inspirations

Everything is a TEST.

I will admit it...I hated school. I really did. Mostly, I hated tests. Especially when I was being tested on something I didn't really feel I had a handle on.

So it would stand to reason that I wouldn't like tests in life...especially when I'm being tested on things I don't seem to have a handle on. Or, have CONTROL of.

One thing I have come to believe is this: everything in life is a test and God is molding my character through each test! Once I wrapped my mind around this (and I'm still trying to "get it", believe me), I started looking at the "bad things" and the "tragedies" and the "hard stuff" in life differently. I truly believe in that old saying: "it's not what happens to you in life, it's how you handle it."

I've been praying lately that God will help me to see everything in my life through His eyes---that He'll give me wisdom and patience and love to react and handle things and make decisions based on HIS wisdom and not my own. I've been asking Him to help me remember that everything is a test and what won't break me will make me stronger for Him. It's so good to know that He will never allow anything to enter our lives without also allowing the way around it, through it, or over it.

So...here's what I've been thinking about lately. TESTS. I hated them in school. I've hated them in life. But what exactly IS the best way to look at a test and learn how to "pass it" without hating it? If I HAVE to take them, Lord, please help me PASS them.

The dictionary describes a "test" this way:

1.	the means by which the presence, quality, or genuineness of anything is determined; a means of trial.

2.	the trial of the quality of something: to put to the test.

3.	a particular process or method for trying or assessing.

4.	a set of questions, problems, or the like, used as a means of evaluating the abilities, aptitudes, skills, or performance of an individual or group; examination

It truly amazes me how you go through life understanding a simple word that you've heard and used many times and then get a whole new perspective on it when you look it up in the dictionary! I look up the meaning of a lot of words in the dictionary these days...the simplest of words take on a new perspective and meaning in my life by doing this!

So after looking at the description of the word test and praying for wisdom about it, God replaced my "former" negative understanding of a "test" with a "new" understanding and now I actually LOVE tests. Seriously. Okay. Not REALLY but here's the thing: God is helping me to see things in a new way and now He can truly change my heart and mind about things by realizing that everything in life can truly make me a better witness for Him because it can now be a "tool" by which He teaches me How to be more like Him!

That's heady, I know. But it is changing my life by changing my mind about everthing that happens in my life, bit by bit. Instead of saying "oh, that's horrible! How can this happen?!?", God is helping me to say "what am I supposed to learn from this? How can I pass this test in life? Where is the good in this and what is God's plan here?".

I was in a car accident 4 days ago. Not a bad accident as far as car accidents go, but anytime you have damage to your vehicle and have to deal with that nightmare of a mess, it isn't pleasant.

I was driving through the parking lot of a gas station with a McDonald's in it. I was headed through the drive-thru for a soda and in a split second I saw a truck backing up into the front end of my car. BAM. Crunch.

When I jumped out and met him at the front of my car/back of his truck, he was saying "I'm so sorry...oh man...I didn't see you! I'm so sorry!". In that moment I felt compassion for him...I felt his pain. I felt his remorse for not seeing me. Something stirred in me and I simply said "God is good...at least neither of us were hurt". It surprised me because I realized that my reaction was all about bringing God into the equation rather than worring about my car. God IS good because He is in EVERYTHING with us. He is in EVERY TEST with us. Watching, guiding, observing, leading.

So here we are, 4 days later. I've already received a check from his insurance company and my car is already in the shop for repair. My point?

1. Everything in life is a test. Reacting with anger and selfishness and concern for ourselves FIRST is a faliure of the test and we will continue to be tested in this area until we master it and learn to pass it. Even then, we will continue to be tested to strengthen us as a witness for the Lord.

2. In every situation and every interaction with other people there is an opportunity to claim the Lord's name and give Him glory for the good in the situation. And there IS good in every situation. God will reveal the good if we seek for Him to do so.

3. Some tests can be prepared for. Others are "pop quizzes" that you don't even know about. Either way, God is in every test ready to be our strength and our source of light. He will help lead us through each essay and every multiple choice question.

4. God is good. I was in an accident 4 days ago and today my car is being fixed and I wasn't hurt and Mr. K witnessed a reaction of love and calmness in the parking lot rather than a crazy woman reacting to his error. Yes, God is good.

Everything in life is a test of our character and as in school, tests in life are merely a way to gauge where we are in our understanding and capabilities of the task or situation at hand!

God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out." 1 Cor 10:13 (TEV).

Learning to trust...REALLY.

When things are good and all is well, life is just a great big bowl of cherries. Sure, there are always the little things and the challenges in life, but when life is SMOOTH and things are rosy, it just makes everything so...sweet.

Enter in a BIG challenge. Like, something REALLY big. Maybe an illness. Or financial problems. Family issues or the breakup of your marriage. Drug or alcohol addictions in your family. A friend dies or you're diagnosed with cancer. You lose your job or your home or your security. A car wreck cripples you or your spouse passes away.

Basically, life just doesn't seem so sweet when the REALLY big issues enter into our lives. The sweetness goes away and in its place is sourness that just seems to penetrate every part of your life.

It's during times like this in life that I'm acutely aware of my need and dependence on God. We all have the big issues face us at one time or another, and when they do, the people that seem to get through these types of challenges in life with strength and courage are the people who surrender everything over to God through prayer, faith and trust. The people who have a REAL, living, breathing relationship with God seem to BECOME stronger and somehow, in a good way, better through it all.

Going through the big challenges in life are true faith and trust builders. I mean, when life is great and all is well it just doesn't seem that we have much opportunity to work our faith and trust muscles much, does it?

The hard times in life are often golden nuggets of opportunity to draw close to God and it's during the difficult times that God can really, truly build our character. Turning TO God is how we learn to "cast our cares" on Him...even when the situation seems dismal, He call us to continue to trust Him: "cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" 1Peter 5:7. 

Even when your entire world seems to be falling apart, God can keep you together and give a sense of peace that doesn't even seem possible: "The Lord is near, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". Philippians 4:5-7.

At times of seemingly unanswered prayer, God STILL tells us to trust him, with, yes, BLIND FAITH (to walk by faith, not by sight). He will continue to give us a peace of mind that will strengthen us even in the gravest of situations. But this "blind faith" is not blind, because we can TRUST in the INTEGRITY of God...in the integrity of His character and deep, unchanging love for us: "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." Jeremiah 31:3.

During the most difficult of times when we pray and our prayers are left "unanswered" for a time or with an answer opposite of what we think is best for us, God is right there in the midst of it with us. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He loves us and is willing to let us suffer what might seem a horrible time now so that we can experience something better later.

