stinky thinking? It spreads like a wildfire.

So how do we cleanse, purge, renew, prune and purify our thought life.

1. We ask God to make us aware of every displeasing thought.
2. We take every thought captive and place it under the obedience of God's Word.
3. We then acknowledge and confess it.
4. Then once we remove it, we have to replace it with God's truth.

This will take time, and is not something that can be done in one day. Therefore, we will spend a little more time cleaning up this area before we move on.

I believe, before we can do anything, before we can even begin to clean up any other area in our life, we have to clean up our thought-life. And we have to be intentional about doing it.

We never want to begin a project only to quit or turn around and see that it has filled right back up more  junk, clutter, and chaos.

So, today, focus on your thoughts. Ask the Lord to reveal to you what kind of thought-life you have. As He does, I recommend you write them down, so at the end of the day, you can go back and see what you are filling your heart up with.

This will make it easier to know what needs to be purged, kept, and placed in a particular area.

I promise at the end of this, it will be one of the most rewarding things you have ever done.

Cleaning Out the Excess

"Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God." 2 Corinthians 7:1

I don't know about you, but I love to be organized. I love to have only the basic necessities, nothing more, nothing less.

For me, everything has a home, a place, and if it is in the house, it is of use. If it is not of use, well... 

It doesn't stay in our home long.  

Now, this can sometimes be a good or bad thing, depending on who you talk to-my husband or me. 

When G was a football coach we moved quite a bit. After the second move, I told him that my goal was to move our entire house in ONE U-Haul. I am proud to say when we left Jasper and moved to Midland, we did it! (Throw the confetti)

Since we have moved into our new house, for some reason, maybe all the busyness, things have been extremely unorganized.

So as I have begun to get our lives back in order and running the way we function best, I have realized just how much clutter we have, and how much purging needs to be done.  

When my husband hears purging, he gets really nervous or excited (If crawfish are involved), because he knows that means things are going to go.  

And if you know my sweet man, he likes stuff! He also loves our home to be organized and functioning in a positive manner. 

As long as I can remember I have loved being organized. I use to re-organize my closest growing up, over and over again.

But as far as getting rid of things, that didn't come until later on in life. I remember when God spoke to me about this issue; He has made a lasting impression on me.  

I was studying the life of the Israelites. They had just crossed the Red Sea and were beginning their journey through the wilderness. As I studied the journey and the lives of God's people, I noticed something about their journey and the Lord that really began to stir within me. 

They traveled with the bare minimum and God only provided the things they needed at the times they needed it. Wow! 

"For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out. You had no bread or wine or other strong drink, but he gave you food so you would know that he is the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 29:5-6

When I read this passage, the stirring stopped, and I realized, all these things sitting in our attic, in closets, etc. that were just sitting there needed to go.  

I was convicted.

So I began to pray and ask God to forgive me for spending money on things that we didn't need, that didn't benefit Him, and that we bought only for that temporary pleasure.  

We don't need excess. We don't need to buy things only to put it somewhere to sit for the next however many years.  We don’t need to waste our money on things when we could be investing in Him and people. 

God would provide for us. He revealed that to me through His Word, and He revealed it to G when He opened the door for me to stay home and raise our boys.
 
So that day it began. The purging, the cleansing, and the purifying within me, within our home, and in our finances began. I will tell you not all of those things happened right away. They took time and they are re-occurring, and it's time for it to happen again.

 Over the next however many weeks, we will begin this process of cleansing, purging, and purifying our...
 
1. Hearts

2. Thoughts/Minds

3. Bodies

4. Homes

5. Time
     -To-do lists/priorities/busyness.

6. Finances

 There will be pictures, TONS of God’s Word, steps, tips, and items we use in our home that help us honor God, stay organized, and God focused. 

Do you have some areas in your life that need to be cleansed, purged, and purified?
 
How do you stay organized, clutter free, God-focused, and purified?




 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Your Reason?

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do." 
2 Timothy 3:16-17

What are our reasons for studying God's Word?

Is it to be full of knowledge so we can sound like we know a lot?

Is it to find Scripture to use for ammo against others?

Is it so we can mark it off of our to-do lists?

Is it because we have a passion and hunger for more of Christ?

Is it because we know without it we will be of no use?

What are our reasons?

God's reasons for us...

