New Beginnings

Shake n' Bake

Shake n' Bake is a preseasoned coating for chicken.  All you have to do is shake the chicken in the seasoning mix to cover it well, put in the oven and wait for it to get done.  The instructions are simple and are printed right on the box. 

Me, being who I am, rarely do it just that way.  I, thinking that I can make it better, add a few seasonings of my own--a little of this, a little of that.   The box may say cook at 325 degrees, but I like to cook it at 375 thinking it will be extra crispy and get done faster.  My family is usually pacing the floors hungry and well, I am impatient and need the bake part to hurry along!

When I pull my chicken out of the oven, it doesn't look much like the picture on the box.  It isn't moist and juicy like they show because I didn't allow it to cook slowly like the instructions said.  It doesn't look quite the same either.  The box shows a nice golden brown but mine looks a little messy with some scorched parts here and there.  Again, I didn't follow the instructions and I added my own ingredients.

Here lately, my prayer life and faith walk has been a lot like my Shake n' Bake experiences.  God's little instruction book, the Holy Bible, says "Pray n' Wait" and as usual, I've been trying to step in and "help" Him make things happen a little faster and with all the "flavors" that I think are best.  Just like my Shake n' Bake experience, the things I've been praying about definitely don't look like I envisioned them.

I am a "fixer" --I've written that many times before.  I have a hard time just following the instructions, trusting and letting go. While I know this about myself, I have the hardest time changing it!  I did discover recently that David, truly a friend of God, struggled with that too!

Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth and teach me your laws.  Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.  Psalm 119:108-109 

Later he says...."I have strayed like a lost sheep.  Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.  Psalm 119:176.  

I have been praying for (and admittedly) worrying about my family a lot recently.  My daughter, 16, has been struggling with sadness because she wants some new friends--Godly friends, friends that will support her in her homeschooling, her art, and her faith.  Because she went through a really bad time a little over a year ago, I am hyper-sensitive to her emotions.  I don't want Satan to get the best of her again.  So, I've been praying and praying for God to bring these friends into her life.  I even got as bold as to ask that it happen in the month of June.  (It didn't, of course, because I was trying to "bake" things at the wrong temperature so they'd get done quicker!) 

I've been praying for the relationship between my children and their father.  For some reason, it seems the teen years bring a tension to the father/child relationship--especially with a daughter.  I felt it with my own father.  I don't like it.  I don't think it has to be that way and I know God has the power to change it. 

Of course, I don't just "pray n' wait" as the instructions say to do.  I am constantly looking for opportunities to make it happen.   I am trying to intervene constantly.  Trying to help their Dad see their point of view or offering him suggestions or letting him know how they feel.  With my husband, that is about as effective as talking to the tree in the backyard.  He is set in his ways and all I do is make him angry and frustrated--sometimes making things worse.   I try to get the kids to talk to their Dad more-lighten up the mood.  I try to help them see how he feels and how Dad's sometimes push us to do things because they think it is best for us.   The list goes on and on! 

It has been almost funny the number of times that God has put the story of Abraham and Isaac before me.  In books I am reading, in a recent sermon, on the radio, in the blogs of other people and even just in me flipping open my bible.  It has been in my thoughts a lot. 

I realize that God asked Abraham to literally sacrafice his son and all he is asking me to do is lay my family on the altar and trust Him to take care of all of my prayer requests.  He is just asking me to every day... pray n' wait, pray n' wait, pray n' wait.  He is asking me to daily surrender my family and my concerns to Him and stop making up my own ingredient list, my own timelines and my own methods. 

Trust Him.  That is all He is asking of me.  He is their creator.  He knows them inside and out.  He chose us to be together as a family.  He knows how to make things the best that they can be--if I will stop altering the instructions.

I am still confident of this.  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living.  Wait for the Lord.  Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.  Psalm 27: 13-14. 

All of this I know and I believe, but I am having the hardest time sitting on my hands and keeping my mouth shut!  Isn't that crazy? !

I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.  Jeremiah 10:23. 

I, like David, just have to keep reminding myself of God's word.  I have to keep seeking His face and all the other good things will be given to me as well.  I have to let go, follow His instructions and stay out of His way.  I know that if He needs me, He'll make sure that I do whatever it is that He needs me to do!

I think for many of us, the problem is that we think we can pray and then all of a sudden, everything will be okay.  Even if it is just praying for God's help in staying out of the way.  We want a one-time fix that takes care of everything.  But in reality, we have to surrender to God daily.  We have to look for Him all day, every day--in everythign that we do.  He is there.  You'll see Him if you look-- a crimson sunset, the smile from a stranger, the safe ride home from work, the unusally kind waitress, the perfect song on the radio, etc.  I believe that there are no coincidences for those of us that love the Lord.  There are only God-Instances.  

Who among the gods is like you, O' Lord?  Who is like you--majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, workiing wonders? In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed.  In your strength, you will guide them to your holy dwelling.  Exodus 15:12-13. 

He who forms the hearts of all....who considers everything they do.        Psalm 33:9. 

I am The Good Shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know Me.       John 10:14.

For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible everything got started in Him and finds purpose in Him.  Colossians 1:16 MSG. 

Suddenly, "Pray and Wait" takes on new meaning.  He really is RIGHT THERE.  All we have to do is "cover" our concerns with prayer, put it in God's Hands and then wait for Him to tell us when it is done! If He is a part of EVERYTHING, then He is right there in the midst of all the things I worry about.  He is still in control.  He is trying to make it right--His time, His way.   

Prayer:  Precious Jesus, help me to learn to pray and wait.  Teach me not to intervene unless You have commanded me to do so.  Along the way, bless me with signs that You are at work in me and my family.  Thank you for all the ways You are showing me Your presence and teaching me to release my family to you--not just once and I'm done but every single day.  Forgive me for my lack of trust and faith and my constant desire to rush You and help You.  I do know that Your timing is best and that we are most free to receive Your blessings when we surrender to You and give up on our own.  Help me to live out that belief in all of my thoughts and actions.  Amen.

The Blazing Furnace and God our Hero

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it.  Daniel 3:17 NIV

Often in our lives, we are thrown into a blazing furnace.  We become engulfed by fear, depression, addictions, anger, worry, financial burden, health issues or a multitude of other possibilities.   Like fire, these things are hot, uncomfortable and our instinct may be to just run.  But, if we run while on fire, the fire just gets fueled and things get worse.  That is also true with those things in life that engulf us.    

Running won't help.  Hiding won't help.  Whining won't help.  Worrying won't help.  Self-pity won't help.  Complaining won't help.  The flames will just get bigger and hotter because Satan fuels the fire with all of those things.

While in the fires of life, we must claim the promise of Daniel 3:17.  We serve a God that is able to save us!  We must chose to BELIEVE that God will do what He says He can do.  We must ask for His help and then believe that He'll provide it. 

Oh, He might not put out the fire instantly.  He might let it burn for a little while to "get our attention".  Sometimes He has to let it go on for awhile, just to get us to ask for His help. 

If He puts it out too quickly, we might think we did it on our own.  But, if the fire burns hot long enough and we know there is absolutely no way out and THEN we are rescued by our Heavenly Father, well... there is no denying where the help came from then!

God loves to be our Hero.  He loves to rush in and rescue us from our Blazing Furnaces.  Too often, we just don't ask. 

.....You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong intentions.  James 4: 2-3 NIV  

We try to climb out on our own or we sit around and hope the fire doesn't get "too hot".  Sometimes, we even add wood to the fire ourselves!  Even worse, we put ourselves in the furnace by our own sins!

The good news is that God doesn't care how we got in the furnace.  He will still come to our rescue with loving arms ready to grab us from the flames and hold us safely as He puts out the fire--even the very fire we started.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.  Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises so that thorugh them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV 

Are you stuck in a firey, blazing furnace somewhere in your life?  No worries! God is ready to come to your rescue!  He doesn't wear a special suit or cape.  He doesn't drive a "cool" car.  But He does go by many names..... Deliverer, Redeemer, Healer, Rock Eternal, Author and  Finisher, Alpha and Omega, Emmanuel, Almighty, Beautiful One, Saviour, Lord, King of Kings, HOly One......... the list goes on and on.  Whatever kind of "hero" you need, He is it! He has a name that fits and He will gladly, boldly go into the blazing furnace to save the one He loves.

PRayer:  Jesus, you are the Only Hero we ever need.  You are our reason for being.  We are alive and breathing only because You will it to be so.  You know our thoughts, our fears, our dreams and our prayers long before we do.   You already know the fires we will get ourselves into, yet You wait eager and ready to save us --when we get smart enough to ask and to ask for all the right reasons.  You are truly amazing.   Amen.

