A Day to Honor Life...

Memorial Day- to some it's merely the beginning of summer and to others it's a solemn day to remember those who have passed from this life. However, to the war veteran and to the families of fallen soldiers, Memorial Day carries significance so deep that words cannot express their hearts.

When we look into the eyes of those who still mourn these once vibrant men and women, we often sense their loneliness and pain. We hear them choke back tears as they simply say the ranks and names of their military brothers and sisters at a Memorial Day service. White gloves, dress uniforms, rigid posture, and perfectly precisioned salutes represent the reverence and respect flowing from within. Those who have been personally affected by war understand and appreciate this day of remembrance.

What should we say to those who sincerely honor this day? "Happy Memorial Day" doesn't seem fitting. "I'm sorry for your loss" may be closer to appropriate. What would the fallen soldier want from their comrades and the rest of the country on this day?

In an often quoted Memorial Day speech given in 1884 by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., the speaker ended his address with these words, "Our dead brothers still live for us, and bid us think of life, not death--of life to which in their youth they lent the passion and joy of the spring. As I listen, the great chorus of life and joy begins again, and amid the awful orchestra of seen and unseen powers and destinies of good and evil our trumpets sound once more a note of daring, hope, and will."

The American solder who gave his or her life for U.S. citizens to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness won't be telling us how to observe the holiday. But I believe that Holmes' proposition to "think of life, not death" would honor the fallen soldier. Their sacrifice follows the example of Jesus Christ laying down His life for our freedom. It's selfless love for others-not so they can mourn forever, but live!

"We know what real love is because Jesus gave us his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters." - 1 John 3:16.

Notice that in scripture and in military service, the willingness to give up one's life is not dependent on the worthiness of the people who benefit from the honorable act. In a perfect world, all who receive freedom and grace would be worthy of such a sacrifice and full of gratitude. But that's not the way it is anywhere on Earth or in Heaven.

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." - Romans 5:8.

We are blessed to be living in a free society. May we honor our American soldiers for the liberty we have in this country. May we also give thanks to Almighty God for the freedom we have to spend eternity with Him because of His gift of forgiveness through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

With Love, 

"B"

This post in written in honor of:

My Father: Retired Airforce  Richard H. Brown.

My Father-In-Law: Retired Navy George W. Ross , deceased.

My Brother: Army Kevin R Brown, KIA Iraq, 2007

Privacy Fences

...Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they strength, and with all they mind; and thy neighbour as thyself..- Luke 10:27

....And who is my neighbour? - Luke 10:29

We have a privacy fence around our entire backyard and I probably wouldn't want it any other way, but it still makes me feel closed in. That's one thing about a fence. There are two sides to it. You shut out intrusions, people, and everything else, but on the other hand, a fence closes you in. 

I read a statistic the other day that said a third of Americans have never met their neighbors. From what I read, I guess that number has increased dramatically over the last several years. I know we've lived in places where we didn't know our neighbors at all. 

I don't think people consciously want to block their neighbors out of their lives...well some might. I guess it depends on what your neighbors are like. In general though, I think we just get so busy and content in our own busy lives that we don't slow down and make an effort to interact with our neighbors.

I think we kind of get like that in how we live in general too. We tend to want to put an invisible privacy fence all around us. We don't let people in. We keep our distance. We don't talk to the neighbors.

It gives me cause to pause because Jesus was the very opposite of that. He was all about the neighbors! He was all about people. He loved them. He cared for them. He got right up next to them. He made room for people in His life.

I think about how close Jesus was with people. Look how much He was on the water with His disciples. They weren't on cruise ships. Fishing boats have close quarters. Jesus was rubbing elbows with those disciples. Look how people followed Him everywhere. I think of the story of the woman who touched the garment of Jesus and how the crowds were pressing on Him.

I tell my teenage son all the time to get out of my personal space. Give me three feet around is what I always tell him. Doesn't work though, but I just don't like people up that close to me. Then I think of Jesus. He really allowed people to get close to Him even physically. We have trouble just allowing people into our lives, let alone dealing with the physical aspect of it.

I think though if we are going to make an impact on people we are going to have to start getting to know them. We have to start investing in the lives of others. We have to stop building up those privacy fences all around us. We can say hello to people once in a while. It won't kill us. We can be kind to people. We can encourage people in some way.

