A Quick Wit and A Stiff Neck

God has gifted me with a quick, dry wit. Constantly, I hear catch phrases that ring in my mind and cause it to answer.

It’s a blessing and a curse.

If you could be inside my mind for one day, I guarantee you would either be greatly entertained or incredibly concerned.

Anyway, I’ll get to the point of why I’m mentioning it.

One new day, I woke up with excruciating pain in my neck. While issues with my neck are common, this day was worse than normal, as it wouldn’t even relent to the pain medicine.



Halfway through the morning, Wit spoke up: “What a pain in the neck!” I chuckled in my mind. Later in the day, she spoke up again: “You stiff-necked woman!” That one wasn’t quite as funny to me, of course, as it refers to the Israelites who continued to turn away from God.


As I awoke that next morning, the pain woke with me. I couldn’t even move my neck from side to side without a wince. I was thankful for Mrs. Wit’s humor to keep me amused along the way. What amazes me is that God often uses these little illustrations in life to strike me and remind me of Himself. After spending time in prayer, the Holy Spirit reminded me of some unconfessed sin in my life. I was quick to deal with it. Then He brought to my mind some areas of complacency and unbelief. I gave those over. Then a tucked away verse woke up my memory: “Do not be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” That sent me on a trail of trying to figure out what this means to a Christian, and more importantly, to me:

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’” Hebrews 3:12-15

Time after time I’ve read this verse, but what the Lord showed me on that enlightened day is that it is possible as a mature believer to turn away from Him with sin or unbelief. Before, when I’ve envisioned “turning away from the living God,” I’ve thought of a BIG turning away, kind of like the prodigal son. I picture a monumental decision to leave the Christian life to seek my own pleasure. While that is certainly a possibility here, I don’t believe it is the only one. It says, “BUT encourage one another DAILY.” Wow---I can actually deal with a sinful, unbelieving heart on a daily basis?!?!? One of the things about sin is that it can sneak up on us.....it is deceitful. It wants to make us believe that we will be unaffected from the repercussions of a wishy-washy lifestyle, but read on: “We have come to share in Christ IF WE HOLD FIRMLY TILL THE END the confidence we had at first.”


We WANT to share in Christ, don’t we? Do we still have the confidence IN Him to live rightly BEFORE Him? Micah 6:8 says, “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 humbly with your God.” To walk humbly requires a daily giving over of ourselves. If we’re not careful, sneaky sin can convince us that we don’t have time to do this or that it’s not necessary....we can become a “stiff-necked” people, if you will. So what is the answer for us? The answer is found in Psalm 95:2-8a:

“Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods; In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. COME—let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. TODAY, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts....”

Let’s stretch our necks out for Him today, noticing His creation on the left, His blessings on the right, and His provision right in front of us. As He shares this with us, may it renew in us the confidence to hold firmly Today all the way to the end.

Selah~ Pause. Ponder. Praise.
Please come by and visit my new personal blog,

LauraLeeShaw.com

Making the Best of a Sticky Situation

Please welcome Guest Barista, Amy Stavnes to the Internet Cafe!

It happened around 12 o'clock today...my moment of grumbling. Prior to that I was nursing the baby and my oldest children said they were hungry. Seeing that it was going to be awhile before they got to eat, my seven year old daughter offered to make lunch. I agreed and she happily skipped off to prepare a gourmet lunch of peanut butter and jelly roll-up tortillas.

As they sat down and began eating I heard silly jokes and contagious laughter, my baby girl became curious and quickly finished eating. She and I went to the kitchen to check on the two happy diners. It was then that my moment of grumbling arrived, as I walked by the kitchen table I felt it on my bare feet.

I not only felt it, I was stuck to the floor!


It didn't take long to realize that I was standing in a glob of grape jelly. I placed the baby in her walker and grumbled to myself as I left a trail of sticky foot prints all over the floor. Grabbing a wet rag I began to clean the floors and my sticky feet all the while growing increasingly agitated.

It was in that moment that I stepped back and took a look around...what did I have to be grumbling about?

I am blessed to have three beautiful healthy children...one of whom just made her and her brother lunch while I tended to the baby. So, what if I had to clean a little mess up off the floor...at least my children had food to eat and we have a house with a floor to clean. In that moment I stopped and said a prayer, for forgiveness from my grumbling and a BIG prayer of thanks to God for all of the beautiful blessings in my life, especially grape jelly on the floor.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

It is HIS will for us to give thanks in all circumstances….so whether it is that we have sticky grape jelly on the floor, up all night with a child having nightmares, late to work because of the pokey driver in front of us…we are to give thanks.

Thanks for having a home with floors that get sticky, thanks for the blessing of a child that finds comfort in your embrace during a night of bad dreams, thanks for having a car to drive to the blessing of your job…whatever the situation, look for the praise and find thanks for God in all situations.

