Choice Between Life or Death

Photo from www.someecards.com

 

Be in earnest, then, and turn from your sins.  

Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, 

I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me.  

To those who win the victory I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, 

just as I have been victorious and now sit by my Father on his throne.

"If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!” 

Revelation 3:19-22

It is the weekend, Girlfriends! I hope you are enjoying your day, whether beneath the sun, the snow, or the artificial bulbs of a tanning bed--a place I frequently find myself during winter months while living in northern climates! I know, I know: Bad, bad, bad for me. But like everyone who does not want to take responsibility for their choices, I blame my mom. She always says, "Tan fat is better than white fat!" I guess I could go exercise rather than fake bake, but I am not sure white skinny looks better than tan skinny. And besides, a fifteen minute nap on a hot, hard surface sounds better than an hour sweating and exerting myself in a stinky gym. Call me crazy.

So, what does this rambling have to do with my message today? Absolutely nothing other than the fact that we have the power to make choices. A choice to enjoy the day or spend it grumbling and complaining. A choice to enhance or endanger your health. A choice to be productive or lazy. A choice to live or to die. 

The Choices

Wait a minute, did I say you can choose to live or die? Do we not all die whether we choose it or not? Yes, Girlfriends, that is what I said, and yes, at some point you will no longer have the choice to continue living on this earth. However, you do have the choice right now whether your soul will live eternally in the presence of God or be forever separated from His love, power, and grace. And unfortunately, you cannot rely upon your momma, nor anyone else for that matter, to make that choice for you. Nor can you escape responsibility for your choice in the future by blaming your parents or anyone else influencing you. The choice is yours, and yours alone. 

While no one can make your choice for you, many people can assist you in the decision-making process. This blog exists for that very purpose: reaching out to women, all of whom I consider my girlfriends, albeit some closer than others. My goal is to offer insight, information, and intelligence regarding what I consider the most important choice you will ever make: accepting or rejecting Jesus Christ. If you reject Him, you are saying 'no thanks' to God's free offer of salvation. If you accept Him, your life will be irreversibly altered for the better. You will receive peace, freedom from guilt, acceptance and awareness of unconditional love, and eternal life in Heaven. 

Why This Choice?

Make no mistake, ladies, you cannot achieve this redemption in any other manner. You cannot work for it and earn it, "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). No matter how hard you try, sin is a part of our nature and can only be erased from it through the blood of Jesus Christ. His atoning sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the grave were for you. He did what you cannot do on your own: paid your penalty for your sin, as we would expect from a just and righteous God, so that you can walk away free and clear of all wrong-doing. Only in this way can you live forever in the presence of God, for He is holy and pure and so must you be.

How do you become holy and pure, worthy and presentable to a perfect and loving God? Not by your own power, but by your complete submission and surrender to Jesus Christ. His work becomes your achievement. His death is the destruction of your sin. His reward is now your crowning glory. You have been given a priceless gift. Accept it. Access it. Own it. Jesus Christ is the gift; God is your only path to unending existence. 

Why Choose Now?

Girlfriends, read the key verse from Revelations at the top of this blog again. 

The Lord is speaking to you now. His Word is alive and active.

"Listen! I stand at the door and knock." 

Make a choice.

"...if any hear my voice and open the door." 

Do not simply open the door. Take it off its hinges and throw it in the fire! 

Let Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit inside you to refresh and renew your life.

"If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!”

Listen to what God is speaking to you today.
He loves you. He desires you. He wants you with Him.

"To those who win the victory I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, 

just as I have been victorious and now sit by my Father on his throne."

Victory in Christ belongs to you if only you will make a choice.

What will you choose? And when? 

Time is of the essence.

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens....“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come." 

Luke 13:26-27, 32

Choose Life

Today, Girlfriends, I pray you will hear and respond to the knock at the door of your heart, of your soul. I long for you to experience the peace and love only a personal relationship with Jesus can provide. 
As much as I love you, He IS Love.  
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16b  
As much as I desire eternal life for you, He IS eternal life.  
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3  
As much as I want to take you to Heaven, the choice IS yours.  
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach... No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it...This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 30:11,14, 19-20a

Ladies, I am praying right now for you. And if you decide to choose Jesus, but cannot find the words to express it, know that in my heart I am concurring with you as you offer up your life and possibly use this prayer:

"O Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and cannot ever completely remove sin from my life by my own actions. I am sorry for hurting You and others. I repent and turn from my sins. I believe Jesus Christ died for my sins, rose from the grave, and is alive at Your right hand forever. I open the door of my heart and soul, receiving Jesus Christ as my Savior. I know I will stumble along the way, but I want You in my life and will seek to know you more. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Good choice!

Girlfriends, tan fat or white fat, tan skinny or white skinny, may our God Bless you this day. 
Love to All!