God is working with me in a difficult time right now and as I walk by faith and not by sight, I can tell you and share with you that I have never in my life felt His presence more than I do today. I praise God for His wisdom and for His love and His faithfulness. What I share here on my blog is not ever something that I think sounds good...it's always something that I've experienced and share out of the love God has provided. May you too walk by faith and not by sight. God is GOOD!

"Trust in Him at all times, o people. Pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge to us." Psalm 62:8.

FAITH.

The Seed for a GREAT MIRACLE lies not in difficulties, but in IMPOSSIBILITIES (from Faith like Potatoes).

God loves to do what man says is impossible. Not just difficult, but IMPOSSIBLE. Therein lies the great glory to our God, because it's where we can say "With God ALL things are possible" (matthew 19:26).

If you are facing an impossible mountain in your life, remember this: God CREATED mountains and He can MOVE THEM.

Our faith is tested and increased through times of great difficulty, despair and seemingly hopelessness. But we do not serve a weak God. We serve the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.

He loves to do that which man says is impossible. Parting an ocean in two and creating a DRY walkway for the Israelites to pass through was seen as impossible to the men and women standing at the oceans-edge that day. But not to God's faithful servant Moses. Moses didn't doubt that God would deliver them.

The Israelites also doubted the slaying of a large warrior named Goliath by a young boy. A giant, being slain by a young boy who had never before even worn armour and chose a slingshot as his weapon? IMPOSSIBLE! But not to God. He loves to work His power through the impossible. And that day, He DID. Goliath fell to his death with a single stone planted in his forehead by the slingshot of young David.

Do you have an IMPOSSIBLE situation in your life today? Something that EVERYONE around you says (or would say, if you shared it) is impossible to overcome? Do you feel hopeless and in despair because of it?

You have the seed for a great miracle at the hand of God. Yes, you have the makings for a great miracle before you. Jesus said that if our faith was as a mustard seed (do you know how SMALL a mustard seed is?), we could move mountains.

Today I encourage you to completely, 100% surrender your situation to the Lord. I don't know what your situation is, I don't know where you are in your walk with God. But I DO know this: we serve a great and might God and ALL things are POSSIBLE with Him. He has a plan for you. In releasing and surrendering your situation to God, you are claiming His power and telling Him you trust Him to work it to His glory. He may have a different plan than you imagine---but in faith and trust you will soon see His might work in your life.

Surrendering every detail of our lives to God is the very thing that draws us closest to Him and increases our faith! Don't ever forget the miracles of old---He tells us to remember them. He works great miracles in and through His people today as well. TRUST HIM!

THOUGHTS ON INCREASING YOUR FAITH:

Spend more time in the word filling your mind with His presence and greatness and mercy and faithfulness. Start your day in your bible. End it there too.

Pray more. Pray throughout the day. Pray while you drive. Pray while you cook dinner. Talk to Him! He longs to hear our voices more!

Praise Him in the small things as well as the great things. Make the statement "Praise God!" a part of your every-day vocabulary!

Ask Him to use you each and every day to glorify Him! Ask Him for opportunities to help someone you don't even know during your day.

Pray for 3 people you see each day while out and about. As you drive by a child on a bike, pray that he'll get home safely. As you are in the grocery store, pray for the young man sweeping the aisle that God will place someone in his life that will share the gospel with him. Pray for the bank teller that she will experience great joy in her day. Praying for people to experience God's blessings increases our faith!

Ask God to INCREASE your faith through every-day experiences!

Fill your mind with faith-filled movies instead of worldly movies...great suggestion: Faith like Potatoes and Facing the Giants! Two fabulous movies that will lift and inspire you, both found at your local dvd store.

"Without Faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

Daily Blessings

Hello Friends! It's been awhile since I've posted to this blog. I receive emails frequently from followers of this blog telling me that they miss posts. I also continue to receive amazing stories about how you've been blessed and inspired to reach out and ask God to use you from the little story about Robert (link here). Thank you for your encouragement and sharing that you've been blessed. Praise God---HE gets the credit for any blessings received and I thank Him for His faithfulness and mercy and sustenance!

I feel impressed today to share with you a blessing that I've received over the past year. It's small, but very significant in my life and I feel compelled to pass it on and participate in it myself at the nudging of the Lord.

As you may know from either being close to me or just reading this blog in the past, I believe that our lives are richest when walking with God daily and that the first part of our day should be given to the Lord in prayer and bible devotions. When I give the first portion of my day to God, the rest of the day is just so much better and I have the ability to endure whatever challenges come my way.

On the days I don't start out with prayer and bible devotions, I notice a significant difference. The every day cares and challenges seem insurmountable and I feel more stressed and frustrated by the small things in life. Starting my day praying and reading my bible is the single biggest thing that has deepened my relationship with God. It makes me hungry to read it throughout the day as well, during a break here and there and in the evening.

Anyway...one of the small little things that adds to it is an email that I receive daily from a lady at my church. She is a HUGE believer in the POWER of prayer and is the head of prayer groups at church. She is committed and devoted to it, and over 2 years ago (maybe even longer) she started sending a daily email to members of the church interested in receiving it.

Each and every day she sends out a short email that includes either at little story or tidbit of encouragement and inspiration with scripture which she hand types out with love and dedication. I've received this email every day (with a few exceptions) for a few years now and I used to save it to a file folder to read as I had time.

About 6 months ago I started reading it EVERY day when I receive it...she sends it early in the morning...and since I use my blackberry as my alarm, I have it by my bedside so before I even get out of bed to kneel for prayer, I read her email. It sets my heart and mind upon heavenly, Godly things before I even have a chance to think about or consider the responsibilities or worries of the day.

It has been such a blessing to me to receive such a nugget of inspiration each day. I forward this little email to my husband, my daughter, my son, my sister, and my mom and they have mentioned that they have been blessed as well. Some days the email applies and has great meaning, other days it is a simple opportunity to consider things that are Godly and moral.

What I'd like to do is extend this blessing to those of you that wish to receive it as well. I'll be sending it each day as a forward email. Some days I may add to it and other days I may just forward it as is. If Lorraine ever discontinues the email, I am committing to sending it in her place with inspirations of my own.

To get on the mailing list, please EMAIL ME using the "email me" button at the top of this page, and I will add you to the list. All email address will be kept undisclosed and confidential. I hope and pray that you too will be encouraged as I have and that your thoughts and minds and hearts will be filled with the Holy Spirit when reading these little nuggets of inspiration.

Thanks again to those of you that continue to send your emails of faith and inspiration---and look for more updated posts here on this blog. God is so good! Blessings always!

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday." -Psalm 37:3-6

the very best Christmas gift...ever.

Well, it's here...and well under way.

Christmas. The holiday season. The hustle and the bustle and the baking and the shopping. The smells of cinamon and fresh pine. The wrapping and the bows. Jingle bells and misteltoe.

