Tracking the Deer

Tracking the deer

It's hunting season. A time of the year that, in my opinion, should come with a warning. If you have never experienced it, you are probably rolling your eyes right now. If you fall into the category of not understanding hunter talk, then bare with me here. I will try to set the stage in a way that you will understand too!

Opening day. This might make you scratch your head and wonder what is exactly opening? A new store? School? A new restaurant? But if you ask "one of us", our hearts start pumping in anticipation. Opening day is a national holiday to some people. They take off of work, they skip school, they are not seen for a good 8 hours that day. They wake at 4:30 a.m., get dressed in layers, grab their weapon and climb a tree. They sit there patiently for hours on end in hopes of seeing "the one". About 2 hours into it though, their extremities go numb from the cold and they start getting fidgety. I know, this sounds so exciting doesn't it? I don't think I am convincing any of you to try it out, am I? Anyhow, it is about the time when all patience has worn out that you are rewarded with your first look at a deer. It is hard to explain exactly what happens next, but in the span of about 10 seconds, your heart is beating out of your chest, and your body is burning hot. You start shaking and talking to yourself. It goes something like this: "holy cow, calm down, be patient, wait till it stops!" It is crazy, but it is a thrill! And it is just the start of months of the same thing!

Now that I have painted the picture, I am sure you all can't wait to hear of our hunting experiencesJ!

Yesterday earned the coveted title of "opening day". It was such a gorgeous morning. One thing that I love about hunting is that you get out there so early, and get to slowly watch everything wake up! The sunrises hardly ever disappoint me and I get to spend hours just talking to God. It is amazing.

I had just settled into my stand, when I realized that just off to my right, I had a perfect view of another hunter across the creek. It was my oldest son, and I could see everything that was coming in and going out of the field around him. There hadn't been much activity in his direction for a while, so I had started looking the other way. It was about the time I thought our day was done, when out of the blue a gunshot scared me to death. We had been hearing them all morning all around us, but this one was so close that I knew it was someone on the same property as me. I raised my optics to see my son staring at me with thumbs up. It was awesome to be able to watch his excitement! After waiting for a while, my husband met me and we went to see what he had gotten. Luke is one of those people that can spot a deer from a mile away. It is one of those things that makes me shake my head in amazement. As soon as we entered Jared's field, Luke spotted it. You could tell by the smile on his face, that he was excited about something. He ran right to it. It was the best kind of hunt. We didn't have to track it at all!

Not all hunts go like that though. This was picture perfect. There are times that we have to track the deer. Now I am a person that really likes to be good at everything. It actually drives me crazy to be 2^nd fiddle. I can tell you, that when it comes to tracking a deer, I am 2^nd fiddle, actually maybe 3^rd fiddle; I don't really know, I just know that my husband has a skill. If this was a spiritual gift, he could completely claim it as his! I am not joking when I say that he can find a pin drop of blood amongst a field of overgrown weeds! It is crazy to watch him. I have learned that I just need to follow his lead, a position I don't do very well at all. The times that amaze me the most, are when he is tracking in the dark. If you have never done this, is may seem impossible. Actually, it seems impossible to me and I have done it a million times.

One night in particular, we were tracking a deer at night. It was my deer, so I was very impatient. He had told me to go to the place where I thought I had shot it, and find some blood, (sorry if this is gross), and so I went searching. I couldn't find anything, and I was getting anxious. Luke finally got there and immediately found it. As I was walking up to him, I saw that he was using different color lights. I was shining my bright light all around and walking in every direction, when patiently he asks me to keep my light away and stop walking around so much. I asked him why he was using the colored lights, and he told me that the blood shines when he used the special lights.

Have you ever been to a point when you just can't find Jesus? It doesn't happen every single time you hit a low spot. There are definant times when you can just walk right into His arms. But there are those times, when you go to where you think He should be, and He's not. Ever felt this hopeless anxious feeling? It becomes an almost panic! You shine your light in wide circles, frantically looking left and right. You know that He can't be far. But yet, the trail is nowhere to be found. At this point, what do you do?

It amazes me how quickly we can forget how to get back to the cross. You may think that Jesus is just over that next hill, but what you don't know, is that you wandered over 3 hills and across a creek and around a bend. You were so distracted with everything that you call "life", that when the time came to come Home, you finally took a breath and looked around. It is at this point that your blood goes cold. The scenery has changed so much, and the trail has been cold for so long, you quickly realize that there is not one thing recognizable! You panic. Your heart races. You are frozen with fear. You are alone; at least it feels that way.

I have had messages from people before that have said this same exact thing. People that feel they have fallen far from God. They are empty, hungry and scared. They ask for help finding their way back. This is the key. Your light isn't working…but someone else may be able to shine a new light on your situation. You can't remember how to use Jesus' Power, so you must find someone who can help guide you to the right path! There are people all around you that know Jesus. They know where He is and they know how to get you there. Allow them to lead you, be the 2^nd fiddle and use their light. Remember that the path back to Jesus is sprinkled with a substance that under a special light will shine. His Blood. It might be a pin drop, but He will never hide it from you. You might just be in a spot where you have become rusty in your skills of seeking Him, you may not recognize Him anymore at all.

John 1:9 "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him."

Jesus hasn't left. You may just have moved. The cool thing about Him, is that if it took you 2 years to stray far away, it will take a far shorter trip getting back to His Feet; a trip consisting simply of hitting your knees. You may need a reminder, and in these times, seek out a friend who can help you light the path. Take it from me, if you try searching by yourself, you may find that what you have armed yourself with is the wrong kind of light. Find someone who knows the "true light" that will lead you back to the cross. He is waiting for you!

Private Property

Private Property

For the past couple of years we have contemplated building a home. We have pushed around several ideas, and have had to make countless decisions. One of which is where on our property would it be best to build it? Because of the location of our out buildings, pond and current home, we are kind of limited. We have tried to angle it just so, then swap it here and then turn it there. Through all of the moving around, we never once considered building it on the ground surrounding our property though. Why? Because it was owned by someone else. This may seem like a "well duh, who would?" kind of statement, but I am just making a point here.

