The Well Worn Bible

A while back I had a talk with a friend. She had discovered her late grandmothers bible just a few days before and was excited and overwhelmed as she spoke of the treasures she found inside. She said that in times of trouble her grandmother had always told her that a bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't.

As she read through the thin, tattered, torn, folded, highlighted, and well noted pages, she discovered the heart of a woman who was constantly seeking her Father. She also began to understand how her grandmother had not only survived but thrived through the trials in her life. As she described them to me I couldn't help but become engaged in the legacy she left.

The question marks and exclamation points through the gospels revealed the young Christian's thoughts after giving her life to her savior at 19 years of age. The tear stained pages and repeated highlighting of Jeremiah 29:11 spoke volumes about her healing through the loss of a young child and coping as her husband was overseas fighting in the war. The pages that were most thin and crumpled (John, Ephesians, and 1 Corinthians) revealed her favorite passages and places of intense study. The notes in the margins of Genesis, Exodus, and Revelation revealed her desire to learn all about her Lord. Her faith was well recorded on every page.

Then there where the prayer verses she assigned to different family members at different times in their life. Some prayed so often and so intently that it was obvious to all that her tears had mixed with the ink on the pages and actually formed a hand print as she lay her hand on them. Letters from Vietnam and photos of her loved ones littered the book as though it was her most treasured lock box. Indeed it was. She shared her life, her most precious things, with Him.

All of these things started me thinking. What would my bible say about me? Will my love and passion for my savior be as obvious? Will my love for my family be as proclaimed? Will the complete expression of my heart be reflected in the pages of my well worn bible?

What about yours?

In Him,

Amy

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: Amy Bayliss.com

Girlfriend, Don't Eat the Cake!

For a couple of years now I have been on this health kick. We have been taught over and over again that we must watch what we eat. The bad stuff may taste ever so sweet when you’re savoring it on your tongue but when you are carrying that weight around afterwards it just doesn’t seem worth it, does it?

Well, on Saturday my sister and I went shopping at the health foods store. I had a simple list: bread, chocolate milk, honey, chicken, and pineapple. Yes, chocolate milk. A girl has to have her daily intake of calcium and flavanoids. I’m sure I read that somewhere. So we perused through the store admiring the organic, non-harmful nail polish and body lotion all the while gathering my groceries. I even brought my reusable grocery totes to enhance the experience. There were goodies everywhere and the word "organic" seemed to make the calories disappear but I knew better. We were almost done browsing and shopping when we got to the bakery department and I turned around and noticed my sister was missing. Knowing someone wouldn't mistake her for a dessert, I looked all over to find her.

I went back to the cracker aisle, down the freezer section, looked again in the dairy department and finally got back to the baked goods. Then a really big guy moved on with his cart, cleared the view, and there she was, all 4 foot 11 inches of her. She was staring intently into the case that held the cakes and pies.

"What is she doing?" I thought. “I am trying to change my lifestyle and she is looking at calories, and lots of them! I have avoided temptation for the last hour and she is caving in?” So, I took a deep breath and started making my way towards her. She was going to get a piece of my mind if she was thinking about buying a piece of that cake! I wasn't going to stand for this. I even thought of lots of clever and witty things to say while en route to that dessert case. A bit of anger began to swell up inside of me and I was going to let her know it.

I got to the case, stopped my cart, looked her in the eye, opened my mouth, and said it....

"How much is it?"

It was Chocolate Eruption Cake, folks! And it was labeled organic so it must have some nutritional value, right? Two pieces and one full glass of chocolate milk later I can tell you that the word organic means nothing when they are placed in front of ingredients like butter, whipping cream, and sugar. It turns out that cake has more calories than a boxed non-organic cake. Oh the deception!

Weeks later as I strolled on into to a local book store to have coffee with some friends this cake came back to haunt me.

We sat down and began laughing and discussing the latest stories of our life. I got so caught up in hanging out and having fun with my girls that I never even saw it coming.

“While we are on that subject we need to pray for Kara’s marriage.”

Immediately I became concerned and curious. Then I said it, “Well what should we specifically pray for?”

The door was opened and I invited that gossip in. The tongue was loosed and assumptions were made. Everyone was completely tuned in to get the latest dish on what this seemingly perfect family in our church was going through. I had sworn that I would never get sucked into that again and that any friend of mine who dared speak that way in front of me would get a piece of my mind but the word “prayer” made it all seem fine. We had been spoon fed gossip and every juicy bite was savored.

Proverbs 18:8 – “The words of gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” (NIV)

On the way home I thought about that organic cake. I thought about how sick it made me and how many extra minutes I had to spend on the treadmill to get rid of it. This gossip made me sick too and the weight of that conversation haunted me. I knew I'd have to spend some time on my knees in repentance. Just because something is given a fancy and “good” label doesn’t mean that it is beneficial to us. We have to be prepared at all times and consistently walk in the spirit so that we can recognize the tactics of the enemy. The Holy Spirit and I now have an inside joke. When I am about to encounter a similar situation I hear him whisper to my heart, “don’t eat the cake!” It works!

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: AmyBayliss.com

Are You in Need of a Remodel??

Sawdust, tile, sheet rock, nails….

I am up to my ankles in building materials this week because we are doing a semi-remodel of the kitchen. We had a very old 27” drop-in stove and it finally went up in smoke, literally. We found it was cheaper to get an average range and remodel to accommodate it versus buying another drop-in. The problem we had with this was the inconvenience. We honestly pondered the idea of spending almost $600 more to get around it. I mean, we seriously considered it. Can you believe that?

We finally realized how foolish that was and decided to begin demolition. Of course, I tried to cut every corner possible. “Save that! Maybe we can use if for something else.” I didn't want to get rid of anything. I also gave my $.02 worth when it came to the supplies that were needed. I assumed that we could just use what we had. Why did we need a trowel and tile sponges? Why can’t we use a kitchen sponge and flat blade knife?

