spirituality Archives - Page 9 of 14

October 23, 2017

My Very Cold Cup of Coffee

Luke 10:38-42 (TLB)

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem[a] they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. 39 Her sister Mary sat on the floor, listening to Jesus as he talked.

40 But Martha was the jittery type and was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing.

She came to Jesus and said, “Sir, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “Martha, dear friend, you are so upset over all these details! 42 There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her!”

First, I want to apologize for not blogging on Friday. I had a jam-packed day and honestly did not even remember until I was falling into bed at 1:30 Saturday morning.

That brings me to today…I have felt like I have been chasing myself all day long and I am a quick little sucker! I have been at least 10 steps behind the entire time. I would just feel like I was making ground and BOOM! There I go taking off again into twenty different directions.

My day started at 6:00 am. It is 2:50 in the afternoon and I just sat down to take a breath and enjoy my now very cold cup of coffee. However, I can finally see my desk. My emails have been answered. Copies are made and lesson plans are done. Whew!

I think I know how Martha felt. I have been that jittery type all day long fretting over all the details of my day. I unfortunatly also know how Martha felt. I did not take time this morning to just spend time with God. I rushed through my morning and didn’t even say good morning God.

I wonder if I had been a little more like Mary at the beginning of my day, I wouldn’t have ended up like Martha the rest of it. I am pretty sure my to-do list would not have gotten any smaller or magically disappeared. But maybe, just maybe, I would have caught up with myself and wouldn’t have felt so jittery. Maybe I wouldn’t be “enjoying” my very cold cup of coffee right now.

October 19, 2017

Know Whose You Are

Isaiah 43:1b
Do not be afraid — I will save you.
I have called you by name — You are mine

My granddaughter will come running from anywhere in the house if she hears Moana. I have to admit, I have become quite addicted to the songs too.

There is one song in particular that is very short, but almost brings me to tears everytime I hear it.

Know Who You Are

I have crossed the horizon to find you
I know your name
They have stolen the heart from inside you
But this does not define you
This is not who you are
You know who you are

***SPOILER ALERT***

The song comes when Moana faces the angry being you are led to believe is the villain of the story. However, Moana has figured out her secret. She is the lost goddess who only became that way when her heart was stolen.

Moana knows who she is and she reminds her this evil is not the real her. She calls her out and replaces her heart. She restores her.

Now this is truly a moving moment. However, I am brought to tears because I can’t help think about God calling me out. Telling me this is not who I am. Restoring my heart. Reminding me whose I am.

God knows who you are and he comes looking for you. He will restore you. Just take a moment and don’t let your circumstance define who you are. Remember whose you are!

October 18, 2017

Not Today Satan

Proverbs 14:23
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

It has been a long and rather discouraging day. However, I did not want it to end on a bad note. So, I spent the evening working on a project and totally lost track of time.

It was nice finishing my project. I have recently learned to create digital planners. It has taken me a couple of days to finish this last one, but I love it! I was able to incorporate Snoopy all over it.

For those that don’t know, I am obsessed with Snoopy and the whole Peanuts Gang! I am excited to start using my digital planner tomorrow.

It feels good when we finish something. Specially, when we had to work hard at it.

Another project I am working on, my doctorate, is not going as well. It is at a very frustrating part, right now.

A friend reminded me of something today when I was in tears over the most recent set back. She told men:

“Every writer has setbacks! How many times was Stephen King rejected? Nothing that is worth anything is ever easy. You are a writer. The best ones have setbacks and they say “NOT TODAY, SATAN” and push forward kicking and screaming..”

She is a very wise friend.

God was saying the same when he inspired our verse today:

Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

I stepped out in faith when I quit talking about it and actually started this journey. It has been hard work, but I will succeed.

So, you know what?

October 17, 2017

Future and a Hope

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

I am sorry today is so short and sweet, but my teaching life got in the way. I had parent/teacher conferences which means 12 hours at work drive home and be back in less than 12 hours. YUCK!