There is NO way that anyone would ever build their home on someone else's property. Is that a pretty accurate statement?

So if you are not loving God, have never accepted Him as your Savior, repented and turned your heart towards Him, you are not His property. Again…this is an accurate statement. (I'm not asking a question this time…just making the point). Why would you think that He would "build a house" with you?

Let me unpack that a little. (You may know someone who makes the following statements. I don't want you to picture them though; I want you to think about YOUR own life. After examining yourself, if God lays someone on your heart to go talk to, then do it. But not before self-examination is done.)

I have heard countless times some of these statements:

"God just isn't doing anything in my life"

"Why does God do so much with so and so and nothing with me?"

"I do so much good stuff, I volunteer, I am a nice person, etc…why don't I hear God talking to me?"

"I want to do something for God too…but He never uses me"

"Why are you the one getting all the "assignments?"

Trust me when I say that these are just a few. And to be honest, I personally cannot answer the question with a blanket response. The reason God is not responding or speaking in a person's life can be because of different reasons. But I want to look at just one of them.

It really is a simple question. Answered by a simple yes or no:

Are you His property?

There is no hesitation…it's yes or no! Period. (Or maybe exclamation point!)

There are no, well maybe's. You will hear either "get away from Me, I NEVER knew you", or "well done good and faithful servant!"

God will not build with you when you are not even His. He WILL pursue you, and desire you to be! But until that time of surrender, until that time of purchase, when the deed is signed by His Son's Blood, He will keep His tools in His belt (not literally…ha!)

Do you blame Him? Because if you go back up to the first question I asked you, you would respond the same way! There is just too much at stake, too much was paid. He wants you…oh so badly…but He will not trespass without permission. Maybe it's time to take those private property signs down. Let Him put His own signs up…ones that will ensure that you have been bought, that you are His. Then be ready for the construction to begin!

Matthew 7:24-27 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

 

 

Detour

Detour

Ever since I got my iPhone, I have been addicted to the maps app. I absolutely love knowing that my phone will tell me exactly where I am and exactly how to get to where I want to go! I feel so much safer. Isn't that weird? A little dot that flashes and moves along a colored path on a handheld screen makes me feel safe. Huh. But it's true! Sometimes, especially in towns that I don't know, one wrong turn and I can't find my way out.

That is exactly what happened the other day, except I guess it wasn't a wrong turn, but rather an unexpected one way road that had my dot routed off of the intended path. You should have seen me. My eyes did not leave my phone (don't worry, I have gotten really good at driving without looking…jkjk) The whole time I was desperately trying to get back on course. Once I finally did, I could breathe so much better! Again…weird huh?

The detour lasted o about 5 minutes, but for that time, I couldn't think of anything else except the safe way that I knew would take me straight to my destination.

So now comes the question for you…are you so focused on the safe route that if God interrupts your life, you freak out or refuse to go any other way except your carefully planned out, comfortable, straight path?

And that then leads to another question…who is controlling your life anyhow? Is it all about your plans and at the end you want to waltz into the pearly gates? Do you think you will ever hear "Great job dodging all those people that needed help! Man that one time, that was a close one…I thought that you might have no other choice except to stop and talk to your friend that was having a hard time! You did SUCH a great job fitting in with everyone around you! You were just the perfect American (or whatever you are J). You got the perfect job, the house, wife, kids, dog, vacations, yada yada. I am just so glad that you let ME come along for the ride. GREAT JOB! WELL DONE!" ????? Because if you know anything about Jesus, you would know, that this would never be the words that you hear! Maybe I should let you fill in the blank…what is your life like? And what do you think Jesus would say about it?

So many people tell me that they love Him and have accepted Him as savior, but then they don't follow Him. They follow a "flashing dot", traveling along a well designed road, choosing the route with minimal traffic, bypassing the large crowded areas, construction and anything else that might slow them down. They are on target with where they want to go, how they want to get there, and NOTHING is going to get in their way. If a little hiccup pops up, as quickly as they can, they fix what needs to be fixed and nicely slide right back on track.

But the problem with all of this is: Jesus says FOLLOW ME! And the crazy thing about Jesus, is that He just doesn't tell you where every step is going to be. And sometimes it feels as if He put a blind fold on too. He may take you to some pretty uncomfortable places where you may not have many comforts. He may ask you to even live without some things that you have done nothing but strived to get. He will ask you to deny yourself and He will ask you to think of others first. He will ask you to Love HIM with not half of your heart but with ALL of it! He will ask you to not be NORMAL! You will have to go against the flow, you will ruffle feathers, you will stand out and apart and at times you may just be lonely. This life will not be easy. BUT…when others fail you, Jesus will NOT. He will NEVER leave you or forsake you; He will fight for you, and comfort you. He will NEVER EVER allow you to go through anything that you can't handle because He will be right beside you the whole way!

I really don't know why we want to settle for only the things that we can do. We are so limited it is crazy! God working through us is the most exciting thing I have ever experienced! You get to watch Him move people's hearts in ways that would be impossible without Him! You are a witness to His awesome power desiring a relationship with us humans, and then using us to accomplish His purposes. Seriously! … Why would you want to settle for less?

I'll leave you with one more thought. I may be wrong but I can only recall 2 different responses recorded in the Bible of what we will hear when we get to Heaven. The difference between the two will make you weep:

WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

GET AWAY FROM ME…I NEVER KNEW YOU!

You have one shot…there are no do-over's on that day. And there will be no hesitation. Are you living life FOR Him, or for yourself? Don't get stuck following the dot…

Are you ready for the detour??

For Sale

For Sale

Isn't it funny how you can drive by someone's house every single day, but not really look at it until they make a change? I did that not so long ago. My neighbors had repainted their barn. It was funny just how much I never really noticed their barn before that day. But man, it sure looked nice! I started remembering back to our first house. The siding…not so nice. And when I say that, I really mean not so nice! But it was livable and we endured it for about 5 years. We re-sided, and then you know what we did? We MOVED! I still look back and think about how nice it would have been to have done the work a few years before so we could have actually enjoyed it!

