I think I'm dreaming. I'm waiting to wake up from this dream and for REAL life to begin. It's like I'm waiting for the "bad thing" to happen and to burst this bubble I'm living in.
But I see that my life is not without it's problems, difficulties and frustrations.
I just look at and approach them and life differently.
I realize that my value is not based on what is/has happened to me, but based on a horrific death that bought me back from a life of sin. I focus on God's love and goodness that is on display all around me. I bring all my fears, sorrows and frustrations and leave them in His capable hands, because I know He can fix a broken heart, so anything else will be a cinch for Him. I also share my laughter, joy, dreams, plans and moments of sweet communion with my Creator, who delights in hearing my voice and seeing me smile.
I get up each morning and I can't believe this is my life and I get to live it to God's fullest with great joy!
So...
I am living in a dream!!! God's dream for me - a REAL life dream; a life lived walking with Him.
"But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely."
Galatians 5:22-23
"Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to God, your God. And here's why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, This most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe. Who knows? Maybe He'll do it now, Maybe He'll turn around and show pity. Maybe, when all's said and done, there'll be blessings full and robust!"
Joel 2:13-14
"Give in to God, come to terms with Him and everything will turn out just fine. Let Him tell you what to do; take His words to heart. Come back to God Almighty and He'll rebuild your life. Clean house of everything evil. Relax your grip on your money and abandon your gold-plated luxury. God Almighty will be your treasure, more wealth than you can imagine. You'll take delight in God, the Mighty One, and look to Him joyfully, boldly. You'll pray to Him and He'll listen; He'll help you do what you've promised. You'll decide what you want and it will happen; your life will be bathed in light. To those who feel low you'll say, 'Chin up! Be brave!' and God will save them. Yes, even the guilty will escape, escape through God's grace in your life."
Job 22:21-30
Monday 31 December 2012
Tuesday 18 December 2012
My Ordinary Life
Some days I get frustrated because I feel like I'm not doing anything for God. I think, "I should be Benny Hinn or Joyce Meyer or something. It seems like they have the corner on God's market."
I just live a plain, old, don't do anything extraordinary life.
Except.
How extraordinary is it when you're with the same people day after day and they see something different about you? When people see you walk through trials and struggles with joy and confidence in the One who created you, or when you have honesty and integrity in a world full of lies and scams, or when you are able to show God's amazing love to those around you consistently?
I may not have the audience that some do, but people are watching, and I want them to see God and His amazing love and power in me.
So if that means living an "ordinary" life, then I'm going to do it to the best of my ability and rely on God's grace to make it extraordinary.
"During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old."
Luke 1:5-7 MSG
Read Luke 1:5-25 for the full effect of a life live honourably before God.
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
Romans 12:1-2 MSG
I just live a plain, old, don't do anything extraordinary life.
Except.
How extraordinary is it when you're with the same people day after day and they see something different about you? When people see you walk through trials and struggles with joy and confidence in the One who created you, or when you have honesty and integrity in a world full of lies and scams, or when you are able to show God's amazing love to those around you consistently?
I may not have the audience that some do, but people are watching, and I want them to see God and His amazing love and power in me.
So if that means living an "ordinary" life, then I'm going to do it to the best of my ability and rely on God's grace to make it extraordinary.
"During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old."
Luke 1:5-7 MSG
Read Luke 1:5-25 for the full effect of a life live honourably before God.
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
Romans 12:1-2 MSG
Thursday 13 December 2012
Pursued
Call me old fashioned, but I want to be pursued by my husband.
The thing is I've been pursued all my life.
By a man, who gave up His life for mine.
Most of my life I didn't realize it.
I didn't paid attention to the ways he showed His love, care and concern for me.
But now my eyes have been open.
I see Him in creation around me. In a hug from a close friend, a kind word, a song on the radio, a smile from a stranger.
I know He cares about me when things in life fall into place, when I unexpectedly receive the thing I have been needing, or when He answers my prayers and those deep longings in my heart.
Most of my life I have lived looking for an earthly man(or woman) to be my saviour, the one I can always count on and will be everything I need.
They always fail me in one way or another.
But Jesus, well, He has yet too, and I doubt He ever will. He has proven Himself faithful and patient, when I have and when I haven't deserved it.
He says He has a future beyond my wildest dreams planned out for me, and He had them planned before the earth was created.
To me that says, "Sarah, I've got you and I'll never let you go."
True security.
"Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son."
-Ephesians 1:4-6 MSG
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us."
-Ephesians 3:20 MSG
"I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you."
-Jeremiah 29:11-14 MSG
The thing is I've been pursued all my life.
By a man, who gave up His life for mine.
Most of my life I didn't realize it.
I didn't paid attention to the ways he showed His love, care and concern for me.
But now my eyes have been open.
I see Him in creation around me. In a hug from a close friend, a kind word, a song on the radio, a smile from a stranger.
I know He cares about me when things in life fall into place, when I unexpectedly receive the thing I have been needing, or when He answers my prayers and those deep longings in my heart.
Most of my life I have lived looking for an earthly man(or woman) to be my saviour, the one I can always count on and will be everything I need.
They always fail me in one way or another.
But Jesus, well, He has yet too, and I doubt He ever will. He has proven Himself faithful and patient, when I have and when I haven't deserved it.
He says He has a future beyond my wildest dreams planned out for me, and He had them planned before the earth was created.
To me that says, "Sarah, I've got you and I'll never let you go."
True security.
"Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son."
-Ephesians 1:4-6 MSG
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us."
-Ephesians 3:20 MSG
"I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you."
-Jeremiah 29:11-14 MSG
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