My brother the engineer/construction guy insisted that if he was going to do this job then it needed to be done right and he would also need these tools. He said we couldn’t use old warped wood because the tile wouldn’t lay right. He said he was not going to be a part of any project that was done so poorly. Then, my 20 something brother began to preach to me about foundation and structure and how I could make it look like a million bucks cosmetically but it still wouldn’t matter if it collapsed because the structure was weak.

sigh…. Can you hear God’s voice already?

1 Corinthians 11:1
“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

Our Lord doesn’t pretend to be good, He is good. He didn’t put a smile on his face and calm the tone of his voice just to be aesthetically pleasing. He did it because that is who He was as a man. If I am to imitate Him then I must do it from the inside out. I need a good structure or else I will collapse under pressure. This has happened to me many times before. I have slipped up and revealed my true insides in front of others. This happened because I tried to modify my behavior instead of letting God change my heart. Being Christlike is a result of loving Him. It can be hard work to change your heart but it is the only way to imitate Christ.

I want to be as true and strong as my new kitchen!


Thank you, Father for speaking to my heart even in day to day tasks. Amen.

Ephesians 6:6
Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: AmyBayliss.com

There Is A Ministry Inside Of You

I remember being highly offended during two different church services because of what was spoken over me by the visiting evangelist. One said that I would be a missionary to the world. That was enough to get my blood boiling. God knew I liked the coziness of my hometown and He certainly knew I would never step foot on an airplane. Oh no, ma'am. Not me.

I hear you laughing.

The second person who spoke something over my life that, to me at the time, was even more offensive. She said, in the kindest and most sincere way, that God was showing her all the creativity and ideas that surrounded me. She said it was beautiful and that God's instructions to me were to write them down.

*gasp*

I went back to my chair and nearly cried knowing she couldn't have possibly heard from God. The most creative thing I had ever done was assign names to my Barbie dolls and semi-coordinate clothing according to pictures I had found in magazines. Huh! "God said," my foot. Who was this lady anyway?

I still hear you laughing.

Less than two years after my near nervous breakdown over prophetic words I realized that I could hear from God myself. It was a beautiful thing. At times He even allowed me to see things through His eyes. I saw the confused and hurt state of the women in our area and I felt burdened to help them; to minister to them. So, I prayed. He took me to some scriptures in Habakkuk.

This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received from the LORD in a vision. How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! "Violence!" I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see this sin and misery all around me? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed and useless, and there is no justice given in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, and justice is perverted with bribes and trickery. The LORD replied, "Look at the nations and be amazed! Watch and be astounded at what I will do! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it.
Habakkuk 1:1-5

I have no idea what began to happen from that point on but life as I knew it had changed. No matter what I went through, or how much other women hurt me, I still continued to fight for them; to pray for them; to hope for them. God had answered my prayer and birthed a ministry into my spirit. The more I did unto Him and for them, the more He blessed me with ideas and creative ways to accomplish them. I began to write them down so that I would always know which direction to walk towards.

I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the LORD will say to me and how he will answer my complaint. Then the LORD said to me, "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Habakkuk 2:1-3

It has been a process that has lasted and will continue to last for many years. I know I have to be patient and wait on Him to reveal things to me in His time and I just walk in it for His glory. And just to prove Himself mightier than I, He made sure I got on a plane, not once, not twice, but many times since then and He showed me just how small my thinking was and He proved to me that His ways are not my ways. I am a missionary to the world. The runner of my message is the internet and it reaches across the boundaries of every country's border. Can you believe that? Yeah, He must have gotten a good laugh at me. That's okay though. I laugh with Him now.

You see, I think I got offended because I knew that God knew it wasn't in me to accomplish the things that were prophesied to me way back when. It made me feel like either God didn't really know me or that these people weren't really hearing from Him. But, you see, He did know me. It was I who didn't know Him. And something else I didn't know at the time was that it wasn't me who would bring these things forth and make it happen, it was Him. I simply had to walk in obedience toward the vision and on the path He laid out for me. I simply had to follow Him.

If you have loved and welcomed Christ as your savior then yes, there is a ministry inside of you. The more you get to know Him and wait on Him, the more He will reveal it to you. Just keep walking.

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: Amy Bayliss.com

Freedom Reigns - Letting Go

I am a first born. I had an approval addiction.

In an attempt to always earn gratitude, attention, and worth, I became an overachiever. I made A’s. I cleaned my room. I took care of my siblings. I took on my mother’s problems. I helped my sister pay for her wedding. I took in my brother at age 14. I worked 40+ hour weeks on top of being a mother. I tried to do everything. By the time I was an adult I was burnt out and bitter. I had so much resentment towards those who didn’t give me their approval. It became so bad that I was angry at myself for not achieving certain things. But God revealed something to me one day.

I was in bondage.

Approval had become a false god in my life.

He revealed to me that my expectations of myself were causing others to expect the same of me. When I couldn’t deliver I began to have the same expectations of others to soothe my pain. After all, if they couldn’t do it then they shouldn’t expect me to. This was a vicious cycle.

Besides, if my mother wasn’t capable of raising her son then how could she expect me to be a perfect mother to him? I was only 24. What did I know about raising a teenager? That is what I thought. However, I still felt it was my responsibility to be the mother he never had. I felt like I had to save him.

I began to fervently seek God and pray for the bondage to be broken. At a woman’s conference I prayed as loud as I could for the generational curses to be stopped at my generation. I got on my face and begged God to take this away from me.

Then, one night, He said, “I already did.”

When? I still feel the same! Why do I still feel like I am shackled? I could not lift my arms in praise since they were bound to my ankles. I could not sing songs of worship because the posture I had to take constricted my voice. I was not free. Why?

I began to feel the words that were coming forth in worship:

Where the spirit of the Lord is

There is freedom

Where the spirit of the Lord is

There is freedom

If you're tired and you are thirsty
There is freedom
If you're tired and you are thirsty

There is freedom

Freedom reigns in this place

Showers of mercy and grace

Falling on every face

There is freedom

Tears began to stream down my face. I felt God holding me. He was speaking to me through this song…

We lift our eyes to Jesus

There is freedom
We lift our eyes to Jesus

There is freedom

Freedom reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace

Falling on every face
There is freedom

Jesus reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Falling on every face
There is freedom

I heard Him say “let go.”