The glory spot of my night was two families that I have been with their children for three years. The boys have grown into some pretty awesome young men. It is always funny to see them come in as Freshmen and watch them grow up before your very eyes.

Anyways, these families make me feel like I can walk on water. They always have. Tonite was different though. One of the dads looked at the other teachers and told them, I was more than a teacher, I was family. The other dad from the other family looked up and said they would have never made it through high school without me. I have been their lifeline.

I am not trying to pat myself on the back here. I was speechless and teary-eyed. With the ins and outs of everyday life as a teacher, you often wonder if you are really touching anyone’s life. Then a parent comes to you and says something like this. For a moment you realize your life does have purpose.

Thank you, Lord, for letting me have glimpses into the good I have done. Thank you for having a plan for me. A plan to prosper me. Please continue to use me to bring a little light into my students’ and their families’ lives.

October 16, 2017

In the Darkest Hour, There is Still Hope in the Light

Micah 7:7-8
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light.

I do not want to blog today
My day has been so long
I don’t know what to say today
Everything seems so wrong

My anxiety is running high today
My energy is running low
I sit here in the darkness today
I‘ve no where else to go

I will wait right here for you today
My hope in you is strong
The light will come back today
I hope my waits not long

I really did not want to blog today, but God reminded me of why I started blogging in the first place. I wanted to be real with people. Being real doesn’t only happen when the sky is filled with rainbows and unicorns. No, it is also on the days where I feel surround by complete darkness.

Today I am in a bad place, but I am OK. I am learning to follow Micah 7:7-8. I will sit and watch and wait for the Lord. I have hope my God will hear me. Don’t count me out yet, my friends. Satan has not won. I will rise. The Lord will light my way.

October 13, 2017

Guilty As Charged!

1 Thessalonians 5:15
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

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I came across the above quote on my facebook page today. I fell in love with it immediately. Then I was reading my bible study and BOOM! It hit me. I am guilty!

I can honestly say that on an average day not seeking all-out revenge is a pretty easy idea to follow. Not that the thought doesn’t cross my mind. However, I can control myself enough to not do unto others as they do unto me.

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever given someone the silent treatment or a cold shoulder? Have you ever intentionally not helped someone when they needed all because you were angry with them? This is all called being passive-aggressive and it is revenge.

Yep, this is a well-sharpened tool in my armory. I can wield it at a moments notice. In other words, I AM GUILTY!

I hope and pray that you haven’t perfected this type of revenge, but if you have don’t beat yourself up. We serve a wonderful, grace-filled, patient God; who is waiting with open arms to fill you with his spirit. Then we can all learn to use the new tools of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

There is enough hate and anger in this world. Let’s not add to it.

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October 12, 2017

A World Without Hope

Psalm‬ ‭94‬:‭18‬
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. 19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

I cannot imagine a world with no hope. I live with times in my life of severe depression and anxiety. The only thing that pulls me through is hope. Hope that tomorrow will be better. This too shall pass. Light comes in the morning. These are the concepts I hang onto to keep me grounded.

However, I know there are people out there who do not have any hope. All they see around them is hate, evil and darkness. For them, there is no hope that anything will change. This too shall not pass for them. The light never comes. How awful to walk that path. To always feel alone.

To some, Christians look like fools because we stand on this hope. We seem to always find the silver lining. We see the glass half-full. People believe we are naïve and gullible.

However, even if any of that is accurate, so what? What is wrong with being hopeful? What is so wrong with being happy?

It takes hope to be creative. It took hope to convince everyone the world is round. It took hope to put some ragtag militia together to fight elite British troops to create a new country. It took hope to invent a phone without wires that fits in your pocket or on your wrist. It took hope to sit down and write a blog.

Face it, a world without hope is nothing. I think I will stick with being a Christian and hanging on to my hope

October 9, 2017

If Paul Can, Anyone Can!

Romans 3:22
We are made right with God by placing our faith in JesusChrist. And this is true for everyone believes, no matter who we are.

I recently read an article on the “what-for” Paul gave the Galatians.