I see this happen over and over. You drive by someone's place and really notice how they have cleaned it up and all of the sudden gotten things looking nice. The next week…a for sale sign.

The thing that happens, and I think you can relate, is that we just get comfortable where we are. Our property doesn't all of the sudden get run down and cluttered, it usually happens over time. It isn't until we want to really impress someone, proving to them that they would like to buy it, do we get crackin on cleaning things up!

I was talking to some high school kids the other day, and funny thing was, they have the same perception of their life! The even funnier thing is, us adults do too!

How many of you have, in the last year, taken a really good look at your life? Take a challenge to stop and really think about who you are and what you are doing with your life. I would venture to guess that you will realize you're in a place and it happened so fast and you don't know how you got there and it's been such a whirlwind and you just got busy and and and…

Am I close?

Distractions…they get you every time! If it isn't the kids, it's the job, or the sports, or the homework, or the parents, or the church activity, or the friends, or the promotion you are working towards, or the laundry, or the office work, etc… the list can go on and on. There is always something to fill your time with! And the more you fill the more you focus on that "stuff" and the less you notice the state your life is in!

Let me ask you all a question…what is your birth date? Easy one right! O.k.…smarty…you answered that pretty quick…try this one:

What is the date of your death?

You don't know?? Well here's one last question…

If you don't know when you are going to die, how can you live like you have all the time in the world before getting ready to meet Jesus?

Look at it this way…if Jesus was coming to "buy your house", what condition would He find it in? Have you neglected yourself so long that several things need trimmed, and some just plain need replaced?

What will Jesus say on that day you stand before Him?

"I never knew you!" or "Well done!"

These are the only two options. There will not be one that says, here is a list of hints of the things that I need you to work on. Go back and try again. Do we understand fully what the options are! You will NOT get a second chance!!

I will challenge you with one last thing. Take your life and match it up against the WORD! That will be the true test to see where you really are, and what you really need to do! Don't get caught assuming that just because "Jesus loves me this I know", you get to live like you don't care! Because like it or not, there is a for sale sign for your life out there, and only two buyers interested. You get to choose. Let His Love change you…then make sure everyone that passes by knows exactly who the purchaser is!

John 3:19-21

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Colored Hair

Colored Hair

Hebrews 4:13

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account."

Everyone has seen someone with their hair dyed. Most of the time it is a new highlight or a touch up here or there. Once in a while you will get a brave soul who decides to change their whole head of hair all at once! I remember some ladies who would chuckle and proclaim that they have been dyeing their hair for so long they can't even remember what their original hair color is. I thought, "what do you mean, you are obviously a blonde?" The reality: they are brown as brown can be.

I started recalling that "I don't even know my natural color anymore" comment. Honestly, I think it is nothing more than a lie! There is NO way anyone will forget that they are actually a brunette. They may trick an awful lot of people, but inside, they remember!

I started thinking about how true this is with our hearts. We all put on a front for someone. When asked how we are doing, rarely do we say anything other than "good"! We can be bawling our eyes out on the way to church, but fully compose ourselves and be the smiling person everyone expects by the time we hit the doors.

We learn early on to hide our true emotions. We learn early on to hide a lot actually. Along with our suppressed feelings, lie our sins. We all are pretty good at keeping those hidden too, aren't we?

The thing I am realizing is that we have "dyed" our lives so many times that others may think they know us but really don't have clue.

2 people. That's what this is all about!

YOU AND JESUS!

You can stand here and convince me you love Him, I can witness you "doing" a lot for Him, but in reality, He is the ONLY one that knows the true state of your heart!

So now the question becomes: why do we spend our time trying to impress others when really, the audience that counts consists of only ONE!

Who are you really? How far have you let your heart get away from the truth? How hard are you trying to disguise the true state you are in?

Friend, stop running! The truth is this: you can disguise all you want, but my opinion of you...doesn't add up to anything! The only opinion that matters is the ONE who already sees you for who you are anyhow!

Here's the reminder again in case you read it too fast before:

Hebrews 4:13

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account!"

Fire

Fire

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

Several years back, while doing some water sports, I took a bad fall and broke my nose. Now it wasn't one of those: "I think I might have cracked the bone a bit", but rather: "one side completely dented in and my nose is in a different place on my face", kind of breaks! J

I went to the doctor the next day. He took one look and wanted to schedule surgery. There is just something about me that hears the word surgery and automatically starts calculating how much money it is going to cost. I requested not being put under to save some. The doc agreed and we set up an appointment for later in the week.

I was facing a situation that I was dreading! But the thing was…there was no going back. If I wanted a crooked nose the rest of my life then I could cancel out, but if not, then there were no options…get it done and over with! They tried to lessen the pain. I got 500 shots and they shot something up my nose to numb it, but I can assure you, when it came time to set it, the meds didn't touch it! I can honestly say that I have never had pain like that before. It felt like the doctor put all his weight into pushing my bone back out. The noise of crunching bone was horrible, I still cringe thinking about it.

The crazy thing was that partway through…he stopped. He looked at me and asked if I was o.k. All I could say was, "just finish it". He wondered if I was sure…again "just finish it". Had I not been able to stand it any longer, my nose would still be crooked today. Had I quit before every piece of jagged broken bone was put back into place, I would still be dealing with the effect. I had to endure the pain all the way through to be completely fixed.

This makes me think about a story I once heard about a person that works with gold. A lady wanted to understand how everything worked so she went in to watch. After several minutes, she raised her hand with a question. "Sir", she asked, "why do you sit so close to the fire?" The goldsmith easily answered that he sat so close because he would only know the gold was done being refined, and all the impurities were out, when he could see his reflection in it.

Wow!

Does it feel like you are walking through the fire right now? Has it only increased in temperature rather than cooled off? Does it feel like you can't stand it any longer?

All I can say is "just finish it"!

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:2

Those are just two of the many promises that are given over and over in the Word. Promises that He WILL be with you. He will NEVER leave you. You will never be alone!

