Even when…things are falling apart, God is still God. HE remains sovereign. HE is always good, and only capable of LOVE.

Even when…things fall and break into tiny pieces…like one of my favorite coffee mugs did this morning..it’s not the end of the world.

God knows all. HE is in control of ALL. HE is over ALL.

When friendships or any relationships shatter, He is still God.

When tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis occur, He is still God.

When we find ourselves hanging on by a thread financially or emotionally… HE. IS. STILL. GOD.

This earth will pass away. But, with GOD there is the promise of a better place…and it is FOREVER.

The things of this earth are temporary. The problems AND the good things….they are all only for a moment. AND…we cannot get stuck and bogged down with the trivial things. We MUST think on things above (heaven). We MUST be thankful..and we have got to be in The WORD. That is the recipe for true peace. It is really quite simple. It is FAITH. It is TRUSTING GOD and the promises that are found in HIS Word.

 Psalm 119:143,144 ~ As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so that I may live.

Even when you feel like everything is falling apart. And you WILL feel this way at some point or another in your lifetime. If you are really honest…you will feel this way more than once or twice. Even then….you can REALLY LIVE. You can have peace. You can experience joy…even when things break, shatter, and fall apart all around. True peace only comes from Jesus.

 Philippians 4:6,7 ~ Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand, His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Just remember that you aren’t alone..and there is comfort found in The Bible..His Word is alive…

 Even when you don’t feel like it…set your sights on the realities of heaven..

Colossians 3:1-3 ~ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

That is truth. Rest in that….

Until Next Time,

SLOW DOWN…or you’ll miss the beauty around you. ~HD

Psalm 90:12 ~ Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom

There are times when I can be so impatient with my husband and daughters..especially our youngest. She’s the one who is most like him. I find myself rushing our girls. Hurry up. Come on. Let’s go. RIGHT now.

Time. It’s a precious commodity. Why do I rush it so?

I savor each moment with them. I love them so. Yet, I rush..rush…rush..

I don’t want the things that my children to remember about their childhood to be a bunch of “rush”. Now, mind you, some of the time, it is their fault for lagging behind. BUT, I still can choose to not let “time” make me frazzled. I can choose to live at a more relaxed pace. To be easygoing and “come what may”, when we are running behind.

I want to not live a “hurried” life.

Because…when we hurry..we miss things.

I don’t want to miss a thing.

In my devotion that I am doing daily, Ann Voskamp writes these thought-provoking truths:

   ”Doesn’t all the hurry make us hurt? Slow never killed time. It’s the rushing and racing, the trying to catch up, this is what kills time – ourselves. WHY IN THE WORLD DO WE KEEP WOUNDING OURSELVES? Life is not an emergency.” { DEVOTION 11 ~ One Thousand Gifts Devotional, Ann Voskamp}

Might you, too, need to slow down?

Living life at a slower pace can really be a good thing.( Shhhhh. Don’t tell my kids and husband that. )

   ”To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” ~ Oscar Wilde

               Until Next Time,

I’m good at stuffing. Stuffing drawers. Stuffing cabinets. Stuffing closets. AND, yes, stuffing my feelings. Throw it all in and hurry and slam it shut before it falls out or comes undone. Just, out of sight, out of mind.

That’s. Not. Healthy.

So, to be honest..it took me writing out my testimony to realize some of the reasons that I stuff. Some are just hereditary..and some are because of choices made.

So, after realizing some truths, I began to make some changes.

And..I began to change.

Now, I still fight the battle of stuffing. No, I’m not a hoarder by any means.I have no problem throwing away stuff.  I just tend to get overwhelmed and want to forget about it. That’s the case with organizing my home and my emotions.

You can’t break a lifelong habit overnight. It takes intentionality….To make healthy changes. It takes work.

When it comes to being unorganized…I found that admitting I can’t do it alone helped me a lot! I asked for help from someone near and dear to me..(she knows who she is). She’s a natural at this sort of thing. So, we organized and MAN, is life getting easier! I can focus better. It is awesome!