Trips to the post-office and traffic at the malls...fighting for a parking place and happy to get one at the other end of the lot. Making a list and checking it twice. Parties and family gatherings.

The happy season where everyone is in the "Christmas spirit", right?

Well, unless you're my son. We noticed that he was a little "bah-humbug" this year. It started early and we've been teasing him about it. "Hey, you are just a little bit like the Grinch this year buddy!", we've all said.

Back in October when the stores started their decorating? He was "bah-humbug". Okay, I get that. A bit too early for me too.

Then, November...near Thanksgiving. The sale ads and the "black Friday" frenzy: still, he was "bah=humbug". Well, okay. A 13 year-old boy isn't expected to like the shopping part.

But then last week...3 weeks 'till Christmas..."bah-humbug" at every Christmas song that came on the radio. No excitement about the decorating. Okay...NOW I seriously am thinking he should be more "spirit filled". I mean, it's CHRISTMAS time! EVERYONE is happy this time of year...right??!!!  Well, aparently not.

Fast forward to 3 days ago. Don and I were having lunch together and he mentioned how amazing our son is (no disagreement there...he is. He really is). Don proceeded to tell me about a little conversation he had with Jordan, and I'll recap it here:

Don: Hey, why are you so "bah-humbug" this year?

Jordan: Christmas just seems so dumb to me.

Don: Really? Why do you say that?

Jordan: Well, I don't know...I mean, I like getting presents and everything, and it's not that I don't like Christmas or anything, but it just seems so commercialized to me. It's SUPPOSED to be all about Jesus, but hardly anyone even acts like it. It seems like all it's about is shopping, spending money and stores making money. It just seems to me that hardly anyone really remembers Jesus in the whole thing.

I felt my heart leap...twice. I mean, here was a 13 year old boy who was truly "getting it". I realized in that moment that he wasn't being "bah-humbug" AT ALL. He wasn't lacking the "Christmas spirit"...he was filled with the "Holy Spirit" and feeling like the whole reason for the season has gotten diluted with the worldliness of it all!

If we in fact are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour, why should His "Birthday" have any BEARING on our economy, either for good OR for bad? Why should we CARE if it has any bearing on the economy? Why does our economy---the p&l statements and 4th quarter earnings for major corporations---even get mixed up into conversations surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ?

I mean honestly, our economy gets a boost because we all go out and spend millions and millions of dollars, MOST of us getting ourselves into debt in the process, only to give to people that aren't even...in need. As a token of our "love and giving"...to represent our "love for Christ".

Uh oh. I'm starting to sound a bit...bah-humbug.

I'll bet our economy would REALLY suffer if everyone just decided to do what Jesus did while He was on earth...give from the heart without spending a single dime. Give freely and give to those who REALLY need to be given to. Give from our cupboards to the poor. Pull out one of our 5 coats to give to someone who doesn't have one. Give one of the sets of mittens and scarves from among the many different color-coordinated sets we have in our drawers to someone with cold fingers standing on the street corner begging for a dollar. And actually give FIFTY dollars to someone asking for a quarter. Give up a parking space for the person behind you...and YOU go to the next available one, even if it's way out in the south 40.

Oh...wait. That won't work. We can't all stop spending at Christmas time...our economy is in a major recession and we've been depending on the commercial sales of the Christmas Season to bolster it every year. Spending money and going into debt is the traditional way of celbrating God's FREE GIFT TO US!!! Right???!!!???

Maybe the spirit of Christmas has gotten lost in the well-meaning tradition of it's origins many years ago. Maybe it's time to get it back.

Jordan, you are my sincere hero, apart from Jesus Himself. You are a shining light in a very darkened world. You are my joy...and I love you very much. 

Suddenly, Christmas seems very dumb to me too.

xoxo 

Give me your eyes...

Ive been praying lately that God will help me NOTICE people. Something that has weighed heavily on my heart lately has been all the people that I MISS in my daily life. For the past several years I've been praying that God would change my heart and mind to really SEE people. To hear them and notice them and respond to them.

Of course I want to be more aware of those in my life that I'm close to and I pray DAILY that God will help me be a better Christian, wife, mother and friend, but what I'm really talking about here are the people that I have brief encouters with...people that I  may have only a few moments with and then...they're gone.

Moments in the grocery store...moments on the freeway...moments at the mall or while shopping elsewhere...passing someone in a hallway or the clerk at the bookstore.

It's so easy to be so caught up in my own life that I MISS the gift that these moments can be for God...glorifying Him by exchanging a smile or an uplifting comment with a complete stranger.

The thing of it is...they aren't strangers to God. He knows every "stranger" in my life very intimately. He knows their aches, their pains, their joys, their desires, their hurts. He knows the EXACT number of hairs on their head. We are all His children and He cares about each living person.

There's a song out right now that really speaks to my heart about this subject...I'll share the lyrics below...and also, you can hear the song on the artist's myspace page.

Today, I pray this prayer: Lord, give me your eyes. Let me see people the way you see them.

Lyrics, below. Listen to the song here.

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black tile
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide whats underneath
There’s a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
To ashamed to tell his wife
He’s out of work
He’s buying time
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah

I’ve been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah

Give Me Your Eyes Lyrics - Brandon Heath Song Words

Song Words by Artist / Band : Brandon Heath
Lyrics Title : Give Me Your Eyes
Taken from Album : What If We
Single Released :
Music Genre : Contemporary Christian music

The Best $9.00 I've ever spent.

Give up on me? I haven't posted in awhile...but my faith journal is full of hand-written stories and my prayer journal if full of so many names these days. Though I haven't shared here on this blog for a very long time, God has been at work by the SECOND in my life these past few months. And He is so amazing. Just so...amazing.

I'll share a small story about Robert. I'm always very hesitant and cautious about sharing my experiences with giving to the homeless for fear that the hearer or reader will give ME the glory. I am never the party in these experiences that deserves the glory. Never. It's always God moving upon my heart by the Holy Spirit, urging me to change my selfish heart and causing me to see how I really am in comparison to how He wants me to be.

So consider this a confession of my selfishness rather than a glorious story of giving. I urge you to see God at work in this little story...and how He can change our hearts when we are open to it. This is an account of how I "hear" and "feel" the Holy Spirit move upon my heart...

So. Robert. A man I didn't know...but had prayed for on this particular day. God knew him. And God had a very special plan for Robert...through me...on this amazing Monday morning.

"Lord, use me as an instrument to do Your will today. Help me be your servant, and be a witness for You in my day today".

As usual, I was busy that morning with a full agenda. I needed to do some quick errands before digging into my hectic workday deadlines. So off I went, with a timeline in mind. I gave myself until 10am to get back.

