all the single ladies, and married ones too

Ever feel alone in the crowd? Like nobody even sees you?

Are you carrying a load that seems just too big to bear? Like it consumes your day and night?

Can I tell you something?

He sees your need.

He wants to hear about the bad days, He cares for you!

Tell Him all your troubles, He doesn’t fall asleep early, or ever for that matter.

Share your dreams and hopes, He wants to make them come true!

Worries disappear when we turn and worship.

And lastly, know your worth. You are His child. His daughter. You are precious in His sight!! So very precious!

Just to get a little personal here, I have two daughters; they are such great lights to my day. I would literally do anything to make them smile. But more than that I would give my life to keep them safe. To guard them from and evil thing.

Now if I am willing to do that, in the flesh, imagine what the creator of the universe is able to do for you? What He is waiting to do if you just turn to Him. Lean on and trust Him.

No shame can overshadow His great grace. No sin is too big or small that He will not forgive and forget. No strong- hold is able to keep you bound when you start claiming His power and name. Oh the name of Jesus, it has great power!

My prayer for you today is that you get a few minutes if that’s all you have to be alone in His presence. To experience His love and acceptance. He knows you sister! And He loves every bit of you!!!

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement:… John 16: 7,8.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3.

His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” John 2:5.

Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter- on the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter. Therefore, I praised the dead who were already dead, more than the living who are still alive. Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 4.

But now, this says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1.

chasing rainbows

Did you know that it is impossible to chase a rainbow? I don’t know the science included in that statement but I can believe it as fact.

Rainbows stand for promises to me. A promise that the future will be brighter, that the storm is over. Of course I know many people have different promises and for good reason; we are all unique. But even the most faithful can loose a little bit of hope. Maybe your promise is years old. Maybe it’s been centuries since you’ve had hope that it will actually come to pass and you will see a pot of gold. But take heart, He fulfills His promises.

We need only hold on and wait.

Tears are nature’s way of healing big emotions- Aha Parenting

“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It ia a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

Elizabeth Gilbert said: 

“[pain] is one of the most powerful energy forces in the universe—but only if you use it as an instrument of change. People must be willing to journey all the way to the bottom of their pain and experience full catharsis—to completely break apart so they can then rebuild themselves anew. As Jim said, “Suffering without catharsis is nothing but wasted pain.”

The Psalmist said: 

“Is there any place I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there!
If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings
to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light,
they’re all the same to you.” (Ps 139:7-12 MSG.)

stay humble

“I knew he had humbled himself to ask for my help.” That was my online dictionary using humble as a verb. It’s certainly not an easy thing, asking for help; but it is an opportunity. An opportunity for the one asking, and also for the giver.

I haven’t given many rides to hitchhikers in the past few years, having small children will squelch that real quick. But one of the simplest ways I have been able to offer help was to assist someone that was going in the same direction.

Likewise, in those times that I get going doing too many things at once; I may overlook a simple symbol and accidentally put gasoline in the spout marked for oil. Thankfully, it was a simple lawn mower and my husband rescued me yet again by emptying and adding the right fluids to the right place. We were both relieved when the motor turned over!

But asking for help doesn’t always inconvenience the helper. That person may be looking for ways to be of service and just not know that you have a need. Not many of us are mind readers, after all.

I have found that I can praise God in those seemingly discouraging times. There is relief in that I don’t have to figure it all out! I am His and He will care for all who obey and trust Him.

The needs are great, and none of us ever do great things. But we can do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.  Mother Teresa

To learn humility is to learn contentment in all circumstances. Humility is not in what we own or achieve, but in maintaining a teachable attitude, a willingness to bend to the will of the Father. Jan Silvious

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17.

And my God shall supply all your needs according to His rigged in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.

body-mind-spirit

Ever get a massage and not enjoy it? Maybe there’s a big event ahead and as preparation you scheduled a massage knowing there will be stress attached and you will need some pampering; but somehow you just couldn’t enjoy it?

Or maybe life’s responsibilities and to do lists just don’t allow for enough quiet peaceful moments. A loved one’s sickness, loss of a job, unorganized space and undirected time. The little and big things tend to creep up on even the healthiest among us.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11: 28-29. NLT.

