an Old poem I wanted to share

In anger I curse and fight against the Pure protection of my Heavenly Father,
I fight back and pull away, I allow myself to fall into sin.
When at last i see the pathetic state that I have put myself in I cry out to His mercy.
Again and again I fall into this place of separation. Why do I let myself walk this road of death?
if I could grasp the Call on my life, if I could see what awaits my obedience,
but i can, I have seen a glimpse of What my Christ has set apart for me to do.
Others.. on one side, Awaiting my obedience... and in my selfish moment I still fall
How many times will My father keep picking me back up? I wish to tell him, I am not worthy!!
I wish I could say, don't pick me up again, I do not deserve your love...
But I know that I am called. I know that I am chosen.
What can I do, what can I say to prove my worth, in this unworthy state?
Again and again, I seek His mercy and Grace,
to lift me from the ashes, the cleanse me from this unholy place.
I wish to say I will not fail, but the words never proceed out of my mouth for fear of not holding my own commitment
I dare not make a promise I might not keep. but it holds me back. Have I done as you have asked my Father?
Did I go when you sent me? sometimes it all seems unclear.
the fog is still holding me back from seeing as I wish. is it really all white and black?
I feel like i live in the gray, somewhere between where I'm meant to be, and where I was.
hope doesn't pull me along as i had wanted.
Joy only holds for a time.
Peace is around me, but I still feel immobilized.
Fear? is that what holds me back? is that why I fail? is that what keeps me down?
if I were fearless I'd fight and win. I'd jump in the icy waters of death to save the lost from their selves
If I were fearless.... Would i know when to stop? would I still sense the pain and sufferings, and their own fears
Would I have compassion for the wounded in my path? or would my fearlessness run them over?
I search so much, and see riddles unexplained. Can I trust a single man to tell me these things?
for what is man? who is perfect? who has the mind of God, Who knows the words of which he spoke before time began?
Can you say your sight into His riddles are un clouded? or do you mask the fog just as I do?
is it fear that clouds my perception? ... one day I'll see His perfect Will... and now I seek again the hand of my father!!!

Daniels and Elijahs part 1

I've been meaning to write this for a while, so I'm excited to share this one with you. When people think of Daniel, I'm guessing their first thought is: Daniel in the Lions Den. But I'm putting Daniel and Elijah side by side today in specific things they did that changed the course of History! They both were amazing men of God, but in this particular study that I did, I did my best to not put these men on a pedestal. I wanted to look at their stories and learn from them. So what I looked at was in 1 kings 18. In this story Ahab was king and a really evil on, in the Bible it said that he had no regard for his wickedness. He sacrificed his own son. It wasn't a big deal to him, so God brought judgement and caused a famine. God still provided for Elijah though.
With Daniel, The Isrealites were in captivity to the egyptians, again this was a judgement for their outright disobedience. Both of these men are God fearing men, BUT they are polar oppisites!! One seems to be very sure of himself, and sure of God. (Elijah) he will say something and not question, he talks like he knows everything... and he was very boastful in God.
Daniel however appears almost weak. He gets visions and becomes so faint he can't even stand. He talks with God with his face almost stuck to the ground. Elijah however would raise his hands to God telling God what he expected God to do (ok, that's what it sounds like)
But in the story of Elijah, during the drought he was told to show himself to the king who had been seeking to kill all of the prophets! So eventually elijah does show himself and tells this king that its his fault for this famine. ... it doesn't sound like he was scared of him at all! Id be shakin in my boots right about then!
Anyways so he gets all of isreal and all the prophets of Baal together and tells them that they need to repent. Turn to back God, cut it out.That's step one:repent!!

Then he gathers some four hundred or so of Baals prophets and tells them to build an alter to their god while Elijah does the same. That's Step two:building an alter to God, which today, Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins.

Then Elijah after making the alter and soaking it in water prayed for everyones hearts to turn back to God. There you have step three praying for hearts to turn back to God.

After he prayed that, God showed off, (that's so awesome when God does that,I love it!) And completely engulfs the soaking wet alter! Yea! Even the stones and dust were gone. Hah! Take that! Lol. So then everyone is really scared now, and fall on their faces,repenting.

Next elijah has every prophet of baal killed. And that is our fourth step: get rid of the evil in your life. (Don't kill anyone) I'm saying, get that devil off your back, the blood of Jesus covers you and has set you free! you have the authority in Jesus' name.

Next Elijah tells king Ahab to go celebrate and have a feast. A what? We've been in a drought for how long?? And u want me to use what I have to throw a party?? Yes a feast, and go quickly before the rain over takes you. Rain?? What rain? Man, your off your rocker! There's not even a cloud in the sky! GO quickly!!! fine, fine, I'm going (okay, that's not likely how it went)that's step five: have some faith!!! And act in it!

Elijah didn't stop there. Besides this incredible act of faith, he bowed down to God. It was an act that symbolized him listening for God. And seeking a sign in which he knew he ccould depart from there. He sends his servant up to see a cloud... something, anything n the sky to indicate rain was coming. He didn't do this once or twice, or three times but seven times! Basically he didn't stop praying/meditating on God until he got the answer he needed. That's our sixth step don't give up on God, for if you do not faint, in due time your reward will come: if you do not give up!