Colossians 2:6-7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Amy is a Southern girl (okay woman) who loves the Lord. She is married to the man of her dreams . Together they have been blessed with three amazing children. God has just blessed them by placing a child in their hearts and they have begun a journey of adopting from Ethiopia. Their life is filled with family activities and a desire to raise our children as strong Christians. Visit Amy at Filled With Praise

The Cheerful Heart

The Internet Cafe Welcomes Teresa Lasher today!

“The cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

Proverbs 15:15b (NIV)

The cheerful heart is a continual choice which can be a tough choice at times. In my experience, it is a conscious choice. I’ll admit it’s easier to exude gloom and doom and play the martyr. Sometimes it takes less effort to point out the negatives and totally ignore the blessings. “A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.” (The Message) Most days, it’s a matter of choosing to be joyful. I must choose to fill the day with song and thanksgiving to the Almighty.



A continual feast takes energy. Tough financial times, job loss, death of a loved one do not naturally equate a cheerful heart. Quite the opposite. Aren’t I exempt from the “cheerful heart” syndrome if the doctor discovers a brain tumor? After all, what human being would jump up for joy and shout, “Guess what? I may have cancer, or at the very least, may lose my eyesight!”



A continual feast takes faith in the God who created me and knows my every weakness. I must chose to trust in what cannot be seen, but still exists. Supernaturally, through the Holy Spirit, I can rejoice and look for “glass half full” implications today.



I praise God, for a friend from Pennsylvania who suggested I get my swollen eye checked. Much to my surprise, an MRI detected a growth which needed to be removed to avoid more eye deterioration. Through research and a series of miracles, God used neurosurgeons and modern technology as His instruments. Even through trying times, I give God the glory as He walked through this dark valley with me. (Psalm 23)



Hebrews 13:5 assures me,

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (NIV)

Ask:

Is there some blessing in my life right now that I need to record in my “Grateful Journal?” Then, I need to share that blessing with someone so we can rejoice together.


Prayer:

Lord, open my eyes to the good things in my everyday life. Do not allow me to focus on negative circumstances. Fill this day with a song brought on by a cheerful heart. Allow my joy to radiate so those around me will be encouraged and trust you even more. Amen.



Blessings,

Teresa Lasher


Teresa can be reached at Terri@lasherstudios.com.

I’d love for you to visit my personal blog: http://lasherstudios.com/blog/

Be of Good Cheer..

Recently I was listening to a message that totally caught my attention. The message itself was a message to encourage us to have unshakable faith! During the message there was a phrase that just stood out and has been with me ever since.

The phrase was this that was said by our Savior Jesus Christ, "Be of Good Cheer!" Wow! Our Savior said that! I want to just name some of the scriptures I have found with that beautiful and encouraging phrase that I hope will encourage you through out those days when things don't necessarily seem so pleasant.

In Matthew 9:2 we find Jesus with the paralytic and when Jesus saw their faith, He said to him, "Son be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you." Do we realize why we need to be of good cheer? Jesus gave His life for us that we should be joyous because we don't earn our salvation but that He freely gives us the faith to believe in Him! We were chosen!

In Matthew 14:27 the disciples were in the boat in the middle of the sea and they notice someone walking on the sea and they were frightened. Our Savior speaks up and says, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Jesus Christ the beloved never leaves us even in these turbulent times. He is telling us not to be afraid when we don't know the outcome of any of our situations we are confronted with. Don't be afraid He says! What a comfort to us.

In John 16:33 our Savior is kindly reminding the disciples that He has overcome the World. They are being reassured by verse 33 where it says "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." What a great reminder to us that when we are being put through the ringer either at work or wherever we are to "be of good cheer, pilgrims!" He overcame the world through His death, and resurrection. He arose victoriously from His stronghold. Jesus reminded the disciples that the world would bring them tribulation but the He would bring them peace. This was an encouraging statement of peace for even us!

In Acts 23 we find Paul being almost mauled and killed by the mob. He is then forced into the barracks where our Savior appears to Him and says these words: " Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem so you must also bear witness at Rome." Can you imagine being in Paul's place? Our Savior is saying to Paul not to worry and not to just look at your circumstances for you are going to be okay! That had to be a pretty scary proposal after everything Paul had suffered. Reading further you find Paul thanking the Lord in every situation!

In Acts 27:22 there is a very terrible storm in where Paul and all the sailors were fearing for their life but an angel of the Lord appeared to Paul again and told him to take heart (be of good cheer) there will be no loss of life among you but only of the ship. Have you ever been in the midst of a hopeless situation and you hear His small voice that says to be of good cheer I have overcome everything? In the storms of life He reaches out His hand and you hold on to it knowing because of His promises that He will lift you up! What a great and faithful friend!

Disillusionment, pain, and sorrow will always be here on this earth but my phrase to you this month is, "Be of Good Cheer!"

