Today I Celebrate

Tonight the house is quiet except for the last load of laundry tumbling in the dryer.  My thoughts wander and then stop at a window of time from six years ago.

Six years ago this month I was in my last trimester of my pregnancy with my youngest, Logan, who was to be born December 13.  It was also this month six years ago that I had surgery to remove melanoma from my right shoulder.  And on this very day, six years ago I was at my sister's wedding. (Happy Anniversary, sis.)

I remember sitting on a porch swing at the resort where the wedding was to be held.  I could feel God holding me.  Praise music and earphones to my ears and also on my belly, my unborn baby and I praised Him together that all would be well. 

My unborn baby... who was a complete surprise and not in our plans.  

But God's plans are so much greater than ours.

I remember the doctor saying that because of the pregnancy hormones in my body, the spot on my shoulder changed more rapidly and the cancer grew more aggressively,making it easier to recognize that something was wrong, prompting the removal and biopsy.  In a sense, me being pregnant saved me.  I'm so glad His plans are greater than mine.

And I knew God had a special plan for Logan.

For many months of my pregnancy, Logan - while still in my womb - praised God with me.  Morning after morning we would pray, praise and listen together.  I remember after he was born how the same praise music would soothe him, because he remembered and was comforted in God's presence.

He still worships today and will declare to anyone who is interested that he is a worshipper.  I watch him dance and wave flags on Sunday mornings, declaring that Jesus is Lord.  I listen as he prays and talks to God as a close friend.  He is five.

This week we were at my moms and he walked on the porch with his left arm hanging limp and peering down as if looking at something.  My mom asked what he was doing and he said "God is holding my hand." 

I believe He was.

Just as He held me on the porch swing six years ago, and many times since then.  He now holds my child.

Oh God, Let me not forgot.  Let me not get too busy.

How many times during the day is God wanting to hold our hand but we are in too big of a hurry to notice?

Oh, that we could be as children.  That we could walk and know that God is holding our hand...That He is with us.

It is His presence that sustains me.

On this day, though my life is far from perfect, I have so much to be thankful for.  I pray that my heart remains sensitive and that I remain pliable in His hands.  That I might be molded for His plans and purposes that are so much greater than mine.

Today I celebrate.

I celebrate life and second chances.

I celebrate my children and God's plans and purposes.

I celebrate my family and friends.

And I celebrate my God, my Savior, my Healer, my Redeemer, my Deliverer.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Worthy to be praised.

A Holy God who loves me...and you.

Won't you celebrate Him with me today?

Announcements :)

I am on a quest to becoming FRUGAL!  My desire is that I become a better steward over what God places in my hands....I want to be a wise woman in every area of my life.  I have a long way to go.    Follow me on my latest journey at Let's Get Frugal! :)

I also published my first article at Blissfully Domestic this week. Find me there if you'd like.   And comments would be greatly appreciated, as I am the newbie beauty columnist! LOL...  Show me some love! :)

Today on my Facebook status, I offered up some advice along with my friend, Dr. Seuss......

In the words of Dr Seuss..."On you will go, though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl...Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak." Whatever you are going through today...keep going! And remember, God is on your side!

Happy Thursday, y'all! ;)

xoxo

Shelly

Out of These Ashes

A jumbled mess.

A pile of rubbish.

A collection of worthless things.

An array of oddments confronted with ruin.

Set to flame.

Intense heat rising.

Burning.

Take all that is in me that is not of You, O my God.

Burn away that which separates and hinders.

In the midst of fire, still, this is my prayer.

Reveal Your beauty.

Make Your glory known.

"To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
that He may be glorified"
Isaiah 61:3

Joy is the Serious Business of Heaven (C.S. Lewis)

(This entire post is taken from The Soul of C.S. Lewis by Martindale, Root, and Washington, pg. 134)

(Read my book review on this book).

Let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever.  Spread Your protection over them that all who love Your Name may be filled with joy.