I don't know what you are dealing with today. It might be a fire that has lasted for a very long time. You might be standing on the edge, still in the ashes. All I can say is that the promise is the same: He will walk through it with you!

Please don't quit, when you are weary, lean on His shoulder. And when you are finished, with Jesus walking beside you, it will be His Face reflecting out of you!

Grit your teeth. Get stubborn to finish it out. Do NOT quit!

The end result will be the desired one. His desired one!

One more thing to remember…o how He loves you! Cling to him my friend…he will bring you through this!

 

Sink or Swim

Sink or Swim

Have you ever been to swim lessons and watched a new swimmer's face as they stand on the edge of that pool? Maybe you can remember what you yourself felt as you peered into the water wondering if the person looking back at you was really ever going to jump in? Left by yourself, I am pretty sure several of us would have simply talked ourselves out of it! Would you agree?

But thankfully, there was always that person already standing in the water encouraging us to just get our toes wet, then when our hearts would settle down, they would encourage us to come a little further. You may end up holding onto the side of the pool that whole first day, but there was a little part of you that felt so accomplished and a little braver, totally ready to take another step the next week! And you know that it would have never happened had someone not helped show you how to succeed at it!

Never ever would you find a swim teacher standing on the side line letting someone drown, nor would you see them sitting there telling them just to get in, they will be fine. Every teacher I have ever known, even though they could swim laps around me, walked right beside, encouraging me the whole time. Teaching me the right way to breath, float, move my arms and kick. They never sat on the side line as a spectator, they got wet too.

How many of us know Christ? Many of us have for several years! We could easily tell people all about His Love and lead them to the Cross. Am I right? But the problem is, we often just sit there as spectators. Not one of us would ever literally let someone drown. I have watched grown men jump in fully clothed to get a kid that was sputtering in the water. But I have also watched people accept Christ and struggle to stay afloat because no one will come alongside them and teach them how to swim.

We are all called to make disciples. When I think about Jesus making His disciples I realize just how much time He put into them. He taught them how to stay afloat didn't He? He didn't stand on the sidelines and watch them sink…He got right into that water with them.

Is there someone in your life right now that just needs encouragement to keep going? Or maybe someone that needs to know how to even take the next step? Is there someone looking at his reflection wondering if he should even get in the pool when all he needs is someone telling him how awesome it is? Is that person you?

We are all here for a reason. You are all right here right now for some REASON! Could it be that there are people around you that need what you have? Take some time to pray for God to open your eyes to who may be ready to jump, clinging to the wall, or even sinking. You are called, and you are equipped, don't let someone drown on your watch!

Grocery Store

Grocery Store

The other day I went grocery shopping. It is one of my most dreaded pastimes, but something I am stuck doing. Inevitably, my list gets longer and longer the more I travel through the aisles. It is a challenge some days to see if I can get all the way through the store without adding anything to my list! One thing literally leads to another. I remember that I have to have another ingredient to make the recipe that I all the sudden have a craving for. 15 ingredients later, I am set for the week (o.k. that isn't true…I will be back 3 days later)!

This particular day, with my cart loaded with 7 extra items, I swipe my credit card, grab my bags and head home. I start unloading them into my kitchen when I am struck all the sudden with the realization that I have no clue how much I spent. Most of the time I could guess, round about even, but this time I seriously had no clue! The trouble is that just because I don't know, I still will have to pay for it in 30 days. No getting out of it, I bought the stuff, stocked my shelves with it, it's mine.

So let me ask you a question. How much did your sin cost you today? Have you stockpiled it, one after another without thinking? Did one sin lead to another until your load is too heavy to carry? Are you at a place where you really don't even know how you got here?

It's so funny how quickly that can happen. Just like in a store, there is something in you that is almost on autopilot. A certain smell, and you are at the bakery buying a cake. Which triggers your memory to something your friend made and you want to try, so off to another aisle to buy more stuff. Your mind almost just takes over and you feel as if you were in the twilight zone…30 minutes later you are standing in the checkout line with no recollection of how you got there. Yep, that describes how quickly unrepentant sin will take you down.

How many times do you find yourself thinking about someone in a negative way? Assuming that you know exactly what they are thinking about you? Assuming you know their motives because you just know. That little thought left unchecked will slowly lead into you getting mad at them, which left unchecked will lead into bitterness, which will lead into chains and pits and captivity. Wow that went fast didn't it?

Or how about this scenario: your buddies want to go have a good time! (We've all heard this before) They choose a bar, which you really don't want to go to because you know the temptation, but decide you can just shoot a few games of pool and leave. No harm done, right? Well of course you get thirsty, so you justify that one beer won't take you where it did last time. You WILL stay in control. But slowly and surely, the night goes on and on, and you find yourself being helped to a cab, worse yet, that cute girl is sitting beside you, taking you "home". The morning comes, the regret sets in and once again, the chains are wrapped tighter and tighter.

We can run through a million scenarios here. Every one of us has our vices that love to squeeze us tight! And every vice offers one thing: slavery!

But Jesus Christ is standing there, with His Hand held out offering us something quite different! He is offering a payment. Whether we want to admit it or not, all those little unchecked sins that we just do without even thinking, come at a cost. And the time is coming or has come to pay them. Most of the time we don't even realize what the price of accepting each of those sins is. We don't realize how high of a tab we have run up. But imagine getting a credit card bill in the mail that makes your stomach drop. That is what is facing us now. We don't have the "money" in the bank to pay it, the price is too high! The sins have literally piled up!

You are being offered a free payment coupon! All you have to do is look at Jesus, take His Hand and spill your guts! Tell Him what you are sorry for ask for forgiveness, He already knows what you have loaded your cart with. But man, aren't you ready to get rid of it all?

Take Him up on the offer! Take back your life, but giving it to Him. Stop running, stop trying to fix last week's mistake, stop piling up more and more sin! Just Stop! You really don't want the bill that is going to demand payment. HE is the only way to pay it in full. Now it's just your choice whether or not you will let Him pay it!