Close and Personal:

1. When have you been afraid? How did you handle it?

2. Have you thanked him for Him rescuing you?

My dear sweet and loving Savior, I just want to tell you thank you for cheering us on! Thank you Lord for letting us know through your precious Word how much You want for us to know that you have overcome everything! We are just passing through and that everything in this world is temporary! We love you Lord and thank you, thank you for loving us this much!

Contentment in Christ

"Jackpot!" That's what our family says when we find a special treasure on the beach. Sometimes we discover a sea shell, a sand dollar, or even a barracuda jaw!

We recently spent some time along Florida's Panhandle. The beaches there are famous for their emerald green waters and sugar white beaches, but not for their shells. So, when we find a special shell, it is truly a gem.


I was wading in the water when I found two of them. One was a conch, the other a smooth, brown shell I have yet to identify. I showed them to my daughter.


"Jackpot!" she yelled, and ran to our beach bag on the dry sand, her eyes wide with excitement. For the remainder of the day, we played in the sand and surf, commenting on our "jackpot." After a long day of enjoying God's Creation, we thanked Him for the unique sea shells He gave us.

Days passed.

We walked on the beach in the mornings, in the afternoons. As we continued to look for shells, we began to wonder if we could find another shell, a bigger shell, something more amazing.

More.

What happened to the joy we felt when we first discovered our unique gifts? What happened to the bedtime prayers we had offered? Were we not truly grateful?

Our problem wasn't lack of gratitude; it was lack of contentment.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6: 6

God blesses us with something, something big, something small. He may give us the desires of our hearts. (Psalms 37: 4) He does so because He loves us.

We thank Him. We mean it. We really do. But we often become discontent. We want something newer, something bigger, something better.

More.

It is difficult to remain content unless we remain in Him.

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you,

and that your joy might be full." John 15: 11

The sea shells we discovered on the Florida beach that day are reminders for me. They remind me of the love that God has for me, that He gives us the desires of our hearts, sometimes when we least expect it.

Most of all, these two shells, unique pieces of God's Creation, remind me to be content in all things.

Only in Christ, am I content with all of my "sea shells." The special ones, the big ones, the colorful and plain ones, and even for the broken ones.



1. Have you struggled with contentment?

2. What areas in your life have been a "broken sea shell?"

3. Ask God to fill you with His Joy today! He loves you!



Join Melanie at her personal blogspot, "This Ain't New York."

Bearing one another's burdens...

Romans 15:1-6 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We the church and disciples of Jesus Christ are encouraged in His Word a life of self-denial and considerations of others above ourselves! This does not come natural, does it? It is specifically referred to the stronger believer toward the weaker brother. Ouch! How often in my Christian walk I have thought only of myself knowing that if it is okay for me to do it the "others" need to get over it! Again, ouch!

The word "bear" is the same word used of Christ bearing His cross in John 19:17. Bearing with one another exemplifies Jesus' sacrificial love towards us. How often do we lose our cool with each other in an attempt to being selfless and putting ourselves on the back burner? Using my home as an example, I run into situations like these it seems every day. Considering we have thirteen in our home, it is bound to happen that one of us will be self centered at one time or another. I have the six girls on one side and the five boys on another! Just imagine!

Noticing that I have been put in this position by Jesus I have to ask for strength in my walk as I deal with all these different aliens in my home including myself! Creating an atmosphere of thankfulness is one of the first things I have realized that is very important in my own walk even when there is no end to "mom" from about 11 different voices and that is without mentioning my wonderful husband!

Literally, one day I sat down at my large farmer's table with my hands on my face and smiled and never responded to the never ending questions coming my way. At one time in my heart I thought, "Calgon take me away!" Right then, I came under conviction and began thanking the Lord for each one of their lives!

A genuine consideration for the concerns and needs of others promotes harmony and unity within the family of Christ. It brings glory to Him! As women we get confronted with putting ourselves last and making sure everyone else has everything they need. One of the strengths in our lives as Godly women is the evidence we show in the willingness to focus on the needs ofothers and our desire to foster a spirit of genuine harmony among God's family!

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Vs. 10 Therefore as we have opportunity let us do good to all especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Close and Personal:

• Have you created an atmosphere of gratitude in your home and your family in Christ?
• What do you consider to be to carry someone's burdens?

Dear Father, I just want to tell you thank you for your sweet reminders on how you bore that cross on our behalf! You laid down your life willingly for us, heavenly Father, and I just want to tell you thank you again! Help me to live a life of caring for others and putting their weaknesses before my wants! I love you, Father!

Not Forgotten, Not Abandoned

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15).

The New Testament city of Ephesus was immersed in the Greco-Roman tradition of the pursuit of beauty and perfection in every sense: art, architecture, music, and even regarding the human race.

In fact, Greeks and Romans regularly abandoned their unwanted (less than physically perfect, or often, female) infants to the elements as a means of divesting themselves of the responsibility and stigma of such a child. This practice was termed “exposing” the child. Some of those rejected children, if physically able, were "adopted" by Ephesian citizens only to serve as slaves.