So then after this his servant sees the cloud and elijah up and books it all the way to Jezreel ... which just happened to be 30 miles away. Oh yeah and he also ran faster than the kings chariot and got there before him. Nothing but the power of God could have gotten him there that fast. That's farther than a marathon!! And he was not exactly training for this, nore was he EATING for this. In fact, all he'd been eating was bread!!

So are you in a drought? Are you hardly making it? Try doing what Elijah did. He followed God, repented, prayed for hearts to be turned back to God, got rid of the evil around him (and in your life), acted in faith, didn't give up, continued to act in faith. And then rain finally came. Have you repented? Have you acted in faith? How about throwing all the evil out of your heart/mind/body?

Psalms 55:22 - cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain you, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved!!

where's my seed???

I'm guilty of doing things like sowing seed then then next day asking God, where's the fruit??? What is it about our culture that everything has to be instant? Back in the day the wiveswould spend hours upon hours in the kitchen cooking for the day. They would grind up the oats, and seeds, they would have to kneed the bread, let it rise, they would churn their own butter... I'll bet they had really strong arms too! But now? A quick 20 minute run to the store and you can buy sandwiches already made, or the cakes already frosted. Or shoot, look in the freezer pull out a couple tv dinners and 5 minutes later you have... "food". And believe me as a mom of four little kids, I am very grateful for the pre-made meals, that microwave ...I seriously don't know what I would do without it. But when it comes to "seed time, and harvest", well I've heard it put like this: Seed.... Tiiiiiiiiiimmeeeeeee..... ..... .... Harvest. Seeds don't sprout over night, and certainly don't bear fruit over night? And isn't "Gods ways Higher than our ways". I get so impatient sometimes that I think my begging God to hurry up and put fruit on that seed I plantwd is doing more harm than good. (No brainer, I know)
God said that for as long as the earth remained there would be seed time, and harvest! Your harvest will come, but you can't keep pulling your seed out of the ground and wondering why it hasn't sprouted.
Have you ever planted a tree from seed? Those things take years and years to mature and grow fruit, bear crops.... but no seed can grow if you pull the seed out of the ground every couple months. When you plant a seed... be it a word of encouragement, money, food, anything else, don't look around for where your return will be coming from. "God loves a cheerful giver". Not 'God loves it when you give something and expect something in return' no doubt that God loves to bless us. (Ever read prverbs?) He loves to shower us with good things! So stay faithful, run and don't grow weary, for your time will come when God will pour out a blessing so big you don't have room enough to receive it.
In the mean-time test your heart, and proove faithful with what is in your hands! Thank God for His mercy and faithfulness. No matter what you are going through, God has something better planned. Yes that's right! God is faithful what He has promised. His words are truth! I'm not saying we will all be millionairs by the time we are 75, that would be an outright lie... some of you, sure. All? No. I don't think thats Gods plan. But His desire is to see us all in heaven with Him... will you be there?
So lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust won't destroy. You life here is short. A mere 120 years is a blink of an eye compaired to eternity. Invest in your eternity. Invest in your forever, and if the Lord deems fit for you to have a million dollars, then praise him, and give him all the glory. But stop digging up your seed and demanding it to grow. Give it time, and it will bear fruit. Just prepare yourself so you are ready to receive all that the Lord desires to give you. Be faithful with little and you will be given much.
Emerald Palace-my eternal resting place :)

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Something Different

I'm going to do something different. I like to be encouraging and helpful, but rright now I'm just gonna share what's going on.
Four precious children, an amazing supportive husband... and a mountain of unpaid bill's. We live in a two bedroom apartment, we don't live near any family, we live almost 50 miles from our church that we love so much, we don't own a car (yet) in fact we've been driving around in a rental this last week just to get to church work... and wherever else.
Right now, I'm sitting in our rental with four kids playing around, and the rain is coming down... my husband has been dropped off at work and we are sitting in the parkinglot literally waiting to find out if my husband will still have a job at the end of the day. There is a 48 hr shut off notice laying on the floor of my house... and almost no food in the fridge. When I say I have peace about my life and about the circumstances I'm faced with, I mean it. When I say that you can find joy in uncommon places, I'm really talking about myself. And sometimes I need to rmind myself that joy and peace are NOT circumstancial. My husband is the hardest worker I know. He has incredible work ethics that people seem to no longer have these days. His boss set his up, and conspired against him, and has given him a 30 day notice to "fix" the problems that he created for my husband. That was about 40 days ago, and today is the first day he is to be speaking with his boss about his preformance.

I lean on God for every ounce of strength I can get! And believe me, when I stop looking at myself, and stop having pity-parties, when I actually pull myself together and thank god that my husband was protected from severe injury during the car accident that took our only car, I find peace. TOday I was reading the story of the ten lepers that Jesus healed, and how only one came back to thank Him, I was reminded how little these lepers had! They were not allowed in the city because of their disease. How little I feel I have sometimes. But God has given me tremendous blessings! (Four little kids, and a husband... and even a goldfish :)) how dare I complain henHe has given me life!