REach for the Son and Let Him Reign

On Friday during my lunch break, I went out to the parking lot to walk and pray.  It was a gorgeous day.  The first sunny, rain-free day we've had in a while.  The wind was blowing gently.  The sun was bright.  The sky was a beautiful blue, with little while clouds that honestly appeared to be brushed stroked on a canvas in the perfect places rather than the usual little puffs. 

Despite being in a industrial area, there are a lot of trees on the outskirts of our parking lot on certain sides.  As I was walking, I was looking at the trees and noticing their beauty. 

There was a huge cluster of trees that stretched out on one whole corner of the parking lot.  It was very dense and thick.  The trees were tall and full.  Thanks to my "artsy" daughter, I now notice that you cannot just say trees are "green".  Each type of tree has just a slightly different shade of green and the leaves are different enough that even in such a densely wooded area, you can tell one tree from another.  Each is unique--not unlike people. 

As I was looking and praying, God called my attention to something.  One of the biggest, tallest and fullest trees stood in the middle of many others.  It really was gorgeous, but at the top of that tree stuck out a little cluster of branches that was bare--no leaves just the "naked" branches.   Over on the right side of the tree was another cluster of almost -naked branches sticking up through all the beautiful green.   It was a little smaller than the one on top and you could see tiny leaves beginning to sprout. 

It looked as those these "naked" branches didn't belong there with the rest of that beautiful tree.  Yet, at my first glance, I didn't notice them at all.  But when I did, I smiled.  I imagined that the naked cluster of branches was once hidden amongst the fullness and greeness of that big tree and just fought its way up through it all until it exposed itself. 

Then when it was finally exposed, it reached as high as it could toward the sun --instinctively knowing that only the sun and rain from above could make it flourish with the rest.  Even the little small cluster of branches sticking out oddly from the side of the fullest part of the tree had its tiny branches curved out then straight upward toward the sun.

I quickly scanned the tree line.  There were some almost perfectly shaped trees.  Some tall and thin others thick and full.  A few trees stood tallker than the others--reaching their highest potential.  Others were fighting their way through the denseness.  A few had those odd, naked branches sticking out of their full green leaves and reaching up like the one tree I was focused on.

God revealed something to me in that moment and tears came to my eyes.  Tears of gratefulness to God for speaking to me on a 15 minute walk, in the middle of a huge parking lot full of cars on a day when I was very eager to be done with work and on my way home!

Those trees are not unlike us at all.  Especially the one tree that caught my eye. 

As a person and a Christian, I am strong in many aspects of my life--spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  We all are.  Those full branches of that tree represent those areas of strength in our life.  It represents different things for different people.  It may be that you are very outgoing and talking to people comes easy.  So, you flourish in that area of your life--never meeting a stranger.   Maybe you have a great strength for prayer or visiting the sick.  Maybe your are very strong physically or intellectually.  Most of us are strong in multiple areas and the full, green areas of the tree represent those areas.

Yet as imperfect humans, there is at least one area of our lives that we struggle with--especially spiritually.  Maybe we struggle with worry or anxiety.  Maybe it is addictions.  Maybe it is being able to talk to others about God.  Maybe it is a fizzled out prayer life or a faith that needs a boost.  Whatever it is, those little clusters of bare branches represent those things in our life. 

At a glance, everything looks great, but inside of us are these bare branches waiting to expose themselves-- trying to break free and break through to the surface.   Meanwhile, Satan tries to keep them buried amongst all the green and fullness.  He wants them naked and bare--not bearing fruit or leaves.  Keeping the tree (us) from reaching its full potential. He doesn't want those things to break free and reach for the SON! For Satan knows when that happens, he is losing the battle for sure.

Just as the tree branches reach high for the "sun and rain" knowing that is their only chance to shine and flourish, so it is with us.  We must expose those areas in our life that need spiritual growth, rejuvenating or life in general.  We must break them free of Satan's grasp.  We must hold them up high and reach out to the "Son" and let Him "reign" over them!  If we do so, those areas will begin to bud and bloom like the others!

THe Lord showed me that there are certain areas of my life that are bare.  I need to expose them by confession of sin and admitting to Him that I need help.  Then I must put them "out there", hold them up high toward Him and let Him work.  Just as leaves slowly bud and then gradually grow, I must not expect one rain drop to fix it all for me!  I must keep reaching toward the Son, higher and higher, closer and closer to get the "full effect" and see my growth in that area.

As I drove home from work that evening, I could not help but pay attention to all of the trees along the highway.  Short ones, tall ones, fat ones, skinny ones, crooked ones, straight ones--all unique, all reaching upward.  Some weathered, some new and tender.  And , of course, with a closer look, many with little bare branches sticking out here and there reaching out and up.   I smiled and thanked God for His revelation and for the SonShine and Reign that He is pouring on those areas of my life that still need work.

Jesus said: No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.  I Am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. .....This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  John 15:  4-5 and 8 NIV

One of my favorites:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and His law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yelds its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.  Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

Jesus, thank you for speaking to me in the midst of traffic, smog, parked cars, a frustration with work and only 15 minutes to be alone with You.  You are truly an awesome God that is eager to spend time with me and so rarely give myself to you as I should.  Thank you for tree revelation.  Please help me to recognize those bare branches in my life if I don't already know what they are.  Give me the courage to expose them to You and allow You to reign over those areas of my life that are dull and fruitless.  Grant me continuous revelation and wisdom to know You better and to reach for You more and more.  May all those areas that I hold up to You flourish in a way as to bring You glory.   Amen 

Sinister Siblings Sent by Satan

I got a call yesterday from someone very special.  She is someone that I barely know from a usual perspective, but somehow God has tied us together spiritually in a strong way.  She is a pastor's wife and very in tune to things of the Spirit.  I think of her as somewhat of a prophet.  She listens to God and speaks things that only He could have told her.  I love talking to her because she is very energetic, completely soul'd out for Jesus and very encouraging--but blunt!

We were talking about my tendancy to "worry" and she told me about how she has always thought about worry as one of the bad siblings........

You know how it is, worry comes knocking and you just let her in.  Then along comes stress right behind her.   Stress barely even had to knock before you opened that door.  Then here comes Depression skipping along looking for her siblings.  Ooops!  She found them and you let her in too.   If you don't lock the door quickly, Anger might slip in too. 

I couldn't help but laugh out loud!  Boy, have I let those rowdy siblings walk in on me a few thousand times!

Of course, she shared with me that we each have to decide that those "siblings" are not welcome in our home or our hearts.  We must shut the door in their faces and tell them they are not welcome here!  We must shout to them to go back to Satan from whence the came! 

Instead, we choose to open the door for the "good siblings"--siblings from the Holy Spirit.  We should open our doors out call out to Peace, Love, Joy and Understanding.  INvite them in with open arms--fill up the "house" with those sibliings so those "bad siblings" cannot possibly even sneak in--there just won't be room for them! 

Isn't that a great way to think about it?!

Later last evening, as I had my quiet time, I came across 2 scriptures that just seemed to mesh with that whole message:

David said to the Phillistine, you have come against me with the sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty!                   1 Samuel 17:45

It doesn't matter what Satan throws at us or which siblings he sends in--that cannot stand against the name of the Lord Almighty!  So, we can with full support from the name of Jesus send those nasty siblings home!

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth, gave me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.  Psalm 86:11

To me that just says.... keep me focused on You Lord.  Don't let my heart be torn between my worries, my dreams, my family's problems or the day-to-day circumstances.  Let my heart be focused on only You because You are All-Powerful.

Another thing my friend told me was never to consider myself as "trying" to do God's will, but rather consider myself a "doer" of the word.  Trying implies that you aren't sure you can do it and we know that God gives us the power to do all things!  I liked that!  She told me to write it down.... Brandi is a doer of God's Word! 

She really motivated me to be more bold in my faith.  To grab hold of my Godly dreams and believe in Him to make them come true--when the time is right.  She encouraged me to never let Satan bring me down or convince me otherwise.  

Jesus, 

Forgive me for letting in those nasty siblings of worry, stress, frustration, depression and anger.  Help me now to safely guard Peace, Joy, Love and Understanding in my heart and home.  Help me to remember to keep my heart devoted to You so that I may have my dreams when You know the time is right.  Thank You for never leaving my side and for always giving me a nudge when I need it most.  Thank you so much for my friends here at Praize whose comments inspire me so very much.  Thank you for the phone call from Karen at just the right moment and for Your Word that highlites itself for me as I read.  Lead me through the upcoming weak.  Give me strength both physically and spiritually.  Grant me the peace and joy of truly sensing Your Presence every moment.  Amen. 

