Living above the norm.

Hi!

This week I found some time to continue to read on in Elizabeth George's book "Following God with all your heart." I want to share with you a few of the truths that really spoke to my heart. I pray that these truths will speak to you and guide you as you continue to grow in your walk with Jesus.

"Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove the practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands, and moves towards the goal of true maturity." Romans 12:2 Phillips

"There's a point in any and every journey where a decision has to be made: "Which way do I go?" Hopefully you make the decision before you speed past the opportunity to go in the direction you need or want to go. There's nothing worse than having to get off a road, figure out how to backtrack, turn around, and get back on the highway so you can make the right choice this time."

The same is true in your life as a believer. For a Christian, a priority is: How can I know God's will? How can I be in God's will? Which choices will keep me on the path of God's will?

These questions are essential to ask and answer if we are to follow after God. The desire to follow Him and live in His will sets us apart for the normal life and puts us into an extraordinary one.

First we have to offer our bodies to God, to set them apart and dedicate them to God's service and righteous living.

Once we have offered ourselves completely to God our bodies and minds, a dramatic change occurs in our relationship with the World. Christianity is a "calling away from worldliness. "

Every day we will be tempted and pressured to conform to the world, to live as unbelievers do, but don't give in to the pressures of worldliness. Instead live for God and live His Way.

Living our lives based on the truths in the Bible makes us unique.

Here are a few ways that we can do just that.

1. Guard your intake-Feed your mind first and foremost on God's instructions. Once we know the truth and what God thinks about every facet of our lives, we can act, think, respond, and make choices accordingly.

2. Select your friends carefully. When it comes to choosing friends there are basically three kinds. The first group are those who pull you up to a higher level of Christianity, who help move you closer to God and His standards. These could be considered mentors, teachers and role models. The second group are those who pull you along. These are like minded peers who encourage your spiritual growth and walk with God. The third group is made up of acquaintances who pull you down--who encourage you in the wrong direction, pressure you to make bad choices, make fun of your standards. Yes you love them, pray for them, serve them and witness to them, but they are not your close friends.

3. Spend your time on what really matters. God tell us to use our time "not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. This means take great care in how you live. Live responsibly and wisely. Make the most of every minute by making the best use of your time. Your time is your life, and you're on assignment from God. You have a purpose. A wise person once said. "You can never kill time without injuring eternity." Being sold out to Christ most definitely affects the use of your time.

4. What how you act, what you wear, where you go, what you say... Are all these areas glorifying to Jesus! We must learn to use self restraint as a believer in all areas of our lives.
Christ in you makes you exceptional, and your thinking and behavior is to mirror your position.

Are you standing out and living beyond the norm today. This is what God wants for all believers. He wants us to be extraordinary, to stand out, to be different, to live above the norm.
He wants us to be a living, walking ambassador and advertisement for Christ!

Remember at the fork in every road, you must choose the road that brings you nearer to God.

May you ponder these truths in your life today. Praying you have a God centered new week.

Blessings,

Deb

Hope for the future!

What a week I just lived through! Being a parent of a Sr in High School has its crazy times!!! This week was getting ready for the Home School Formal. We spent Thursday shopping and decorating for it and Friday getting dressed up and beautiful! Actually I loved every minute of it and am cherishing the moments in my heart! This picture was taken of Hannah on Friday night!

Pastor Jon and I had the privilege to help sponsor our local Home School High School Banquet on Friday night. It was a fun and amazing time with 60 plus teens who love the Lord.

Jon was asked to give a devotional challenge to the group and he did a fantastic job. The Sr's planned the night of a delicious meal and then a fun square dance! Last year when they said they were going to square dance the teens were moaning about it being boring but found out they had a great time. This year they were energized and loved every minute of it. The 80 year old caller was great with them! Even the three couples that sponsored the night got into it. But the most amazing thing was the kids. They were so respectful of us and each other. They thanked us over and over for all the work that had gone into planning the night and said they thought is was the best night ever! We had a special time of prayer at the end where we stood around in a circle and gave everyone a chance to pray. It was amazing to hear these young adults pray for each other and thank the Lord for the opportunities that their parents have given them throughout the years. What a great ending to an already great night!

As I have been thinking about it in my head over the weekend one word kept coming to my mind. HOPE. Hope that I have in these young people that as they leave their parents homes they will become beacons of God's light wherever they go. We hear so many negative things about young people today but after having four of them in our home these past four years I have come to appreciate their love for the Lord and for sharing the gospel to their friends, family, classmates, places of employment... It also excites me as we pass on the mantel to them in helping reach this ungodly, pagan world for Christ.

1 Timothy 4:12 says "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

I can say I saw this verse in action on Friday night and it gives me Hope!

Blessings,

Deb

I Serve a Risen Savior!

Hi!

I pray that each of you today can say I serve a Risen Savior!