So every trial we are going through, I am thanking God. And I'm telling you this, not to "toot my own horn" but maybe to show you that we CAN do ALL things through Jesus Christ who gives us strength. And not just that but God has more in store for my family.
I admit, I fail God, I fail my kids and my husband a lot! I get angry, I stress, I yell, I nagg... I want to be perfect, then get mad when I'm not. I can't say that any amount of patience is my own, but I can say that every amount of patience God gives me: my kids, my husband, and I really benefit from it. I have never learned to lean on and trust God so much as I have since I got married and had kids.
I can't do this alone. I can't do this without God, I cant do it without my family and friends who have supported me and loved me through this. Without all that, I wouldn't be able to handle everything that's been thrown at me. I love my Lord, and I love my family who has been a pillar of strength for our family. And I am so thankful for everyone who has loved us and prayed for us dduring all this.
This is just my story... to be soon concluded with an amazing testimony of more of Gods greatness!

Depression Hurts Cymbalta Can't Help!

The other day I had a line from that Cymbalta commercial stuck in my head "depression hurt's, Cymbalta can help". It has helped many people I'm sure.... But God has helped more. Let me do a little illustration for you



CYMBALTA SIDE EFFECTS
Include but in no means limited to:

Nausia
Fainting
Redness of skin
Diarrhea
Heart attack
Seizures
Thoughts of suicide
SUICIDE

The list goes on and on and on, I couldn't believe it!! People are risking their lives for peace and happines... risking their life to fill that void that ONLY God can fill. All those depression medications do is increase the flow of that happy hormone into your brain... but God can heal you... God doesn't use crazy drugs, that eventually drive you to kill yourself.


SIDE EFFECTS OF ACCEPTING CHRIST INTO YOUR LIFE
Include but in no means limited to:

compassion for others
Sence of purpose
Feeling that you have help
Companionship with someone who can solve your problems
Renewed energy
Greater patience
Greater love for others
Joy
Peace
Hope


Now when I was reading through the side effect list for Cymbalta, of course, the list never include things like "hope" or "joy". Isn't that what we all want? Not jitters and caffine highs.

No amount of caffine, healthy eating, exercising and especially medication can give you hope. They can offer you less sadness followed by a laundry list of terrible side effects.... including suicide!! Isn't that the very thing you are trying to be free from? Jesus had so much compassion on thousands of people, and His compassion didn't stop when he went back to heaven. He left us His Spirit to help us! That exactly what He's there for! Jesus saw thousands of hurting people, and he cared so deeply for them, even when he was exhausted and sleep deprived, even when his best friend just died, he still showed his love to the thousands of hurting people. He still cares for you! He didn't leave His Spirit behind for you to still be hurting.
Jesus gave us a life guide, His great Medicine... His Word! When you look inside it you see how much love He had for us. He told the people to turn from their sins and follow Him. When we put aside the sin we have carried, we can begin to live in freedom! True freedom comes from Christ alone.
Jesus said "come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will giver you rest take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (matt 11:28-29) Jesus didn't say take his burden(I used to think that's what it meant) no, he's saying to let him take you under His wing, He will be your teacher, line yourself up with Him, walk with Him, be yoked to Him, stop trying to plow the dirt of life alone!
"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you, He will never permit the righteous to. Be moved" (psalms 55:22) before you tell me your not righteous, if you confess your sins before God, He is faithful to forgive, if you believe in Jesus and have given your life to Him, then you are righteous "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
" Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He might exalt you, casting ALL your anxieties on him, because He cares for you!" how many times does Jesus have to ask you to stop worrying and stressing and give it to Him for you to see how much He loves and cares for you!
Seek the Lord and He will come to you, and give your burdens to Him, walk with Him, He will sustain you, exalt you, and give you hope! There is no joy in life without Christ.

Finding Joy in Uncommon Places

As a Christian we are promised peace and joy. (The peace that passes all understanding and guards our hearts and minds. And the Joy of the Lord shall be your strength) but I cannot tell you how many times I see christians fighting against depression. Its heart breaking to see. I remember my dad struggling with depression when I was little, and I used to tell him, just pray and God will take it away. And I'm sure he did... but God gave us authority over satan. Depression isn't "in your genes" it isn't "something you have to live with" those are lies from the devil trying to dim the light of Christ in you. If an unbeliever sees you always depressed, moaning and crying, what kind of message does that send about the saving God you serve? Get rid of that devil on your back, rebukes him in the name of Jesus Christ, and send him straight back to hell where he belongs! And don't stop there, the battle is never over. But don't give up said Jesus, for your prize is coming if you do not faint. Instead get into Gods Word, pray like you've never prayed, be filled with the Holy Spirit! Arm yourself for battle, so that instead of fighting the giants that overshadow you, you will be squashing bugs under your feet!

Truthfully, I struggled with depression when I was younger. Sure you can make the DNA case against it, but I have found the secret to peace everlasting! Joy that keeps me smiling.... and it is NOT about circumstances. Seriously... it isn't! I used to have the attitude "well of course your happy all the time, you have loads of money!" Nope. That's not how God works... happiness and joy are not one in the same. Joy lasts and is independant of circumstances, happiness is strictly circumstancial and temporary. They key? What the secret? I couldn't begin to tell you all of it, because, well, I'm not God. But this is what I have discovered for me... faith. You can only have faith by readng/hearing Gods Word. One verse I saw today said something about Gods word being Life to all who read it! (It was in Isaiah 55ish) life... we want to live our life with joy, and peace. AndGod want so much for you to hand that burden overto him. Our burdens we're not meant for us to caarryon our own. If it feels like too much, that's because it is! Give it to God, don't take it back, and soon you will find yourself with a joy that you never knew exsisted. Don't just resist the devil, tell him to get out of your life. He is walking all overGod's precious property and you are allowing it!
Its time to take a stand! Its time to laugh, to leap for joy, to live like you've never lived before! Gods word will go out to accomplish exactl what God sent it for, so speak it over your life. Find the verses for yourself, so that God can speak right into your very heart. And begin our life living in joy and peace the way you were meant to!