Now, as far as the emotional stuffing goes…That is a work in progress. There’s a thin line we have to be careful of. To still bridle the tongue and glorify God in everything.

To keep in mind that making a big deal about feelings…makes it ABOUT ME…not God.

To trust HIM in every situation and at the same time to deal with emotions, hurts, and feelings instead of stuffing them down. Pretending that they don’t exist. That’s. NOT. Healthy. But trusting HIM and giving it ALL to HIM to handle…That’s WAY BETTER than stuffing.

Psalm 28:7 ~ The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

So…I’m still a work in progress. Learning what to stuff and what not to stuff. Learning that everything has a place and that includes emotions.

I challenge you to look at yourself…Are you a stuffer? Or are you an exploder? Lysa Terkeurst’s book, Unglued, is a fantastic book.. She talks about the four reaction types. Most of us are more than just one type of reactor. Here is her blog post where she discusses the four types.

I’m so glad to know that God is not finished with me yet.

Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Until Next Time,

Like a lot of others, as this year comes to an end, I am reflecting.

Reflecting on the past year. The choices made. The changes that need to be made in the coming year.

There is always room to grow. Room for improvement. We have never “arrived”. We have to keep growing in our spiritual walk..and keep striving to be better than we were the day before. Not for ourselves, but so that our walk matches our talk.

I began making a list of “goals”. Not “New Year’s Resolutions”, but GOALS. Yes, I know that they are just about the same thing. But, not really. New Year’s resolutions are made and everybody has in the back of their head..“I’ll never fulfill this one.” Goals are more serious in my opinion. Goals are necessary.

My list looks something like this:

Budget/Household Goals:

~ Create a budget

~ Pray over the “budget”…for obedience and determination to stick to it.

~ Work towards buying mostly necessities. (truth is, a lot of money is wasted on “wants” )

~ Make a plan to take each room of our home, and eliminate clutter. 

 Physical Goals:

~ Eat healthier

~ Continue to work out 4-5 days a week

~ Try to cut down on sweets and breads, and eat cleaner.

Spiritual Goals:

~ Finish reading and studying the entire Bible..I am currently in Matthew 3. (Genesis to Revelations plan)

~ Begin to read the entire Bible again..using my new Chronological Bible.

~ Trust HIM more fully.

~ Be a better leader.

~ Establish a family devotional time and stick to it.

~ Be a better encourager to my husband.

These are just some of my “goals”. .

The most important goal is this:

John 3:30 (NLT) ~ He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

That is what it all boils down to. God HAS to be first. HE has to be the center of everything. HIS will HAS to be of most importance in my life. I HAVE to get in the passenger seat. I MUST let HIM drive. TRUSTING HIM FULLY. Even when life isn’t what I planned. Even when times seem tough. TRUST HIM.

Until Next YEAR ,

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (Psalms 34:18 NLT)

There are things in this world that happen, that I’ll never understand. I won’t claim to understand.

This I know, My Savior.. My Redeemer, is GOOD.

The truth is that this world that we live in is broken and sinful. So much so, that God sent His one and Only Son, Jesus… Immanuel.. To save us.

John 3:16,17 ~ “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Jesus means, The Lord Saves.

Immanuel means, God With Us.

When trials come.. And they will…

When circumstances are sometimes awful.. And that’s a guarantee…

When bad things happen to good and innocent people and children, we can rest in the fact that this is NOT our home. If you know Jesus, and most importantly, if HE knows you… This broken and sin-filled world is only temporary. Our real home is HEAVEN.

John 16:33 ~ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

While we are here though… Let’s live right. As my father in law shared at Granny Shiver’s funeral; When asked if she had any advice for us on living our lives.. She said : “Just Do Right..Do right.”

That’s pretty good advice if you ask me.

Just do right. Just forgive. Just live. Just let bygones be bygones. Hold the ones you love close. Tell them you love them.. Show them that you love them with actions. And.. JUST DO RIGHT.

Even when you don’t understand the why’s… Just Do Right.