I think of how the early Christians went fellowshipping house to house. You can't really do that without getting to know people. Can you? There is so much in the Bible about encouraging each other and praying for each other as believers. We are to be building people up but we can't do it when we are hiding behind our invisible privacy fences. We have to stop closing ourselves in.

Not only that but in order to spread the Gospel, we have to talk to people. We can't do that behind a fence. We have to make some effort in order to share Christ. 

Sure getting to know people is a little scary. People can dice us up with their words, hurt our feelings, and make us feel small and miserable. It happens. But we just can't stay behind our fences blocking out everyone. Jesus told us how to treat our neighbors when He answered the lawyer in Luke chapter 10.

"And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all they strength, and with all thy mind; and they neighbour as thyself."

The lawyer then asks Jesus "...and who is my neighbour?"

This is where Jesus proceeded to tell the story of the Good Samaritan. I love this story. Talk about neighborly. The Samaritan helped the man who had been beaten. He bound up the man's wounds, gave the man a ride (on his own donkey), took him to a motel, and even paid the bill. 

That's how Jesus said to treat people. That's loving our neighbor.

The Good Samaritan knew how to get out and invest in people. Look at the things he did:

*The Good Samaritan had compassion on the man.

*The Good Samaritan took care of the man's physical needs.

*The Good Samaritan lifted up the man.

*The Good Samaritan went out of his way for the man.

*The Good Samaritan wasn't selfish toward the man.

I think of all the ways the Good Samaritan acted towards this man shows us exactly how to get out from behind our "privacy fences". We need to have compassion that moves us. We need to lift people up and be encourager's. We need to go out of our way. And then we need to be willing to give. 

I don't know about you, but I know I need to start really investing in other people. I need to break out and find out who people are. I need to get to know the neighbors. 

I need to build more friendships and get to know other believers more. I need to be more of a blessing to people. I can't do that if I never leave my yard. 

I hate to admit it, but sometimes I find myself cowering behind my privacy fence. It is hard to just step out and get involved with other people. I'm going to have to try to stop being scared of the unknown.

We can't witness for Christ to those who don't know Him and we can't have fellowship with other Christians if we don't have any interaction with them.

So, what kind of fence have you built?

Lets pray:

Father God, 

Only you know the fences that we have built around our lives to keep others out. But only you can help us to break those fences down and live according to your will. Guide us to fellowship and bond with other believers on a whole new level to serve and love you.

Amen.

With Love, 

"B"

Here's My Cup

" Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ..." - Hebrews 13:21

I love cute coffee mugs and pretty teacups too. I have several different ones I've collected over the years. I drink coffee out of a bigger cup, just because I feel I really need a big cup for that. I tend to drink tea in a smaller cup. Just seems like teas should be sipped from a daintier cup or something. Not sure why. There is a certain type of cup I pick from the cupboard for hot chocolate too. 

Maybe I'm just picky but for certain drinks, I like particular cups or mugs. Each one has specific details I like. What about us? What details do we have?

*Chipped or Whole

What kind of shape are you in? Feel like you've been battered around the sink a few times or tossed around in the dishwasher? The hot water of this world hitting you hard?

We all have some flaws or maybe we are a little bit damaged but God can make us whole. We don't have to dwell on our misfortunes but we can choose to allow God to use those things to mold our lives into what He wants. We are made up of our experiences but we don't have to allow them to slow us down in our Christian living. We need to go to the Lord for His Strength. 

*Clean or Dirty

One thing I can't stand is to run the dishwasher and pull out a dish and it is still dirty. Why do we get upset about that? Because it is supposed to be clean and we expect it to be clean. None of us wants to drink out of a dirty cup or eat off a dirty dish.

What about us as Christians? We are supposed to be clean. We aren't supposed to have any crusty stuff or greasy slime of the world on us. We've accepted Christ. We are supposed to be living close to the Lord and living holy and clean lives. 

*Empty or Full

Now some people may like pouring only a half a cup of coffee into their cup at a time but not me. I want a full cup. When I have hot chocolate, I definitely want a full cup of that. Love that stuff.

As Christians are we full of Christ? Or are we only partly full. Do we go to His Word constantly to be filled? Are we continually praying and communing with God? Are we allowing that filling of Holy Spirit?

