I hope you had a fabulous Christmas holiday!
Emmanuel - God with us!!!!!!!!!!
2011 was quite a year for me personally. As I think about 2012, I wondered how I would know what God's will is for me. The following verse came to my heart:
Proverbs 3:6 (Amplified Bible)
In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
This is quite a promise, isn't it? A promise straight from God through His Word. As I look for and acknowledge Him in every single aspect of my life, His promise is that He will direct and make plain my path or His will for me. I’ve thought about what this looks like for me…..and I realize the key is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (Amplified Bible):
Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].
This is the practical application of Provers 3:6!!
I had an example of this yesterday evening. It’s kind of silly, but it was enlightening to me. After work I like to watch the news. Yesterday when I got home our cable television was out so I could not watch the news and I began to be irritated, cranky and frustrated about it (I know – it’s the little stuff that trips me up)!
Suddenly I thought to thank God for this, knowing that He is the creator of all things and any thing He allows He will use for my good. As I thanked Him, my frustration disappeared and I was joyful and at peace instead!!! After several minutes the cable came back on and I still watched the news.
My lesson learned was that there is nothing to be irritated, cranky or frustrated about but instead to thank Him for all things…and based on Prov 3:6 above, I have the promise that He will direct my paths and make the way clear!! It's so simple, isn't it? I just have to be humble and thankful enough to do it!!
As you think about 2012, I pray that one of your highest priorities is to commit to really studying God's Word every single day. This is one important aspect of intimacy with Him. As in all relationships,
The quality of the relationship is dependent on the quality of the time spent relating!
I pray that each one of us would plunge more deeply into the depths of God's grace in 2012!!!!!!!!!
Hugs!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The next stage
My dad died on Friday. I am so thankful that his suffering is over, but I just can’t imagine living in a world that he’s not in. It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that my dad is not on this earth any more. On the other hand I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about him being in heaven with Jesus. Wow! I can only imagine that!!! I'm so excited for my dad!
On the trip to California the sadness consumed me though. I suddenly felt like a little girl lost without her daddy. But God is indescribably amazing! At just the right time I heard a song I had never heard before that was completely perfect. It was as if God and my daddy gave me a big hug. It is by Shane and Shane and called The One You Need. It says:
Hey, hey sweet daughter
I am so proud to be your father
Each day is like a gift from God
Hey hey sweet daughter
There's no music like your laughter
And your smile is like a rising sun.
You know I loved you from the start
So come in close take my hand
While daddy shares his heart
I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one who gives you all the things you need
Sometimes I am gonna let you down
But there a One that if you just believe will
Be the hero like He's always been for me
Daughter, Jesus is the one you need
No matter what you walk through
He will always love you
Just the way you are.
For there’s nothing in this world
That I want for my baby girl
But to be happy ever after
The story of your life has been untold
I pray the King of all the universe
Will make your heart his home
Who will never leave
Who has been there all along
It is so amazing to realize that my heavenly Father is the perfect father. My daddy loved me very much and did the very best he could, but he was still human and still fallible, like all of us. But all my life my daddy pointed me to Jesus, to the Heavenly Father, the only perfect father. Thank you, daddy! I love you!
On the trip to California the sadness consumed me though. I suddenly felt like a little girl lost without her daddy. But God is indescribably amazing! At just the right time I heard a song I had never heard before that was completely perfect. It was as if God and my daddy gave me a big hug. It is by Shane and Shane and called The One You Need. It says:
Hey, hey sweet daughter
I am so proud to be your father
Each day is like a gift from God
Hey hey sweet daughter
There's no music like your laughter
And your smile is like a rising sun.
You know I loved you from the start
So come in close take my hand
While daddy shares his heart
I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one who gives you all the things you need
Sometimes I am gonna let you down
But there a One that if you just believe will
Be the hero like He's always been for me
Daughter, Jesus is the one you need
No matter what you walk through
He will always love you
Just the way you are.
For there’s nothing in this world
That I want for my baby girl
But to be happy ever after
The story of your life has been untold
I pray the King of all the universe
Will make your heart his home
Who will never leave
Who has been there all along
It is so amazing to realize that my heavenly Father is the perfect father. My daddy loved me very much and did the very best he could, but he was still human and still fallible, like all of us. But all my life my daddy pointed me to Jesus, to the Heavenly Father, the only perfect father. Thank you, daddy! I love you!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
A thought for today
If I am trying to control circumstances or people, where is my faith? I have all I can do to control my own thoughts and that's all God asks of me! I choose to trust every circumstance and person I care about to God and I focus on taking every one of my thoughts captive to the truth of Christ!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
God is faithful!
Sometimes life gets hard, doesn't it? When that happens, does it mean God does not love us? Or is not faithful to us? No! It means He is merciful and gracious. Most of us have experienced the truth of experiencing God more deeply and intensely during the difficult experiences in life. Some of you know about our recent experiences, but I wanted to give you the update.
