When I Need An Instruction Manual

The Bible.  Scripture.  It's not just a book of  stories.  It's life's instruction manual. God's own Word.

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To teach me; to correct me when I go astray; to train me in every way.  So I may live my life as a daughter of God.

It gives me everything I might need to do the work He sets before me.

It calms me.  Strengthens me.  Comforts me.

It reminds me who God is.  And who I am I His eyes.

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Coffee Talk

Think about the people you are closest to.  The people you have the strongest relationship with.  How often to you talk to them? Weekly? Daily? Multiple times a day?

How often do you talk to God? If we want to be closer to the Lord and to have a deep, strong, lasting relationship with Him - we have to talk to Him on a regular basis!

Almost every morning I get up, pour a cup of coffee, grab my Bible, and sit down to talk with Him and to see what He has to tell me today.  Sure, a lot of mornings I am doing most of the talking.  But He certainly has a lot to tell me also.

I tell him what I am up to; and He gives me guidance. I tell Him my concerns and worries,explain where I am hurting; and He comforts me. I tell Him about the joys I have experienced and praise Him for them; and He shows me more blessings in my life. I tell him what I think I want; and He tells me what I really need.

It's like having coffee and conversation with a dear (and very wise) friend.

"In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly" ~ Psalm 5:3

Man Sized Expectations

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength" ~ 1 Corinthians 1:25

The Bible tells us that all things are possible for God. But it can be so difficult to really wrap my head around that one.  To really believe that nothing is too big or impossible for Him to manage. Do I put man-sized restrictions on God?  Do I expect less of Him than He is really capable?

The simple answer is: Yes.Yes, I do.

But the truth is - God is bigger.  Bigger than our doubts.  Bigger than our fears.  Bigger than our weaknesses.  God is never going to let us down, disappoint us, or forsake us.  He is bigger than anything we can imagine.  His power goes beyond anything we can comprehend.

So, what ever it is you're expecting of God - think BIGGER!  Nothing is impossible for Him.

 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" ~ Ephesians 3:20

My Love Dare: Day 36

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" ~ Psalm 119:105

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Day 36: Love is God's Word

God has not put us into the world - into this life - without a plan.  He has even provided us with an instruction book full of His word and His promises - the Bible.

In order for God's word to be helpful to us we have to commit to it.  Immerse ourselves in it.  And know it.

Be In It: Get into a daily habit of reading the Bible

Stay Under it:  By attending a church where the Word is faithfully preached and Bible study classes where it is taught and discussed you can come to a greater understanding of God's word and how it applies to your life.

Live It:  Allow the Bible to become part of who you are, how you live, how you think, and what you do.

When we live only according to our plans, our emotions, the opinions of there, etc - we are building on shaky ground.  As the trials of life shake us - everything will collapse around us.  When we are living by God's word - we have a strong, firm, unshakable foundation against destruction.

When you build your life and your marriage on the Bible, you will see it grow stronger and be solid against the storms.

TODAY'S DARE:  COMMIT TO READING THE BIBLE EVERY DAY.  FIND A DEVOTIONAL BOOK OR OTHER RESOURCE THAT WILL GIVE YOU SOME GUIDANCE.  IF YOUR SPOUSE IS OPEN TO IT, SEE IF THEY WILL COMMIT TO DAILY BIBLE READING WITH YOU.  BEGIN SUBMITTING EACH AREA OF YOUR LIFE TO ITS GUIDANCE AND START BUILDING ON THE ROCK.

I take some quiet time each morning to read a devotional or two and to spend some time in God's word. (I'm doing one of those "read the Bible in a year" plans).  I spoke with the Man of the House about the two of us maybe doing some sort of devotional or bible study together as well.  And I think we've decided on a book to look at for this purpose.

Warmer Mornings

I am so excited to see the calendar telling me that it is Spring. (even though it hasn’t exactly felt like it on most days yet) Spring means warmer days. Warmer mornings.

I look forward to taking my morning quiet time outside onto the back porch. Just me, a cup of coffee, and my Bible. Oh… and the morning sun, the birds, and the spring breeze.

A Little Goes a Long Way

He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." ~ Matthew 13:33

A small bit of yeast.  Mixed into a large amount of flour.  Worked all through the dough.  And changing it.

It's amazing how something which seems so very small can change things so very much.

A little bitterness, a little sadness, a little resentment, a little anger can fill a heart, a mind - a life - with darkness.


The opposite is also true.

One little smile can change a day.

A little gratitude, a little giving of thanks, a little praise for all the Lord provides can change an outlook.

A little faith.  A little hope.  A little love.  Can all change a situation - even an entire life - for the better. 

His Love Endures Forever

For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. ~ Psalm 100:5

Made Perfect In Weakness

Last week I wrote about being weary. I just feel weak. It feels as if it's one thing after another. First, I was sick. Then I had the infected tooth that had to be pulled.  Then the allergic rash attack. Now, I am either fighting the worst allergies ever or some sort of autumn cold.  Pile the chilly, gray weather we had the last few days on top of all this. The weariness has led to flat out exhaustion.

