Category Archives: Values

Faith in the midst of Adversity

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Hope StreetWe faithfully preach the truth.

God’s power is working in us.

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.

We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.

We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

There are many stories of challenges and difficulties experienced by those who followed Jesus in the Bible. As a follower of Jesus Christ we are not promised great riches and a perfect life. We all want good things in life. We want health, happiness and security. Many believe that following God should bring all the good things we desire in life. It doesn’t always work that way. But, following God always brings His blessings in His way in His time. It also enables you to respond to the challenges you face with confidence, peace, and joy, despite the circumstances.

Paul and Silas were beaten, bruised and bleeding and locked in chains in a prison in Philippi. They couldn’t move, they hurt and they might have been getting some infections! Yet they choose to sing praises to God and pray in the midst of that suffering.

Our response to our suffering can speak volumes to those around us. In the case of Paul and Silas, the other prisoners, the jailer and the jailer’s entire family ended up listening and hearing about the gift God wanted to give them – all as a result of the suffering they had cheerfully endured.

I don’t know what your suffering is. I know many have suffered beyond my understanding. I do know that God never wastes a hurt and He can use your suffering to bless you and bless many others.

Will you surrender your suffering to the power of God to bring transformation?

A person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not people. Romans 2:29b

 

An indication of whether God has changed our hearts is our willingness to seek His praise rather than the good opinion of the people around us.

It is very easy to allow the opinions of those around us to influence the choices we make. I seek to surrender my heart and make choices to seek His praise and commendation rather than the commendation of men.

I pray you will be granted wisdom to know the next step God wants to lead you to in your current situation. God is generous with giving wisdom to those who ask.

Day 9 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

 

Best Invitation Ever

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sunriseGod shows no favoritism. In every culture He accepts those who fear Him and do what is right…

We can have peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Peter

John the Baptist appeared out of nowhere as a unique prophetic voice. He had a simple message: Repent from your sins. Turn to God.

In our crazy confused world, where everyone loves to make predictions, but no one comprehends the future, we all agree that evil is present and navigating life to happiness and success can be challenging.

There is nothing on earth that gives me too much hope. In fact, I keep finding out more and more information on the fearful state of our world: our health is under threat from all the toxic assault, large corporations put profit before health and operate with enormous freedom, masses of people are purposefully controlled and led by sinister forces, wars in places remote from me are complex and beyond my understanding – yet people are dying and arms manufacturers continue to profit. I could go on…

Despite the disturbing trends all around, I continue to find my hope in God. He alone has answers.

Approaching God is simple, just like the prophet John urged the people of his time: confess your sins. How have you participated in the evil rebellious world system? Are you ready to turn to God and seek His answers for every area of your life?

After Jesus was baptized a voice from heaven (yeah, spooky) said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy!”

When you become familiar with all that Jesus did and all that He said and you respond to Him with a huge YES, you will understand that the same joy God found in His Son, Jesus, He also finds in you. Imagine God speaking directly to you and about you:

_____________ (fill in your name)

You are My dearly loved child. You bring Me great JOY!

Love,

God, your Father

Some of the final words Jesus spoke to His followers after He rose from the dead:

I go to My Father AND your Father,

to My God and your God!

 

As the Father sent Me – I am sending you!

We are not alone. As Jesus was supported during His time on earth by His connection with God the Father, we are also supported. The power of God to fulfill His purposes is available to me – and to you!

How do you respond to John’s invitation to repent and turn to God?

 

Day 5 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

Freedom

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Jumping FreedomAccepting Jesus into your life – no matter what background or religious tradition you were raised with, is wonderfully freeing.

Through Jesus I am released from my attempts to please God or perform.

I don’t have to keep trying to do, or be, or accomplish anything at all.

When I accept Jesus Christ I rely on what He has already done for me.

I don’t have to have confidence in my abilities or my effort to succeed.

That doesn’t mean that I am actively trying to be a loser, but the pressure to do something and achieve sometime FOR God is off. I can’t do anything or achieve anything FOR God. He has already done it for me. No pressure now, just acceptance of what He has done and giving Him praise for the work HE is doing in me.

Until you have found this acceptance, you may never know what this freedom feels like.

