True story?!?!

Aren’t all – or hopefully most – of the stories you tell TRUE stories!?When was the last time you started a story with, “This is a lie!” ???

Hold on a second…we may not tell lies to others…but what kind of stories are you telling yourself!?  Do they all begin with, “True story”!?  Are you speaking truth and life through your thoughts?  Do you build yourself up in what you say and think to YOU?

These Bible verses hold true for when we are speaking to others… beginning with ourselves!

“Speak the truth in love” Ephesians 4:15
“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”  Luke 6:45
“Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Matthew 22:37 (emphasis added)

A quick internet search these days produces extraordinary results….literally millions of results in under 1 second!

Google “God” = over 3 BILLION results in 0.55 seconds!
“Love” = over 12 BILLION results in 0:58 seconds!
“Grace” = over 1 BILLION results in 0.63 seconds!
Anything we want to know is literally right at our fingertips!

Everything except what God wants us to know….God speaks to us through time spent in His Word, time spent with other believers, and time spent in prayer.  Not a speed round.  An intentional relationship.  Over time.  

Can you tune the world out long enough to hear His gentle whisper?

“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” I Kings 19:11-12

Sweet babies
Cute toddlers
Awesome big kids
Wonderful teens
Confident young adults
Devoted parents
Wise middle agers
Happy retirees
Super hero seniors

Which age group description made you smile?
For which one did you nod in agreement?
Which one are you?
And your loved ones?

All of life is precious, isn’t it?
God sure does think so! We are made in His holy image!

“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”  Genesis 1:27

There!  I said it! 
I admit I can’t do this thing called, “Life” on my own….I need you.
More than your help, I need you to be who God created you to be.
And I will strive to be who God created me to be.
A variety of strengths and differences….together we can be complete as the Body of Christ.

And then we all can do this thing called, “Life in Christ” together! 🙂

“From Him (Jesus) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  Ephesians 4:16  

It’s pretty amazing! I can walk keeping in step with my 3 (!) year old grandson and my 1 year old granddaughter and yet I can also keep in step with my (? year old) husband! How do I do it?

I listen

I watch

I wait

And I humble myself when I move too fast!

I think this is what God has in mind when He lovingly calls us to heed His Holy Spirit for our own good and for God’s glory!

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25

It’s hard to find perfect darkness in the night sky.  Stars and street lights shine right through or cast their glow.

Our electricity was just out for almost 24 hours.  Pitch black in the house.  Except not really.  Once my eyes adjusted I could see light and shadows and find my way.

This world may seem dark.  It may feel dark.  Situations are real.  Struggles and heartache are painful.  The darkness seeeeeeems to be winning.

But God!

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  John 1:5

Struggling?
Suffering?
Holding on for dear life?

Psalm 13 is a beautiful and honest sequence of emotions unfolded before the Lord.He knows what you are thinking….He knows how you are feeling….and He loves you right where you are.  So why hide from the ONLY ONE who can ULTIMATELY protect you wherever you are?

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?….Look on me and answer, Lord my God…I trust in your unfailing love”

Psalm 13:1,3,5

Can you feel it?!  It’s almost time to get the seeds in the ground!
Maybe some of you adventurous types have seeds in soil pots under heat lights!
Such a hope-filled partnership with God in bringing forth life from dormant morsels.

What other dormant morsels do you have in your life that need the effect of Light?
Any little ideas sitting around waiting to be planted?
Any bad habits that need to be buried in the dark so the Light can bring them to a newer better life?

Think of the fruit, the bounty and start digging!

“If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

Feel the sand between your toes.
The heat of the sun warming your bones.
The sound of the ocean drumming away, wave after wave….

But instead of waves of water at the beach, consider the steadfast, unconditional, never ending love of God:
Feel His peace washing over you.
The Truth of His Word protecting you.
And the power of His love washing over you again and again and again…unearned, unmerited, totally out of your control and responsibility.

Bask in the glorious gift of Him!

“Many waters cannot quench love” Song of Solomon 8:7

Spring break is coming soon for students everywhere!

Set aside images of beaches and parties and lots of everything else……and focus on the fact that Spring Break is coming soon – therefore SPRING is coming soon!

What a difference hope makes!

Through snow and ice, it’s time to start planning your garden!
Through cold and wind, conditioning is beginning for your spring sports!
Through sickness and health, you need to plan your summer vacation soon!

So bundle up, butter cup, and savor these final weeks of winter!  🙂

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  Hebrews 12:11