Thankful Thursday - Refreshed

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Sin is a lot like a match. 

When we participate in sin it’s like striking a match!

Once it is lit in your life it starts a fire that spreads and destroys everything.  Just that little tiny spark can be more destructive than you think. 

God is like a firefighter.  He comes in and cleans up the damage the fire caused.  But unlike any firefighter we know, this firefighter miraculously rebuilds and restores what was lost during the fire and makes everything new and whole again! 

Now that’s POWER!!  That’s OUR GOD!!

This Thankful Thursday I’m so thankful that we serve a God that rebuilds us and restores us after we sin.  Sometimes we can mess up so bad and wonder where do I go from here?  He repairs our heart from the pain and renews our souls from the damage.  Praise the Lord for His mighty and powerful miraculous touch!!

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Laced with Grace….Get Moving

Today I shared a devotion over at the Laced with Grace entitled “Get Moving”.

Hospitals are for the sick to come and get well.  Once they are well, they leave.  Wouldn’t it be so silly once you got well, if you just stayed there?  It’s not a resort; it’s place to help the sick get well. 

I think churches are a lot like hospitals for the lost.  Churches are established all over the world so the sick (lost) can come and get well (saved).  For those that are not well, can come and learn the life changing truth of Jesus Christ and no longer be lost, but found!!

Churches aren’t for the ones that know the truth, to go and sit on the pews for the rest of their lives.  That’s not our calling.  That’s not the instructions the Bible gives us.  If you know the truth you have a responsibility to take your place in the body of Christ and make a difference in the kingdom of God.  In Mark 16:15 you will find specific instructions from Christ telling us what He wants us to do with this life changing truth.

Click here for the rest of the devotion!

Laced with Grace....All about love

Today I shared a devotion over at the Laced with Grace entitled “All about love”.

I’ve been thinking about Valentine’s Day and how it’s all about red roses, candy hearts, chocolate goodies, heartfelt cards, and celebrating your love with that special someone.  The whole day is painted in RED and all about LOVE!!  On that day you give your all, your very best of expressing your love to that special someone in your life.  You present them with the best gift to show your love, the sweetest card that brings a tear to their eyes, and you shower them with lots of chocolate goodies and lots of LOVE all day long!!  That special one day a year celebration is the one day that the love of your life will show you the most love all year long.

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Laced with Grace....Turn to clear vision

Today I shared a devotion over at Laced with Grace entitled "Turn to clear vision"

Proverbs 2:9-12 NIV “The you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path.  For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.  Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.  Wisdom will save you from the ways of the wicked men, from men whose words are perverse.” 

Wisdom and knowledge are like the lookouts in the crow’s nest in a ship. 

The crow’s nest is positioned in the upper part of the mainmast of a ship and used as a lookout point.  Its position provides the best view for the lookout to see into the distance to scout for danger that may lie ahead. 

If you are a ship sailing without a lookout keeping a close watch for hazards to avoid, then you are in a whole lot of trouble.  There would be no way of knowing what is ahead waiting to crash into your life. 

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His Creation

I look around at the beautiful creation that God made with his creative and powerful hands; I can’t help but notice that everything is so orderly, precise, perfect and lacking nothing.  How everything has a purpose and how everything just goes together some way and somehow.  The million details that make up each animal and plant.  Each specific detail is so specific and is only there if needed.

What a perfect creation.  So specific and precise, He didn’t leave anything out and there certainly isn’t anything missing. 

It’s creative! It’s magnificent!  It’s marvelous!  It’s orderly!

 It’s perfect!

Last Sunday Jordan (my wonderful husband) taught the children’s church about creation.  He used an example to help them understand that this world we live in didn’t just happen by chance; it was created by the only one true God!  He gave each child a sponge which was numbered one through ten.  At the count of three…each child had to toss their sponge in the air and when all the sponges landed on the floor they needed to land in perfect order, side by side in numerical order. 

“That’s impossible” said the children before they tossed their sponges into the air.  That’s right!!  That’s impossible!!  That’s exactly what Jordan wanted to prove to them.  It is impossible for something so small like tossing sponges into the air and them all landing right next to each other, side by side in perfect order.  What about creation?  Think about it… It’s impossible for it to just happen.  Everything is created with such creativity, beauty and perfection that can’t be mistaken by coincidence or chance.  Something so perfect, creative, beautiful, orderly and marvelous can only be made by God.  

You can tell by His work that He is a God of specific order and perfection.  Everything here on earth that He created has a specific purpose and is in perfect order.  That really got me to thinking…that means if He is a God of specific order and perfection, then the things that happen to us aren’t coincidence or chance either.  