Do You Recognize Him?

Can you just imagine how the disciples and followers of Jesus felt after watching Jesus die on the cross?  Jesus, their precious Jesus, was gone.  Tortured, beaten, spit on, hung between to criminals.  He was Dead.  In a tomb, covered by a stone.  That was it--the end.  They were so sorrowful.  They thought He was going to be their King, their Savior, but He died.  What did He mean? Why did He leave so soon?  What now?  Where do we go from here?  Life was hopeless once again. 

They are in such despair that some of them didn't even recognize the risen Jesus when He walked with them on the road to Emmaus.  He was right there and they didn't even know it! They were blinded by their despair, by their disbelief, by their worry, by their circumstances. 

They didn't recognize JESUS!  How could that happen?  How could anyone who knew Him and love Him not recognize Him?! 

It must be pretty easy to do.   We fail to recognize Him everyday! He is with us ALWAYS.  We have that PROMISE and the Bible doesn't just tell the Truth, it is the TRUTH.  Jesus does not just tell the truth, He is the TRUTH!   So, we know Jesus is with us always. 

With Jesus, things are not always as they seem to be...... our circumstances may seem terrible, but once we have passed through them, we look back and see.... "Oh, that is what He was doing".  He was there the whole time.  We just didn't recognize Him! 

When we worry, we cannot recognize that Jesus is right there. 

When we fail to believe that His hand is in our circumstances, controlling the details, we cannot recognize Him, but He is there, right there.  Shoulder-to-shoulder with us.  Going through it all WITH us.  Trying to make eye contact with us--sometimes probably waving His hands saying---- "here I AM!  Look at me!  Hold on, it is going to get rough for a bit!"  But, we just don't recognize Him. 

In a way, we are at an advantage from His disciples and followers at the time.  We know the whole story.  They learned it as they went along! In human form, He was limited as to where He could be.  In the form of the Holy Spirit, He can be at all places at all times.  We know that He overcame death and saved the world.  They didn't know it until they finally recognized Him and He proved it to them.  In a way, we "watch" the story like a movie.  They LIVED it.  They physically, with their own eyes, saw Him die.  They watched Him take His last breath and cry out to His Heavenly Father.  We get to flash forward to the good part--He rose again!   They had to suffer for 3 days, in immense sadness with broken hearts!

But when they put all of the pieces together and saw and recognized their Jesus, there was no holding them back! THey wanted to tell the world!  It didn't matter what they had to go through to do it.  I want to be more like that--compelled to tell His story.   I also want to recognize Jesus in every day situations.  He is alive and well working in us and through us this very day!  Yeah, Friday came, but so did Sunday! 

Dear Jesus,

Thank you so much for what You did.  It is hard to think about.  It is hard to talk about.  It was so terrible we cannot bear to dwell on it too much.  We helped to do it.  We drove the nails.  You felt our pain, shame, sin and failures on that cross.  We don't deserve Your Gift.  But we are eternally grateful and blessed. 

Grant me the wisdom and revelation to know You better so that I recognize You in my everyday situations.  Help me to know and remember at all times that I have resurrection POWER residing/abiding in me as your HOly Temple!  No greater love has ever been or ever will be than Your love for me.  Help me release more of me to You so that I may be filled with that love in all possible measures. 

This Easter weekend, and always, help us to remember the Cross, but let us not dwell there too long.  Let us linger more at the empty tomb!  LEt us look for You on our roads to Emmaus and SEE you there with us--shoulder-to-shoulder.

I praise You and Love You!   Amen.

Happy Easter everyone!  Praise the Lord that we serve a RISEN Saviour.  Death could not defeat Him.  He has ALREADY won the war against all evil.  Let us RECOGNIZE Him walking with us everyday! 

What Do You Think?

What do you think?  That sounds like a simple, innocent question and most of the time it is, but if you really dig deep there can be a lot more to it. 

What do you think?  What do you think about?  Really, what is on your mind alot?  When nothing else is going on, what pops into your head? What do you think of yourself?  What do you think of others?  What do you think of God?  What do you think of HIs Word?  What do you think of the person sitting next to you in church? Do you think the Lord will really answer your prayers?  Do you think He is listening?  Do you think He cares?  What do you think is going to happen to this country in the years to come?  What do you think is going to happen to gas prices?   

What does "think" even mean?  Since I cannot put my hands on a dictionary at the moment, I'll do my best.  It really means "what are your thoughts"?  In other words, what does your mind tell you, what do you believe to be true.  Afterall your thoughts, what your mind tells you, is your reality.  It is the reality that you live with and deal with.  

Our minds are rarely quiet--especially when we really want them to be! Thoughts race through our minds constantly--defining our reality of every little detail, every situation we face--every aspect of our lives.

Our thoughts control us--whether good or bad.  It is our thoughts that determine our behavior and our actions and ultimately our happiness--or lack there of.  Unfortunately, Satan likes to control those "thoughts" as much as possible.  It is up to us not to let him! OR at least to stop him as soon as we realize that he took over! 

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

Notice the words I highlited--be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  I love that!  Transformed--completely changed, different, from one thing to another. Like a caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly.  Renewing--to me means "fresh", starting over.  We often think of renewing something that is old or expired, like renewing a credit card or library card!  The new card is shiny and clean--with a brand new expiration date sometime in the future. 

With those "thoughts" in mind, this scripture took on new meaning to me.  The "pattern of this world" is Satan's way.  It is the way of worry and anxiety.  It is the "its all about me" mentality.  It is the "do whatever makes you feel good" and that is okay attitude.  The pattern of this world is Satan's way of keeping our thoughts out of tune with God's.  These thoughts cloud our minds and our judgment.  They make us tired (think old and expired!).  They make it difficult for us to "hear" God and know His will. 

But the good news is that we do have a choice!  We can gain control of our thoughts!  And this is just what this verse tells us! 

In my own words, I think the verse is saying: 

Get control of your thoughts.  Completely change the way you think.  If you catch yourself thinking Satan's way.  Stop and refocus.  Change the thought.  If you continually do this, you will get a fresh perspective on things.  You will feel different.  You will react differently.  When you transform your thoughts to be in line with God's Word, your relationship with Christ will be renewed!  You will be able to hear Him and determine His Will for you and you will be happier!  (Brandi's version of Romans 12:2) 

Another great verse that confirms all of this : 

To be made new in the attitude of your minds.  Ephesians 4:23  

So much of our emotional pain, distress, hopelessness, confusion and "battle" to discern God's will comes from within us--our minds, our thoughts and our attitudes!   We have to change our mind! 

Women, in particular, are great at changing their minds when it comes to shoes, clothes, where to eat for dinner or what movie to see.  We are not so good at "changing our mind" when it comes to negative thoughts or thoughts not in line with God's--even when it is hurting us.  It is hard to change our thoughts. 

Bottom line:  it takes practice, determination and prayer!  But, it can be done.

It may be overwhelming to try and change all of our "expired" thoughts and worries at the same time.  That is okay-- Romans 12:2 says "renewing of our minds"--as in constantly. It does not say, we check in once, renew our thoughts and then we are good to go for the next 7 years!  It really is a daily--even moment to moment renewal of our thoughts one-by-one as we recognize that thought as not in line with God's Word. 

One reason I love these verses so much is that it puts us in control.  We control our thoughts --not our circumstances, our friends, our co-workers or even Satan.  Our thoughts are a part of the "free will" given to us by our gracious Heavenly Father.  We choose our thoughts!  WE cannot always control our circumstances, but we definitely choose our thoughts.  Of course, we are not in this alone.  God is right there!  He will glady help us.  

Jesus said, why are you troubled and why do doubts rise up in your minds?  Luke 24:38

Jesus is ultimately saying--there is no reason to be troubled so why did you let your mind -your thoughts get the best of you!  

He is ALWAYS with us.  He ALWAYS hears us.  He will ALWAYS answer us.

Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live! Psalm 116:2 (He hears our prayers and He hears our thoughts!)

The Lord says....he will call upon Me and I will answer him.  Psalm 91:15

Because he loves me, says the Lord, "I WILL rescue him; I WILL protect him for he acknowledges my name.  He WILL call on me and I WILL answer him.  I WILL be with him in trouble and I WILL deliver him and honor him.  Psalm 91:14-16

We have a promise ..... God WILL help us.  God not only doesn't break His promises.  He CANNOT break them.  It goes against who He is-- He is THE TRUTH.  

So, we have all the help we need as we work on changing how we think! But we do have to work at it.  It doesn't come naturally.  Even if it did, Satan would be in there jumping up and down trying to shake things up!  We just cannot let him.  Everytime Satan tries to control our thoughts, we have to "check in" and "renew" our "thought card" so the we can change the way we are thinking in that situation! 

Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for Your Word and for using it to speak to us--always at the perfect time.  Thank for clearly telling us that our minds and our thoughts get in the way of our relationship and conversations with You.  Thank you that there is a way out!  Thank you for giving us the will and ability to recognize and change those thoughts with Your help.  Thank you for the promise that you will help us if we simply acknowledge You and ask for help.  

Lord, I pray that You will grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know You better so that our thoughts may more often be aligned with yours and so that I will recognize Your will for me. (Ephesians 1:17-23)

REmind me to visit YOu at the cross daily so that I remember the sacrafice You made for me and that I'll remember just how much You love me.  I have no need to worry or be afraid.  Someone that loves me enough to suffer as You did, surely loves me enough to guide me day-to-day.  Thank You.

Amen

Why Are The Bad Guys Always Winning?

Even the most upbeat person can watch the news or read a newspaper a few days in a row and get a little discouraged.  "Bad news" is all around us.  I don't know about you, but I sometimes question it.  Why?  Why did God let that happen?  Why are the bad guys always winning?  

As a child, I was taught never to question God and I took that to mean that I was a terrible sinner for asking that question.... why did God let that happen? 

Now, I have a different perspective.  God is a big boy.  He can handle it if I question Him.  I don't think that makes God angry at me.  It may amuse Him at times.  It may disappoint Him at times, but I don't think it makes Him angry or love me any less.  He UNDERSTANDS that I am looking at everything through my eyes--human eyes--mortal eyes. 

What God does expect of me is that regardless of whether He gives me insight to my question or not, I am to TRUST Him and have FAITH in Him. 

Habakkuk struggled with the same things I mention above.  There are only 3 chapters in the whole book and it is a good story, but I'll give the short version here.  In chapter 1, Habakkuk is complaining about all the "bad stuff" going on and he questions God....

Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.  Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?  Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?  Habakkuk 1:13

Who among us has not had a similar thought at some point or another? !  Why do You let the "bad guys" kill the "good guys"?  WHy does bad stuff happen to good people?

God answered Habakkuk.  He basically said.... "the bad guys will get theirs one day! Judgement Day is coming" but for now.......

....the righteous will live by faith.  Habakkuk 2:4.  The Lord is saying, just trust Me and keep on keeping on. 

....But the Lord is in his Holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.  Habakkuk 2:20.  God is STILL in control!   

And Habakkuk did what we all must do.  He determined that he would choose to trust God and rejoice in Him--despite the circumstances.

...Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, through the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feel like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights!  Habakkuk 3:17-19

Life is going to happen.  Bad stuff is going to happen.  The world is a cruel place and our existence here isn't easy.  In my opinion, that just stinks!  As I heard a pastor say once, "I didn't vote for all of that!".   For me personally, it is hard to handle at times.  It gets depressing.  It gets scary--what next?  What about my family?  What about my friends?  When is the next bad thing coming?  What about terroists?  What about illness?  The list could go on and on.

God never told Habakkuk that no more bad stuff would happen.   He just told him to live by faith.  Sounds simple.  Yet, it isn't easy most of the time, but that is what makes it faith!  Faith is often believing when it doesn't make sense to believe; hoping when there appears to be no hope; seeing when the answer is invisible; trusting when we feel disappointed and loving God when we don't feel His presence or His love.

It brings me some comfort to know that even a Prophet--a chosen Man of God-- didn't like or understand the "bad stuff" going on around him.  He, a prophet, questioned God and said... Hey, where are you?  Why don't you come down here and take care of all of this?  Why are you just ignoring us?  The good guys are getting hurt down here!

And God gave Habakkuk the same answer He gives us today.  Have Faith.  Trust me.  I will make it all okay in the end.  That day is coming, don't you worry.  But in the meantime, I'll be your strength.  

He doesn't stop there.  Jesus came.  Jesus conquered!  Jesus came to give us JOY regardless of what is going on around us.

These things I have spoken to you, that My JOY may remain in you and that your joy may be full!  John 15:11. 

Wow!  Jesus doesn't just want us to be joyful.  He says that we will have HIS JOY.  Jesus, that overcame death on the cross--the Almighty, All-KNowing, All-Loving Living Son of God gives us HIS JOY!  Is that cool or what?!   And it gets even better.  He doesn't just give us HIS JOY--- He said that it will remain in us and that our joy may be FULL!  To me that means, we just won't be able to fight it!  Joy will just bubble up in us like it is overflowing.  It will spill over onto others just like a "full" glass can easily spill when moved.  That is the kind of JOY that JEsus can give us.  That is the Joy that He wants us to have--no matter what is going on around us!   

Dear Heavenly Father,

Keep us strong in these bad times.  Keep our eyes focused on you... Our Rock Eternal.  Let us not get too discouraged or scared.  Help us to just grab hold of You and hang on!  And thank You for prophets that were human--just like me.   If you can use Habbakuk despite his doubts and complaining, surely you can use me too!   Open my heart and my mind to Your Perfect Will and use me as You see fit.

And Lord, let pure Joy spill from me every moment of every day! Anyone can be joyful when everything is perfect but only Your Children can by joyful when times are tough!  Thank you for the gift of your JOY.  Help us to receive it and release it to others just as You did. 

Amen.

Building a Highway

As I pondered on the above scripture during my quiet time this morning, I thought about what the words meant.   From a more literal perspective, it might imply that we would physically go into the deserts and jungles as missionaries to reach those literally in the wilderness who may never otherwise hear the Word of God.  

No doubt, there are definitely people God calls to do that but not everyone can be a missionary in that sense or in those environments. 

So, what about the rest of us?

I think the scripture is telling us to reach out to people that don't know God in whatever way we can.  The verses ask us to "build a highway" so that God can use it.  It doesn't ask us to "be a savior" ourselves.  I think the most overlooked and obvious way that we can build a highway for God is by way of prayer. 

As I think about it, I believe the "desert" and "wilderness" are those lives that are void of God.  They need Him but don't even know that they do.  Maybe no one has ever even mentioned His name.  Maybe no one has ever invited them to church or even smiled at them in passing.  Maybe no one has ever even cared.

All God asks of us is that we build a highway so that he can use it and His glory will be revealed!  Prayer and intercession for the lost can pave that highway a little at a time!  As more and more people pray for that one lost sole, the highway expands and goes deeper into the wilderness and God steps a little closer with each stretch of the road.  Without the highway, the lost person may overlook God for all the "trees". 

Or perhaps there is one person that is supposed to deliver a special message to the lost one but he or she cannot get there because there is no highway paved by prayer to prepare the heart of the one to receive the message. 

Prayer is powerful.  Intercessory prayer is critical.  Loving the lost and praying for them are our marching orders straight from above.  Praying isn't hard.  Yet, we are not always good at it.  We can do it pretty much anytime--day or night.  I truly don't think that we realize the impact prayer has on those that we pray for.

As long as we pray within the will of God, we have received a promise that our prayer will be answered.  God desires all to know Him.  As we prayer for a lost person, we are helping to build the highway to his heart so that God will be welcomed in! 

Sometimes it takes years and years, for someone to finally come to know God.  Chances are there were years of praying involved for that person.  It can be discouraging, when you pray and pray for a lost person that you deeply care about.  We have to remember that we cannot save that person.  However, with each prayer of intercession the highway is being paved---the highway needed for God to step in and take over his or her life.  

We must never stop praying.  We don't know how deep or dark the wilderness is and we may need help paving the way.   We may need to ask others to join us as we pray.  At times the highway may not be just to the lost, but perhaps to a saved one who needs renewed hope, healing, encouragement or breakthrough. 

Often times, others have paved the highway ahead of us and God is asking us to step on the highway and help lead that person to Christ or be the catalyst that gets them back on their spiritual track.  Without the highway, we couldn't "reach" them.   Stepping onto the highway and leading a person to Christ or bringing them back to Christ is a lot scarier than just praying to pave it!

We have a promise that God will be with us if He calls us in that manner.

So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

Still at other times, I believe God calls us to step on the highway before the final destination is near to play a part in the journey.  Maybe we are to offer a word of encouragement.  Maybe we are to give or share our blessings.  Maybe we are just to be a role model.  Maybe we are just to show we care.

The fact is that God doesn't randomly put people into our lives.  If we meet someone, it is for a reason.  Sometimes it is for us and sometimes it is for them.  But we can be sure God was involved.

.....so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this.... Isaiah 41:20.  