I Need A Miracle

photo from http://arunoday.blogspot.com

So they asked him,

 "What miraculous sign then will you give 

that we may see it and believe you? 

What will you do?" 

John 6:30 NIV

Happy Saturday, Girlfriends!
I do not usually blog on the weekends since I am normally running in a thousand directions while also trying to spend as much time as possible with my hubby. Today is no exception. If I complete my to-do list before guests arrive tomorrow, it will be a miracle.

The Bottom of the Well

Praying for a miracle is actually the reason I am writing. If you have not read my last blog, I hope you will pause now and do so. You will find that I described the story of Joseph, a man who found himself in one seemingly hopeless predicament after another. As a youth, God revealed in dreams that Joseph would rule over his siblings and family. Yet, the course of his young adult life did not seem to follow any sort of path toward the fulfillment of his dreams. He was thrown into a well, sold into slavery, falsely imprisoned, and awarded the difficult task of preparing a nation for a famine. Many, many years later, his dreams did come to fruition in the most unlikely of ways.

Girlfriends, my message to you today comes from the lonely place at the bottom of the well. As Joseph sank into the depths, crash landed, and lay broken and bruised on a cold, hard surface, I am certain he prayed. And I believe he must have prayed for a miracle, because that is what it would take to raise him from this hopeless pit. Do you know what I mean? Have you been to that place? Does Joseph's story parallel yours, now, or at some time in the past? If not, listen still, because chances are good that one day in this life, you, too, will fall face down into the abyss. God does not say "if"; He says "when..." Every one of us has an empty cistern with our name on it.

Not the uplifting, inspirational word you wanted to get on a sunny, weekend morning? Oooops, sorry! Seriously though, my intention is indeed to raise your spirits if you are in a dark place, to increase your faith and hope in the future. Girlfriends, Joseph prayed for a miracle, and he got one! He was pulled from the well. He did not die there. Miraculously, a caravan of Midianite traders passed by and were willing to buy him in order to profit in Egypt where he would be sold as a slave. Probably not the miracle Joseph expected nor desired, but he experienced a miracle nonetheless.

A Miracle: Unanticipated Answer

Ladies, God answers prayer. God performs miracles. But God will not be put into a box of our expectations and wishes. He works out of the box, in this crazy, messed up world, through unique methods only He could contrive. I mean, who among us would answer a desperate man's plea to save his life by selling him into servitude in a foreign land?  Craziness, by the world's standards, is what that response would be. But God's ways are higher than ours, and He knows exactly the resolution our problem needs.

So today, my dears, put your trust in the Only One who can perform the miracle you need. Keep your faith. Expect a miracle. But do not put a face on it, or a label, or a time/date stamp. See through the eyes of your Savior, the God who knit you together in your mother's womb. With precision, He directs the course of your life and will provide unerringly all that is necessary. Your task is the same as Joseph's: to respond positively, in faith, and produce good fruit in every environment no matter how hopeless or absurd it seems. The choice is yours to make. God gives generously, according to His blueprint, but He allows you to be the carpenter, to build something beautiful, or to sit in an empty lot waiting for what you think the supplies and plans should be. What will you do?

Girlfriends, I am praying for you today. With great expectation, I long to witness God's miracle for you and what you will create in response! Peace be with you.

But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 18:27 ESV

Intended For Good

photo from www.gorepent.com

But Joseph said to them,

 “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 

You intended to harm me, 

but God intended it for good 

to accomplish what is now being done, 

the saving of many lives.

 So then, don’t be afraid. 

I will provide for you and your children.” 

And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. 

Genesis 50:19-21

Hello, my beautiful Girlfriends!
You are so precious, and I thank God for you and all that you do.

I hope that you are indeed "doing" something, no matter where you may be in your life right now. I speak these words with all sincerity and from a heart that once felt it could "do" nothing, despite my deepest desire to move forward. I suppose having been through dark and desperate times is what draws me to the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. (If you have not previously, I urge you to read these chapters richly woven with tales of love, jealousy, pride, folly, betrayal, fortitude, loyalty, and grace. God is the original author of romantic literature!)

Joseph's Story 

Joseph was his father's favorite child, a title I cannot solely claim but willingly share with my only sister! Joseph, on the other hand, had eleven brothers and one sister. The firstborn of Rachel, the wife Jacob cherished, Joseph held favor in his father's eyes, to the detriment of his sibling relationships.

When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Genesis 37:4

To make matters worse, Joseph began proclaiming his future stature over his family as foreseen in his dreams. Consequently, Joseph's brothers could not stand him. In fact, they grew to detest him because of Joseph's visions, which he unwisely shared with them each time one occurred.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. Genesis 37:5
Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. Genesis 37:9

But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. Genesis 37:18

Lucky for Joseph, he had one brother, Reuben, cowardly as he was, who spoke the voice of reason. As a result, rather than kill Joseph the first chance they got, his brothers instead threw him in a dry well. Before he could die, they grasped an opportunity to sell him into slavery to a passing caravan traveling to Egypt. Now, God does not tell us Joseph's thoughts as he was transported to Egypt and sold to one of Pharoah's officials, Potiphar; however, I think he had some major alone time during which he probably reflected up his past behavior, its results, and his future prospects. 