God bless you, and open your eyes to find the truth of His Word in Jesus mighty name!

sher

A Christ Like Integrity

George Washington Carver I honestly didn't know much about him before today, and I still don't know a whole lot, but I saw something he said to his students that really caught my attention. He gave each of his students eight laws of integrity to live by. While reading through the list I was amazed at how little this kind of stuff is taught in schools these days. And it seems that many of them are even looked down on as something "people just don't do" anymore.



1.) Be clean both inside and out.
2.) Neither look up to the rich nor down on the poor.
3.) Lose, if need be, without squealing.
4.) Win without bragging.
5.) Always be considerate of women, children, and older people.
6.) Be too brave to lie.
7.) Be too generous to cheat.
8.) Take your share of the world and let otherstake theirs.

When was the last time you heard someone in school talk about being too brave to lie? Instead it seems like everyone (even in the church) accepts "little white lies" as not a lie, but simply just flattery. (In fact they are helping you by lying to you about your great dress, so you will feel better) *sarcasm*
People are so used to lying that to most people they don't even realize they are doing it! It has become second nature to many in our society. We use flattery as a way of promoting ourselves. We look like a nicer person a better person and a more noticed person when we flatter others. (Don't get me wrong, I am by NO means saying not to say nice things or complement people, after all Christ said to build eachother up in the Lord, that would be edifying to the church) but beware, in the last days people are said to use flattery as a means of promoting ones self.

What He said about not looking down on the poor and not looking up to the rich was such a profound statement for me. Mainly the don't look up the the rich. Don't give your honor to someone because of their status, instead give your honor to Jesus Christ and those who show the true life of Christ shining through them. By that you are honoring Christ.

I could say more but, I was thinking of writing this on my wall at home as 8 characteristics to display. So I thought Id share what my convictions were.
:) Be blessed today everyone!
<3Sher

Shining Love

I'm not alone in saying that I know Christ is coming back soon. Churches throughout the world have been struck with a sense of urgency to not only spread the Gosple of Christs, which is the Good news of Jesus' salvation for us, but also an urgency to simpy get your act together. In the last days people will have dreams and visions, men women and children will be propheseying. I've known too many people having dreams of a soon coming destruction to california,and the urgency I've felt to share the gosple to dismis any of it.
But I'm just going to be real with you right now, its been on my heart to pray for laborers to be sent out into the field. I myself have very limited access to people, some people (most pweople) have more. In ezekiel God said he does not desire to see the wicked perish.
People in this world are hurting and lost. People turn from God because someone from the church hurt them, or didn't simply love as they should have. Our love is what we are to be known by. Not our condemning words, not our judgement on others. God is the judge, not us!! We are to judge our own actions, not everyone elses. We are called to love. A gentle word turns away wrath, showing love to your enemies will heap burning coals on their head. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves... are you? (Am I?)
Is love what others see? Or do they see someone who portrays the church as "hypocritical". If you are to be forgiven, you must also forgive. If you can't forgive others,how then can God forgive you? Thank God we serve the One who is slow to anger, quick to love and quick to forget. But friends, I plead with you, if we are to be the salt and light of this world, then we need to represent Christ' love. He had compassion like none other. When the woman with an infirmity for 20someodd years touched his coat hoping she would behealed that way, he didn't turn around and say 'repent first, woman!' Or 'dont touch me, you are unclean, you just made me unclean, who do you think you are?!' Why do we as christians feel the need to tell others how sinful they are for going out drinking, for listening to "heathen"music, for dancing like that, for watching those movies... who made you God that you try to judge these people? Some people backslide, some people fall from God, but it is not our job as christians to tell themwhat rotten scum they are. We are to love, encourage, build up, and even carry the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ! God still convicts people, and helps them back onto the path of righteousness, and when that person decides to walk back home, they need a family to accept the prodigal son back, throw a feast and celebrate. Not judge and tell them how bad they were.
I'm not saying to never confront someone who has walked away from the faith, I'm saying, do it in love, build them up, don't tear them down. No matter how far you have fallen you can still repent and come back to Jesus! His love covers all sins. So let our love do the same, and allow for Christ to be a light in our lives. Pray for those who persecute you. If someone takes your shirt give them your jacket!
So in these last days, let's pray even more feverntly for the lost souls to be touched, tocome back to Christ, and for more laborers to be sent out (even if that is you). And let's show the same love and forgiveness that God has shown us.

Gods prosperity for Gods prosperity!