I met a lady in Wal-Mart last night.  She had a young daughter with her who was probably around 5-7 years old.  We were looking a beads to make jewelry.  She apologized for interupting my mother and I as we talked.  She asked if Wal-Mart was where I usually bought my beads and we began to talk.  

Turns out that she was making bracelets for her "Relay for Life" team.  Relay for Life is a team event sponsored by the American Cancer Society.  Teams walk to raise money for cancer research and prevention.  Her team was walking in memory of her husband who she lost to bone cancer.  I told her that I lost my Dad to brain cancer and I understood the importance of the Relay event. 

My heart went out to her.  She was so young. I suggested another store where she might find the beads she was looking for and I told her that I thought her idea was a great one.  As we parted, she told me thanks for the help and I told her good luck.    

Later that evening, I wondered.  Did I miss an opportunity?  Was God asking me to do more?  Should I have said something else?  I didn't even get her name. 

Honestly, I'm still not sure if I missed my "highway" marker on that meeting.  I have that little nagging feeling that maybe I should have said more but I was distracted and didn't catch it until it was too late.  But maybe not, maybe just the fact that I listened and encouraged her idea without feeling sorry for her was just was she needed.  I'll probably never know for sure, but God did lay it on my heart, to pray for her and her daughter.  I added her to my PR journal (Prayer Requests and Praise Reports) and I will pray for her.

Dear Jesus, 

Please help us all never to miss a highway marker.  Let us step on the highway and play our part in paving the way whether the road is leading to salvation, healing or spiritual breakthrough.  In turn, let us recognize those that step on the highway in our life and recognize God's hand in all that we come in contact with and every event in our lives. Thank you for being who You are and for the many blessings You share.   Thank You for the chance to serve You and for Your constant forgiveness.  Amen  

Seek His Face

As I was driving home from work today, the below scriptures can to mind.  I started to think about their deeper meaning and I just knew it was supposed to be the focus of my next blog. 

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. 1 Chron 16:11

My heart says of you, seek His face!  Your face Lord, I will seek.  Psalm 27:8

Why His face?  Why not His hand, His guidance, His heart or His soul?  Why face? 

Hmmmm.....

Here are my thoughts:

*  How do you know when someone is REALLY listening to you?  They look you in the eye--your face!

*  When you are in love with someone, you don't look at their feet or hands, you soak in every detail of their face! 

*  The first thing that usually attracts 2 people or even the first thing most people notice about someone is their face.

*  You can usually tell if someone is lying by looking them in the eyes.

*  You can tell a LOT about how a person is feeling by looking at their facial expressions--especially their eyes.

*  Our faces identify us and make us truly unique.

*  We can easily display our emotions and reactions by our facial expressions--even when we don't show them any other way.

*  When you talk with someone you love--whether it be a spouse, parent, child or friend, you focus on their face. 

*  When you remember someone, you think of their face.

In the human dynamic, faces are very important.  Our faces identify us.  We aren't known by our hands or feet.  We are known by our faces.  From a physical aspect, our faces tell who we are--young, old, male, female, black, white, sick, well etc.

So, when the scripture tells us to "seek His face", I believe it is telling us to get up close and personal!  Don't just grab His hand or the hem of His garment when things get so bad you are desparate (although there is nothing wrong with that!).  It is saying, get to know Him.  

Identify the One and Only Jesus (look at His face). 

Really LISTEN to Him (look HIm in the face).  

Learn to sense His like or dislike about what you are doing (read His face).

Figure out what is important to Him.

Remember Him and His love for you and what He did for you on the cross. 

Can you imagine the look on His face as He was tortured and killed for us?  If you have seen the movie Passion of the Christ, you can imagine it very clearly.  They did an excellent job of showing emotional hurt, physical pain, forgiveness and understanding in the eyes of the actor playing Jesus. 

Anytime I think about the crucifixion, I picture a scene in the movie in which they are beating Jesus and He looks over and sees Peter.  That image is etched in my mind.  I didn't so much remember the blood and gore.  I remembered the look on the face of Jesus.  His mental anquish from being hurt and abandoned by His friends---it was almost unbearable.

Seek His Face Always--- That says to me that you don't get to know Him and then you are done.  You can never stop looking, stop learning, stop listening.  You would never want to have a "stagnant" relationship with Him.  We have to ALWAYS continue to work at that relationship.  We can NEVER learn all there is to learn about HIm.  He is far too complicated.  Far too amazing.  Far too "not human" for us to get bored or complacent.  He has things to tell us and paths for us to take that we cannot begin to fathom, but we cannot know that unless we keep Seeking His Face.  Seeking to know Him. 

Seek His Face------- I don't think there is a better way that it could have been said to demonstrate the understanding of just how deep and personal our relationship with Him is supposed to be.  

Prayer:  Jesus, help me to always seek Your face no matter what is going on in my life.  Help me to get to know you better each and every day so that I love you more with each passing day.  I know that Your spirit has already filled me, but help me to release more of "me" to you so that I can fully abide in You and walk in Your way every step that I take.  Thank you not only for the physical sacrafices You made on the cross, but also for the emotional pain and sacrafice You made.  The pain of knowing the very people You died for and loved so dearly would reject You must have been almost more than You could bear.  Forgive me for all of the times that I have failed You.  Thank You for loving me as imperfect as I am.    Amen.

Where Are You?

I've heard or seen this scripture in multiple places over the last two weeks.  As usual, I always know that means God has an important message for me. 

And the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" Genesis 3:9

THe background: Adam and Eve and in the Garden.. They have eaten the forbidden fruit.  Suddenly they are ashamed and they hide from God (so they think!).  And God calls out to Adam....."Where are you?"

Now, of course, God knows exactly where Adam is hiding. He had no need to ask.  So why did He?  And what does this scripture mean to us today?

I don't think God was asking Adam for his physical location.  I think He was asking Adam about where he was spiritually and emotionally?  It was more a question of why did you do it? What were you thinking? Where are you?  Naturally God knew the answer to those questions too, but He wanted Adam to realize the answers and admit to them. 

He asks us that same question today..."Where are you?" In other words, "Why did you do it?  What were You thinking?  Why didn't you trust me?  Where are you in your journey with me?  Where is your heart and mind focused?" --Again, to sum it all up, "Where are you?"  

God knows us inside and out.  He knows our hearts and our souls.  He knows why we do the things we do.  He gives us spiritual and emotional free will.  Sometimes He has to ask us, where are you?, to get our attention, to help us realize where we are and what we've done.  Have we looked away?  Have we started worrying again when He told us not to?  Have we got fear when He said not to be afraid?  Are we doubting our abilities when He said with Him we could do all things?  Have we sinned and are ashamed?  Are we sinning and don't even realize it? 

So, He asks...."Where are you?".  He asks not to find out for Himself.  He already knows.  He asks so that we can take a look at ourselves and find the answer. 

Where are you?  

Where do you desire to be? 

My prayer:  Dear Jesus, my prayer is that when you ask me, "Brandi, where are you?", that I can say....."I'm right here with You Lord.  I'm walking in Your Will.  I'm awaiting eagerly awaiting Your next instruction.  I'm worry and fear free wrapped up in You.  I am blessed and I am working hard for You and Your kingdom!"          

NO REFUNDS. NO EXCHANGES.

When you make a choice between 2 or more things, you are essentially "exchanging" one for the other.  For example, you are choosing between attending a ballgame or going to the movies.  You choose ball game.  You are exchanging a movie for a ballgame--you had both opportunities.  The choice was all yours. 

We make those kinds of exchanges regularly.  Unfortunately, they are not always as harmless as movies and ballgames.  Satan is like a big store, he makes returns and exchanges easy and quick!

They exchanged the Truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised.  Romans 1:25

When I read this scripture, I lingered on the words..... they exchanged the Truth of God for a lie.   What does that mean?  In what ways to we (I) do that?  I didn't really like what was revealed to me.

• The Bible says, Be anxious for nothing, don't worry.  The world says, You've got to worry.  Look at all the possibilities of horrible things that can happen.  So, you "get anxious and worry".   You just exchanged God's Truth for a lie.

• God tells us not to "judge or condemn".  Yet, Satan sneaks in and plants thoughts in our head that we are somehow better than the person who made a mistake or is caught up in a life that is inappropriate.  We buy in and verbally or mentally judge that person.  Again, we exchange God's Truth for a lie.

• The Word of God tells us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.  Satan says you are not good enough or talented enough or rich enough.  So, you hold back or get discouraged.  Maybe you just say, I'll do it later when I am ready.   Once again, we exchange God's Truth for a lie. 

