Sometimes I just curse this world.. I’ve realized that I was beginning to let the world take control again. The everyday worry, fears, and daunting task lists grow bigger and bigger each day and sometimes it can overwhelm… I have realized that I have been living “out of focus” for a little while. I am reminded:
Philippians 4:6
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
I have been focusing on my
Priority lists instead of the list that God gave me. I have focused on the piles of
bills on my table, the loads on laundry to do, the daunting task of keeping up with ‘life as usual’. Then I am reminded:
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
There is no “life as usual” anymore. I have been called away from worldly worries to focus on a heavenly mission – a bigger priority.
My new list: Focus on what God told you to focus on!
So it took me a little while to realize this but I had my breakthrough moment – rather, my break away moment. I broke away from a world that can’t hold me, a few lists that won’t mold me, and a devil that can’t hold me.
My path is clear. I see it again clearly Lord. Lord I need your help every single day. Guide me back to that straight line to walk with you. The line that is outside all worry and fear. I have come back again to focus on you and what you know is the highest priorities. You told me what’s important, and your priority list is my highest honor.
Keep me in focus Lord. My prayer today: soften my heart, peel back the layers of my existence, and show me the clarity of your will. Amen.
We should all pray that prayer today.
James 4:8 ESV
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
What is it about the beginning of a new year that gets you reflecting? You begin rewinding the year, picking apart the good, weeding through the bad, and coming to the realization that it was a good year – but next year will be better. For me personally, 2012 flew by. I can’t remember month to month, day to day, or even week by week. The bits and pieces of the year I do remember though, are golden.
2012 was a year of new beginnings for me. I began to get to know myself again- the new self I became with God now in charge. God and I began working together to make a better version of me. Once selfishness turned to selflessness I began to enjoy life more. Worry has changed forever. From being a person with mapped out priorities, lists, and expectations to “worry” about – I began to pray about things and leave it alone. The weightlessness that fills you when you recognize you aren’t in control anyway is awe inspiring. Why worry?! My favorite scripture of all time is Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, Declares The Lord plans to prosper you and not harm you. To give you hope and a future.
It’s funny when I read it before I always thought “prosper” meant money. Boy did I have things twisted. My prosperity this year has not been made of money (it was quite the opposite). My prosperity is far greater though!!!
I am happy – Truly happy. I am loved and in love. I am hopeful. I am excited. I am new. I am ready.
I am ready for this new year. I am ready to meet our precious baby in April. (The child that almost never was). I am ready to begin a life with my new husband. I am ready to struggle financially if we need to. I am ready to live by a new standard. I am ready to follow God completely, wholeheartedly, and without motive. I want whatever God wants.
So God, I’m ready.
Happy New Year
Xo
Cherish
Life goes on… What happens after God puts a call on your life? Well, LIFE CHANGES. No time for twiddling my thumbs anymore…..
The axis shifted while I was away on the Florida coastline. I was busy soaking up the sun, doing some much needed fishing, and eating all the seafood one can handle – and I didn’t even realize that time was up. First of all, announcement #1 is that I am happily remarried. Thank God! This one is the final one. This one, it the right one. The love of my lifetime. We enjoyed a great wedding on the beach and a honeymoon beachfront condo packed with all the family (literally, every one of them). It was perfect. We had just gotten back to Texas, and we were so busy unpacking, moving, and catching up at work that we missed the fact that I had missed something. Several weeks have gone by now, and I decided I needed to check on it.
Ready for announcement #2?
….
……..
…………………
We’re expecting!
When I found out, I almost fell out on the floor. I made the doctor test me 3 different ways “just to be sure”. And sure enough, it was true. I think I am still in shock. I wasn’t “ready” for that news. Then again, was I ready for any of the news I got last year? Nope. So here we go! I guess Trinity Grace is in the processing plant, and we have about 8 months to prepare. EEkkk!! My husband is bouncing off the walls, cleaning, storing, nesting – if you will. Me? Well, I am sleeping. Sleeping A LOT. This baby making thing takes a lot out of you. I’m recognizing the use of a good power nap, I’m peeing 50 times a day, and I wake up in the middle of the night parched, realizing this baby eats everything including the taste in my mouth. It’s definitely new for me.