Psalm 5:11

Do we take joy seriously?  How many of us stood in vacation Bible school in younger years, clapping and singing, "The joy of the Lord is my strength," feeling anything but joyful and just wanting to get to the good part - the snack?  Many of us were not taught to take joy seriously as children, and we take it no more seriously as adults.

One problem is that we don't have a good idea what joy really means.  We think joy is something we're supposed to have when we aren't happy but are expected to have a good attitude anyhow.  For most of us, joy seems more like a martyr complex than like the wild celebrations described in the Bible.  People danced uncontrollably with joy, wept with joy, made music, and had feasts.  Joy is not meant to be a grin-and-bear-it situation. It is exuberant and free and more than happy - not less than.  And joy, says Lewis, is the serious business of heaven.

What a crazy thought!  Isn't the serious business of heaven...serious?  Like chanting in Latin or serenely playing a harp - everyone calm, no one really happy.  If that's what we think, how much we have missed!  We often imagine heaven to be like an exercise in spiritual discipline, but we forget that one of the most neglected spiritual disciplines is celebration, which is directly linked to joy.  If the serious business of heaven is joy, then imagine the levity and the laughter we have to look forward to: heads thrown back and dancing with an exhilarating kind of joy.  Perhaps we can take a cue from David (and others in the Bible), as well as from Lewis, to begin practicing now for this most serious business of heaven. Why not be daring and begin today?  With laughter, celebration, thanksgiving, and praise, we can join the host of heaven in the delightful practice of joy.

A Season of New Authority - Power in Submission to the King

(The following post was taken from a card sent out by Chuck Pierce)

We are entering into a season of unbridled power.  Only by understanding, walking in, and aligning properly with the King can that power be channeled to overcome and transform a society.  The real question becomes: "Will I run with the wild herd or allow the discipline of the King to bring me into a new level of strategic power? "

Psalm 32:6-9 summarizes the year ahead, "For this (forgiveness) let everyone who is godly pray - pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters (of trial) overflow, they shall not reach (the spirit in) him.  You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord,  preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah (pause, and calmly think of that)! I (the Lord) will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you." (AMP)

The Ark of the Covenant is advancing and the Glory of God is increasing. However, we must operate in skilled wisdom and authority.  Who will master you as you worship?  Think of David as he brought the Ark into Jerusalem.  He had to realign and bring in God's glory in a new way.  In this season, a new foundation for apostolic/prophetic worship is developing.

Here are some key points for the year ahead: Let us GO UP! We begin a new spiritual ascent to the high places.  The Spirit of God will allow the glory to be administered by those who have been allowing their circumstances to discipline and prepare them for increase.  Multiplication will occur when ONE CAN BECOME ONE THOUSAND.  Many will be making a change in physical positions, out of necessity.  This can work for your advantage.  You will become very sharp as you worship and allow joy to transform you.  Many matters that have weighed heavily on you will now become full, and you will understand the "whys" of a matter.  The Body of Christ will resound with a hearty "AMEN" throughout the year as many blessings draw into reality.

~Chuck Pierce

Book Review: The Soul of C.S. Lewis

THE SOUL OF C.S. LEWIS

Author Jerry Root

Produced by . Livingstone

Author Wayne Martindale

Author Linda Washington 

ISBN:978-1-4143-2566-8

Release:August 2010

The words of C.S. Lewis always seem to speak directly to my soul.  His ideas and beliefs and the magical way he shares them awaken creativity, imagination and life from the center of my being.  I cannot read enough of his thoughts.

This compilation of quotes from twenty-six of Lewis's works was a brilliant idea.  The authors  masterfully expound on some of Lewis's best ideas taken from the books represented.  Written like a devotional, its is easy to pick from any page and start reading, as each page offers treasures of its own.

The Soul of C.S. Lewis was meant for "the seasoned Lewis enthusiast, for those who want to be introduced to Lewis, or for anyone looking for personal growth." The reader, no matter which category he finds himself in, will surely benefit from this book and have a hard time closing its pages.  It is one that will quickly become a favorite to its readers and added to their home libraries to be read over and over again.

(This review is on behalf of Tyndale House Publishers who has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.)

