As a launch to my posts now becoming three times per week (after some major designing and revamping), I want to really kick this off...with FREE BOOKS! Y'all know how much I love to read (and sniff) books...and now I am passing a piece of this love onto you! For the next 6 weeks, I will be giving away one brand-new book per week in a Rafflecopter Giveaway! I am soooo excited! So follow the link, have fun entering, and the winner of the first book will be announced on June 28th! Happy Reading Everyone!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a519331/
P.S. Those of you that become followers on my blog page will ALL receive a sweet little something in the mail as my blessing to you! (Not the follow by email link, the one further down on the right where you become a Google follower and a member of my blog)! Thank you all, and enjoy!
Blessings!
Debbie
June 20, 2014
May 16, 2014
Life "Isn't".....
We so often focus on the isn't in life, but we don't realize that that's not always a negative thing. When you constantly hear people speaking of: my life isn't what I thought it would be, my marriage isn't that great, my career isn't what I had hoped. Those are the negative "isn't" thoughts and they tend to be what we focus on most often. The things that aren't right in our life, the things that didn't work out the way we had planned. But do we ever stop to focus on the positive "isn't"? Didn't think there were any, did you? It is true, the word "isn't" naturally looks like a negative 4-letter-word. But think of it in the context of it helping us to focus on what we SHOULD focus on instead of what we HAVE been focusing on. Confused yet? Sound like an oxymoron? Let me explain in a little more detail.
There are six things we usually contemplate in life, six things that constantly run through our heads like a hamster in its little wheel over, and over ,and over...and most often with the same ending. That being nowhere, running the same circles, never gaining any distance in any particular direction. What I'm talking about is the who, what, when, where, why, and how of life. We learn those in grade school, but we learn them in the context of writing a story, defining a plot, what paragraphs and focuses are supposed to be included in a good story or paper. But we lose focus as we get older, and stop seeing it as writing on paper, and fail to realize that it still controls our lives--but in a very different way. Those six elements are always there, it's our approach to them and our attitude toward them that changes.
Did you ever notice that the older we get, not only have we lost our innocence, lost our patience, and lost our joyfulness…but we have lost our positivity, our inspiration, and our aspirations? Why does this happen? Why do we go from a small child who believes anything is possible; becoming a princess, becoming a superhero, becoming the most sought after person in the world...to feeling that nothing is possible, we are nobody, and we stop seeking things and dreams. But there are a few things that will always hold true...to God we are all superheroes, He will never stop seeking us, and by living through Him ANYTHING is possible! In knowing just those three things, that should make us focus more on the positive "isn't" circumstances that our lives hold, rather then the negative "isn't" thoughts that we have grown accustomed to. So what are the who, what, when, where, why, and how positive "isn't"'s? It's taking an "isn't" and using it to help you see what "is".
Life isn't about who we don't have, it's about who we become.
Life isn't about what we don't have or what we can gain and show off, it's about the small blessings that are around us at every moment and about what we do for others and what we give back.
Life isn't about when we will achieve something or our dreams will come true, it's about what we do with our lives every second in the meantime to achieve those things we have a passion for.
Life isn't about where we can get to as fast as we can get, it's about embracing the moments along the way and never missing one moment or treasure that the Lord places in our path.
Life isn't about why we go through struggles and why things don't go the way we want, life is about why we trust in God and why we choose to build up strength to get through those times and help others through theirs.
Life isn't about how to get everything we want in life, life is about how well we walk in Christ's image every day and how we strive to do everything God wants for us.
So may we all do our best to focus on the CORRECT who, what, when, where, why, and how of life and use it to help us live a life that nourishes us, encourages others, and glorifies Christ. And what are the correct things to focus on? You may each have your own, but I will share mine with you:
WHO- Christ...let us live our lives with Our God as priority
WHAT- Our salvation...this was given to us freely, but we must continue to honor it and serve
WHEN- Today and the "now"...let us not live for the past or future, but in the blessings of the present
WHERE- On the cross...Jesus began his work when he sacrificed for our sins, but we must continue it
WHY- Love...God is love, Jesus teaches us love, and we are to live our lives in love with one another
HOW- The Bible...stay grounded in God's Word and in community with like-minded believers
Please feel free to leave a comment with your list of focuses, or things you would like to make your new focus. God bless, and may you be provided for and looked upon with favor and grace.
April 22, 2014
Exactly As I Am
I want to be loved whether I am a size 6 or a size 16, whether my face is porcelain smooth or has a few extra lines at the sides of my eyes from smiling. When did how we love someone or if we desire someone become about clothing size rather than heart size? When did we become so superficial and start measuring the outsides to the point that they make our choices of what rules our souls, when we don't even know what lies underneath? I want to be okay with my extra 15 pounds and some cushion around the middle, as well as the new wrinkles and freckles that I'm finding as I age. I want someone to look at me and see me exactly as beautiful and special as they always did, even with these changes, because that would mean that they truly were in love with my heart.