I’ve been anointed for his purpose. So I guess I was equipped with the skills to see it through. I am holding tight to Jeremiah 29:11 ya’ll!
HERE WE GO!
Well ya’ll… It’s been FAR too long since I have taken the time to sit down and blog. But today, I blog. Let’s just say that I had an experience earlier in the week that was worth writing about. On this blog I have spared no expense sharing my heart. You all know that I am a sinner. The whole reason I came back around to Christ was because my life was headed in the wrong direction, and filled with sin and suffering. I am not too self-righteous to admit this. However, I want to share with you – there are a lot of people who are. I feel bad for those. My heart reaches out for those who appear to themselves “on a high horse”, and some of them – I am finding – are “Christians”. That’s not the way it was intended to be. We are called to BE THE GOOD in the world. When we see someone who has overcome sin, hurdles, and obstacles in life, it’s not up to us to judge or condemn.
I ran into a person in a restaurant the other day. To say the least, it was an unpleasant meeting. She called me by name as I was walking out, I responded and walked over, then she asked: “you’re a Christian blogger right?” To which I replied “yes.” Then the fun began! (sarcasm). Sheer attack is what I was faced with. She began yelling, pointing, causing a scene, name calling, and just downright being rude. Contrary to what I thought my reaction would be (ahem-slam her head into the wall behind her ) I was gentle, calm, and began trying to make sense of her madness, even to offer a ‘conversation’ (to no avail). I quoted scripture in rebuttal. (To which I was impressed, I didn’t even know that was in there!) This Cherish, The one who has been overtaken with the mercy and grace of God, has changed my heart of stone to a very soft ball of flesh.
It made me realize that all the things I have been saying is true. I am a changed person. God has done something INCREDIBLE through little ole me. As I left, I wondered who told her she could throw stones? When I walked away from that mess of a person, I was somewhat proud of that event that occurred. Even though it was a bash to my “ego”, I realized that I have lost my ego. I realized I have lost my “pride”(which was too big to begin with) and became solely dependent on God to fight my battles for me. It was truly amazing to walk away feeling on top of it. I had nothing to feel ashamed about – though she did. (Though probably too self-righteous to admit it.) The bible warns against this here: Romans 12:16- Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Afterall, Matt 7 says: Judge not lest ye be judged.
That experience in itself made me ponder. A hypocrite like that is the reason people don’t go to church. The reason some are afraid to go to church, and who’ don’t lik’e to go to church. It’s because a “Christian” like that is on the pew behind them! It’s Christians who call themselves Christians on Sundays and get into brawls and fits of rage that cause problems.
Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. If you live by those guidelines you realize everyone starts somewhere.
Let’s See What the Bible Really Says About Judging:
“Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (Prov 31:9)
“Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt show her all her abominations.” (Ezek 22:2)
“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” (1 Cor 2:15)
“Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (1 Cor 6:2)
I have decided that I will stand for what God wants from me in this lifetime. Though it doesn’t make worldly “sense” to me, I trust God – and my measure of faith is all I have, and it’s sufficient. 1 Corin 2:10 “But God has revealed them to us through is spirit. For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows, the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God.” Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. EVERYONE is a sinner. But it is in honestly, sincerely, wholeheartedly asking God to forgive you of it – that makes you new and forgiven.
I am forgiven.
Proverbs 18:19- Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
So I thought back about what happened in the restaurant, and God led me to this. Galatians 5:19-26
Now the works of the flesh are evident which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dessentions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; Of which I told you in a time past that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, LET US ALSO WALK IN THE SPIRIT.
So, to the lady at the restaurant… I will advise you (as a Christian) read Galations 5:19-26. As I read it, I suffer the condemnation of the flesh. (As do you.) It seems to me that you and I are just alike in Christ’s eyes. However, I walked away and WALKED IN THE SPIRIT in the face of attack.
God bless,
Cherish
Every Knee will bow, and every eye will close.