I was actually on time and almost done! I was driving down Sunrise Boulevard and there, in the corner of my eye, I could see a man sitting on the corner in a grassy area with a cardboard sign and a few belongings next to  him.

It was an unusual site because this was a nice part of town, in a shopping district. Not a place where you would normally see a homeless beggar.

Turn around, Teri. Please turn around. Now? But I'm in a hurry! I need to get back to my computer Lord! You know how much work I have to do today!

Ugh. The nudging was still there. So turn around I did.

I drove down the side street off the main boulevard and rolled my window down, talking to him through the passenger side. He walked up to my window. I dug in my purse...change, only change and a few dollar bills.

ME: Here are a few dollars and some change...I would give you more if I had it with me...

HIM: Oh, thank you m'am. Thank you so much.

ME: (noticing that he seemed, well, normal. Just down on his luck...and normal) God loves you, and He blessed you with these few dollars this morning...please know that He is the one who is blessing you today.

HIM: Oh, yes, I know! He is so good! I...well...I had my bible that was in my backpack...it was full of handwritten notes and I had it for years and years...it...it was just stolen (hanging his head low...very sad...visibly distraught). Someone just stole my backpack a few minutes ago and it had my bible in it...I couldn't believe that they took my backpack. It didn't' have much in it...but my bible was in there...

ME: Oh...I'm so sorry! That's horrible! Can I ask you, what happened in your life that you are out here, on the streets? (My curiosity always gets the better of me...and I have a deep hunger to know WHY these people end up like this...homeless)

HIM: Oh. (he seemed surprised that anyone cared) I just...got so...down, I guess. I lost my job. Lost my family. And my cousin died suddenly. I just couldn't get my life back together. But I'm working on it. I want to get my life back. It just got so bad and so hard. I have been sleeping outside...I have a sleeping bag tucked behind Denny's Restaurant in the bushes...I just pray no one stole that too...but God is good. I heard about a church that helps people like me---I can actually help them wtih a program for homeless people and in turn they'll help me with food and shelter. I think I'll check it out!

Help him, Teri. You can help him with a small deed. Go buy him a bible. What?! right now?! Seriously?! Me?! But I...I'm in a hurry Lord!

ME: How long will you be here on this corner this morning?

HIM: Who me? (surprised...as if to say..."do I look like I have any pressing plans?!") All day! Or until the sunsets anyway...

ME: I'd like to buy you a bible. There's a Barnes & Noble right here, so if you'll stay here for a few minutes, I'll go do that for you.

HIM: (eyes were HUGE, like saucers) You...will? Really? YES! I'll be here! I'll be here all day! (then, quietly) A man was here earlier...said he had an old bicycle he would give me but I haven't seen him yet. I will be here all day, waiting for that bike. And now, a bible! (smiling, sincerely elated...but a bit unbelieving, like I wouldn't be coming back, much like the man with the bicycle).

So off I went. Crazy. Me...off to buy a homeless man a bible at the Barnes & Noble. Crazy. And I felt so...ALIVE! So GOOD! I felt so...completely selfless, full of love and compassion for a human I didn't even know! And...so unaware of the time and my schedule and my pressing deadlines.

I found the perfect bible. It was small and compact. And it was only $9.00. Who would ever think that the very book that GIVES LIFE and PURPOSE and MEANING to your existence would only be $9.00 these days?

So I paid for it and started walking out the door to my car.

Buy him a backpack too, Teri.WHAT!?! SERIOUSLY?! A backpack too!? But Don and I are really trying to watch our spending in this crazy economy, Lord...You KNOW our finances, we're being so careful these days!

It didn't matter. The nudging was still there.

So...I turned back to go to the Long's Drugstore next door. I walked through the doors and seriously, right in front of me was an aisle of "school backpacks" for SIXTY PERCENT OFF! 60%!!!!! They were all Barbie backpacks and Spongebob backpacks and Spiderman backpacks...but there, all alone, singled out and just hanging there on a hook was a simple, black backpack. I grabbed it.

Fill it Teri. Fill it? FILL IT? With what? With what Lord?!

I found myself meandering the aisles, amazed that Longs Drugstore had a mini-grocery section these days, much like Target. So I bought some snacks...trail mix, nuts, energy bars, crackers, water.

A toothbrush and toothpaste. WHAT?! Please tell me You aren't going to ask me to buy him a house too, Lord. (I felt like a defiant child at that moment...I asked Him to forgive my human-ness).

I found a travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste kit for .99 cents.

I sat in my car, completely amazed at the workings of the Lord. In awe, actually. I pulled off the price tag of the backpack and filled it with the snacks, water, toothbrush...and the bible. I opened it and filled in the page that says "TO...FROM...OCCASION".

TO: "one of God's children".

FROM: "Teri F."

OCCASION: "Just because God loves you. YOU. And He always has and always will".

I wanted to SPEED back to his little corner of the world...there on the busy boulevard. I couldn't wait to give him what God had blessed him with this day! I was half worried he would be gone...and smiled to myself. "Where in the world would he go running off to, this homeless man with no plans or deadlines today?!"

There he was. I drove up to the side the curb, rolling my side window down to pass God's gift to him through the window. He saw me...bent his head (as if he was praying a sigh of relief and thanks) and then slowly walked to my car...in disbelief it seemed.

ME: Well, God is very good. Very, very good. He impressed me to buy you a backpack with a few snacks...and a bible is inside.

HIM: (huge eyes, stunned, slightly shaking his head. He bent his head, and began to weep, softly) Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I can't believe it! Thank you so much. Thank you so very much.

ME: (also weeping, at the sheer experience of it all) No. Not me. If it were me, I would be at my computer right now working. It was God, moving upon my heart. He loves you. He cares about you. He cares about every detail of your life. (he was still softly weeping) Can I ask, what is your name? I want to pray for you every day of my life.

HIM: Robert. My name is Robert. And what is yours?

ME: Teri.

HIM: Can I share a scripture with you? Psalm 30:11

ME: (making a mental note to look that scripture up when getting home). Thank you Robert...and I also wrote one down for you in the first page of your bible with a note. I'll be praying for you.

I drove off. And IMMEDIATELY when I drove off a scripture came into my mind:

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me food. I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink. I was a stranger, and you took Me in...for whatever you did to the least of these brothers of mine, you did to Me." Matthew 35-40

It would appear that Robert was the one blessed by God...and he was. But God continually amazes me in how multi-dimensional He is and how every life experience affects EVERYONE involved.  I can't help but believe that I was blessed even more from meeting Robert and having an opportunity to be used to make a difference in someone's life.

I was much richer that particular night as I laid my head on my soft pillow...the same night that Robert dug his sleeping bag out of the bushes behind the Dennys Restaurant parking lot.

Two people in the world, with two very different lives. But the same God. A God who is faithful, loving and patient even with the most selfish of His children.