And remember… We are just passing through. There’s two final destinations.. Heaven or Hell. Although those are great words of advice.. “Just Do Right” won’t get you to Heaven. Truly knowing and following HIM will. So, do you know HIM and as Granny witnessed.. Does HE know you?

See, when asked if she knew for sure about her place in eternity, she said “oh yeah, I know Jesus and HE knows me.“

Trust HIS promises that are found in The Word. Rest in HIM. “The Lord Saves” AND “God With Us”

Hebrews 13:6 ~ So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

We don’t have to understand.. We just have to trust God.

Until Next Time,

Heather

My girl…Content…

Philippians 4:12 ~ I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Philippians 4:19 ~ And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

I think it is safe to say that most of us have had good times and most of us have had not so good times. Whether it be financially, our health, or whatever. We have had times when we are on the mountaintop and times when we are in the valley.

The question is, have we been CONTENT in either place? Sure…we are content when we are way up high on the beautiful mountain. It’s easy to be content up there.

It’s when we are in the low times…the times of want…the valleys..that our faith is tested and proven.

It’s those times when we don’t know how we are going to make it… Those times that we walk in faith.. Trusting that God WILL provide all of our needs. We may not always get what we WANT…but GOD promises to meet ALL of our needs.

THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

When we can learn to be CONTENT in ANY situation, we have learned what it means to be fully surrendered. And full surrender = contentment…PEACE.

Does content mean that I LOVE every situation? NO. It simply means that I am gonna be ok no matter what because my GOD has got it under control. It means that I am able to find joy in the yuck. It means that I can find something to be thankful for in every situation.

Trust me..I know….some days it is harder to find that joy. Some days it can be almost impossible. Those are those days and moments when we have to work harder at being content. CONTENT in ANY and EVERY circumstance. Sometimes this will require us to “suck it up” and move on. Laugh if you want..but that is fact.

I want to be like Paul..in his letter to the Philippians..when he was able to say that he learned the secret to being content in any and every situation. This means that I must always look for the good, and always trust in HIM.

I have so much to be thankful for this week..

1) My husband..He has dropped everything to take care of me several times lately. (we’ve had stomach virus and cold junk with fever for the past 2 weeks in our home..)

2) Good health! Finally!

3) Power of prayer…privilege of prayer

4) My parents and my “other” parents (in-laws)…I’m so blessed to have a wonderful relationship with all of them.

5) An extra computer cord that happens to work with my laptop that I’m typing on right now..because..Marleigh struck again. This time the puppy chewed my laptop cord while I was writing this blog post.. {forced grin} I think she thought it was her bone..because she was chewing on her rawhide bone at the same time.

6) I’m EXTREMELY thankful for each and every one of YOU and that you take the time to read and sometimes share these posts.

What are YOU thankful for? Comment on here..or write it down in your journal. It’s contagious..giving thanks..

(While you are sharing with me what you are thankful for…would you share with me one Thanksgiving Day tradition and/or Day after Thanksgiving tradition… ?

On the day after Thanksgiving, my family and I usually begin putting up our Christmas decorations. We also go Black Friday Shopping sometimes. Years ago, we used to go to the Christmas tree farm and have a picnic together. Memories…Make some with your family this holiday season. )

                Until Next Time,

I must admit, some weeks are more challenging than others. Some days it is more challenging to find the joy in the yuck. Those moments when we choose to find the joy in the yuck..those moments define us.

Earlier in the week, I had a day of inconveniences and little aggravations. I caught myself feeling aggravated and stressed out because I couldn’t get something simple taken care of…simply. Ever had a day like that?

Roadblocks.

Detours.

People are watching us. They are watching us to see how we handle the “yuck”. Our kids, our friends, our families, and strangers..Yes, strangers..are watching to see how we (Christians) are handling those things.

I’ll be real honest with you.. It was quite a battle. Fighting self. Wanting to whine and complain. Whining and complaining. Stopping myself from whining and complaining. Feeling guilty. Repenting. Starting fresh.

See, Jesus instructs us to NOT grumble and complain. Being “human” isn’t an excuse. As Christians, we have The Holy Spirit in us..so we aren’t just human.