“Let go of what?” I asked.

“Control” He said.

Whatever you're burdened with tonight

Whatever you struggle with tonight
There is Freedom
There is freedom

Nobody is looking at you tonight

Nobody is looking at you tonight

The eyes of the Lord is moving to and fro throughout the Earth

Seeking an heart that's completely His

“But how do I let go?” I asked Him.

God said to me, “Look down”

When I looked down at the chains that bound me…

…they were already broken.

All I had to do was take them off. They had been broken the whole time. I had prevented my own freedom.

With my eyes closed and tears pouring from my eyes, I went through the motions of removing the chains from my wrists. I didn’t care who saw or what they thought. I just did it.

I raised my hands higher than I ever had before. I began to jump up and down, smile, and sing louder than I ever had before.

Jesus you reign in this place

Showers of mercy and grace

Falling on every face

There is freedom

Freedom reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace

Falling on every face

There is freedom

I had to give up control of my emotions and mindset to God. I accepted my freedom from this bondage.

I sometimes still fall back into this old mindset. It is during these times that God reminds me to remove the shackles and to stop holding on to things that I think I have control over.

"I will walk at liberty and at ease, for I have sought and inquired for [and desperately required] Your Truth and Your Wisdom." - Psalm 119:45

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed." - Luke 4:18

What are you holding on to?

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: Amy Bayliss.com

It Was Worth Shoutin' About

I recently had the privilege of attending the Extraordinary Women's Conference here in Baton Rouge (thank you, Susan) and sit under the teachings of Thelma Wells - she said we can call her Mama T. ;)

Mama T was without a doubt the one who spoke to my heart the most. She walked on stage, joy permeating from her very being, and she was sporting an ensemble from Wally World (you know the place). The theme of the conference was "Free To Be Real" and let's just say God provided lots of examples for the speakers with the experiences they had just 48 hours prior to the conference. Don't you just love it when He does that? You see, the airport had lost her luggage and everything she brought along for the trip was gone for the moment. She also had a loooonnnngggg layover from Dallas to New Orleans. In fact, she was rerouted to another state before she could get to LA and even then she had to fly into Lafayette. So when she finally arrived at 2 AM the night before she was scheduled to speak, she set off to go shopping at the 24 hour discount store.

Did she seem on edge? Strangely, not a bit.

She said she started to get into a tizzy but then she decided to just rest in God's peace. She said she had every reason to exhaust herself with negative emotions but she just wasn't going to give the devil that foothold.

"Every decision you make goes through a filter. We call that filter the Holy Spirit."
Mama T

That is some words of wisdom y'all.

I admit that I have made some pretty rotten decisions even after hearing the Holy Spirit instructing me to do otherwise. Emotions, flesh, peer pressure, and judgment were all allowed in to sway me. I got a breakthrough as Mama T spoke.

Jesus says,

"But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life."
John 4:14

"If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within."
John 7:38

As she spoke I recalled these scriptures and I envisioned myself cooking my favorite soup. Full of lots of flavorful components but having to be drained for those who need healing from illness. I had just done this weeks ago when we all shared our strep throat so the memory was vivid in my mind. As I poured the soup through the strainer all of the particles and chunky things that seemed so appealing were held back. Only the shimmery liquid passed through. With it went all of the vitamins, minerals, and probiotics - the healing components.

Sometimes life is like that. Plans don't go our way. Obstacles come and we must choose how we will react. We can either chew on those seemingly appealing bits of chicken and celery (emotions, flesh, peer pressure, and judgment) or sip on what brings life.

When you use the Holy Spirit as a filter for all of your decisions, you receive life. Thanks, Mama T and praise you, Jesus!

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: Amy Bayliss.com

Mondays Are Overrated. His Mercy Is New Every Morning!

I know you do it too...

"I'll just have this piece of massive chocolate cake now and start my diet on Monday."

"I'll call her on Monday and set up a time to meet her next week. We can make amends then."

"I'll fill out and turn in my volunteer sheet on Monday. It'll work out."

oh.my.

If I had a dollar for every little thing that I have put off until Monday well then let's just say I would have lots of money and guess what? Monday comes but it still doesn't get done. Why do we procrastinate? Why do we delay with things that are so important to us? What if Jesus had said, "Oh, I'll just sit around with these guys here and do the whole "saving the world" thing on Monday? No! He would not and did not.

He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."
Matthew 26:39

Things won't always be comfortable for us. It won't always come easy. It does take an amount of self-sacrifice to accomplish God given tasks. So what if, like me, you have messed up quite a few times already and need to start over?

Guess what?

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.
Lamentations 3:23

You can start again. But start this morning and not on Monday, hmm?

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: Amy Bayliss.com

What Does Your Bible Say About You?

A while back I had a talk with a friend. She had discovered her late grandmothers bible just a few days before and was excited and overwhelmed as she spoke of the treasures she found inside. She said that in times of trouble her grandmother had always told her that a bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't.

As she read through the thin, tattered, torn, folded, highlighted, and well noted pages, she discovered the heart of a woman who was constantly seeking her Father. She also began to understand how her grandmother had not only survived but thrived through the trials in her life. As she described them to me I couldn't help but become engaged in the legacy she left.

The question marks and exclamation points through the gospels revealed the young Christian's thoughts after giving her life to her savior at 19 years of age. The tear stained pages and repeated highlighting of Jeremiah 29:11 spoke volumes about her healing through the loss of a young child and coping as her husband was overseas fighting in the war. The pages that were most thin and crumpled (John, Ephesians, and 1 Corinthians) revealed her favorite passages and places of intense study. The notes in the margins of Genesis, Exodus, and Revelation revealed her desire to learn all about her Lord. Her faith was well recorded on every page.