In some Christian circles "prosperity" is a bad word. Some groups love spouting scripturee verses like the one in Matthew that talks about harder for a camel to go through the eyes of the needle than for a rich man to get into heaven, or using examples of what king soloman did, and how he wass so wealthy yet he turned away from God. But way too often there are key verses that get overlooked because of the close-mindedness of this religious belief. Verses like "I have come that you may have life and have life MORE abundantly" or "the Lord will what is good and our land will yield its increase" there are so many verses that talk about Gods desire for us to be abundant, and examples of Gods favor being on someone He loved and his financial abundance was upon that person. So why do so many of Gods people have such a negative view of financial properity?!
Where in Gods Word does God say 'I want you to be sick, poor, and sad and go preach the Good News and people will accept you.' ... I don't know what "Bible" you read. But the one I read says. That Jesus came for us to have an abundant life. One without limits. Jesus told us we would be able to even MORE than the things He did. More! Not less! So whyis everyone doing less?! The same Spirit that opperated in Jesus, the same one that rose him from the dead, we as Spirit filledChristians have that... but where is the evidence? Ok, I'm going off on a tangent here.
So let's look at this in the natural sense. If for example God told me to go to China to preach the gosple, but I believed that I should be poor cause if I were poor then it would be easier to get to heaven... I have three choices... 1) bum some money off my broke friends who also believe they shouldn't have money, 2)swim to japan or 3) borrow money from the wealthy muslims who hate the gosple but believe in prosperity. Hmmm...
TBN the largest television network... ever! Its a christian network. It brings the gosple all over the world! Not just that but it makes it available to nations that would otherwise outlaw this network. But can't because its done through satelite so the government can't restrict it. God surely has blessed that network. You may not agree with every teaching they have, or all of what they stand for but every day hundreds of people are turning to God and repenting from their sin because of this. You cannot put a price on the salvation of souls! But this was not done because they were poor. Or because they begged their poor friends to give their last two dimes. No, God has blessed them because God knew what they would do with the money! They use it to reach millions of people, bringing the knowledge of Christ into a dark place. God gives us money as a way to provide for ourselves and as seed. But if we are not giving into the kingdom of God that's seed that we are burrying in the ground hoping no one will steal it. Invest your seed. Even if its just two cents. Even if you have no money in your bank, you may have two shoes to sow, or a tie, or a hat, maybe even some homemade bread or cookies. God has given everyone SOMETHING! It may be next to nothing but when you show your faithfulness with what you do have God will increase that so you ave more to give... not moreto buy yourself fancy things with. Not more to spend on your flesh, not more to indulge in sin with. More to further Gods kingdom with, more to give to the pooor, more to keep the lights on in a church near you so that someone in need has a place that they can receive prayer. God wants your faithfulness with what He has given you becausse God wants to give you so much more.
Don't hide your seed folks, do something with it. And God multiplies it. He promises it.

This wasn't premeditated it was mostly just a rant, so I'm sorry for the lack of refrences. But I'm sure you can find it on your own if you look ;)
Peace out friends
-Sher

Faith is Essential

"Doubt is a luxury we cannot afford" I was praying the other day and this line from The Incredibles popped into my head, immediately followed by the verse in the Bible that says if you believe in him (Jesus) with all your heart, not doubting, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-11) I thought to myself, wow a kids movie just said something so profound, and yet so so many have missed it (no, I'm not saying that there is a secret hidden message in the Pixar film) But how many times have you doubted something, and then because of that doubt you have been held back? Doubt and fear go hand in hand a lot of thw time, if you doubt your ability to preform a certain task, you are afraid of the failure you might produce. Living in fear. God says "fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God" (Isaiah 41:10) If you doubt tthe existance of Jesus. Or that He is the son of God, you will not see all the glory that God has planned for your life. The salvation God has for you is in your assurance of His death and rising for your sake!!

When you are walking in doubt, you are stripping yourself of any worth. If you are in a relationship with Christ, a meaningful and one on one relationship with the one who gave His life foryou, then your worth and value is in Him! Not in your deeds, good or bad. You become the heir to a kindgdom, one greater than this earth has ever seen or been able to imagen. Galatians 3:29 talks about being heirs to a promise, the greatest, most amazing, faithful promise ever written in the History of mankind! Gods Word is the end all. The final say! When God promises you life, believe and you shall receive! (John 10:10) when God promises you abundance, overflowing, believe and you shall receive! (Malachi 3:10), When God promises you peace, believe and you will receive (Philippians 4:7).
The devil has come to steal, kill, and destroy you life. (John 10:10) and the most. Important thing you can hold onto is your faith! So stop doubting and start believing! "Those who bhave faith are blessed" (Galatians 3:9) "Faith come through hearing, and hearing through the Word of God" (Romans 10:17) So if you feel a little, or a lot, weak in your faith, if you feel easily swayed, read Gods Word! It never returns void, God will guide your eyes, and heart and He will plant that seed of faith in you.
You are called to be free (Acts 13:39), but if you doubt Gods faithflness, if you doubt that you can do all that God wants you to do then the devil has already won. Don't give your life over to darkness by doubting. Have some faith, read Gods Word.doubt is what keeps us in bondage. It will bring you to a place so low, that all you can see are the miserable, messed up things you have thought/said/done and your worth will be lower than the scum on the bottom of you shoe... IN YOUR OWN EYES! Not in Gods!that's not who God created you to be! He said "There is NO condemnation for those in Christ!!! (Romans 8:1)
God called you out of the pit just to be with Him, and if he thinks you are worth dying for then believe it! Because no one, and I mean no one except the Jesus the Son of God, ever died for your freedom (john 3:16)
Accept that amazing gift, and believe that He loves you and your worth is greater than what the devil keeps telling you!