Philippians 2:14 (ESV) ~ Do all things without grumbling or questioning

Romans 8:9 (NIV) ~ You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Every day we have choices to make. We get to make those choices.. They matter. Even when it’s harder than usual to find joy in a situation that seems like NO joy can be found in it, there IS JOY TO BE FOUND.

Even when it feels like a game of hide and seek..keep seeking the JOY.

“Joy’s a function of gratitude. And gratitude’s a function of perspective. Counting gifts changes my perspective – & my LIFE” ~ Ann Voskamp from her book…One Thousand Gifts

“All gratitude is ultimately gratitude for Christ, all remembering a remembrance of Him.” ~ Ann Voskamp…One Thousand Gifts

God cares about the tiny details. HE cares and provides. HE allows. HE knows that we can’t do this thing called life alone. WE can do it with HIS strength.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) ~ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So, without waiting any longer, let me share with you some of the things that I am thankful for today and this past week.

1) that THIS is not home. This place.. This world is temporary and my citizenship is in Heaven.

2) for conviction by The Holy Spirit, JESUS in me, that tells me when I’m not glorifying my Savior.

3) that my Jesus loves me.. HE loves ME.. And I’m not always easy to love..

4) for this wonderful group of women (Dstudy group) that I get the privilege to grow with and teach them and learn from them as well..

5) for beautiful..awesome sunsets and sunrises that never grow old..

6) for the pure JOY that my nephew expressed to me when I surprised him with a visit today..

7) for getting Lysa TerKeurst’s book, UNGLUED, for $1.99 today! (on iBooks and Amazon)

I guess I’ll stop for now… on here.. But I can promise you that my gratitude journal of 1000 gifts is continuing to grow every single day. For when we continue to look for the good and counting the joy, that is when we know what true joy really consists of. Thanksgiving. Grace. Joy. They go hand in hand.

Here is the Simple Truth my friends: There is JOY to be found in EVERYTHING…Because GOD created EVERYTHING & GOD is ONLY GOOD..HE is GOOD.

What are YOU thankful for?

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

Do I have some things to share with you!!

You know that book that I was telling you about last Thursday? One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp… Well, it has truly inspired me to be even more thankful.

Thankful..Grateful..for even the not so good things. It’s becoming a habit..a positive change by choice, to count it all joy. Sometimes it takes longer, but I eventually get around to it.

 Like…on my gratitude list..

#32 clean sheets for when the puppy decided to tinkle on Alden’s sheets

#77 being able to be honest with God about my feelings (when I am not loving a situation, etc..when I don’t feel like joy is possible..)

#58 not losing my temper when Marleigh (the puppy) chewed my daughter’s bottom retainer.

#59 only the bottom retainer was chewed up

#60 if the bottom retainer is too expensive to replace right now, at least it is the bottom retainer..

Those are all things that I would have gotten angry and frustrated about before. Yet, GRATITUDE and THANKFULNESS and looking for JOY in every single thing is changing me. Changing me for the good!

Every GOOD thing comes from GOD.

James 1:17 (NLT) ~ Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

GOD is good. God is love.

AND...the truth is, that good can be found in everything that God created. Every single day is a gift. The yuck..it can even be made into something good and useful..to glorify God.

Romans 8:28 (NLT) ~ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

 Will you choose to see the beauty in everything with me? Will you try to count it all joy? Will you begin..right now..by naming just THREE things that you are thankful for today. In this moment. Look around and be thankful.

 Philippians 4:4 (NLT) ~ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!

Deuteronomy 28 :47,48 ~ If you do not serve the LORD your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything.

 Will you?

For me..right now in this very moment, I am thankful for:

1) Coming home from the gym and finding a card from my husband that expressed his love for me. AND, he shared the beginning of his list of 1000 gifts with me.

2) A clean and organized laundry room..Thanks to a selfless best friend that gave of herself…

3) memories…that I can remember times gone by..good and bad ones..because it is important to remember. To grow and be thankful and move forward..

