Broken

I finally put all of the shells I collected on the beach in a pretty clear vase and I was reminded of my walk on the beach and the wonderful time I had being so close to God....

As I walked along the beach in November collecting seashells, I was with someone who only wanted to pick up the "perfect" shells....the broken ones were left on the sand. I started only picking up the ones that were 'whole' as well but then started including the broken pieces too (I was drawn to them)...and then I had this thought, "What if God only wanted perfect people?" I don't know about anyone else, but that thought scared me. Of course I was immediately comforted by the fact that God sent His son, Jesus, who was the only perfect one, to die for our sins so we don't have to be perfect. Thank you, God!!

So, now, I face a world full of imperfect people, being imperfect myself, and God wants me to guide them to His perfect Son. That's what being a disciple is all about. That is what we are all called to do. To show His love to all people, especially the broken ones. They/We are the ones who need him the most.

Today, I heard someone say "What if suffering is God's invitation to trust him?" Our brokenness comes in many forms. We all need God so that we may be made whole again one day when we reside with Him in heaven.

Dear Lord, help me be an example of what your perfect love can do. Help me to show it to all people that I meet each and every day. Thank you for loving me even though I am broken. Thank you for inviting me to you!

A woman was asked by a co-worker,

"What is it like to be a Christian?"

She replied,

"It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Several years ago, I had this as the signature line of my e-mails. It was always there for anyone who received an e-mail from me to see. One day, a dad of one of the chess club students replied to all and asked me to remove this because I shouldn't be promoting my religion using a school event (I was leader of the chess club)...at first, I complied and apologized...but then I realized, I was a volunteer in no way representing the school views...I was using my computer, on my time. So, it remained and I let everyone know that I could not separate being a Christian from who I was, whether volunteering at the school or wherever.

From then on, I have always had a scripture as part of my signature line and on several occasions, have been told by someone that the verse has touched their hearts and it was exactly what they needed to hear. I am so happy to hear when God has used me as a vehicle to touch someone's heart.

Lord, let me be an instrument of your peace each and every day..and please, every once in a while, send me a little reminder that it's working...and help me to remember to thank those who are being used by You for my sake as well.

Love you, Lord, today and always!

Happy Birthday to me!

I thank God for giving me this life! 42 years ago on the 6th of October, I joined a wonderful family with a Mom and a Dad and 2 sisters and 1 brother. I have so many great memories of my childhood. I loved my family and still do. Some memories are so vivid and some are kind of fuzzy...but almost all of them are great!!
My favorite memories for my birthdays has to be when Grandma Banwart would bring my birthday cake! It was always angel food and always perfect!! And then, there would be the photo by the cake with both sets of grandparents standing beside me. I was so blessed to have them in my life for such a long time.
Now, I have the joy of creating special moments with my children. I pray that God continues to guide me so that I can be the best Mom to my kids.
Thank you God for making me me.

I will not conform!

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—
his good,pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).

I will NOT conform to the pattern of this world! My life is changing and I am hoping it is due to the fact that I am in the Word. I am renewing my mind!! I am praying that God's will will be revealed to me. I pray that I live according to His good, pleasing and perfect will. I want to be His servant. I want to be there for others to love and to serve them. I can do that when I am in the Word! I can be who I was created to be. Thank you, Lord!!

Slow Fade

"Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade


This week I was told by a leader of our church that translations of the Bible are "not black and white" One person asked the question, why does God make it so difficult to discern? But, does he? It is not right with my soul that I am being counted as a member of the ELCA right now. I feel God has made it very clear to me which way I am to go.

Dear Lord, please open our eyes to Your Word! Help us to see clearly. Help us to know and understand that the choices we are making today, come with a price to be paid. Thank you Lord for the price You paid for us already. For giving us Your Son, Jesus. Help us to always "hunger and thirst for righteousness" to desire to be more like You. Lord, Thy will be done.
Amen

hmmm...

So, this is the Bible verse I get today from the ELCA....

1 Kings 13:11-25 (NRSV)

Disobeying the word of God

"Now there lived an old prophet in Bethel. One of his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words also that he had spoken to the king, they told to their father. Their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. Then he said to his sons, "Saddle a donkey for me." So they saddled a donkey for him, and he mounted it. He went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak tree. He said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" He answered, "I am." Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat some food." But he said, "I cannot return with you, or go in with you; nor will I eat food or drink water with you in this place; for it was said to me by the word of the Lord: You shall not eat food or drink water there, or return by the way that you came." Then the other said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord: Bring him back with you into your house so that he may eat food and drink water." But he was deceiving him. Then the man of God went back with him, and ate food and drank water in his house.

As they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; and he proclaimed to the man of God who came from Judah, "Thus says the Lord: Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment that the Lord your God commanded you, but have come back and have eaten food and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, 'Eat no food, and drink no water,' your body shall not come to your ancestral tomb." After the man of God had eaten food and had drunk, they saddled for him a donkey belonging to the prophet who had brought him back. Then as he went away, a lion met him on the road and killed him. His body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. People passed by and saw the body thrown in the road, with the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the town where the old prophet lived."

....And I wonder, is the ELCA being led astray by false prophets? The word of God says one thing, society says another and the ELCA votes and leans more toward society than the word of God. I'm very concerned about the lion.

Dear Lord, please guide Your followers back to the Bible. Help us to discern where you want us to go. Keep us on the right path so we can avoid the path that leads to being killed by a lion.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Set Free!

Released from the past
and all that held me captive…
welcoming each day
with my wings spread wide…
Soaring into the future
and all God has for me!

I cried to the LORD,
and He answered
by setting me free.
Psalm 118:5 NIV

We all have something that holds us captive. Praying that whatever it is for you, that you will be released so you may soar into the future and all that God has for you.
And, I'm praying this for myself as well. There are things that hold me back or down...Lord, I want to experience the freedom that is only found in You!
Amen