As a perfect God, I refuse to believe that He doesn’t choose what I go through and what I face each and every day. 

I would like to think that if it doesn’t serve a purpose to help me grow, mature, develop or change me for the better then it just won’t happen to me and I just won’t go through it.  I can’t look at His creation and still think that the hard waves that come crashing into my life are just because this is life.  That’s just it…it’s my life and His hands are holding me.  He created me and is in control of my life…that includes every little detail.

The next time you are asking yourself “why is this happening to me”?  Just remember, God is trying to teach you something to help grow, mature, develop, or change you!!  So starting viewing those hardships of live with new eyes and a new perspective!!  It’s a good thing; you just can’t see it yet!!

During the wait

For those of you that haven’t heard the exciting news…my boyfriend “Jordan” proposed and we are now engaged!! :) :)

We are so excited and can’t wait for the big day!!  I never thought this day would come for me.  It seemed like all of the other girls were already married, having babies, and way ahead of me.  I felt like I was the only single girl around lol. 

I had in mind what kind of man I was looking for, but never came close to finding anyone that matched up with the mental picture I dreamed of for so long.  Years passed by with Mr. Right still nowhere to be found.  I began to wonder if my standards were too high and if I was searching for a man that didn’t even exist on this planet.  After all, I wanted a good Christian man that had good solid Christian morals and values and was on the same page as me (as far as beliefs, morals, values, etc).  I was looking for a man with a soft heart that loved and served the Lord and desired the same things that I desired.  I could go on and on…. But in my heart I couldn’t lower my standards…I knew what I was looking for and was determined to wait for it and not willing to settle for less.  More time passed by and I begin to wonder again if my standards were too high…still no Mr. Right…still haven’t come close!! 

Finally I realized that I could search high and low and I will still end up with nothing.  I realized that I couldn’t find such a wonderful thing all on my own.  I realized that everything that we have on this earth is a gift from God.  When I realized this, I stopped searching and started waiting on God.  I asked God for someone that was perfect for me. 

Luke 11:9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

I knew that he was going to bring someone in my life that was perfect for me.  God knew exactly what I needed and boy did He come through!!! :) :)

What a precious gift from God!!  He made Jordan just for me and made me just for him.  That is so incredible to me and I am truly blessed!!

During the wait I’ve learned that I can’t find something like this on my own.  Everything we have is a gift from God.  God brought Jordan into my life, the most precious gift I have ever received.   The biggest blessing!!  And I never could have made something like this happen on my own.  I could have searched forever for the type of man I was looking for but would turn up empty handed.   When I surrendered to God and asked Him to bring Him to me, it was then Jordan came walking into my life. 

Father,

Thank you for blessing me with the most precious gift I have ever received.  Thank you for giving me someone that will truly cherish me and treat me with the most love and kindness anyone could ever ask for.  I know that this gift has come from you and I have ever so grateful.  Amen!

Laced with Grace....The peace He brings

Today I shared a devotion over at Laced with Grace entitled “The peace He brings”.

Have you ever been to a spa?  What was your experience like?  Was it calm, relaxing and pure serenity?  Surrounded by the relaxing atmosphere, calming fragrance, and the nature and tropical forest sounds did your mind clear, worries melt away, and all concerns vanish completely?  Did tranquility rule the evening?  Did you feel free from all hostility, frustrations and conflict?   

I did and every time I visit the spa I always want to jump in line to book another appointment for the following week.  My budget won’t allow me to have spa days anymore, but if it did I would love to visit everyday!  That’s why we like going to the spa!  With that being said, who doesn’t want to feel relaxed, peaceful, and calm? 

Nobody says “I want to feel stressed out, frustrated, agitated, unsettled, uneasy, turmoil, fear and burdensome” or “I want to have conflict, hostility, depression, malevolence, aggravation, or maliciousness in my life”.

When you leave the spa you are at peace, rested and relaxed!  If you had a rough day it smoothes it out and becomes calm and you are able to melt into the peacefulness.

Living a life in peace isn’t just about an “experience” or a “feeling”; it’s about a way of life.  I wouldn’t want to live any other way!  PEACE and HARMONY is what I want in my everyday life!  The peace He brings is much more than a spa experience.  It dwells inside of you and brings harmony in your life…….

Click here for the rest of the devotion!

Thanksgiving Prayer

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day

We bow our hearts to You and pray.

We give You thanks for all You’ve done

Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.

For beauty in nature, Your glory we see

For joy and health, friends and family,

For daily provision, Your mercy and care

So today we offer this response of praise

With a promise to follow You all of our days.

– Mary Fairchild