Rest for your soul. That sounds bigger than body mind and spirit, on a grander scale. I want that!

And sometimes that rest will come when we least desire it, a report of cancer. That ugly unannounced sickness that quietly wants to choke out its host.

I would have to say, the people that I know on the healed side of cancer stand tallest in my book. We, I especially, take health for granted.

Any physician would recommend daily exercise; I believe its generally 30 minutes a day at least three times a week. Just enough to get blood flowing to the entire body. Increasing your heart rate and cardiovascular system.

I had a conversation with a friend that confirmed the power of meditating and memorizing scripture. Her son was able to overcome some learning difficulties and excel in great measure just by the power of the Word. Why wait? Dig in and make it personal to your life. Pray scripture over your lost loved ones, over your difficulties or needs. There is a scripture for everything! Just start in the index.

Even the greatest of minds suffer, looking back in history, those that have accomplished a great feat often suffered in their personal life. Considered mad by popular opinion, men and women that have made great advancements in the sciences were a bit quirky to say the least. Performing experiments on themselves and subjecting themselves to irrational living habits; they may be forever recorded in history books but where does their treasure lay?

That is why we are called, to become a new man. A new creature in Christ. Through His Spirit, which is the Holy Ghost. How do you know if you have the Holy Ghost? There is evidence in your worship of God by speaking in an unknown language.

Now, what is keeping you from living your best life?

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there cane a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.  And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galilean? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene,visitors from Rome, both Jews and prosecutes, Cretans and Arabs- we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could thismean?”

Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken of the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on my menservants and on my maidservants I will pour out My Spirit I those days; and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is always at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoices, and my tongue was glad; moreover my flesh will also rest in hope. For you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that Gos has sworn an oath to him that the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. “ For David did not ascend into the heaves but he says himself: The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ‘

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

The Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2.

perfect love

Marriage. Relationships, those much needed unions need help. But when you place unrealistic expectations on people be ready for a reaction, be ready for the flesh.

Don’t misunderstand, we all need a rock. We all need a solid foundation. But only one Man can give you an unending supply of perfect love, perfect peace, unending mercy. God.

And thank God that he intended a family a home to create and grow ourselves. But to maintain that healthy union we need Him. Because that love will give us the strength to love those that hurt us. To see past our own and others’ imperfections for the long term.

Those women waiting and praying for their husbands to come to God, keep praying!

Those families that want elders to see salvation and God’s goodness, keep praying!

Those that are alone and think no one can relate, no one can understand, talk to Him!!! He listens! He will help!

Faith works if you work it!

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and they that seek him with the whole heart. Psalm 119:2.

And he said unto them, why are he fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the rains; and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall become the children of God. Matthew 5:9.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18.

waiting for your red carpet

My husband has done some preaching about sonship. The realization that God in fact is your Father and that you walk according to His will is a pretty freeing and great blessing.

For some people this will never come to pass. Those ‘hang ups’ some like to hide behind. Those ‘poor little ole me’ statements they only get you so far. They don’t get you a seat at the Father’s table.

Don’t you know the table is set and it’s time to sit down?

Pride is certainly a downfall for some; but for the child of God that knows His Father’s voice and walks in that direction people often mistake for sin. Because of the insecurity and abuse the accuser suffered at some point in their life; they consider it good enough to ignore the moving of the Spirit to a place of healing and peace. Because in My Father’s house there is fullness of joy, in My Father’s house there is a servant’s mindset, not a confused who’s better than who. In my Father’s house the heart is measured.

We like to focus on the fall of man and the original sin; but what happened a few pages more. Cain and Able, two brothers with very unique and special things to offer. One a talented gardener and able to produce many crops. It takes hard work, early mornings, discipline to farm. The other boy cared for livestock, involved in breeding and maintaining healthy cattle. There are different but also similar techniques here. In the body of Christ, the foot must not compare and think himself less than the hand. Likewise the nose must not look down on the knee. Because what would the body be if it was constantly fighting itself? Constantly twisted and causing trouble? Constantly gossiping? Not healthy. No growth and ugly. Don’t misinterpret this to mean unhealthy people are unhealthy Christians. It is quite opposite, people that have infirmities often overlook the healthy person’s appetite for destroying others. And those that may be looking otherwise healthy are actually awful and rotten inside.