Then there where the prayer verses she assigned to different family members at different times in their life. Some prayed so often and so intently that it was obvious to all that her tears had mixed with the ink on the pages and actually formed a hand print as she lay her hand on them. Letters from Vietnam and photos of her loved ones littered the book as though it was her most treasured lock box. Indeed it was. She shared her life, her most precious things, with Him.

All of these things started me thinking. What would my bible say about me? Will my love and passion for my savior be as obvious? Will my love for my family be as proclaimed? Will the complete expression of my heart be reflected in the pages of my well worn bible?

What about yours?

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: Amy Bayliss.com

I Messed Up the Bible - Really!

Recently (January 4th), Ryan and I had the awesome privilege of being a part of something was very important to us. The Bible Across America Tour came to our church and spent two days collecting hand written scriptures for a bible that is sure to be a keepsake. Zondervan will be releasing the first ever hand-written NIV bible later this year and we wrote two of the scriptures inside of that bible: Luke 6:40 & 41. This was my scripture:

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Luke 6:41

Can I tell you that I messed up?

It is a good thing they take two samples because on the first try I realized that I had left out the words: "of sawdust."

You see, I just knew that I knew that I knew that scripture. I hardly even glanced at the lovely cue card that they give you and that you are supposed to copy. The whole crew on the bus tour are awesome and make it really easy for you to get it right. I mean, they had five-year-old children who were getting theirs correct and I didn't. I was so upset with myself.

Then I realized how much of life is like that experience. We think that we know that we know that we know something and so we set it in stone for our lives. Then, all of a sudden, we realize we have messed up. I'm so glad that God is a God of second chances and even better than the crew on the bus tour, He gives us more than two chances to get it right.

The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. Lamentations 3:22-23

• Maybe you volunteered or committed yourself to teach children's church and you realize what God was trying to tell you is that He wants you to teach your own child more about Him.
• Maybe you committed to fast from TV to get that breakthrough but what God really was trying to tell you is to give up those gossip magazines.
• Maybe you bought new outfits for a friend to bless her and later realized that God really wanted you to give her some of your old outfits.
  

Has this ever happened to you? Well, even if I am the only one with my hand up I know that I know that I know that we all make mistakes and that we have an amazing and loving God who is ready and willing to forgive us when we repent.

That is what it takes. A truly repentant heart. Asking your Father for forgiveness. Then, as only a good father will do, He takes your mistakes and makes something worthwhile out of them. That is exactly what He did with this blog post and if God can forgive me for messing up the bible and then make something worthwhile out of the experience then He will do the same for you!

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

Getting To Know People

“A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself,
but a spiritual man is easy on others
and hard on himself.”
by A.W.Tozer

I knew a man who was considered to be a heathen by some folks. They would call him on the phone to invite him to church, go to his work with the intention of "ministering" to him, his face was plastered on their bulletin board of unsaved persons, and they would lift up prayers for his salvation. He was preached to and had scripture thrown at him as though that would change his mind. They often spoke about how much good he would do for the kingdom if he would only get saved and serve at their church.

He was a busy fellow with lots of stamina. He was the one to call if you wanted to get the job done. He had already retired twice, once from the marine corps and once from the post office -over 46 years of service in all- and he still would not take a break. He went back to work. This time at a hospital supply company. He had a wife, a son and daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

He was definitely a man of few words. He listened intently and I never once saw him get angry. He filled his days with thoughts of others. He saved all of his lunch money to purchase gifts for his family to surprise them - for no reason. He bought the first car for each of his grandchildren and taught them to drive. He nursed his near dying wife back to health after she suffered massive injuries in a car accident. He spent every day of 43 days by her bedside until he could bring her home.

He would buy gifts at Christmas time for the children of strangers and leave them on their doorstep because their parents had no money. He slipped $20 bills into the jackets of people he'd heard mention that they were short on cash. He wrote letters to people no one else cared about. These were people he had met on the street and gotten to know while delivering the mail on his route. He was often quoted as saying, "never loan something to someone that you wouldn't freely give to them" and he gave often. He was a man of his word but some people just never listened to him.

It wasn't until his untimely death that his love for Jesus and all of the untold deeds were found in his journal and the numerous donations to charity and the financial security plans he had made for his wife were discovered. He kept working all those years to help others who needed it. Many that he had helped along the way came to say their goodbyes. The stories were numerous and we still hear them to this day. He had never said anything to anyone except that he thought he could do more.

Oddly enough, the same folks that tried week after week to get him "saved" quit coming around when he could no longer speak or walk from the brain tumor. When they heard of his death they apologized to the family because the assumed this man had gone to hell. ... twas not true.

This man was an avid seeker of God and never did strive to bring attention to himself. He walked with God during the day and he taught this same foundation of faith to his family. His beliefs and faith were proclaimed heavily through his writings and heritage preservation books. He prayed for those who came to visit and he never judged them. He just wasn't interested in joining their church. He knew God wasn't in a building and he knew his wife, who had medical conditions that prevented her from leaving home for more than an hour at time, would prefer for him to be with her on his two days off. These folks didn't know this because they didnt' ask. They assumed. They were wrong.

They didn't even know his wife was sick.

This man was my grandfather. Those people? Christians that I loved and admired. They were people I trusted. Somewhere along the way they stopped getting to know people. They stopped forming relationships. They quit trying to reach the masses and settled for those they deemed worthy. Is that what Jesus died for?

Religion is man made. God is spiritual. He does not like hypocrisy.

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."
Luke 6:41-42 NKJV

It wasn't until my grandfather's death that I began to understand just how self-righteous I had become. I'd made my own assumptions about people. I had quit forming relationships. I quit listening. I quit loving.

I was wrong.

Our mission is to love others in spite of our perception of them; in spite of their sin. Isn't that what Jesus did for us? He got to know the person. He loved the person. He knew that in order for a person to change they had to commit with their heart. No matter how much talking we do it will never accomplish what a simple act of love can demonstrate to the heart of a person. There is no greater way to share the gospel than to live it and others would have known my grandfather's heart if they had only asked or showed him love.