Testifying to the common act of abandoning children is the following letter written June 17, 1 B.C., by a man named Hilarion to his pregnant wife, Alis:

“Know that I am still in Alexandria. And do not worry if they all come back and I remain in Alexandria. I ask and beg you to take good care of our baby son, and as soon as I receive payment I will send it up to you. If you are delivered of child [before I get home], if it is a boy keep it, if a girl discard it. You have sent me word, ‘Don’t forget me.’ How can I forget you. I beg you not to worry.”

How could such a warm missive contain such a cold directive to simply discard a baby!

As customary as this cold-heartedness was, there were some, mainly Jews and later Christians, who would make a long hike to the outskirts and dunghills to rescue these forgotten children in spite of the great sacrifices they would make to care for them.

Imagine, then, the joy of one of those rescued Ephesian children, slave or free, upon hearing Paul's letter: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Blameless. Loved. Pleasing Him.

You and I also live in a culture which seeks perfection by almost any standard other than the one of a holy God. We want beautiful faces and bodies, state of the art technology, instant and vast knowledge, perfect careers, homes and children. We live in a “throw-away” society that has little use for items, or people, who cannot contribute in ways we find most valuable. The aged, the unborn, and the voiceless are often discarded or put out of view.

And you and I—we definitely fall short by our fellow man’s standards. Even if we became one of the "beautiful people" who graced the covers of magazines and made millions simply by repeating memorized lines, soon the world would tire of seeing us at the top and begin to knock us down the ladder rung by rung until we became yesterday's news, forgotten, mocked, or scorned.

And incredibly, some of us have literally been unprotected or discarded by our very own mothers and fathers.

In other words, we live in a world of hurt.

But we are not abandoned.

Jesus, you could say, like those compassionate Jews and Christians who rescued the abandoned, strapped on his hiking boots and walked a long, steep hill, Golgotha, to rescue us. We belong to him. We belong. He chose us. We are accepted. We are loved.

Can you see Jesus’ determination to rescue us? “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Though it cost him so much, he sacrificed more than we can comprehend to bring us into his family, and no one can ever change our status!

So you may have been literally abandoned at birth, or emotionally abandoned, or abandoned by a spouse or feel like an outsider wherever you are, but the truth is, you are not abandoned. You are deeply wanted.

Jesus, the expression of God’s great love, reached out his mighty hand to scoop you up, redeem you and call you by name—you are His! (Isaiah 43:1).





Please visit Linda Crow at her personal blog:

Plenty To Go Around

photo from Flickr
Plenty To Go Around
“Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed are those that trust in Him.”
Psalm 34:8

As I sit and watch the hummingbirds out my window feasting on the sugar water we’ve put out for them, I am amazed at their lack of concern for each other. Let me explain. They come and taste the sweet concoction, but when one of their fellow feathered friends come to share in the joy, they immediately run him off. Even though there is plenty of room for all of them on the feeder and there is an unlimited supply, they still do not want to share. They almost spend more time fighting over what we’ve given them than actually enjoying it. They seem to be so afraid that it will run out or that they won’t get all they want, that they waste a lot of energy keeping the other birds away.

This reminded me of us, as believers. You know the Bible says we are to “taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed are those that trust in Him”. Many of us have tasted the goodness of God and experienced the blessings that come from trusting Him, but sometimes, even without us realizing it, we are so busy protecting what we have, our own dreams, plans, and ambitions, and enjoying all that God has given to us, that we ignore the needs of others around us. It’s almost like these little hummingbirds that are clueless to the reality that this sugar water really cannot run out. You see, sugar and water are two things that you can always find here at our home, so these little birds can have as much as they want and we will continue to supply all that they need. In other words, the hummingbirds can’t out-drink our supply. It’s the same way with God. His Word says that He supplies all of our needs “according to His riches in glory”. His supply of grace, strength, peace, and joy never runs out.

Let take the time today to not only “taste and see that the Lord is good” ourselves, but let’s invite those around us to join us in the blessing, as well. Let’s bring them to His endless supply of grace. Let’s not hoard the sweet Savior we know all to ourselves while we are busy bumping into so many thirsty people around us, but rather, let’s use all of our resources, time, talents, and energy in sharing Him with others, knowing that there’s plenty to go around!

Lord, thank you that you are all sufficient. Thank you for the sweet grace, mercy, and peace that you offer to us. Help me today to savor the sweetness of my relationship with you, but also share it with others by inviting them to taste and see how sweet and good You are! May I remember that to not share, is to hoard it. Remind me as I come in contact with others today to be mindful of their need for spiritual nourishment and may I be quick to direct them to the You.

In Him~


You can read more from Tammy at Steps In Our Journey

Are you going to freak out or FAITH out?