In the past nine months, we have gone from having an "empty nest" at home, to parenting five teenage boys, losing the boys and caring for my parents as my dad begins the dying process. In the next few weeks we have two new grandbabies due and we don't know when dad will pass to eternity, but he is in hospice care now. These have been incredibly difficult experiences. Incredibly difficult. Humanly, there has been lots of loss and lots of sadness and hurt. But at the same time I've been reminded unquestionably of two things. God is faithful and He gives us the grace we need for the experience. Every time.
As we began parenting the five boys, it was overwhelming to me at times. They are amazing guys and we love them very much, but five teenage boys are a handful too! Whenever it seemed too much I reminded myself, sometimes even outloud and repeatedly, that "God is faithful." It became my mantra. And it was true. Those were an amazing six months in our lives in so many ways. And God was faithful. He gave me the grace to do what needed to be done and to find joy in it too! But now, a few months later, I look back and don't know how I could have done what we did. I can't imagine it! But during the experience, God's grace was perfectly enough! When the boys were moved, I thought my heart would break. We got through it, but we still feel the loss. But God is faithful and knowing that the boys are now in a wonderful home, with more than we could have provided, we are deeply thankful that God is faithful!
Spending six weeks with my parents and helping them work through the disease process, God's grace was again exactly enough. Perfectly enough. Now, a few weeks later, I look back and I don't know how I did it. I don't know how I got through each day. But at the time, God's grace was perfectly enough! And He provided amazing opportunity and blessing in the time I was able to spend with my parents. It was incredibly wonderful, even though it was difficult too. God is faithful. His grace is just right for the time. He gives us just the right amount of grace at just the right time. Like manna, we can't store it up and use it later.
Now we are meeting with my parents and my brother to see what we can do to help mom when dad has gone. I keep thinking there will be no way she can tolerate the loss, but I trust that God will be faithful and His grace will be just right for her....and for us.
This morning I heard a great song (I think it was written by Need to Breath, but I'm not sure) and one phrase said it all. "When you think you can't, think you can." I choose to think the truth. I choose to remember God is faithful and His grace is just right!
In the past nine months, we have gone from having an "empty nest" at home, to parenting five teenage boys, losing the boys and caring for my parents as my dad begins the dying process. In the next few weeks we have two new grandbabies due and we don't know when dad will pass to eternity, but he is in hospice care now. These have been incredibly difficult experiences. Incredibly difficult. Humanly, there has been lots of loss and lots of sadness and hurt. But at the same time I've been reminded unquestionably of two things. God is faithful and He gives us the grace we need for the experience. Every time.
As we began parenting the five boys, it was overwhelming to me at times. They are amazing guys and we love them very much, but five teenage boys are a handful too! Whenever it seemed too much I reminded myself, sometimes even outloud and repeatedly, that "God is faithful." It became my mantra. And it was true. Those were an amazing six months in our lives in so many ways. And God was faithful. He gave me the grace to do what needed to be done and to find joy in it too! But now, a few months later, I look back and don't know how I could have done what we did. I can't imagine it! But during the experience, God's grace was perfectly enough! When the boys were moved, I thought my heart would break. We got through it, but we still feel the loss. But God is faithful and knowing that the boys are now in a wonderful home, with more than we could have provided, we are deeply thankful that God is faithful!
Spending six weeks with my parents and helping them work through the disease process, God's grace was again exactly enough. Perfectly enough. Now, a few weeks later, I look back and I don't know how I did it. I don't know how I got through each day. But at the time, God's grace was perfectly enough! And He provided amazing opportunity and blessing in the time I was able to spend with my parents. It was incredibly wonderful, even though it was difficult too. God is faithful. His grace is just right for the time. He gives us just the right amount of grace at just the right time. Like manna, we can't store it up and use it later.
Now we are meeting with my parents and my brother to see what we can do to help mom when dad has gone. I keep thinking there will be no way she can tolerate the loss, but I trust that God will be faithful and His grace will be just right for her....and for us.
This morning I heard a great song (I think it was written by Need to Breath, but I'm not sure) and one phrase said it all. "When you think you can't, think you can." I choose to think the truth. I choose to remember God is faithful and His grace is just right!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
It's okay to be unique!
I found this amazing quote from one of Max Lucado's books that I wanted to share! It came from "Cure for the Common Life" and it says:
"When David [went] mano a mano with Goliath, King Saul tried to clothe [him] with soldier's armor. After all, Goliath stood over nine feet tall. He wore a bronze helmet and...coat of mail...and carried a...spear with a 15-pound head. And David? David had a slingshot. This is a VW Bug playing blink with an eighteen-wheeler, a salmon daring the grizzly to bring it on...
But David rejected the armor, selected the stones, lobotomized the giant, and taught us a powerful lesson: what fits others might not fit you.... Just because someone gives you advice, a job, or a promotion, you don't have to accept it. Let your uniqueness define your path!"
As I increasingly try to live led only by the Holy Spirit, it becomes clear to me that following the "crowd" or being overly influenced by the opinions of others, may be contradictory to the leading by God's Spirit. I pray that each of us will experience God's leading in every aspect of our lives and that we won't be deceived by the culture around us!
Hugs!