Our Story

Girlfriends, when is the last time you took hold of some "alone time" and reflected in such a way? Ok, so maybe you have not been sold to a bunch of thugs, thrown onto a camel or into a wagon, and had days of solitude to contemplate your past. (Although I would venture to guess that some days that idea sounds pleasurable compared to what is currently on your plate!) But seriously, have you allotted time out of your days or weeks to get alone and quiet with the Lord and your brain? In these moments such as Joseph probably had, ladies, life-altering analysis occurs. Our fate, and that of our family, turns on the applied results of our reflections. Don't believe me? Then trust God and listen to what He tells us happened to Joseph.

Joseph's Story

Somewhere along the way to Egypt, Joseph got a clue. Instead of continuing his path of annoyance and alienation in his new assignment, Joseph got his act together and began accomplishing rather than announcing his supremacy. Genesis 39 details Joseph's success while in Potiphar's possession. So prosperous was he that Potiphar placed Joseph in charge of his entire household. (Potiphar remember is the captain of Pharoah's guard.) 

So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Genesis 39:6

Girlfriends, perfection is a process, even for a good-looking guy with power. Joseph went from a big-mouth, boasting about his dreams, to a more self-controlled bragger. He was not fully refined by the Lord yet, but Joseph was on his way.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”  But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. Genesis 39:6-10 (my bold emphasis added)

Joseph showed restraint in his refusal to romance with his master's woman, but he probably did not count on her wrath when he rebuffed her continuous advances. As a result, Joseph lands in prison, falsely accused of making sexual advances toward Potiphar's wife. What happens next is a great lesson for us, ladies. Rather than dwell upon the injustice of his situation, diving into the depths of depression and distress, Joseph continued to show responsibility and initiative to the degree that he found favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis 39:22-23

Our Story

Girlfriends, when we keep our eyes on the Lord, our hands can produce and our hearts heal in the harshest settings. Can you think of a time when you felt imprisoned, rightly or wrongly? Were you able to move forward or did you languish? Maybe, just maybe, you feel like that time is right now. You feel trapped, burdened, unsure of the future. If so, I encourage you to hold tight to Jesus and know He is working through what seems dark and impossible to you. Our plans may be thwarted by this world, but God's plan is unstoppable and intentional. Trust that your story is an intricate part of His grand plan. Be inspired by Joseph's story.

Joseph's Story

The rest of Joseph's story is saturated with events, emotions, and elaborations which lead to a grand unveiling of God's greater purpose. My intention is to summarize for you, hopefully whetting your appetite and desire to know Him more.

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream (Gen 41:1)...He fell asleep again and had a second dream (Gen 41:5)...Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”(Gen 41:15-16)...Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them.(Gen 41:29)...Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” (Gen 41:39-40)...Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.(Gen 41:49)...And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.(Gen 41:57)

Girlfriends, you and I both know that Joseph's brothers lived out there in "all the world" and, of course, their father sent them to Egypt for grain during the famine. Here is where the story gets really intense, and truly I hope you will read all of the dramatic details. For my purposes here, though, I just want to state that Joseph's boyhood dreams had indeed come true. His brothers were bowing before him, seeking his assistance. Joseph was vindicated and could easily have been cruel, vindictive, and harsh. After reading the chapters, you can judge for yourselves to what degree he responded. I choose to focus on his ultimate revelation of himself and the grace he offers his brothers, granting them peace from their tormented consciences. Joseph recognizes the Lord's hand in the entire sequence of events which led to this moment and acknowledges God before his family.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. (Gen 45:4-5) 

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. (Gen 45:7-8a)

Our Story

Ladies, to borrow a phrase, let you who have ears hear this message: What was intended for evil, God intended for good!! (Genesis 50:20) Sometimes, when we are in the middle of a supremely difficult situation, our eyes can only see the evil, or the negative side. We are blind to the positive, unable to see any possible way God could use this apparent catastrophe for good. Giving up sounds glorious--sitting down and crying, even more appealing. Thoughts of revenge, well, we will not even go there.

Now, I am not saying that Joseph was not intensely angry, and rightly so. Nor do I assert that he did not shed a few tears down in the well, on the journey to Egypt, or even in his prison cell; however, at some point, he turned off the faucet of self-pity and tapped into God's pipeline of power and potential. He persevered. He produced. And in the end, he, his family, and the Jewish people, prospered. What a story! And guess what, Joseph does not own exclusive rights to it. This story can be yours too if you will claim it. Take whatever circumstances in which you find yourself and apply the P's: Persevere. Produce. Prosper.

