Beauty...

In the bible we are told that our bodies are Gods temple and we are to take care of them.  How hard is that in this world now? Every time I turn around something else is bad for you when another person says it is good for you. How do you know what to believe? Yet alone what to eat. Sure you have your whole food stores...but do you have the money for that?

Look at an advertisement...do you see any woman in them with muffin tops? What's about a flat chest or dry hair...that is what woman and girls are told is expectable...sometime that is what. we have to do if we want to find a man and if you don't look like that then shame on you...

What a hard and unforgiving message to send to teens and children...people are suprised suicid and depression is so high?  When the worlds standards  are so very unreachable for some....

But are we of the world? Or in it for sharing our savior?

Does the worlds opinions matter in the end...will being skinny with legs that go on for days...will they get you into heaven in the end?

Yes, God wants us to take care of our bodies... And also to look at ourselves as he sees us...fearfully and wonderfully made....hear that wounderfully made. Oh, a reminder I need most days...I am so guilty of looking in the mirror and being so very disappointed and so  discussed with what i look like... Compared to how I use to work...sin is so apparent in our lives I. The world and in the passage of time on our bodies....

But think about it...fearfully and wounderfully made..who am I to be disgusted with what God considers perfect and Good...

I'm working on it...mostly the mental wall of looking at what people show as beautiful and what really is...the heart..even at 26 years old I struggle with it... And I have a husband who tells me everyday I'm beautiful...what about the young girls who don't have that..what do they hear?

Maybe you can tell someone how nice they look...I. The shelter of each other we will live...

I've gotten back into yoga again...because yes I'm beautiful but i also want to feel and be healthy...that is part of being a steward of God here on earth...  We are all here given blessing after blessing for our father...why not take care of you body the temple of God the best you can?

So this is my prayer for the youth and to the adults...my you find the strength and wisdom to take care of yourself..and my you realize how much your father loves you just the way you are...my you reach out to people or may someone reach out to you and remind you of your beautiful heart...and from the inside out; who knows what great things our father in his wisdom and in his time, will bless you with.

Amen

Lent

I love the Lenten season the hymns the mood...people think its depressing but it's forgiveness every year I stand again In awe of the fact that all the things I fail at each day...just go back and and read my blog...I'm a sinner...but because of Jesus...I'm a saint...

Wow...just read through the reserection story and remember again and again...

What.he.did.for.you.

A three year old girl in my room put it the best the other day. She told me..."because Jesus died on the cross I have to be nice to my friends." How far can you take that when someone talks about you behind your back...can you look past it because Jesus did. Look at Jesus disciples his best friends...they were a mess. Even up to the time of his death they never really understood fully who Jesus was...one betrayed him another swore he didn't k ow him...Jesus died for them...

Jesus loved them....

I love lent...it's on the confession that I am reminded that God sent Jesus to make me rightious it's not my works, it's not something I have earned...it's a gift confession isn't about guilt..it's about faith....

In faith the woman who touched Jesus robe was healed..in faith Peter walked on water even for a short time...in faith you are saved.....in faith.

So i challenge you...once a day from now till Easter read the story of the path to the cross...Luke 22-24 and as you read each time slowly read and find something you missed before. Read of love as the best it can ever be...

You may be suprised by Easter Sunday about some of the things you read.

...take the time for The Lord....
and most of all pray.

Amen.

In faith

How the passage of time changes you...when things happen and your not joking when you mumble..I'm to old for this. 

Last night was a nightmare....well almost..like always God leaves a bit of hope...

Praise God.

Does your gut or that still small voice ever tell you not to do something...

And you do it anyway and it's like the worst night ever? When am I going to learn not to ignore it...I've lost count of how many times I've gone dancing when I just new I shouldn't...and how each and every time I completely and utterly regret it.

Time marches on... I watched a dear friend drink too much last night...I watched him almost get sick in my car...and as I'm driving and praying that I get him out of my car before he gets sick I realize I'm to old to be dealing with this, how completly and utterly pointless drinking to get drunk or even buzzed is...and how Im Okay with not. Sure I get home form work somedays and enjoy a beer with my dinner. I go to community group and have a beer while we talk about Jesus..

I've never been a huge drinker yes I've had my nights of bad judgments...or accidentally drinking to much...but not often and I can still count them on one hand... I've never actually wanted too...I can't wrap my head around that idea of going out to get drunk...

Who.am.i.to.judge

I'm no better because I know where to draw the line on my drinking...how easy is it to fall into that trap of comparing "yeah I might be bad but look at him at least I'm not him..." We talked about it in church tonight; how we all have a little of a Pharisee in us...how we all get selfrightious and how that's not how it works...let me ask you something..

Who.does tat help?

Timothy 1:15

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst.But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."

"Of whom I am the worst" that's not a comfortable thought is it? We want to be the tax collector who in faith comes to God and leaves with forgiveness...

 

In faith..

"Confession is not what justifies us (makes us right with God) the cross, Christ death and reserection...that's justification...alarming justification."

I'm not going to tell people they can't drink...I'm not going to say ill never drink again...though I think I could do it...I just don't have to deal with it anymore...and I. Going to pray that my friend realizes and finds help...

In faith father I lift up my inpatients and unbelief...at the foot of the cross I laid the, out my hopes ,y fears my doubt and I took peace. In faith father I lift up my dear friend the lost and the seeking.draw them close to you and make them ready to take the journey of leaving the world behind. May I be tool you use may my life reflect your love and this new found peace...

