In a conversation with my friend the other day, I noticed she kept putting herself down for being disorganized and forgetful. She was very upset with who she was in her weakness and she was speaking very badly about herself. I realized she was being attacked and felt the need to testify! So I shared with her my similar struggles in this area and a smile came to her face. She looked at me in disbelief and said, "You have it all together! I can't believe you struggle with disorganization or forgetfulness!" (Boy, did I wish I had a tape recorder to play back her words to my husband! We would laugh hysterically together!)
When she said this, I realized I needed to take this opportunity to give credit to God! She perceived me as being strong in the area of organization, when that is not the case! I am dependent on God to help me each day hold my life together and make things run smoothly! He has taught me how to use the calendar on my phone to remind myself where to be and what to do at what time. This gives me freedom to daydream, think, and pray in my spare moments! God is the rudder in my life and directs me as I go through my days! I prefer a spontaneous path and He knows that! After all, He made me this way for a purpose! I trust Him to be strong in my weak areas so I can thrive in the gifts He has given me!
I don't have it together, but He is holding my life together! Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." My life and the details are part of what Jesus is holding together. I love resting in the knowledge of His amazing power holding my body as well as all of my situations together. Make no mistake, I know who is holding my life together and it is not me!
As my friend and I talked, I saw her burden lifting! I explained to her how we are all made differently for different reasons. I found out her boss at work was putting her down for some of her differences and this was leading to her self-loathing! I challenged her to believe the beautiful things God says about her in His Word rather than the ugly words of her boss! I encouraged her to be at peace with her weaknesses and to laugh at herself in moments of struggle. Although we are imperfect, we are useful and loved deeply by God and others! We are a masterpiece of God created to do great works on the earth! He is our maker and helper.
Often when I get annoyed with my disorganization and forgetfulness, I remind the Lord, "Lord, help me! You made me this way!" And I feel His gracious presence and power come in to save me! Thank God for my imperfections that lead to a closeness to Jesus! I am leaning on Him continually and I feel His arms around me holding it all together! I would not want it any other way!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
God Idea!
On Saturday evening, I received an email that inspired me. A friend of mine had encountered a woman who was two months behind on her rent. This woman was a single-mom of three children, a full-time teacher at a school with a 90-mile commute, and a master's degree student in the evening. WOW! It was clear to me this woman was not behind on her rent due to a lack of motivation or effort! She was working hard!
When my friend heard her situation, she boldly spoke up saying, "Twelve hundred dollars is not a problem for God! He created the whole universe. Let's ask Him for an idea to get the money for your rent." I can't tell you how this blessed my spirit! I agreed completely with my friend and immediately wanted to participate in the answer to this prayer! God is huge and we should boast in His power! He is the answer to all of our needs and situations! He can be trusted with our concerns and desperation. Whatever the idea, I was in!
Anyway, as my friend asked the Lord for this idea, she remembered a wall hanging she had been making that was stuffed in her closet at home. She had been working on it slowly for 10 years. The Lord suggested to her to have a raffle with the wall hanging as a prize and sell tickets to raise the money for the rent. This solved two problems. It would raise the rent money and it would get my friend motivated to finish her artwork. So, my friend wrote this idea in an email, sent the email out to everyone she knew, and began working to finish the wall hanging.
On Sunday morning at church, I found my friend to buy some raffle tickets! I was excited to hear the outcome of God's idea! I love when God gives us ideas because they are supernatural and work even better than we might expect! When I greeted her with the money to buy my raffle tickets, she said, "I have a problem. So many people have responded to this raffle! I have raised over two and a half times the money needed." This brought a smile to my face! I answered with, "You don't have a problem! You have a God who is in the habit of giving us "more than we can ask or imagine". You have a God who can't wait for us to trust in Him in faith and loves to "open the floodgates of heaven" in our lives! You have a God who gives us "a double-portion and even a triple portion"! Let's just enjoy His benefits and praise Him!"
I pray we will boldly ask God for ideas when faced with the struggles of life today! I pray we will not shrink away from any problem! After all, we have the supernatural power of heaven on our side. Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Let's believe together and boldly act on knowing "nothing we encounter is ever too hard for our God!" Just ask Him and He will give you the "God idea" you need! And we will spend our lives praising Him together!
James 1:5-6. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
When my friend heard her situation, she boldly spoke up saying, "Twelve hundred dollars is not a problem for God! He created the whole universe. Let's ask Him for an idea to get the money for your rent." I can't tell you how this blessed my spirit! I agreed completely with my friend and immediately wanted to participate in the answer to this prayer! God is huge and we should boast in His power! He is the answer to all of our needs and situations! He can be trusted with our concerns and desperation. Whatever the idea, I was in!
Anyway, as my friend asked the Lord for this idea, she remembered a wall hanging she had been making that was stuffed in her closet at home. She had been working on it slowly for 10 years. The Lord suggested to her to have a raffle with the wall hanging as a prize and sell tickets to raise the money for the rent. This solved two problems. It would raise the rent money and it would get my friend motivated to finish her artwork. So, my friend wrote this idea in an email, sent the email out to everyone she knew, and began working to finish the wall hanging.
On Sunday morning at church, I found my friend to buy some raffle tickets! I was excited to hear the outcome of God's idea! I love when God gives us ideas because they are supernatural and work even better than we might expect! When I greeted her with the money to buy my raffle tickets, she said, "I have a problem. So many people have responded to this raffle! I have raised over two and a half times the money needed." This brought a smile to my face! I answered with, "You don't have a problem! You have a God who is in the habit of giving us "more than we can ask or imagine". You have a God who can't wait for us to trust in Him in faith and loves to "open the floodgates of heaven" in our lives! You have a God who gives us "a double-portion and even a triple portion"! Let's just enjoy His benefits and praise Him!"
I pray we will boldly ask God for ideas when faced with the struggles of life today! I pray we will not shrink away from any problem! After all, we have the supernatural power of heaven on our side. Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Let's believe together and boldly act on knowing "nothing we encounter is ever too hard for our God!" Just ask Him and He will give you the "God idea" you need! And we will spend our lives praising Him together!
James 1:5-6. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
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