Surviving an Economic Crisis

God's Way.

Did you know that God says A TON about money and finances?

I heard a fabulous sermon by my Pastor today on a subject that silenced even the little children in the congregation today. I don't know why the children were so quiet other than maybe they took a cue from their parents who were silenced to the point you could hear a pin drop in the sanctuary.

Talk to people about finances...and they LISTEN.

Talk to people about finances in a down economy...and they REALLY listen.

There are a ton of people giving a whole lot of advice about the down-turn in our economy, gas prices, increased foreclosures, the mortgage crisis, the stock-market. But VERY FEW are talking about what the BIBLE says about these topics. And yes, the Bible addresses finances very specifically and very intensely.

The Bible is the best instruction book known and available to man. No need for any other book regarding finances---just open your bible and you'll have all the instruction and advice you'll ever need.

I'll attempt to highlight the main keys Pastor Doug Batchelor made in his sermon with a few added thoughts of my own:

In economic crises and hard times:

1. REMEMBER THE POOR. DON'T STOP GIVING! God honors those who remain faithful to His instruction to remember the poor and to share with those who have less than we do. Give all that you can. Give generously. Give to those in need, and God will take care of YOUR needs. Don't stop giving to the poor when your finances are stressed...continue to give and be blessed. Never turn someone down that asks for a drink of water.

Are you hesitant to give to someone asking for some change because you've heard others talk negatively about it because so many may spend it on alcohol or drugs or something bad? Do you have a hardened heart towards the guy at the freeway exit holding a "please help  me" cardboard sign because you've seen so many of them and you're immune to them? STOP for a moment and PRAY that God will SOFTEN your heart towards the homeless and poor and less fortunate than you. PRAY that God will place opportunities in your life to give to people in need...and the OBEY Him when He answers your prayer. Ask that He will bless the change and dollars and meals you provide to those in need begging for your help. THEN it's God's burden to deal with the recipient of your gift---but you will be blessed for your generosity and your seeds will be multiplied. (Perhaps in the form of finances, but perhaps in other ways more abundantly that God knows you are in need of).

NEVER stop giving.

2. PLAN CAREFULLY AND BE INDUSTRIOUS. Unless you are UNABLE to work and be industrious, do all that you can to work diligently and with good work ethics. Do all that you can with all of your might. Ask God to give you opportunities to do MORE than you FEEL like doing. Ask Him to bless your efforts and direct your hands to do all that you do to His glory.

Remember this: God instructed us to work 6 days of the week and to rest on the 7th day. Working around your home for your family or in the community is very industrious! God must have known we would need a day to rest and I'm so thankful that while He instructed us that "Six days you shall do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do NO work..." Praise God for a day of rest...makes the rest of the week so sweet knowing we have a day of NO work at the end of it!

God blesses those who give their best, do their best, and dedicate all that they do to HIS glory.

3. KEEP DIVINE PRIORITIES / PUT GOD FIRST. When finances get tight, many hold off on tithes and offerings. It's easy to tithe on our income when times are great---but when things get tough, it's a true test of faith to give 10% of your income when there's less money in the budget. But God is very specific about this subject: don't rob Him. Don't forget to give all that you can. A tithe is 10% of your income; an offering is anything over and above a tithe that you choose to give.

God even challenges us to TEST HIM in this matter! He says "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse , that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this', Says the Lord of hosts, 'if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.'" Malachi 3:10

I can tell you from personal experience: when you put God first in your finances, MIRACLES happen beyond human explanation. I KNOW this to be true. I've TESTED God as He invited me to do. I stepped out in faith at a time that was really difficult and TITHED anyway...and continue to tithe...and we could tell you countless stories of financial miracles that would blow your mind. It works. Trust God. He'll take care of you and bless you beyond your wildest imagination when you acknowledge that He owns it all and asks for only a tenth of your increase to show Him that you trust Him and believe Him when He says He'll take care of your needs.

4. DON'T BE A SLAVE TO DEBT. Easier said than done in a day and age where we Americans want it all and have it all and leverage our FUTURE income to get it all TODAY to pay it off TOMORROW. Ouch. Our thought of what's a necessity is actually NOT a necessity in the eyes of most other countries. Why do we NEED a new car? Or a BIGGER home? Or the latest decor and furniture and home theater and boats and motor-homes and fabulous vacations every year? MOST Americans put these items on credit cards and the bible says we are then SLAVES to the debt we've created.

Today people in America are carrying more credit card debt than ever before. It can be a devastation to finances when economic hardships hit. But I believe with all my heart that a faithful steward who trusts in God and seeks His wisdom and guidance can and will get out of the credit card debt if you are willing to change your spending habits and experience a change of lifestyle that will allow for dedication to this effort! Pray that God will guide you...check out the resources on this subject that are biblically based:

Crown Financial Ministries

Audio Archives at Crown Financial: How to manage your money

Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

I believe that God will preserve His people when they completely trust Him with anything and everything in life: small and large decisions, their hopes and dreams, the details of their lives and their FINANCES.

We are headed for some tough times...but God is good and faithful to those that trust in Him and seek Him and walk with Him daily.

Don't forget the poor. Give all that you can. Work as much as you can and be industrious. Keep God first in your finances by tithing and giving offerings. Stay in the Word DAILY. Walk with God. Talk with God. Trust Him. Spend time with Him. Ask Him for guidance and help in turning your finances around if they are in poor shape. Ask Him to present opportunities in your life to give your time and your money to those in need.

Or, in the words of John Wesley: Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can!

And thank Him for everything in your life including your eyesight to read this post. He is so good!

Scriptures for reference regarding finances:

Proverbs 19;17; 1John3:17; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 12:11; 2Thessalonians 3:10; John 6:27; Genesis 32:10; 1Kings 17:13; Proverbs 22:7; Romans 13:8; Genesis 41:34; Mark 8:36; Luke 12:16; Mark 12:41; Haggai 2:8; Psalm 50:10 (Just to name a FEW!)

God's children

Recently I posted about a beautiful little song, Cinderella, written by Steven Curtis Chapman...I'm so sad to say that this past week that wonderful song writer/singer and his family experienced a tragic and unthinkable loss: the unexpected death of their little 5 year old, Maria.

I can't even imagine a loss like this---and it causes me to thank God for my own children and each and every special day I've been gifted with their lives. I learn so much ABOUT God through my own children! His love and His patience and kindness is evident in them.

So, while I haven't posted to this blog in a while, I wanted to pop on here and suggest that you hug your children today---thank God for them and pray that His angels are protecting their every breathing moment.

Pray for your children throughout the day. Pray that God will direct their steps, their thoughts, their choices. Pray that He will guide you in YOUR choices in bringing up HIS children...for truly they are His and He has loaned them to us for a short while...