Don't Hang on to Your Baby Teeth

(yet another lesson from mothering....)

With kindergarten comes many "firsts."


My little man has his first loose tooth. :)

 We were in church last night when he made the discovey.

He was terrified.


With some apprehension, he confessed that his tooth was loose and fearfully exclaimed,

"I DON'T WANT TO PULL IT!.... IT'S GOING TO HURT!"


I assured him that it was normal and that he would be fine. 


I then explained that the reason the baby tooth was falling out was because there was a much larger tooth ready to take it's place.

Then I googled.  (Don't ya just LOVE to google?!)

Some information I found on the internet about baby teeth:

• otherwise known as temporary teeth

• the first set of teeth in the growth development of humans

• usually lost and replaced by permanent teeth, but in the absence of permanent replacements, they can remain functional for many years

• considered essential in the development of the oral cavity

• the roots of the temporary teeth provide an opening for the permanent teeth to erupt

And if the baby teeth don't come out, guess what?  The permanent teeth can come in crooked and you will most likely experience some painful tension in your jaw.


After reading this information, I was reminded of how we often get fearful when exiting a season or letting go of something old to make room for the new.


Sometimes, we tend to hang on just a little too long. 


Ever had tension (stress) when you know you are supposed to let go or move on but you just can't find the courage?


When I refer back to my internet findings above, I find many parallels:

• Like baby teeth, we go through seasons in our lives that are temporary. 

• In these varying seasons, we grow, develop and prepare for our next season.

• Although we can remain somewhat functional in our old season for a while, the anointing on our life wanes, new revelation is minimal, and our ability to hear God decreases because of disobedience and lack of faith. 

**Matthew 9:17 says, "Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins." If we try to bring in part of the new that God is wanting to do while clinging to some of the old, it just won't work. When you pour new wine into old wineskins, "the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined." **

• Many times we question why we are in a particular season or what is its purpose.  Just as baby teeth are "essential in the development of the oral cavity," certain seasons we go through are also essential to the development of our character, faith, strength, patience and many other requirements for a successful and effective next season.

**  In Acts 1:7, Jesus said, "..It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority."  God sets timetables for the different seasons/times in our lives.  When we wait for His timing, we go in the power of the Holy Spirit instead of our own strength and ability. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" (v. 8). **

• Our past or current season will help guide us into the new and provide an opening for God's plans and purposes to erupt or burst forth in His perfect timing.

"There is a time for everthing, and a season for every activity under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Seasons can refer to our job, church, city, or simply our way of thinking or method of doing things, such as programs, schedules, curriculum, the way we worship or any other change that takes place corporately or personally.

Don't rush out of your current season, even if you don't know why you're there.   Know that God has a purpose.

But, also, don't stay too long when your season is up.  You know what happens when you keep things past their expiration date....

Trust that His timing is perfect.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

xoxo

Shelly

Do You Ever Forget?

Do you ever forget?

Forget to put the clothes in the dryer?

Forget that you were supposed to call _________  right back?

Forget that you were boiling something on the stove?

Forget what exactly it was that you were supposed to remember? :)

Do you ever forget what God has spoken to you?

I was reading through some of my earlier posts from this year (from our book study by Paula Rinehart) and couldn't believe how some of them were directly related to my latest posts! 

Totally spoke to my heart...  AGAIN.

We should remind ourselves not only what God has done for us, but also what He has spoken to us.  Make sure you're keeping a journal of some sort so that you can go back and re-read His words to you.

So if these two of my latest posts (Don't Get Dis-Appointed and Misplaced Hope) spoke to your heart, I think these may as well..........

Losing Heart

Pain: The Crossroads of the Heart

It's good to review....and be reminded.  God's Word is alive and continues to speak if we (I) will only listen!

I think I may be doing some reviewing and reminding of my own this weekend! 

But for now.....Got my Netflix in the mail....I'm watching a movie tonight!  Woohooo! :)

Have a blessed weekend, my friends!!

xoxo

Shelly

Misplaced Hope?

I was working on another post, but God would not let me go to sleep without sharing these scriptures.  Someone (besides me) needs to hear them......

