A PIECE OF MY HEART...Thankful Thursdays!

A PIECE OF MY HEART

1 CHRONICLES 22:19 "Now determine in your mind and HEART to seek the Lord your God."

THANKFUL THURSDAY....

I first heard of this thing in bloggy world called "THANKFUL THURSDAYS" over at STING MY HEART. The first time I saw this feature, I thought what a grand idea...to be thankful on a day other than Thanksgiving day!!

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-19 " Rejoice always, (17) pray without ceasing, (18)in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (19) Do not quench the Spirit."

So how do I quench the Spirit?

• complaining
• whining
• spirit of negativity

Be thankful for everything?

• for sickness?
• for a dead-end job?
• for troubles and tribulations?

Renewing my mind comes from spending time in God's presence. His ideals and attitude will become in me and I will think of myself in a different light and look at those things around me thru the mind of Christ, which is full of love. (Romans 12:2)

So today, as I set my mind on Christ and His love for me, I just HAVE TO say thanks. Just a few things I am rejoicing about today:

1. THANK YOU Lord for loving me beyond measure!
2. THANK YOU Lord for changing my heart and my life!
3. THANK YOU Lord for giving me a God fearing, God loving husband.
4. THANK YOU Lord that after 27 years, hubby still chases me!
5. THANK YOU Lord for the most beautiful children, who all live for you!
6. THANK YOU Lord that I am not in the hospital, sick with diseases!
7. THANK YOU Lord for your Holy Spirit that guides me every day!
8. THANK YOU Lord that I had plenty to eat today!
9. THANK YOU Lord for Your peace that passes all understanding!
10. THANK YOU Lord for choosing me before I even knew you!

click here, to find out more about THANKFUL THURSDAYS!

What are you thankful for today?

Have you taken time today to rejoice and give thanks?

God loves you and desires to hear from you today!!

and that's a piece of my heart today!

Blessings, Laurie

A PIECE OF MY HEART...take courage and fear not!

A PIECE OF MY HEART

1 CHRONICLES 22:19 "Now determine in your mind and HEART to seek the Lord your God."



TAKE COURAGE and FEAR NOT!
I already had something written that I wanted to share with you today, but God seems to be changing my direction. Look for "LABEL READER", my original post planned for today, at a later date.

I was awoken in the night, with a deep burden on my heart and all day today I have not been able to shake this feeling of great heaviness. A heaviness that griefs my spirit to weeping. Have you ever experienced such a heaviness, a heaviness that you are not sure exactly what the cause is but you know you need to pray and intercede?

I was awoken out of my sleep last night, from a dream where I found myself at the airport. There were several military soldiers there. They were all dressed in their fatigues and slung over their shoulders were their duffle bags. The soldiers were standing on one side of a guard rail and on the other side of the rail stood their loved ones. There were young men reaching over the rail, holding tightly to their young brides. A Mother reached over to kiss her young child, possibly for the last time. A Mother and Father, with arms interlocked, praying over their son.

What I observed was the bravery not only from the soldiers leaving to go overseas for an extended time, but the bravery of the ones they were leaving behind. Tears were shed, laughter could be heard, and well wishes from everyone. It was the bravery I witnessed in my dream that stirred my heart. Once the soldiers were out of sight, I witnessed the heartache in the faces of the Mothers and Fathers. I saw the fear in the Wife standing there holding the hand of her 2 year old son. I shed a tear as I watched a young daughter waving and throwing kisses to her Daddy even after he was out of sight.

BRAVERY. Oh yes, those of us left behind are fighting a fight of bravery as well.

I then woke up from my dream. But my heart is breaking today, maybe it is the anticipation of my own son leaving for overseas in just a few months, I want to be brave on that day I see him off. My heart is griefed today as I think of the many other women who are left behind to carry on the bravery in their hearts and their homes. I prayed a special prayer for you today, I don't even know who you are but I prayed that God would calm your fear and that you would know that you are not alone.

I have a new blogging friend that is doing a great ministry as she reaches out to military families, in particular military wives. She is married to a military chaplain and has created a prayer support group for military families. I encourage you, if you have a loved one in the military, whether overseas or here in the states, that you check out her prayer group and join us as we intercede for one another. You are not alone...click here for more info!

ISAIAH 35:4
"Say to those who are fearful-hearted, 'Be strong, do not fear!' Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come, and save you."

Be strong and be brave my dear! God is with you always.


and that's a piece of my heart today,


Blessings, Laurie

WOMEN TAKING A STAND DEVOTION...March 30, 2008

THIS WEEK'S DEVOTION....

"BALL OF FURY"

Thank you for joining me for this weeks devotion. It is my prayer that your heart will be challenged and changed today as we meditate upon Gods Word!

