Worry

Worry

If you are anything like me you worry, especially when it comes to your children.  I was reminded of the troubles of Esther and Daniel while listening to our local Christian radio station. Both were children at their time of greatness. Daniel was a small boy who was sold into captivity by his own brothers. While Esther lost her parents and then became the Queen at a young age. Can you imagine how they felt, the emotions they felt and did not understand due to their immaturity? But the beauty of both of these stories is that the troubles they faced were at the hand of our sovereign God. Through these two historical events we see how God can use even children to further His plan along. So this got me to thinking about my own children. I am a worrier when it comes to them and many times don't allow them to do things out of shear fear of disaster. However a work is being done in me that is helping me face these fears head on. The Bible tells in Luke "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his  span of life?".  
We have no control over when, how or why bad things happen. This is such a hard concept to grasp especially when it comes to children.

I am reminded that God has a perfect plan and that we may not understand it but that does make it any less real. We must learn to trust in God's plan EVEN when things do not go our way. We must learn to give ourselves to His perfect plan. 

Worrying will not change His plan, it will not stop His plan from happening. But when we begin to accept His plan we find a peace within us,  a peace that tells us that He is in control. When we start to truly trust Him not only with our lives but with the lives of our children we find that we begin to see things in a different light, one that brings us outside ourselves. 

I pray that we will be able to trust our sovereign God, trust that even though His plan may not be our own we can know that He has our best interest at heart. That great things can come from very bad things.

Keep your eyes fixed upon the Lord, trust in His plan because it is the only one that is truly perfect!

Leaving a Legacy

It's something I have never really given much thought to but once again have been challenged by my bible study to think about how my decisions will affect the legacy I leave behind.
So how do we go forward with this thought at the for front of our minds? How do we strive to make every decision one that considers how this decision (big or small) will change the lives of those around us and make a lasting impression?
I am not a patient person, once my mind is set on any given task, activity or idea I have to run with it. I tend to make very hasty decisions that sometimes I regret soon afterwards. So my plan is to take each and every decision (again big or small) before the Lord and ask him to reveal to me how this will affect my legacy. How the decision at this time may feel good and right but will that feeling last long after the newness has worn off.

So are you with me...will you walk along side of me as I work towards leaving a Godly Legacy!

Struggling with a strong willed child...please share your advice, blogs, books or resources.

Okay

Okay...
It is such a simple word but so hard to say, especially in those heated moments when we need validation of our feelings or worse yet when we feel the urge to flaunt rightness.

I am guilty of this all to often and simply plan on putting the following verse into action right now..."A soothing tongue is a tree if life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

This simple word can save us all from a multitude of  harmful and wounding words or actions.

Holding my tongue is not a strong suit when it comes to my husband.  There really is no excuse just plain old needing to be right...so my vow is to work on being more of the okay girl in the relationship...just think the energy we will save ourselves if we just say okay and walk away. Lets work on creating a peaceful home for our families with this simple four letter word!

Application: Try recording the times you do use the word okay and reflect on the difference that this makes in your homes.
Lets strive for wisdom...and sometime wisdom directs us to gently answering with an okay.

"A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath." Proverbs 15:1
(I plan on writing this not only on the tablet of my heart but on my kitchen chalkboard so that it is plain sight to remind me to say OKAY!)

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 

So many times we pray to God for the needs of others and the needs of ourselves because that is what we are suppose to do.  But the verse above tells us we need to BELIEVE that God will answer our prayers.
 It is also important to remember that God will answer our prayers in His time and in His way. This is a hard concept to grasp considering we  think we know what is best for us. But God always has something better in store for us. He knows exactly what we need at exactly the right time. 
As I go forth I intend to truly believe that God can and will answer each  one of my prayers no matter how big or small they may be. And will trust that He knows what is best for me. 


Prayer: Thank you God for being a God who listens to and answers each and everyone of our prayers. Help me to remember that as I prayer for the needs of others as well as myself that you are in control of every fiber of our being and know what we need better than we do. I trust in you that you will handle every concern, issue, trial and tribulation. Amen!

A broken heart

A new approach to missions. I have written about this in several different ways here and there. I have prayed that God would reveal to me where I should serve, cause as Christians we should all long to serve somewhere' right. I have definitely struggled when so many around me are serving in foreign countries or in the lowest part of a huge metropolitan city and I organize interest groups for  ladies in my church and community. I have felt that I have fallen short of truly sharing God's Love with those who need it the most. God is working on those insecurities as we speak and helping me accept my calling of ministry to women. And even though I am still struggling with feeling unworthy in my goal to equip women to be women of God, I am learning that we all have our place and that if we are intentional in serving God blessings will come pouring out. So back to the broken heart...a new approach to praying for your mission. Pray that God will break your heart to a situation, any situation, because when our hearts break that's when we tend to act, wether we fly half way across the world or walk across the street and knock on the neighbors door we try to do something to make a change. Through this lesson  I plan on stopping being so hard on myself, and focus on each and every situation that comes my way. Truly trying to help those that need me in anyway. I pray that God will break my heart to those situations around me and that I will be intentional to do whatever I can to share God's love through a platter of cookies, a conversation, a prayer, or even just a smile. There is broken ness all around us...we  just need to open our eyes and see it. We are the solution to the problem.

God's Will

As I sit in my second grade classroom counting down the hours til summer I am reflecting on the past two years. The promises that God fulfilled by bringing me here to RCS are almost to good to be true. Two short years ago I relentlessly applied for a second grade position almost kicking and screaming, going back to work was not my plan for several more years. How thankful I am now that I finally submitted to God's will and accepted the position. Now here I am boxes stacked high...I move on to the next chapter of my life...middle school and high school agriculture science teacher, a dream I had all but given up on. Once again I am reminded that God truly does have a plan for all of us...and even though it took me almost 10 years to get here, I am here, and can say with confidence that GOD placed me here. I am so glad that HE was in control and not me...this opportunity is one I could have never orchestrated on my own.

I pray that I will not quickly forget that being obedient to God has once again proven to be the BEST way!!

I pray that you too will submit to God's will in your life even though you may not understand it or it may not be in your plans I hope you will take heart to know that we serve a gracious God, a God that wants good things for us, a God that has a plan for us, a plan to prosper us.

*Thanks Julie for encouraging me to blog again!