In what (or whom) have you put your hope?

Your job
Family
Church
Friends
Finances?...

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42:5

In your own strength?

No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength.

A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 33:16-19



We must put our hope in the One who is the same, yesterday, today and forever....
 
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
Psalm 62:5
 
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope
Psalm 130:5
 
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
Psalm 146:5-6
 
I pray that today, whatever you are going through, that you will put your hope in Him.  Know that He loves you and He knows exactly where you are.  Your circumstances may have changed, but His plans for you have not.  Allow Him to use whatever you are going through for His glory.  Watch and see what the Lord will do!

My Soul Longs For You

All morning my spirit sang "My soul longs for You.....my soul longs for You..."  Over and over again.

I could feel an invitation.  It was an appointed time for me to fellowship with my Father, and I could find no words other than the five I had recited a hundred times already...

My soul longs for You...

With each breath I spoke these words came an increase in their depth and meaning. 

My soul longs for You...

I spoke them until I could speak no more.  I was captivated and captured by His holy presence and my words failed me. 

From deep within, my spirit uttered words outside of my understanding and beyond my human comprehension.  There were no words in my vocabulary appropriate or adequate for this moment...

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!"

Wonderfully amazing.

Indescribably good.

Like nothing on earth.

There is a yearning on the inside of each of us.  A longing only our Creator can satisfy.  No matter how or what we try to substitute, there is nothing or no one worthy to fill the place that cries out for Him.

My soul DOES long for Him....

And sometimes, whether in times of visitation, worship, repentance, brokenness or desperation,  often our words fail us.

I am reminded of the song by Amy Grant, "Better Than a Hallelujah."

We pour out our miseries

God just hears a melody

Beautiful the mess we are

the honest cries of breaking hearts...

...the silence when the words don't come...

...better than a hallelujah sometimes... 

It's not in the eloquence of our speech, the perfection in our posture, impressive vocabulary, or any righteousness we think we might have, but in the beauty of our brokenness, coming to God just as we are...

Honestly.

Openly.

Surrendered.

Answer Him when He calls.

Open the door when He knocks.

Say yes to His invitation.

Let Him be the One to satisfy the longing that only He can.

O God, You are my God,

Early will I seek You,

My soul thirsts for You,

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

Don't Get "Dis-Appointed!"

The past couple of days have proved to be a little.....well.....out of the ordinary for me.  I am, by nature, a very positive upbeat person.  But, I let my guard down.  Ever done that?


And I THINK I just used this scripture in my last post....

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
~Proverbs 4:23.

How quickly I got my eyes off of God's promises and onto my circumstances.  And I moped around all day, unmotivated and unproductive.  REALLY, I know better.

 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
 ~ 2 Corinthians 4:18.

Luckily, for me, it didn't last long.


My mom gave me an article to read yesterday, so as I was sitting in the pick-up line at Logan's school, I opened it up.  And, as usual, God began to speak to me and show me the error of my ways. 


I'm so thankful He loves me (and you!) enough to do that.


Apparently, I had allowed unfulfilled expectations and our temporarily less than perfect circumstances to cause disappointment - which I then allowed to come in and set up camp for a bit.

Not good.


The article said..."Disappointment is not just a sad, emotional state of mind; deep disappointment can actually sever our hearts from faith.  It is the enemy's work.  Demonically manipulated disappointment can actually "dis-appoint" a person from God's destiny for their lives" (Francis Frangipane).

It's naive to think that we will never get disappointed.  That is, unfortunately, a part of life that we can't escape.  It's in those times that we have to grab hold of our faith like never before, keeping discouragement, unforgiveness, and/or bitterness from taking up residence!  It's also in those times that God can do a work in us beyond our comprehension - a work sure to benefit and increase our preparedness for a future season.

Anything and everything that tries to bring us down or halt our forward movement is such a lesser thing when compared to the King of Kings!  We just need the right perspective. And we have to stay alert and aware.


I began to wonder....if this happened to me so quickly, how many other people who are going through trying times are stuck in this place?  How many people have sunk even further and allowed deep disappointment to come in and sever their hearts from their faith?