For this, Girlfriends, I pray for you.
May the Peace and Power of Christ be with you today.

Hidden Medicine

photo from www.cesarsway.com

 I will give you hidden treasures, 

 riches stored in secret places, 

so that you may know that I am the Lord, 

the God of Israel, 

who summons you by name. 

Isaiah 45:3 NIV

Girlfriends, we have a rainy and bleak morning in Virginia, but the sun is shining in my heart because I am thinking of you!

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Matthew 13:43 NIV
 
My day has begun in the same fashion for the past four weeks: get out of bed, stumble to the kitchen, blend my iced coffee smoothie, and doctor the dog. Tending to the dog has taken on an urgency in the last month since the vet informed us of her medical disorder. Apparently, cocker spaniels are prone to issues with their ears, and our little Oreo is no exception.

Mornings are met with mixed emotions by our dear canine friend. On the one hand, she sprints to the kitchen at the sound off either the rattling pill bottle or the rustling package of lunch meat. Oreo quickly associated both noises with the juicy taste of a meat treat. Little does she know, I am sneaking steroid medication down her throat as she nearly takes my finger off while eagerly attacking the juicy offering. The trickery continues as I fill her bowl, pierce the enormous casing of an Omega-3 fatty supplement, and squeeze the contents across her dog food. (Past attempts to hide that giant casing in tastier treats only resulted in me picking up a slobbery, rejected pill off the floor. Gross!)

On the other hand, poor Oreo faces an assault on her ears with each breaking dawn. After the treats have been devoured, her sprint is reduced to a tail-between-the-legs, slow, and cautious drift toward the sound of my calling voice. Our pitiful puppy perceives that Mama Brown, with tissue, baby wipes, medicine, and giant q-tips in hand, is preparing to poke, prod, and push foreign objects and liquids into her sensitive and sore ear canals. Limited by her mutt mentality, Oreo is unable to understand I operate out of love, care, and concern for her overall well-being and comfort; however, I do sense her calmness resulting from the gentle and warm words of praise I speak to her throughout the painful process.

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 NLT

Girlfriends, sometimes I wonder if my own human intellect is not closer to mutt mentality than the cosmic comprehension I desire to possess. Just as I tend to Oreo each morning, God also attends to me. As much as I hate to admit the fact, He too has to "hide" my medicine in something pleasurable or desirable. God also coats my daily bread with a healthy supplement, which if administered alone I would choke on, sputter and spit out. And through the process of cleansing, grooming, and removing the impurities and infections, God speaks soothingly and softly to me, encouraging me to be still and endure the pain of His treatment which will ultimately bring healing and wholeness.

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?" 1 Kings 3:5

I too run to God, only in prayer, begging for something tasty and tantalizing to my senses. Please, Lord, can I have that job I really want? "Sure," He says, but unknowingly I also get the demanding boss and the annoying co-worker because the Lord knows I need to increase my patience level and hone my humility. Please, Father, grant me a child to love and nurture? "Ok, here you go," He says, but wrapped inside is terrible twos, petrifying puberty, and a defiant, intolerant teenager. God knows my parents need to see payback and that I need to grow in strength, wisdom, empathy, and communication skills. (Not to mention God both has a sense of humor and enjoys a jolly good laugh at times!) Good things given by God with good medicine wrapped inside.

Give us each day our daily bread. Luke 11:3

As I receive my daily bread, God coats it with hearty, life-giving supplements which I would not swallow standing alone. I earn wages for my labor and am lauded with praise, but alongside comes constructive criticism to develop my character. I am granted shelter yet toilets run, faucets drip, and floors are dirty. I learn upkeep and repair, tools I can also apply to the relationships God grants me in this life. I eat, only the food does not prepare itself nor do the dishes wash themselves. I learn to value planning, creating, and cleanliness. 

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

And then come the quiet moments, the intervals when God gets you alone....just you and Him. He quietly calls your name, and like the obedient dog who loves the master, you come--sometimes joyfully, tail wagging in excitement; sometimes trembling, tail tucked and anxious. Which way we approach the Father actually is our choice. If we fear the grooming process, the refinement of our souls, yes, ladies, we will quiver and shake, lingering in our tracks. However, we are not dogs; we are above mutt mentality. We have been given the Spirit of God--we need not fear Him whose Spirit lives in us.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT  

Girlfriends, today I pray you will seek the goodness of God and accept the hard medicine that sometimes accompanies the flavorful fare He offers. Obey the Father, and be blessed as He refines the rough exterior to expose the gem inside of you!

Peace be with you. And also with Oreo!

The Perfect Gift

 
 Every good and perfect gift is from above, 

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, 

who does not change like shifting shadows. 