As Christians we hope that God would call on us and give us a task or a mission to complete. I have learned lately that most of the time these “missions” show up at impromptu dinner meetings, in check out lines, and grocery stores (when you aren’t wearing makeup.) These “missions” aren’t earth shattering or groundbreaking by any means, however they are just as important a the big moments and big events in life.
I find myself asking God to “use” me. Though when I pray this prayer I don’t really know what I am saying. Honestly, God uses each one of us, every single day to do or say something to
someone. We have the opportunity each day to be great and do great –
But do we?
Just being open to an opportunity or a conversation can turn a life around. Jesus did it. Why can’t we? Afterall, aren’t we the body of Christ?
I don’t think a lot of people will understand what I’ve been through in the last year so, and I don’t rightfully expect them to. See, God has done a lot for me. He pulled the blinders off, he ripped me apart from my “self” and I am so thankful and greatful that he broke my heart so deeply that my perspective changed. That my world changed. I started to see the people in my life differently. I saw who my true friends were. I began to see myself at a distance. How self-centered and worldly I had become. He showed me what he offered and I realize that the world wasn’t enough for me. I was honestly ashamed of who I had become…..
I was self-centered and egotistical. I was self-righteous and unsympathetic. I was mean, crude, and even heartless in some instances. If I went back six months I would not recognize myself and that’s something only God could’ve done. I wanted what I wanted and that was it. No discussions, I didn’t need any permission, it was my life.
BUT…………….. I couldn’t be more grateful and thankful that God took that away from me. Once I made the decision to live for him from this point forward, and honestly made it, and meant it.. things changed.
I had begun saying “God whatever you want and I meant whatever you want, to take it- leave it- give it- hide it- break it- shake it- whatever you need- I’m there.”
My life changed, my heart changed, my focus changed, and I’ve been living in the plethora of what God wants to give me and the overflow that they talk about- I am just now seeing it my life. I can’t wait for tomorrow! I’m literally at the point my life that I can’t wait for what’s next.
Have a great week everyone!
Cherish
Have you heard of laughing yoga? I was recently introduced to the idea of making yourself laugh to make yourself feel better, and get more “limber” during exercise classes. I must say that because I am a creature that is drawn to human quirks, I looked up LAUGHING YOGA on the internet. Bahahahaha! Wow…
You watch closely at first.. intrigued at the idea, then you think.. these people are crazy. Then, once you find yourself laughing at them making themselves laugh…You – well…. End up feeling incredibly well and laughing to boot…
My hat is off to this unconventional method of “feeling better” through laughter. Didn’t they used to say “laughter is the best medicine?”
It’s been a rough day.
I am too drained to quote scripture.
too lazy to copy and paste.
and frankly, I’m ready for a nap after laughing ’til my side hurt..
Hope this finds you well today. I hope you have a reason to laugh..or atleast laugh at someone else…
Amen.
Good morning out there! I have been burning the candle at both ends and have been absent from blogging here a couple weeks however I have some great news. God has blessed me once again!
Some opportunities landed in my lap this month that led to a new business venture to start in June. I was able to teach a specialty marketing class at a local college. Oh my goodness… From there the world just opened up in front of me.
So I started a consulting company for small businesses. I am so excited about this new business venture. Who would have thought that from teaching one college class that my mind would be opened as much as the students! Wow. And to think… I didn’t want to go teach that class! What was I thinking?! Teaching the class gave me the confidence to stand on front of them and answer questions as they threw them at me. Apparently I do know something they don’t. Which is a good thing in this case.
So I took this “idea” to God and asked him about it. (I’ve started businesses in the past without him – but I was making sure that this one was all his). I made that vow to him earlier this year that my life will be different now. It will count for something. And I wasn’t about to mess God’s plan up for my life by throwing a wrench in.
So as soon as I prayed the doors flew off the hinges and I’m now in business! I wanted to share it with my fellow bloggers and this is the best way I know! God is so good. In every way he is good.
Blessings come from obedience.
Thanks God!
Oh and friends thanks for all the supportive messages while I was away, it does my heart good to know people enjoy reading my blog… Onward!
modernmiracleme 