Are you there? 


Has disappointment found its way into a secret chamber of your heart, robbing you and keeping you from God's plans and purposes for your life? 


Maybe you just got there. 


Maybe you've been there for a while.

Or maybe you didn't even know you were there.


F.F. also said that disappointment cuts us off from our vision, and without vision a people perish.

Have you lost your vision?  Is it hard for you to remember the dreams and promises that God once gave you?


Don't accept the power of disappointment in your life. Recognize it when it comes, and tell it to hit the road, Jack!!

Remind yourself how good God is! 

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable! Ps. 145:3

Decide TODAY, right now, to renounce disappointment. Forgive, repent, or do whatever you need to do to return to your Redeemer! Be set free and move forward into your destiny!

Don't allow disappointment to "dis-appoint" you!!


God has great plans!!

xoxo

Shelly

Search Me, O God, and Know my Heart

(Let's Talk! Tuesday has been suspended for an indefinite period of time. I am being obedient and trying to refocus on the purpose of this blog.  Sorry Vicki and Starla!  They have been so faithful in posting...You can go check out their blogs anyway!)

It seems that most people I have talked to this week and some things I've read have been about the heart. 

I think God is speaking. :)

The simple word, heart, brings to mind a palette of pretty pinks and reds, Valentine's Day, cupid and his arrow, first love, and just....pure.... sweetness.  Awwww..... :)

But our heart can prove to be just the opposite.

Our heart is a very important, vital organ in our physical body.  It also has a huge part in our spiritual well being.  In our heart, we can love to the fullest or we can hate with a vengeance.  In our heart, we can hide secret sins and unforgiveness or we can expose our weaknesses and be healed.  In our heart, we can form intimate relationships with our closest friends or we can build a wall to keep everyone out.  In our heart, we can KNOW God, or we can say NO to God.

The bible tells us that God "searches every heart and understands every motive."   It also tells us in Proverbs to guard our heart above all things!  Why?  Why above all things?  Because it is the wellspring of life.  It is where we first become intimate with God.  It is where we first hear Him.  But it can also be the place we harbor sin and evil.  Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things..."  Sin is a matter of the heart.  Since birth, our hearts have been inclined toward sin.  We must willfully and purposely choose what is right and good, not forgetting or forsaking God.

God can see through everything, to the very center of who we really are and He still loves us completely!  Right where we are at this very moment!  We don't have to pretend to be something we are not.....when we do we are bringing that which is false before Him.  Be honest about where you are so that He can have the freedom to move in your life and continue the process of molding you into His image.  Are you angry?  Do you have unforgiveness?  What are you harboring today in your heart?  

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.  Ps. 139:23-24

It's time for the church - not the church building or organization - but the CHURCH - the PEOPLE of God -to RISE UP and take our place!  It is time to CROSS THE LINE.  We can't do it dragging our JUNK behind us or hiding it within us, pretending to be holy.  Let's get rid of it and watch God move!! 

xoxo

Shelly

Let's Talk! Tuesday

 
 



A few more-serious-than-usual random things....


1.  I am currently re-thinking/re-structuring/re-planning my blog and re-evaluating its purpose. 


2.  Starting my folder for my book projects and trying to learn more about the publishing world. (Studied some agents blogs' today which is why I am re-structuring my blog!)  Printed out lots of good stuff today.


3.  I start substitute teaching part time at Logan's elementary school next week, so am also currently planning/scheduling every hour in my day to ensure I get everything completed!


4.  Limiting my time on facebook.....seriously, a person could get lost in conversation on there and waste a lot of valuable time!   How much time do you allow or think is acceptable for social networking?


5.  What is your take on self-publishing?  And what about ebooks?


Short, but to the point today....glad we got the chance to chat, even though it was almost midnight for me! :)

XO

Shelly

The Winds of Change!

I read this status on my blogger friends Barbie's facebook page this morning....

When the winds of change come, do you turn and walk the other direction, or do you lean into the wind, embracing it, anxious to see where it might take you?

