Planting & Transplanting

I have gotten into the habit of saying that I have a “brown thumb”. Truth is, I have had a LAZY thumb. Yes, you heard that right.

It’s a matter of discipline. Remembering to water, feed, and weed these plants. It’s a choice. To watch them grow to their full potential or let them starve and die. Before my girls were born and even when they were tiny, I used to love planting and taking care of my yard. Then….I gave it up. Weeds started to grow. Flowers died or either went out of control. It’s really quite amazing to me..how God can take something like gardening and turn it into a teaching moment for me.

Weeds taking over.

 The things the I choose to care about are the things that I spend the most time taking care of. The things that I choose to nurture will in turn produce a beautiful harvest.

I CAN have a “green thumb” if I CHOOSE to! It isn’t a matter of being naturally good at it. It is a deliberate choice. Water, fertilize, feed, nurture, protect….and I will see growth.

I am 2 years into reading and studying the ENTIRE Bible from Genesis to Revelations. TWO years of self-discipline. The reward is KNOWING my Savior like I have never known before. My roots are growing deeper. I LOVE it and I already have a plan in place to read it all the way through again. I am in Ephesians now and when I finish with Revelations, I plan to use my Chronological Life Application Bible next.

I tell you this not to boast..because it is only by the power of The Holy Spirit in me that I have kept at it. As I begin each day reading through, making notes, and studying it, I pray and ask to read it through HIS eyes and not mine. I also pray that HE would give me the desire to be obedient and the time to do so. If I can do it..You can too!

Gardenias from our yard

In my previous post, Cutting Loose, I talked some about change… and one thing that I am changing is my LAZY thumb. I planted another gardenia bush in my yard yesterday…Gardenias are my absolute FAVORITE flowering plant. I also planted several other pretties in our yard. Then…after getting the “fever” for mint from my precious friend (she knows who she is), I planted mint and hot oregano and a cucumber plant! ME! The self-proclaimed plant killer. The woman whose husband asked her not to buy any more plants to kill,  for the front porch.

Why? Because I know that I can keep these plants alive. It’s a choice. (if you feel like praying for those plants, feel free )

I encourage YOU to step out of your comfort zone and commit to something that you’ve always wanted to do. Just take that step. You CAN DO IT!

Philippians 4:13 says it best, “I can do ALL things through HIM who gives me strength.”

Until Next Time,

My Family <3

I think it is extremely important for us to remember that ANYTHING or ANYONE that we put first in our lives…becomes an idol. So, if it isn’t God that is first…then we have to re-adjust..re-order the things in our lives. With that being said….

Do you have too much on your plate? Are you loaded down with “things” that get in the way of what should really be your top priorities ? You know…Too many activities, things that take away from God and family, too much social media, too many clubs, too much volunteering. That is just to name a few.

We shouldn’t let our lives speed out of control. We should live intentionally. Keeping our priorities in order helps make this intentional living possible.

Psalm 39:6 has this to say about living lives that are too busy and filled with too many distractions: “We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.”

I am working on simplifying my life. Eliminating certain things from my life…one of those things being my personal Twitter account. I LOVE Twitter..I love Social Media. It just distracts me. So..I am changing it to my “blog Twitter” and no longer a personal Twitter account. I have removed a few more social media distractions as well. I am also being more intentional about the quality in the time that we spend with our little family…Making sure that my family is first after God. Another thing that I have been doing is reading a book called The Excellent Wife. It is written by Martha Peace. I highly recommend it. This book has really made me look at my role as wife in the way that God wants me to view it. Convicted to say the least.

Is there SOMETHING or are there some things that YOU may need to cut loose of for a time?

Here are a few signs that you may have too many distractions or things out of order:

~ Stress (no brainer)

~ Irritability.. because you feel rushed all of the time.

~ Never seem to be able to finish a task.

~ Complaints from husband/wife/children that you never have time for them..or if you are with them they say you are distracted.

~ No time for bible study or quiet time.

~ No time for quality family time.

~ Exhaustion (mental and physical)

~ Feeling the “need”  to check your multiple social media sites throughout the day ..but never feeling the need to open your bible app or open your bible .

There’s got to be balance. If you give a majority of your time to volunteering, social media sites, friends, etc.. and find that your time with Jesus and your husband/wife/kids is less than the others, it’s time to refocus and get things (people) back in the correct order.