Are you your brother’s keeper?

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shall rule over him. Genesis 4:7

And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. John 8:35

I’m leaving this post untitled because I just do not have a ‘decoration’ for it. Plain and simple I want to talk about moral decay, pornography.

A quick google search led me to this:

1. 64% of young people, ages 13–24, actively seek out pornography weekly or more often. [1]

2. Teenage girls are significantly more likely to actively seek out porn than women 25 years old and above. [2]

3. A study of 14- to 19-year-olds found that females who consumed pornographic videos were at a significantly greater likelihood of being victims of sexual harassment or sexual assault. [3]

4. A Swedish study of 18-year-old males found that frequent consumers of pornography were significantly more likely to have sold and bought sex than other boys of the same age. [4]

5. A 2015 meta-analysis of 22 studies from seven countries found that internationally the consumption of pornography was significantly associated with increases in verbal and physical aggression, among males and females alike. [5]

6. A recent UK survey found that 44% of males aged 11–16 who consumed pornography reported that online pornography gave them ideas about the type of sex they wanted to try. [6]

7. Porn sites receive more regular traffic than Netflix, Amazon, & Twitter combined each month. (HuffPost)

8. 35% of all internet downloads are porn-related. (WebRoot)

9. 34% of internet users have been exposed to unwanted porn via ads, pop-ups, etc. (WebRoot)

10. The “teen” porn category has topped porn site searches for the last six years (Pornhub Analytics).

11. At least 30% of all data transferred across the internet is porn-related. (HuffPost)

12. The most common female role stated in porn titles is that of women in their 20’s portraying teenagers. (Jon Millward.) (In 2013, Millward conducted the largest personal research study on the Porn Industry in the U.S. He interviewed 10,000 porn performers about various aspects of the business.)

13. Recorded child sexual exploitation (known as “child porn”) is one of the fastest-growing online businesses. (IWF)

14. 624,000+ child porn traders have been discovered online in the U.S. [7]

15. Between 2005 and 2009, child porn was hosted on servers located in all 50 states. (Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection)

16. Porn is a global, estimated $97 billion industry, with about $12 billion of that coming from the U.S. (NBC News)  

17. In 2018 alone, more than 5,517,000,000 hours of porn were consumed on the world’s largest porn site. (Ponhub Analytics)

18. Eleven pornography sites are among the world’s top 300 most popular Internet sites. The most popular such site, at number 18, outranks the likes of eBay, MSN, and Netflix. (SimilarWeb)

19. “Lesbian” was the most-searched-for porn term on the world’s largest free porn site in 2018. (Pornhub Analytics)

20. The world’s largest free porn site also received over 33,500,000,000 site visits during 2018 alone. (Pornhub Analytics)

Shocking. Absolutely shocking.

I think those people who make the argument for not wanting to bring children into the world have a valid argument; if these statistics play into their reasoning. 64%? That is more than half of every kid you see. Think about that when you see those high schoolers walking across that stage. An epidemic.

And what do we do? Do we ban cell phones? Do we confiscate laptops? Are there even safeguards in place in your homes? Cause with those numbers of you aren’t ahead of the game the only way I see it is you are already in trouble. There’s a problem here and it’s past time to start addressing it.

And please forgive me for not doing this sooner.

The following is what I found in my NKJV Study Bible.

Pornography: A Degrading Image

Pornography assaults the senses and sensibilities of the Christian. (Yes, you read that right. We are not a perfect society. Just one that hopefully is willing to admit to a sinful nature and seek forgiveness and power to change.) Scripture admonishes is to live holy and moral lives and to respect every God- created individual. Pornography depicts not only sexually explicit material but drug use and violence. It’s most devastating aspect is the false presentation of women and children as sexual objects who supposedly enjoy brutality and violence. Pornographers encourages images that are antithetical (directly opposed) to the Bible concept of sexuality and features a degrading and unrealistic portrayal of sexual intimacy. It condones antisocial, destructive behavior, and it’s use has a subtle, drugging effect on morality.

