tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88673373884982231642024-02-07T09:18:20.183-08:00Seasons "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven" -Ecclesiastes 3:1Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-71784643149090708602016-06-23T21:34:00.001-07:002016-06-23T21:49:15.668-07:00Black Holes<div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrPfj0ioyA7yuKvrBPBuzA_3wQ8xp3EcwwuDNEHgfwFDkjxXUTFNLnuvTlVbpuh5gtZTUMTUOB3hCfwHnUIQoD_lVBaupBWfj-HL2fO7N_nZLfB4LcTceoUFhmv2MdCfP8humVzbrMc4/s640/blogger-image-180337565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrPfj0ioyA7yuKvrBPBuzA_3wQ8xp3EcwwuDNEHgfwFDkjxXUTFNLnuvTlVbpuh5gtZTUMTUOB3hCfwHnUIQoD_lVBaupBWfj-HL2fO7N_nZLfB4LcTceoUFhmv2MdCfP8humVzbrMc4/s640/blogger-image-180337565.jpg"></a></i></div><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></i><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></i></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A black hole is a region in space where the pulling force of gravity is so strong that light is not able to escape. The strong gravity occurs because matter has been pressed into a tiny space. This compression can take place at the end of a star's life. Some black holes are a result of dying stars.</i></p></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Because no light can escape, black holes are invisible. However, space telescopes with special instruments can help find black holes. They can observe the behavior of material and stars that are very close to black holes. (http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-a-black-hole-58.html)</i></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When some stars die, they collapse in on themselves and create a black hole. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To me, this is hard to wrap my head around. These black holes suck things into them with such gravitational force, that nothing can ever leave. They're so tightly compacted, that light can't leave. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sometimes things happen in life, and we wind up blaming ourselves. We beat ourselves up to the point that we turn in on ourselves. We take all of our anger, frustration, resentment, bitterness, turn it all in on ourselves, and don't let it leave. You might blame yourself for any number of things... Problems with family, your marriage, your job. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let me just tell you. When you start turning inward on yourself, you can get yourself in a lot of trouble. You might think you aren't hurting anyone else, but the nature of a star that has collapsed in on itself is to suck the light out of what is around it. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Black holes form when the star has ran out of fuel. Maybe you are just tired of trying. Maybe you're fed up, and you can't rely on anyone, so you cram all your feelings into yourself. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you do not find something to cling to outside of yourself, you will not only destroy yourself, but destroy the lives around you. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you don't know God, the creator of this miraculous universe, He is the only one strong enough to keep you from collapsing in on yourself. He is the only thing sturdy enough to cling to when you can physically feel you collapsing in on yourself. You don't need to view Christ as a lifesaver, you need to view him as your life-force. He isn't just there to pull you out of raging waters, He should be the will inside of you telling you to fight and swim. The amazing thing about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is that he is not only your will to live, he's what you cling to when you get to shore, the hands that pull you from the waters, and the EMT himself. God is literally everything you need Him to be. You just have to trust him.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Don't collapse in on yourself. Don't suck the light out of the people around you. Find the strength to reach out and cling to the creator of the universe before you become a black hole. Don't get so far gone that somebody has to break out a telescope to find the real you. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." -Hebrews 10:23</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;" - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; he saves those crushed in spirit" -Psalm 34:18</span></p><p style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;"><br></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-71024182084709200472015-11-17T23:16:00.001-08:002015-11-17T23:16:09.915-08:00Sinners Anonymous<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIGiphh6ij56SWY9xIVdz3Uwvr1imz16gfK7974m7uvHYipDh7LQZmRW4VG_pGGsq-XKZv5X65m2jfeNXTdNDqKl_rzrfdIlosSFgIqSPn_jSHCU-6gpzOlUdfNCgcuiFshBydKd9NVo/s1600/SA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIGiphh6ij56SWY9xIVdz3Uwvr1imz16gfK7974m7uvHYipDh7LQZmRW4VG_pGGsq-XKZv5X65m2jfeNXTdNDqKl_rzrfdIlosSFgIqSPn_jSHCU-6gpzOlUdfNCgcuiFshBydKd9NVo/s320/SA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There have been several events in the last couple of weeks that have finally driven me to write this very real and very raw blog. The driving force behind this post is a quote from Beth Moore's new book, <u>Audacious:</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 21.4667px;"><i>God knows exactly how real or pretentious our faith is. But we don't. That's the thing. Neither do the people in our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our social environments, or our spheres of influence. Neither do angels or demonic principalities. God tests us to bring out the real us. He tests us to prove our faithfulness to Him in front of a devil who bets we're fakes. God tests us to prove us genuine to "a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us" (Heb. 12:1). For crying out loud, He tests us to prove us genuine to ourselves, the last ones to usually know. God knows what is inside you. That's the person He's trying to surface. If He's knocking the cover off of you, He's trying to get to the light.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This quote hit me like a ton of well-worded bricks.</span></div>
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It made me <b>actually</b> look at myself. Ew... and what I saw, I hated. </div>
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There was a series of events that led other people to open up to me about their EW factors and that's when this thought blazed across my brain...</div>
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<b>WHAT IF...</b></span><div>
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">we approached our Christian walk as a recovery program instead of a beauty pageant?</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because as it stands right now, Christianity looks more like a beauty pageant every day. We gather in large numbers for a show. We gather to look on a whole lot of fake. There's a lot of makeup, self-tanner, hair spray, and scripted answers. If you grew up in a Southern church, I probably just described your Momma circa 1985... bless her heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if we ALL recognized</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that we are sinners. What if we ALL realized that we ALL fall short of the glory of God. What if we ALL actively supported each other in our quest to fight back against our sinful nature? What if we could openly gather and say, "hello, my name is Catherine... and I have a sinful nature."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if we could gather into a group that wouldn't judge us based on the words and confessions that would fall out of our mouths. What if we could gather into a community of believers where we laid it all out on the table. What if we could say, "hello, my name is Catherine... and I have a sinful nature. I fail daily, but you guys know that. Today was really hard, I wanted to turn to my old habits of ___________." And then... what if we talked about the triggers of our sinful nature: lying, gossiping, pornography, substances, anger, sexual acts, homosexual tendencies. What if talked about the person under the makeup, beneath the hair, behind the scripted answers. Do you not see it all around you? Do you not see the addicts, the anxious, and the adulterous in the pews beside you? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are so delusional to think that ANYBODY has it all together. We put on a show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may be fooling everyone around you, but Satan is betting his bottom dollar on your fake. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery programs have a 12 step program:</span></div>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="God">God</a> <i>as we understood Him</i>.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_character" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Moral character">character</a>.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make <a class="extiw" href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/amends" style="background: none; color: #663366; text-decoration: none;" title="wikt:amends">amends</a> to them all.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sought through <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Prayer">prayer</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Meditation">meditation</a> to improve our conscious contact with God <i>as we understood Him</i>, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if we replaced "alcohol" with "sinful nature"?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">1. We admitted we were powerless over <u>our sinful nature</u>—that our lives had </span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">become unmanageable.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to </span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">sanity.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="God">God</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><i style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">as we</i><i style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> understood Him</i><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Folks... the first steps here are the first steps in how you become a Christian. Admitting that you're powerless over sin and that a Power greater than yourself is the only thing that can restore you. Then, you make a DECISION to turn your will and your life over to God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">of our wrongs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_character" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Moral character">character</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.</span><br /><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Once you've made the decision, there's got to be follow through. You admit to God that you need Him, and you ready yourself to have Him remove the defects of character. You humble yourself and ask Him to remove your shortcomings. You recognize you can't do this alone. You no longer rely on just you anymore. You've enlisted Him to come aboard and help you wrangle this monster.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">make </span><a class="extiw" href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/amends" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #663366; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="wikt:amends">amends</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> to them all.</span><div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">would injure them or others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">admitted it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">I think it would be awesome if we as Christians kept inventory of the people we hurt as a result of our sinful nature and actually asked them for their forgiveness. Matthew 5:23-24 talks about leaving your offering on the alter if you remember that someone has something against you, and going to fix it before continuing. Promptly admit your shortcomings. We have a hard time doing that as a society.