THANKFUL THURSDAY...be a godparent

Many of us were given a "godparent" when we were born. My Aunt and Uncle were my godparents. I can remember when I was a child, how much more they lavished on me than they did my brothers. I guess it was because they felt more of a responsibility for me.

I can remember the summers that I went with them to their summer place. It is here that I most recall lessons being taught to me by my godparents. During these summertime visits, I learned how to pick blackberries, I learned how to fish...not only how to fish but what kind of lure to put on your hook, I learned how to appreciate nature, and I learned how to play shuffleboard.

In all of these lessons passed down to me by my godparents, I learned one crucial element...CHARACTER! When I think of good character, I automatically think of my Uncle. In all of the years that I spent with him, I cannot recall ever a time that I saw him mad. Oh, I'm sure he got mad, but I never saw it. When I think of my Uncle, I see a giving, tender hearted, hard working, sincere and loving man. A man of good character.

It has been said that "Character is what you do when nobody is watching" and "Character is how you treat people when they can do nothing for you". Character is how you act when the pressure is on. Character is deciding beforehand that doing the right thing IS the right thing.

Having a godly character is really important. My godfather taught me alot of things, but most importantly he taught me what having good character looks like. This week my godfather went to be with the Lord and I thought how sad that the lessons he taught has come to an end. But then I realized that he is still teaching me...thru his legacy.

Proverbs 11:3 "The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them."

It is my prayer that you and I can have the heart of a "godparent", one that is loving, nurturing and displaying godly character to those around us. Whether we are legally a godparent to a child or not, realistically we are all godparents, as we pave the way, leading others to Christ.

Who are you influencing today and what is your character saying about you? May we all leave a spirit filled legacy behind.

Today is THANKFUL THURSDAY and IRIS is hosting. Next week we will meet here where you will find TT for the month of October. I am looking forward to visiting with each of you and it is my prayer that each of us will have thanks in our heart not just today but everyday until He calls us home.

Excessive baggage

If you have traveled recently, you know that the rules and regulations for traveling with baggage has changed drastically. How many bags allowed per traveler and the weights of the bags are much less now than ever. If you are traveling for any length of time, this could pose problems.

But having baggage problems is surely not a new problem to most of us, we have been dealing with baggage issues for years!

Imagine going to the airport to check your luggage, but your bag is just too heavy, so someone comes along and picks up your bag and handles it for you. Now, you and I both know that this is against the rules. To have someone else handle your baggage is a definite no-no.

I do not know why we do not heed to the same rules and regulations with the personal baggage that we carry. I am not talking about your Samsonite bag, I am talking about all of the stuff from our past that we cannot let go of.

Imagine what it would be like if the same penalties were applied to us for having overweight baggage or if the same punishment was implemented if we passed our baggage off to someone else. I would imagine that if this happened, we would be quicker to relinquish those things that we hang onto.

This is perhaps what Paul is referring to in his letter to the church at Corinth:

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold , all things become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Old things are forgiven, cleansed and forgotten. This is what God does. But unfortunately, we do not do it. We hang onto the hurts, the disappointments and the failures, thus, becoming baggage. We not only hang onto it, but often times, we pass our baggage unto others. It isn't enough that we condemn ourselves and keep ourselves bogged down with this weight, but those close to us get the excess weight thrust upon them.

When we ask God to empower us, it is possible to leave old baggage behind. All we have to do is open up to the Holy Spirit and name each piece one by one, and before you know it, your bag will be unpacked.

Isn't it time for you to be set free? Go ahead and unpack your bags today!

I love writing devotions, but...

I just love writing devotions.

And more than writing them, I love reading them. To me, whenever I write a devo here on my personal blog, or share one with the readers of other Christian sites, or post some spiritual thoughts over on my ministry page on facebook, its like offering a short shot of spiritual wisdom.

Daily devotions are a great way to start your day or if you are having trouble finding time to spend with God, it is a great way to get you started. Each day has 1,440 minutes in it, but sometimes it is difficult to find just 5 to give to God! That's why I love writing devotionals...5 minutes can propel you into 10 or 20 minutes and then before long, you are contemplating on what you read and want to dig deeper into Gods Word and find out more.