In Galatians chapter one, he was rather rough on them for not following the gospel he had left with them. Instead, some of the Jews had added to Paul’s teachings. They were adding legalism to make gentiles conform to this new Christianity. Needless to say, Paul was angry at these false teachers.

These legalistic views were tarnishing Jesus’s death and resurrection and gift of salvation. He chastised these men and women for trying to add to Gods word and was bold enough to say they needed to be cursed.

Towards the end of the chapter Paul gave his own testimony to show the people it did not matter where you came from, God wanted you.

Galatians 1:13-16
I’m sure that you’ve heard the story of my earlier life when I lived in the Jewish way. In those days I went all out in persecuting God’s church. I was systematically destroying it. I was so enthusiastic about the traditions of my ancestors that I advanced head and shoulders above my peers in my career. Even then God had designs on me. Why, when I was still in my mother’s womb he chose and called me out of sheer generosity! Now he has intervened and revealed his Son to me so that I might joyfully tell non-Jews about him.

This is good news for us in two ways. One, we are also saved by God’s grace no matter what our past. It also means, those family members who seem to be running as far away from God as possible, are still on God’s radar. So keep praying for them because their story isn’t over yeat. God has an amazing way of restoring people for His glory, just like he did for Paul.

October 6, 2017

Get Grooving to Get Satan Moving!

Psalms 18:3
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Today I am struggling to find my gratitudes. It has been a particularly rough day. I am fighting an ear infection. It has spiked a fever in me which has led to seizure activity. That is not so unusual for me. Illness equals seizures.

What has been very vexing is that my body has chosen to play games. It seems to be doing the lovely childish game of “You’re going to seize, nope psych!” It hurts! Imagine a giant charlie horse from head to toe. My muscles are so tight and they won’t release until I have the seizure.

As of this writing, I am still waiting!

I find at times my spirit seizes up also. Satan can render me immovable. I find myself unable to pray or read my bible. I feel sick. In my experience, the only way out of this situation is through praise and worship.

Yes, praise is a weapon and it happens to be my weapon of choice when dealing with Satan’s tactics of oppression.

I would love to tell you that I immediately grab this weapon and wield it willfully and methodically, but I would be lying. As a matter of fact, I often have to force myself to start with a little humming. It comes out quite strained through gritted teeth, but soon I relax. My foot starts tapping and before you know it I am belting out some of my favorite tunes.

If you will pardon the expression, “I get my groove back!”

You see victory over dark powers comes through offering praise and affirming your hope in deliverance. Satan can’t stay around a soul praising and worshipping God. So call upon the LORD – who is worthy to be praised – so you will be delivered from your enemies!

If praise and worship are the bow, the songs must be the arrows. What do you have stashed in your quiver? What are some of the songs that really get you grooving and Satan moving?

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October 5, 2017

You Can Feel…

Matthew 14:13a
As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone.

When Jesus heard John the Baptist had been killed, he was sad. Yes, Jesus was sad. He needed to be alone, so he went away to a place of solitude. He needed a moment to feel his feelings and work through them before continuing on with his ministry.

So why do we think we are not allowed to do the same?

Why do we think we must be these superhuman Christians who must carry on no matter what?

I know people mean well when they are trying to cheer me up. I have tried very hard to make people feel better too. However, sometimes I really just want to be left alone. I want to, no I NEED to just feel my pain.

I have tried to be little Miss Pollyanna with the ever-present smile. Trying to please all of the people all of the time. It doesn’t work. It is not healthy and contrary to what some would have you believe it is NOT what Jesus would do.

It is OK to tell people no. It is OK to go find a place of solitude. And it is ok to be sad. Jesus did and isn’t it our goal to be just like him?

Tag: spirituality

My Very Cold Cup of Coffee

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Know Whose You Are

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Not Today Satan

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Future and a Hope

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In the Darkest Hour, There is Still Hope in the Light

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Guilty As Charged!

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A World Without Hope

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If Paul Can, Anyone Can!

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Get Grooving to Get Satan Moving!

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You Can Feel…

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