My response was....I pray that I will have the courage to embrace the wind every time it comes!  Because you know....change isn't always so easy peasy!  We get set in our ways, comfortable with the way things are, and set up camp!  The problem with that is God isn't given the freedom to move in our lives....

So today, I pray that I can set aside MY agenda, MY schedule, MY plans, and follow His leading....without leaving skidmarks.

Come Holy Spirit!

I'm sure I'll be writing more on this subject....and sharing a bit of my personal testimony soon....  But for now.....the laundry is calling my name :)

Oh, by the way, when I was creating this post, I noticed that it is my 100th post!  Caught me totally off guard and I'm ill prepared to celebrate!  lol  I see lots of organized, on time bloggers with extravagant 100th post celebrations and have dreamed of doing mine.....maybe I'll do 101, or 103 or ....you know.  haha :)  But I do want to have some sort of giveaway....I'm thinking one of my favorite books or something.....so don't stay away too long!

Have a blessed Monday!!

XO

Shelly

Snapshot Saturday

This morning we had our first high school football scrimmage....just in time for Snapshot Saturday! :)

 

Here's my freshman running the ball :)

 

Good job, Taylor!  And way to go Indians!!  Off to a great season!

Happy Saturday, friends :)

XO

Shelly

YOU: create

I missed the last couple of weeks posting with Sara over @ Gitzengirl so I was determined to join in this week even though I'm out of town!  I was really excited when she started several weeks ago because I LOVE to create things, and this will give me some incentive to get the glitter out! 

Having said that, there was no glitter this week! :)  I've been out of town staying with my sister and helping my niece transition into her own bed and her own room!  I think we've succeeded....so that's my accomplishment for this week! 

I remember my first child....18 years ago this month!  We put her in the bed with us and she slept there for 4 years until our second one came along!  Our next two kids never had a chance...they went straight to their baby beds! :)  My niece is 20 months and my sister's first and only baby, so she's ahead of the game according to my time table!

Logan and I are leaving today to go home.  We have been here for 6 days.  He and Rylee have had a great time playing together!

So much fun, in fact...that this was a common scene :)

In keeping with our topic, CREATE, and in anticipation of Fall (I'm always anticipating Fall),I thought I'd post a past project.  

A Happy Fall Card for a friend

I love scrapbooking scissors, pretty paper, polka dots, girly fonts, layers, glitter, and brown stamping ink for distressing edges! Oh yeah...and PINK!

Happy Thursday everyone!!  Don't forget to check out all the other blogs that linked up today with Sara at Gitzengirl!

See ya next week! :)

XO

Shelly

Challenged

I just posted our chat for Let's Talk! Tuesday, but felt like I should repost this from earlier this year as well.  It is for me, if no one else :)  ......

Lately (as you can tell by several of my posts) God has been speaking to me through a single word.  He is always speaking to us, and there is usually a spiritual lesson to be learned and applied in our every day adventure (aka....our life), we must train ourselves to recognize His voice, listen to His instructions, and follow His leading.


So yesterday, as I was reviewing pages in my journal and contemplating what I was going to write for the day, I found myself mulling over a particular phrase that I sometimes use: "Today, I was challenged......or God challenged me to......"


As I considered this word "challenged," I began to ask myself the following question:


Why do I sometimes feel challenged when God speaks to me, gives me instruction, or corrects me?


Immediately, I knew the answer.


Flesh vs. Spirit  (The war within us)

Dictionary.com defines the word challenged as:

• something that by nature or character serves as a call to battle, contest, special effort, etc
• a call to fight, as a battle, duel, etc

When Holy Spirit speaks something to me, it sometimes challenges my flesh.   There is a call to fight, as a battle, a duel!  Why?  Because my flesh is all about self.  My flesh concerns itself with what others think, the spirit is all about what God thinks and how He sees things.  My flesh is concerned with the outward, the spirit is all about the inward, our heart and motives. It takes special effort to make our flesh line up with our spirit!