1. To teach us what is true.
2. To make us realize what is wrong in our lives
3. To straighten us out
4. To teach us do what is right
5. To prepare us
6. To equip us for every good thing God wants us to do.

Do your reasons and His reasons align?

His Final Thoughts

S-Galatians 6:17-18

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-God's Grace

L-My Final Thoughts

"From now on, don't let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. My dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Galatians 6:17-18

I have suffered for the sake of Christ. See the scars? They are proof that I belong and live for Christ. 

As we close the Book of Galatians lets remember Paul's words and warnings.

  1. Live in the freedom of Christ
  2. Don't fall back into slavery
  3. Don't let others mislead you
  4. Don't conform or give into legalism
  5. Live for Christ-not man
  6. Live by the Spirit's Power
  7. Remember you reap what you sow
  8. Live by faith not by the law
  9. Cling to the promises of God
10. Use this gift of freedom and serve others, love others, be kind to others, encourage others, and share the Good News.

What Really Counts

S-Galatians 6:15-16

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-God's gift of freedom through Christ

L-What Really Counts

"It doesn't make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people. May God's mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God." Galatians 6:15-16

It's not what you do on the outside. The circumcision, yes it was big before Christ, but now, on this side of the Cross, it's whats takes place on the inside.

To Change is to transform. It's to take all that is twisted, sick, sinful, and ugly, and place it in the hands of Christ. Who then fills you with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit then comes in and cleans house. He takes all the twisted, sick, sinful, and ugly and transforms it into Christ-likeness.

The more you allow Him to lead, to guide, to clean, the more and more change happens. And the more change that is made on the inside, the more it will begin to show on the outside.

"What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

S-Tell others why it's important for change to take place on the inside.

Altar Sunday

Are your priorities out of whack?

Are you struggling to put the Lord first?

Have you placed so much on your plate that Christ has moved further down the list?

If so, the altar is the best place to get those priorities back in the right God-desired order.

Before you leave the altar, allow the Lord to take away the things that have taken His place. Then ask Him to help you keep your priorities straight.

your priorities and what they reveal about you.

What do our priorities reveal about us?

They reveal what's most important to us.
They reveal who is most important to us.
They reveal the things we like/value.
They can even reveal who and what we serve.
   Money
   Self
   World
   God

What do your priorities reveal about you?

Our lifestyle is a reflection of where our true priorities lie.

"Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did." 1 John 2:6

Jesus help us to have the same priorities You had. And when we get ours out of order, reveal that to us. Amen

What Are You Thinking?

How is your thought life?

Do you struggle with your thoughts?

If so, can I ask what fills your thoughts more, the things of this world or God's Word?

"I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

He is...

In the midst of frustration, God is our encourager

In a state of exhaustion, God is our energy source.

In the midst of pain, God is our comforter.

In a state of confusion, God is clarity.

In a state of unhappiness, God is joy.

In a state of anger, God is love.

In the midst of weakness, God is our strength.

God was every ounce of these things and more over the last three days. These are just a few of the things He brings into the relationship, and I am EVER so grateful.

Boast Not of Yourself but of Christ

S-To Boast

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-God's Grace and Freedom Through Christ

L-Boast Only In...

"As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died." Galatians 6:14

To Boast

1. To glorify oneself in speech; talk in a self-admiring way. 
2. To speak with excessive pride. 
3. A source of pride

To boast of our self, does nothing for us, other than reveal our pride, insecurity, our need for attention, and our interest in the things of this world.

We need to take on the same attitude and mind set of Paul. 

How do we do that? 

1. By understanding we are nothing without Christ. 
2. By crucifying and nailing our interest in the world to the Cross.
3. By understanding the significance and power of the Cross, and what Christ did on that Cross for us.

When we focus on those three things, the things of this world that interest us, will fail in comparison.

Brethren, lets be careful not to boast so much that we fail to point others to Christ.

S-Every time that tendency to boast about yourself arises, stop and ask the Lord to help you crucify those thoughts. Then use that opportunity to boast about the cross and Christ.

Enforcing Some but Ignoring the Others

S-Picking and Choosing

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-God's Grace and Freedom

L-Enforce One and Ignore the Other

"Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting. 

       -Back in the day, handwritten letters were the way of mail. To receive a handwritten letter, meant that someone personally took the time to sit down and think about you. It was the only way, there was no such thing as emailing or texting.