*Decorative or Practical

I love pretty cups and mugs. I especially like those little tiny teacups that are just so dainty with pretty little etchings on them. Sometimes those decorative cups aren't too practical though. Maybe they are too tiny and won't hold enough to wet your whistle. Maybe they have funny little handles that are hard to grasp and hold. Maybe the paint on them will just rub off if they are used too much.

What about us as Christians? Will we hold up with use? How strong is our faith? Look at those faith heroes in Hebrews 11. We are capable of such big things for God but our faith has to be strong. Strong faith helps us survive the weight of this world.

*Seasonal or Everyday

I have some Christmas cups that I just love taking down to use. I've got some with cute snowmen, Christmas trees, and all kinds of pretty Christmas scenes on them. For it is a lot nicer to fill up a cup of hot chocolate into a pretty Christmas mug. I try to keep them just for around the holidays because I'd probable get tired of them so I pack them away in a box and it's out of sight. I keep my other cups where I can reach them and use them everyday.

What about us? Are we seasonal or everyday Christians? Do we just go to church every week, do a few good works, and say all the right things on the outside but really don't want to be used any more than that?

Remember what Paul told Timothy? "...be instant in season, out of season...".

I know you all heard of those "C&E" Christians who only attend church on Christmas and Easter but I'm not talking about that. We can attend church each week and still end up a "seasonal" Christian, only really serving the Lord when we see fit, when we feel like it, or when there's an activity going on at our church. We shouldn't be weekly Christians but we should be everyday Christians. We should be like the cups and mugs sitting in the front row of the cupboard, ready to be taken down and used. 

I hope my cup has all the details that Christ wants me to have. Ready to be filled, used, faithful, and available so that everything I do is pleasing to Christ.

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."- Hebrews 13:20, 21.

So what kind of cup are you?

Let's Pray:

Father, 

We come to you asking that you keep our eyes open to your will. That you help us to keep our faith and serve you, not till we are just filled up, but that we be overflowing with your joy. 

Amen.

With Love, 

"B"

Winged Words...Gods Will and Timing

God's Wisdom and Timing-With Christ, you can have the 'know how' for every situation.

"The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will." - Isaiah 50:4 (NLT)

Isaiah spoke of the Christ who would come to earth with the "know how" to wing His words into the hearts of the weary. As His Father had taught Him, so would He speak.

When Christ was about to leave this world, He promised to send the same Spirit of truth that indwelt Him to indwell us. This way we, too, could have the "know-how" to speak a word to the weary at the right time and in the right way. Our part would be to waken morning by morning to "hear" what He has to say and to "be open" to understanding His will! Then we would be ready for anything and anybody.

You and I are promised the "know-how to answer a hostile teenager, even if we haven't had time to read a book on child rearing or pick up the phone to ask a friend's advice! We will discover that we can cope with an unbeliever's questions, however young we may be as Christians. We will find that the Christ within us will make our tongue know what to say to the weary ones around us, seasoned words that will help to ease their sufferings. In Christ we are promised both the "know-how" and the "know-when" that we cannot possibly know without Him!

Let's pray:

Lord, 

I get so afraid that I will not know what to say when I have the chance to step in and help someone. Thank You for this encouragement that You have already given me everything I need to be Your voice in this world. Help me to pause and hear Your wise counsel morning by morning so that I will understand You will for anything that happens in my day.

Amen.

With Love, 

"B"

Gracefully Go With the Flow of Life { Re-post from my Expressions of a Working Mom Blog }

Why is that some people seem to live an enchanted life and others at the same time are struggling merely to survive?

The difference is that those that live an enchanted life are choosing a state of grace where they peacefully surrender to the natural flow of all things. Grace allows them to live in faith and express trust in whatever is in any given moment.

You can live this way as well as soon as you accept a life supported by the state of grace. Infusing yourself with grace, rather than ingesting an element based in avoidance or distracting behavior, will assist you in being present where you can fully understand that any challenge in your life, past or present, was created by your thoughts and attitude.

You will come to realize all you think and feel, consciously or not has or is momentarily manifesting as a projected illusion so that you may be aware of what you are giving your attention to. When you see clearly what you have been focusing on this gives you an opportunity to choose differently. Your day to day experiences good or bad are just illusions, they are waking state dreams for you to choose to think and feel differently if those experiences are less than desirable. All of your illusions are nothing more than a mere stepping stone to realizing who you really are and what you truly intend to achieve.