Walking in the flesh can even become very religious.  (Gasp!) For example, concerning ourselves with the attendance at church, the size of our building or how great our programs are rather than how many people were healed, saved or set free.  Or concerning ourselves with performance rather than quality. 

When my flesh wants to hate or hold a grudge, my spirit says to love and forgive.

When my flesh wants to indulge, my spirit encourages me to practice self control.

When my flesh wants to close myself off from people, eliminating the chance of getting hurt or wounded, my spirit pushes me forward into relationships, risks and vulnerability.

In the natural (flesh), the spirit sometimes just doesn't make sense!

But we are not to live according to the flesh......

And it's about more than just moral behavior.


Our flesh looks at things completely differently than the spirit, handles things differently, tries to solve problems according to our own ability rather than allowing God to handle things, etc. Living and walking according to the spirit or flesh involves our thought patterns, our motives, our innermost being.  Our transformation from flesh to spirit must take place from the inside out.  Our mind has to be renewed according to the Word of God, our thinking has to change.

So when God speaks to me and I am challenged, my flesh is sometimes screaming, "No!"  or doubting, trying to rationalize and "make sense" of things,  while my Spirit is simply saying "Yes, Lord!"  For example, when God asks us to get outside of our self and put someone else's need above our own, it can be a challenge to our selfish flesh (especially if we are in need ourself).  Or when we are sick in our body, but God says we are healed, it can be a challenge to get our thoughts to line up with His word!  Or when there is no money in the bank, but our desk is piled full of bills, and God says "Trust Me...", it can be a challenge to keep our peace and not worry!  Or when God says on a Sunday morning to stop in the middle of a church service and worship or pray, setting all programs and agendas aside, it can be a challenge to our flesh who wants to control everything and make everything "pleasant and acceptable" to our visitors.

Romans 8:5 says that those who live according to the flesh keep their minds set on the things of the flesh. It also says that those who live according to the spirit, do the opposite - they set their minds on things of the spirit.   What are we setting our minds on?

Jesus, in Mark 14:38 says to His disciples, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak."

The word "watch" in this verse means to be sleepless, keep awake, be attentive, be ready!  Jesus knew that His disciples, apart from Him, were weak and would not make good choices.  He instructed them, as He does us.....Watch and pray!  Don't allow your spirit to sleep, be attentive, be ready!   When we spend time in His presence, praying, worshipping, studying, etc., our spirit is built up.  When we neglect these things, our flesh begins to take over, ruling our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions, eventually causing us to doubt God's word.

As we continue seeking, searching, and drawing closer to our heavenly Father, it will become less and less challenging to listen and obey.  It should be our flesh that is met with a challenge when giving counsel or prompting us to do something contrary to the word of God!

Be encouraged today to walk according to the spirit, not the flesh!  Set your mind on things above. Spend time in His presence, building yourself up. Keep awake, be ready!  Fight the temptation to do it your way, and allow God to have His way in your life!  Choose to believe His word for your life today!!

Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Let's Talk! Tuesday

Welcome to our chat today!  If you want to link up....give your info to Mr. Linky! :)  And steal my button...it's legal! ;)

My random things for today....

 

1.  I am visiting with my sister for a few days.  She still hasn't been able to find a home church here in her small town, so we visited a nearby church yesterday.  Not the one for her!  So we'll try again Wednesday night........Wish us luck!

 

2.  After church we headed to McDonalds so that Logan and Rylee could have a little air conditioned playtime!  Here is Rylee having  a drink :)

 

 

(Sorry about the quality....it was taken with my less than average cell phone camera!)

3.  I was reading some status updates tonight on FB and this one by Robert Ricciardelli was my favorite:  "To be fed, you must feed, and to be filled, you must fill others.  To really be satisfied in life, you must allow God to assimilate Himself in you and through you in satisfying others.  Surely 'Give and it shall be given' is true and reciprocity is God's universal principle.  God fills 'Givers' with abundance and satisfies them with His goodness as they pour out His love to meet the needs of others." 

It really made me think about how fulfilled I am when I have the chance to share or minister with a group of people or even just one person!  The more we are filled, the more we can give out, and the more He fills us!