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">11. Sought through </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Prayer">prayer</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Meditation">meditation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> to improve our conscious contact </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">with God </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">as we understood Him</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">, praying only for knowledge of His will for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">us </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">and the power to carry that out.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">carry this message to others of </span><u style="color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">sinful nature</u><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">, and to practice these </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">principles in all</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> our affairs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">Once we realize that our sinful nature hurts others as well as ourselves, we can begin the process of healing. We can't help that we're born sinners. What we can help, is that we can be saved by grace. We can pray for His will for us and carry it out. Once we're working on ourselves, we can gather with others who are also working on themselves... recognizing that this fight against our sinful nature is never ending. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;">We're all struggling with something, none of us are perfect, no, not one!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;">What if we were real and raw. What if we sat down together as a support group, as a body of believers and said, "I'm here for you... spill."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;">It's not a beauty pageant, but if we own this fight against our sinful nature, we could ALL wind up with crowns. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;">My name is Catherine Rhoades... and I have a sinful nature.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-86339968899277268302015-10-26T14:06:00.004-07:002015-10-26T14:30:21.729-07:00Ugly Words<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I was stalking Facebook and came across a post by a very famous Christian Speaker. In the comments section she had left a one word, 4-letter comment. To most of us, we would say that one word, 4-letter comment was a cuss word. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a lot of feelings about this so I'm going to share them with you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My first reaction was, "this woman has THOUSANDS of hungry Christian women looking to her for nourishment, why would she abuse her platform like this?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The things wrong with that statement, y'all!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Firstly, <u><strong>we shouldn't rely on anybody to feed us spiritually</strong></u>. We should be a hunter-gatherer proficient in our skill, looking into the Word and talking to God to get our sustenance. We should view everyone else as a grocery store. If we're successful in our endeavors, we should view everyone else a s supplement to what we are already trying to do. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The grocery store has stuff that's already pre-packaged and ready for us to eat out of the box. It's easy, it's sustaining, but how do you know where it comes from? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm about to get deep, so put on your lifejackets and pull up your big-girl panties. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the microwave society that we live in, we LOVE pre-packaged food. We also apparently like pre-packaged gospel. We don't want to have to do any of the work. We hit the doors of the church on Sundays, and sometimes Wednesdays, but how much hunting down do we do in our spare time? How do you know that what you are being told from the pulpit is truth? Do you really want to put all you know about salvation in the hands of another person? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if they have another agenda? What if you're being led astray, and you're perfectly content? When was the last time you talked to God without asking him for something?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, why did this one word bug me so much? At first I was really upset because thousands of people had read this particular thread. Thousands of women took one of two stances on this word: 1)"I'm glad to see that she cusses too" OR 2) "I'm kind of disappointed in her for using that type of language.'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's unpack both of those for a minute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can make a thousand excuses for cussing. Here is a non-exhaustive list:<br /> -I wanted to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -I didn't mean to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -It adds comedic effect </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -Typing it or saying it is no different than thinking it (or is it?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -I'm sure Jesus wanted to cuss</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -It has multiple meanings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -What makes it a cuss word anyways? It's just a word.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So do any of those things make it right? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a non-exhaustive list on reasons not to cuss:<br /> -There are other/better words you can use</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -Would you want your kids saying it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -Does it build up? (Oh, but does it tear down?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -Does it sound good?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -There is a stigma about bad words. They just sound bad.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's my personal thoughts on it:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think she could have chosen a better word. People are looking to her for sustenance. Women who genuinely look up to this woman look to her for guidance. Hundreds of women came to her defense with all of the excuses I listed above. They now feel better about themselves cussing because this Godly woman cussed (and yes I do believe she is a woman of God). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Saying, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"this person cusses so it's okay if I cuss" is downright dumb. Can I say that? If she had the same following and she jumped off a bridge because it caused her to have a spiritual awakening, would we all follow suit? I WOULD HOPE NOT. Cheese and crackers, people! Let's find some independence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I promise, I have not always had the prettiest of mouths. My father warned us growing up that integrating cuss words into our vocabulary meant having them around forever. He told us to never pick them up, because we would never be able to put them down again. And wouldn't you know, the man was right. I actively try to watch my language (this is a relatively new adventure). Now when I hear ugly words, they sting my e</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ars a little. It's not easy,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I've had to get creative when I step on Legos in the middle of the night, "GREAT GOOGELY MOOGLY HOUND DOG!" I've admittedly said ugly words in my head, God's heard it, but my kids, not so much. I try to keep it contained. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's an active choice. That's why I was so offended to see her physically type out the word. She chose to put that out there for those thousands of impressionable women. She didn't stub her toe and Facebook magically posted her outburst, it was a choice. A choice that I'm going to have to disagree with. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What this post should really be about is, "have your own mind, do your own thing, do your own research, have a brain that is all your own, don't follow the crowd..." but instead this post is about a baby step you can take, <strong><u>"think about your audience."</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You're influencing people everywhere you go. Why? Because people have a really hard time doing their own thing. There are a lot of people jumping off dumb bridges in the world: The bridges of social norms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Put your feet up... this is going to step on all of our toes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These socially acceptable bridges are cussing, too much alcohol, sex before marriage, living with someone before marriage, homosexuality, addictions in most</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> of their forms...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Y'all, I'm guilty of so much. I want to be that parent who screams, "DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID THAT I DID." I can talk till I'm blue in the face, but what my kiddos are going to do, is</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> emulate what I do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look at your audience, do you see them ALL around you? In the grocery store, in Walmart, in your own home, on Facebook... people are everywhere. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Christians, the world is our audience. What we do and what we say are vitally important to our witness. If we look exactly like the world, we aren't doing what we're called to do. We're called to be set apart, to take that narrow road. <em><strong>"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" --Matt. 7:14</strong></em></span><br />
<br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. --1 Corinthians 10:23-24</span></strong></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The gospel is offensive on its own. If you do what the Word says, you'll be swimming upstream, my friend. Everyone will be jumping off the Social Norm Bridge, and you might be left alone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you ready for that? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's worse, is that the world wants to see us fail in our attempts to swim against the current. They revel in our missteps, but what they don't know, is that we have grace. Grace will pick you up, turn you around, and put you back on the right course. You can count on grace to always have your back when you screw up (just don't use God and grace as a spare tire. Don't abuse the power of grace. Don't take advantage of it like that.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People are always watching you, <u><strong>what are you going to do about your audience?</strong></u> Start by being a good example, and make sure you're not taking people off a ledge with you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-92098079194339270422015-08-28T13:42:00.001-07:002015-08-28T13:44:21.328-07:00Cancer Stinks.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have this habit. At 25 years old, I still can’t decide if I
think it’s a good habit, or if it’s even healthy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My brain turns at like a 1,000 miles an hour and it’s
constantly, desperately trying to process and retain everything. Sometimes it