Today, show love to someone you never would have shown love to before. When you see the twinkle in their eye then you will know you have reached in and touched the very core of their being and that is where the Lord resides.

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Matthew 25:40 NKJ

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

The Truth Of the Matter

If you speak to any insecure woman long enough then you are bound to get to the root of the cause and likely, it isn't a pleasant situation. You see, lurking in the fast paced, get-it-done, information superhighway known as the internet is a not so hidden evil: pornography.

Unfortunately, I have gone to generic websites only to see a flashing image in the sidebar that screams for attention. For some, the attention can turn into sin. It did for me.

Having never even clicked on the image to see what it was about I did several things that caused me to sin:

1. I judged the woman who's face I saw.
2. I became unsatisfied with my own self and the way God created me because I did not compare in physical appearance to the woman who's image I'd seen.
3. I became enraged at her and other girls like her and the men who continued to obsessively keep them in business.

It put me in bondage. God had to set me free.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
James 3:16

I had become envious of what I believed I did not have: my husband's sole desire; a body like I had when I was 20; and answers as to why these girls do what they do. Then God spoke to my heart...

In the midst of angry thoughts towards these women God put images into my head, new ones. I saw an older man and He spoke directly to me. He said, "She is my daughter. I was never there for her. I worked long hours and weekends believing that was what she needed to have a good life. I wasn't there to love her but others were. What have I done?"

Then I saw a woman about my age. She was crying and through her tears she mumbled, "She is my little sister. She was date raped when she was 16. She planned on saving herself for marriage. That all changed after that night. She was never the same again."

I tried to shrug off the things going through my mind at that point but God persisted. A little girl showed up next. She was making cereal for her little brother. After she poured the milk she explained that her daddy left and her mom couldn't pay the bills. They had already lived in their car and they didn't have enough money to get to her grandma's house. One day a nice guy offered her mommy a job taking pictures. Mommy promised she would only take a few and that once she had enough money to get to grandmas then she would stop but after a while that nice man wouldn't let her stop. He would come to get her mom if she tried to stay home. He hit her a lot too. She put the milk back in the refrigerator and my thoughts drifted to another scene.

I saw a casket. A woman and a man knelt beside it. Her screams penetrated every fiber of my being. She cried and wailed. I saw a picture of a beautiful young girl on a table near the head of the box that would forever be her resting place. The father picked up the photo and held it to his close to his heart. Through his tears he said, "My daughter was kidnapped when she was 13 years old. Within days she was sold into sex trafficking and even though we got close to finding her many times they always managed to keep her just out of reach. They eventually killed her for trying to escape but not before they had uploaded her photos to the internet for all the world to see. They left her in a ditch like she was nobody. The papers read, 'Local Prostitute Found Dead.' She isn't a prostitute! She is my little girl!" Tears overcame him as he rejoined his wife.

By this time I was crying too and I knew exactly what God was trying to tell me. I'd never seen these women as real people before. I just always saw them as my enemy. God wanted me to see them through His eyes. They all have a story just like I do. They have reasons for their actions just like I do. God loves them as much as He loves me and He wants them to spend all of eternity in heaven with Him too.

I have a new perspective on this. Though there are some who may not have ever experienced anything like this and still have chosen to live this life, we have to remember they are still God's children. We must pray for them. We must treat them with dignity and respect and we must not judge them.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

If we want to see this foul practice come to an end then we need to intercede on behalf of all of those involved. We must ask God to break the strongholds and we must seek to find security in God and not in what we perceive to be desirable beauty. If we each only focus in prayer for one person then we could most certainly change the world. Won't you join me?

Two great ministries to get information on this subject matter is: Cyrus International and A21.

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

What's Your Story?

But the only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves! Your lives are a letter written in our hearts, and everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you.Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3

We have an amazing opportunity, ladies. An opportunity to share the gospel of Christ as it is reflected off of our hearts.

Have you looked in the mirror lately? Have you realized that no matter what mirror you look into, where you are, or how you try to alter it, you always see an exact reflection of the what is in front of it? Now, you can stand in front of a mirror putting on your lipstick- or lip creme if you prefer - and say to your girlfriends (because we all know that we go in groups)  that you have blonde hair and blue eyes but if you are a brunette with green yes they are just going to laugh it off. They know you are not speaking the truth. Why? They can see the reflection... sometimes better than you can.

What is reflecting off our your heart? Is it insecurity or fear? Are you still denying that God can use you because of your past? (Honey, we all have a past) Do you still think you aren't capable of doing what He has called you to do? Do you hide from everyone in the hopes of escaping from yourself?

Stop!

YOU are chosen by Him. YOU are loved by Him. It is written in His word. We have to write His word on our hearts. We have to sing His praise from our mouths. We have to proclaim victory for His children. We, His chosen daughters, must be reflecting His story. Have no other God's before Him. Love you neighbor as yourself. Die to self each day and reflect more of Him. We are more than conquerors and we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. He loves YOU! If you don't reflect His love then how will anyone else see it and come to know Him?

Let that mirror be constant reminder that your heart reflects your King's story. What does it say about Him?


I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

Sometimes I Wonder....

What is going on in the world today? Have we forgotten the heart of the Father? Have we forgotten about the love Jesus showed?

Lord, help me to not be so caught up in the technicalities that I miss the heart of the person.

Help me to see the situation through your eyes; from your perspective.

Show me how to love in spite of my fears and bullheaded thinking.

Remind me of the time when I was in a similar situation and how evident your hand was in my life.

Forgive me for being self-righteous and hypocritical for pride's sake.

Teach me the difference between judgment and discernment and cover my mouth so that I may not gossip about either.

Reveal yourself to me in your word so that I may stand firmly on that foundation. I'll drop to my knees when I can no longer stand.

Sustain me until my prayers are answered or until you have given me grace to live without them.

Bring to remembrance that even though I am now wearing these adult shoes that I am still your child in need or training and molding.

Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you, Father.

I just want to praise you for all of my days and bless your heart in so many ways.