 ( The thing is..I don’t even know if I  realized at the time..that these were moments to be counted all joy.. these memories..time flies, slow down and count them ALL..All of the moments count.)

Thankful for each one of you!

Until Next Time,

by: Heather Dawkins
 (future home of CrossPointe)

We all make choices. Many choices in our lifetime. Every choice has a consequence. Every choice matters.

Thank goodness, our God is a God of second chances..and third chances….

I’ll be honest. My choices didn’t always bring my Jesus glory. I made that choice though.

I wasted precious time as a teen. Thinking that I had to fit in. Feeling like I never did. Making wrong choices just so that I would feel comfortable. All the while, professing to be a Christian.

Sometimes my life looked like it should. Sometimes it didn’t. That’s NOT okay.

I let my lack of confidence..rule me.

I let the world influence me. My focus was on me instead of on God…where it needed to be. Nobody is to blame, except ME.

Things  haven’t changed that much in 20 something years. (as far as feeling like you have to fit in goes)  I know that kids today still struggle with feeling like they just don’t fit in. Feeling UNCOMFORTABLE around the “crowd”. AND..making bad choices because of that.

TO YOU,  I SAY:  It is better to NOT fit in. It is BEST to STAND OUT and STAND FIRM in JESUS.

You may never get another chance. We aren’t guaranteed our next breath.

It was ONLY after I truly SURRENDERED to HIM, that I began to feel comfortable in MY SKIN.

So many times..people think that SURRENDER is a bad thing. As if  it takes away your FREEDOM.

When in fact, it is the OPPOSITE.

With SURRENDER, there is TRUE FREEDOM. A peace that surpasses ALL understanding.

We all have a choice. FOLLOW HIM or FOLLOW THEM.

Matthew 16:24 (NIV) ~ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself  and take up his cross and follow me.”

NOW, I love not fitting in with what the WORLD thinks that I should look like, be like, act like, or desire.

The BIBLE tells us that we are NOT to look like the WORLD. Authentic Christians CAN’T look like they did before. Authentic Christians will have a “before and after picture”.
James 4:4 (NIV) ~ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 

I’m just so very thankful that my JESUS loved me even when I didn’t bring HIM glory. I’m so thankful that I took that step that made all the difference..when I said,   ”I surrender, God..I cannot do this on my own..I want to glorify YOU..and I am so sorry for the times when I failed you. I will follow you no matter the cost, because the relationship with YOU outweighs everything else.”

Sure, I am STILL a work in progress. HE is not finished with me YET.

Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Will you take that step? The step to TRUE FREEDOM? Stand firm and STAND OUT. It’s really the best feeling in the world.

Romans 12:2 (NIV) ~ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.  

(Maybe you have already taken that step. That is WONDERFUL! Maybe this post will help you in helping someone else then.)

           Until Next Time,

What if you got a gift bag and you filled it with pretty tissue paper and put a beautiful bow on the outside?  BUT…you didn’t actually put a present inside the bag. It sure is pretty. Decorated just gorgeous. BUT..it’s empty.

Pretty much a waste isn’t it? What’s the point of it? Would you want that gift?

Now..

In life, we all pretty much do the same thing sometimes. Sure, we look like we have it all together. Hair fixed. Decent outfit. A home with manicured yards (with my house being the exception.. ). We all may look like we have it all together.

Five Bibles in the house. “Praying” before each meal. Going to church. You know..doing the “right” things. To look good.

How’s the inside look? See..God looks on the inward appearance.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) ~ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man look at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Everybody sees our outward appearance. Only God and (me or you) can see what is on the inside.

Will you take a look on the inside with me? Will you look within..like I am doing..and see what may need to improve with the attitude of the heart?

Otherwise, we are just nicely decorated..empty packages.

I don’t want to be an empty package that just looks like it should. I want to glorify HIM in ALL things. HE sees the inward appearance. We can’t fool HIM.

“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.”~ Hans Urs von Balthasar

Questions for you and for me:

1) What are some changes that you may need to make? 

2) How’s your attitude?

3) Do you realize that we can’t fool our God?

Until Next Time,