just can’t handle it all, and it forces me to eject it all out of my head and out onto paper in
words. Words, for me, are what my brain can’t handle holding onto.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today, my brain is so full, that this poor keyboard
underneath my fingertips is about to take one heck of a beating. I literally cannot
even comprehend the stuff going on in my life right now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have this friend. She’s amazing. She’s incredible. She’s beautiful,
talented, and hilariously sassy. She just turned 12. And you know what is
garbage? She’s fighting for her 12 year old life in a hospital bed in a
children’s hospital because of cancer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can we just touch on everything wrong in that sentence? A TWELVE
year old fighting cancer. A cancer that is trying everything in its inanimate
power to pull the life away from this 12 year old. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now Children’s hospitals. Isn’t that some garbage right
there? Why do we have to have hospitals for little innocents fighting for their
lives!? Why is any of this FAIR!? Why do these institutions have to exist? Can’t
we all just live to a ripe old age and then get sick and die? Why do these little
people, who have never done anything wrong have to suffer because of cancer? Because
of disease? Because of nobody’s fault?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">IT’S SO UNFAIR. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just want to shake someone and say, “HOW DOES ANY OF THIS
MAKE A LICK OF SENSE!?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is just a little of what is currently imploding inside
my head. I can’t wrap my brain around it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You walk into this children’s hospital and the place looks
like Wonderland. It’s fun, there are fish tanks, there are lollipops in the
waiting rooms, there are stores with giant stuffed animals, there are super
nice nurses and doctors who adore children…. And then there are tiny sick people.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This place is meant to be welcoming to children. It’s meant
to put parents at ease. They know their children are going to be well taken
care of. But what is really hard to comprehend, is that someone had to design
this fun space to be welcoming for children who may not walk back out of its
doors. I know they try, and they do the MOST incredible job, but the whole concept
is heart wrenching. No. It’s morbid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My 12 year old friend didn’t do anything to deserve what she
is going through. Her family didn’t expect this when they gave birth to her.
Nobody does. Nobody asks for catastrophe… it is the unfair, despicable, filth
that was brought upon us from the presence of sin. And it stinks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is literally no way else to put it. It’s filthy,
rotten, detestable, garbage. There it is: Cancer stinks. Kids getting cancer stinks.
The fact that children’s hospitals have to exist, stinks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You hear all of these clichés and perhaps you’ve used them,
but you have to use your best, “bless your heart” voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“God’s going to get the glory for this”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“If its God’s will…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“We’re praying for you…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“This will make you stronger”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We say these things out of the goodness of our hearts, but
peaches and cream, people… it still doesn’t make sense! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We say these things in hopes of rationalizing what cannot be
comprehended. We use empty words because we literally cannot even begin to
understand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you for trying, really, I know you care…. But let’s be
human for like 2 seconds. ALL OF THIS STINKS!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can say that. We have the right to do that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can turn to the Father and we can question him till the
cows come home, but the truth of the matter is, we’re never going to fully
understand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can throw questions at the sky, we can shake our fists,
we can scream, cry, rant, hoop ‘n holler, but it’s not going to do a bit of
good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Example: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other day, my kid told me she didn’t like me. Good.
Because sometimes I really don’t like her either. But it’s a good thing I love
her to death. I love her more than I love my own life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is this feeling, of being a mother, that has me weeping over
coffee. I cannot even imagine my baby having cancer. It is unfathomable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are foolish to think that God doesn’t look at us in the same
way. He understands us more than we give Him credit for. He dwelt among us! If He
cried, you can bet He laughed, and if He laughed, you can bet He was mad.
Actually, there are times I wish I could drive people out of my house with
whips too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here’s my point. It’s not going to do you a bit of good to
sit and get mad at God. He’s got that. You don’t have to tell Him anything. He
already knows! What takes strength is to ask Him to reveal to you what on earth
is going on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And if you’re still and if you’re quiet and if you believe
that God is who He says He is, then He’ll bring it to the forefront of your
mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’re all going to die. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That stinks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is not how we leave
this world -- it is how we have LIVED in this world. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And you say, “Catherine, what in the tarnation does that
even mean!?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What that means is that from dust we have come, and to dust
we will return. It’s up to us to make something of those days in between birth
and death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My friend did that something. She accepted Christ as her
savior and when she does pass away, and she will eventually, because we all
will, she’ll bask in the Light of our savior and praise His name forever. Which,
frankly, sounds amazing and morbid at the same time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People talk about rejoicing in times of death. But let’s be
real, honest, and real honest here: there is NOTHING to rejoice about when a
child dies. And if you do, then you’re sick and should seek professional help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If and when my 12 year old sister in Christ passes, my soul –
the part of me that will live forever – will be happy for her, but every ounce
of my flesh will miss her beautiful smile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So let’s review:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cancer stinks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dying stinks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clichés stink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But being mad at God isn’t going to get you anywhere. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s not going to help at all, however, getting to know Him
a little better, will help a whole lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He’s not doing it to be mean and cruel. Jesus loves
children. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recount Jesus saying (in one way or
another), “Let the Children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such
belongs the kingdom of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So why would a good God let cancer happen? Why would a good
God let children die? Why would a good God let there be children’s hospitals?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He’s not focused on how you leave this world, he’s concerned
with how you’re living in it right now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Death is not perceived as loss to God. God sees death as an
opportunity to finally meet you and love on you for the rest of eternity. If
you deny God in this world, then guess what? You’ll still get the privilege of
meeting your creator, but you’ll be eternally separated from him. And THAT will
royally stink. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When children die, they go home to a God who loves them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When cancer patients die, they meet their maker. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s up to all of us to be ready to leave this world one way
or another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make decisions daily that will determine what will happen
when you die… because it WILL happen. You can bet your bottom dollar on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SO… what do we do for our friends who are suffering? What do
we do for our people who are angry at their circumstances? What do we do to
overcome what stinks? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We go through it with them. Not face to face, but shoulder
to shoulder. Be present, be understanding, don’t say cliché things when you don’t
know what to say. ACTUALLY pray for them. Make them baked goods and be there with
and for them. Nothing is going to make it stink any less, but your presence and
your prayers will be felt, and that is comforting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get through it together, and all those clichés that sound
horrible will actually start making sense. You WILL be stronger. It actually IS
God’s will (for all of us to die). God SHOULD get the glory because he gave us the
Holy Spirit as a comforter because He loves us: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Not only that, but we
rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not
put us to shame, but God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirt who has been given to us.” –Romans 3-5.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And on the other side of trials, you do realize that God really
doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle. Although, that’s not even correct
scripture (see 1 Corinthians 10:13 if I just confused you).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that I’ve got all that down on paper, I feel better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I just have to work out my feelings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope this has helped you to work through some things as
well. I’ve had enough stink. I’m going to get some fresh air. I’d recommend the
same for you. They say it’s awfully good for you.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-71711163264836508112015-05-22T00:01:00.000-07:002015-05-22T21:36:53.983-07:00I'm Sorry: For Being a Lukewarm Christian<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBy_kUU___EYgnprJqfW2U8BP3uzSPCk40q17rP2k0bRyD_RFjCSiNUZ3vMo_FdtlcK9Z7sYaDNBdwzHc9PqDydulMlEiF7ibWmLTGae5kT863_pbjgpNaDXnKNP5EPr1k3N8Jf1rxDeM/s1600/Im+Sorry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBy_kUU___EYgnprJqfW2U8BP3uzSPCk40q17rP2k0bRyD_RFjCSiNUZ3vMo_FdtlcK9Z7sYaDNBdwzHc9PqDydulMlEiF7ibWmLTGae5kT863_pbjgpNaDXnKNP5EPr1k3N8Jf1rxDeM/s320/Im+Sorry.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
person you used to know doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve been a Christian for the
last 18 years, and I’ve lived what I thought was a Christian life. I’d talk
about going to church and I’d put on a show for our families, but it was all a façade.