James 1:17 NIV

Good Morning, Girlfriends!

Do you have any specific plans for today? Errands to run? Never-ending to-do list to check off? My guess is you answered "yes" to all of the above because you are after-all a WOMAN!

Gifts

I am feeling pretty good about my to-do list this week. Slowly, I am removing more items than I am adding each day. It is a good feeling for sure! One urgent element pressing on me last week was lingering Christmas gift returns. Here we are, mid-January, and yes, I still have Christmas gift returns to complete. The reason for my delay is directly related to where I now live: Traffic. Traffic. Traffic. And more traffic.

In order to reach the shopping mall where my rejected item was purchased, I have to traverse the crazy, concrete fairway called John Mosby Highway. Under construction the first half of the way to the mall and under heavy use during peak hours of the day the second half of the trip, I have vowed not to wander out before ten am nor past three pm unless I face dire emergency, such as running out of chocolate or ice cream. You know what I mean, ladies! Hence, my delay in making the gift return until now.

Well, I can actually credit my daughter and Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale for the motivation to finally maneuver our way to the mall. While she shopped for over-priced scraps of fabric with miniscule cotton crotches...errrr, I mean, while she searched for the incredible, amazing under-garment bargains, I made my way to the Apple Store to complete my mission. A young, friendly employee greeted me at the entrance of the store. I presented my item to him along with a receipt and a smile. After examining my merchandise, he glanced back up at me, and I flashed him a "please-be-kind-to-me, I-drove-John Mosby Highway-to-get-here" smile. He grinned back, whipped out his iphone-looking device, swiped a card, asked me to sign, and voila, my return was complete. (As a side-note, I have to mention that Apple throws the knock-out punch to stores like Kohls in the gift return arena. While I spent thirty minutes in a line at Kohls that wound through Childrens, Mens, Linens, and Ladies Apparel in order to return one pair of sweatpants, I never even stepped both feet into the Apple Store and was finished in less than five minutes.)

Finished, but not quite. Handing back my original receipt, young Mr. Apple Employee delivered the kicker: "Just so you know, in the future, you missed the return date. I made an exception because you had not opened it, but you were supposed to return this by December 30th." Oooh. Ouch. I had been granted grace and kindness by someone twenty-five years my junior, and he wanted to make sure I knew it! I thanked him warmly and went on my way.

Imperfect Gifts

Strolling slowly through the mall, according my daughter ample time to hunt bargain bras, I contemplated Christmas gift giving. Each fall, I spend an abundant amount of time searching for the perfect gift for each person on my list--a gift that will reveal the love and care in my heart for the recipient as well as appeal to his or her interests, personality, or occupation. I research brand, model, and label; I read reviews and solicit opinions. I inquire about size, color, and style. I battle for availability, delivery, and best price. Once in hand, I seek the ideal hiding place or creatively conceal the item before placing under the tree. The entire process is quite laborious and tedious, yet as a woman, especially satisfying and gratifying....until the day after Christmas!

Returns. Replacements. Regifting. Recycling.
Rejection.

Perfect Gifts

We can easily be offended, as well as give offense, over the entire gifting process unless we acknowledge that our gifts are imperfect, albeit genuine attempts at imitating the perfect Gift Giver. Only God can deliver the flawless Gift each of us not only desires but also requires. How do you know it is the perfect gift? Once received, you will never consider to return, resell, or give it away; never declare the wrong size, color, or type; never desire another gift as much as this one.While at times, this gift may twist, turn, squeeze, shape, remake, and remold you, in the end, you would not trade it for all of the gold nor all of the power in this world. God truly offers the only Perfect Gift.

Girlfriends, Jesus Christ is the ultimate Gift--perfect in every way. In Jesus, God gives us Himself.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3 NIV
 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 14:9 NIV

Ladies, have you intentionally received and opened your Gift from God? If not, what is holding you back? Tear open the package and marvel at the priceless present you have been offered.

Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving, so to speak. Through Him, you are granted new life, a new birth.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18

Freely confessing your sin and accepting Jesus offers you eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV

You will also receive the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, a helper and counselor who will never leave you.
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

By the Holy Spirit, you procure fruits: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23 NIV)

Did I mention the attainment of wisdom? Who among us does not need a little of that one?
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. James 1:5 NIV 

Finally, while all of the above sounds wonderful and amazing for ourselves, the true result of gifting us with Jesus, is that God is glorified through us, in us, and for us. Reciprocity. We receive; we give back. We are united as one with a perfect and holy God if we only humble ourselves and graciously accept what is offered. 
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:8-11

Open Your Gift

I pray today, Girlfriends, that you remove whatever wrappings are covering your gift (sin, pride, lust, envy, low self-esteem, greed, etc.), toss them aside, and take ownership of the greatest gift ever given you. Celebrate! And, p.s., do not forget to send a thank you card!!!