Twila
"When David [went] mano a mano with Goliath, King Saul tried to clothe [him] with soldier's armor. After all, Goliath stood over nine feet tall. He wore a bronze helmet and...coat of mail...and carried a...spear with a 15-pound head. And David? David had a slingshot. This is a VW Bug playing blink with an eighteen-wheeler, a salmon daring the grizzly to bring it on...
But David rejected the armor, selected the stones, lobotomized the giant, and taught us a powerful lesson: what fits others might not fit you.... Just because someone gives you advice, a job, or a promotion, you don't have to accept it. Let your uniqueness define your path!"
As I increasingly try to live led only by the Holy Spirit, it becomes clear to me that following the "crowd" or being overly influenced by the opinions of others, may be contradictory to the leading by God's Spirit. I pray that each of us will experience God's leading in every aspect of our lives and that we won't be deceived by the culture around us!
Hugs!
Twila
Friday, April 29, 2011
Seeking God
I don't know about you, but sometimes even though I really want to seek God in the morning before my day gets too busy, when I spend time trying to pray and read my Bible I still feel far from God and my mind darts to all of the things I need to get done that day (or at least that I think I need to get done!)...or things that happened the previous day....or...
Psalms 100 describes the way into God's presence. We seek Him through:
1. Glad worship
2. Acknowledging that He is God, my Creator and Sustainer
3. With thanksgiving, and
4. With praise
While it would be silly to think a simple formula could help us experience God, I am finding that when I'm having "one of those days" if I purposefully and intentionally do these things it cuts through the chaos and calms my mind so I can see that God was there all along.... but now I can experience Him with me.
In the past I have struggled with insomnia regularly. Now if I wake up in the night, usually with my mind racing about something, I praise God and thank Him for who He is, gladly worshipping Him and acknowledging that His will is perfect for me. This practice has transformed my sleep and changed my life!
I'm SO thankful that God provides all that we need for every situation in every moment of our lives. My prayer for each of us is that we practice seeking him in every moment of every day and night. This doesn't mean we stop functioning in our daily life requirements, but it means we seek Him even while doing all those things...and ours days will be so blessed, no matter what happens in the earthly realm.
Have a blessed day! Jesus LIVES!
Love you!
Twila
Psalms 100 describes the way into God's presence. We seek Him through:
1. Glad worship
2. Acknowledging that He is God, my Creator and Sustainer
3. With thanksgiving, and
4. With praise
While it would be silly to think a simple formula could help us experience God, I am finding that when I'm having "one of those days" if I purposefully and intentionally do these things it cuts through the chaos and calms my mind so I can see that God was there all along.... but now I can experience Him with me.
In the past I have struggled with insomnia regularly. Now if I wake up in the night, usually with my mind racing about something, I praise God and thank Him for who He is, gladly worshipping Him and acknowledging that His will is perfect for me. This practice has transformed my sleep and changed my life!
I'm SO thankful that God provides all that we need for every situation in every moment of our lives. My prayer for each of us is that we practice seeking him in every moment of every day and night. This doesn't mean we stop functioning in our daily life requirements, but it means we seek Him even while doing all those things...and ours days will be so blessed, no matter what happens in the earthly realm.
Have a blessed day! Jesus LIVES!
Love you!
Twila
Friday, March 11, 2011
Defining Prayer
This excerpt is from from Max Lucado's book Come Thirsty. It's perfect for our women's study this month at LifeChurch:
Early Christians were urged to ..."always be prayerful" (Romans 12:12 NLT); "pray at all times and on every occasion" (Ephesians 6:18 NLT). Sound burdensome? Are you wondering, My business needs attention, my children need dinner, my bills need paying. How can I stay in a place of prayer?
Do this. Change your definition of prayer. Think of prayers less as an activity for God and more as an awareness of God. Seek to live in uninterrupted awareness. Acknowledge His Presence everywhere you go. As you stand in line to register your car, think, Thank you, Lord for being here. In the grocery as you shop, Your Presence, my King, I welcome. As you wash the dishes, worship your Maker.
Isn't this awesome! Ladies, as we learn to pray God's Word, I pray that each one of us experiences an amazing realization of God's immediate and continuous presence with us! He's right here with us - open your heart and mind to see Him and you will never need to feel alone again!
Hugs!
Early Christians were urged to ..."always be prayerful" (Romans 12:12 NLT); "pray at all times and on every occasion" (Ephesians 6:18 NLT). Sound burdensome? Are you wondering, My business needs attention, my children need dinner, my bills need paying. How can I stay in a place of prayer?
Do this. Change your definition of prayer. Think of prayers less as an activity for God and more as an awareness of God. Seek to live in uninterrupted awareness. Acknowledge His Presence everywhere you go. As you stand in line to register your car, think, Thank you, Lord for being here. In the grocery as you shop, Your Presence, my King, I welcome. As you wash the dishes, worship your Maker.
Isn't this awesome! Ladies, as we learn to pray God's Word, I pray that each one of us experiences an amazing realization of God's immediate and continuous presence with us! He's right here with us - open your heart and mind to see Him and you will never need to feel alone again!
Hugs!
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