God is amazing, we can all agree on that.

The end...ahah, yeah, I'm just kidding.

God is amazing to each of us, but none of us could describe or compare His love, because it is different for each of us.  He does have a special relationship with each of us.

"God is always seeking you. Every sunset. Every clear blue sky. Each ocean wave.  The starry host of night.  He blankets each new day with the invitation, "I am here".  God wants you to know who He is…and who you are, too.  He wants you to know that you're the object of His affection, created in His image, made by and for Him.  He wants you to know that the incredible desire for worship rooted deep inside your heart was crafted for Him." –Louis Gigolo The Air I Breathe

How great is our God to reach out to us,

Any time we need Him, He is there with open arms.

He makes us all paths to live in His Glory, no matter how many bumps or curves; it's ours and only ours.   And those who come/ stumble onto our paths are there for a reason.

As Timothy says

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." 1 Timothy 12

We should be SO thankful…he finds us worthy to share His amazing word and love to others.

No matter if it's to one person or a thousand apond thousands…He appointed you to share, for you to speak in His behalf.

Same goes for the things we do in the church, job, and personal life…you don't have to be a minister or leader...He has you where you are for a reason, there is no big or little to Him...as long as it is in Glory of God.

God's gift, no matter what it maybe, it is His gift to you to share to the world.

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 5-6

"May the sharing of your faith be made evident in full knowledge of all the good that is in you, in Christ Jesus" Philemon 1:6

I guess I'm all about the sharing the love this week.  But I love that verse in Philemon, it's not full knowledge of all the good of everyone, it's of you in Christ Jesus.  All the love, experience, and hurt you hold in your heart can go to the greater good of Christ to uplift and share with others.

There was an analogy said last night that I thought was greater than slice bread.

The analogy that Jesus our Lord and Savior is like the Waffle House Cook making hash browns.

Let me explain,

Waffle House claims that  they can make hash brown over a thousand different ways, you know: "scattered" (spread out on the grill), "smothered" (with onions), "covered" (with cheese), "chunked" (with diced ham), "topped" (with chili), "diced" (with diced tomatoes), "peppered" (with bell pepper), and "capped" (with mushrooms)…^...but no matter how you get it,  it still is always hash browns.

Christ can come to us in any little way, shape and form…and even better can be given to others in any way….but the base of it always His love, grace and mercy.

And we are the waiters and waitress that serve it out.

I don't' know, I really dug that.

And never heard it before, kind of made me hungry for some hash browns too.

But how we serve these delicious hash browns, I mean love of Christ, is our gift. Our calling…our purpose!!

How many we serve: just who comes to our tables

Do they tip: doesn't matter, we don't look for something in return

Are there bad customers: isn't there always!

But we always serve with love and a smile!!

"Love is patience and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  Love does not demand its own way.  Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.  It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstances….There are three things that will endure- faith, hope, and love- and the greatest thing of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, 13

And as William Blake says:

Where Mercy, Love & Pity dwell

There God is dwelling too.

a calling in Christ?

The thought of this, honestly, gives me chills.  Expecially after the latest Beth Moore study, where she pointed out, we can miss our calling.  And it made me think really hard about descisions I made.  What is my calling, how do I know for sure, how far off am I and how can I get back?? have I taken the easy path to often, really?

my first question is,

How do I know that the voice or sign I heard is God? I don't know how often I say, God if it's you..."you'll have to hit me like a ton of bricks for me to know it's you Lord".  It's simpily state that He says "My sheep know my voice and will not follow another." 

"He of God hears God's words" John 8:47 

                               Would it be nice if God leading was this clear?

So I did some research and this is what I found:

I first want to say it was a task to come up with what to talk about tonight in our study.

Of course then I realized I was over thinking everything..big surprise.

Then I sat back and thoughtwell, what is something I hunger for in my faith,hot dogyum...no.  Then like lighting I realized I should hit the subject that has been the focus of my personal prayers for the past year.  And that is for forgiveness, to surrender my pain and doubts of the last few years to the Lord and move on.  Why is this so hard?

Why is it so much more comfortable to just live with the fear, to settle into depression, agree with low self-esteem doubts and troublesthan stand in confidence that we are in and out amazing and b.e.a.utiful children of our Lord Jesus Christ?

I know, we all have different issuesno ones is the same, but we all have them.  And no offence to men, but us women seems to have more of a fight, at least in the emotional region.  But one thing is certain, we all have those dark closets, full of shame, doubts, insecurity, and ugliness.  I can go on and on, and in your minds you might be.  We all have big closetslots of room. But how do we deal, are we supposed to?? Or are we doing right, by just putting it away, in a closet.

THE SELF-ESTEEM MOVEMENT

Where did Self-esteem issues start?

The movement, as some would call it, began in the third chapter of Genesis with dear Adam and Eve.  Initially Adam and Eve were God-conscious and aware of one another and their surroundings rather than being self conscious.  Yeah I wish I could be like that for just an hourwouldnt you? Their awareness of themselves was incidental and peripheral to their focus on God and one another.  Adam realized that Eve was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, but he was not self-aware in the same sense that his descendants would be.  Self was not the issue until the Fall.

Partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil didnt bring godly wisdom.  It brought guilt, fear, and separation from God.  Mind me to come back to the phrase of separation from God later. Thus, when Adam and Eve heard God approaching, they hid in the bushes.  Do we ever hide or try to hide from God?  How? 

But God saw them and asked,

 Genesis 3:11

And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

And it began.

Adam and Eve answered with the first example of self-justification.  First Adam blamed Eve and God, and then Eve blamed the serpent. Do we ever blame others to excuse ourselves from guilt? The fruit of the knowledge of good and evil spawned the sinful self with all of its self-love, self-esteem, self-acceptance, self-justification, self-righteousness, self-actualization, self-denigration, self-pity, and other forms of self-focus and self-centeredness.

Do any of theses self examples stand out to you?

Ok, I know that me personally when thinking of my self-esteem issues, Adam and Eve dont come to mind.

So where can self-esteem come from for individuals?  We all have itis it just part of are trails here on earth from our God?

Self-esteem evolves through our experiences with different people and activities.  Experiences during childhood play a large role in shaping our self esteem.  How we are treated by our parents affects our self-esteem.  Child abuse increases the likelihood of low self-esteem.  Close relationships and peoples view about ourselves can determine our self-esteem.  Depression too could be a cause of low self-esteem.  In such cases its very important to treat depression to enhance self image.

So to sum it up, the people that make your life plays a huge part in your self image.  So do you have the right folks in your life, do they uplift you and do you uplift them?

And I think there is some truth that it is a trail that we have to over come while here on earth.

The world and culture also plays a huge role.

How is the Christian to combat the thinking of the world, which glorifies the self and places self at the center as the be-all and end-all of existence? How is a Christian to be faithful to our Lords command to be in the world, but not of the world? Can we adopt and adapt the popular philosophy/psychology of our culture, or must we stand apart as one who has been set apart by God and view our culture by the light of the Word?

Jesus said:

            Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 

Here is a call to give up ones own way and to come under the yoke of humility and service- an emphasis on yoking- on a teaching and living relationship.  Jesus described His call for followers in different words, but to the same relationship and with the same intent, when He said:

            Matthew 16:24-25

If any man will come after me, let him deny him, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

In Daniel chapter 1, Daniel test the ways of the world with the ways of God:

 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility-- 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service. 6 Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Daniel made the choice to follow Gods ways than what is found right of the world, not a easier path, but came out stronger in the end.  Do we have the strength to do that?  Even in the smaller things.  Could you go without makeup or doing your hair for 10 days; to find the inner beauty over the outer beauty (or what beauty the world sees)?

The Bible says you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  God has put a lot of thought while making you.  You are no mistake.  You are what God intended you to be.  In his eyes you are a perfect image of Him.

If you feel inadequate, remember that you can do all things not on your own, but through Christ who is your strength.

Remember that you are precious in Gods sight.  You are the apple of his eye and He loves you with all that He is.

my first blog, wha-hoo!

well, i'm a bit random, usually email whatever on my mind or anything of intrest i come across to friends.  usually it can get pretty personal...but what can i say, i like to share.  anyways, i thought why not a blog too. so..

Suppression of Emotion:

Most know that I have been searching for healing lately, of past sin or health reasons, but overall just searching for that peace and forgiveness in myself.  and it's a battle, mostly because i'm or have been in the past few years,  skilled at closing up my feelings and emotions.  so this morning in my devotionals i came across this passage, and it was wonderful.  i dont' know if it connects with others, maybe i'm just being a goof, but i feel like there is such a need for accountablility.

Psalm 32:3

"When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long"

         King David had something to say about the negative impact of suppressing his feelings in his relationship with God: "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. . . . Let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him" (Psalm 32:3, 6 NIV ). David is not saying that God takes Himself out of our reach. When extraneous circumstances loom larger to you than God, it will not take long for your emotions to overcome you. When suppressed emotions build up within you like "mighty waters," you won't turn to God. Your emotions will be in control. It's important to open up to God while you can, because if you bottle up your feelings too long, it will disrupt the harmony of your relationship with Him.

David also commented on the impact of suppression on relationships with people: "I said, 'I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle, while the wicked are in my presence.' I was dumb and silent, I refrained every from good; and my sorrow grew worse" (Psalm 39:1, 2).

Don't cover over your emotions. Trust me they will find there ways out, in a much stronger way.  It might take months or even years, but your emotions will come out.  Suppression isn't good for you, for others, or for your relationship with God. God knows the thoughts and intentions of our hearts, and others can sense that something is wrong, because more is communicated nonverbally than verbally. When the verbal doesn't match the nonverbal, people believe the nonverbal. If we don't accurately express what we believe, people will believe our nonverbal messages about what we believe. Don't leave room for guesswork. Instead, "Speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another" (Ephesians 4:25).

holla!

~holloway