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
   to proclaim freedom for the captives
   and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
   and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn"

ISAIAH 61:1,2

Crippled Christian

Crippled Christian

If I gave you the option to choose between being blind, deaf, mute or crippled, which would you choose? Not great options, right? But you HAVE to choose one…so go ahead and think about it.

Now if I gave you one last option and that being NONE OF THE ABOVE…would you change your choice? Of course you would! I would venture to guess that you would even pay a lot of money to not have a disability. Am I right?

No one willing chooses not to see, or to hear, or to talk. No one volunteers to not be able to walk. Now, there are people that live with it and even have amazing lives, but I would guess that they would change it if they could!

So, here's something to think about: if we would do anything to have our physical bodies whole, why do we walk around spiritually blind, deaf, mute and crippled?

Does that sound harsh? It's kinda true though isn't it? That still small voice that tells us not to do something (or to get moving and do it), we ignore don't we? That person that may have needed a hug or a word of encouragement…do we walk right past like we don't see them? Are there people in your life that you know do not have Jesus? If you have Him, why do we NOT tell people about HIM? And why do we act crippled when Jesus clearly says "Go!"?

How have we become comfortable as a crippled Christian?

I want to challenge you to pray for God to open your eyes to see what He sees, your ears to be alert to His voice, your tongue to be on fire with the Word that saves and your feet to be fitted with a readiness to go win a world to Christ!

Are you ready to be healed? The price has already been paid, it won't cost you anything…just a simply answer of yes!

SUNSCREEN

SUNSCREEN

We are told that we will get wrinkles when we are older if we don't put on sunscreen...right? I know this to be true but yet I make all these excuses why I don't want to....stupid...you don't have to tell me that! There are times though that I put on SPF 4 or 8 just to feel better about myself. In reality those might help a little but I will still be pretty wrinkly later on in life. What would it be like if I wore SPF 80 all the time? Well I wouldn't be tan... But I also would have awesome skin later, no sun damage, and ultimate protection! Right??!!

Would it be fair to say that if we don't read the WORD there will be spiritual damage occur? Yes! You will be left totally unprotected with nothing to fight off the attacks of satan! Just like using NO sunscreen!

But you might be thinking , "I read a devotion every day"...I'm not saying that is bad...but it is kind of like putting on SPF 4 or 8. It will help but will only do so much!

The Bible, now that is SPF 80 kind of protection! And honestly, it's the only thing strong enough to actually work!

So are you applying it? Or are there more excuses of why you don't have the time? What is more important in your schedule that you seriously don't take 15 extra minutes to read a living Word? If I offered you a million dollars and all you had to do was read it every day for a year, I bet you would do it! So what if I promised you protection and help, peace and fulfillment…is that not good enough? It's time to rearrange our schedules and realign our priorities! It's time to make a change! Who do you want fighting for you, protecting you? I choose the ONE who we already knows wins! The odds are better that way! How about you?

What kind of "sunscreen" did you apply today??

Hidden Puddles

Hidden Puddles

I was walking through my barn the other day with no shoes on. This really is not unusual because you will find me barefooted half the time. What was different about that day though, was the fact that I kept my socks on. Weird huh? I am still trying to figure that one out. But anyhow…I was walking through, minding my own business when all of the sudden a water puddle appears. Now, if you are anything like me, you understand how annoying that is! A perfectly good pair of socks are now ruined. I mean, I can wear them again, but only after washing them first!

As I stare in disgust at an obvious puddle, I realized that I seriously had no clue that it was there. At that point, though, there really was nothing more for me to do except strip my socks off.

I now have a choice…be disgusted and ticked off by the distraction or shrug it off and just run around barefoot. What would you have done?

I know this is an obvious statement but…if I have shoes or socks on and step in a puddle, I will get them wet. There is not an option there. It will be a distraction. So why not just run around barefoot. Seriously…what happens if you step in a puddle? You keep running and eventually your feet dry. You don't take time out to go get a towel…you don't sit a while waiting for the wind to blow dry them. You just keep going! Nothing slowing you down!

Can you imagine what it would be like if every time God threw something in your path, you would be "barefoot" and just take it in stride and allow it to be who you are and not get distracted or annoyed at it?

Think about it for a minute. Assume that the sock on your foot is protecting your desired life. You use it to seal in your ideas and to cover your well planned out detailed agenda. You are walking along feeling pretty comfortable and BAMM…God throws a water puddle in your path. What do you do? Do you get annoyed that your plans are not working out? Frustrated that everything you wanted to happen isn't as planned? Do you pout because you are not really in control? Have you found yourself running inside to just replace it and get on with your schedule?

Is that water puddle viewed as a huge inconvenience that you can't tolerate? Or do you instead slip your socks off and run through it again?

Who do you want to be? A person who holds so tightly to his or her own plans that when something better comes along you don't recognize it? Or are you the barefoot Jesus lover who, at any moment, welcomes new direction with excitement and anticipation, actually walking so close to Him that you seek out the puddles rather than have them sneak up on you?

You are one or the other there is no doubt! And the question that is slapping me in the face is this:

Do you want to leave footprints behind?

If so hit your knees and ask for God to open your eyes to the puddles that are all around you! Then just start running!

Hold MY Hand

Hold MY Hand

Nothing can touch my heart quicker than when a little kid reaches up and grabs my finger with their hand. They wrap their fingers around and hold on tight. It is easy for me to guide them, and they follow just as quickly. But there is one problem…as soon as they see something that grabs their attention, they let go and run off. This has happened several times with my own kids, you can almost predict the exact moment that they will let you go. They start straining against your pull and finally can take it no longer, and then they are gone.

Just as quickly as they grabbed tight, they let loose. Most of the time without so much as a backwards glance. There have been moments when I just watch them wander away, wondering when it will hit them that they are no longer as brave as they thought. They stop. Turn in circles seeking a familiar face and then start bawling! You know what I mean….it happens every time! The next time though; I take their grubby little hands and completely enclose mine OVER theirs. That way there is no way to escape!