For my Grandma, and Gods Glory!!!

((This is an email from my grandpa about mygrandma, please pass this along and help give my grandma a great birthday, complete with cards and healing!! ))

Mom (Betty) is about to reach another “milestone” at age 70 on July 12 th . Secondly, she is now well over a year of pain in her left arm with one more option to try in the next week or two. Here’s what I would like each one of you to do as both a treat for Mom and also a prayer request for God to bring healing to her arm and remove the pain, either through the medical field or He does it Himself.

I would very much appreciate all of you join together with me to contact as many people as you can whether they know Mom or not, and ask them to send her a birthday card with a note assuring her that they have prayed for her and asked God to give Mom (Betty) a very special birthday gift…the healing of her pain.” Some of you have seen her crying with pain when you were here. I have watched her both day and night for over a year as she has struggled to just have a portion of a day or night that was painless.

Even with all of this pain and stress she has never blamed the Lord or angrily asked Him why she has not had one normal painless day since about March of 2010. She has and continues to reflect a strong spirit and love for her Heavenly Father. I have prayed for her hundreds of times…often many hours of the night while listening to her whimper and weep next to me in bed. So, I hope you will help me in “swamping” Mom with cards from people far wide for God to open the doors of Heaven and send to earth a very special gift for her…..a healed arm and a “normal” lifestyle again. He just answered one of my greatest prayers ever this past week as He and I, together met the problem head on. Indeed, I do believe in prayer

NOTE!! Ask people to send their birthday and prayer card to arrive here as close to July 12 th . as possible…a little early is better than late. We will put her under the mound of cards and I will take a picture for all of you. Thanks…VERY much I love and appreciate each one of you. For Mom’s sake and God’s glory.

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You Alone God (poem)

When my heart can find no joy,
When my eyes are tired,
When I have seen too much,

You God take my heart.
You replace my burdens,
You set in me a longing to praise You!

So its not in my life,
Its not in my money,
Its not in me.

Only in You Lord, I can live again!
Only in You Lord is my joy,
Only in You Lord is my peace.

I am free! I'm forgiven.
No more chains have bound me,
For Jesus set me free!
I am free!

True reverance of the Lord

Proverbs 2:5 Tells us that Understanding the fear of the Lord is finding knowledge and wisdom!

When I was growing up I seriously thought that unless I was scared of and frightened by the very thought of God then I couldn't truly make God happy. And while in some aspects I really was afraid of God, I thought it was kind of messed up that I was supposed to cower in fear of someone who supposedly loved me enough to give me His only Son so I could spend an eternity with Him.
This extreme misunderstanding pushed me pretty far from my loving Savior. The true and right fear of the Lord certianly did not reside in my heart, and neither did any clue to what true fear of the Lord was. I just simply thought that if I lied or sinned I should be afraid of a lightening bolt striking me right then and there! I know I was not alone in this very wrong belief.
My eyes had yet to be opened to the magnitude of His truly incomprehensible greatness! Sure I knew He made the heavens and Earth, but I was still blinded to His greatness, and will not see The full extent of His greatness untill the day I see Him with my true eyes. In Job 38 God repremends Job for talking about God as if Job knew everything, God says how He fashioned the earth and clothed her in garments of clouds, how He made the stars and named the constilations, how He knows the number of stars because HE made each and every one! And Job was not there, who does he think he is talking as if he knows the plans of God?! God simply spoke, and it came into being! And all that, God can fit the universe in the palm of His hand, yet he knows every little detail about you Matthew 10:25-30 talks about how God made beautiful lillys (which happen to be one of my favorite kinds of flowers) and how God loves you so much more than a simple lilly that dies in a day, God has clothed you AND knows every itty bitty detail, down to the very hair and freckle on your body! Godknows you have x amount of split ends and if you're like me He knows the amount of freckles that you couldn't count if you tried. Because Gods very hand formed you and continues to form and fashion you.
So there is more to fearing the God than just knowing How big He is or How much He loves and cares for you. The other part is about knowing how Good and perfect God is. Psalms 25:8 says good and upright is the Lord! And in verse 10 it says ALL the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful to those who keep His commandments. God is so good, He hates sin, He hates evil, and he hates all the injustice in this world! And if you are thinking that maybe God doesn't hate it enough to punish them, then check yourself! Though corruption is all over this planet and continues to go on, it is not without Gods knowledge. And NO God has not let them get away with it. Gods word says that the have not been given light and knowledge. The gift of Knowlegde is prized and those who search after it find it in the Hands of God, in the Word of His mouth. Hosea 4:6 says Gods people die for lack of knowledge. God wants you to have knowledge, and wisdom, God wants you to come to Him for it. And those who don't die. (No, not by some lightening bolt) die spiritually. Die without light ever entering their life.
If you read Malachi it makes a very clear distinction of what the fear of the Lord looks like. Those who say God doesn't see the injustice and that they get away with whatever... there...lack of fear. Lack of respect lack of knowledge of how Great our God is. Nothing is Hidden fromGod, and those who fear the Lord are written down in a book or rememberance, and they are spared. Honor God, Obey God, Trust God, and challenge yourself to obtain as much knowledge of God as you can. The knowledge of God is limitless. Don't fool yourself.
I encourage you, if you've ever doubted that God punishes the wicked, first, repent, and ask God to open your eyes, then go read that tiny book in the Bible, right before Matthew, called Malachi. Its gonna really give you the description of the kind of fear of God, that we are called to have. I am so glad I don't need to be frightened by God every time I fall short. I am excited to be loved and cherished when I feel like I don't deserve any amount of it. It may be true, I don't deserve Gods grace, but God is merciful and amazing to me. And I am so thankful and grateful That He is MY God and nothing will ever change that! :) God says do not be afraid for I am with you. So there ya have it. Don't be scared. But hate what is evil.