You are loving, amazing, kind, giving, patient, strong, good, encouraging, comforting, mighty, and inspiring.

And because you are.... I Am.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:3

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

The Cost of Bandwidth

Have you ever sat down at your computer only to find that someone, somewhere in blogland not only has an issue with you or something you have shared but they took the time to comment or post about it or maybe send you an email concerning it?

Maybe you are the one who has had an issue and made sure you voiced your opinion about it.

Either way, this is the cost of bandwidth.

I once was told of a situation that occurred between a reader and a blog author that had to do with her being remarried and her children now having a stepfather. The lady emailed the mom questioning her judgment to put her children in such a predicament.

"Stepchildren are less likely to succeed in our culture today. They suffer because of what their parents have done. Children need to be with their biological mother and father and not someone who has simply "step"ped in to fulfill a role. I pray for your children."

Yes, that is what the lady said. The problem here was her perspective of that particular situation.

The mom, who was on the receiving end of this, emailed me to ask how she should handle this knowing that I too am a mother of "stepchildren." I smiled and promptly emailed her back and said just pray for her and email her and thank her for her concern and prayers. Let her know that Jesus can most certainly help your children overcome this. After all, he too was a stepchild.

{don't you just love how the answers come so clearly when it isn't YOU on the receiving end?}

She sent her an email. The woman received it and immediately apologized for her haste judgment. After she received the email she had indeed prayed about it and God had shown her that stepchildren are no different than adopted children and she herself had adopted two. She had also "step"ped in to fulfill a role - a God given one. God also showed her that her opinion on the matter was developed at a young age because she was a stepchild and had never dealt with the issues buried in her own heart.

Romans 8:28

"And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose"

While we can all agree that in most all circumstances it is best for children to be raised by both biological parents this isn't always possible. Unfortunately, some spouse's are forced to sign divorce papers, some were harmed physically or their spouse had multiple affairs and refused to stop, or sometimes spouse's die. Knowing the situation beforehand, God purposed for Jesus to be a stepchild and he purposed for Joseph to be a stepfather. We can't presume to know what God has purposed for many other Christian women in our circle. And let me state that I'm not talking about the black and white stuff here. Some things he made clear in his word and some he didn't. As much as we would like to think that we have all the answers the true wisdom is in those who seek him first before making haste judgments, rather that is to impose your personal opinion or conviction on someone or to act in a defensive way by responding while hurt.

I failed this test earlier this week. Someone emailed me and questioned my judgment of a movie that I liked because it was "R" rated for violence and I was swift on the keyboard to email her back and let her know that these ratings were man made, this movie had no evil spiritual implications, and there are plenty of movies rated "PG" or even "G" that are completely demonic. When it was all said and done I reread the email and then read it again and again. God began to give me compassion for her. Who knows why she has such strong feelings or why she felt the need to express them to me but she is God's child and he loves her dearly and the least I could have done was ask him what I should do before I hit "send." Thank you, Jesus that I can repent and start over afresh in his mercy every morning. I will most certainly think twice before acting on impulse again. I hope.

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

We must give an account for every action and reaction of our heart whether done in in person or in cyber world. God sees no difference in the two. We can support and uplift each other even when we don't understand each other. If we see a problem with someone else we should pray first and then if God impresses us to act or react, then do it.

• Can you recall a time when you acted hastily? How could you have handled that differently?
• Do you justify your reactions to people? If so, how will you work on changing that?

God, you are the ultimate example of love and mercy. I am thankful to be on the receiving end of that. Please help me to extend forgiveness, grace, and mercy to others. Reveal to me how to be an extension of your love. I don't want the cost of bandwidth to be the loss of one of your children. Give me a new perspective on things, hands that are clean, and a pure heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

In Need of a Remodel?

Sawdust, tile, sheet rock, nails….


I am up to my ankles in building materials this week because we are doing a semi-remodel of the kitchen. We had a very old 27” drop-in stove and it finally went up in smoke, literally. We found it was cheaper to get an average range and remodel to accommodate it versus buying another drop-in. The problem we had with this was the inconvenience. We honestly pondered the idea of spending almost $600 more to get around it. I mean, we seriously considered it. Can you believe that?



We finally realized how foolish that was and decided to begin demolition. Of course, I tried to cut every corner possible. “Save that! Maybe we can use if for something else.” I didn't want to get rid of anything. I also gave my $.02 worth when it came to the supplies that were needed. I assumed that we could just use what we had. Why did we need a trowel and tile sponges? Why can’t we use a kitchen sponge and flat blade knife?

My brother the engineer/construction guy insisted that if he was going to do this job then it needed to be done right and he would also need these tools. He said we couldn’t use old warped wood because the tile wouldn’t lay right. He said he was not going to be a part of any project that was done so poorly. Then, my 20 something brother began to preach to me about foundation and structure and how I could make it look like a million bucks cosmetically but it still wouldn’t matter if it collapsed because the structure was weak.

sigh…. Can you hear God’s voice already?

1 Corinthians 11:1
“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

Our Lord doesn’t pretend to be good, He is good. He didn’t put a smile on his face and calm the tone of his voice just to be aesthetically pleasing. He did it because that is who He was as a man. If I am to imitate Him then I must do it from the inside out. I need a good structure or else I will collapse under pressure. This has happened to me many times before. I have slipped up and revealed my true insides in front of others. This happened because I tried to modify my behavior instead of letting God change my heart. Being Christlike is a result of loving Him. It can be hard work to change your heart but it is the only way to imitate Christ.

I want to be as true and strong as my new kitchen!


Thank you, Father for speaking to my heart even in day to day tasks. Amen.

Ephesians 6:6
Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: AmyBayliss.com

Do You REALLY Trust God?

I have struggled and struggled recently with the ability to fully trust God. I never truly realized the extent to which I wrestled with Him over even the simplest of things.

"Amy. I will protect the boys. Trust me."