I wonder, as I thought about this, how many of us walk with the Lord much as these little ones walk with us. Running up to Him and grabbing His Hand, actually letting Him lead us at some points, but then getting totally and completely distracted. Something or someone grabs our attention and sways us from the path we are heading…just like that, we let go. Can you just see it now? At first it seems exciting…like nothing is going wrong. But it doesn't take long to realize that you are completely lost, desperate for comfort and you don't know which way to go! How many of us have ever felt that way? So we go running back to Jesus, grab His finger and repeat the process. Most little kids will walk away eventually; there is always something that will grab their attention. Do we find ourselves in that same rut? Over and over we run to Him, cling to Him, follow Him, and over and over we walk away…

Is it time to stop running? Is it time to trust that He Knows which way is right, best, straight? Is He enough?

For me, I no longer cling to His finger, but rather beg Him to hold tight to my wrist and enclose my grubby little hand in His. If there is one thing I am SURE of, He will NEVER let me go! And THAT is all the security that I need!

How about you? Sick of being drawn to a place where there is only desperation and regret? Then run back to your daddy…He is waiting, watching for that moment of recognition when it hits you that you NEED Him! He has not left you! Just follow your tears back to His everlasting arms!

Wild Stallion

Wild Stallion

I love to watch movies. Chick flicks are my favorite, but I can also tolerate a good, clean action film. There is not a chance for war movies, and anything with any kind of scary music, scary person, scary theme, etc…don't even bring it into my house. I have people laugh all the time when they see me closing my eyes and plugging my ears. There are just some things I can't tolerate!

I love so many, but the bad part about my getting old (O.K.….only 32...but still, my memory is going) is that I can't for the life of me remember titles. So I don't know what particular movie this was in but there was an awesome scene with horses. I know, narrows it down a ton, doesn't it? Let me get to the good part. There was a rebellious girl, yes, that it why I connected so well with her, that loved horses. There was a wild stallion, which was just gorgeous, on the ranch. She was instructed not to get close to it, but when coming face to face, she couldn't hold herself back. The stallion of course, stayed still long enough to lure her in and then spooked and took off. Are you on the edge of your seat yet? In the seconds that followed, fear, dread, and regret all settled into the girl's stomach as she watched the stallion sprint across the land, attracting allllllll the other horses' attention and beckoning them to follow. The next scene flashes tons of horses running full speed, following the big brave beautiful stallion. It was actually a remarkable view. I love horses and love to watch them run. But this story obviously had a very big chance to end badly. The horses were following a leader all right, but the leader was running stupidly right towards the cliff. It was blind to what lay right ahead, and did not slow down one bit as it lead tons of horses to their death. Thankfully the dad swooped in on his horse which ran faster than the stallion; they got ahead of it and turned them around. The horses stopped running, all were safe and the daughter breathed a sigh of relief, until of course her dad got a hold of her. But that is another story…

Do you understand the analogy here? That ONE stallion had the power to lead hundreds of horse to their death. Not one single horse that was following ever questioned whether or not they were going in the right direction, they just followed. And if the leader wouldn't have gotten turned around, they would have all just died…just like that. He was leading them to their grave.

The question that burned in me as I remembered that scene was what are we following?

How many of us find ourselves lacking passion for Jesus? Do you find your flame has burned out? Do you have a million other things that are taking HIS place? Do you even think about Him during your day? Has life become chasing distractions that will only lead to death, or are we running so hard towards the only one to keep us from falling off the edge?

Who is leading the pack that you find yourself in? Is it a wild stallion that runs blindly to wherever they want to go? Whatever they want to do, no matter the cost? Or are you following your own leader, who leads you beside still waters, who restores your soul, who never forsakes you, who comforts you, do I need to go on?

I am tired of this rat race….seriously…I am tired of watching people get on fire, then quit, then want to be passionate, then let their passion die, who really armor up, then forget to even pick up their sword, who commit, then renege. I am tired of satan stealing, lying, destroying, and just plain killing.

Who do you want to be? Do you really want to surrender to death? Do you really want to run blindly off that cliff? Let me be perfectly clear…that horse may not have known what was right in front of him…but satan does! And he will deliberately run you right off that edge!

Stop right now. It is not too late to change direction! Jesus is screaming your name and holding His Hand out. All you have to do is stop running and grab it! That is one cliff you do not want to plunge over…hold tight to the only thing that will keep you on solid ground!

Jamaica 2011

It has been FOREVER since i have last posted a devotion and i am truly sorry!  my life has been chaos lately.  not without a ton of God things...one included a mission trip with 17 other incredible people including my hubby and kiddo's!  huge success and we loved it...

the next week will be spent in Jamaica on another mission trip with 35 of us!  28 kids!  super excited...God has done amazing things in all of our hearts this past year and we are pumped to go!  some prayer requests are to please pray for safety, team unity, God to be able to use us whenever and whereever...the hearts of the jamaicans as well as our hearts!  also...several of us woke up SICK today!  so pray for super natural healing!!

the goal is to update this blog every day...GOAL....it may happen...might not!  depends on the internet and if the kids want to help ;)  might be me up typing at 11 while everyone is asleep (yeah right;))

so keep watching this week!!!  pray hard too! 

thanks!
in HIM
Tina <><
Joshua 1:9

Stuck Food

STUCK FOOD

    I do not have a dishwasher. I know, I know, many of you can hardly believe it. Trust me, I can hardly believe it. The pace of our life is so fast, a dishwasher, seriously, would make my house 10 x's cleaner. That is not even an exaggeration! What seems to happen all too often is that we eat and leave. The dishes usually make their way off of the table, but not into the dish water until the next morning. I wake many days to a pile of plates and pans with food hardened into place.

I have 3 kids, so I know that some of you are telling me to put them to work. There is one little problem to that equation: I am an extremely picky washer. I cannot stand even a speck of food left on any plate or in between a fork prong or in a pan. I wash and wash and then run my hand over the utensil until I am confident all the grease, grime and food are gone! It, at times, can take me forever! I have washcloths with a special scrubbing side, I have special sponges, I have special degreaser and special soap. You can just say that my dishes are special. Just kidding. But I use all of those things so that they will be clean and completely ready for use the next time. You may think that I am over the top on this, but not one of you would eat off of a plate that was still dirty, or use a fork that still had last nights lasagna on it. I'm right aren't I?