"ANGER IS ACTUALLY A GIFT...A TOOL GIVEN TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BUT TOO OFTEN IT IS MISUSED AS A DEVICE OF HARM." - Dr. Les Carter

Not all anger is bad. Anger in itself is not sinful. It is what we often do when we are angry that is sinful. Consider the tool as we all know as a hammer. In the hands of a carpenter, a hammer is a tool of construction, but in the hands of a maniac that same hammer is a lethal weapon! Anger is like that hammer...it cannot manifest by itself until we allow it to build us or break us.

What is anger? defined as a feeling of extreme displeasure, hostility, indignation or exasperation toward someone or something. This past week, in the YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I asked the question, "Which describes you when someone is angry with you..." The top three responses in that poll were:

1. 38% of voters said they are much like a BOOMERANG, shooting anger right back

2. 22% polled voted that they are like PISTONS, too much friction and they shut down

3. 16% voted that they reacted like a SANDCASTLE, their anger flattens them like a wave

Regardless of how you express your anger, it is the result of the anger that can be destructive! There are great people that can do great things but the result of their anger causes great damage. For example: Bobby Knight, a winning college basketball coach was a dynamic coach but his violent outbursts during games and in the media spotlight cost him a job and it caused damage to his character as well. Another example: Alexander the Great! A great conqueror in history; he could conquer nations but he was unable to control his anger. On one occasion, his impulsive rage led him to kill one of his generals.

ANGER NOT ONLY HURTS OURSELVES, IT HURTS OTHERS AND IT GRIEFS GOD

EPHESIANS 4:25-32

"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (26) In your anger do not sin - Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (28) He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (29) Do not let any 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. (30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (31) Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (32) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

We need to recognize that anger in itself is not sinful, but that our anger has an underlying thought or feeling that rises to anger. Think of the last time you were angry...what was the feeling of anger caused by? Was it a feeling of being hurt? Or rejected? Were you being manipulated? Or ignored? Perhaps you were taken advantage of or an expectation was not met. Was your character being questioned? Were you attacked either physically or verbally? Did you feel like your efforts were unappreciated? Were you made fun of?

Now, we see that anger is triggered by something. In order to better manage our anger, lets consider what are healthy and unhealthy ways to do that:

1. UNHEALTHY EXPRESSIONS OF ANGER

• INTERNALIZED ANGER, this is anger that is never expressed.

A common statement of someone who is internally angry is, "I'm not angry, just frustrated." or "I'm not mad, just disappointed."

A person who has displaced anger has a potential for a delayed explosion. It is here that the potential for resentment, bitterness and hatred will reside. A person with internalized anger may want to "keep score" to the one they are angry at. A wife may explode at her husband, "That is the third time you have done that this week and I am tired of it!" Guess what...it wasn't the third time that got her angry; she was bothered the first two times but she oppressed it.

• EXPLOSIVE ANGER, is uncontrolled fury which can be manifested in verbal and/or physical abuse

Explosive anger damages self-esteem, trust and can destroy relationships. Exploders anger is usually vented by screaming, cursing, condemning, name-calling, sarcasm, humilition, criticism or threats. Exploders many times blame their victims for their anger and often times they will minimize their outbursts by saying, "I'm just blowing off steam" or "I'm just getting something off of my chest".

PROVERBS 29:11 "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control."

2. HEALTHY EXPRESSION OF ANGER

• ASSERTIVE ANGER, productive or constructive anger

Assertive anger has a goal of solving problems and restoring relationships. "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" (Eph. 4:26) Paul is talking about keeping short accounts! He is telling us to deal with our anger and crisis PROMPTLY and EFFECTIVELY. If anger were like a fire, Paul would be saying "drown it with water", because to leave it burning is like inviting it to spread and do more damage.

EPHESIANS 4:27 "Do not give the devil a foothold"

Assertive anger is not saying we, as Christians, will not become angry or have anger spewed out onto us. Allow God to help you to break free from the grip of anger and the destruction that comes along with it...bitterness, criticism, hurt, name-calling, etc. You do not have to stay mad, in fact learning how to let God change your heart will give you the power to love others more and then you will be able to handle difficult situations with courtesy and with wisdom, and not with such a ball of fury!

Be blessed today as you meditate on God's Word,

Love, Laurie

To help you be an overcomer in this area of anger...meditate upon these scriptures:

PROVERBS 14:17 "A quick tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated."

PROVERBS 16:32 "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city."

PROVERBS 20:3 "It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel."

PROVERBS 29:11 "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control."

1 CORINTHIANS 13,4&5 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

EPHESIANS 4:26&27 "In your anger do not sin: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."

EPHESIANS 4:31&32 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you."

COLOSSIANS 3:8 "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips."

