If my people called by my name

2 Chronicles 7:13-15
13 "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

Please don't overlook these verses out of familiarity. Rod informed me of this article tonight: CLICK HERE. So, what would all of our lives be like if gas went to $10 a gallon? I would say things would be pretty rough. I still believe that if we would truly humble ourselves as believers and pray and seek His glorious face and turn from our wicked ways, that He would hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land. So, instead of us worrying, why don't we start praying seriously for our country that God would come and fall on us like rain and heal us of our waywardness. And maybe even lower our gas prices. I don't think that is too far fetched for our God who controls all things.

The Prayer of Faith

1 Timothy 1:17
17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:16
16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

...on a side note...I have some stinking squirrels in my attic and maybe some birds. They are scratching their little claws on my ceiling and I am about to be so horrified so I have to get out of this room. I think something must have even died up there. Also, I am pushing 30 and my face is still breaking out. What is the deal! I thought I would go through all of that and then hit a certain point where it would just stop. ahhh!

PS I put on a blue bracelet from the Believing God study I did a while back. I was reminded of it on one of Amanda's last posts. I have so many accusations come at me from the accuser and each day I pray that it serves as a holy reminder to believe God!!!

God is not a man, that He should lie

Numbers 23:19
19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?

A couple of years ago (and even several years back) I was spending time in prayer, asking God to confirm some things that had been on my heart. Things that were a fire in my bones (Jeremiah 20:9), so to speak, and things that I felt were in line with His will. He confirmed in a profound, dramatic way through His word and His people that the passion He put on my heart was a calling that He had on my life. Time has passed and I have done what some of our earliest biblical ancestors have done...I have doubted and attempted to run ahead of Gods timing. I have questioned like I am sure they did: Was that really you God? Did you really confirm that? Have I sinned too much for you to still use me? And on and on. Then, like Abraham and Sarah receiving the promise for offspring I have tried to help God move things forward in my own time( just like they did when he slept with her maidservant Hagar)...which always produces and Ishmael (Ishmael=mans attempt to help God out). We see the conflict in the Middle East to this day because of mans attempt to help God out with His promises. Ishmael was a product of the flesh and Isaac was a work of the Spirit. God was faithful to His covenant regardless of their sin.

I thought that the Lord may be opening a door for me and I checked into it and asked Him to let nothing proceed if it was not where He was guiding me. He did not EVEN open that door. It was slammed shut. Why, I don't know but I desperately need His hand to be on anything I do or it will be only a product of my flesh and my work will not stand the test (1 Corinthians 3:11-13). I have shoved open so many doors on my own instead of waiting on the Lord. I have seriously been like the child squirming out of her mothers arms with impatience. I look back over the time that I have been born again and I see how much He has been growing me. How much zeal I had without knowledge and what an idiot I have been in my life. Yet the Lord has not given up on me, He has not dropped or abandoned me. Praise You Lord!
So, I am finally at a place of rest and trust in my inner man. I am okay with the wait because I know that His ways are perfect. I have learned through my own striving to cease and wait on Him. I also know that He is still growing me and maturing me and I am not where I need to be. He wants me to just keep seeking Him and following His lead to the Promised Land.
So, I encourage anyone reading this to keep looking to the Author and Perfecter of our faith...Jesus. Keep believing Him when all the odds seem against you and you feel forgotten. Keep listening for His voice and not the voice of man...even if it is your closest friend or relative speaking doubt and discouragement into your life.

Romans 3:4Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written:
"So that you may be proved right when you speak
and prevail when you judge."

He is faithful. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. So whatever you are waiting for, keep taking that mustard seed of faith to Him in prayer and wait...even if it means you die believing Him...BELIEVE HIM!

Psalm 89:8
8 O LORD God Almighty, who is like you?
You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

Love~


ps I just went to my friend Amys blog (go tell her hey...her blog is still kind of new and I know how friendly you siestas are) and read this CLICK HERE and it was so encouraging how the Lord just led me to read what she had on there.

A monkey on my back

Y'all this is not me trying to show you a picture of me praying...it is me trying to show you how I can do nothing without my two year old (3 yr old in June) trying to get in on it...as she steps on my hair. I was trying to have a sacred moment of prayer for the bible study starting tonight! LOL