4.  Today we were supposed to visit the Children's Museum, but we didn't even make it out of our pajamas!  That doesn't happen very often for me, but boy was it nice!  We enjoyed our day at home, and our trip to the Museum is now on tomorrow's itinerary.  We are looking forward to catching (toy) fish with magnetic fishing poles, traveling into outer space, lending a hand on the ranch, walking in the footsteps of a doctor, discovering underwater river adventures under, and much more!  I better wear my tennis shoes! ;)

5.  And I'll end today's chat with a scripture.....

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!" Psalm 34:1-3

Have a blessed day, my friends!!  And let us exalt His name together!!

XO,

Shelly

Snapshot Saturday

Today I am participating with my sister over at Tin Bucket Photography for a new weekly display of photos!  Snapshot Saturday :)

 

Photography has been a hobby or love (maybe not love, but strong like...haha) of mine for a long time - probably since my first child was born 18 years ago.  Kids seem to do that to you! :)

 

But my sister has taken it to another level!  Seriously, she takes about 200 photos a DAY of her little girl! haha  And her practice is paying off....she is in the process of starting her own photography business.  I am so excited for her!  I know she will do great. 

 

So, on Snapshot Saturday, we share our favorite photo of the week.  Having just returned from Disney, I have several and most of them have already been posted here.  So I found one from Destin, Florida that isn't really great quality because of the bright sun, but the subject of the photo melts my heart :)

 

This is my baby.  Logan, 5.  He is starting kindergarten in a couple of weeks and this picture tell a story (to me) of his journey ahead.  I love it.  And I love my sweet little man. :)

Have a happy weekend! 

Logan and I are off on a short road trip (4 hours) to spend a few days with my sister and her family.

XO

Shelly

Let's Talk! Tuesday

Yep!....guilty as charged!  I missed last week's chat!  But we WERE on vacation...... :)

So this week, I'm gettin' my chat back on!  I hope you will join me!

Feel free to grab my button for you blog:

And don't forget to link up so that I can come and chat with you on your blog :)
 



I love that we can be random on this post!  Here goes........
 
(and remember....you can do as many or as few as you want!)
 
1.  I'm thinking I may need to wax between my eyebrows because my 5 year old just told me I have peach fuzz......lovely.
 
2.  My baby (who told me I have peach fuzz) starts kindergarten in 3 weeks.....

3.  Have you ever been to Destin, Florida?  We drove through on the way home from Orlando and just HAD to stay the night!  I think we actually ended up next to Destin in Ft Walton Beach.  The beaches are amazing and the water is beautiful!  And no oil!

 
4.  In a few weeks our church is holding a Back to School Outreach and giving away shoes, school supplies, cotton candy, and free immunizations.  I get to help pass out shoes! :)
 
5.  I'm watching House Hunters International (one of my favs!!) on HGTV and a couple has 2 million to spend on a house in Fiji.......TWO MILLION!!  What kind of job do you get to be able to afford to buy a 2 million dollar house?  Or to pay $30,000 a month in rent? (Selling New York)  Just sayin....
 
6.  God never ceases to amaze me.  With all my imperfections, He loves me still.  :)
 
7.  I took a break from facebook for the month of July.....and survived!  :) 
 
8.  Thinking of canceling our Directv service and just getting Netflix through the Internet on our TV. $100.00 a month vs. $9.99.....hmmm.....TV really is such a waste of time anyway.....2 million dollar homes in Fiji.....LOL
 
9.  I want to have a girls night soon and watch hours and hours of chick flicks with no interruptions and eat lots of chocolate and popcorn.  My list would include:  The Jane Austen Book Club, Pride & Prejudice, Sweet Home Alabama, Ever After, The Holiday, ......just to name a few ;)  I may need a weekend....
 
10.  My middle baby boy :) turned 14 last Tuesday while we were on vacation...I just LOVE him!! And he started football practice for highschool this week!  Oh my...

(Relax, Granny....the tattoo is NOT real!)

Happy Tuesday, my friends!  And happy chatting! :)

XO

Shelly