No matter what you are going thru, God's Word is so full of love, peace and wisdom. And every question that you ever have can be found within the pages of Gods Word. Reading daily devotions is good, and I hope you take time to read mine, but it cannot compare, and should not be a substitute for spending time with God. Hopefully, what I pen here will spur you on to dig deeper and find out for yourself the truth and peace that is found in spending time with God.

"Listen carefully to wisdom; set your mind on understanding." Proverbs 2:2

THANKFUL THURSDAY ... Dr. Paul

I know all of you have heard of Dr. Laura and even Dear Abby, but have you ever heard of Dr. Paul?

Each of these are known for giving advice. Whether in marriage or in life, all of them have made it their life goal to help other people. Dr. Paul, however, has an edge up on any other columnist because he is led by the Holy Spirit. Paul isn't really a doctor, but he was an apostle and his advice is really good, something that we all could stop and listen to.

If Paul wrote an advice column on the subject of how to use our words, I think it would go something like this:

 

THE DO'S AND DONT'S OF TALKING TO OTHERS

DO speak the truth. Be honest and real. Authenticity is the ticket.

DON'T deceive others. Do not pretend to be something or someone that you are not.

DO get rid of all slander. "If you can't say something nice, don't say it all!"

DON'T use obscenity. If you are not sure what falls under this, use the rule of thumb that if you can't say it in front of everyone, like your pastor or your parents, then you shouldn't say it.

DO speak about the good stuff in your life. Talk about God and all the things He has done for you.

DON'T let unwholesome talk come out of your mouth. It should never be "fun" to tear others down. Never follow up a statement with "They know I'm just kidding"....they probably don't know.

DO say things that will build people up. Go out of your way to find someone to encourage. Not just today, but make it a habit and seek out someone everyday.

EPHESIANS 4:29 "Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

If you want to read more of Dr. Paul's advice...check out Ephesians 4:22-5:20

Today is THANKFUL THURSDAY, and I am thankful that God gave us such sound advice thru people like Paul and so many others that we can be inspired by. May we heed to such good advice and watch what we say to others. Iris is hosting TT, please join your grateful heart with ours over HERE!

What makes your heart hurt?

Heartache comes in many forms. The source may be different but the pain is the same.

As I sat across the table from my friend, I realized that pain is dealt with in many different ways. As she shared the grief in her heart, I realized that some of what she had to say was exactly how my heart felt. Different stories. Different people. But yet the same feeling.

Some of us handle our pain by talking about it, trying desperately to find answers or justification. While others handle it by retreating, trying to protect our hearts so more pain will not be inflicted. Often times, we even get caught up in the "what if" game. "What if" I had done this or "What if" I had said that. But many times, even in all of these attempts to soften the pain, there are no answers, no relief and no comfort.

Sometimes it feels like we stand against the world when we are hurting. It appears nobody knows how we feel. And often times people do not understand what we are going thru or they just don't have enough empathy to truly care. They say they care, but they tire easily of hearing your story or it takes no time at all for them to forget all about you and your sufferings. People often go on their way, having to deal with their own pain and difficulties, forgetting that there can be a great ministry in their pain. Reaching out to others, loving them and just listening to them while nobody else will.

Nobody is capable of doing this like Jesus. Our friends and family can give forth their best effort, but nobody knows the depth of of our pain and sorrow like Jesus. He has open arms and reaches out to us long before we even realize that we need comforting. He knows all about the sorrows of our hearts.

In fact, all throughout scripture, we see where Jesus had a habit of healing the wounded spirit. Often times we think that these wounds refer to something physical. But in all honesty, this also encompasses ailments of our heart.

Matthew 11:4-5 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things you do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

The blind, the lame, the deaf and the lepers all were wounded in some form or fashion. They were all downcast and in need. And Jesus healed ALL of them. He looked at them like nobody else did, with love and compassion. He looked past their infirmity and made them whole again.