Many religious traditions try to load us down with a list of rules or expectations we must live up to in order to earn God’s approval. Nothing could be further from the truth. Until we recognize that it is impossible to earn God’s favor by our own effort, we will always be in bondage to a system of rules.

People often use the Bible to add authority to their list of rules. This is an incorrect use of God’s message to us. God doesn’t need us to follow a list of rules or a set of requirements. He has given us Jesus and we need only rely on what He has already done for us.

This is the type of unconditional acceptance we all yearn for and are drawn to when we find it in people. It is the kind of acceptance every good parent seeks to give to their child (though we never manage perfectly).

Have you ever experienced that freedom? That acceptance?

Would you like to? I’d love to discuss this further with you.

Whatever happens, rejoice in the Lord…We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort.  Paul, Letter to the Philippians 3:1 & 3

 

Day 4 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

My Stabilizing Factor

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BibleI guess it might seen strange to some, but I read an ancient text daily and feel it brings calm, peace, wisdom and insight into many areas of my life. This has been my practice and my discipline for many years and I continue to see multiple benefits every day.

The Bible is actually a library of 66 books, written by approximately 44 authors over a period of about 1500 years. The 39 books of the Old Testament were composed between 1400 and 400 B.C., the 27 books of the New Testament between A.D. 50 and A.D. 100.

The Bible gives me the best explanation for sin, suffering, and death, the three biggest challenges we face during our life.

How much do you know about the Bible?

If you’ve never read it, it’s not really a book and therefore it isn’t always the best idea to start at the beginning and read through to the end – although many people certainly have tried that method.

I usually suggest that people start by reading the books describing Jesus’ life, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which you will find at the beginning of the section called New Testament.

I like to read from several different books at the same time, which gives a larger perspective on the work of God over time.

When the different manuscripts were written they were not divided into verses or chapters, but these were added later to make referencing the works easier. Many times I will read one chapter from a variety of books each day rather than reading large sections of one book.

However you approach reading the Bible, it is valuable and helpful. There are many parts that can be difficult to understand, but as with any ancient manuscript, repeated reading brings clarity.

I encourage you to read the Bible. You’ve probably heard many references to it over the years, but have you ever read it for yourself?

We all need more wisdom in our lives, James, the brother of Jesus, told us about wisdom:

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5

 

Day 3 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

Voices of Reason

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MicrophoneIn light of the ever increasing push in the media telling parents to vaccinate and causing them to fear so many things about childhood, here is a voice of reason.

The interesting thing about this voice is that once upon a time she did vaccinate her baby and her daughter suffered a severe vaccine injury which forced her to spend thousands of hours researching the cause and the cure. She KNOWS what she is talking about. She is not making money from your decision.

Vaccine injury can impact your life forever. Be sure you are fully informed of the risks versus potential benefits of any medical procedure you accept for your child. Don’t just follow the recommendations routinely given.

Many parents WISH they could go back and make the decision over again. Unfortunately they can’t. So they do the next best thing – they spend INCREDIBLE time and energy trying to figure out how to get the message to new unsuspecting parents. Please listen and learn through their pain.

Take five minutes to read this.

Take 4 minutes 24 seconds to watch this video:

 

30 ways in 30 Days: Day 4

Knowledge of God and Blessing

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bonding w babySometimes experiencing great blessing in our life can be harmful to our future and the future of our children.

The Lord told Moses to warn Joshua about the dangers of being too comfortable and too ‘blessed.’

For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors – a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant. And when great disasters come down on them this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them. Deut 31:20-21

God allows us free choice – even when he knows our choices are going to be bad for us.

If you live in the USA or most ‘western’ situations you are blessed. If you have access to the Internet you are abundantly blessed.

What will you do with the blessings you have been given? Will you thank God for them and acknowledge Him as the giver of all good things in your life?

Will you take them for granted; keep seeking more and more and more with no regard for who God is and what He might desire for you?

As you begin to see God as the source of blessing He will lead you to ever greater knowledge, information and truth. Truth about Himself and the world that He made.

We all get to choose how we respond to the blessings we have.

Day 2 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

Day 1: Does it make sense to seek Jesus in 2014?

Does it make sense to seek Jesus in 2014?

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giving handsThere is no doubt we are living in incredible times. Technological advances have made life very different than it was even 20 years ago. There are many good results we take for granted and enjoy every day.