When you choose to live in a state of grace you come to know that all, both those experiences perceived as good and those perceived as adverse, were and are for your highest and best good. Choosing a state of grace is shifting your attitude resulting in a change for the better in your manifested experiences. Choosing a state of grace allows you to surrender to the flow and thusly your day-to-day existence is filled with magical miracles rather than struggle and adversity.

When you live in grace you will feel and express only love, happiness and gratitude for all the wonderful things occurring in your life; which of course can only fuel creating more of the same.

How do you choose a state of grace?

First it is important to know what grace is.

Grace is a manifestation of favor or goodwill endowed upon you from a higher source, be it what you might call God, Spirit or your higher self. It matters not what you call it, it only matters that you receive and accept it.

When you accept grace you not only live in grace where your life is filled with elegance but you act in grace as well where you, your manner, and your deeds and motions are beautiful and you lovingly extend the favor and honor of grace to other people, places and things by your example.

Those that live in grace experience an exalted life and those that struggle a stressful, strife filled life are referred to as having fallen from grace. You do not fall from grace as a result of punishment, you fall as a result of personal choice stemming from negative thoughts that generate unhealthy emotions and result in distasteful experiences and less than fortunate circumstances. When you fall from grace you have consciously or unconsciously chosen to accept a life of disfavor, one filled with far less than you really deserve.

The state of grace comes naturally when you decide to raise your thoughts into a higher awareness by placing your attention on the good of all regardless of whether it momentarily appears to be good or not. When you accept grace you are bestowed with the favor of goodwill, you let go of the unhealthy controlling behavior of attempting to figure our every step along your path before you move an inch. You replace that behavior with the faith and trust that your life is enchanted. Your life then becomes void of strife and struggle and miraculously appears to work for you instead of against you.

Choose to focus on the truth that you are in favor of the highest source and you are continuously receiving grace. If and when something occurs that appears to be in direct opposition to what you were intending or dreaming about, be still and call upon grace to fill your heart, mind and spirit with the peaceful knowingness that you are in God's favor and all that happens does so for a reason that may be far beyond your immediate comprehension. In this action you are letting go and letting God and you will be assured with multiple forms confirming all is well, allowing you to gracefully go with the flow of life!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6

With Love,

"B"



Unplugging on Purpose...{repost from Expressions of a Working Mom}

How often do you unplug...on purpose? This thought came to me just recently when I went with my son to a Mother/Son scavenger hunt with our church. After the scavenger hunt we all had lunch together in the fellowship hall. While the boys sat together and talked boy stuff, the Moms sat together and talked about mom stuff. A couple of the ladies in the group had mentioned that they had recently in the past few months started having a night during the week where no one in the house could use electronics. This wasn't just limited to TV, video games, computers, iPads, it also included cell phones.

Later that weekend, after the hubs had gotten home from a weekend trip, I had mentioned to him what the other mothers had mentioned about the no electronics night. He thought it was a great idea. So I have not been able to get this idea out of my head since our talk.

You can choose a night when you know that all of your family is home. A night when adults nor children have activities that they have to be at that evening. When you choose this night stick with it and make it the same night each week. Some of the Mom's had children that had cell phones and they are required to give their cell phone to the parent for that night.

When you decide to unplug for that one night, I strongly encourage you  to take time out away from the electronics we've all come to rely on and spend time reconnecting with the ones you hold dear. It's not time you'll regret, I can promise that. By taking time to unplug the electronics for one night a week, you will become better parents, better spouses, and friends (Probably a little saner too) for the time you spend together without any distractions.

During these nights pull out the old fashion board games, read books, have family bible devotional time, and just generally spend time together. Take this time to have your family help you prepare the dinner for that evening. As I discussed in my previous blog post, this will give you a chance to Discover your family at Dinner.

You could also plan activities for you and the family to do together, such as crafts, but it's not mandatory. The whole idea is for us to spend time together reconnecting with each other in a stress-free environment.

I know my husband and I will be discussing this topic further, so that we can set aside a night during the week to unplug our electronics and plug into our family. Will you be setting this time aside as well to reconnect with your family?