Love and peace to you all!!

In Debt or Debt Free?

 

^"And I owe it all to you Jesus
I owe it all to you
All my life I lay before you
I owe it all to you."

 I Owe It All 

by Paul Colman

Girlfriends, how are you? I hope you are both good and well in this rampant flu season.

Today, may I also ask, "How are your debts?"
Have any of your conversations of late gone like these:

"Sooooo, honey, how deep in debt are we now that Christmas is over?"

"Does it really matter how much I spent on gifts? I was already so far in debt. I don't know how I will ever get out. I would have to win the lottery to ever pay it all back."

"Ha! I am a poor college student with thousands of dollars in loans. I don't even want to talk about debt. I will be working for years before I am in the black. That is if I can even find a job."

"Yeah, well, at least you did not buy a price inflated house in 2006 which now has you underwater by $100,000. Talk about hopelessly drowning in debt. We will never be able to move."

"Ohhh, please, that's nothing. I heard that Santa had to borrow from the Easter Bunny just to make elf payroll the last week of 2012!"


Debt.

In the United States, we are surrounded by debt. We owe personal debts from sources like schooling, housing, transportation, living expenses, or leisure expenditures. We read the news or turn on the television, and we hear about the growing national debt and the fiscal cliff. As we drive around town, we cannot help noticing the empty storefronts of businesses that collapsed under the weight of debt. Even our kids have debt: "Mom, can we go to the store? I owe Tommy a pack of gum at lunch tomorrow because he gave me his Oreos today at lunch."

Debt.

The dictionary defines debt as "an obligation or liability to pay or render something to someone else." As an American, I cannot imagine a single citizen who has no debt, especially after lavishing gifts upon our loved ones during the season of giving. "Christmas" appears to motivate us to spend beyond our means, whether due to capitalistic trickery or actual altruistic benevolence of the heart.

I owe. You owe. Everybody owes somebody. Yet, we have programs floating around to help people who owe in order to become debt-free. Take Dave Ramsey's plan for example: an amazing concept that seems to be working. I have met many people who rave about Dave Ramsey and boast of their financial freedom.  And while I smile, nod my head, and dream about how wonderful that feeling would be, I also ask myself, "Are any of us truly DEBT FREE until we give our lives to Jesus Christ?"

Debt.

According to thesaurus.com, debt is synonymous with words like "indebtedness," "deficit," "liability," and "obligation." Debt creates a situation where we owe what we do not have the means to repay. We come up short when the bill is due. The funny thing is, we created the bill; we are the authors of the obligation. We are liable. Individually. Collectively. As a nation. United as a people. We are in debt.

Fortunately God has a plan far surpassing anything Dave Ramsey could dream.

Using the Bible, God speaks to us about debt, about forgiving debts owed us and staying out of debt ourselves.

The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. Matthew 18:27 NIV

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12 NIV


Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:7-8 ESV


There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt. Proverbs 11:15

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 NIV

But the question remains: Are we in debt to God? If so, what is this debt we cannot repay, so immense that a holy God had to leave His perfect heaven and come to earth as a Man? Girlfriends, this is the biggest debt question I have ever struggled to answer. I believe the answer is complicated. In one respect, I owe God the perfect life He created for me--the one I am unable to maintain as perfect because I choose to sin against Him. On the other hand, I do not owe God because His offer of eternal life and reconciliation with Him is a gift. Gifts are not debts. They cost the Giver, but they do not cost the receiver. And yet, I feel the need to repay God's kindness by glorifying and honoring Him in all I do with the new life He gave me. Complicated. So I turn again to my Bible.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 KJV

What Paul tells us in Romans is that we should get paid death for our sins--our wages for our sinful life should be death. Yes, we should be dead. But God pays us with life. This is God's great plan of debt-free living. He gifts us eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who lived sinlessly and was still paid death. Jesus took our wages--our death--and in its place, He gave to us eternal life. He bought our lives with His life.

...You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

Ladies, if I have not already thoroughly confused you, I will conclude with this thought: I am debt-free because I am in debt to Jesus Christ! Remember that definition of debt: "an obligation or liability to pay or render something to someone else"? I may have earthly debts until that day when I return to dust, but I will eternally remain debt free because God gifted me with life bought with the blood of Jesus Christ. For that gift, my soul will forever be thankful and obliged to surrender all to HIM.

I pray today you will wrestle with the debt question and emerge victorious in Christ. You have a choice. 

Peace be with you!

Happy New Year 2013!

Happy New Year, Girlfriends!!!!!

Of course, my friends, I really do not think

 that I have already won it;

 the one thing I do, however,

 is to forget what is behind me

 and do my best to reach what is ahead. 

So I run straight toward the goal 

in order to win the prize, 

which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.