Pornography becomes a moral problem in that it subordinates and exploits God’s plan for sexuality and encourages sadistic and violent practices. To assume that pornography has no influence on behavior is naive at best and irresponsible at worst. Our entire educational system has proven that what we read or view does shape beliefs and behaviors. Children, because of their impressionability and underdeveloped skills of discernment, need particular protection from pornography in all forms.

Whatever its form, pornography denigrates (criticize unfairly) God’s ideal. Christians are encouraged to seek- even to “meditate” on- all that is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report.

There are many resources available to equip yourself and your family, covenanteyes.com is an accountability app and flip phones are still being sold in retailers. Do something to protect the eyes and hearts of our youth. It is not only your responsibility as a parent but needed in a time where devices make things within reach all hours of the day. Do it, now!

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. You shall observe My judgements and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgements, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.

None of you shall approach anyone who near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord. The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness. The nakedness of your sister; the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover. The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their’s is your own nakedness. The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father she is your sister- you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is near of kin to your father. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is near of kin to your mother. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter in law- she is your son’s wife- you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near of kin to her. It is wickedness. Nor shall you take a woman as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.

Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is in her customary impurity. Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile with her. And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire of Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.

Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations were defiled, which I am casting out before you. For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgements, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you ( for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. For whoever commits any of these abominations, the person who commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Therefore you shall keep my ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the Lord your God.’ “ Leviticus 18.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.

Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded god’s: I am the Lord your God.

And if you offer a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, you shall offer it to your own free will. It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. And if any remains until the third day, it shall be burned in the fire. And if it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It shall not be accepted. Therefore everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the hallowed offering of the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from his people.

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard: you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.

You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

You shall do no injustice in judgement. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor; and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall live your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and will come upon you.

Whoever lies carnally with a woman who is betrothed to a man as a concubine, and who has not at all been redeemed nor given her freedom, for this there shall be scourging; but they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. And he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, a ram as a trespass offering. The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his son which he has committed. And the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.

When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. It shall not be eaten. But in the fourth year all its fruits shall be holy, a praise to the Lord. And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase: I am the Lord your God.

You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. You shall not shave the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure your beard. You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any markings on you: I am the Lord.

Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness. You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.

Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.

And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

You shall do no injustice in judgement, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest engaging, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgements, and perform them: I am the Lord.’ “

Leviticus 19.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 1 Corinthians 6:9.

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Romans 14:19.

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeding, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Ephesians 4: 17-19.

self medicating

People want to make themselves feel better. Rightly so, if there is a problem or thorn in your flesh you will pick and tweeze and soak and try and mend it. But the problem with this is our resources have been hijacked.

We think, we choose to believe that some salve, some drink, some capsule, or quiet meditation will fix it. Sorry, but it literally won’t. That’s putting a bandaid over the situation. And it’s not a good bandaid. It’s one of those that leaves all that sticky residue around the wound so now you not only have a bobo but almost a target around it too.

Now as to not confuse you, I am an advocate for medicine, I vaccinate schedule routine dental and medical checkups. I even have surgeries! But what I am saying here is that you are responsible for living your best life. The health of your soul. The inner man. You don’t use a scissors to do a hammers job. Likewise, the tools you are using may not be the wright tools for the job. And no when you do something new it will not be easy, you may fail, but that is part of what learning is. No one on this planet rode a bike for the first time without at least a fall. But get back up! Have the courage to try again! Maybe follow someone first to get your feet wet and the confidence to do it yourself.

What if we were to use His word to heal. What if we applied some scriptural teaching to actually become our ‘inner voice’ and life’s work? I challenge you today to search the Word, dedicate some healing moments with your Creator. And not look back! The Psalms are a great place to start…

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105.

For the word of God isquick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and isa discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Psalm 119:10.

What we’ve always done

I’m just putting this out there, receive it how you will. In military tactics, if you continue to do what you have been trained and know to do you will get the same results that you have always gotten. But if you were to change your tactics, think on your feet, challenge and lead a few, I believe; you will be able to gain new territory. That’s the mission, right? New territory?