Instead, we're compared with how much inferior we are to the latest issue of magazines flaunting cover girls and chiseled guys, or the half human Barbie that just walked around the corner flaunting her stuff in scantily clad clothing. The same can be said for the men. When did we become more interested in their bank account and their hairline than in their soul and their mind? Comparing them to Matthew McConaughey and Brad Pitt…and all the while becoming livid if they are comparing us to ANY other female on the planet. They say if you want a perfect person to go buy a doll. Truthfully, I don't want to be a doll, an I don't want to be with one either. I want to be adored, accepted, loved, made to feel beautiful, shown that I am enough. I also want to give all of those same things to who I am with so that they know I see them in that same way.
And we are: man, woman, tall, short, skinny, a few extra pounds…we are all beautiful. We are all loved unconditionally. We are all enough just as we are. Do you know how I know? Jesus tells us we are, Jesus died for how beautiful and loved we are. If he can make that profound of a statement about us, who on earth are we to say otherwise? Who are we to turn around and say, "Yeah right, nice try but you're full of it". No, the Creator made us in His own image. We are not supposed to look like clones, robots, Photoshopped magazine ads. We are real, we are unique, and we are each precious in our own way. I am not saying we should not take care of ourselves. God tells us that our bodies are temples that should be holy and cared for in honor of Him. But I also accept the fact that we are human. Just because were size a 2 when we were 18 does not mean we should be expected to be a size 2 when we're 58. Just because we have a beautiful head of hair when we're 25 does not mean we should be expected to still have it at 45.
We are human, we are imperfect. Men go through midlife changes, women go through midlife changes…they are facts of life and they change your body no matter how much you fight against it. Why are we made to feel that it's wrong to embrace that, to still see it as beautiful, to see it as something that we have no reason to be ashamed of? Instead we are told we need to wear more makeup, have hair transplants, have plastic surgery done. All of society keeps telling us we are not enough the way we are, we have to be improved upon. God tells us that we have always and will always be perfect. He created each one of us, and He makes no mistakes. If only we could all walk around blind to the outside but able to look in and see everybody's hearts, minds, and souls. With that we would be able to see motive, intent, and trustworthiness. That would be a wonderful vision to have and something much better to base our decisions upon. Surprisingly, we can have that right now. But it entails letting go of the superficial ideals, the fleshly perfection that we keep trying to seek. It involves loving ourselves just as we are, so that we can love others just as they are. It involves digging into other peoples minds and hearts and personalities so that we can fall in love with them as the people God created them to be, and not the packages He wrapped them in. Some of the most beautiful women I have ever known are overweight, homely to worldly eyes, and "nothing special". And some of the ugliest women I've known have been slender, outwardly attractive, and "all that" from a worldly perspective.
My point to this all is, we let some of the best things in our life pass us by because we are so busy seeing with our eyes instead of with our hearts. May we look as Jesus did, may we love as God wishes for us to. Let's start looking at the important things that make us want to be in someone's life forever, instead of the temporary things that might make us want to be with them for just a moment. And let's stop always searching for more, looking around the corner, checking for greener grass, wondering what else is out there. The greenest grass you will ever find is your own, if only you will water it as much as you desire to water other grass. Let's look at what we already have right in front of us, let's embrace it, let's remember why we fell in love with it…whether it is a family member, a friend, a romantic relationship. Just the same way we need to remind ourselves how and why we fell in love with Jesus, we need to remind ourselves of those same things with people here on earth, and with ourselves. There is no "better than", we are all equal, just different. And we should all be loved just the same without being compared, scaled, measured. Just loved and accepted, plain and simple. Acknowledged for the beautiful creatures that we are, man and woman, each beautiful and God's masterpiece of design. Accept yourselves and love yourselves, accept others and love others. Close the worldly eyes and leave them behind, and open the eyes of the heart and let them allow you to see things and people the way they were meant to be seen.
Instead, we're compared with how much inferior we are to the latest issue of magazines flaunting cover girls and chiseled guys, or the half human Barbie that just walked around the corner flaunting her stuff in scantily clad clothing. The same can be said for the men. When did we become more interested in their bank account and their hairline than in their soul and their mind? Comparing them to Matthew McConaughey and Brad Pitt…and all the while becoming livid if they are comparing us to ANY other female on the planet. They say if you want a perfect person to go buy a doll. Truthfully, I don't want to be a doll, an I don't want to be with one either. I want to be adored, accepted, loved, made to feel beautiful, shown that I am enough. I also want to give all of those same things to who I am with so that they know I see them in that same way.