God Bless everyone today!

Jesus said "let the little children come unto Me, and to not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14

Priorities in Life

Just a thought for the day:

Replace the word "Priorities" with the word "Preferences".

Now, ask yourself, what are your "PREFERENCES in life"?

What do you prefer to do?

1. Sleep an extra hour or start your day devoted to God in prayer and reading the bible?

2. Work overtime to make extra money or spend time with your child?

3. Scrapbook (insert any hobby/activity) or spend MORE time with your family?

4. Fill your body with caffeine (or insert any OTHER drug here) or drink life-giving water?

5. Watch American Idol (or insert any OTHER mindless useless TV show here) or spend time with God and your family doing evening bible study together?

:)

My prayers are with each and every person that may stumble upon this blog---that together, our PREFERENCES in life---or, what we would truly RATHER do---would be the choices that both honor our God, ourselves, our families and our neighbors.

"For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light." Psalm 36:9

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37: 5, 6

Favorite quote today

Proverbs 31:30: Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

I love this scripture. I truly believe that every woman who embraces it and every man who is in love with a woman who embraces it has true joy and peace and knows one of the great blessings of knowing God deeply.

This scripture keeps me focused on what really matters in life: knowing God and fearing Him. No, not fear as in FEAR and TERROR and being scared, rather, fear as in AWE-STRUCK, fear as in AMAZED and FULL OF RESPECT, fear as in complete devotion and understanding that our Maker is real and the sole source of life itself.

In a world that promotes exterior beauty, it's a relief to know that "man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart". It's a theme throughout the bible that I embrace and am devoted to. I wish every woman embraced it because far too many (in fact, most) women base their feeling of self-worth on "looks".

Being young and beautiful is a multi-gazillion dollar industry (I was going to say multi-billion dollar industry but that's far too conservative, I'm sure). We're told to restore our youth with this product, make our hair shinier with that product, get liposuction and breast implants and other surgeries to perfect our bodies, and on and on and on.

As a professional photographer, I photograph some amazingly beautiful people (physically speaking) and it AMAZES me that so many men, women AND children tear themselves apart in their photos! WHY??? Why do we only see our physical imperfections? Why does our world and our society base status and beauty primarily on looks?

We've become obsessed with our looks. Women are told as little girls by the media and their own friends and family that beauty is external and perfection in physical appearance is to be valued and desired.

Sad. So, so sad.

I guess I see it more than most because of the beautiful people I photograph and I'm simply amazed that so many tear themselves down and "see" themselves differently that they really "look" to others. But deeper than that, it's even sadder that we miss the most important thing of all:

Beauty is not about beauty as man sees it.

Beauty is TRULY what the heart looks like. It's the inner peace and joy that pours out from a person through words and actions and an indescribable aura that makes people just want to be around that person. TRUE beauty comes from the deep love you experience when drawing near to the Lord...and in turn, your heart is changed and made new each and every day!

Show me a woman that walks daily with the Lord and prefers to be with Him more than anything else and I'll show you a truly beautiful woman. Show me a man that walks daily with the Lord and prefers to be with Him more than anything else and I'll show you a truly handsome man. Show me a child that walks daily with the Lord and prefers to be with Him more than anything else and I'll show you a truly gorgeous child.

Physical beauty isn't to be desired...fear of the Lord is to be desired. THIS is what lasts. Physical beauty NEVER lasts---it fades---man can try all he wants to preserve it, but it doesn't matter anyway!

Again, I quote:

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Proverbs 30:31

Quality AND Quantity Family Time

It MATTERS...

If you've read some of my previous entries (see the archives) you know that I believe that quality AND quantity of time matters with our familiy.

I believe that families have lost one of the greatest blessings by being so busy that they don't spend MOST of the meals TOGETHER, with each other...it's one of the best opportunities to learn about each other and find out what's going on in the lives of our children. We eat 28 out of 30 dinners a month together...and every lunch on weekends and most breakfasts. It's a very special time to bond as a family.

We also play together. We watch uplifting musical programs together...go to Christian Concerts together...we go to church and SIT together (so many kids sit with their friends in church and we have taken the stance that church is a time for our family---friends are for other times)...and we play games together.

A great game that is fun for a Saturday game night (with popcorn and all) is Bible Categories (a knock-off of Scattegories). It's fun, and everyone learns something new about the bible! You can find it at your local Christan Book Store, or here at this link: Bible Games.

Making a weekly family night with games, popcorn, or uplifting music and a biblical movie will add to your life more than you know!

God is so good...He wants us to enjoy our lives and each other while glorifying Him every step of the way!

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! for His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!" Psalm 107:1, 2

Cinderella

A tear jerker...

There's a song written and sung by the great Stephen Curtis Chapman that tugs at my heart every single time I hear it. (NOTE: To hear the song, click on above link and then go to "play video" next to the Cinderella note...words typed out below on this post).

It reminds me of my own daughter...and her very precious and special relationship with her Daddy. One that I've never had myself...and yet God is so great and glorious to let me see what one looks like here on earth. While I never had this myself, I am blessed to see one of the most beautiful human relationships unfold before my very eyes.

A father is a young girls biggest role model in shaping her heart for a husband. He is very influential in her life on many levels. And I'm so very thankful to see what this role model looks like in the life of my own daughter. She's so very blessed. And so am I to witness it.

Someday, very soon, this entire song will be played out in our own lives. She's growing so fast. Too fast. And this song is so close to my own husband's heart.

You can hear it in it's entirety by clicking the above link, and then clicking on "Cinderella". It will lead you to a little box you can navigate to hear the song.

Here are the lyrics in full:

She spins and she sways
To whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
And I'm sitting here wearing
The weight of the world on my shoulders

It's been a long day
And there's still work to do
She's pulling at me
Saying "Dad, I need you

There's a ball at the castle
And I've been invited
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone...

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

She will be gone

Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned
She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
But I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

GMC

Gospel Music Chanel

Just a great little share for those of you that enjoy great Christian Music programming, Contemporary Christian Videos (think MTV but with uplifting music by Christian Artists) and other great Christian programs for families...it's chanel 9717 with the Sky Angel programming...soon changing to IPTV (Internet Provider T.V.). The best $15 a month we spend on any media.

Here's a link: http://www.skyangel.com/ and here's the GMC link: http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com/

I'm very passionate about filling our minds (and hearts) with things that draw us NEARER to Jesus. We need to fill our souls with GOOD uplifting program if we watch ANYTHING at all...

:)

Some Great Reads!

Just a shout-out about a series of books I am enjoying. VERY inspiraitonal and very uplifting but also VERY insightful into the lives of some great men and women in the bible. These books include some history and cultural facts as well as spiritual views and biblical references.