A Sweet Man

Matthew 19:30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

My local friends will make fun of me because of my Wal-Mart and Dollar Tree trips but here goes anyway. I went to the Dollar Tree today because I was in major need of some Ibuprofen. The DT was slammed. As we proceeded to check out there was a man opening a box full of teddy bears. There were so many little children in the store while we were there. I just assumed that this man, who had to be in his late eighties worked there and did stock or something. He walked up to Morgan and asked her which bear she wanted. Well, of course we couldn't turn down and 80 something year old man trying to sale us a bear for a dollar, or so I thought. When I checked out I hear him say, "no one pay for those bears I am paying for all of them (It was like a $120 dollars worth of bears...that's a lot for the dollar tree." Well, I had already bought Morgans so that was fine but my heart was so blessed by this sweet man. He was so precious. The cashier was so rude and she said that she thought the guy was weird for doing that. I told her that I thought it was one of the sweetest things. Of course it was weird to her because you don't see stuff like that every day. Just like when we are set apart for Christ people will think we are different or weird. Just with his gentle warm spirit, I wouldn't be surprised if he was a believer. Anyway, the same thing happens to us a lot at Wal-Mart. The door greeters that we have made friends with buy Morgan little treats and it is such a sweet blessing. It's people like this man at the DT, or Barbara and Yvonne at Wal-Mart that make me so want to be more like Christ. So many people just can pass them by thinking they are of low position but these people are of great worth and some of the most precious people I know.

us

More on Oprah

I saw this on The Preachers wifes blog and had to copy it.
An article on Fox News regarding Oprah's new agenda.
CLICK HERE

One day this will be funny to me

So, Rod and I are WITH Morgan tonight (ALL IN THE SAME ROOM) and she gets into a tube of Desitin. Here is the result, minus what is all on the carpet and on me.




Here is a random pic from yesterday

Here is a picture of my hair cut. It isn't really fixed and no I wasn't smiling because my mouth is actually still sore from having my back tooth extracted. ;) I just got some layers near my face and some long layers.

Luke 4:4
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone."

Tonight we went to eat at O'Charleys. I have mentioned in the past how much I love their yeast rolls. I could eat baskets of them. Morgan loves them to. Rod gave me a lecture about how bad it is that I like the bread so much to which I replied "The bible says man can not live on bread alone. It doesn't say anything about a woman not being able to live on bread alone...because I could." Y'all I am totally joking though...I know we must feast on the Bread of His Presence... but I thought it was funny. Then, I proceeded to wrap up the rolls and stick them in Morgan's diaper bag. He was so embarrassed but I am sorry you don't get those things that often.

Morgan has been tagged for a MeMe

Ethan's mommy from HisTreasuredPossession tagged Morgan for a meme.
So here goes!
7 Random things about Morgan

1. Morgan was a high risk pregnancy and I had the worst most miserable pregnancy. It was a miracle that she ever got here. She never moved until it was night time. Things have only changed a little with her night owl personality.

2. Morgan likes to hide food in the vents of our house. You may open a drawer and find food as well. Think of anything that is crazy and she is probably going to do it. She runs non stop and is into EVERYTHING. I can't take my eyes off of her or rest until she is asleep.

3. Her favorite foods are salad, she is in the kitchen now eating cucumbers, a bagel, and carrots with buttermilk ranch. LOL

4. She calls tomatoes and cucumbers "Bob and Larry" when we are in the vegetable aisle.

5. We took many, many, many trips to the hospital and etc the first two years of her life. Just for random things.

6. She is a tom-boy even though she dresses cute (I have a little something to do with that).

7. She is very messy and I seriously vacuum the den two-three times a day. Oh and she LOVES bandaids!

I tag
Sherry
Charity
Kim

Quick word

If you are familiar with many scriptures you are familiar with this one:
Psalm 67:1
1 God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah

Something I read tonight puts a whole new spin on this verse for me.
"When a king smiled on a supplicant with pleasure, the petitioner was likely to receive his request..." (John MacArthur Study Bible NKJV)

Then the next verse:
2 That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
We can so selfishly wrap that first verse up and apply it all to ourselves but the point in life is that we glorify God on this earth...not just receive blessings for ourselves. Yes we need mercy and blessing but oh that our lives would be blameless and that our prayers be in accordance with His will that He might be brought glory and that HIS ways would be known on earth and His salvation among all the nations.

So, yes Lord please make your face to shine apon us and grant our requests. God that my heart and our hearts would be to do Your will and that You would give us Your holy King of Kings nod of approval as You turn Your face to us. You are so worthy Lord.

True Peace

This is from Greg Laurie's daily devotional. It ministered to me so much...I needed the reminder.


Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Voice of Peace

"For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace. . . ."

— Isaiah 55:12

Not only does God speak to us through His Word, and not only does He speak to us through people and circumstances, but God also speaks to us through His peace. Colossians says, "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful" (3:15). Another way to translate that verse is, "Let God's peace act as an umpire in your lives, settling with finality all matters that arise."

God's peace can act as an umpire in your life. He can settle with finality what you should do. Here's how it works. Maybe you think that something is the will of God. Circumstantially, things have fallen into place. You begin to proceed, but then you have a complete lack of peace. Something inside of you is saying, "Don't do it."