The person I was didn’t speak like a Christian. I never spoke to my friends about
God. Like, at all. I spent most of my days around people who did the same thing…
including my husband. We did what we wanted and talked to God at our
convenience. We just relied on the fact that he was “always on the line.” We
were just swimming around, having a good ‘ol time in a pool of lukewarm water. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well,
here’s what Jesus said about lukewarm water: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="woj"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">Would that you were either cold or hot!</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="woj"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><i><sup style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="en-ESV-30747" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span></span></sup></i></b></span><span class="woj"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">So,
because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my
mouth.</span></i></span><i>” –Rev 3:15-16</i></span><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
few months ago, my husband realized he was frolicking in this lukewarm pool,
ran out, grabbed a towel, and begged me to join him. I’m a stubborn heifer,
stuck in my ways. I thought he was ridiculous. <u>I</u> had been the spiritual
leader in our marriage, <u>I </u>had been the one in touch with my spiritual
gifts, <u>I</u> thought I had everything together. I got saved at 7 years old,
I was practically fireproof, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
hung out in my lukewarm pool, totally disgusted by the fact that God had called
my husband out of his complacency. I treaded some water in the deep end, wallowing
in the fact that I didn’t want to change anything, and that I was alone in that.
Changing my life and actually LIVING for Christ would require me to leave the
safety of my lukewarm pool. It would require things I wasn’t comfortable with:
loss of friends, commitment, rejection, but worst of all, it would require me
to admit that I was actually drowning in denial. I hate being wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
watched him grow in his faith. I watched him actually living the way he was
supposed to. I watched him be the man God called him to be. I eventually stopped
sulking long enough to realize that I needed to drag my hind-end out of that
filthy water, clean myself off, and join him. I needed to haul myself out of my
lukewarm lifestyle. It was only after I was out of the water that I realized
how disgusting my life had been. That lukewarm water had been breeding all
kinds of things: complacency, denial, wrong ideals, terrible speech,
hatefulness, worldly things. Everything Satan wanted me to think was okay for
me to practice as a Christian.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
I had really been doing, is using God as a spare tire. I would run on my own
will, and pull out the God card every now and then. What you need to know, is the
life I presented you, was a bold-faced lie. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bbRGURHbimaAL3UnQRwRF7HtuLLKQLTr9RuTJofMDx3JkNRnytH-hrH082u-3wsYFajbQq2sv91Uh7YqcS5CB3v01tUgunkf_ISFNsVoeuQ7cLGRxChzJPa5LlJeT4zWqExkUmTJTV4/s1600/Spare+Tire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bbRGURHbimaAL3UnQRwRF7HtuLLKQLTr9RuTJofMDx3JkNRnytH-hrH082u-3wsYFajbQq2sv91Uh7YqcS5CB3v01tUgunkf_ISFNsVoeuQ7cLGRxChzJPa5LlJeT4zWqExkUmTJTV4/s320/Spare+Tire.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ll
be held accountable for that one day, but what I want to say is: I’m sorry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry you heard me using foul language, and you thought it was okay to use foul
language too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry you heard me talking about people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry you thought it was okay to come to me and talk to me about people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry if you never even knew I was a Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry if you modeled your life after me and you thought it was okay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry for not always being the way I am now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry that I didn’t try harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry that I didn’t use scripture more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sorry I was a pitiful example of what a Christ-Follower looks like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
what <i>does</i> a Christ-Follower look
like?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
Christ-Follower is someone who actually TRIES every single day to do a little
better. It’s someone who fully commits to God’s will. It’s someone who makes a
legitimate effort to be more Christ-like. It’s someone who refuses to be
complacent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">That’s
hard, friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s
a struggle every day. After you’ve made the decision to walk out of that
lukewarm mess, Satan will hit you with everything he can to knock you back in.
You’ll have to steady yourself every time he throws something at you. It doesn’t
get easier, and Satan will try to use that too. It’s hard doing hard things,
and that’s discouraging. Don’t let him use that against you. Steady yourself
with every step, and you’ll start making progress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Step
out of that lukewarm water, and step into the person God is calling you to be.
Stop swimming around in complacency. Quit comparing yourself to everyone around
you. “Well, he’s doing it, so it must be okay,” is one of the worst things you
can say as a Christian. Get in the word of God and find out for yourself what
the Bible says is right and wrong. Don’t rely solely on what man has to say.