With Love,

"B"

What Treasures Are You Chasing? (shared from my other blog Expressions of a Working Mom)

The story has been told of a banker who was vacationing in a small coastal village. While walking near a pier he observed a small boat with just one fisherman. Inside the boat with the fisherman were several yellow-fin tuna. The businessman complimented the fisherman on the quality of his catch and asked how long it took to catch them. "Only a little while, " he replied.

The businessman then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catch more fish. The fisherman said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" the banker asked. The fisherman responded, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a nap in the afternoon, and stroll into the village each evening with my wife where we relax and sing and I play guitar with our friends. I have a full and busy life."

The businessman scoffed, " You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat and with the proceeds buy a fleet of boats. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you could sell directly to a processor. You could eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this small village and move to a big city where you could run your expanding enterprise."

The fisherman asked, "But how long will this take?" The businessman replied, "15 to 20 years!" "But then what?" asked the puzzled fisherman. The banker laughed and said, "That's the best part. You can sell your business and retire and move to a small coastal fishing village where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take afternoon naps, stroll to the village in the evenings with your wife where you could relax, sing and play guitar with your friends. You would have a full and busy life."

The fisherman smiled at the businessman, quietly gathered his catch and walked away.

What are you chasing after in life? How (and with whom) you spend the bulk of your time may reveal much about your priorities.

Jesus said,"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

What kind of treasures are you building? Are they temporary or will they last forever?

Make a list ordering your life's priorities, then ask yourself the following questions: Are you satisfied with your priorities? Are your time and relationship investments in sync with your priorities? Are your priorities in sync with God's values? What, if anything, needs to change in your life to get your priorities straightened out? Then ask yourself if you will commit to change?

Perspective on your pursuits in life, will determine what treasures you are chasing.

With Love,

"B"



Worry Ends Where Faith Begins

 

 

In times of disappointment, heartache, sickness, or discontent when the storms of life a raging all around God sometimes feels very far away. We can start to wonder why He let this happen, or why He isn't doing something, right now, to stop it or fix it. He could have prevented this storm and He didn't. As we come to the end ourselves in our storms of life, we angrily cry out, "Lord, don't you care?" And his reply is, "Where is your faith?"

If you are not currently experiencing a time of difficulty, or time of doubt and uncertainty, then PRAISE God! But get ready, because Jesus assured us in John 16:33(NLT),

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world!"

So many times it is hard to keep the faith, when you are going through a tough time. Recently my husband was laid off from his place of employment, due to low oil prices. This came to us as a total shock, due to he had been told the whole time that he was safe, they needed him with the company...etc. Well apparently this was not so. It has been a struggle in the short time since that day, to remember to have faith in God that things happen for a reason.

So in searching for some kind of guidance or comfort, I turned to the bible. I am going to share with you my findings.

Jesus in the midst of the storm.

In Luke 8:22-25 and Mark 4:35-40 (NLT), we find the disciples with Jesus, in a boat, taking a trip to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They might have expected this would be one of the most amazing trips they'd ever take, and it was; just not in the way they expected.

As they crossed the Sea, a raging storm came upon them, out of nowhere. This storm brought these expert fishermen to the very end of themselves. They thought they were going to die. Have you ever been in a situation like that? One where there seems to be no way out, nothing you can do to save yourself? That same desperation is what the disciples must have felt that night. The storm was too big. We can look at their situation and think, "Didn't they realize they had Jesus in the boat with them?" Listen, Jesus us in the boat with you too.

The disciples struggle to keep their boat from capsizing. Finally, as a last ditch effort, turn to Jesus in anger, crying out, "Teacher, don't you care that we are going to drown?" As they look to him, they find him sleeping on a cushion, in the back of the boat. When we finally turn to Jesus, we too angrily cry out, "Lord, don't you care?" As we look to Him, we find Him resting. We wonder, "How can He rest at a time like this?"

As the story continues, Jesus awakes and says to the storm, "Peace! Be Still!" and there was instant calming. A word from Jesus is all it took. The disciple's desperation ceased and they were left in awe and amazement. We shouldn't criticize ourselves too much for our lack of faith. The Disciples has witnessed the greatest miracles of Jesus, yet they were consumed with fear. Jesus was physically with them, and they waited until the last minute to ask Him for help. We wonder, “Shouldn’t it have occurred to them, to ask Him for help, right away?" We should ask ourselves that same question in the desperate situations we face. Why go through all the worry and struggle, when we can just ask Jesus to calm the storm?