The series is written by Charles R. Swindoll (Chuck Swindoll) entitled "Profiles in Character". Mr. Swindoll has written a total of 9 books on the following 9 characters over the past 10+ years:

Jesus, Moses, Paul, Job, Esther, David, Elijah, Joseph, and a book of "Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives" which is about several "smaller, lesser-known" characters in the bible.

I have 8 of the 9 and am reading "Jesus" right now---it's his last book in the series as he saved the "best for last" and my sweet, dear hubby bought it for me on Valentines Day together with a dozen beautiful red roses (thanks Donnie).

Don't run out and buy all 9 at once---buy one at a time and use them to see more into the lives of these fabulous bible characters. They are a GREAT read, as Chuck Swindoll has a very reader-friendly style of writing and they are also a great tool to use to understand more about bible history.

Enjoy!

Divine Appointments (Part III)

(Not by "appointment only"!)

Divine appointments are not "set time period" nor are they "at our own convenience". Divine appointments are DIVINE because they are in GOD'S time, at HIS appointed period and by HIS hand and for HIS glory.

Here are some "types" of divine appointments and some points to consider:

*a divine appointment must be recognized as such. We may be in the middle of a project and an opportunity comes along to share the name of God with someone that we feel impressed to share with. That "nudging" in your heart is the Holy Spirit prompting you to SHARE at that exact moment in time, even if you don't think you have time. We are not to question or delay. We are to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

*A divine appointment may be a brief encounter. It may be a smile, a friendly gesture, or a quick response like "praise God, He is so good, isn't He?" in a normal everyday conversation.

*A divine appointment may be deeper ministry. It may lead to a deep conversation about the Lord and allow us to witness about His love in our own lives---or lead to a specific topic at hand and allow us to share what we know on the topic and some wisdom from the bible.

*A divine appointment is not "clock-oriented". Be prepared. Divine appointments can last 2 seconds---or 2 hours. God is in control and God is arranging these appointments in our lives! We are to trust Him, allow the Holy Spirit to lead, and be prepared for God to lead the time frame even if the clock ticks and we have a "to do list" that waits in the wings!

*A divine appointment is a blessing...to us as well. Divine appointments are encounters between us and others that God uses to bless others with. But they also bless us because as we share God with others our own faith is increased!

*A divine appointment...is addicting. When you start to allow God to arrange your day with opportunities to share your faith with others, you will become addicted to living this way! The great rewards of blessings and joys will increase and your life will CHANGE in a way that I can't even write about...you have to experience it for yourself.

ARE YOU AVAILABLE FOR GOD? ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO HIM? WILL YOU ALLOW HIM TO BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR DAY AND BRING DIVINE APPOINTMENTS TO YOUR OWN CALANDER OR BLACKBERRY?

If the answer is yes, buckle-up. Put on your seat belt. Your life is about to CHANGE! :)

I invite you to share your own stories of divine appointments with me here as a comment or via private email using the email button above.

Divine Appointments (Part II)

(being available for God!)

I have more items on my "to do" list every single day than I have time to complete them. I struggle with stress on a daily basis because I try to prioritize the items into the top 10 "must do" items and can't narrow down to 10 from the 30! They ALL need to be done.

And on top of the to do list is the appointment schedule...appointments in my business that must be kept in order for my business to prosper and succeed.

So there I am, every day, with a foot long to-do list and several appointments on my calender to boot.

Left to my own human wisdom and abilities, I would be a walking mess with a stress level so high that I would be prone to heart failure on a daily basis. I started out by saying I struggle with stress because EVERY SINGLE DAY I have to "give my day to God" in order that HE is in control and that I am reminded that I don't have to do it all.

In addition, I pray (as I shared on m previous post) for Him to interrupt my day as He sees fit and as He desires, all the while helping me to accomplish the things on my list that HE KNOWS in His "all-knowing-infinite-wisdom" MUST be done based on what He knows about my life and the lives of those IN my life that depend on me to accomplish things that affect them as well, as big or small as those things may be.

So...in this way, I am able to release my day to God and give up control to Him to bring people into my life that I can share my faith with. See, if I didn't start out by releasing my entire day to Him, I would NEVER take time to share my faith because I would NEVER think I HAD TIME to share my faith!

This is the key that I believe most Christians miss...it's not that they don't WANT to share their faith through a kind word or deed (or more---perhaps a small time of true ministry that lasts longer), it's that they DON'T THINK THEY HAVE TIME in the business of the day.

By giving my day to God and INVITING Him to interrupt my day with divine appointments, I'm actually blessed by Him and it never fails that I STILL get the things done that must be done!

On a particular day that I don't do this for whatever reason (blame it on being a human with my own imperfections and the ability to "slip into my old habits" of relying on my own abilities), I NOTICE the stress slipping back into my life. Not to mention the sharp awareness that I actually missed out on a blessing that God intended for me that day because I didn't "take the time or have the time" for someone He allowed me to cross paths with.

God asks us to share Him with others...I believe it is through divine appointments that He arranges and that we allow to occur in our lives. Divine appointments that bless both the person we share with...the the person that SHARED.

Praying for "divine apointments" in our daily lives demonstrates our faith in God...because we are inviting MORE into our schedule on any given day than we already have planned. And on top of it, we are inviting UNKNOWN appointments that will come into our day without even knowing WHEN or WHERE they will "pop up"! We are being FAITHFUL in knowing that God is at work in our lives, and we are releasing the control of our day to Him!

We must be available for God. We must ASK HIM to help us be availalbe for Him. We must BE WILLING to be available for Him.

Are you available?

Divine Appointments (part 1)

(the most important appointments in your schedule!)

If you're like me, you have an agenda or calendar---either in writing or in your head---that lists your scheduled appointments or meetings for the day, week and month. These can include dental and doctor's appointments, getting the car serviced, business appointments/meetings, school events, home-deliveries, etc.

These appointments are scheduled and prepared for. They are "set in stone" in most cases. We re-arrange our lives for them, make time for them and keep from "double scheduling" ourselves because we can't be in more than one place at one time!

But what about...divine appointments? Have you ever stopped to think about those? Have you considered that term or heard of it?

By "divine appointment", I'm referring to this:

AN APPOINTMENT OR MEETING THAT IS INSPIRED BY, ARRANGED BY, AND LED BY GOD. IT IS A SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE OUR FAITH WITH ANOTHER PERSON OR PERSONS.

God wants to bless us and USE US to bless others. He works THROUGH us to bless those around us. A divine appointment is a powerful "time" with a person or persons that is arranged by our Lord without us sometimes even knowing about it...until we are upon it.

To experience a "divine appointment", we must be AVAILABLE.

Are you AVAILABLE FOR GOD?

OR...

Are you TOO BUSY for a divine appointment arranged by God?