JAMES 1:19&20 "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."

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YOUR OPINION MATTERS:

Please vote in this weeks YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL. The question is "What would you miss the most if you were required to relocate to another city?" YOUR OPINION REALLY DOES MATTER!

THIS WEEK'S QUOTE TO REMEMBER:

JIM ELIOT - " Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God."

THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE TO REMEMBER:

PSALM 91:2 " I will say to the Lord, 'You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."

THEN SINGS MY SOUL...it is well with my soul

A PIECE OF MY HEART

1 CHRONICLES 22:19
"Now determine in your mind and HEART to seek the Lord your God."

Some of my blogging friends have been sharing special songs with me. My friend over at signs, miracles and wonders started up the Then.Sings.my.Soul. Saturdays, CLICK HERE to see what it is about. Christian music is a great way to express worship and praise to our Lord and Savior! Many times when I have faced difficult times and a very dark hour, music has lifted my soul.

Yet, on other occasions when I have yearned to draw nearer to God and I just wanted to basque in His presence, Christian music has elevated me. One of my all-time favorite hymns is "IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL". And my all-time favorite artist is David Phelps. I can put in any CD of his and find myself "lost" in Gods presence.

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL ministers to me as I reflect on the story behind the words. The words inspire me to know that there is nothing that I can go thru that can take away from the safety of my Heavenly Father's arms.

It is in His arms that I truly find that
IT...IS...WELL...WITH...MY...SOUL!

Watch the video and see if you aren't ushered into His presence,

AND THAT'S A PIECE OF MY HEART TODAY,

Blessings, Laurie

EGGStraordinary CHRISTIAN

1 Chronicles 22:19 "Now determine in your mind and HEART to seek the Lord your God."

Thank you for joining me today as I share a piece of my heart. It is my prayer that your heart will be strengthened today!

A PIECE OF MY HEART:

This past weekend, I was helping my daughter color eggs for Easter. There are great “easy to dye” kits available now for coloring eggs. I like to do it the old fashion way, with the vinegar and dipping the eggs in several different colors to make a unique masterpiece.

Eggs are a very complex dairy product!


Have you ever considered how fragile the egg is? If you are not very careful with the handling of the egg, the outside shell will crack and the inside yolk will be a mess. Luckily, we did not experience this during our egg coloring adventure.

With a little bit of work, the egg can be transformed. The runny yolk in a matter of minutes can be changed into a more solid yolk. This transformation allows the handling of the egg to be less fragile.

It amazes me how the dying (or coloring) process turns the egg into something beautiful. Have you ever wondered why we color eggs? I thought about that this past weekend, as my daughter and I transformed these fragile eggs into something beautiful. Dying the hard boiled eggs reminded me how EGGStoaordinary being a child of God is...

THE PREPARATION

• People are fragile (just like the eggs)


• Like the messy yolk in the egg, we make choices at times that create messes in our lives.

THE TRANSFORMATION

• Just like the egg, it is the dying process that creates the beauty....


• The dying process that transforms us is the death of Jesus on the cross.


• Once fragile (like the egg) we now are transformed(thru Jesus sacrifice).


• NOW.. We are a new, beautiful masterpiece!

ROMANS 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and pefect will of God."

Isn’t that EGGStraordinary?

And that’s a piece of my heart today,

BLESSINGS,
Laurie

"INESCAPABLE CRITICISM"...mach 22 weekly devotion

INESCAPABLE CRITICISM

A cartoon in a newspaper depicted a Cowboy speaking to his horse, “Well, you’ve been a pretty good ole gal” The Cowboy continued, “reliable, not as fast as some.” The second frame of the cartoon showed the horse interrupting and responding, “I SAID I wanted a feedbag! Not feedback!”

Whether we want it or not, people seem quite ready and even anxious to give us feedback. It would be great if feedback was always positive, but often times it is negative and critical.

Author John Steinbeck was criticized about one of his novels, and he responded, “Where were you when the page was blank?”

As long as we live in relationship with others, we will face criticism. The key is to learn to manage the stress of it. No amount of wealth and power will protect us from criticism. Even the President of the United States, who is one of the most powerful men in the world, is criticized.

In last weeks YOUR OPINION MATTERS, a poll was taken asking “Who gave you your recent dose of criticism.” The top three poll results were found:

1. 33% of voters were criticized by a FAMILY MEMBER
2. 26% of those polled said a SPOUSE criticized them
3. 13% said their BOSS recently criticized them

It appears that we cannot escape criticism even from those closest to us.

· No amount of goodness or holiness will shield you from negative criticism.

Jesus was criticized!

· People will find fault in spite of your pure motives and willingness to sacrifice for their best

interests.
Fault was found in Apostle Paul by others!