So I’m writing this on Christmas afternoon. Due to sickness, I was not able to go to the family dinner (which is usually at my own house), so I’m home drinking hot tea with honey and writing.
I’ve been tempted to throw a pity party for myself. Maybe even freak out a little because I am so upset that I can’t enjoy this day. After all, it is Christmas Day and I am all alone. It could be a little or even a lot depressing to be alone at Christmas if I let myself “go there”. (Let me clarify to save Mark’s reputation, he wanted to stay home with me but I didn’t want the kids to miss time with Grandpa, Grandma and family, so I insisted they go without me.)

That’s what brings me to my thought for today.

Life is not just about what happens to us, but also what we do with those
happenings and where we let our thoughts go in light of them. I can choose today
how I will respond to these circumstances.

Have you ever been alone with a thought that spirals out of control and before you know it, your mind has you in a state of sadness, confusion, fear, anger, anxiety or even depression?

It is easy to do. In fact, I can almost guarantee it will automatically happen if you do not make the choice to take control of your thoughts. It is our human (sin) nature to see the cup half empty instead of half full.

Thankfully though, it’s a condition we can change.
We can choose to respond and react in a way that is hopeful instead of dreadful.
We can change out those thoughts for God’s thoughts, but let's call it "faith out" those thoughts.

I am reminded that the first and greatest commandment is this:

Matt 22:37-38
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest
commandment.
NIV

With “all your mind” is a pretty powerful command. That means that in light of all else we may think on, first we are to love the Lord with all our mind. Well, it’s pretty hard to put out the streamers and fill the punch bowl at a pity party when we are loving the Lord with all our mind. I don’t know about you, but when my mind is on Him, it is filled with peace- no matter what is going on around me. And I’m so glad that joy and hope are never far behind that peace!

Maybe that sounds really difficult and far reaching for you. Some of us were raised in a very negative atmosphere and that carries over into our lives today.

However, this next verse shows me that no matter how what our natural tendency, we have a choice.

Look at this:

Rom 12:2
2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
NLT

Now in the New King James Version:

Rom 12:1-2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God.
NKJV

The word transformed is to “change.” And the word renew is to “renovate.”

God’s Word would not tell us to do something that was too far reaching for us to achieve.
Therefore, we have a choice.
We can follow the pattern of this negative thinking and responding world, or we can renew our thoughts and thought patterns by surrendering them to God.

I agree with the principle that 10% of life is made up of what happens to you and 90% of life is decided by how you react.

I believe that thankfulness is a key ingredient in a well balanced mind. When we
are thankful instead or regretful or disappointed, it will produce a healthy and
happy attitude towards God and this life He’s given us.

I’m choosing not to freak out today. Not to dwell on the fact that I’m sick and not spending time with my family right now, but instead being thankful for so many incredible blessings in my life. Instead of freak out, I’m going to "faith out" the thoughts.

I love this picture of Job choosing to respond to awful, horrendous circumstances with hope:

Job 19:25-27
25 I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he
will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet
in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes-I,
and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
NIV

Let’s pray,
Father we come to you, with so many reasons to have anxiety, fear, anger and depression, but we know that none of them would be beneficial to us or the people around us, so we lay down these things at Your feet and surrender our thoughts and minds to You.
Lord, help us to see things through Your eyes. Help us to see hope in hopelessness and joy in sorrow. Whether a huge trial or a momentary displeasure, I pray that You help us to change the way we think and compel us to love You with all our heart, soul and minds. Help us to walk by faith and not by our feelings.
Thank you for so many ways that You bless us Lord.
In Jesus name, amen.

Showers of Stress

“Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master's Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time.”
James 5:7-8

I was blessed recently as I read the book of James. James 5:7-8 seemed to wash over my heart as I reflected on it and on the life God has entrusted to me. The phrase "patiently letting the rain do its work" seemed to jump out at me. Often times we can see the storms in life as things that God uses to push us to His loving arms (if we "patiently let them"), and certainly they do, however, the word used here in this verse is "rain". I thought of the song by Mercy Me, Jesus Bring the Rain, and began to contemplate the term rain. Rain comes with storms, for sure, however, it also comes with simple showers. Showers can be aggravating (especially if you are parked outside and have to go somewhere with a decent hairdo ~ha!) or they can be refreshing on a hot summer day. I thought of the song, Showers of Blessings, and how blessed I truly am. I have received showers of blessings, but I have also experienced in recent days the showers of "rain". Oh, not "storms", like most of us would think of. I haven't lost a child, gone through a divorce, or hit a financial crisis. I have, however, felt the "showers" that come from people hurting you or taking advantage of you, unexpected hurdles that cost time and money, parenting challenges, and life decisions that just weigh heavy on your heart and mind. These are what I call "showers of stress", if you will. None of these things are "storms" or even "big problems" in the big picture of life, but they are often times annoying and energy zapping things that Satan can use to suck the life out of us.
These verses reminded me that God desires to use even these "smaller showers" in our lives to remind us of just how dependant we are on Him.