The Old Testament tells the story of a clever group of individuals known as Gibeonites, who lived in Canaan. God had instructed Joshua not to make any deals with the inhabitants of the land. So the Gibeonites put on old shoes and clothes and pretended as though they had come from a distant country. They told Joshua they had come to enter into an agreement with him. Joshua unknowingly struck a deal with his enemies because he failed to consult the Lord.

Things can look good outwardly. Everything can seem right. Be careful. Learn to listen to that still, small voice. Learn to pay attention to that peace, or lack of it, in your life because that is one of the ways God will lead you. When you're in the will of God, you will have His peace.

Tricycle

Morgan's hero brought her this home today. She was thrilled! Yet another way God has blessed me. I was looking and tricycles today wanting to buy her one and Rod got this from his brother (and we had not even talked about it).



YAY!


She takes after her mother in her love for music. This is her pocket radio from the dollar tree!

don't forget to scroll down to the post before this!

Morgan saying prayers

This one is really for the family. I think you can tell my child watches too much television by her prayer life. LOL!! ps you will have to hit pause on my music player to hear it.

The Patriarchs (Again and Again)

I know I have several Birmingham area readers that don't go to my church so I wanted to put this out for all of you.
I am starting the Patriarchs, by Beth Moore on April 22nd at 6:30pm in room s109-110 at Hunter Street Baptist Church (HSBC.org).
Go HERE and register online if you are interested. You can also go HERE and view more information about the bible study. This is the one that I went to the taping of in Baltimore and this will be my third time to go through the workbook. I am so excited and hope that some of you will join us!! There is no child care provided.

If you attend, you will need to purchase a workbook, and I know Lifeway had plenty when I went the other day. Just bring that and your bible.
Also, sorry for being MIA...I am still trying to cover from my fun little dental procedure. It is killing me. It always seems to be something. Morgan is running a fever so I hope it is no big deal for her.

Eating the Bread of Idleness

Proverbs 31:27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

When I was single and struggling financially, I really could not afford to go to the dentist. I had a cracked tooth that really needed some work but I didn't have the money to go. So, I get married and finally go and find out I have to have a root canal and crown...YAY! I can not stand going to the dentist my nerves can not take it. Anyway, today I had to go and have that same tooth completely extracted. I am in pain is why I have been up since 4.

Rewind even further back in the day. I had a sporty red eclipse for a car, I desperately needed some coolness factor. The only thing was...no one really taught me much about changing the oil and so my engine sort of went bad until it just blew up. Lesson learned. Really back then I didn't want to fork over any extra money that I didn't have. STUPID.

So, I end up with a greater problem on my hands...I had to buy another car and pay off the one that was no longer working. The Lord was so gracious to me because I literally wore myself out trying to pay for a roof over my head and 2 car notes. One day I was driving home and began to just unload my heart before the Lord. I told Him how tired I was of working three jobs to make ends meet and reminded Him that His word says in Psalm 127 that the Lord gives rest to those that He loves. Yet I was trying to carry my own burdens and I was wearing out. I prayed that if there was anything I was not giving over to Him that He would put it on my heart to confess. I felt the whisper in my Spirit...your car.
That VERY DAY a friend of mine called me. I had never mentioned much about my car or the burden it was for me. He said Jenny I need to talk to you. I was like oh no I don't have time for anyones problems today. Anyway, I met up with him and he told me that the Lord had put it on his heart to pay my car off for me. I was in Awe that the very same day God answered my prayer. Within hours. And he did...he payed that car off. Praise God.
The verse I included above in Proverbs 31 is just such a reminder to me to watch over the little things...spiritually, and the things that just take place in my life and what goes on in my house.

Right now (in a very realistic way), I am so behind on folding clothes and I feel like I am eating the bread of idleness. I did have a rough week but I want to get it done. Yet when I delay simple little things and neglect my house or my relationship with the Lord...those things become a mountain on my hands. Even that pile of laundry in the other room is discouraging me. You all know what I am talking about when company comes and you really have to get your house clean...and in a hurry. It can also be so hard with a two year old in tow who loves to explore!

Also, if I had taken care of oil changes, and a cracked tooth, maybe I wouldn't have a larger mess on my hands...an expensive one at that. I also don't want to pine away in this life and neglect what goes into my heart. Eating the bread of idleness can cause us to fall into all manner of sin...and we are capable of falling fast.

Dr. Paul Perry

I have had so many things that I have been praying for lately a friend who is getting 80 percent of her intestines removed, another friend who is having his colon removed, a friend who just lost her mother to cancer, a young man who just committed suicide, a niece that I miss so much, a sister in Christ who's father just had a heart attack and had his leg amputated, any way there are so many other things as well that I could list but I have been so burdened and grieved over Dr. Paul Perry that founded OBGYN/South. He has a rare cancer and I have kept up with him every day and been praying for him through the caringbridge site. Anyway, God has used his hands to heal so many and my doctor, Dr. Adcock, has been mentored by him as well and has helped me tremendously with pelvic pain and etc.
Last night he posted this video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8754611067847032054 and I just sat in my room and bawled my eyes out as I watched him. The thing is...I don't even know him personally but he is my brother in Christ. I have prayed for him so much that I have taken it personal. I love our connection in Christ. I have such admiration for this man of integrity and faith, who is still seeking Him will all of his strength. Y'all our lives are so short. We don't know the day or hour. Think about that. Seek to honor Him like Dr. Perry. I am still fighting in prayer that God would heal him on this earth until I hear otherwise. I am so blessed by Him.