       -It had meaning. It was genuine.

       -Paul closed the letter to the Churches in Galatia with pen in hand, written large to ensure his genuine concern and love for them. It was Paul's way of saying, pay attention! (I wonder if he wrote in all caps, as though he was really trying to get his point across)

Paul goes on to write

"Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason. They don't want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. And even those who advocate circumcision don't really keep the whole law. They only want you to be circumcised so they can brag about it and claim you as their disciples." Galatians 6:11-13

      -Listen, these people who come up to you and force you to follow their rules, yet they themselves ignore rules and laws themselves. They don't have your best interest at heart. They are full of themselves.

      -They force circumcision upon you because they are afraid of being persecuted. They would rather receive the praise than giving it to Christ.

      -Can't you see what they are doing? They are picking and choosing specific parts of God's law to obey and force, all while ignoring the rest of it. Don't be like that! Don't conform to that type of thinking or living.

     -God's Word it to be obeyed in its entirety, and it can't be done with out the Holy Spirit. Only Christ was able to fulfill and obey the entire law.

    -What laws are you forcing upon others? Let's step back and evaluate our life to the life of Christ. Let's not be those who pick and choose. Let's seek to obey all of the Word.

    -Let's be aware of what we are being taught and what we are teaching. Don't force your own convictions onto others. You can share your personal convictions but make sure you don't enforce them onto others in order to boast or claim them as your disciples. God didn't call us to be the Holy Spirit.

    -He called us to be followers of Christ, who seek to live a pure and blameless life, that honors and pleases Him.

S-Ask Christ to show you areas of His Word you are picking and choosing to obey. Then let Him help you obey all of His Word by the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

What Brings You Jesus Joy?

"But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, God is great!" Psalm 70:4

It's an unexplainable joy. One that flows through out my entire body.

This joy comes from studying and teaching God's Word. These are the top 2 things that bring me Jesus Joy! (I have a lot more, but these two really get my blood flowing)

There is not an aspect of it I dislike.

I love it all.

Every Sunday God allows me to walk into a room full of the most precious women and do this very thing, teach His Word.

But this go around, it seems to be more than that. 

These women come from all walks of life. They are crowned with wisdom. Full of Jesus beauty, and have smiles and hearts that will overwhelm you with a need to be around them.

I am challenged to dig deeper in my study and teaching, and I love it! I am challenged to go beyond myself and seek the face of God everyday. I am challenged to be a better servant. I am challenged to love, listen and learn from these precious women who have walked thousands of more steps with the Lord than I have.

I have been so challenged, so overjoyed, that Satan can't stand it. Nope, he wants none of this to be happening.

Thus the fiery arrows.

But he won't win the battle. You think he would know that by now, being that he has tried to attack previous times, and has come up short. But he is Satan and he is relentless. He will never give up.

Christ has the victory and because I am in Christ I too have the victory. We all do. Isn't that a wonderful feeling?

Do you know what else is wonderful? When God opens doors like these. You know the ones you least expect. The ones that you never thought you would do, but do, and fall madly in love doing.

That's how I feel. I am over joyed more times than I am overwhelmed (like the other day) at being called to do things for the Lord that I feel completely unqualified for.

I wonder if Paul and Timothy felt that way. Especially Timothy. He was young, intelligent, and in love with Jesus. He also had an amazing mentor who walked with him, encouraged him, and spoke wisdom into him.

I am blessed to have a couple of those myself. They are two very important people in my life, who have set an amazing example of Christ-likeness. Well okay, I really have four!

Do you have a Godly mentor?

What calling has God placed on your life that fills you with an overwhelming amount of joy?

Has the Lord recently called you into a ministry you never expected or thought you would do?

Brethren, these are exciting opportunities. We should be joyful and thankful to be found useful by the Lord.

Maybe you have become discouraged and your Jesus Joy is low.  Don't grow weary. Keep pressing on. Keep looking at what lies ahead and up. Keep seeking the face of God. Keep growing in the Word daily. Just keep on keeping on. In His timing He will place you where He knows you will be the most useful for His name and His glory.

Evaluate your motives daily. Make sure they are motives for Him and not for self. That alone is a big Jesus Joy zapper.  Keep yourself pure and your eyes and thoughts on Him so He can use you.