We truly need Him for everything! We cannot let the showers "soak" us and weigh us down. We have to "patiently let the rain (whether a storm or a shower) do its slow and SURE work", by staying covered in the Word each day. I want to allow even the "showers of stress" that sometimes fall around us (OK, they daily fall most of the time), I want them to do their work in my heart and life. I want to become more and more like Jesus!

Just like the earlier verse in James 1:21, which reads, "In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life." I am far more blessed than I deserve and I deeply desire for God to cultivate a garden in my life that will bring glory to Him and enrich the lives of others, as well!


Lord, thank you for being our Gardener and for tending to every detail of our lives in order to make us a beautiful display of your Glory. Enable me to see the showers of stress as reminders of how completely dependant I am on You! Enable me to be patient and to allow them to do the work you desire them to do in my life. Speak to me as I am in Your Word each day and enable me to remain steady and faithful to you. Thank you for the showers of blessings that you always intermingle with the stress to remind me of your sweet presence! You are so good, all the time!



You can read more from Tammy at Steps In Our Journey

Morning and Night

It is good to give thanks to ADONAI and sing praises to Your Name ‘Elyon (Most High), to tell in the morning about Your grace and at night about Your faithfulness...For ADONAI, what You do makes me happy; I take joy in what Your hands have made. ~ Psalm 92:1,2,4

Have you ever become so lost in the thought of God's Word that HE unveiled beautiful truths amidst ordinary moments? I love when HE touches our lives with HIS glorious interruptions!

It is most necessary in this life, isn't it?... Receiving a touch from the LORD Himself?

One morning after a rich time in God's Word, I was met with such a touch. I walked outside with Psalm 92 weighing heavily upon my heart.

My backyard looked different to me somehow. It couldn't have changed that much since last night, right? I took in all the beauty of the flowers and their scents with great delight. I breathed in deeply the crisp air that early mornings offer, and felt a satisfaction that took me by surprise.

As I began to reflect on the above verse, I was reminded how King David had prepared for his beloved son Solomon’s future kingship; as well as the planning of the magnificent Temple that would be built not by his own hands, but by his son's.

King David had re-commissioned the Levites in the caring for the future temple of the LORD.

"They were to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening." ~ 1 Chronicles 23:30

I began to consider the Kingdom perks that come with giving thanks and praise to the LORD every morning and every night.

I grabbed a piece of sidewalk chalk that the wee monkeys had left lying around and wrote out in large letters:

1. WORLDLY FEAR
   
2. INGRATITUDE
   
3. COMPLACENCY
   

I suppose you could say the Spirit of the LORD wrote with my very hand what my heart intuitively 'saw'. Beyond that, I truly believe HE wanted me to see with my own peepers what had been keeping me from rejoicing and trusting in His faithfulness.

As odd as it may sound, in that very moment, I was actually rejoicing as I beheld the words forming on the sidewalk. It was a gentle unveiling of a glorious Truth!

You see, the only remedy for this Tenacious Trio of joy-stealing worldly cares is our thankfulness, our praise and our recalling of HIS generous and faithful provision in our everyday lives.

And not only internally should we offer our praises, but OUT LOUD as I did! Just as HE wanted me to see with my eyes those words, HE also wants us to hear with our ears the very praises that excites and ignites our inner man!

In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught that the cares of this world would choke the Word in us and cause us to become unfruitful. (And Ladies, an unfruitful life is tantamount to an unsatisfied life.)

For as we call to mind and tell about His abounding grace and eternal faithfulness, we are intentionally choosing to cast or roll our cares upon the only One Who is able to bear, change, and use them!

We make an exchange!

Our Heavenly Father says...

‘Look to Me! Remind yourself of Who I AM and I will take that worldly fear and turn it into a REVERENTIAL FEAR and TRUST in ME alone (which is the beginning of wisdom)!

I will take your ingratitude and cause GLORIOUS THANKFULNESS to spring forth from your mouth!

And finally, I will heal your complacent heart and give you a fire...a SPIRITUAL FERVOR that burns with power from On High.

So what cares are choking His Life out of you at this very moment in time? Just knowing HIS word is not sufficient. However, acting upon It is!

Heaven’s Truth is unveiled to us by The Holy Spirit Who indwells every Believer.

Aren’t you glad that He has a direct deposit plan?

Thank you Abba YHWH for lifting our heads, opening our hands and pouring forth more of Your love into our lives each day. Be magnified in our living and thank You for Your guidance, Your grace and Your eternal faithfulness. I praise You ADONAI that, indeed, it is Your grace that wakes us up in the morning and it is Your faithfulness that puts us to bed at night...Blessed be The Name of the LORD!!

Quotable Quotes

"In many ways the spotlight is always on all of us as far as our morals, ethics, and responsibilities are concerned. By conducting our lives as if the camera is on, we will be living with integrity, which means we won't have to apologize for, or explain tomorrow, what we did today." ~ Zig Ziglar

“Trusting God is never an intangible act. It always involves planting a seed.” ~ Tony Evans

"We are made happy not by what we ACQUIRE, but by what we APPRECIATE." ~ Stuart McAlister

Join Carmen for more about the journey to Possessing Your Promised Land!