Philippians 3:13-14 GNT 

 

May you follow St Paul's words above: forget what is behind and do your best to reach the goals laid out before you now. Doing your best includes keeping your eye on the prize, Jesus Christ, and connecting with him daily. To that end only should you labor, and I pray you will all be prizeholders when finished. 

God Bless in 2013 and beyond! Love you my Girlfriends!

Merry Christmas!

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, 

praising God and saying  

^\“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,

the shepherds said to one another,

 “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, 

which the Lord has told us about.”  

Luke 2:13-15 NIV

Merry Christmas, Girlfriends (and all who stumble upon this blog!)

Today we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Immanuel.

God with us who became God within us. 

As you spend this Christmas with your loved ones, I pray you will also live out the message of today's Gospel above. 

Go...see this thing that has happened. 

Seek the Lord's presence in your world today, and praise Him for it.

 BE His presence in today's world, and praise Him for the opportunity. 

Give glory to God in the highest heaven; extend peace to His people on earth. 

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:19-20 NIV

 

God came for you. He came for me. He came for His children, wherever they may be. May the peace and love of Jesus Christ rest upon you today and always. I love you all and thank you for a wonderful year of support as I have endeavored to allow God to speak through me in this blog. 

 

God Bless and Merry Christmas. 

 

 

Choose Love: Celebrating in the Midst of Tragedy

See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 

 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today,

 by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways,

 and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules,  

then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God 

will bless you in the land that you are entering 

to take possession of it. 

But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, 

but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 

I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. 

You shall not live long in the land 

that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 

 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today,

 that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. 

Therefore choose life, 

that you and your offspring may live, 

loving the Lord your God,

 obeying his voice and holding fast to him,

 for he is your life and length of days, 

that you may dwell in the land 

that the Lord swore to your fathers,

 to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” 

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Good Monday morning, Girlfriends!

Awaking this morning, I felt compelled to write to you. I bear a heavy heart burdened by sorrow for the victims, the families, and the community of the Newtown shootings. As a child of God and a follower of Christ, my heart broke, and I knew once again God's was also breaking, when I heard the news of the shooting rampage. As a mother of four children, I could not fathom the depths of pain and agony felt by the parents of both the adults and the children murdered. My gut reaction, I am sure shared by many others, was to gather my flock in my home and hold them safely under my wings. Letting them fly has been the most difficult task for me, but in moments like this one, even more so. 

While reading and listening to the news reports, I have followed this unfolding tragedy. Many thoughts raced through my mind and even more emotions through my heart and soul. I watched the community of Newtown turn to the local church leaders and to their faith to express grief and anguish. I am sure many asked how a loving God could allow this to happen? I know that question crossed my mind as well. Years ago, I would not have had an explanation. This week, I am grateful that I am solid on the rock of my faith, in my belief in the goodness of our God in heaven, and the knowledge that evil exists in this world. I know that God is ultimately in control and has defeated death when He died on a cross and rose again. In the end, Satan will no longer exist; however, until the time when Christ comes again, we have to live in a world stained with sin, haunted by Satan, who seeks to destroy. His method is to take advantage of God's great gift to man: free will.

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11

Girlfriends, God created us out of love, so that we too could love. Yet, in His infinite wisdom, He knew that in order for love to be genuine, He also had to give us the gift of choice. (Think of all of the people who love you: Would you feel that same sense of warmth and security if you knew that each and every one of them was programmed and ordered to love you and were not loving you by their own choice?) As written in today's key verses, God granted us free will to choose to love, or to turn away from love and choose our own way. And that, ladies, is the answer to the question how a good and merciful God could allow this Newtown tragedy to occur. God gifted that man with life and the opportunity to love, and that man chose by his own will to follow the ways of Satan and of this world. He chose to murder.

Today, I read an ABC News report that contained the following: "Some residents of Newtown, a picturesque New England community, began taking down Christmas decorations in the wake of the slayings." I am extraordinarily saddened if this report is true. I wish I had a way to reach each one of those people and encourage them to leave the decorations in place. Why? Because to take them down is to further encourage Satan and his legions.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

Precisely what Satan desires is for the world to NOT acknowledge and celebrate the Savior Christ. Ladies, now more than ever, we need to lift up the Lord on high. We already have groups like Freedom From Religion Foundation in Wisconsin who search for citizens who are publicly acknowledging Christ. Then this group files lawsuits to prevent expression and recognition of faith. And unfortunately, America has been caving in to them. Manger scenes are dismantled; the Ten Commandments and the name God are deleted and removed from view; crosses are torn off sports uniforms or covered with drapes during graduation ceremonies; prayer is banned. The list of ways we have dishonored God in this nation is endless and shameful. So I wonder why then do the grieving yet believeing residents of Newtown willingly choose to take down their decorations? Leave them up, people! Celebrate in the middle of your crisis because your God is on His throne in heaven, and He has not and will not abandon you.