Why is it that every single one of us would not put a plate away until it was clean, would continue to soak it if the food wouldn't come off and even go as far as using extra soap to help with the cleaning process? We would take that pan and, with perseverance, make it sparkle. We wouldn't throw it away just because it took extra work, nor would we leave it sit on the counter for 2 more weeks. We would immediately get to work on it.

Why are we satisfied walking around with "stuff" stuck to ourselves then? Why does a plate or spoon get more of our energy and attention than our spiritual lives do? I know that it is a weird analogy, but if you think about it, it is so true! We will leave pride plastered in place, or ignore the big chunk of selfishness that is there! We seem to not care that our hearts are getting hardened by sin every day! We leave it sit "on the counter" and not really take any special care to make sure we completely wash it away. We become mean, unloving, unforgiving and refuse to give grace when grace is needed! Read that last sentence again…does that sound like someone whose heart is loving Jesus? It actually sounds like someone who has never met Him! But how many of us find ourselves with at least one of those traits stuck firmly in place?

In Hebrews 3, it states this:

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

 

Sin will deceive us and if we do not take care of it today, you will become hardened. Who are you surrounding yourself with? Are they willing to help you remove what is hardened in place? You have to remember that sometimes, it takes more than just one thing to get all the "junk" off! You need several to get the job completely done! Friends, The Bible, prayer, church, etc….don't think that you can do this yourself!

Don't be stubborn, and don't get comfortable in your sin! Get the soap out, degreaser, sponge and whatever else it takes! You will not ever be fully used unless you are completely clean! Plunge into that water and start washing!

Who Am I?

Who Am I?

 

I was struck with something on my way home from church today.

God is so big and we are merely nothing. But too often, we act like we are so big and God is nothing. How did things get so messed up?

Have you ever had an experience with a person who tried to tell you how to do your job and had no clue what they were talking about? How did you or would you react? Being the insensitive person that I am, I'd be afraid that I would laugh in their face. You may be someone who would patiently listen, then when they left, do it the right way anyhow.

How do you think God reacts? I personally have felt Him get frustrated at me. Don't get me wrong, He is so patient! The frustration usually comes after I repeatedly insist that I know what I know, and that what I know is right. I just wonder if I ever just make Him laugh out loud and shake His head!

I found this passage tucked in an amazing book. (yeah the Bible J)

 

Job 38:4-21

¶ "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—

7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

8 "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,

9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,

10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,

11 when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?

12 ¶ "Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place,

13 that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?

14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.

15 The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.

16 "Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.

19 "What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?

20 Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

21 Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!

 

At what point did you start feeling pretty small? If it didn't hit you at the beginning or the middle, the last verse surely smacked you across the face!

How have we become so enthralled in ourselves and our own lives that we have forgotten how mighty and powerful He is? Right now, if you are saying that you haven't forgotten, then let me ask you another question: when was the last time you were worried sick over something? Or when was the last time that you made a decision by yourself? I think that I could ask a million "when was the last time" questions. The reality is that we all forget at times our position. We all forget that the God, who did everything described in Job 38, is the same God that is there for us too. We think that we can handle things on our own. One of the most horrible mistakes that I have ever made was thinking that I could fix a problem by myself, and in my own power. That mindset got me stuck in a pit so deep, I am sure that God's arm had to be completely extended to help me climb out! But you know what? His Hand was there the instant I asked for help! That of course does not mean that I decided to hold on to it until I got to the top. When I would let go, there, thankfully, were ledges in the pit that I fell onto; I never fell all the way back to the bottom. But only when I surrendered to the fact that I am nothing, and only God could fix me, did I get fixed! I am talking years of trying to do it on my own! It took God only a couple months with me completely surrendered and I could again see the light of day instead of the dingy walls that had become all too familiar to me!

Don't take God for granted! He is there and always will be, but we need to not live our lives with Him on the back burner; ready to use Him when we are desperate!

Every day He wakes us with the sun. We expect it, and He comes through. Every night, it gets dark. We expect it, and He comes through. Every promise that He has ever made, He has come through on! What about that kind of God makes us want to forget Him when we wake? Forget to thank Him for the food that He provides? Go days without talking to Him at all? I am going to ask the question again: How did things get so messed up? Why is God not on the pedestal that we put our "things" on? Why are "things" more important than God who simply has to speak and the winds stop?

We are crazy, we are confused, and we are messed up!

There is a praise song that is called "Great are You" by Downhere

The Chorus goes:

"Because I'll never hold the picture

Of the whole horizon in my view

Because I'll never rip the night in two

It makes me wonder

Who am I, Who am I, Who am I

And great are you

 

How I love Your Word

My God, My King

How I love Your Word

My God, My King"

 

We are nothing, but amazingly the creator of the whole universe, wants to have a relationship with us! I shake my head in wonder at how amazing He truly is! He not only wants to have a relationship with us but He pursues a relationship with us! What are we doing?! We have got to get things straightened out and put things in the right order! God first and EVERYTHING else second! If we can get that right, then our minds will finely be without any arrogance about whom we really are and who God really is!

 

 

 

Random Question

Random Question?

Our lives are pretty crazy. Many of you probably can "amen" that statement, can't you? We each have our tightly packed schedules that we keep, even if my schedule is chaos. I have a friend who color coordinates her calendar! Each of them gets a different color so she can remember who goes where. I have another one that does nothing but chauffeurs, sometimes having 3 games in one night! She can recite exactly when, where, and what she is doing each day of the week! Then you have some people like me, who can't make plans because her calendar is not in front of her, and she can't remember what is going on the next day without looking at it. Are you relating? All of these add up to one truth…life is b-u-s-y!