Read your Bible. Read your Bible. Read your Bible. It’s right there in black
and white (and sometimes red). Just READ. You’re reading this right now!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KH9srebhZnO4gJaye1ARUurbXHlBVG36_UouJ2ifTKnElQVzyd1xB83EGQWpjY4rfcxDm4mraMm22t1tF144kcjDy6jbuk_HeBmN_jyfobhaBpVAHdh-EzPdssRI_YzqzeroHu4ET_I/s1600/read.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KH9srebhZnO4gJaye1ARUurbXHlBVG36_UouJ2ifTKnElQVzyd1xB83EGQWpjY4rfcxDm4mraMm22t1tF144kcjDy6jbuk_HeBmN_jyfobhaBpVAHdh-EzPdssRI_YzqzeroHu4ET_I/s320/read.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
you read, you’ll find these verses that aren’t talked about a lot:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will
punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD
will not do good, nor will he do ill.’</span> –Zeph. 1:12<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed
lest he fall.</span> –1 Cor. 10:12</i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become
of the ungodly and the sinner?”</span> –1 Pet 4:18<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When you actually read scripture, you realize
that you’re not supposed to stay in one place spiritually. You’re not supposed
to be stagnant. You’re not supposed to be comfortable where you are. If the
righteous are scarcely saved, that’s scary. I’m nowhere close to righteous and I
certainly don’t claim to be. What I do claim, is that I’m striving for
progress. I’m striving daily to follow Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the book, <i><u>Not a Fan</u></i>, Kyle Idleman addresses the fact that most
Christians today act more like fans than followers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Fans don’t mind him doing a little touch-up
work, but Jesus wants complete renovation. Fans come to Jesus thinking tune-up,
but Jesus is thinking overhaul. Fans think a little makeup is fine, but Jesus
is thinking makeover. Fans think a little decorating is required, but Jesus
wants a complete remodel. Fans want Jesus to inspire them, but Jesus wants to interfere
with their lives.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>–Kyle Idleman</span><span style="background: #FAF9F6; color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvdDq0W-PUjgxll4fK_2MTebqb3HKVCDYEonsu3ppBmAuGAWAhk-e85Kl8Vd0Q_FsRHhk-P2YjyrvUx3aRlaWQ50hThH9eT4NmDD8e6m63b4dtWu6Vut1oo21GBF6WE5VZD8i5pr-n-0/s1600/not-a-fan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvdDq0W-PUjgxll4fK_2MTebqb3HKVCDYEonsu3ppBmAuGAWAhk-e85Kl8Vd0Q_FsRHhk-P2YjyrvUx3aRlaWQ50hThH9eT4NmDD8e6m63b4dtWu6Vut1oo21GBF6WE5VZD8i5pr-n-0/s320/not-a-fan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Friends,
I am so sorry that I gave you a diluted view of what Christianity looks like. I
am sorry I have been a pitiful example of what we are called to be as
Christians. I am sorry I never showed you what a real relationship with Christ
looks like. The façade we put on was that it’s okay to basically do what we want and still call ourselves Christians. We took advantage of what the world says
is, “okay.” We were just like everyone else. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We’re
not called to be like everyone else. We’re called to be set-apart:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">Do not be
conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that
by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable
and perfect.</span>—Rom 12:22<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Renew your mind. Step out of the lukewarm water
that you have made your home, and step out in faith. God will wrap you up in a
warm, secure, towel of grace and love. Don’t think you’re alone. There are others
running this race with you. Pass it on:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love
covers a multitude of sins.</span> – 1 Pet 4:8<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’re reading
this and you’re thinking, “this doesn’t apply to me at all,” think again. Stop
being stagnant! Being a Christ-FOLLOWER doesn’t mean you say a prayer one time
and then you’re done. It means you follow him. It means you make forward
progress. It means you move. It means, drag your hind-end out of that
disgusting water you call home, and do what God is calling you to do. Do more,
do less, do what is right, do whatever needs to be done to make forward
progress. Mary Kay Ash always said, “fail forward to success.” </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK5CjaI67hWpMsxeMsJX5oanjgfj4CCB1IPrfa8Ele6wXnOQmOYxF1qextGG5tDHoDjjmGDo5ryYClXW2dOgRzMjoT-0czpMVBQC1ctXcvdUNSd4a7vQ-AtNNEOF0iOy4M_ZGP7qvBdo/s1600/past+present+future.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK5CjaI67hWpMsxeMsJX5oanjgfj4CCB1IPrfa8Ele6wXnOQmOYxF1qextGG5tDHoDjjmGDo5ryYClXW2dOgRzMjoT-0czpMVBQC1ctXcvdUNSd4a7vQ-AtNNEOF0iOy4M_ZGP7qvBdo/s320/past+present+future.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m sorry I was
such a poor example of what a Christian was, but I’m trying every day to do a
little better. I often fail, but I’m failing forward and learning from my
mistakes. I’m using what I learned from my past - in my present - to promote my
future. Some days are harder than others, but I know God loves me enough to
stick with me, and Satan hates that enough to try to make me stumble:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so
that at the proper time he may exalt you,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="en-ESV-30456" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">casting all your anxieties on him, because</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">he cares for you.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="en-ESV-30457" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Be sober-minded;</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">be watchful. Your</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">adversary the devil</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">prowls around</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><b><i><sup style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="en-ESV-30458" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span></span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">Resist
him,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">firm in your faith,
knowing that</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">the same
kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the
world.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="en-ESV-30459" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">And</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">after you
have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">who has called you to his</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">eternal glory in Christ, will himself</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">restore,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">confirm, strengthen, and establish you.</span></i></span><span class="text"><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">To him be
the dominion forever and ever. Amen.</span>—1 Pet 5:6-11</i></span><i><span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I pray that you’ll forgive me for the example I
gave you in my past. I hope you’ll see me trying in the present, and I hope you’ll
join me in the future. I hope you become as grossed-out as I was with my
lukewarm water. I hope you have faith to step out and know that you’re not alone.
I hope you know that you’re loved by a God who loved you enough to send his son
to die for you. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is NO way I could give my children up to
die for others. There’s just no way. I see that kind of love and I am humbled
and slightly ashamed. I’m humbled because he loved me enough to watch his son
suffer, which is more than I could ever do. I am ashamed because after all of
that, I still treated him like a spare tire. He deserves more than that. He
deserves every ounce of me. He deserves every cell that he created. I am honored
to be his creation: every cell of me. Every not-lukewarm cell of my being. </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-48326557658480581262015-04-21T22:24:00.002-07:002015-04-21T22:55:39.233-07:00Trash Day<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span class="text" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b style="background-color: white;"><span class="text 1Pet-1-13" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>Therefore, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30371AG" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30371AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>preparing your minds for action, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30371AH" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30371AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text 1Pet-1-14" id="en-ESV-30372" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>As obedient children, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30372AI" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30372AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>do not be conformed to the passions <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30372AJ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30372AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>of your former ignorance,</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text 1Pet-1-15" id="en-ESV-30373" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span>but <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30373AK" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30373AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>as he who called you is holy, you also be holy <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30373AL" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30373AL" title="See cross-reference AL">AL</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>in all your conduct,</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text 1Pet-1-16" id="en-ESV-30374" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span>since it is written, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30374AM" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30374AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” -- 1 Peter 1:13-17</span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b><i><sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></sup></i></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b><i><sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;">13 </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Therefore,</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">preparing your minds for action,</span></u></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Girding
up the loins of your mind</span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clear-headed
- Wakefulness<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">set your<u> hope</u></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Confident
expectation</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">fully <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Completely<b><i><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">on <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Upon<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the grace that will be brought to you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
grace that will be extended to you when Jesus returns. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: cyan;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind and remain clear
headed, set your confident expectations COMPLETELY upon the grace that will be
extended to you when Jesus returns at the end of time.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b><i><sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;">14 </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">As obedient <u>children</u><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Relationship,
not age (because we’ll talk about the Father later)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">do not be
<u>conformed </u><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Molded by</span></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to the <u>passions</u></span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lusts<b><i><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of your <u>former ignorance,</u></span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here, “ignorance”
means the way the gentiles that he is writing to </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">worshiped </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">before
they became Christians.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b><i><sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;">15 </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">but</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">as <u>he</u></span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lord</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">who called you is <u>holy</u><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Holy comes from a word that means “to cut off” - to
cut yourself off from </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sin </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">to be
separated from sin.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, you also be holy</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in <u>all</u>
your conduct,</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Every bit
of your conduct<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b><i><sup><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;">16 </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">since it is written,</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“You
shall be holy, for I am holy.”</span></i></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> Lev 11:44 “</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320;">I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves
and be holy, </span></span><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">because </span><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); color: #001320; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I </span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">am holy.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">”</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: yellow; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-highlight: yellow; mso-shading: #FDFEFF;"><span style="background-color: cyan;">As obedient children,</span> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: cyan;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Do not be
molded by lusts of your old life, But as
Christ was holy, let’s also be set-apart from sin in every bit of our conduct,
since it was written even before Christ was born that we should be holy because
God is holy.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p style="background-color: white;"> -----------------------------------------------------------------</o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: cyan;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind and remain clear
headed, set your confident expectations COMPLETELY upon the grace that will be
extended to you when Jesus returns at the end of time.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: cyan; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: yellow; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-highlight: yellow; mso-shading: #FDFEFF;"><span style="background-color: cyan;">As obedient children,</span> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: cyan;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Do not be
molded by lusts of your old life, But as
Christ was holy, let’s also be set-apart from sin in every bit of our conduct,
since it was written even before Christ was born that we should be holy because
God is holy.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being a mom is really
hard. Some days we want to just take our kids and give them to someone. Sometimes
we just want to smother our spouse in his sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We say things to our
families and act in ways that don’t show any grace at all. We are uglier to our
family than anyone else. Which is sad because they’re the ones we love the
most. What is even sadder, is that we don’t show them what holy looks like at
all some days. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Peter says to be set-apart
from sin in every bit of our conduct. That means how we walk, how we talk, how
we raise our kids, how we approach our spouse. How am I supposed to be holy if
I can’t even keep the dishes clean? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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up the loins of our mind. Let’s brace ourselves for all the junk that Satan is
going to throw at us today. Let’s remember the grace that was extended to us,
turn around, and extend that same grace to our families. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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the Devil wants to use against us is our own past. He wants to reach way back
in the vault of our mind and drag out something ugly. He wants us to always
remember who we were before we gave our garbage to God. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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of our mind is “former ignorance.” It’s trash, and it needs to stay in the
trashcan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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God, he doesn’t remember all the junk you hoarded up before you gave it to him.