I hear that and immediately begin to think, "Yeah but God you don't know how they are. I mean, one minute they are reading classic literature and the next they are trying to do a "kick flip" and a "lolly" on a skateboard. I don' t know about you God but I don't even know what a "lolly" is but it just doesn't sound good! I mean..."

"Amy," He says, "Trust me."

As I'm thinking this my son runs in to tell me he just did an "ollie" but that he won't try it again for a while because he almost hurt himself but he was quick to tell me, "I didn't though 'cause God loves me and takes care of me, huh mom?'

"And a little child shall lead." eh? All I could do is throw up my hands and say, "Okay God. You have my attention."

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
Matthew 17:20

As I meditated over scripture and asked for revelation of what God wanted to show me I began to pace the floor and pray. Then I heard Him tell me to sit down.

"What? You want me to sit down, God? Ooookaaaaay."

So I sat down in the nearest chair and started to initiate a dialogue between God and I about why He had a need for me to sit down in the chair and that is when He dropped it into my spirit.

I had more faith in the chair's ability to sustain me than I did in God's ability to sustain me. I never questioned whether or not the chair would hold me, or if it had a flaw in it somewhere, or whether or not it had secure footing. I certainly didn't question whether or not it loved me enough to hold me up. I just sat. I simply trusted. I didn't walk around and test all of the chairs to see which was the strongest or which seemed better for the job. I had more faith in a random inanimate object than I did in my loving and eternal, living God. How big is that mustard seed?

God also showed me that another root of not trusting or having no faith is pride. Pride in my ability to make what I perceive to be better decisions than God, faster response time than God, and more love for my children than God. Yes, I truly thought, and said it often, nobody loves them like I do. I didn't mean to include God in this but obviously in my heart I had.

I wish I could tell you that I immediately repented but I didn't. In fact, this happened a couple of years ago and I just recalled it recently while I was once again struggling with my ability to trust Him. I repented. I am moving forward. And now just to make Him laugh I shake and push on my chairs almost every time before I sit in them. *BIG smile* He loves me!

"You shall have no other gods before me."
Deuteronomy 5:7

You see, the funny part about my chair shaking escapades is that I knew clearly that I didn't worship a chair or put more trust in it than in God. What I had begun to realize was that my faith was in me. My trust was in me. I knew the chair would hold me because I had sat in it before. I trusted me and that is why I now had a problem trusting God. The false God? It was myself.

{now weeping and face down on the carpet}

God, forgive me for putting more faith and trust in myself than in you. You are my father, my creator, the love of my life. Forgive me for thinking that I am the only one who had my best interests at heart. I will wholeheartedly try to die to self each and every day and grow in you. Please help me to do that. Thank you for being such an awesome and loving example. In Jesus' name. Amen.

• Have you put more faith in yourself than in God in certain areas? Write down what God shows you and repent for it.
  
• In what areas of your life could you stand to gain more faith?
• Read Hebrews 11:1. What does this scripture speak to your heart?

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

Organic Spirituality

Organic Spirituality

I have been on a real quest to get healthy. In my quest, I took up reading several books about eating and the lifestyle of health God intended for us to have. All of these books sent me on a search for "organic" foods so I wanted to know exactly what that meant....

The word organic food does not only apply to the food from your own home garden, but also to the store bought food products, in which no synthetic artificial inputs are used. In the contemporary times, the term organic food is usually used in reference to the certified organic foods. It has been claimed by health experts that organic food is more nutritious. Some of the features that can be associated with organic food are more attention to quality, good taste, proper selection of crop varieties etc. Organic foods contain phenolic compounds that protect you from developing heart disease and cancer. Organic food ensures high food quality, which other conventional foods cannot commit. Since organic food is natural and fresh, it boasts off its rich taste.
excerpt from: Organic Food Facts / emphasis mine

To sum it up, organic food is food that is closest to the way God created it. The way He designed it is fortifying and nutritious. It is full of good things that give us energy, vitamins, and minerals and they help our bodies function as they were designed to.

Matthew 12:33 tells us that an apple tree can bear good fruit or it can bear bad fruit. So, that means just because a tree has apples it doesn't mean that they are good. Our apples today are full of pesticides and altered genes. They are not the way God created them. It has become the same way with the fruits of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22 lists the fruits of the spirit and patience is one of them. Does that mean that all patience is good? No. Satan is very patient. He has roamed this earth since the fall of Adam and he continues to wait but that doesn't make the patience he shows "good".

Another example is that a person who exhibits the fruit of faithfulness isn't necessarily good either. Let's say a person is faithful to their spouse until one of them perishes but the reason they remained faithful was due to pride. Does that make the fruit good? Again, the answer is no. The goodness of the fruit is dependent on the condition of the heart.

We must have a right heart to exhibit Godly fruit, organic fruit. The kind that nourishes and is free of harmful things. We want to produce the kind that fortifies the body and helps it to function the way He designed it to.

Oh yeah, God recycles too...

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Questions To Ponder:

• In what ways have you been bearing "good" fruit with your heart right before God?
• In what ways has your fruit been less than healthy and how can you change that?
• How can you recycle some things in your life to benefit the kingdom?
• What do you intend to do to walk in a healthier lifestyle, spiritually?

Morning Prayer:

Father, thank you for the wonderful world you have given me to enjoy and tend to. Thank you for the realization that your intention has always been for us to be closest to the way you designed us, like your son, Jesus Christ. Help me to remember to stay pure with my motives so my fruit will be healthy and edifying to the body. Help me to uproot any fruit that isn't good and replant it with seeds of righteousness. In the name of your precious son, my savior, Jesus Christ.

I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

I Said Yes!

There are days when giving up even five minutes of our time seems impossible. In fact, some of us would rather give up five bucks rather than give up five minutes. Time is our most precious asset. That, I believe, is why God wants it.

"You shall have no other gods before me.
Deuteronomy 5:7

God will ask for that which is most dear to us. Just ask Abraham. He knew all too well the consequences of putting anything, or in his case, anyone (Isaac), before God. Thankfully, he chose to say yes to God and not to his flesh. I was asked to do the same thing.