As I was getting ready early this morning for our Son rise Service I was thinking about how dark it was outside and how Mary and the women going to the tomb didn't have street lights or car headlights to direct them to the tomb. They probably had a small candle if anything that bore the light they needed to see their way there. They didn't have a car to drive but had to walk who knows how many miles out side the city to get to the grave. They didn't know He was risen so as they walked they were deeply grieving Christ's death. They went to do a small task of preparing his body with spices and perfumes so that the stench of death wouldn't over take the tomb.

When they arrived and found the tomb open and Jesus body missing their first thoughts were probably of shock that not only had their precious friend and king been put to death but now someone had stolen the body. As they ran back to tell the disciples they were going to deliver a message not of hope but of hopelessness. His body was missing! BUT as always our Lord had the better plan. As he spoke to Mary he called her by name. That is when she knew for sure that her friend Jesus was really who he claimed to be. Her faith came by seeing the risen Messiah.

How often do we wonder if Christ is really among us. When our trials come we sometimes are guilty of thinking "Where are you Lord?" We wonder if He really cares for us and if what His word says really is true for me in the trail I am facing. Mary believed because she saw.

Then their was Thomas who said he would only believe if He saw the nail scars in His feet and Hands. How many times do we put conditions on the Lord working in our lives. If He will do this, then I will do that or I will only believe when I see it! I know I have been guilty of this many times in my Christian walk.

I say I want to see Jesus work, but am I really looking for Him to work or is it just a bunch of words to be spiritual in my walk. In today's busy society that we live in. I wonder just how many times the Lord is working in my life and others and I just don't see Him because I am so busy raising a family, serving in a church ministry, living life as I want it. If I would just stop I would see just how he has been working and what He would like to do through me if only I would take the time to listen and obey! God's word tells me Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.


Today after all the family left and services were over. I just sat in peace contemplating just what His rising again means in my life. It means that I don't have to walk alone during the trials that I am encountering. Jesus is always by my side and He cares. It means that I can know that Christ has a plan for my life and that as I listen and obey He will directly show me His will.
But most of all it means that He took away my sin on that cross How do I know this? Because I have placed my faith (trust) in Christ and have accepted His free gift of salvation in my life. But more than that I have the blessed hope that He will come back for me. Either through death or rapture! Just like He was raised on Resurrection morning, He is going to raise me too!

With all that being said I have to constantly evaluate my life to see if I am watching for His return or will I be in shock like the women were on that day they discovered the tomb was empty.

I want my focus daily to be "Lord Come Quickly"

May you each have a blessed Resurrection Day and be watching for our Lord's return!


Deb

Asking for prayer

Hi!

My heart is heavy as I write this email today, but I am encouraged!

Today in my quiet time I began the book of Joshua. After spending two months in the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, I was ready to begin Joshua. Don’t think I didn’t enjoy my time I spent in Numbers and Deuteronomy, because I did.

In the beginning I would have rather just skipped over them because they just repeat themselves over and over, but the Lord reminded me that is what he intended for it to be. So that I would learn and relearn and remember just how important these two books of the Bible were for the people of Israel and also for me today. The first few verses in Joshua remind us “To be strong and courageous. That is just what I need to continue to live in this sin filled world. I need God’s strength so that I can withstand the fiery flames that Satan constantly throws at me. So I am encouraged!

My heart still is breaking as we love and try to minister to people with spiritual issues, marriage issues, relationship issues, health issues … The list can go on and on! I find myself so inadequate in helping them. I know and believe that only Jesus can help, but so many of them don’t want to think about it being a spiritual need that overflows over into so many other issues.

I myself am trying to come to terms with my own issues.

As many of you know I have struggled for years with all kinds of health related issues. Most are related to my own sin of gluttony and the Lord has been dealing strongly with me in this area. How can I minister to other when I can’t even resist Satan’s hold in my own life? I try for awhile and have temporary results but I have never ever have total victory in this area. These past few months’ I have prayed over and over for the Lord to take this area of my life and clean house and He is! It isn’t without challenges and I know I will continue to struggle with it but I don’t have to give myself over to it.

For the past six years I have tried to regain my energy and strength since going through the “mold issues” we had when we lived in KS. I get temporary relief but never have felt my full energy restored. I haven’t struggled with colds, flu, headaches… but I still have intense pain and fatigue. My doctor in Red Cloud has been evaluating this for the past several years and this last February concluded that I have Fibromyalgia. This is something I have tried to deny over and over as I don’t want to admit that I have another health issue, but I have to deal with it because it is something I will have to live with the rest of my life. Above all I want to Glorify Jesus as He knew that this was going to be part of my life, even part of the consequences of my sin.

So I am entering a new phase of my life. Trying to set attainable goals and not trying to be a super woman. I am looking to Jesus for direction, learning to adjust to what I can and can’t do and learning how to best manage the pain that is real and sometimes overwhelming.

I would ask that you would continue to pray for me as I make the many adjustments that it will take.

I know there will be some that just won’t understand and may even take offense of my saying NO to them, but I am also praying that the Lord will go before me and will defend me. I know it won’t be easy but I am only one person and I’m not their savior! They need to look to Jesus for their guidance and help and not so much to me.

If you think about it I could sure use some prayer! Thanks in advance!

Praying you have a good week. Keep looking to Jesus!


Deb