That's just what's on my heart right now. Hopefully it sheds some light on the truth for ya :D
Peace out my friends

Taste and See it, for real!

Gods Word tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good! (Psalms 34:8) I find this a really intreguing commandment. It seems to say that God wants all our senses involved when we come to Him. God tells us over and over to "listen and hear my voice pay attention and hear what I say" (Isaiah 28:23) with that said, have you ever wanted to be a food taste tester? You know, sit down and have high end chefs pay you to bring you their fabulous creations while you dine on their food... and get payed to do it? Well, I have. Sounds like a nice job, and I don't know anyone who wouldn't like to do it! (P.s. if you want to hire me to do this please contact me!) Lol. God is the greatest most satisfying abundant thing that you will ever be given and told to taste!

The reward is so far beyond any earthly reward. The reward for taking part in this amazing Bread of life" is so much more than just a "ticket" to heaven, but ONLY if you taste, hear, smell, see, and feel the true goodness of the Lord. Let me remind you, finding God is absolutely not about recieving a reward, and if you go before the Lord with that mentality you will be unable to find Him. What I am trying to convey to you, is that God made us with five senses, not just for our daily life, but so we can truly experience God as He really is! We were made for the Lord, but we were not made as drones that cannot think/feel for themselves. God has opened up Himself to us, and for so many of us we have only experienced God with one or two senses.

I want to encourage you to savor God, savor the flavor, take it in, soak it up, when ou read Gods Words don't just skim through it, savor each flavor, each morsal! Smell it, breath in the Word of Life, come before God asking to be able to experience Him with every sense He gave you to experience Him with.

When Jesus being human, could experience God so much to the point where he said they are one, and even saying he wants US to be one with God JUST as He is, that's when you know we were created to know God more than just reading about Him in a book, or hearing about Him in a Sunday service! God said we are able to do anything we set our minds to. (Genesis 11:6) If God said that "nothing will be impossible for them" He wasn't excluding anything, God is not man that he lies! So I want to encourage you to set your mind to experience God justas He enabled us to experience Him. Search after Him as if there was nothing more important, because the reality is, THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT! When we can come into the full presence of God, we walk out with the glory of the Lord shining upon us. (Isaiah 60:1)

Want to be satisfied? Want to help others be satisfied? Taste and see all that God is, all His goodness, and share that abundance with everyone you know! (John 10:10)

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y

"Let me hear your battle cry, V-I-C-T-O-R-Y" I think that's how it went anyways. I heard the kids at church chanting this last week and I must say it really stuck with me... really. I cant stop thinking it. Like a song that gets stuck in your head and you can't get it out.Yep, been there for nearly two weeks now. I'm going to venture a guess and say God is probably trying to remind me of something.
It's amazing to hear little kids saying this. Man, what I wouldn't give to have had that instilled in me from childhood! Buuut I suppose thats one of the reasons why we have kids. Not so we can make them live the lives we lived, but so they can live what we couldn't. Im pretty convinced that every parent in some way, lives vicariously through their children. For me it's showing my children that they are worth something! As well as teaching them that the Holy Spirit is our helper and He gives us amazing Gifts if we ask and believe. For my husband its buying them toys that he wished HE had when he was a kid. The lego sets... its really for him ;)
I think though sometimes the childrens department at church chooses verses or stories that will also give parents a reminder of the simple amazingness of God! And the strength that God gave us to pull through.
In the Bible it says in Hebrews 12:1 to run with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us. I cant tell you how many times I've thought of that verse BUT (and maybe this is just me) theres a first part of the verse that i dont think about, and completely forget about until I look it up (you know, actually cracking open my Bible and finding "endurance" in the concordance because I've completely forgotten the scripture refrence...) it says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us also lay aside EVERY weight and SIN which clings so closely"
If you are constantly striving for victory, and feeling like you always fall short this is for you. (Okay, and me too!) You absolutely, in no way can be victorious if you allow the baggage of life to "cling" on to you. Your past, (not a pretty one? Always reminding you of crap that you really dont want to be reminded of?) Your present, (always staring you in the face just how difficult everything is, and feeling like you are looking at a mount everest that your expected to climb) or your future (got "nothing" going for you and can't find ANY solution to make it out of this world any less dependant than when you first came into this world) thats all baggage that i must say, at different points in my life I have had! But not today! And not anymore!
1Peter 5:7 says to "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the Mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, Casting ALL your anxieties on HIM because...HE CARES FOR YOU!" Also in Matthew 11:28-30 "come to me(Jesus) all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls"
If you are human you have been burdened at some point in your life! But when Jesus says take My yoke upon you, he isnt saying he's going to give you a different burden, He is talking about walking in union with Him, and THAT is what will give you rest. Just like two ox plowing a field yoked together have to walk in unison, step by step, to make the job easier, that is what God wants. He wants to be so close to you that you and Him are knit together.
Jesus even prayed that very thing in John 17:20-22 "I ask also for those who will believe in me... that they also will be in us (Jesus, God) so that the world will believe that You have sent me. The Glory that You have given Me, I HAVE GIVEN THEM!!" WOW! Jesus gives us the same glory he recieved from God!
How can we NOT be victorious with that?! Ok, so maybe I'm talking to myself here and thats fine, but man I'm pumped! I can lay it down (and heres the key...) dont pick my burden back up! And find myself operating in the same glory of God himself, and being one with Jesus! If that doesnt scream victory... then I will give you one more thing that does: Jesus Christ died and lay in a tomb(dead) for three days, then conquering death got up, walked out of the tomb and ministered to his Disciples for 40 days as if death never happened. Now thats Victory! So with that said...
"Let me hear your battle cry, V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!!"