We can declare, "It’s just not that easy. Besides, Jesus was with them, physically. “If we believe in God's Word, if we trust completely in what He says, then we must know that He is with us too. Isiah 41:10 says, "Do not fear for I am with you." Matthew 28:20 says, "I am with you always" So the question is, do you believe He is? When we're consumed with fear and doubt and the wind and waves are taking us under, we can be assured that Jesus is with us.

We know that we need to trust Jesus, but practically, how do we do that when we're being tossed about? Trusting in God means: seeking Him, entering into His rest, and trusting in His Word. Our faith requires action.

1. Faith seeks God in all things at all times. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus was very specific in telling those who were heavy-laden and overburdened to come to Him. If we're experiencing fear and doubt, it's because we're not trusting God. We can't trust Him in some things and not in others. There's no such thing as God being almost sovereign.

If our situation need a miracle, then we must realize that God is the only One that can perform that miracle. We must go to Him in prayer, casting all our cares on Him, and trust that He will handle it all, in His way, in His timing, which is always perfect. We must stop "laboring" and start trusting.

2. Faith enters into God's rest. In a violent, life-threatening storm, Jesus was peacefully asleep. In our storms of life, we too, can enter into rest with God. We must stop trying to do what only God can do. Often times, we are to stand still and watch God work (1Chronicles 20:15-17). Most of the time He simple want us to believe (2Chronicles 16:9). Entering into God's rest, means continuing to trust Him, even if, our situation does not change. We can't change our circumstances if the circumstances we are in are God's will. We must trust that He has promised to work ALL things for good (Jeremiah 29:11). We might not be able to see how the trials and tribulations of our lives can possible be used for good, but God is sovereign, we are not; His ways are higher and His ways are far better (Isaiah 55:8-9).

3. Faith trusts God and His Word. You can't be an unbelieving believer. You either trust God or you don't. You trust His Word or you don't. Faith does not walk by sight, because every time you step out in faith, you can rest assured, you are going to be challenged with something that contradicts it. Faith is a choice, not a feeling. It is choice that declares, regardless of the way things appear, "I trust God." Never forget that God sees your life from beginning to end. He is all-knowing, all-caring, and all-loving. There is nothing in your life that goes beyond His control. Trust him to bring about victory in your life. You won't be disappointed (1Chronicles 5:20; Psalm 22:5).

If you find your faith and fear colliding, look to Jesus. He has not jumped out of the boat of your life. See God, enter into His rest, and trust His Word. When the storms of life hit, you won't have to dust off your Bible or go searching for a lost prayer. You'll know where your faith is.

With Love,

"B"

I Am A Beautiful Woman in Christ.

 

 

 

" Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." - Proverbs 31:30.

 

Some may have heard about the little boy who asked his mother why she was putting on cold cream. She replied that she was making herself beautiful. When she went to take off the cold cream the little boy wanted to know what was the matter. Was she giving up? That little boy misunderstood the concept of the art of becoming beautiful. Sometimes we as Christian women misunderstand God's concept of becoming beautiful in Christ.

 

There is noting wrong with working on our outward beauty itself. We are children of the King so why not look the part? We should always do our best and look our best but many times we forget about the inside and the way we project ourselves. Perhaps sometimes we just concentrate only on one feature or area of our Christian life but not the whole and our beauty in Christ becomes skewed.

 

Being beautiful in Christ involves more than just the outside or just on part of us. Our verse says, "...a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."-Proverbs 31:30. That is the beauty that transcends time and doesn't fade away.

 

One thing about beauty that we all know as women is that it is a daily thing. In other words we have to keep ourselves up. If we let ourselves go what happens? We're not quite so beautiful anymore are we? It is the same with being beautiful in Christ. We have to constantly work at it. Here are somethings to help us improve our beauty in Christ.

 

1. Cleaner.

In order to make ourselves beautiful, we have to fist cleanse ourselves of all unwanted impurities. Our cleansing agent works through our confession and God's forgiveness.

 

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9.