He cleaned you right up and organized your heart with little labels that say, “I
love you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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control your holy self. Just like we want our kids to obey, we need to obey God’s
commands. Let’s set good examples today of how we’re moving forward toward
holiness and moving away from our nasty pasts and our nasty old habits. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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family today and tell the Devil that your garbage has already been collected, and
he doesn't need to keep bringing it up because it is already GONE. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320;">I love you, and I hope
this encourages you today </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #001320;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-46470998638002148972015-02-06T22:17:00.005-08:002015-02-06T22:22:36.473-08:00The Unwanted Collar<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Today, I woke up and all of my pants were in the washer. Great. So I put on a pair of dress pants, a nice top, and my pearls. The only place I was going, was my grandparents. Oh well, at least I would look nice. </span><br />
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My 78 year old grandpa had a very different morning from me. He walked outside this morning, discovered that the tree beside his boat shed was dead, and that bothered him. So, he cut it down. Alone. My almost 80 year old grandpa cut that tree down and cut it up. Alone.<br />
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I pulled up to my grandparents house and found my grandpa hauling off the first load of brush. Alone. My initial thought was, "good grief, this man is going to kill himself working this hard!" But then I realized, this is my Pa: it's not going to be hard work that eventually kills him. It will be the stillness that eventually takes him. </div>
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He's worked hard his whole life, and when he sees a project as big as a tree that needs to be cut down and chopped up, he just tackles it. Alone. </div>
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So what do I do? I walk in the house, nurse the baby and change the girls' diapers. I take off my pearls and rings. I put on my grandma's sweats, her oldest pair of slip on shoes, and my Pa's coat. I ask if there are any gloves, and Pa finds me a pair. After evicting the stink bugs from the gloves in which they had made their winter home, I put them on, and head outside. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyout7nL8k95Lgiuss8LjROgp_TDFYP1ms1dH96ebpWTaoev89WWwRNFERvBre4lyG961TEAeJoG2uHWYhVqhNZjSeaWnK_dfcmrSg1FJyf1GMEILPpqRcAxl5RZnfk5jBqsyZh7_qU0/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyout7nL8k95Lgiuss8LjROgp_TDFYP1ms1dH96ebpWTaoev89WWwRNFERvBre4lyG961TEAeJoG2uHWYhVqhNZjSeaWnK_dfcmrSg1FJyf1GMEILPpqRcAxl5RZnfk5jBqsyZh7_qU0/s1600/shoes.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Pa tosses me a rake and we get to work. We rake sticks and rake sticks and rake sticks. It's freezing outside, and the wind is ridiculous. We separate the big pieces that he's already chainsawed and stack them. Then, we load the brush on a trailer to haul them off. </div>
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It is at this point in our labor that I realize something: this is what is wrong with America today. We don't have people like my Pa around anymore. Nobody wants to do hard work anymore. Nobody wants to tackle hard tasks alone. How many people do you know that are willing to go out and tackle an entire tree - alone? </div>
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I'm freezing to death and using muscles that I haven't used in years, and it's just another day for Pa. He was raised in a time when hard work wasn't valued, it was essential. Let me repeat that: when hard work wasn't valued, it was essential. That would mean that hard work, was just work </div>
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You see, as Americans we've separated the workforce into two misleading categories: white collar and blue collar. I'd like to introduce to you a third category: the unwanted collar. </div>
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There are many jobs in America that we've outsourced because we just don't want them. They're "too hard" or "too dirty." The majority of the unwanted collar workers in America these days are either old-timers with a sense of work ethic, or immigrants. How many white collar or blue collar people do you know that are willing to go out and pick an entire orchard for minimum wage? Or sort chicken parts for minimum wage? Or crawl through sewage for minimum wage? </div>
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We've unknowingly undermined essential work and called it hard work. It's only hard because we don't really want to do it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TSld2W0ZDPDUDCAypPMXfncakrikir8wnvSlR9NZoKX6lLYUbSdRPHpZOqejtZbhHrk2Wzdv_FG_P9dh2USjoXE4tLa2Uv09g9K13kWNbc2Y9mE6KizwR1aRFDOw52FTfXkCOmwK5Nw/s1600/wood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TSld2W0ZDPDUDCAypPMXfncakrikir8wnvSlR9NZoKX6lLYUbSdRPHpZOqejtZbhHrk2Wzdv_FG_P9dh2USjoXE4tLa2Uv09g9K13kWNbc2Y9mE6KizwR1aRFDOw52FTfXkCOmwK5Nw/s1600/wood.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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We raked brush for what seemed like forever, and so my thought process brought me to yet another conclusion: we have also, unknowingly, overvalued education. </div>
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One would assume that Americans get paid based on the amount of work they put in to something. However, that isn't the case at all. We go to college for 4 years, get out into the real world, can't get a job, go back to school for 2 more years, return to the work force, and eventually find a suitable job that will provide for our future family's, 3 bedroom, middle-class home. </div>
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Now, those people easily make twice what Jose or Pedro make breaking their backs at the chicken mill. Why? Because they have an education. Sure the college kids worked hard for their education (and not all people are cut out for "the unwanted collar"), but is it fair that we undermine the quality of work that Jose and Pedro provide?</div>
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Is it fair to say that we, as a society, have made education so important and degraded "hard work" so much, that we've ruined the system? </div>
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We have GOT to instill a sense of work ethic in our children. We have got to teach them that manual labor, "hard work," is essential. We need to instill a sense of pride in work that is done with your hands. Nobody in our generation knows what it feels like to plow a field or hoe a garden that will fully sustain your family. </div>
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We don't need to degrade those in the unwanted collar class. Our society still has to have those people. They're essential to it. They make it function properly. We push education so hard that kids think it's the only way they'll make it. What we fail to tell them, is that it's okay to have a manual labor job. Some people aren't cut out for desk jobs. Some people are more suited to be in a trade than at a desk all day. We have got to do something about the way we talk about education. </div>
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We've got to start teaching our kids to not only accept, but respect the unwanted collar.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuX0ztzrSc4XBBa1sTpYc6fsTZiPXYx4L1ZQqNt4bZkjq9Z5QT38eXcVbGnKIe7jyYF2PjIcAYto3ez2nksjAp7zdugzj9klPBgKdWx73txoBHwnnbJsuAa-Uy7vUZ-BOMJ5fJklIPe0/s1600/coat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuX0ztzrSc4XBBa1sTpYc6fsTZiPXYx4L1ZQqNt4bZkjq9Z5QT38eXcVbGnKIe7jyYF2PjIcAYto3ez2nksjAp7zdugzj9klPBgKdWx73txoBHwnnbJsuAa-Uy7vUZ-BOMJ5fJklIPe0/s1600/coat.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-4191777176820469272015-01-22T23:39:00.001-08:002015-01-22T23:51:16.096-08:00My Mary Kay Dream<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Seasons Unit<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i>To build a personal
team of God-centered, family-oriented, first-class women who will join me in
changing the face and perception of Mary Kay Cosmetics. To promote an image