The unique thing about divine appointments is this: they can't be put into a time slot on your Blackberry or on your appointment schedule. They can't be "planned out" in your life. They will come at the most SEEMINGLY inopportune times that "interrupt" your "planned day" and so you HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE spiritually and this means you have to be WILLING TO BE USED throughout your day, every day, in order for God to use you as His servant in reaching out to other people.

I actually pray every single morning during my devotional time that God will use me as He chooses on that particular day. Let me give you an example of how I pray this:

"Lord, you know my day. You know what I have planned. You know what I THINK needs to be accomplished and you know the appointments that are on my schedule. But Lord, I GIVE YOU PERMISSION to interrupt my day, my schedule, and my appointments as You see fit. I pray for Your Holy Spirit to enter my heart and allow me to recognize Your Hand in my day. I pray that you will use me in a very special way to share Your love and Your character with someone today that needs to see and feel Your love. And Lord, I pray that You will help me to accomplish the things that must be accomplished and to let go of the things that can truly wait until tomorrow so that I have the time needed to be used as Your servant today."

I actually pray several times throughout the day that God will use me, bring divine appointments into my life, and help to recognize these special appointments so that I am open to allowing the Holy Spirit use me to share Him with others throughout my day.

When I am available for God, and "let go" of what *I* think needs to be done today and give my day to Him, He REALLY DOES help me accomplish the important things, and ALSO brings divine appointments into my life with a person or persons that He arranges me to be inspired to share His love with in either a small way or a very big way.

When you start praying for these divine appointments in your life, you will be AMAZED at how God will use you. And when they come into your life, and you recognize them, it gives you CHILLS to realize that GOD is using YOU to reach a soul with His love.

Divine appointments are the best appointments of the day...and they are the most important and most significant appointments of your day. As you truly start inviting God to use you and cross your path with His lost sheep, your faith will increase, your joy will increase and your life will...CHANGE.

We are CALLED and INSTRUCTED to share God with those around us. And it doesn't have to be a formal meeting...often, it's just with a person we cross paths with. This "crossing of paths" is not a coincidence...it's a "divine appointment" arranged by God so that we can "plant a seed" of hope and love by sharing a bit of our own love with a person in need.

When you start allowing God to use you in this way, and ask Him to help you recognize His hand in your day and your schedule, you will draw nearer to Him like never before. And drawing nearer to Him will bring a peace in your life that you've truly never known before.

But again, I ask...

Are you available?

KLOVE

Just an inspirational reminder that you can listen to positive, uplifting music while working on the computer by logging onto www.klove.com! Minimize the screen, turn up the volume, and ENJOY! Awesome music to be inspired by.

Quote for the day:

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105

Can you imagine?

I don't watch many TV programs. We don't watch any popular TV shows at all...seriously. We've made a conscious effort to choose wholesome things to fill our minds with and slowly but surely we've eliminated all forms of media that allow "trash into the mind and heart"...

But you only have to watch the news or even listen to KLOVE and you'll hear about the tragic life of Brittney Spears on short news bits.

Can you imagine if that girl found Jesus? She may have a faith and belief, I have no way of knowing her heart. I'm not her judge...I only see "the fruits of her tree" and they scream "lost, sad, broken, desperate and helpless".

I thought about this yesterday...if she could only find the power of God through scriptures and reached out to Him and truly embraced His love and peace that He offers...her life would CHANGE. And what a PLATFORM for Him she would have to be a strong witness to millions of people.

That truly is possible...it COULD happen...but it reminds me of the story of the rich young ruler in the bible:

I'll PARAPHRASE it here but I encourage you to READ IT word for word in your bible...in comes from this text: Matthew 19:16-26...please please read it for yourself!

A young rich man of great status came to Jesus and said "good teacher, what do I need to have eternal life?".

Jesus told him to follow the LAST SIX commandments of the 10 commandments. I want to add a note here. This did NOT exclude the first 4 commandments, because those have to do with our relationship with God and it was a GIVEN at that time and in those days that the first 4 commandments were followed by the people and it was unspeakable NOT to follow the first 4 commandments---Jesus did not even feel the need to name the first 4. (1-You shall have no other Gods before me; 2-You shall not make for yourself any carved image; 3-You shall not take the  name of the Lord your God in vain; 4-Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy).

The rich, young man said "but I've been doing all those things since I was young---what am I lacking still?".

Jesus told him to go and sell everything he had and give it all to the poor and he would then have treasure in heaven. Jesus said to follow Him instead!

But when the young, rich man heard THAT, he was very sorrowful and went away...BECAUSE HE HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS.

Jesus then said to His disciples "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven". Matthew 19:23, 24.

And then the disciples said "who can be saved then?!?" and Jesus looked at them and said to them "With men this is impossible, but WITH GOD all things are possible." Matthew 19:25, 26

Jesus was pointing out that the rich man was IN LOVE with his riches, possessions and everything that status and riches in life brought to him. It wasn't that he WAS rich but rather that he LOVED the riches and the possessions MORE than God and even though he was a "good man" following the commandments and treating men right and living a clean, good life, he had not given his HEART to GOD...rather, his priorities were all askew and off and he couldn't give it up...even if it meant life or death for eternity.

So...back to Brittney Spears. And others in this world that have fame, fortune, riches and luxuries.

Everyone can agree that money does not buy happiness. But WHY?

God has given us a parable in the bible to show us that it isn't the money that brings unhappiness so much as the LOVE of money that puts a wall between our hearts and a TRUE relationship with God.

He pointed out that it's IMPOSSIBLE for a rich man to enter into heaven...UNLESS he loves God MORE THAN his money and riches and status. And God knew it would be very, very hard for a human being to have wealth and riches and stay true to Him at the same time.

And so, for someone like Brittney Spears to find true happiness, she will need to reach out to God, draw near to Him, and desire a relationship with Him MORE THAN all the fame, fortune and riches she has ever experienced up to this point.

I just thought she was a great example of how we should NOT desire to be rich...rather, we should desire to be rich in our relationship with God by drawing near to Him daily by reading our bibles every day and praying "without ceasing". If we are blessed with money and things that bring comfort, we should PRAISE Him and be willing to use our excess resources FOR Him...to glorify Him and spread the good news of the gospel!

As for me...I've been praying that Brittney Spears will find this relationship with Jesus. Call me crazy, but actually I think that she's pretty blessed and lucky to have a "normal person" praying for her salvation. She is, after all, one of His lost sheep. And I don't even listen to her music and have never purchased any of her CD's!

PS: Can you imagine the message she could give as a witness for God and the power of her music if she were to create Contemporary Christian music??? Don't put it past God to create such an amazing feat. He did, after all, part the red sea for Moses and the Israelites!

:)