And when God does reveal His purpose for you in a more clear and distinct way. Make sure you praise Him, thank Him, honor Him, devote your time to serving Him and others, and always point others to Him and not yourself.

Now, to my sweet mamas, remember, your greatest ministry is your home, your family. Tending to it, is your first and most important priority. Make the Lord proud with the blessings He has given you. Find joy in serving your family and taking care of your home. Even when it seems hard, overwhelming, frustrating, tedious, and unnoticed.

It is an honor and privilege we have been given to serve the Lord in our homes and we need to always view it from His perspective and not our flesh's perspective or the worlds.

Are you fulfilling your calling at home? Are you finding joy in taking care of your family and home?

Are you looking and searching for Jesus  each and every day? Look for opportunities to share God's truth, love, and mercy with others. Use each day to serve and bless the Lord by serving and blessing your family.

Everything we do for the Lord and in His name is useful!

"If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work." 2 Timothy 2:21

Here are my hubbies top 5 things that bring him joy. (These are not in any particular order)

1. Providing for His family
2. Serving others
3. Fishing on a good lake
4. Christmas time (seeing our faces on Christmas morning)
5. Watching the Redskins play (He is a very proud and supportive brother! I can attest to this joy!)

    
Here are my 5, plus some (These are not in any particular order)

1. Studying God's Word
2. Teaching God's Word
3. Discipling Women
4. Serving my family
5. Fishing with my 3 boys
6. Watching the Redskins, Broncos, and Texas Tech
7. My Dave Ramsey envelopes
8. Organizing my home

 What are the top 5 (or more) things that bring you Jesus Joy?

Altar Sunday

As you head to the Altar, lay out your life before the Lord. Let Him do what only He can do.

Heal it
Mend it
Piece it back together
Fill it
Comfort it
Rescue it
Restore it
Renew it
Shape it
Mold it

I promise as you get up, He will ensure you walk away different than before.

Praise Your Great Name

"Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. 

We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! Psalm 95:6-7"

We Can't Re-Invent God's Purpose For Our Lives

Have you ever had a day when all you did was focus on yourself?

It was one of those days when the focus became on me and all the things the world and Satan say I am not. 

What usually comes with that, is a whole lot of self-doubt, complaining, poor pitiful me parties, comparing, and the huge urge to just quit.

Have you ever been there?

It is a miserable day, and not just for you, but for your family, and for any other poor soul you drug into it. 

So as I went through the entire day complaining to the Lord, feeling sorry for myself, comparing myself to her and her and her, I laid on the bed next to my hubby, and unloaded {I will spare you the details, it was a hot mess!}

After one hour of my sweet man listening, quoting Scripture, encouraging me, and challenging me, The Lord rose up and made Himself within me very clear.

We all have a purpose and a reason for our existence. To please, glorify, and honor God. To be faithful no matter how hard, how lonely, or how different we are.

And when we focus on ourselves and try to create our own purpose, we are trying to re-invent God's purpose.

And that is just plain crazy. So while I get it now, I want to hold onto it. I want to find joy in being me, the God-loving, black and white, crazy about Jesus, craft- challenged, desperate for His daily grace, me. 

The me that He created, because we all know, when we try to create our own me, misery, doubt, discouragement, and unhappiness ALWAYS follow. 

It's okay to be you. So be you, focus on Jesus, and remember, your purpose is to please Him, not you.

Jesus thank You for making me so wonderfully complex and unique. May I fulfill Your purpose and stop trying to fulfill my own. Amen

We Wish You Were Here!

I wish you were here, filling that empty chair, sharing some coffee (tea, water, whatever you prefer) with us. {Jesus and Me}

It would be so much more personal. Having face to face time, hearing God's Word together. Sharing, laughing, crying, discussing all the amazing things God has done and is doing. Hearing Him speak of His love and mercy and grace.

But instead you are here, and that is okay too. 

Because even on opposite sides, in opposite states, different countries, we can still hear His Word together. We can still talk, laugh, cry and discuss Him. 

He is everywhere. He is next to you and next to me. 

He is filling that empty chair. He is ready and waiting. 

Let's not keep Him waiting.

You are loved sweet reader! 

The Place Where Joy is Found!

Joy comes from a heart full of thankfulness.

"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." Colossians 2:7

Makeover!!

In the next couple of months Godly Gossip will have a makeover, and I would LOVE to get your input on some things you would like to see added, taken away, etc!