And we are: man, woman, tall, short, skinny, a few extra pounds…we are all beautiful. We are all loved unconditionally. We are all enough just as we are. Do you know how I know? Jesus tells us we are, Jesus died for how beautiful and loved we are. If he can make that profound of a statement about us, who on earth are we to say otherwise? Who are we to turn around and say, "Yeah right, nice try but you're full of it". No, the Creator made us in His own image. We are not supposed to look like clones, robots, Photoshopped magazine ads. We are real, we are unique, and we are each precious in our own way. I am not saying we should not take care of ourselves. God tells us that our bodies are temples that should be holy and cared for in honor of Him. But I also accept the fact that we are human. Just because were size a 2 when we were 18 does not mean we should be expected to be a size 2 when we're 58. Just because we have a beautiful head of hair when we're 25 does not mean we should be expected to still have it at 45.
We are human, we are imperfect. Men go through midlife changes, women go through midlife changes…they are facts of life and they change your body no matter how much you fight against it. Why are we made to feel that it's wrong to embrace that, to still see it as beautiful, to see it as something that we have no reason to be ashamed of? Instead we are told we need to wear more makeup, have hair transplants, have plastic surgery done. All of society keeps telling us we are not enough the way we are, we have to be improved upon. God tells us that we have always and will always be perfect. He created each one of us, and He makes no mistakes. If only we could all walk around blind to the outside but able to look in and see everybody's hearts, minds, and souls. With that we would be able to see motive, intent, and trustworthiness. That would be a wonderful vision to have and something much better to base our decisions upon. Surprisingly, we can have that right now. But it entails letting go of the superficial ideals, the fleshly perfection that we keep trying to seek. It involves loving ourselves just as we are, so that we can love others just as they are. It involves digging into other peoples minds and hearts and personalities so that we can fall in love with them as the people God created them to be, and not the packages He wrapped them in. Some of the most beautiful women I have ever known are overweight, homely to worldly eyes, and "nothing special". And some of the ugliest women I've known have been slender, outwardly attractive, and "all that" from a worldly perspective.
My point to this all is, we let some of the best things in our life pass us by because we are so busy seeing with our eyes instead of with our hearts. May we look as Jesus did, may we love as God wishes for us to. Let's start looking at the important things that make us want to be in someone's life forever, instead of the temporary things that might make us want to be with them for just a moment. And let's stop always searching for more, looking around the corner, checking for greener grass, wondering what else is out there. The greenest grass you will ever find is your own, if only you will water it as much as you desire to water other grass. Let's look at what we already have right in front of us, let's embrace it, let's remember why we fell in love with it…whether it is a family member, a friend, a romantic relationship. Just the same way we need to remind ourselves how and why we fell in love with Jesus, we need to remind ourselves of those same things with people here on earth, and with ourselves. There is no "better than", we are all equal, just different. And we should all be loved just the same without being compared, scaled, measured. Just loved and accepted, plain and simple. Acknowledged for the beautiful creatures that we are, man and woman, each beautiful and God's masterpiece of design. Accept yourselves and love yourselves, accept others and love others. Close the worldly eyes and leave them behind, and open the eyes of the heart and let them allow you to see things and people the way they were meant to be seen.
April 8, 2014
The Better Things Are, The Harder They'll Be
Huh? Is that the first thought that popped into your mind when you read that? When things are good, that means they are easy, right? So when things are going good in your life, it can't possibly make your life more difficult. That would be an oxymoron! Well, those typical worldly rules of "good people reap only good things" gets thrown out of the window when it comes to a devoted Christian. Now, that is not to say that the Christian life is one of misery and that you will spend your life doing good things and getting only bad back. Not by ANY means! The Christian life is the most beautiful and rewarding thing you could ever experience. But it is also the most persecuted and targeted life choice you can make. When you give your life over to Christ and lay your heart at the foot of the cross accepting him as your Savior, you will have an immediate target placed on your back. Satan, the devil, the enemy...whatever you want to call him, he will immediately start plotting ways to deter your path and make you second-guess your choice. Every inch closer that you grow to God, the enemy loses an mile of power. Power is what Satan craves most, and it is the only way he knows how to operate and manipulate. When we live for Christ and obey the Word (The Bible), we make the devil angry because he gets worried and scared by being reminded that the end of his time coming near. He wants to take as many souls with him as possible, and each time someone seeks The Lord, he feels one soul possibly slipping out of his grasps, and he panics.