In “THE EXCELLENT WIFE”, Martha Peace writes: Wives are also to love their husbands as their closest neighbor. The Lord Jesus made it clear, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Compare how hard you work at showing love to your girl friends with how hard you work at showing your love to your husband. He is your closest neighbor. He should come first.

(This goes for husbands as well…)

So, I invite you to join me in taking a look at your life and praying about what God wants you to do so that you will glorify HIM. There is freedom in surrender. True peace and joy comes when we have our lives in the right order. The alternative is stress and feeling all out of whack. I hope you’ll join me in looking deep within and seeing what you need to change..who knows, you may not need to change a thing. Chances are, somebody that you know may need to. So, share this post if you think it could help someone.. There are also several links to other posts that I placed in this one. (Hoping that one will help even just one person.)

             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 ,

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,

 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

~ Romans 2:13 (ESV)

   I can watch Cooking shows on TV, collect recipes, buy cookbooks…but that doesn’t put dinner on the table.(just ask my sweet husband..:) )

   I can read God’s WORD, but just “reading” it isn’t enough. I can even memorize scripture..but what good is that if I don’t put it into practice.

   If you buy the bait for fishing, and you don’t put it on your fishing pole..How do you expect to catch a fish?

   I can own 5 or 6 Bibles… BUT, if I am not studying HIS Word..the BIBLES are just decoration or dust collectors.

   Getting the picture yet? 

   Followers of Christ are called to ACTION. Complacency isn’t an option.

   What good is it to KNOW GOD personally and keep that knowledge to yourself?

   If we keep God hidden, then we are NOT doing…we are simply hearing.

   I always feel the closest to God when I am serving others. I feel the closest to HIM when I am giving of my time and resources to others..in an effort to further HIS Kingdom. There is NO BETTER feeling!

   Why do you/I feel so good when we help others..monetarily, with our time, etc.. ?

   I believe the reason is that we are letting Jesus SHINE through when we serve. We are putting HIM on display..not ourselves..but JESUS.

   It is important to remember that if you are serving with the attitude of: “look at me”, that you are not shining for Jesus. That is shining for yourself. Yikes. Reality check. Been there and done that.  Don’t want to do that again. Who hasn’t? Unless you are perfect, that is.

   Are you hiding Jesus?

   Do you need to come before HIM and be honest about anything?

   As I shared yesterday, He already knows. AND..He is merciful and He is a forgiving God!

   I guess that the point I am trying to make is this:

   KNOWLEDGE WON’T CATCH A FISH…

   You (or I) can know all the right things to say and do, but if we don’t DO it…what good is that?

   We (those of us who know, believe & trust in our Savior) are called to be Fishers Of Men. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus tells Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men.

   Matthew 4:19 ~ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

   Jesus is the light that shines within us..the light that we are supposed to shine for others to see and come to know Him. Jesus tells about this “light” in Luke 8:16.

   Luke 8:16 ~ ”No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.”

   I love how Jesus speaks to us. He uses stories..illustrations..so that we can “get it.” The verse above is as clear as it gets. That’s what it’s all about friends! Letting our light(Jesus) shine! By living what we profess to believe. By serving. By loving. By giving. By forgiving. In every way..to let our light SHINE. Knowing what to do and DOING it are two different things.

   Matthew 5:16 (ESV) ~ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

   Love this song by Kari Jobe… listen and enjoy! 1-02 We Are

  Striving to SHINE for Jesus!

P.S. The links that are scattered through this post are of previous posts that I have written. You may want to read them again. I especially love the one about the Fishers of Men… Also, feel free to share my blog with others..It is my hope that others are reached for Christ through the writings in this blog. Blessings to you all! Shine on! ~ Heather

So…lately, a certain word keeps popping up. Like all the time. In my quiet time. In my “digging deeper” study time in HIS Word. In life in general.

Have you ever had this happen? You probably have. Do you try to ignore it..just a little bit? I know that I do sometimes. Why? Because, that means I can put off making a change.

Well, I’m sure you are wondering what the “word” is.

Drum roll please: OBEDIENCE

This word is popping up everywhere. Making me question myself and search to see what I need to change so that I can be completely obedient to God.

Obedience doesn’t always come naturally. To be even more blatantly honest, it hardly ever comes natural. Who doesn’t want it “my way”.. ? Who wants to be obedient when it’s hard? Who wants to ruffle feathers (that’s a southern slang).. ?