But, if we are honest, we must admit that there is also evil and darkness in the world we live in. It is sometimes hard to figure out what is good and what is evil. Many things look good but turn out to be very harmful to us.

I am an avid seeker of health and truth. I desire to discern the good from evil in our current world. It is very difficult to find out that basic “facts” I have always taken for granted, are actually manipulations of information designed to impact my life and my actions.

In the midst of the masses of information and the uncertainty of the times we live, I have decided to seek Jesus Christ, in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. You might think this is a naïve decision or a submission to yet another manipulation technique. However, upon examining all the options, I have chosen this as my best course. I will attempt to explain some of my reasons.

The book of John is written by a disciple – very close follower – of Jesus as an eyewitness account of the events of Jesus’ life on earth. He explains towards the end of his account why he wrote it:

The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to those recorded in this book. These are written so that you many continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him, you will have life by the power of His name.

Imagine if these words were true. It would mean that God desires to grant you extraordinary power and life – beyond your imagination – in the midst of your current reality.

John recorded some of Jesus’ last words to His followers:

I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.

 

As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.

Jesus was saying that we now have the same access to God as He did during His time on earth. I encourage you to read the entire book of John, which you can find on-line or in any version of the Bible. It is ancient literature and you might want to read through it more than once, or even regularly. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Find out how Jesus lived while He was on earth and what He desires for you to have, experience and do during your time here.

We all are given a limited number of days on earth. How will we use them?

Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

My Foundation

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Heart birdsI heard someone I respect describing the brilliance of the “Infinite presence and benevolence” in a talk about health, particularly about detoxing our body and how amazing the body was at this function. The speaker was particularly awed by the fact that the body was capable of isolating and expelling chemicals that have only been developed in the last 50 years, demonstrating this “infinite presence” during the “evolutionary process.” Hearing this speaker, who shared a lot of practical, helpful information, made me want to describe what I believe about this “infinite presence and benevolence”!

I believe in a Creator and Designer who understands every intricate complexity of every system and every cell of every human body. He has COMPLETE understanding of the human brain – things modern scientists are just beginning to understand and figure out – my Designer knows it all!

cosmosThis awesome Creator not only understands humans, He comprehends every detail of all the planets, galaxies, space and beyond. In fact, He set them all in motion and understands the science of every aspect of how exactly they hang in their particular place, doing exactly what they do.

I sometimes get overwhelmed by technology and having to learn new devises or operating systems. There are sooooo many areas of life I just take on faith – the operation of a car, an airplane, architectural design, etc!  However, when I feel small in my abilities, I remember that my God knows the design and optimal operation of every single technical device or invention ever created by any man. He knows the content of every PhD thesis and every peer-reviewed scientific paper ever written AND He understands which parts are fact and which is false.

My Creator knows the function and intricacy of every cell, every nutrient, every chemical toxin, and all functions in the body contributing to health or illness. He has absolute power and is able to heal any illness. His powerful ability to heal was thoroughly documented by eye-witness accounts.

Other random facts that sometimes pop into my mind – my Creator knows every musical combination ever devised. He understands the harmonies and discord in the music of every culture on earth.

He knows every wise word ever conveyed and every deception ever perpetuated.

He is the Creator and author of all life; the giver of wisdom; healer; sustainer; matchless powerful energy and life source that I want to be connected with every day, every hour, every minute.

AvatarDo you remember the movie Avatar? The native humanoid “Na’vi” had neural links with the creatures they ride (dire horses and banshees) and have to plug into them via tentacle-like structures on their heads. These vital connections empowered them to perform great feats together. Seeing this movie (years ago) gave me a figurative picture of the type of creative infusion our Designer wants to have with us! This connection has to potential to be far more powerful than what the fictional Na’vi experienced!

The desire of my heart is to help others experience the reality of this vital connection with my awesome, powerful, benevolent CREATOR.

When you analyze your life with all its challenges and complexities, what else actually matters?

 

 

Perspective

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PerspectiveWhat are you doing today?

A simple question.