that is young, yet timeless, confident, yet feminine. – My Mary Kay Vision<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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One day, I’m going to be a Mary Kay Director. I know it. This
company was built on the shoulders of the women on the bottom - where we all came
from. We strive every day to move up the Ladder of Success, to build our
business, to succeed. The beauty of this company is that we have all started from
the bottom. We have all started with two things… a starter kit and a dream. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsWQ2_HeHOQGUgjvND97Ud15bdUAszlt5oPY4MoJmiT1Y8_KsIRWjXTjCmo0v4X2_ZVFuDSkpRICojqhgUFKHcePEBOReJMxNDGk5hUlQav04DODo4f8130NR37_VgwL_U0D9UEuXa74/s1600/IMG_1975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsWQ2_HeHOQGUgjvND97Ud15bdUAszlt5oPY4MoJmiT1Y8_KsIRWjXTjCmo0v4X2_ZVFuDSkpRICojqhgUFKHcePEBOReJMxNDGk5hUlQav04DODo4f8130NR37_VgwL_U0D9UEuXa74/s1600/IMG_1975.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have decided that the name of my unit will be <b><i>Seasons</i></b>.
I’m claiming it now, that I will have a unit one day that I will get to name.
My entire life I have heard Ecclesiastes 3:1. It’s my mother’s favorite verse:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>"To every thing there is<span class="apple-converted-space"> a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven</span>:” </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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There are many ups and downs to this business<b><i>.</i></b>
There are many <b><i>seasons</i></b> of life and there are many <b><i>seasons</i></b> of a Mary Kay
career. Some <b><i>seasons</i></b> will be better than others. There will be highs and
lows, but as long as we remember that God is in charge of those changes, we
will be okay. As long as we remember that everything has a time and a purpose,
we will be okay. We may not know His reasons, but to everything, there is a <b><i>season.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-84140761724765313842014-12-18T14:09:00.001-08:002014-12-18T14:09:32.724-08:00Preparing for a Session of Powerful Prayer<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Preparing for a Session of Powerful Prayer</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you have never participated in a session of powerful prayer over someone, it’s an incredible experience. If you’re nervous about what to say or how to say it, trust God and just have faith. If you’re still a bit nervous, here are some things that I would personally recommend:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Examine yourself. If you know you are going to be praying over someone, first examine your own heart. Are you harboring things in your life that you need to ask forgiveness for? Spend some time praying over yourself first. Find a quiet spot and talk to God. Get in the Word and seek His guidance. Tell Him how you’re feeling. Ask forgiveness for your own sins and ask him to wipe your slate clean. Ask Him to make you a vessel for His almighty power. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Listen. Talking to God is easy, listening in response to those prayers is hard. Feel it in your spirit. You’ll know what God is leading you to do by paying attention to your gut. If God is wanting you to do something, He’ll bring it up over and over again. You’ll feel led to it. If you feel like you are being led to pray over someone, listen to that call. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Take it seriously. If you are going to God and asking Him for a miracle, firstly trust in His divine plan. Secondly, understand that He may not answer your exact prayer. He may use the circumstances in another way. You have to be ready to accept that fact. If God doesn’t answer your prayer exactly how YOU want it, it’s because it’s going the way that HE wants it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Make it important to you. Are you praying for someone just to pray or do you REALLY want healing? Invest in thought and meditation over it. Make it important to you. Make it a priority for you. Be in constant prayer and meditation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Fast. Fasting is a great way to humble yourself and continuously remind yourself of something. Fasting is Biblical. Jesus himself fasted for 40 days. Do it safely. If you are unfamiliar with fasting, there are all kinds of websites and materials you can read to help you understand how to fast and why you should fast.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Claim it. Sincerely believe in miracles. God works miracles every single day. We, as believers have the power to intercede on behalf of other people. God hears the cries of His people. Believe in your heart that a miracle will happen. Speak it out loud. Speak affirmations about what you are praying about. Claim it in the name of Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the name of Jesus. John 14:13 says: <i>Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. </i>Jesus’ disciples drove out demons with the name of Jesus. You can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit by just speaking His name. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Rebuke the Devil. Understand that Satan is also a powerful force. He uses his own demons to carry out his will. Rebuke the Devil and he will flee from you! James 4:7 says: <i>Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Have courage. When you pray over someone, pray with confidence. God is an almighty God and you are doing His work and being obedient by praying for others. It’s an incredible opportunity to touch someone’s life. Do so with confidence. Have courage, and God will give you the exact words to say to someone in need. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Laying hands. Laying on of hands is certainly not essential, however, here are some reasons why laying of hands is used. 1) It offers comfort for the person you are praying for. Sometimes it can feel odd just standing or sitting there, placing your hands on someone can make them feel a little more comfortable 2) it displays faith that God can use you to intercede for another. God can work through you, and the physical action of laying on of hands demonstrates that. 3) Laying hands on a specific part of the body can help you visualize exactly what and where you are praying for. If you are praying for a cancer patient, pray over his/her tumors. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Be specific. If you are asking God for a miracle, don’t just ask for healing. If someone is suffering, pray for the particular ailment. Visualize what would need to take place for healing to take place. Ask God to remove cancer cells from every part of the body. Pray for tumors to be removed and for them to never return again. Pray for specific healing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thank God. Thank God for what He will do through the situation. Thank him no matter what the outcome, because either way, it will play out exactly the way He wants it to. Thank Him for his power and His might. He has the power to do anything He wants. If the miracle you desire doesn’t come to fruition, it’s because He has something else in mind. It’s too big for us to understand. Thank Him for His might, anyways.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I hope this has helped you in some way. Prayer is powerful! If you don’t know what to do when you’re going to pray over someone else, just seek God and He will guide and direct you. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-76246282814846765732014-11-03T22:37:00.000-08:002014-11-03T22:46:08.606-08:00Being Grateful<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Six weeks ago I gave birth to the most beautiful 10lbs 8oz, 22 1/2in baby girl. Look at her... she's perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She's everything I could possibly want in a child. BUT... her delivery was a nightmare. Getting her into this world was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An hour before Caydence decided to enter this world, my epidural decided it wanted to stop working. It just checked out on me. I felt utterly betrayed by that epidural. It had kept me nice and comfortable for the last 12 hours. I was counting on that epidural to keep me calm and pain free during delivery. But it had different plans. They couldn't figure out why it had stopped and Caydence was on her way. That's right, ladies and gentlemen... I gave birth to a ten and a half pound baby... naturally (insert pat on the back). That wouldn't have bothered me so bad if it weren't for the fact that she got stuck, literally. One of her shoulders got stuck behind my pubic bone. Everyone freaked out for one small moment while they dealt with something called shoulder dystocia. I was a hysterical mess. I have the pain tolerance of a chihuahua. I yelp at literally everything. At this point I thought I was dying. I pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed and she wasn't going anywhere. After a significant amount of manipulation, she finally emerged, and I passed out. Literally. I came to with Caleb's face in my face and a baby on my chest. It was the most painful thing on the planet. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I would rather cut my own foot off with a butter knife than to ever experience that amount of pain ever again. It felt as though every single bone in my body was being broken all at once. I felt like this chicken. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdzHxUe47kc4BeAKxa500hoCNX129OIDdgmJ0nZzUgu0y3RW4SSFx1UeR5i-Bbo1ItSf_7h5JvmDJ1mhhrQ9pzel0Y_xzFJbqCO5bGNgYsZh0gYqqr7bSwovnA35otcY8trttyjab568/s1600/chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdzHxUe47kc4BeAKxa500hoCNX129OIDdgmJ0nZzUgu0y3RW4SSFx1UeR5i-Bbo1ItSf_7h5JvmDJ1mhhrQ9pzel0Y_xzFJbqCO5bGNgYsZh0gYqqr7bSwovnA35otcY8trttyjab568/s1600/chicken.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caydence had to have an immediate x-ray to see if her collar bone was broken. Her entire body was bruised up, but other than that, she was absolutely perfect. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pain during her delivery has scarred me for life. I still have nightmares about it. Nightmares about my body being ripped in half. They plague me. Caleb jokingly tells me I have PTSD. I wake up in a cold sweat and make sure Caydence is still in her bassinet. It was horrific for me. But like I said... I'm a weenie. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I talk about my delivery like it nearly killed me. I talk about the pain of childbirth like it was the worst thing in the world... but the other day a thought occurred to me that hit me like a ton of bricks... <b>what if I had never been able to have children?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What if I had never been able to have children at all? Millions of couples around this world struggle with infertility and here I am complaining about childbirth. Do you know the number of women who literally would hack off their own feet for the opportunity to give birth? Millions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How ungrateful and selfish am I!? God gave me the gift of reproduction. He allowed me to procreate and he gave me the honor of raising children. I can not imagine not getting to do that. I have felt a human move inside me and I have been entrusted to keep that human alive. What an absolute privilege I have been given! Not only was I allowed to create life from nothing, but I have given birth to those two lives that were created. Do you know how many women who have had miscarriages that would have loved to experience such a traumatic delivery? Millions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Millions of women every year cry themselves to sleep over miscarried babies or infertility. Here I am humbled by something that is far greater than me. Shame on me for taking something so serious for granted. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Behold, children are a heritage from the </span><span class="sc" style="background-color: white;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white;">, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" Psalm 127:3-4</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is there something in your life today that you are taking for granted? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you complaining about things that you really shouldn't be complaining about? Are you complaining about a job when you have a job, when there are people all over this country that are struggling to provide for their families? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you complaining about your spouse when you've actually got a loving and caring husband/wife? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you complaining about your small house, when you've got a roof over your head?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is always someone out there who has it worse. There will always be someone who wishes they had what you've been given. There will always be discontentment in your life if you fail to see the good that is already there. </span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Do all things without grumbling or complaining." Philippians 2:14</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I encourage you to think before complaining. Be grateful for what you have.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07508831411429861736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867337388498223164.post-65404204431083483852013-10-20T21:38:00.004-07:002013-10-20T21:38:51.771-07:00Behind the BlogMy whole life, I've heard my mother quote Ecclesiastes 3:1. I heard it so much that I honestly never even gave any thought to it. It wasn't until I was a sophomore in college that I finally understood what it meant. You see, I've lived a fairly sheltered life. Up until my sophomore year of college, I had never really lost anyone close to me. I got a call very early one morning - a friend had taken his own life. It shook me to my very core. I couldn't believe what I had heard. I called my mom that morning to seek her wisdom. The words that came through the phone were words I had heard for the last 20 years, <b>"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the heavens."</b> For the first time, I understood what that meant. Life, as I would soon find out, is rough. It's hard and unnerving. It's terrifying. Thankfully for us, nothing here on earth lasts forever.<br />
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Seasons come and go, but we don't really give them much thought. We welcome fall after a brutal summer, after fall we get completely beside ourselves over Christmas, and then it's a waiting game until Spring. Spring - where everything comes back to life and the sun shines for longer than just a handful of hours. It's the turning of the seasons, the passing of time, that we need to take away from Ecclesiastes 3:1.<br />
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<b>"To everything there is a season..."</b>: We don't know why God puts horrible things in our lives, but he does promise us this... it will pass. Winter is miserable. It's grey, cold, and dreary. The only good thing about winter is that it is immediately chased by spring. There's hope on the other side. In life, things are going to be horrible, you're going to be miserable, stuff is going to be really stinking hard, but it won't last forever. It's not meant for us to understand these things, but we can take comfort in the fact that, "this too shall pass."<br />
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<b>"... a time for every purpose under the heavens."</b>: God's timing is perfect. It's really hard for us to trust him and wrap our minds around that fact. He doesn't give an explanation as to why he does most things. It seems that God has a way of doing things we don't understand quite a bit. That's on purpose. If we were to know God in and out, would we still need him? He has a time for everything he does, and a purpose behind it. Sometimes we'll never actually see the outcome of that purpose - and that's the hardest part. We try to look for God's purpose behind terrible things that happen, but frankly, we're too human to see it. God has had a perfect plan set in motion since he made this place. We might not ever understand his timing or his purpose, but if we trust him, he'll bring us out on the other side. You might be battered and worn. You might be exhausted and confused. You might doubt your very salvation, but we MUST have faith to believe that it's all in God's hands. His plans are so beyond us that we'll never be able to understand him.<br />
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We have to give the seasons of our lives over to God. We have to give those periods of time that we don't understand to him. We're not strong enough to understand all he has planned for us. Fall is just beginning, you might be in for a rough ride through this winter, but take hope, spring will be here before you know it. God promises us that.<br />
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We may not ever know his reasons, but to everything there is a <b>season</b>.<br />
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