Is there anything in your schedule right now that you could imagine cutting out or cutting short? … NO???... I am thinking that many of you could not imagine getting rid of anything. Each one is just "too important". Is this true? So here is a random question: What if someone offered you a million dollars, would you take it? Wait…it does come with a couple of strings attached (of course). You have to, for 2 weeks, fit into your day 20 minutes of reading about their products on the internet. Could you do it? OF COURSE YOU WOULD! For a million dollars, there isn't much that we wouldn't do. I believe that almost every single one of us would, without hesitation, be able to find the time to get that done!

So here comes the big question: Are you willing to do the same thing for God?

1 Timothy 6:9-11 " People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. (Who would sign up for that??)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.(NO THANKS!)

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."

 

Could it be that money is not everything? Is it true that it will not solve all our problems? We spend so much of our time and energy running after something that promises us happiness, security, and comfort. It's true isn't it? We just determined that we would, most likely, be able to change our crazy schedules around to have those green pieces of paper, even knowing that we can't take any of it with us! Do you realize that even if we are rich, we still die? Money tempts us into thinking that just a little more and you will be happy, or that you won't have worries anymore, or that you will finally be able to relax! The truth is: money is deceitful. And we could put anything into that little equation. Sports for instance. Sports are NOT going to make you happy forever! You will eventually have to quit playing them, with probably a worn out body, in which you will have to spend all your money on anyhow! But yet thousands of us devote all our time and energy trying to get better! We spend countless hours pouring all we have into a game that will be over in a few short years. Then what?

 

What are you building your foundation on? And another very important question, what are you teaching others to build their houses on? You can build it on the foundation of money, sports, friends, etc… you can! For a while it will do really well for you…maybe even years! You will be standing tall and you will feel like everything is perfect and life is just awesome! But what happens when that storm hits (because it will!). What happens when you get that dreaded phone call that there has been an accident or that someone (maybe even you) are sick…really sick. What about a basketball game, or a million dollars, or cards with your friends, could EVER get you through a time like that? A million dollars would NEVER bring a loved one back to life…trust me…I know! Just one more game of basketball will never cure cancer! All the money in the world, can't repair a sports injury completely…I have lived it, it's true!

 

There is only one thing that can ever keep you from sinking…JESUS!

 

It's time for an inventory check. What are you making a god in your life?

 

There is only one true God that will hold you now and embrace you later. Only one true God will NEVER leave you (that means when you die too!). Are you running hard after Him? Or are you stuck in the rut of running hard after something that ends? God is clear…where you place your treasure, there your heart will be. Is your heart with Him?

 

Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

 

20/20 Vision

When I was young, I constantly heard "20/20" every time I visited the eye doctor. My brother and I were both blessed with great vision while my 2 sisters couldn't go a single day without putting on their glasses or contacts.

My perfectness didn't last forever though (I know…you all are shocked that I am not perfectJ). The difference was so gradual that I became accustomed to seeing a little bit fogger and fogger. I first noticed things were getting a bit worse when I would have to squint a little bit to see things farther away. At night, when the darkness closed in, was my worst, but still not bad enough for me to want to go and get glasses! I could still see pretty well, and even at my worst, I could pass my driver's test without any help. I probably still would be without glasses, except I gradually began to develop headaches. Not just normal headaches, but ones that wouldn't go away with a couple ibuprofen. I call them my "eye headaches".

This was enough to make me see a doctor. I found out that I had what they call a stigmatism: an irregular eye curvature. To correct it, I would need to wear glasses. As I was trying to get myself to be o.k. with this, the doctor began to put different lenses in front of my eyes. My reaction was one that I will never forget. "Oh my word, I can see clearly!" I couldn't believe how accustomed I had gotten to seeing blurry. It had happened so slowly that I didn't even know what clarity looked like anymore! But all of the sudden, there it was! Perfect vision again.

Since that first visit to the eye doctor, the pattern has repeated itself. I wear my glasses for a couple of years, and not realize that my vision is getting a little blurrier and blurrier. All of the sudden, my headaches start, and I know it is time to clear things up a bit. I get my new glasses and have the same reaction. I simply can't believe that things can look so clear and crisp!

I have noticed the same thing happening to Christians across America. When we are little kids, we want to love Jesus and get to Heaven. Throw in a slumber party here and there and we are good to go. As we enter into our teen years, that pretty much flips. Our life is more about us and our fun and desires, and less about loving and pleasing God. When we finally get out of this stage, we have a "stigmatism" of sorts on our perspective. We now become driven more by what we want to see get done, and the steps that are "normal" to take, and less about seeking out what God's plan is for each and every one of us. God is an afterthought of sorts and is invited to tag along as long as He lets us do what we want. Our worship consists of going to church for an hour or two every Sunday (maybe), possibly Wednesday night service, you know…going through the motions. We know what we are supposed to do, and we, for the most part, stick to the rules. But there is a sense of the world creeping into our hearts. It is something that has happened little by little, that we aren't even aware that our "vision" is cloudy. It is just the way things are and too many of us are fine that way. We don't see a need for spiritual glasses.

But I am very aware of a headache that is starting. God wants to get our attention! We need to wake up and grab our Bibles. There is an urgency about this situation. I whole heartedly feel that we are becoming lukewarm in our beliefs and in our faith. Even worse, I feel that we are spreading it around to others. If you have ever been around someone who is passionate, you feel something contagious about them. It is the same way with someone who has no passion at all. We are influencing others to just be normal, plain Jane kind of Christians. We are setting the bar so ridiculously low, that people are content in a place where the goal is to put in the "time" at church and check it off their lists. No one feels the need or want to do anything else.

Blurred vision is not so bad…when you don't realize what you are missing. But I am here to tell you that you are missing a lot! Don't settle for every day ordinary life. God is so much bigger and has so much more planned for you! He wants you to step up and step out. Our call as Christians is to bring glory to His Name, not ours! This life is all about Him not you or me! We should be living to make Him famous!

Are you beginning to realize that your way may not match up to His way? I hope that you can get a fire started and motivate yourself to want more. Expect more! Raise that bar and challenge yourself to get to know a God who wants more for you than you yourself do!