Yet every time I heard it for nearly a year I got a paralyzed feeling – ahhhh what am I doing today? Am I doing anything worthwhile or meaningful? Am I just goofing off? Am I being lazy? How can I possibly describe what I am doing today? Have I got anything planned yet? Am I just going to free-flow through my day? As a Stay At Home mom trying to get a business started, trying to figure out ways to produce some meaningful income, transitioning to having more time available, this questions would hit me hard as BIG CRITICISM!

So many thoughts and feelings would go coursing through my brain.

When actually, the question wasn’t a judgment about how I was spending my time at all. It was more accurately something like this:

“Are you doing anything that requires driving today, because, if not, I would like to take the ‘nicer to drive car.’ However, I prioritize you over me, so if you are driving anywhere at all, I would rather leave the ‘nicer to drive’ car for you.”

Wow. The day I figured that out it was a real revelation. Peace flooded my soul. I was not being judged and found wanting. I was being honored and cherished.

The way I figured it out was that the question always came right at the time he was going to select his keys from the ‘key tray.’ So he was asking himself which keys do I need today, therefore his question to me, ‘what are you doing today?”

I like to think of myself as sensitive and sharp. This shows HOW SLOW I really was to pick up on this. It took me nearly a year of this scenario playing out regularly before I finally put it together!

Perspective. Small words made into sentences or questions. HOW we hear them makes HUGE difference!

 

Addiction

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BubblesIt’s a strong word. We don’t like to admit we might have one. It sounds like we are a victim if we admit we have an addiction.

  • I get a desperate message from a middle-aged lady – ‘please help me, I finally realized I am addicted to Coke (soda kind) and I want help.’
  • While visiting my über health conscious friend I noticed a big 2 L soda in her kitchen. “What’s that for?” I say. “Oh, it’s my husband’s, he can’t stop.” They have six kids, homeschool, and eat the most pristine diet you can imagine while avoiding toxins everywhere, including vaccines and medicines. Yet the man of the house, the role-model, consumes this toxic beverage.
  • At the check-out of a local major grocery store, a mom with a four-year-old daughter finds a bottle with her name on it in the conveniently placed refrigerator. “Look, it’s got your name on it!” I’m floored that she would think giving poison to her daughter is an acceptable demonstration of her love.
  • Same day, as I arrive at my car I see a somewhat frantic fifty-something woman getting in her car and opening her soda and taking a calming swig. Ahhhh. Apparently just what she needed.

It seems there is an epidemic! But no one wants to admit it.

A nation of soda addicts.

But it’s got my name on it…

It’s made in Georgia…

How can it be bad if it tastes so good???

I’ve been drinking it all my life – how does it hurt me?

A recent Gallup poll revealed that 63% of the US population has woken up to realize that soda is not good for you. But the fact is the average American consumes 44 gallons per year! I’m not consuming any, so someone somewhere must be consuming my share.

It’s one thing to know better, but quite another thing to consistently do better. Especially in a culture that bombards you with messages like ‘you only live once’, ‘just do it’, etc.

Addiction. Pure and simple. The fifty something woman: Addiction. Her brain is not in control of that process. I soooo wanted to take a picture if her to add to this blog. I refrained. Maybe next time.

The mom with the four-year old daughter? Addicted. She wanted the cold gassy beverage so she pretends it is a good treat for her daughter.

What kind if a sick world do we live in where major corporations can poison our children and we help them?

There are known carcinogens in many (if not all) of the sodas. Obesity linked to soda consumption – and DIET soda consumption can actually cause you to GAIN weight – AND have been shown to cause Neurologic damage!

How can these beverages continue to be sold and consumed as if they were harmless?

ADDICTION. Wake up. Get help. Conquer it. You owe it to those you love and who love you. Don’t force them to care for you through debilitating illness or mental disability which results from your long-term addiction. Take action. Start by reading this article that tells what it is doing to your brain and body. Stop giving it to your children – or any children you love!

The first step is to recognize and call it what it is. The second step is to tell someone and ask for some accountability. Once you decide you want to break this addiction, you will find a way.

Understand that you have been conned. There is a $76 Billion industry trying to keep you addicted.

Spread the word. Big corporate bosses, dressed up in suits and packaging their products – WITH YOUR NAME ON IT –  have an interest in keeping you and yours addicts. BREAK FREE!

Let me know if I can help. I’d love to help conquer this addiction one person at a time!