Thank you for the cross....

Never forget his glory..

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? ²⁶ Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9


Talk about a verse that could make you uncomfortable. Talk about a verse not for the weak in faith...

Talk about a verse about real life. Each day we are to pick up our crosses and follow him. Daily...Everyday we will have a cross to bare as long as we are on this earth.As long as we are sinful humans waiting for our Saviors return. Jesus carried his...and all of ours all at once. 

"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose his soul?" (paraphrased) 

I am glad the chapter doesn't end there, but it is followed up in starting in verse 28 with the story of the transfiguration. Put yourself in the disciples place right now, Jesus your best friend, the person you walked away from family, friends, jobs for. He just told you he was going to die. Told you that if you wanted to live you might have to die too. That things are going to get worse before it will get better, they will be tested. 

Then follow the three disciples that probably mess up the most Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain to spend time with Jesus...the very man who just told them they might die if they live for him...

and watch as the glory of the Lord came upon him. A brightness to bright for men, a voice that made the Israelite s tremble and beg for Moses to go talk to God so that he doesn't speak to them again....A power that had been stilled for 600 years until a group of shepherds got to see it one still night...A power and a glory shining out from Jesus, the one you love as you stand on a mountain with him. One glimpse of what he has been trying to tell you he is for 33 years... 

Jesus does this though, think of the times in your life when you have felt the Lord with you...his peace is on you, you know he is there right now your skill tingles your heart skips...and multiply that by thousands...the hope it gives you the faith it rekindles...in the thick of a storm that indescribable peace... 

These disciples; about to be placed through the darkest times yet are given this gift to see Jesus in his glory and have something to hold too when Jesus is flogged, bleeding, and dying... Their Jesus, the savior they thought would rule on earth....

They didn't want to leave that mountain...that safe place just think how that must have felt how you feel when your in fellowship...when you aren't in the real world...how easy it is to never want to leave the safety of people that think and believe just as you do...and how that's the whole point to take in the word of The Lord so you can go I to a broken world and have something to give...

Remember the story, rehearse it again and again as the crosses in your life wear you down, as you want to give up, as you doubt, as your faith hangs on by a thread...remember the transfiguration remember the Resurrection...Remember Jesus in all God's glory walked the earth, bore your cross and loves you still.  

May these words, these stories give you enough for your daily cross...enough for your soul. Enough for the day.

Yes the journey to the cross is important to a follower of Christ but never forget the transfiguration  the Resurrection  the power and the glory that are his, forever and ever...

AMEN

Misunderstood

Yesterday was a rough day...

    One of those days where you are just misunderstood....when it's all said in done its worthless to explain to anyone...I didn't do anything.   I grew up making due with what you had, and that's just fine. I can always figure it out sometimes I just need time to think.

    Its funny the different ways you can approach saying something that you know someone else is not going to like. The different kind of reaction you can have if you walk into a room and say; I need this because of this, and our boss said to do it. Instead of; hey guys here is the problem I need this because of this what do you think got any other ideas? To give the other person time to explain yeah we need them too just as much as you do...lets figure this out.

    I hate feeling like I did something wrong when I tried to just figure something out. It helped me understand things though, it's that constant selfish struggle I have at work. It's good practice...

    How do you deliver messages? I know I've had some poor deliveries in my time. Everyday it amazes me the power in words, when you can say the same thing in two different ways and make someone upset of make it okay. I think that's one of the reasons I was an English major and I enjoy reading and poetry so much. Words fascinate me. It's like a challenge and one that I tend to avoid because it makes me uncomfortable and I don't like talking to people. We all so easily take up the defense  jump to conclusions and end up angry. We.are.all.selfish.

   So, if you need to say something you know will make someone else upset or they won't like take some time slow down and see if you can say it in a way that wont make the other person feel like their opinions don't matter at all. That they cant even ask questions to try to understand why. Slow down world, take your time figure it out....calm down before you take it to an authority figure... May God guild me in my reactions and thoughts, may he help me when things don't go my way to hold my tongue and not whine and complain like the children I work with. My my focus and yours ever be drawn back to Jesus and the cross. He gave up his life; remember the story. A body can deal with a lot if they keep their eyes on the cross.

Share Jesus

Colossians 2:6,7
 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.


Overflowing with thankfulness.....wow I mean really think about the implications of that phrase...does that sound like you?

I know I don't fit that description.

That.is.all.....and it is enough.

May your day be filled with thanksgiving, may your every thought be drawn back to The Lord....and may you find the guts to thank your Father out loud. Get someone to look at you funny....make them ask what : or why did you just say tank you. Then explain and share your happieness...share Jesus...

Amen!

It's a God thing.

"Dream big...Pray Boldly...God will do the rest."

That was church tonight...

It's a God thing.

It's exactly what I needed.


God.is.Good. everytime, all the time.

Dreams change, fade, and new ones grow...and always always...we are left with hope.

I'm sorry for my doubts Father, I'm sorry for my weakness, help me to trust you boldly.

Let my light shine before men, that they may see my good deeds and praise my father in heaven. "Matthew 5: 16"  (paraphrased)

I think I'm begging to understand what it means to pray scripture...Father forgive my unbelief.