If He could do this for their bodies, healing the heart is nothing more. If the heart is where He resides, wouldn't you think He wants it to be healthy?

I don't know what is making your heart hurt today, but Jesus wants to restore it back to health. And possibly, He wants to turn your pain into helping someone else. It may just be what the doctor Father ordered!

What song is on your lips?

Somebody reading this today may find themselves in a different land. Perhaps, you are in a place that you have never been before. You may find yourself in a place that seems foreign to you, or a place that you just don't know how you got there or what to do about it.

Often times, when we find ourselves somewhere that feels uncomfortable we begin to whistle a different song. Instead of singing Zion, we hum "woe is me".

Reminds me of God's chosen people who were taken into Babylonian captivity.

Psalm 137:3,4 "For there our captors demanded of us songs, and our tormentors mirth, saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.' How can we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land."

As if being held captive wasn't misery enough, God's people were being asked by their captors to sing one of the songs of Zion. But they were in a foreign land, they had never been here before and their hearts were sad. Their spirits were so low that they weren't sure if they could play for idol worshippers or sing the Lords song in pagan land.

Sometimes I think we are like that. We live in a world that seemingly has forgotten all about God. Every where we look, there is pain and confusion, and it is difficult to keep whistling praise in such times of trouble. But even in despite of sadness, disease and destruction, God will still give us a song if we let Him.

When we find ourselves going thru foreign land, and feeling like we are being held captive, we still have a song to sing, we just might need to change the song. To a song of praise.

What song is on your lips today?

THANKFUL THURSDAY...debate time

I am sure many of you have been watching the primary debates on television this week. I have heard many reports on who the good speakers were and which ones were not that great. Of course, if you are an Obama backer, you may think that his wife, Michelle had some great things to say. Or if you are a Romney supporter, you may have liked Condoleezza Rice.

Whenever we enter into a discussion or a debate, we must remember that there is a time to bring the debate to a conclusion and at that time there is a winner and a loser. I cannot gauge for you who you might think is winning this debate, but I do know that each speaker has done their best to win you over by their elegance, their humor, and their passion.

When it comes to sharing the gospel with unbelievers, I wonder what kind of debater we are?

Are we like the first lady Michelle, full of passion and able to defend what we know? I am not endorsing the Obama ticket here on my blog, but I merely make a point that one of the reasons Michelle Obama could get up and debate so passionately and eloquently is because she personally knew who she was representing, she 100% supports the man that she was defending.

That is the kind of passion and elegance I want when it comes time to share the gospel with others. I don't want to just talk about God, I want to share my real life experiences with God to others. I want people to feel what I have felt. See what I have seen. Believe what I believe.

Witnessing for Christ is not a debate. Or is it?

Is it not our goal to win over the lost to Him? To bring light to the darkness? Sometimes we just have to tell it the way it is. No sugar coating. No coaxing. Just the plain truth. Nothing but the facts.

That may be a far stretch from what we hear in a primary debate, but I believe God's Word when it says that His Word will not return void ...

ISAIAH 55:11 "So is My Word that goes out from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

In just a few months we will see who wins this presidential race and then they will have to put their money where their mouth is. We will see if their promises were just empty words or if they can put action behind them. One thing that I am assured of, God's Word is never an empty promise. If He said it....He meant it. His Word is always Amen and Amen and that means He has the final Word!

Today is THANKFUL THURSDAY and I am linking up with Iris who is hosting this month. I am so thankful that I can stand upon God's Word...it is the one thing that never changes. Please visit Iris and all of the other TT participants today, you will be blessed!

LACED WITH GRACE...The simplicity of Christ

Today you can find me over at LACED WITH GRACE, where I have shared a devotion with the readers entitled, "The simplicity of Christ."

Many times we lose sight of just how simple it is to follow Christ. We are always trying to make the MAIN thing the MAIN thing...but we forget what the MAIN thing is!

CLICK THE LINK to read this devotion and then encourage someone by leaving a comment.

Is your prayer life a novel or a sitcom?