God's Abundant Blessings

The Cafe welcomes Sherri Woodbridge!

Read Matthew 10:26-34

I read a blog post the other day about a woman who sought affirmation from God that He was hearing her prayers. She had been raised to believe that laying a fleece before Him was taboo, but at this point in her life, she didn't know what else to do. She was at the end of her rope in so many ways and desperately needed to know that God was listening. If He chose to say wait or no, that was okay just so long as He was listening.

So, she approached the throne of God and made her request. She asked her heavenly Father, that if is He did indeed hear her requests, could He please send her a red or a yellow rose.

She got up the next morning as usual,dressed, and headed to work. One of her co-workers came into her office. This wasn't just any co-worker, but the one that annoyed her due to his jovial,joyful attitude. He was too happy. Why did this annoy her? Because… she wasn't.

As usual, he was joyful and full of smiles,and stood to greet her. He stood with his hands behind his back. She wasn't in the mood for his smiles. Somehow, lately he had sensed that and so this day, he had brought her a gift in hopes of cheering her up. He brought his hands to the front and there within them, he held a red rose. There, in that office,she let go of the bitterness and frustration she had held against him and knew…God heard her prayers.

I sat at my computer after I reading her entry and as I stared at the screen, tears began to roll down my cheeks. It was at that moment that I prayed for a rose. A fleece in the form of a scented bloom and any color would do.

We are in the process of moving. Packing up our much too many belongings, putting them in storage and heading who knows where. Temporarily homeless. Unable to meet our financial demands in our current place of residence, seeking God's will for our next placement within His perfect will, while not knowing what that looks like or where it truly is.

With each box that is taped and labeled and ready for storage, the question remains in the back of my mind as to when these boxes of mementos, memories and more will be opened. The bigger question that haunts me is whether or not we are doing the right thing. Believing we are and at the same time, feeling like we've gone absolutely crazy.

Sitting there before the computer, I laid a fleece before the throne of my heavenly Father. I asked for affirmation that we were doing the right thing. I didn't need to know where He was taking us or when or how. I just wanted to know we were being obedient and not crazy, as a few had alluded.

The next day my son was over and I was in the other room when the doorbell rang. He answered it and I could hear him talking to someone, but by the time I had walked upstairs, the visitor had left. I asked my son who had been at the door and he said it was one of my friends. She had brought something for me and he said that he had put it on the kitchen counter. I turned around and looking into the kitchen, there on the counter, in a tin can, stood six perfect, as beautiful as I've ever seen, red roses.

I am overwhelmed at the goodness of God. He doesn't just answer our prayers, but goes beyond and makes sure we know He's listening. and that He answers – abundantly.

Jesus,help us to remember that you care about everything – every small thing to even the largest of things. Help us to remember that you don't want to just answer our prayers, but you long to answer them – abundantly.

In Him,

Sherri

Sherri has written for over 30 years and has a passion for encouraging the weary and offering hope to the hopeless, giving all to the glory of God. She has been married 29 years to a wonderful man and they now live in Southern Oregon. They have three wonderful children and a beautiful new granddaughter.

Join Sherri at her personal blog, Planting Gardens

My Kayak is Pretty Beat Up

There are the big ones, you know? The ones that we can all point to and say, That one. That one right there made the difference in my life.

Imagine yourself in a kayak. Now, imagine that everyone who influences your life nudges your kayak in one direction or another.

For example, eight years ago I was floating down my Life River when I "bumped" Becky Tirabassi at her conference. I was floating down the Haphazard River of Meeting with Jesus when she floated up to me (and about 400 others) and said, "Make and appointment with the King and keep it." Then, off she floated.

That bump right there was a turning point in my River. I took a turn down a new River of Commitment and it changed my life forever.

She was a Slammer.

Kayakers like her have bumped my Kayak completely off course and set me straight more than once. Others would be Beth Moore, John Piper, and Andrew Murray. They are the ones that become anchors of lifechange moments. They are the ones that leave a mark on you Kayak of Life.

There are also the Bumpers.

These Kayakers are the ones that you have around you all the time. Friends that are consistent in what they pour into you. They are the ones that can point out that you're headed the wrong way and give you a "bump" reminding you of who you are. They also give you the bump you need for encouragement, laughter, or someone to cry with. They are with you through every kind of rapid in your life to the smooth waters of peace. One of my Bumpers is my husband. Others are close friends and family.

There are the Adjusters.

These are people we bump into that straighten our boat up a bit or add a new line of thought to who we are. Things like a passing comment on a blog, or a one-liner in a sermon on the radio. An underline in a book. It could be the passing conversation you have with someone about their marriage that makes you go home and make a small adjustment.