• The Bible tells us that the Lord has cast our sins as far as the East is from the West.  That He has not only forgiven us but has forgotten those sins.   Satan says, Oh, but look at how many people you hurt, how much time you wasted, how immoral you were or what you did to yourself.   So, we shrink back.  We feel defeated.  We cannot get past the remorse or we resume our old ways.  Sadly, we exchange God's Truth for a lie. 

Certainly, we could think of many, many more examples of how we choose Satan's lies over the Truth of God.  We don't always do it consciously, but often we do.  Of course, we aren't thinking about it as exchanging the Truth of God for a lie, but that is exactly what we are doing!  

That is NOT what any of us want to do.  We want NO REFUNDS NO EXCHANGES when it comes to God's Truth.  When we became a Christian God moved in.  His Truth and Love RESIDE in us.  However, the power of His presence becomes less intense when we "exchange" it for a lie.    

I read something recently that said as I just did above that God resides in us.  He filled us with the HOly Spirit the moment we became a Christian--a permanent resident. 

We often pray to be filled with the Spirit.  Actually, we are filled with the Spirit.  What we should pray for is that we would release more of ourselves to Him--    that we would fill Him up with us.  He already gave us 100% of Himself and continues to do so.  We are the ones that hold back!  We hold back because we are always exchanging God's truths for lies.  

My Prayer:  Dear Jesus.  Help me to remember that your very Presence resides in me everyday of my life.  When I pat the head of a lonely child, it is Your hand that touches them.   When I hug an elderly patient, that is You hugging them.   When I smile at a stranger in the elevator, You are smiling at them.

Please help me stay "in tune" with you.  Help me to release more and more of myself to You every moment of every day.  Help me to recognize when Satan is asking me to trade Your Truth for a lie and most importanly, help me to refuse the exchange! 

You already reside in me.  My desire is that I reside in You fully.  

Turn to HIm

Turning your head away from something important even for a moment can have big consequences.

If any of you have children, you know that sometimes you can turn your eyes away from them just a few quick seconds and they either get hurt or get into something they shouldn't! 

When driving a car, you can turn your head away from the road for just a split second to change the radio station and suddenly you swerve without meaning to or maybe even worse!  

You may turn your head away from the television and miss a major point in the movie you are watching!

Often when this happens, we barely even realize that we looked away until something  happens.  

We do the same thing to God.  We usually don't mean to but we turn our heads--sometimes just for a moment, sometimes longer--and then suddenly something happens and we wonder why.

I am the Lord and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.  I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me (or in my words--you turned away) so that from the rising of the sun to the peace of its setting men may know there is none besides me.  I am the Lord, and there is no other.  I form the light and create the darkness.  I bring prosperity and create disaster.  I, the Lord, do all of these things. ....... Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God and there is no other.   Isaiah 45: 5-7 and 22 NIV.

The above scripture makes it clear that God uses good and bad times to strengthen us.  He creates both (or allows them through).  He is God and there is no other.  He is there even when we have accidentally or intentionally turned our heads. 

The scripture says that all we have to do to have peace or be "saved" (from our circumstances, our mindset or eternal salvation) is TURN TO HIM.

I found it interesting that God didn't say all you have to do is hunt me down, look for me in my many hiding places or beg me to come to you.  He said, "turn to Me". 

In my mind, that often means: 

*  just stop looking the other way even if it was just a glance,

*  to put our eyes back on Him,

*   remember He is God and He is in control.    

It is that easy.  Yet we make it so hard. 

We are very quick to turn away from Him when we are distracted and we can be distracted by both good and bad things, good and bad times and even just the busyness of life.      Our challenge is to realize that we have done it as quickly as possible so that we can turn right back toward Him before any damage is done!

My prayer is that I will become less and less distracted.  That fewer and fewer things will cause me to glance away for a moment.  I pray that I will continually and intentionally keep Jesus Christ at the very center of my focus for He is my Strength, my Protector, my Deliverer and my Guide.  Thank YOu JEsus for always being right there when I turn my head back and focus soley on You.  Nothing else really matters.  So, help me Lord to live a life that proves that You are all we need.  

3 Simple Things

I serve an awesome God, though!  And, He blessed me in many ways today despite the fact that I let Him down by not having my morning quiet time alone with Him.   Afterall, we just celebrated Christmas and I wanted to "give back" to Jesus for the sacrafice He made by coming to Earth to save us.

On my lunch break, I grabbed my Bible.  I had been praying earlier telling God that I really wanted to live in His Will and not "fight Him" to do it my way.  I was pondering just what it was He wanted me to do.  I had prayed as I walked into work that all of my interactions would be "intentional" and that I would not miss an opportunity to serve Him.  Despite all of that, I just had that nagging feeling that I wasn't in tune with God.  I kept having that thought of..."what is it that You want me to do?"  "How can I serve You here at work and in my regular day-to-day activities?" 

So, with my Bible in my hands, I ran my fingers across the end of the pages and prayed that God would lead me to the perfect scripture based on what I needed to hear today.  I know many people feel that was a ridiculous way to choose what to read, but it had worked for me so many times before, I felt that it would again. 

I opened my Bible to Micah, Chapter 6.  As you have already guessed, it was the perfect passage.  The scripture speaks of all the things God has done for Israel (also meaning all of us) and how they have not been grateful and have turned to sin.

The passage asks what could we do to please God and gives examples: Sacrafice burnt offerings?  Offer thousands of rams with 10 thousand rivers of oil?  Offer firstborn child?     

The answer was none of those things.  The verse that stood out was this:

He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humby with your God.   Micah 6:8

Sometimes as Christians, we get discouraged when we cannot do that one "big thing" for God.  We know we don't deserve His goodness or His grace but we want to try and earn it or pay Him back in some way.  And the truth is, we can't.  The price He paid was way too much.  Yet, He only asked for 3 fairly simple things: .

1.  that we act justly (that we be fair, honest and giving)

2.  that we love mercy (in my opinion, mercy is having compassion and helping others even when they don't deserve it or won't be grateful or when it comes with a cost to you.  He asked not just that we have mercy but that we love it--do it without regret, hesitation or motive.  This makes me think about not wanting to help a panhandler because you just know he spent all of his money on drugs or alcohol.  Maybe he did, but what would Jesus do in that situation?  He'd have mercy.  Thank goodness Jesus has mercy for us every day!)

3.  that we walk humbly with Him. (I personally struggle with the humbly part sometimes!  It is difficult to truly walk with HIm when pride is present.  I think that is why the scripture makes it a point to say walk humbly with Him and not just walk with Him.)     

This scripture fit hand-in-hand with a theme that has been recurrent in several differnet things I have read and heard lately about our "purpose".   Our purpose is to love God, praise Him, learn to be more like Him and to love and minister to others.   How we go about that will be different for each person depending on our passions, gifts and talents--but it all sort of fits into the 3 things God REQUIRES of us in the above scripture.

I found some peace in Micah 6:8.  For the moment, I just need to focus on those 3 things and to stop feeling like I am missing something that I am supposed to be doing.   As long as I am walking with Him, I'll walk right into that "thing" when the time is right! 

I have to share what our pastor said about Christmas/the birth of Christ.  I've never heard it said more beautifully.........  "Jesus looked down and saw a scared, fragile and tormented world.  So, He got down on His knees and joined us. He cuddled up beside us in a manger giving HImself as the ultimate sacrafice and the world has never been the same."  Thank You, Jesus. 

Update on Victoria Faith:  Thanks again for all of your prayers.  We've had some little ups and downs but Faith is doing GREAT!  The feeding tube is out and she is taking a bottle!  Her organs are functioning fine and she now weighs a full 6 pounds!  She may get to come home THIS WEEK!  Praise the Lord!!!!  Her parents and grandparents have been suffering with repeat staph infections so please continue to pray for this family.  Pray with me that the staph will not recur and that baby Faith will come home to a safe staph-free environment!       

Life is NOT Like a Box of Chocolates!

Mama always said, "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what your gonna get."  A much repeated line by Forrest Gump in the movie.

Well, let the records state--I disagree! 

If life were like a box of chocolates, we'd have a lot more fun.  I mean there are not many bad things one can say about chocolate! 

If life were like a box of chocolates, we could just throw out all the things we don't like or leave them half-eaten for someone else!

If life were like a box of chocolates, we could savor it one tiny bit at a time and be in complete control of how quickly or slowly we move through and we'd never run out of our favorite flavors!

I say, "Life is like a box of treasures and troubles --not truffles!  While we never know what we are going to get, Jesus, the One True Treasure knows! --Brandi after 9 hours of Christmas shopping and a handful or two of Hershey's Hot Cocoa and Cream Kisses!

Life is like a box of troubles and treasures........