The Apostle Paul discovered three ever-present judges. We face the same critics as Paul did:

1. JUDGE #1 …ANY SIGNIFICANT OTHER PERSON
This is anyone whose opinion of you carries weight. This can be a parent, child, friend, pastor, boss, coworker, spouse, etc. For Paul, the first critic was a collection of church members in Corinth.

2. JUDGE #2…YOURSELF
You may be a soft judge or a hard judge, but you will check in daily to accomplish the job of self-evaluation.

3. JUDGE #3…GOD
God is holy and all knowing. He is full aware of your flawed behavior, thoughts and motives. He also knows when we have been falsely accused or unjustly criticized.

1 CORINTHIANS 4:1-5
“Men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. (2) Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (3) I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. (4) My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. (5) Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”

It is easy to ignore the criticism of your enemies, but much tougher to accept the critical feedback of those on your team. If you find yourself facing criticism from those around you, here are some suggestions to avoid an angry response:

…Don’t be upset every time someone criticizes you. It is not a disaster.
…Don’t shape your behavior just to prevent others from criticizing you.
…Don’t reward the angry outbursts of others. Ignore them when they yell at
you, but be very attentive when they speak reasonably.
…Don’t be intimidated. Speak up and say, “Please talk to me reasonably.”
…Be kind and loving. Just because someone is angry at you does not mean
you have to be angry back.
…When there is truth in criticism, admit it. Do not lie and defend yourself.
…Give others the right to be angry with you sometimes and do not be shocked
and offended when it happens.

Paul weighed the Corinthians’ criticism against his own conscience. Paul knew he was completely committed to God and he knew that his motives were pure. When we encounter criticism, regardless of the message and source, we should analyze it for truth. Paul’s honest look inward led him to declare a verdict of innocence but he was wise and mature in recognizing that he was not the final and most accurate judge.

If we strive to be like Paul when it comes to the critics in our lives, we will recognize that God is our final and ultimate judge. Sometimes the complete verdict of those who have wronged us will not be revealed to us in this life.

(Vs. 5 “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”)

You may have people in your life that second-guess your character and even criticize your behavior and performance, but the One who has the authority to condemn us has extended us grace. (Jesus was judged in our place)

Romans 8:1 “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.

It is my prayer that you will accept the truth that God is all-knowing and the final judge when it comes to the criticism in your life, whether it is inflicted by yourself or others.

I would love to hear how you overcome criticism in your life. Thanks for checking in on this weeks devotion. I pray it has challenged your heart today. Have a great week!

Blessings, Laurie

YOUR OPINION MATTERS:
Please vote in this week’s poll, your opinion really does matter! Please answer the question, “When someone is angry at me I am …..”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
RICHARD BRAUNSTEIN – “It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.”

SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK:
1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.”

A PIECE OF MY HEART...a unique obituary

A PIECE OF MY HEART

1 CHRONICLES 22:19 "Now determine in your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God"

I saw the most unique obituary the other day. On occasion I will look in our local paper at the recent deaths. Never, have I seen an obituary like this one:

JERUSALEM ....OBITUARIES.... 33 AD

JESUS CHRIST, 33, of Nazareth, died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgatha, the place of the skull. Betrayed by the apostle Judas, Jesus was crucified by the Romans, by order of the Ruler Pontius Pilate. The causes of death were crucifixion, extreme exhaustion, severe torture, and loss of blood.

Jesus Christ, a descendent of Abraham, was a member of the house of David. He was the Son of the late Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth, and Mary, His devoted Mother. Jesus was born in a stable in the city of Bethlehem, Judea. He is survived by His mother Mary, His faithful Apostles, numerous Disciples, and many other followers.

Jesus was self educated and spent most of his adult life working as a Teacher. Jesus also occasionally worked as a Medical Doctor and it is reported that He healed many patients. Up until the time of His death, Jesus was teaching and sharing the Good News, healing the sick, touching the lonely, feeding the hungry, and helping the poor.

Jesus was noted for telling parables about His Father's kingdom and performing miracles, such as feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and five fish, and healing a man who was born blind. On the day before His death, He held a Last Supper celebrating the Passover Feast, at which He foretold His death.

The body was quickly buried in a stone grave, which was donated by Joseph of Arimathea, a loyal friend of the family. A boulder was rolled in front of the tomb. Roman Soldiers were put on guard.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that everyone try to live as Jesus did. Donations may be sent to anyone in need.

What is unique about this obituary is that there is more to tell. The grave that Jesus was buried in could not keep Him. Three days after His burial, Jesus rose from the dead and today He sits at the right hand of our Heavenly Father.

JOHN 14:3 "I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Have a blessed RESURRECTION Sunday!

THAT IS A PIECE OF MY HEART TODAY!

Laurie