I’ve been studying a lot in the Old Testament lately. It kills me when people say that the Old Testament is boring, etc.. Even though I once didn’t think it was really interesting. Then, I began really reading it. Really studying it. Really “getting” it. Folks, there ain’t (yes, I said “ain’t”) nothing boring about the OT!

In my studying, I’ve come across a ton of things that have to do with obedience and disobedience.
Point blank, OBEDIENCE to God leads to blessing and DISOBEDIENCE to God leads to desolation, despair, and turmoil. From Genesis to Jeremiah… (because that’s where I’m at with my “reading through the whole Bible” plan right now) there is true story after story of God’s grace and mercy and patience. AND story after story of the people just completely choosing sin and refusing to repent and turn to God.

I can’t help but think of the world we live in today in comparison to ancient times that were before Christ! I can’t help but think of myself..and the times that I have let HIM down. I can’t help but think of this one word: OBEDIENCE.

Verse after verse in HIS WORD is referring to being obedient to God. In everything. Not just the big things. Not just the things that seem do-able. But. In. Everything.

So, after putting off writing for a few weeks, I picked up my iPad and said “Here goes”. I know that this blog is not “mine”… It’s His. I must write.

So, after putting off the hard questions that I must ask myself… I began to look within. I asked myself.. What is it that I need to do or not do in order to be completely obedient to HIM? AND… Why is it so hard sometimes?

The answer to the second question is: It’s hard to be completely OBEDIENT if I am being selfish in ANY area of my life. Just being real with y’all. Obedience isn’t just about saying “Yes sir and Yes mam”.

Obedience is about being completely… COMPLETELY… willing. No matter the cost. No matter the sacrifice.

Don’t get me wrong, I have come a long way. I’ve got a long way to go still, though. How about you? If you have ever read one of my posts, you know that I will ask you questions and make you think. So, how about it? Maybe “obedience” isn’t your word. Maybe another word keeps popping up for you. But, let’s stick with my word. Is there any area in your life that could be better if you were more obedient to God?

God didn’t “play” when it came to disobedience back in the Old Testament times. God never changes. He is always the same. So what makes you (and me) think that He feels any different about obedience today?

In the book of Jeremiah, Jerusalem was destroyed because of sin. (see Jeremiah 39)

Take a look at 2 Chronicles 31:20,21… You’ll see why Hezekiah prospered.

Just look in the book of Isaiah…glance there and see… all of the times God warned the people.

Then.. Take a look at Deuteronomy. Especially chapter 28.

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NIV)~ See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.

What do you see in these books of the Bible? Do you see the truths that I see? Obedience is a must for those of us who profess to be authentic followers of Christ!

Striving to be obedient!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

HEATHER

These are all pictures that I have taken of crosses.

I am studying Genesis – Deuteronomy right now with a group of ladies. We just finished Exodus and are now moving on to Leviticus. As we were watching the video that goes with the study, I was struck with a frightening thought. One of those thoughts that really puts things into perspective.

If I was living in Old Testament times, I would have had to bring at least one innocent animal to slaughter as a sacrifice today. Why? Because as my day just began, I had already had a slip up….or two. (Praise JESUS for conviction that only comes from a real relationship with HIM .)

(For more information on Old Testament sacrifices, please look in Leviticus in your Bible. There is SO much to share on this topic and it will make you think..)

The teacher on the video explained animal sacrifice in OT times so well. She said that a perfect unblemished animal would have to be brought and that you would lay your hands on its head…a symbol of your sin being moved to the animal…and then you would have to slit it’s throat and you would get blood on your hands. What a visual reminder of sin and the sacrifice that HAS to be made because of it. (There were lots more details..so, read Leviticus.)

Remind you of anything?

Jesus and the cross at Calvary?

Jesus, the PERFECT and SPOTLESS sacrifice for your sins and mine. Jesus…the sacrificial lamb. God’s view on sin never changes. There always has to be a sacrifice because of sin. Sin is UGLY in God’s sight. In the OT times, the unblemished animal was the sacrifice and today, Jesus is the unblemished sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 5:7 ~ Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast- as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Law turned into Sacrificial Love that day on Calvary. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us to be able to receive the gift of eternal life. Don’t get me wrong, GOD has always loved us. HE just loves us so much… realizing how much we needed a Savior…that HE provided the Ultimate sacrifice in the form of HIS Son, Jesus Christ!!

Aren’t you thankful that you don’t have to perform the rituals of OT times?!