The more "troubles" you experience, the closer you get to the One True Treasure.   In fact, sometimes you cannot even see the Treasure until you go through the "troubles".  Unfortunately this is life and you cannot just throw out the ones you don't like.  You may try and leave them half-eaten for someone else to "enjoy" but it doesn't work that way.  If the Lord wants you to have that trouble, He will see that you finish it!

Each and every bite of a trouble, brings you closer and closer to the One True Treasure.   The Treasure is right there in the box for you all the time.  You can grab it and have a taste anytime you want!  And as much as you hate to admit it, the Treasure "tastes" much sweeter when you've had a few troubles.  In fact, when you have tasted a few troubles, you long for the Treasure.  You grab it often and savor the flavor, lingering with it as much as you possibly can.  And when you do that, even though the troubles are piling up, they seem to fade and love their flavor. Then, the Treasure grows filling the box so that there isn't as much room for more little troubles!  

Sometimes if you have too many of the little treasures, which are nice and sweet, you forget about the One True Treasure right there in the middle of the box.  You just don't seem to need to take a bite of it as often because the treasures taste so good.   When that happens, you may find that the little treasures suddenly get replaced with big troubles and the Treasure seems hidden beneath them.  But if you will look past the troubles, you'll find the Treasure and as you move the troubles over just a little, you can get to it again.   And, once again the more you taste the Treasure the bigger it gets. 

The troubles never disappear completely or forever, but they do seem to get lost amongst lots of little treasures as long as you stay focused on and loyal to the One True Treasure right in the center of the box!

Life is like a box of troubles and treasures.  Sometimes you look back and realize that some of those things that you thought were troubles were really little treasures!  They led you straight to the One True Treasure in the center of the box!  And maybe they even spilled over in the boxes of others and helped them discover their Treasure too!

This Christmas season, I've heard lots of "trouble" stories.  There have been a lot of really bad tasting troubles all around the people I care the most about.  I am still trying to force down a couple of little "troubles" of my own, but I am trying to take a taste of the Treasure between every bite.

Despite all of the pain, sadness, crime, sickness and other troubles, there is a Treasure alive and well in the world today.  He came to us as a tiny baby--poor and unknown.  He was barely noticed by most and no one seemed to care.  Only God knew that the tiny hands and feet of that perfectly innocent child, would one day be nailed to a Cross to save a world of "trouble seekers" that didn't deserve it.  The amazing thing is that He didn't have to do it, but He did.  Even more amazing, He would have done it even if there was only one of us to save.   It really is that personal. 

Jesus is always right there ready and waiting to be a part of our box of troubles and treasures.  All we have to do is open our box and let Him in! 

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are acheiving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Jesus, help us through our troubles.   Let us not skip over a single one if it will bring You glory.  We know that you are all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful.  You are our Wonderful Counselor, our Prince of Peace and our Treasure in the darkness.  We praise Your Holy Name for it is Powerful.   Thank you for coming as a baby and suffering on the cross.  We want our lights to shine for You this CHRISTmas! Amen 

Update on Victoria Faith

When two or more or gathered in His name...... miracles happen!  Thank you all for your prayers!!!  God has honored our prayers and has been continuing to work miracles in little baby Victoria Faith. 

The doctors had initially told the parents that she would need multiple surgeries and that she would likely be in the hospital for 6 months.  A baby normally has 7 1/2 feet of intestines.  Victoria Faith's intestines were so swollen and dried out that they were only 1 1/2 ft long!  What was outside of her body was bigger than her body itself. 

Thanks to many prayers and the grace of God, her intestines shrunk and returned to normal VERY quickly--much quicker than the doctors thought possible.  They did her second surgery on Tuesday and they were able to put EVERYTHING back in place, close her up and make her a cute little belly button so she wouldn't be "navel-less"!  

While she has had a few little issues with blood pressure and needing blood, she is doing very well.  Needless to say, the proud parents are missing her terribly.  They so want to have her home with them.  Keep praying for their strength! 

So many people have helped my family during this time.  It has been very humbling and inspiring for my cousin and his wife.  Complete strangers have given them gifts and money and prayed for them. 

My prayer all along has been that God would heal Victoria Faith and give them this beautiful miracle baby and in return God would get the parents hearts and all of the glory!  That is still my prayer.  I believe that the fact that they named her "Victoria Faith" long before they new she had any health problems proves God's hand has been in it all along.  HE is all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful.  He knew the impact this very stressful time would have on the whole family.  He knew it would cause the family  to look to Him, draw close to Him and completely depend on Him.

Please continue to pray with us for Victoria Faith's continued healing.  Thank God for answering our prayers so far and for touching the hearts of so many people to help these parents.  Our family is now praying for a Christmas miracle!  We'd love to see God work in a wondrous way and progress the baby's recovery so that she can be home with her parent's for her first Christmas!  But even if she is not, just the fact that she is alive and doing well is present enough! 

While you are praying, please pray for another baby that is there in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit with Victoria.   I'm not even sure if it is male or female, but this baby was very premature and weighs only 1 pound.  Its little arms are no bigger than my smallest finger.   The really sad part is that NO ONE has visited this baby since it was born! No one cares.  While the nurses aren't allowed to disclose anything, a hospital employee told us that often those baby's are born premature due to the mother's drug use.  It just breaks my heart, but I trust God has that precious tiny child right in HIs hands.    

Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers.  You all truly inspire me with your blogs and comments to me.  It has been amazing to say people all across the WORLD are praying for little baby Victoria Faith!  

Love in Him,

Brandi                 

Claim Him and Lame him

His favorite place to fight us is in our minds--our thoughts and our reactions.  He wishes to cloud our minds with confusion, fear, hopelessness, anguish, too much information, worry--even too much of good things at times. 

I much as I hate to admit it.  He is good at it.  He battles us day-to-day, even moment to moment. 

So, how do we fight him? 

I certainly don't admit to be an expert warrior in this type of battle.  I've lost more battles than I have won, but I am in training and God has given me a weapon that is helping me win more and more often.

The weapon is "praise and confirmation of what I believe".  Essentially, it is verbally "claiming Him (God) and His promises.  In doing this, I lame him (Satan).  I win the battle of that moment--even if it is just for that one brief moment.  God is pleased when we can win the small battles for that trains us to be strong warriors to win the bigger battles.  Thankfully, God has already won the war.  Even so, the battles can be quite violent at times!  My sister helped introduce me to this weapon. 

I have discovered that just reciting certain very quick statements anytime a negative thought comes to my mind helps me to win that battle. They are my "battle cries". If I catch myself, "shrinking back" and worrying about something old or running through a list of things that "could happen" or getting sad about what has happened or just any negative or impure thought, I am just start reciting one of the battle cries to help me.  Sometimes, I just say them in my head (I may not be in a position to randomly speak out loud.), but I do believe saying them out loud--even in a whisper is most effective on Satan. 

He cannot stand it when we can praise God in spite of his efforts. There truly is power in praise!  The Bible describes praise as a "sacrafice".  God is pleased when we use this to grow in Him and defeat Satan.

I wanted to share some of these "battle cries" with you.  You don't have to remember the verse or even get the words exactly right.  THe power is in your sincerity and belief of the words!   Just repeat any one or more of them in those moments when you need them.  Pick a 2 or 3 that your really like or make up your own and use them daily.  As you get them fully set in your mind, pick some others.  Post them around your home or office.  However you chose to do it, just use them to claim Him and lame Satan! 

"The Lord fights for me." (Joshua 23:11)

"The Lord is with me wherever I go" (Joshua 1:9)

"God is with me now." (Jeremiah 30:11, Deut 31:6)

"God will never fail or forsake me." (Hebrews 13:5)

"Jesus is my Strong Tower." (Proverbs 18:10)

"The Lord will direct my path." (Proverbs 3:6)

"I submit myself to God and resist evil." (James 4:7)

"The Lord is great and awesome." (Neh. 4:14)

"I know that my Redeemer lives." (Job 19:25)

"My God is Worthy." (Rev 4:11)

"The Lord is my Strength.  I seek His Face always." (1Chron 16:11)

"Jesus is my Light in the darkness." (Psalm 27:1)

"Jesus is my Joy." (Psalm 43:4)

"God will fight for me.  I need only be still." (Exodus 14:14)

"I can do everything through God who gives me strength." (1 Phil 4:13)

"I will not worry--Jesus is with me."  (Matt 6:25 and Phil 4:6)

"God is my Refuge and my Strength." (Psalm 46:1)

"There is power in His Holy Name." (Psalm 124:8 and Phil 2:9)

"God is good all the time." (Psalm 31:19)

"I will rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS!" (Phil 4:4)

"I will be strong and wait for the Lord." (Micah 7:7)

"God is my Rock and my Fortress." (Psalm 31:3)

"Into God's Hands, I commit my Spirit." (Psalm 31:5)

"I will stand firm because Christ has set me free. (Gal 5:1)

"God's Grace is all I need." (2 Corin 12:9)

"When I am weak, He gives me power." (2 Corin 12:9)

"Jesus is Lord." (Romans 10:9)

"The Holy Spirit will guide me." (Luke 12:12)

"My faith is not in men but in the power of God. (1Cor 2:5)

"The Lord will renew my strength." (Isaiah 40:31)

There are many, many other battle cries that you could use--other truths or verses from the Bible, lyrics to a favorite song or a special message from a book or sermon.  As long as it is sincere Praise, Satan won't like it and you'll win the battle of that moment.