Girlfriends, death is distressing and dreadful. Murder is ghastly and horrific. Because we love, our hearts will grieve, will be broken and afflicted. Yet, because of the love of God, we will not mourn forever. Restoration came on that Christmas Day and is coming again to finish His work. That promise is worthy of celebration, even in the midst of tragedy. So decorate your homes, your yards, your workplace, your schools, and display the love of Christ for all to see, hear, and know. You have the gift of choice: Deny Satan his satisfaction. Choose LOVE. CELEBRATE the CHRIST in Christmas.

Glory, praise, and honor to you, Almighty God, forever and ever. AMEN.

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10

Love and Humility

Humility isn't thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Above all, love each other deeply, 

because love covers over a multitude of sins.

 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

1 Peter 4:8-9 NIV

 

Girlfriends, Good Morning from my new home in northern Virginia!

Ladies, the Christmas season is directly upon us. Enjoy every moment of wonder and awe, looking and seeing through the eyes of your inner child. Your perspective will certainly change, especially in regard to the people around you this December!

I recently completed a study of 1 Peter. Yesterday morning, I sat down at the kitchen table and reread the entire book aloud to my dog, Oreo. (She was mesmerized by every word rolling off my tongue. I could tell by how loud she was snoring!) I, on the other hand, was intrigued by the numerous verses instructing us on how to treat one another. "God's perfect timing and direction," I thought, since we are in the season of hustle, bustle, and fight tooth and nail for every parking spot and position in the check-out line.

In this epistle, the apostle Peter is writing to believers scattered throughout the Roman Empire who are suffering persecution for their belief in Christ. How appropriate is it then that he desires for them to be in unity and love with one another? Peter knows that the outside world is cruel enough; why should we also torture one another with hateful and hurtful words and actions? Believers who are born again in Christ are family, and who should love you the most and care the deepest but your family? Yet God knows, and expresses through Peter's writing, that family can often be very cruel to one another, out of jealousy, pride, and insecurity. Hence his deluge of directions regarding our treatment of one another and how to "love...with all your heart."

Now that by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves and have come to have a sincere love for other believers, love one another earnestly with all your heart. For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal. As the scripture says, "All human beings are like grass, and all their glory is like wild flowers. The grass withers, and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord remains forever." 1 Peter 1 :22-25 GNT

What a wonderful word picture God paints: we are like the brown grass marking my front lawn right now; like the wilting carnations in the vase on my kitchen table. Ladies, we will not last long on this earth, but God's Word stands and so too will the legacy we leave behind. Future family gatherings and traditions will be affected by the love, or hate, we show one another right now. Our children will pass on to future generations not only the stories of Christmas past, but also the behaviors they imitate from us. Will tolerance and respect prevail around the festive feasts of the future? Will charity, generosity, and good will flow from the fingertips and pocketbooks of our grandchildren because we joyfully and willingly gave to the needy of our day?

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:1-3

Remember my suggestion earlier: see Christmas through the eyes of your inner child and change your perspective? God also commands us change our appetite back to that of our infancy, to crave spiritual milk (which I hear goes well with frosted sugar cookies and gingerbread men!) Girlfriends, nourish your soul with God's Word and grow into women full of love for His people and His creation.

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3: 8-9

My husband texts our children a Quote of the Day every morning. (And since we are on eastern time and he leaves for work at 5:30 am, you know they so dearly appreciate the wake up call, especially the child living in California!) Today's quote stuck with me as I prepared to write this blog:

"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength." Eric Hoffer  

I do not know who is Eric Hoffer (and since I typed that you know I have to take a break and Google it) but I know his statement rings with truth. Jesus taught that the weak will be strong, that the humble will inherit the earth. So why is it so easy for some people to be rude? Why is it so difficult to "be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves."? Philippians 2:3 GNT 

I believe the most likely answer is pride. Consciously or not, we often do consider ourselves better than some others, and we do not hesitate to say so or show it. But the instruction from God in Philippians 2:3 is "to consider; to count; to value" others better than yourself, depending upon the translation you read. All of these words imply a choice; yes, we have a choice to place others first and to humble ourselves before the Lord. We may find it extremely challenging to humble ourselves before certain annoying people; however, humbling ourselves before the Lord, or for the Lord, shifts the focus and eases the difficulty. Girlfriends, what choice will you make this Christmas season?

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:8-11 NIV

Ladies, I pray you will truly find joy and peace emanating from placing others first: whether on the highways, in the shopping malls, from the giving trees, around your neighborhoods, or during the family feasts and celebrations. May the Lord empower you, softening your heart and strengthening your will (and ability to hold your tongue.) Love and forgive one another as God loves and forgives you.

Girlfriends, I love you, each and every one.

Happy Holidays!!!!