I love to write. It is my passion and I would love it if I could devote everyday, all day, to my writing. The truth is, writing takes time. I have been working on a book. A Christian novel. It is taking forever to write! It seems like I can only write one paragraph at a time. Seems to me, writing a sitcom would be easier, and faster!

Many of us look at our prayer life, and expect to see a sitcom, a beginning and an end in just 30 short minutes. We don't want to wait for answers. We want our joy back NOW. We want our healing NOW. We want clear answers NOW. Not tomorrow, not next week...but NOW! We don't want to wait anymore for anything, and prayers are no different.

Miracles can happen quickly, in fact, I have firsthand seen instant healing. But more often than not, I have seen miracles happen slowly. All throughout the Bible, we see accounts of people waiting upon the Lord. I think of David or Abraham, whom waited years and years for God to deliver His promises. From waiting on a son out of barrenness to hiding in a cave to flee from his enemies, these men had unwavering faith.

And what about the birth of Jesus? Many people predicted the coming of the Messiah for generations before it actually took place. All of these miracles, and testimonies took years to happen.

I'm glad that God is writing a novel instead of a sitcom of my life. Instead of wrapping up all of my needs in a quick minute, He is setting the stage. Molding each character. And writing down the plot to every last detail. All of this takes time. Sometimes years and years.

While writing my christian novel, I have to have some twists and turns throughout the pages before reaching the end, likewise, God has to take us thru some twists and turns before arriving at the perfect ending for our life. It may seem like it is taking a long time, but trust me, it will be worth the wait.

ISAIAH 40:31  "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not be faint."

PRAYER: "Dear Lord, thank You for being patient with me and for writing each chapter of my life. Help me to be patient and wait upon You to finalize my story. I don't know what mysteries lie ahead, but I am trusting You to unfold my story and help me to get to my happy ending." AMEN

Labor Day...not the first day of rest

Today is Labor Day, a day in which most of us will simply enjoy a day off of work by sleeping in, cooking out or simply basking in one last summer get away. Its the way it has been for years and years. Resting on Labor Day.

Way back in the year 1882, Peter McGuire introduced an idea for a new holiday. "Let us have a festive day during which a parade through the streets of the city would permit public tribute to American Industry." It took a few years, but several years later President Cleveland signed a petition designating the first Monday in September as "Labor Day".

Many would contribute the concept for today's day of rest to McGuire, but the whole idea of having a day of rest did not originate with Mcguire or even President Cleveland. The very first declaration of having a day of rest was originated by God Himself.

God created the heavens and the earth and then on the seventh day, He rested! Thus making the seventh day a day of rest. Politicians and historians call their day of rest Labor Day, God calls His  the Sabbath.

"By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day, He rested from all of His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He did." Genesis 2:2,3

Now the Sabbath day is NOT a tribute to workers, however, it is a tribute to God. A day to rest our bodies while we focus our mind and heart on God. In the Jewish tradition, the Sabbath is actually the main focal point of the week. It is not a day to sleep in, get caught up laundry or mow the yard. In fact, they spend 3 days getting prepared, and focused for the Sabbath. I guess it is much like we do, preparing for the work week to start. Spending our weekends accomplishing what we can before our week starts. The difference is, our focus is not on God like theirs is.

Many of us think that we have remembered the Holy Day if we take time out of our Sundays to go to church. But once that is fullfilled, we fill the rest of the day with as much as we can. Not resting at all. Not focusing on God at all. Not getting refueled spiritually for the work week...at all!

None of us would dream of working on Labor Day, a day of rest created by man but still have no problem laboring on the Sabbath day, the day of rest created by God. Once a year is good to have a day off of work, but honestly, it is not enough for my spirit man. In order to be renewed and refreshed with Him, I need to clear the junk out of my mind on a more regular basis...say, at least once a week!

PRAYER:
"Dear Lord, I want to honor Your Sabbath day. Help me to relax and rest in You so I can be fresh to fight against the fiery darts that will come my way the rest of the week. Thank You for giving me a day of rest, now help me to honor it." AMEN