Revised Church of Oprah

ponderings from today

I still have not been myself these past few days but I know that I have felt the prayers of my precious friends who have been praying for me. I read these verses this morning and they stuck out to me so much:

Proverbs 6:21-23

21 Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.

22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you. (emphasis mine)

23 For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way to life,

I have learned the hard way (disobedience), like a stubborn child, how good His commands are and what life they truly bring. To walk in my own way, in my flesh, truly equals destruction and death. I want to choose to obey my loving Father and have the peace that comes from abiding in the shadow of His wings. Go read chapter 6 of Proverbs for yourself but I just hope you will focus on verse 22. I have never spent time with Him in vain and I am so thankful for how He truly restores my soul when I am alone with Him. His word speaks, His commands truly are our lamp and our light, and the wisdom we get from the word will truly watch over us as we apply it and grow in our maturity. Oh that I would believe and trust in Him more. He so longs for us to come to Him. Just like Peter jumping out of the boat in the last chapter of John. He had to bridge the distance that was between him and his Christ. And Christ was there on the shore waiting to meet with His disciples, waiting to meet with Peter. But I just love how Peter so longed for Christ that He was willing to look foolish to get to Him. They were only about 100 yards from the shore after their great, MIRACULOUS, catch of fish and when Peter recognized Christ he swam as hard as he could to get to Him. And then how Christ reinstated Peter after his denial of Christ. The Lord wants us to come to us as we are. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He wants to heal us and bind us from getting off on our own beaten paths or from even the pain that has been caused by another. When you need Him most, He will be on the shore waiting for you to. Don't wait to get cleaned up to come to Him or you will never come. None of us can ever be clean and pure apart from His cleansing.

April 7, 2008

PEOPLE PANIC . . . GOD PROVIDES
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read 1 Samuel 15:1--19
The tragic story of King Saul is that he never, ever fully repented of his sin. Saul's greatest concern was his image, how he looked before the people. Even after Samuel gave him a break, Saul took advantage of it and continued in that same vein until the day he took his own life. How sad is that?
Samuel has reached the end of his rope. The people elected Saul king, but he's no longer qualified. What are they to do? Israel is surrounded by enemies, and they need someone to carry the scepter. But who? Samuel didn't know and couldn't imagine. The people didn't know and had no suggestions. No one knew . . . except God.
What Samuel didn't realize---what we often don't realize---is that behind the scenes, before He ever flung the stars into space, God had today in mind. He had this very week in mind. In fact, He had you in mind. And He knew exactly what He was going to do. God is never at a loss to know what He's going to do in our situations. He knows perfectly well what is best for us. Our problem is, we don't know. And we say to Him, "Lord, if You just tell me, then I'll be in great shape. Just reveal it to me. Explain Your plan to me, and I'll count on You." But that's not faith. Faith is counting on Him when we do not know what tomorrow holds.
When a man or a woman of God fails, nothing of God fails. When a man or woman of God changes, nothing of God changes. When someone dies, nothing of God dies. When our lives are altered by the unexpected, nothing of God is altered or unexpected. It was the prophet Isaiah who wrote: "Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24).
"Before you even utter a word," God promises, "I'm involved in answering. In fact, while you're speaking, I'm involved in bringing to pass the very thing I have planned from the get go."
God knows exactly what He's going to do, and nothing can restrain His bringing it to pass
________________________________________________________________

--This spoke so much to me today...I hope it does you to.

Wow

I can't believe it has been Monday since I have checked in. I just want to say thank you so much for how precious each of you are to me. To my brothers and sisters around the world, and to my church family. Sunday night I was hit with a bad case of tachycardia it lasted for almost five hours. My heart rate was around 140-150. I finally was able to get up and write Rod a note and tell him how I had been struggling. If you have ever been through this it is very scary and you feel like you can do nothing. Several times I wondered if I was dying. The fire department got to my house Monday morning and my heart has slowed to 120. Anyway, the meds they have me on are making me so tired. Hopefully, I will get used to it soon. I could use prayer for just being able to be a good mom to Morgan and be able to get out and play with her and etc. I am just so tired.
Thank you for checking on me and for praying for me. This has happened to me several times but nothing like the other night. It was so scary. Please pray for me to have peace and sleep well at night.
Love-