I wonder, Do you know my Jesus? It is about relationship…Not religion, not following laws because you think you are supposed to…but following GOD because you have the desire to!  Do you know HIM?

If you DO, do you realize what a GIFT HE gave for you and for me? You have two choices and you are free to choose between two masters..but the consequences remain the same. Eternal life or eternity in hell. Choose Jesus!!!! Please…choose Jesus…

Luke 24: 46,47 ~ He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Romans 6:23 ~ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 6:24a ~ No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.

Until Next Time,

P.S. ~ If you’d like to receive these posts by email, Just sign up on the top right hand corner of my blog page. You can also “like” my Simple Truths Blog FB page or follow me on Twitter @hgdSimpleTruths !

    I have not published a post in a week, not because I had nothing to share, but because there is so much I want to share. Sometimes it is like an information overload and I have to slow down and process it.

   What I feel the need to share with you today, is something about a little three-letter word. That little word is something big though…the word is SIN. Do you know what sin is? I don’t mean specific acts..but what sin really is. SIN is anything that separates us from God. Sin breaks the fellowship we have with Him. Just the word…SIN…can make us feel uncomfortable.

   Now the fact is, we all have sinned…and we all fall short. What about those of us who have acknowledged that we are sinners and have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives? Yes, we still  struggle with sin…we are still in need of Him every single minute of every day. 

    Romans 3:23 ~ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

    It is a fact that when we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit is given to us..to guide and direct our ways. The Holy Spirit is Jesus in us..the conviction we feel when we do something wrong. However, God has promised us a way out of temptation when we are His children. It is our choice. Fleshly desires or Following after God. If  Jesus is truly the Lord of your life, sin won’t have the same appeal to you as it did before.

     1 Corinthians 10:13 ~ No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

    Romans 6:18 ~ You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

   Once you are God’s child (authentic believer), yes…you will sometimes still struggle with temptations to sin. As long as we live on this earth where Satan is free to roam..you better believe that he will try to entice you and trip you up. I am not saying that when and if you do wrong, that it means you aren’t saved. (If we were perfect then we would be like God..and we wouldn’t need a Savior. We are all sinners and we all need Him everyday.) The difference now is that sin should convict you and repulse you.  The desire to sin should be replaced with the desire to please God.

     Galatians 5:16 ~ So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

     The tug in our soul when we feel we should say or do something to help another. The strength we feel when we have no strength. The comfort and peace that overcomes us in the midst of turmoil. Those are all things that the Holy Spirit ( Jesus in us), gives believers.

   I want to , I desire to please my Jesus. I desire to be in fellowship with Jesus..walking with Him..feeling His presence. God cannot be in the presence of sin..Satan can though. When I made the choice to follow Him, I chose LIGHT..not darkness.

    1 John 1:7 ~ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

   I chose eternal life in Heaven. Did it cost me? Of course it did..it costs daily..a daily dying to self..and sometimes even more. Anything worth having costs something.

    Proverbs 4:7 ~ Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

    It cost God His only Son…It cost Jesus persecution, pain and death on the cross. We are worth something to our Savior. Is He worth everything to us?  Do we realize that even though it is a free gift, that it did cost? Do we realize that Jesus is so worth the cost of dying to self on a daily and even minute by minute basis?

   Blessings to you all. May you all know my Jesus personally. There is nothing better.

   UNTIL NEXT TIME !

   There have been many times in my life when I have prayed for wisdom and discernment. During times of uncertainty..times when I wasn’t sure what to believe. It is during those times when we tend to seek God more anyways. Do we listen though? Do we wait and really pay attention when He gives us signs or answers? Or,  do we seek Him and then charge on ahead of Him..not really waiting for that discernment that comes from being patient (still)..?

      It can be really easy to take things into our own hands instead of patiently waiting on God to guide our steps. How often does acting before thinking..or not thinking before speaking turn into something good? Not very often. It takes learning to wait on God and desiring to reflect Him in everything for things to change. It takes the desire to be perfectly in His will..desiring His will.

   Proverbs 28:26 ~ Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

  Pay attention to every little thing when you are wanting the discernment that comes from God. Pay attention to others who are on “solid food” and more mature in their walk with Christ. Pay attention to the Word of God..it’s not fiction.

   God wants good for us. He desires for us to want what He wants for us..(also known as ~ His Will). His will is for our good. Never to harm us.

   Jeremiah 29:11(NIV) ~ “For I know the plans I have for you.” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

~   How do we learn how to discern between true and false, right and wrong?