Because the enemy is watching. Rest assured they are not always on the offensive. It is more than possible for you to be victorious, abounding, winning, always. Always!

I found seven basic steps in a magazine to help get started. Here they are:

No matter your age, there’s always another first time for something. Possibilities are as limitless as your dreams, but facing new experiences can be downright daunting. So how can you prepare for first-things-first? Here are seven ways to rev up and feel ready for anything you decide to try.

1. Listen and Learn. Trying new things begins with “hearing” your heart’s call to explore. Listen up! Do you want to expand on longtime interests or leap into an entirely unfamiliar venture? Social media is a great starting point for ideas (try Pinterest.com), but it’s even more inspiring to investigate local events and groups that specialize in something you might love to try. If it feels like fun, then…
2. Rein in Reluctance. Studies show that people fear unknown outcomes more than known bad outcomes. Sounds surprising, but consider your own experiences. Do you shy away from the unknown? “The next time you experience the familiar sensation of anxiety, fear, or resistance, mindfully notice what is occurring,” suggests Dr. Laura Chang, Licensed Professional Counselor. “What happens next is up to you. By slowly building confidence that you can engage in (and even enjoy!) new experiences, you are making it more likely that you will choose to move toward novelty in the future.”
3. Cast Away Criticism. One of the most daunting aspects of first- time experiences is the doubt cast by others. Most naysayers don’t mean to bring you down- in fact, they probably feel like they have your best interests at heart. But loving concern can be the most crippling criticism of all. If friends and family members discourage you from trying something new, think it through: They’re trying to protect you from failure, but if you’re willing to accept the risk, then that’s all that matters. Remind them that everyone’s talents and successes started somewhere “out on a limb.”
4. Take Your Time. “One common characteristic of doing something for the first time is that it is most likely to be more time-consuming than subsequent times,” says business productivity consultant Timo Kiander. “If you are inexperienced, the first few times, you are just going to be learning anyway- and hopefully getting better in the process. Just take your time and try to learn as much as possible as you go. You will realize that the second time is much easier, since you already have some experience in your pocket.” After all, what would you rather be doing?
5. Plan and Prep. Trying something new doesn’t mean you have to go in empty- handed. Planning, along with a little prep work, will help you feel much more confident when it comes time to take the leap. Plus, planning is a proven mood booster! Want to try oil painting? Start by watching YouTube tutorials and make a list of materials you’ll need. Ready to ride a horse for the first time? Visit a local riding club- or even a rodeo- and study seasoned riders’ behavior. Gathering a baseline of knowledge will help you feel “rehearsed” before your first performance.
6. Hug your Humility. Face it: You probably won’t perform perfectly the first time you try something. Now that the burden of perfection has been brushed from your shoulders, you can embrace humility. Yep, give it a big hug. Worrying about perfection leads to procrastination and postpones the experience you’ve been longing for. First-time fumbling is all part of the fun- and makes for great laughs later on.
7. Go for It. So, here you are in the precipice of possibility. Close your eyes and breathe deeply as you realize that you are as prepared as you can be for this first-time moment. Now is not the time for reluctance or rehearsal. Lucky you- it’s time to learn. Tune out the voice of doubt, take your time, grab hold of your humility, and … LEAP!

Butters, MaryJane. “A Few Tips for a Simple Life.” MaryJane’s Farm. June-July 2019: 40-14. Print.

If living for God was easy…

If living for God was easy wouldn’t there be more people doing it?

If living for God was easy there would be no need for prayer.

If living for God was easy we wouldn’t have to give.

If living for God was easy there would be no reward.

If living for God was easy there’d be no reason to fast.

If living for God were easy we wouldn’t fight for our children.

If living for God were easy the next generation wouldn’t be at risk.

If living for God were easy we wouldn’t be preparing for eternity.

If living for God were easy He wouldn’t really LOVE you.

If living for God were easy there would be no responsibility.

If living for God were easy I’d never have met you.

If living for God were easy He would have never died.

If living for God were easy it wouldn’t be essential.

If living for God was easy our lives wouldn’t be at stake.

If living for God was easy you’d have an excuse to be lazy.