 

2. Moisturizer.

Have compassion can be a good moisturizer. When we start seeing others and their needs instead of our own it can really soften us up!

 

"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference." -Jude 21,22.

 

3. Winkle Cream.

If we want to smooth out those wrinkles how about applying a meek and quiet spirit?

 

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is the sight of God of great price." - 1 Peter 3:4.

 

4. Foundation.

We need to start with a good foundation and what is better than the Word of God? If we have the Word of God in our hearts the rest of our spiritual make-up can be easily applied.

 

"They word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." - Psalm 119:11.

 

5. Eye Makeup.

To keep our eyes shinning the brightest we need to guard them from seeing things that are not fitting of a beautiful woman in Christ.

 

" What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Hole Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" - 1 Corinthians 6:19.

 

6. Lipstick.

To make the face complete don't forget your lips. Apply lipstick in the shade of 'Pleasantness' daily for best results.

 

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."- Proverbs 16:24.

 

7. Blush.

The blush we apply should be God's love radiating through us.

 

"and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."- Romans 5:5.

 

8. Hand Lotion.

We don't ant our hand to become dry and brittle so we need to apply some generosity and good deeds.

 

" Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."- Proverbs 31:31.

 

9. Foot Therapy.

Sometimes when we overlook our feet they can get callused and rough so we need to get them going in the right direction. Take your feet only to the places that Christ would approve.

 

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." - 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

 

Let's Pray:

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank you that I am unique in Your Kingdom. Thank you that you made me special. Thank you that there is no one like me. Thank you that no one has the same talents, skills, and abilities that I have. God it makes me feel so good to know that no can replace me in your heart. No one could ever be so special to you or important to you that you wouldn't still yearn for my company. God I thank you that I am adorable and treasured in your sight. You love me just the way I am. You are eager to help me become even more than I am right now. You are eager to guide me to become even more beautiful, joyful, more contented, more mature, and more blessed. I am made beautiful because of you.

 

Amen.

 

With Love,

"B"

 

 



I'm So Afraid of Failing!

" Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, not stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." -Psalm 1:1-3.

All things being equal, the godly shall succeed. Perhaps you reply: "But I'm so afraid of failing-failing to avert a row between my children, failing to show my husband how much I love him, failing to do for God the things He wants done." The promise from our unfailing God, however, is that our efforts will prosper.

God assures us that we can be like a tree standing by a riverbank bearing luscious fruit. Even in our deepest despondency His Word restores us to green springy vegetation, offering shade to those we shelter, joy to those who watch us flower! All we do can be "green" with verdant visibility; we can have a fresh face, a happy heart, a willing will. We can even know that our actions will evoke divine delight as He see us in a prayerful posture!

The secret lies in meditating on His law- the word meditate means to chew things over! His nourishing Scriptures are ours for the digesting, and will prosper our days. 

Lets pray:

Our Dear Lord, our Friend,

Who day and night provides the river to refresh our failing moments, will water us always- and without fail, if we fulfill the conditions. Remind us to keep the right company, to ask the right questions of the right people, and to avoid becoming as cynical as the world around us! 

Amen.

With Love, 

"B"

High Definition Christian?

"Come near to God and He will come near to you..."- James 4:8.

The new rage today is HDTV. High Definition Television. It's one of those technical advances that has come along in our society that is changing the way we view and see TV.

It's quite amazing to see all the advanced technology that has come along since the old days of black and white. 

From what I've read, the main difference in high definition capabilities is that the lines of the picture are done in such a way that they are closer together so it comes across as clearer when we view it. There are other things that go along with it, such as better sound quality capability and sharp color definition. In high definition we view and hear things at the ultimate level.

Christians have the capability to broadcast in high definition as well. The closer we are to Christ, the less gaps there are going to be in our walk with Him and in turn our picture and quality as a Christian is going to be much clearer and of a better quality. People are going to know we are projecting Christ with a high level of intensity in our lives.

A High Definition Christian Will Have:

*Better Picture Quality- When we begin spending time with Christ and drawing closer to Him, it changes us. It changes the way we act and react to the world around us. Spending time with Christ is one sure way of making yourself better and improving your overall picture quality as a Christian. When people see our lives, they should know our lives have meaning. They should see Christ in us.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I lice by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." -Galatians 2:20.