Until next time :)
Sheri

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Who Am I?!

I am many things... or rather i DO many things, that seem to get labeled as who I am. Such as I AM a mom, I AM a wife, I AM a great cook (ok, I like to think that) even I AM a Christain. But more than those being titles of who i am, I'd have to say those are merely titles of what I do. And I will be honest, in the midst of my busy and hectic life of running after four kids, I often feel stripped from my own identity and feel as though I'm not who I used to be. Yet i dont entirely know who I am at this moment.
Thats how I've been feeling. Until recently. Its an up and down rollercoaster being a mom of four (beautiful and amazing) young kids. And there are days where if i have to answer one more "why?" Again i think my head just might blow up! I know who I want to be. I have this picture of supermom in my head (she actually resembles my mom in nearly every aspect!) And day to day i find myself falling short. This wonderful prayer warrior, strong, supportive, never tired, never angry, always meditating on Gods Word young looking fun and fabulous person just has not been attainable! (Ok go ahead and laugh!)
But knowing who you want to be doesnt always mean its who you are. And especially so if you dont have a clue who you even are right now! There are days when I will say to my husband "I cant do this" hoping for him to come along and say "yes you can!" And sometimes he does say that, but i think its gotten old now and he just looks at me like "you know thats not true"
Ok so, Im guilty of trying to find myself in others approval. But heres something i have found.
After several sermons at church hearing the pastor say things such as "you need to know who you are in Gods Word" or "when you know what God says about you you will never doubt again" i thought, "I've spent my entire life in church, and i know what my mom, my husband, my brothers and grandma all say about me... but what does God say?!" I must have missed the sermon on that.
I delved into searching Gods Word to see what it says. I didn't find the verses that said 'you are worthless' a 'nobody' or 'sick and pathetic' which is how i have felt at different times in my life, or even thought was what God wanted me to think about myself. What I found has transformed me!
When i was little i felt like everyone always told me i was nothing. Maybe they didnt, or maybe my brothers were really only trying to toughen my skin. But i (even though i argued) believed them. I would think if my family couldnt love me enough, then God couldnt. One day as a troubled and angsty teenager my grandma told me "you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to" it changed what i thought. After that i decided to graduate from highschool early, go to college and become a medical assistant. And i did.
It was those few words ... that someone believed in me, that gave me what i needed to push forward.
Thats what Gods Word is, its God (the one and only, the one who created you, the one who knows every hair on your head, every bruise on your body and every thing about you) saying "i know you, I formed you, this is what I made you capable of"
Just a couple verses here that showed me something that has changed me almost instantly!
I am more than a conquerer!! (Romans 8:37) "In all these things we are more than conquerers through Him (Christ Jesus) who loves us!"
I am Mighty in the Lord!! (2 Corinthians 4:8,9) "we are afflicted in every way BUT NOT CRUSHED! Perplexed BUT NOT DRIVEN TO DISPAIR! Persecuted BUT NOT FORSAKEN! Struck down BUT NOT DESTROYED!! "
I am able to do anything I set my mind to! (Genesis 11:6) "and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will be impossible for them."

How great is that! Gods people, Gods Children, the ones confessing the risen from the dead Jesus as the Son of God, are able to do ANYTHING they put their minds to. God created us in HIS image, able to do anything Jesus did! (If you know about Jesus then this should blow your socks off!) Read John 14:12. It says "Truly truly I (Jesus) say to you, whosoever believes in me will also do the works that i do, and greater works than these will he do!"
So... thats just the tip of the iceburg. But right now, Im standing strong on the Words that God says about me.
Feeling quite unstoppable and on top of the world! Ready to take it on!
But what about you? Where do you fit in?
You will find yourself burried in Gods word. No matter who you are. Believer of God or not. You are in there. And in Gods sights.

Signing out for now
Sheri

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The First of Many

well, this shall be interesting and full of typos and gramatical errors too. that is,  if i ever complete this. being without a comuter sure is a downer and because i can only use my two inch by four inch keyboard on my phone im stuck not being able to capitalize anything or use any symbols... no smiley faces for me... i would have a sad face right there if it let me. anyways this is just a test run to see if this will work for me. i havebeen insearch of a blog app for the android and have been unable to find anything that works. anyways i must run off to make sure the kids do actually finish their food thats been sitting in front of them for nearly two hours now. i guess the taco salad was not as kid friendly of a dish as i had remembered it being. off to crack the whip....