   Hebrews 5:14(NIV) ~ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

   You see, in Hebrews 5:12-14, the writer is talking about how, in order for us to grow from infant Christians to mature Christians, we have to learn discernment. 

   So….to learn how to discern good from bad(or evil), we have to train ourselves to do this. This takes training our minds, our bodies, our senses, and our consciences to discern true from false and good from bad.

   Just as if we were training for a race or whatever. It takes practice and consistency. It takes staying on the solid food. We can’t go back to baby food and expect to learn discernment.

  We can train ourselves by studying God’s Word and then applying it to our lives. Spending special quality time with God without rushing it. It shouldn’t be treated like a duty…it’s a privilege to spend time with Him.

   Proverbs 2:6 ~ For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

   Do you desire that Godly wisdom and Godly discernment? Time to get on and stay on the solid food then. I know that sounds blunt and point-blank, but that’s just the truth.

  Proverbs 1:5 ~ let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-

   There is no fooling God. He knows our true selves..He knows all. Yet, He still desires a relationship with us. How awesome is that?

    He truly waits patiently for us to turn to Him and say, “God I can’t do this anymore on my own..Father God I need YOU.” Then, He takes us by the hand and He walks with us..sometimes even carrying us. He never leaves us. That’s what happens when we accept Him as Lord and Savior. Then we begin the process of growing in our spiritual maturity. We can’t stay on the milk forever.

   Until Next Time,

   When I was a little girl, I loved to make grilled cheese sandwiches. The only problem was, when I opened the cheese and removed it from the plastic it would sometimes break. Well, for some reason, I would throw the cheese away if it broke. I suppose I thought that it wasn’t any good if it was broken.

   My parents were youth directors at one time and we regularly had teens at the house. One was in the kitchen when I was throwing away my “no good” cheese,  and couldn’t believe what I was doing. My mom had to explain to me that the cheese was okay. Being broken, didn’t make it “no good”. Being broken, didn’t make it unusable.

   This leads me to share with you: Just because we may be broken or defective, doesn’t mean that we are unable to be used by God.

   In fact, God used some of the MOST broken and defective people to do His work and to help others. God doesn’t see us as throw-aways or no good. He sees individuals that He created and can use to bring Him glory if we are obedient to Him.

   It is in the broken places that He can fill in the cracks with more of Him and less of us, making us stronger because of Him. Because of His strength.

   God took the time to make each and every one of us..the easy to love people and the not so easy to love people. He is not going to give up on something that He created. It’s us who give up on ourselves and others, not God.

   Psalm 147:3 (NIV) ~ He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

   The broken places in us…they are part of what makes us unique and useable. The broken places can be used to help others who may be broken also.

     We can choose to allow God to mend us back together. As a little girl, I didn’t “get” the fact that when I put the broken piece of cheese on the bread and grilled it, that it melted back together. God does that for us..if we let Him. He fills in the empty places and makes us whole again.

   Proverbs 8:17 ~ I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

   Psalm 32:7 ~ You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

   Just look at how Moses, David, Saul, Matthew, Peter and Jephthah were used by God.

   Moses – insecure, talked with a stutter, shepherd, murderer –> He led Israel out of bondage and into the Promised Land. (Exodus 3)

   David – shepherd boy, last-born, adulterer, friend-betrayer, disobedient –> God called him a “man after His own heart”..because he was repentant and had a heart change..and was obedient. He is also known for slaying Goliath and as Israel’s greatest King. (1 Samuel 16)

   Saul – impulsive, jealous, plotted to kill David because of his jealousy, father to Jonathan (David’s friend) –> He was 1st God-appointed King of Israel

   Jephthah – son of a prostitute –> God chose him to deliver Israel from the Ammonites. (Judges 11)

   Matthew – tax collector –> chosen by God to be an apostle and a Gospel writer. (Matthew 9:9)

   Peter – fisherman –> chosen by God to be an apostle and a leader in the early church. He wrote 2 of the New Testament letters.

   What about Hannah? (1 Samuel 1) She was a homemaker whom God chose to be the mother of Samuel.

   These were all imperfect, regular people. People that by the world’s standards were useless or nobody special. Yet, because of who God is, and because of their obedience and faith…God did use them for good!

   Don’t doubt God…with Him ALL things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

   Only God can heal you in the broken places. He can use you to bring others to Him. He can use you…just like he did Moses, David, Hannah and all the others.

   Until Next Time,