*Better Color Quality- Drawing close to Christ makes us brighter and more vibrant. Others should see that we are portraying Christ in full color through our lives. We should be radiating joy, kindness, love and all of those things that living for Christ entails. When others look at us we should be sharp and vivid because we know Christ.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." - Galatians 5:22-25.

*Better Sound Quality- HDTV has the capability to operate in surround sound. It makes the things we hear richer and clearer. As Christians, what do we sound like? What we say and do shouldn't be just like the world. We should have a distinctive sound. When we get to know Christ and are spending time in prayer and in reading the Word of God, our speech will reflect that. 

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." - Philippians 2:14,15.

" But as he which hath called you is hole, so ye be ye hole in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy. " - 1 Peter 1:15,16.

High Definition Television is more than the standard display as we know it. it operates on a different mode. Our Christianity should be more than the standard too. When we are constantly in tune with Christ and spending time with Him, it draws us closer to Him. This makes us sharper and more distinctive because we state live like Christ. He starts being more visible in our lives. We begin displaying those vibrant fruits of the spirit. We start living in sharp contrast to the world. As Christians, our lives should be defined by Christ at the highest level.

So, is your Christian life broadcasting in high definition?

Lets Pray:

Heavenly Father,

How we pray that our lives would show forth the beautiful fruit of the Spirit, which is rooted and grounded in godly love...and produced in a life that is walking in spirit and truth. I pray that i would take every opportunity to demonstrate Your love to others..in action, attitude, mood and motive... and to show forth Your love not only with my lips, but in my life, by giving up, myself to Your will, and by walking in holiness and humility of spirit all the days of my life.

Amen.

With Love, 

'B"

When Faith is Being Tested

So I am going through some really tough challenges right now health wise. I battle everyday with myself and with God as to why this is happening to me. Then I am reminded that I need to have faith. He keeps telling me have faith. 

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there; and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." - Matthew 17:20.

As I think about the current situation in my life, I am reminded of the test that God placed upon Abraham. Abraham journeyed to the mountain top to follow God's will to sacrifice his beloved son; Isaac. Abraham's faith in God did not diminish. Abraham's faith in God was so strong that he knew God was going to make a way for him. It's a reminder that Jesus wants me to have faith, and He only asks that I have faith the size of a mustard seed. 

Nobody said "oh Brandy dear" your life and journey will be easy. Tests and trails will come my way but I must maintain good courage and cheer. How I handle this test is how I will be graded by God. I made the decision to follow Gods will whole heartedly; but I also know in order to pass this test I must have faith that it will get better because (God is ABLE). This test is a test unlike no other; I wasn't prepared for this test. So I decided to keep pushing and praising God no matter the outcome. I don't know who needs this message today but I am here to assure you that your tests will turn into testimonies. As I am sure that mine will in time. Next time you feel the urge to want to give up, think of Abraham. As a strong believer of Christ, I know my purpose is to testify of God's favor upon my life. 

I am currently facing a road block in this present hour, but guess what...I declare that this is my season to receive everything God says I will inherit. Everything the devil tried to stop will not prevail. I may not bare tangible sacrificial items, but trust and behold God hears my cries for help. In order to pass this test, I will continue to keep my heart and eyes laid upon Him. God will not forsake me. He is always there with open arms. 

He knows my needs and the desires of my heart. His word says:

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trails, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." -James 1:2-4.

In the words of a believer, "God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask. If He did it before, He can do it again." (My Loving Spouse, Bo Ross). Whatever it takes just bask in His presence, because weeping endures for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Whether it takes me a few months  or several years to pass this test, I will hold on to God's words because they are true. I am encouraged just by knowing my purpose and being is all for His Glory. Righteousness is what I long for. I ask that you please keep me in lifted in prayer.

Lets Pray:

Father, 

I come to you today and ask for healing. I ask that you keep me close to you and help me remember that you are not letting me walk alone. I thank you for my husband who without his strong faith, prayer,  and patience, I could not get through this each day. I pray for those who are suffering, or are having struggles that they feel they cannot over come. I ask that you reach out to them, as well, and let them know they are not going through it alone and that you are faithfully right there with them. You are a loving, faithful, healing God and I whole heartedly thank you for that. 

In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Lauren Daigle - Trust in you

With Love,
"B"