There is one day every year that I deem "mine." I can choose what I want to do that day and I can choose what to purchase with the money that is given to me for this particular occasion. This year God wanted it.

"What?" is what I remember thinking when I heard Him speak to my heart, "Offer to care for her kids tonight so she can get some rest."

"But, God! It is my birthday tomorrow!" I argued.

"Would you want someone to do the same for you?" He asked.

*sigh*

So I offered to babysit for a friend... on my birthday. No, I am not saint and I don't want any accolades. I can think of many other things that I could have done on my birthday but watching my friend's four children was not one of them. But I'm glad that I did it. She deserved it. She needed it. I thank God for asking me. And it doesn't stop there.

A few days later I received a monetary gift to celebrate my birthday. My first thoughts were that God was blessing me for giving up the day and so now I was going to be able to buy the scrapbook supplies that I have been wanting. Then we got to church.

God told me to put the money in the offering basket as it came around. I dismissed the thoughts as not being God because I was certain that He had given me this money as a blessing. However, I wanted to be sure and so I said to God that if the offering basket were to come back around that I would put the money in. I was thrilled when I saw them take the baskets to the back. Okay relieved is more like it.

Next, they showed us some video clips of children in an orphanage in India that we had given nearly 85,000 dollars to. I looked at their little faces and saw the joy and the peace of God radiating in them. Then I heard them say, "I hope you love God the way we do."

Can you say conviction? I all but begged God to bring that offering back around. Guess what? He did. They announced a second offering would be taken and this time I didn't hesitate to put my birthday money in. I knew what God wanted at that point. He wanted me to sow this year of my life to Him. I wrote that down in my notebook as I pondered what He might ask of me this year. Then, as our pastor started to preach, I wrote down the title of his message: Extreme Generosity. Coincidence? I don't think so.

He wants me to generously give of my time this year to serve Him. I said yes!



I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

Don't Say That!!

"Hey, girl! How are you?" she asked with a soft, concerned voice.

Choking back tears, I replied to her, "I'm great! Life is wonderful! How about you?"

Then she just looked at me as though she had seen a ghost. She said, "You don't have to pretend. I understand what you're going through. I want to be here for you."

Her words cut like a knife. She was the first one to call my bluff. I thought I had hidden it so well. Instantly I began to feel guilt; guilt for lying, guilt for not hiding it well enough, and guilt for not letting a friend in when I needed one most.

It was after all the worst year of my life. My marriage was ending, my brother was in Iraq, the ministry I worked for was closing its doors and I had no idea where to go or what to do. But no one would have ever known because I wouldn't say anything. You see, I was taught not to. She knew because she knew me and I thank God that she did.

For years I was taught from the pulpit to watch what I say in regards to the current condition of my life. For example, when my middle son was spending most of his first year of life in and out of hospitals, I was taught to tell people that he was healed and was doing fine... even if he really wasn't. I was taught that this was a mandate from Romans 4:17.

"(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;"

What is typically quoted is, "Call those things that be not, as though they were." As you can see, this is only a fraction of the scripture and only a small part of a complete thought. It has not been used in context concerning this teaching.

I was taught that when I was having a rough day that I should put a smile on my face and a bounce in my step and tell everyone that I was wonderful. Why? Because then it would come to pass. This is not what that scripture means nor is this method biblical.

For starters, we are lying if we do this. The bible clearly states this in Exodus 23:1, Deuteronomy 19:18, Psalm 27:12, Proverbs 6:19, Proverbs 12:17, and many more that we are not to bear false witness or give false testimonies. If you don't acknowledge facts then you can't be delivered. If you convince yourself that they never existed then you can't believe God intervened to make it better. If you don't tell the truth about your situation then God can never get the GLORY for its end result!

When you acknowledge facts about your current situation it does not mean that you have no faith.... it means that you do! How much faith does it take to believe God changed something that you believe never existed? That's denial.

Think about that for a second and let it sink in.

"But what about speaking positively, Amy? Shouldn't we be practicing the message of speaking 'life'?"

I'm so glad that you asked! God tells us about choosing life over death and blessings over curses in Deuteronomy 30:19.

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."

We should acknowledge fact but speak "life." That way God gets the glory. Consider what happened in John 11. Jesus specifically told Mary and Martha that the death of their brother Lazurus was to bring glory to Him. Think of how differently it would have been if they had just buried him, put a smile on their face, and pretended everything was grand.

Look at how my conversation from 4 years ago could have gone better:

"Hey, girl! How are you?" she asked with a soft, concerned voice.

I replied to her, "I'm not as good as I could be and I need your prayers. I know that I could be encouraged if we could talk and have coffee one day soon. I just have many things going on right now but I know God's hand is in the midst of it and He will use it all for good. He always comes through for us. How about you?"

In that scenario I would have acknowledged that God's hand was required to bring peace to my life. I didn't put on a show, pretending everything was hunky dorey, and then just dismiss my friend as though she didn't know any better. I gave her an opportunity to serve as Jesus would have and I gave God the opportunity to be glorified through my situation. Now if only it had actually happened that way. Thank God for mercy and forgiveness. I'm glad He is faithful to us even when we aren't faithful to Him.

I can't think of one instance in the bible where someone claimed to be fine, but really wasn't, all in the name of Jesus. Why should we?

Talk about being tested when God gives us revelation and we begin to write about it and share it with others. I wrote this post on Sunday in preparation for today. Well, I found out on Monday that my son's vision (20/800) cannot be restored to his left eye (his vision has slowly deteriorated since birth). He also has developed learning problems as a result of the condition. He will have to wear protective glasses for the rest of his life to protect his good eye from accidents. I am acknowledging the fact that my son cannot see in that eye and that he has learning difficulties but I am also thanking God for the miracle that he is going to give to our family. He restored vision to many others in the bible and he is no respecter of persons. My God is a BIG God. I know He will do this and more for Gevan but I seek your prayer and I ask you to agree with me that Gevan will be healed for the glory of God in the name of His precious son, Jesus.

Thank you.


I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31