So what does he do? He starts manipulating your mind and heart with doubt, worry, fear, and hurt. If he can get you to distrust God or take you away even a little, then he knows he has all of the leash he needs to pull you close enough to sink his teeth into you! One less hour a week that you spend studying the Bible, turns into 5 hours less a week. One missed service turns into 2 months of missed services. Involvement in several study groups turns into "I'll just study on my own." It happens slowly, and sometimes is almost unnoticeable until it has already damaged your life and your relationship with God. If you are secluded, the enemy has a lifeline into your mind to play his tricks and plant his lies. And if Satan isn't enough, we have his pawns. People planted on this earth that will ridicule Christ-followers, chastise us, and condemn us. If they can get us to doubt God or aid Satan in causing something bad in our life, then he and his pawns can likely cause us to blame God and turn from him when things happen in life, instead of praising God and turning to Him. So you see, trials are not a sign of us not being favored, not doing right in life, or not being loved by God. Rather, they are a VERY strong sign that we are on the right path, that we are growing closer to God, and that we are achieving victory. It shows we are on our way to doing great things for the Kingdom!
Keep in mind also that God will not cause you to have trials in your life, but He may allow them to continue and have you walk through them. This refines us, and teaches us to be more like Jesus Christ. This also speaks of our true heart and motives, and reveals our own strengths and weaknesses. This is not done to make us feel less than, but so that we can work on ourselves and improve our walk with The Lord in order to become closer in our connection with God. Trials are often blessings in disguise, if only we would look at them with an open heart instead of an accusatory selfishness. The harder we are pursued by trials, the greater glory and praise that is being brought to Our Father! Still confused? Maybe some of the below Scriptures will help to bring you understanding. For those of you who are already strong Christians, you know how this works and why it works this way. For those of you who aren't or are new Christians and still not quite sure why this occurs in our journey towards a closer relationship with Christ, please feel free to contact me for further discussion via phone, email, or web. I would love to converse with you about this, let The Lord guide me in aiding your understanding, and develop continuing fellowship with you! God has us all here to help each other, and community is one of His greatest blessings! Please feel free to email me at saviorsgraceministries@gmail.com , or message me at http://www.facebook.com/SaviorsGraceMinistries. God bless, my beloved brothers an sisters in Christ. Stay steadfast in your walk with Our Lord...the blessings you will receive in the end are immeasurable compared to anything this world can do for you!
"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." (James 1:2 MSG)
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18 NIV)
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance." (Romans 5:3 NLT)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6 NIV)
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12 ESV)
So what does he do? He starts manipulating your mind and heart with doubt, worry, fear, and hurt. If he can get you to distrust God or take you away even a little, then he knows he has all of the leash he needs to pull you close enough to sink his teeth into you! One less hour a week that you spend studying the Bible, turns into 5 hours less a week. One missed service turns into 2 months of missed services. Involvement in several study groups turns into "I'll just study on my own." It happens slowly, and sometimes is almost unnoticeable until it has already damaged your life and your relationship with God. If you are secluded, the enemy has a lifeline into your mind to play his tricks and plant his lies. And if Satan isn't enough, we have his pawns. People planted on this earth that will ridicule Christ-followers, chastise us, and condemn us. If they can get us to doubt God or aid Satan in causing something bad in our life, then he and his pawns can likely cause us to blame God and turn from him when things happen in life, instead of praising God and turning to Him. So you see, trials are not a sign of us not being favored, not doing right in life, or not being loved by God. Rather, they are a VERY strong sign that we are on the right path, that we are growing closer to God, and that we are achieving victory. It shows we are on our way to doing great things for the Kingdom!
Keep in mind also that God will not cause you to have trials in your life, but He may allow them to continue and have you walk through them. This refines us, and teaches us to be more like Jesus Christ. This also speaks of our true heart and motives, and reveals our own strengths and weaknesses. This is not done to make us feel less than, but so that we can work on ourselves and improve our walk with The Lord in order to become closer in our connection with God. Trials are often blessings in disguise, if only we would look at them with an open heart instead of an accusatory selfishness. The harder we are pursued by trials, the greater glory and praise that is being brought to Our Father! Still confused? Maybe some of the below Scriptures will help to bring you understanding. For those of you who are already strong Christians, you know how this works and why it works this way. For those of you who aren't or are new Christians and still not quite sure why this occurs in our journey towards a closer relationship with Christ, please feel free to contact me for further discussion via phone, email, or web. I would love to converse with you about this, let The Lord guide me in aiding your understanding, and develop continuing fellowship with you! God has us all here to help each other, and community is one of His greatest blessings! Please feel free to email me at saviorsgraceministries@gmail.com , or message me at http://www.facebook.com/SaviorsGraceMinistries. God bless, my beloved brothers an sisters in Christ. Stay steadfast in your walk with Our Lord...the blessings you will receive in the end are immeasurable compared to anything this world can do for you!
"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." (James 1:2 MSG)
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18 NIV)
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance." (Romans 5:3 NLT)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6 NIV)
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12 ESV)
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