PRAISE AND PRAYER REPORT:  Many of you have been praying for little "Victoria Faith" , cousin's baby that has her intestines on the outside of her body.

Praise the Lord!  Victoria Faith was born yesterday and we have miracles to report. 

*  Her mother was able to carry her a month longer than the doctors expected.  The doctors feared that little Victoria wasn't going to grow and her survival chances wouldn't be good.  I am pleased to report that Victoria came in to this world weighing 4 pounds and 15 ounces!  A miracle considering her condition!

*  The doctors were concerned about her tiny little lungs.  There was fear that they were not fully developed and surgery would be difficult on her.  I am pleased to report that Victoria let out a loud, strong cry when she was snatched into this world!  Tears streamed down everyones face as they heard those hardy lungs make all of that noise! Thanks be to God!

*  Her heart, lungs and liver were all inside and in the right place. Praise God.

*  All of her organs are there and properly connected.  Her intestines, bowels and female organs were on the outside.  They did surgery yesterday to put her uterous and tubes back inside.  They couldn't put anything else back because her mid section is too small and her skin is to tight.  The rest will have to go in little by little over multiple days and many surgeries,  but yesterday's surgery was a success. 

*  Victoria may be in the hospital for as long as 6 months!  Please pray with me that God works additional miracles and this precious baby may come home before then! Praise God with me that her first surgery was a success and that little Victoria is strong.  She is not on oxygen and she is BEAUTIFUL! 

Pray with me that her birth and the miracles that have ocurrred and are to come will lead her parents and all who care about her straight to God!  May He receive all the glory and may their lives never be the same because Victoria's life will lead her parents and family to victory in Jesus!

Thank you all for your prayers.  As you can see, they made a difference.  We definitely need you to continue them.  She has a long recovery ahead of her and her parents are hurting because they cannot hold her and hug her.  Pray that they bond with her without the physical contact and that more importantly they bond with Jesus through it all.

Love and prayers to all of you!

Brandi  

He Held My Face in His Hands

I am one of those people who wear the weight of the world on their shoulders.  I hate to see someone in pain--emotional or physical.  I hate to see someone sad.  But for me in goes beyond just the norm, I "feel" it with them.  I find it hard to release it and I worry.  I want so badly for there to be happiness and joy around me.  I want to know that everything and everyone I care about is okay.  I want to remember always that there is more good than bad in the world today even when it doesn't feel that way. 

When something bad happens to someone, I can totally imagine what it would feel like if it happened to me.  My heart just breaks. 

Even worse, for some strange reason, I feel an obligation to try and make things better--to fix it all! It is a compulsion deep within me that I've written about several times before.  It is almost as if I cannot make it better, then I've failed in some way. I don't understand how I came to be that way.  Some say it is a gift but at a time I feel like it is a curse. 

It seems like without fail, when I get to a point in my life when things seem to be going pretty well, something awful happens.  It makes me almost afraid to be happy! Recently, as I've grown closer to Jesus and have been making those little steps of surrender and steps of following Him blindly, Satan has really attacked.  He is attacking all around me--my immediate and extended family and friends.  He feels my head with nagging little thoughts and doubts about everything that I "think" I have surrendered to Jesus.    

I was sitting in church today and my mind was racing a little with everything that is going on with my family and friends.  I was working hard to let it go and just give it to Jesus.  I was trying to just praise Him and not let me mind wander back to all the "yucky stuff" going on.  No matter what, He deserves my full attention.  Even if He never does another thing for me and my situations never change, He still deserves my complete love and attention.  He died for me!  He has a place for me for all eternity. 

I envisioned myself sitting at the feet of Jesus.  He was seated and I had my head resting in my arms on His lap.  I was crying. 

I kept saying:  "I can't fix it.  I don't know what to do.  I just want it all to be okay."   

Then, Jesus gently lifted my head and turned it toward His eyes. He held my face in His hands and He said, "Precious child, it is not your job. You don't have to do anything." 

He ever so gently wiped the tears from my eyes with his thumbs.   He smiled sweetly and said, "I'm still in control.  Trust me.  There is a reason and I know what I am doing." 

I want to hold onto that image forever. In that moment, I felt complete peace.  I didn't want to leave that place.    

The preacher wrapped up his sermon and we sang Chris Tomlin's version of Amazing Grace--

My chains are gone, I've been set free.  My God, my Savior has ransomed me.  Like a flood, His mercy rains ..unending love, amazing grace. 

I glanced over at my sister who is going through something very painful (emotionally) right now.  She had her hand raised and tears were streaming down her face.  I've never, ever seen her raise her hand in worship before.  While she loves contemporary praise and worhip services, she tends to be very conservative in her personal worship style.  A tear filled my own eye because I knew that she was at that breaking point. That point where we grab on to Jesus with gripped fingers because we know that is the only way we'll make it even one more minute.  While, I'll never believe God caused what she is going through, I do believe He is using it to bring her closer to Him.  And although it may be a long, hard road, I believe she will ultimately be better than ever.

I am reading the Purpose Driven Life.  In the book, Rick Warren says that "pain" is God's megaphone.  He uses it to get our attention and I speaking from personal experience, it works.

Life here on earth is tough.  Because of my personality, it is hard for me to accept that pain has to be so much a part of it.  I have to remind myself that we aren't supposed to be too comfortable here.  This isn't home.  It's just a road trip! We have to keep focused on the fact that eternity is a long time and these short times of pain and sorrow are just a bump in the road that leads us home.  But that is so, so hard to do!  

Prayer:  Jesus, I don't even know what to say..... I want to be back at Your feet with You looking me in the eyes telling me that it is all going to be okay.  I want to feel that peace all the time.  I want to get rid of my old self and be that person that can really, really "give it to You" and praise You through it all.  I want to fight Satan when He puts those doubts and nagging thoughts in my mind.  I just want to abide in You and have You abide in me.  I don't want to be worried, stressed or anxious.  I don't want to feel responsible for fixing everything.  I don't want to question Your methods or Your timing.  Help me, Jesus, to just focus on my purpose and not get caught up in the distractions of life.  Please let Your presence be known to all of those who are hurting both physcially and emotionally tonight.  Break down the walls that cause people to hold back from You.  Give them courage to just trust You and to live the life YOu want them to live.   Thank you for all of your many blessings and the grace and mercy you give us each and every day.  Amen 

Trapped and Waiting

Have you ever been eager to get out of a place or a situation to the point that you almost make yourself miserable?  You can't think about anything else.  You lose all focus except for your desire to "get out".  You pray and pray for the situation to change or for the doors to open to the new place and it just doesn't seem to happen.  I surely have felt that way many times!

Sometimes when we feel that way, we know that God has given us the desire so we get even more confused when it doesn't happen in what we think is a reasonable time.  It gets frustrating.  If we are very honest, we might even question God...."Why are you leaving me here when I am so unhappy?" or "Why did you give me a new dream and then leave me stranded here?" 

We begin to feel trapped.  Prisoners of our own circumstances, our own thoughts and our own seemingly impossible, but Godly dreams.  It can begin to feel like we are a part of a hostile take-over and we are prisoners of war!  We fight harder and harder with prayer and our actions.  Still, we only seem to get more and more tired but with no results.  Yet, deep down, we know God is with us.  We just aren't quite sure what He is doing. 

Praise be to the Lord, for He showed His wonderful love to me when I was in a "beseiged city" (our place or situation in which we feel trapped).  In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight! Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help".  Be strong and take hear all of you who hope in the Lord.  (Psalm 31: 21-22, 24) 

I recently heard a sermon in which the preacher said..."Most Christians don't have a problem with faith.  We have a problem with Faith that has to WAIT!"  We want to get out of our beseiged city right away and we wrestle a little with God about that.   But, we have to remember how very much God loves us.  He knows ALL things.  He knows what is best for us and He knows exactly why we are in the place or situation that we are in.  Althou