Slammers and Bumpers can be these kind of people too, but an Adjuster is something usually simple and makes you nod your head a bit. For instance, a friend of mine in passing said that she cooks for her husband, not her kids. Meaning, she cooks with him in mind. Not earth shattering. Not something that will send me into the throws of confession or worship, but something I can put in my Thought River and adjust to that. She bumped an adjustment in my life.

Oh, but there are the Rammers. Those people or circumstances that would ram us off course. When you have a Rammer in your life, you better be lookin' to your Slammers and Bumpers. They will help you hold fast against the Rammer. Don't fight with them. Don't throw your paddle at them. Just get close to those who uplift you and pray for you.

All of the above people have shaped my River's Ride. Looking back I see twists and turns through Level 5 rapids. I see long stretches of peace and serenity. I see forks in my River that have been avoided and I'm the better for it. I see tight spots that I barely squeezed through and wide open rides of laughter and joy.

Yes, my River is most certainly shaped by those I have been riding with. Of course, the Greatest Slammer is the One who created my River. There is no one else I'd take this ride for. He's the reason I keep paddling, fighting, surrendering, and living. He is the best joy ride on the planet.

Who's bumped your Kayak?

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all m prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel...
Philippians 1:3

In the River with you,

Join me at my homes!

and

Content in ANY Circumstance??

The Cafe is THRILLED to welcome Cindy Beall
as our newest CAFE DEVOTIONAL TEAM MEMBER!
Stop over to her site to welcome her!

Content in ANY Circumstance??

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Philippians 4:11-12 (NIV)

So what’s the secret that Paul learned that would allow him to be content in any circumstance? For me, being content…STAYING content is a daily battle. Some days I can barely stand to look in the mirror at the body that no longer looks like the woman my husband married. Other days I find myself wishing I had more money to buy things for my home. Will this fluctuation in the feelings I experience ever go away? I don’t know for sure if it will leave me forever but I think I’ve found an antidote that will surely bring some relief from this disease.

Gratitude.

Yep, I believe it’s that simple. Oh, it may not be what Paul was thinking when he wrote what he wrote, but for me? It’s the very mindset that is the catalyst to contentment in my life.

On days when I wish I could buy something new for my home, I stop and realize that I have a home. There is devastation all over our world everyday and many would love to have the “little” that I have. On days when I wish I could drop an extra 10 pounds, I stop and remember that there are probably plenty of people who’ve had a lifelong struggle with obesity who wouldn’t mind residing in my body for a while. On days when I wish my kids would leave me alone, I remember that these days are fleeting and one day I’ll wish they were little again.

What area of your life do you need contentment? Are you single and think that marriage will bring you contentment? Do you think that having more material possessions will do the trick? You know the areas of your life where you are not content. Spend time in honest, open dialogue with God about these areas. He can handle it. Your lack of contentment and gratitude is no secret to Him.

Today, you have a decision to make. I do, too. We can choose either to be content and grateful or we can choose not to. And we must choose before we are placed in a situation where we are comparing or complaining or wanting. During temptation is not the time to decide whether or not we are content.

In Him,

Cindy can be found at her website CindyBeall.com

Boast in the Lord

The Internet Cafe is blessed to have Jenifer from "By His Grace" joining us for coffee today.

Boast in the Lord

"Some boast in chariots, and some in horses; but we will boast in the name of the LORD our God."
Psalm 20:7

The word boast means to have confidence in, to trust in. To boast in God's name means to have confidence in His name. In biblical times a name represented a person's character. God's name represents His character, His attributes, His nature. To know His name is to know Him. To boast in His name is to have confidence in who He is!

There is something interesting I glean from this verse. In times of battle a soldier would enter onto the battle field with his horse and chariot. The horse would go before him, leading him into the battle. The chariot encompassed his body, protecting him from the enemy. This is what I find interesting and so like God. We are daily in a battle; not a physical battle on battle field (although sometimes we fill like it); but, a daily battle with the rulers of darkness, the enemy, Satan (Ephesians 6:12).

Who goes before us? God. Who is preparing the way? God. What did God do for the children of Israel? He went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). I was reading this morning from Exodus 33 where Moses said to God (I'm paraphrasing here), "I'm not goin' anywhere, unless You go with me." I don't know about you, but I want God going before me; I want Him leading the way.

Another thing about being in this daily battle, somehow, someway we've got to be protected from the enemy. Soldiers used chariots, but I'm afraid I don't have one; do you? So what do we do? We absolutely put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:14-20). But, we can also be confident in the fact that the Angel of the LORD, Jesus Christ Himself, encamps around us (Psalm 34:7). He hedges us in and builds up a fence around us to protect us from the enemy and to keep us from from evil (Job 1:10; Job 3:23; Job 19:8; Lamentations 3:7)

Knowing that God had has gone before me preparing the way and that He's surrounding me, keeping me protected from the enemy gives me reason to boast in my God. Boast in the Lord today for being your protector (Psalm 121:15) and for preparing the way for you (Jeremiah 29:11)