It's having an affect on me. It's wearing me down. Making me feel weak and frustrated. These things always seem to hit me on Tuesday or Wednesday, which means I haven't made it to my women's Bible study for 3 weeks now. I'm not writing as much as I would like. I'm not feeling up to doing much of anything. The kitchen isn't as clean as it should be. The bathrooms need a good scrubbing. The laundry isn't staying caught up the way it should. And the family menu shows a distinct lack of creativity this week.

It's easy to start slipping into the "why me" mind set. I want to shake my fist. I want to cry. I want to give up and just go back to bed. We've all been there, or some place very similar to it at one time or another.  Maybe for you it was even a worse place with darker circumstances.  I know my little health issues are tiny compared to what so many others deal with on a daily basis. But this is where I am.

This morning I was thinking that if one more thing comes up anytime soon, or if I don't start feeling much better quickly - I was going to lose my mind.  Then during my morning quiet time, while flipping through my Bible on my way to 1 John - my eyes landed on this piece of scripture:

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

The Lord knows we will have times of trouble.  He knows we go through times when we are sick, hurt, tempted, scared or weak.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33
But He does not want us to be alone or to carry the full burden without help.  He wants us to seek his presence.  To cry out to Him in our time of need.

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!" ~ 1 Chronicles 16:11

"In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." ~ Psalm 18:6


He is there to support us.  To encourage us.  He will refresh us and give us rest!

 "I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." - Jeremiah 31:25

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28

I don't know about you - but I feel a little better already!

Weary

Friends, the past few days have been some real doozies.   There has been parent-child squabbles, family drama, a painful infected tooth, an allergic rash, etc.  All those things, one after another, start  to make your soul feel weary. 

The enemy always knows when we are weak.  When we are feeling tired.  Or when our hormones are raging away.  He knows where the cracks are, and he will use them as a finger hold to grab on and start pick, pick, picking at your soul. Dropping seeds of self doubt.  Telling you that the burden is too heavy and that you are not enough for all of this.

It's these times when I know I need to get deep into God's word more than ever.  The only thing that can drown out all the lies being whispered into my soul are the solid walls of Truth. 

"for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:13

The day to day frustrations and trials are going to happen.  They are temporary.  And I don't have to go through them alone.

Reading the Labels

Labels.  I keep reading about labels.  Labels we put on other people.  Labels we put on ourselves.

First it was Lysa TerKeurst's new book Unglued reminding me that labels can "imprison us in categories that are hard to escape".   This morning it was Upward Not Inward talking about the self inflicted labels and how "they are hard to ignore because deep down you know they are true, at least partially".  Even my recent post  Measuring Up deals indirectly with labels - comparing those we place on someone else with those we've put to ourselves and feeling as if we come up short.

Don't kid yourself.  That old childhood chant about sticks and stones breaking bones, it's wrong.  Words can hurt.  They can leave marks that last days, years, or even a lifetime.

Worthless.

That's the very worst of the worst.  It's the one we most often place on ourselves.  Because, in the end, that's where so many of the other labels are headed.

When we tell ourselves:

I'm stupid.

I'm ugly.

I'm a mess.

I'm a push over.

I'm disorganized.

I'm a bad mother.

I'm always late.

I'm a hypocrite.

I'm lonely.

I'm an addict.

I'm a nerd.

I'm no good at (fill in the blank)

.. at some point those thoughts are likely to arrive at "worthless". 

Even though God tells us over and over again in His word how valuable we are! As Lysa says in Unglued: "Those labels start out as little threads of self-dissatisfaction but ultimately weave together into a straitjacket of self-condemnation."

Even though God tells us over and over again in His word how valuable we are!  Scripture tells us that we are His workmanship, his masterpieces.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well ~ Psalm 139:14

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ~ Luke 12: 6-7

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us ~ Romans 5:8

Did you catch that? 

Wonderfully made.  With a purpose.  Loved.  Full of worth!

Now, how do you like those labels?

Sleeping In Vs. Staying Up Late

 It's that time of week again when Feeling Beachie gives us four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs.

Want to be featured as a Co-Host to the hop? Come up with four fill in’s of your own and email them to her at feelingbeachie@gmail.com. If she uses them, you get a nice little mention in that weeks hop! Please help her out and email some statements! This week’s co-host is Annie from the Lemon Drop (She came up with the last two statements)
You've known since kindergarten (if not before) that you should always share. So be sure to tweet, facebook, etc about the Follow Friday blog hop. And add the little linky tool there at the bottom to your own blog if you participate!

This Week's Statements:
1.My day always starts by ____
2.I prefer ___ to ____
3.I never thought I’d __________ until I __________
4. I wish I could ________ for ________________

My Answers:

1.My day always starts by getting a cup of coffee and reading my bible.

2.I prefer sleeping in  to staying up late.

3.I never thought I’d want to have kids until I was pregnant with the Princess

4. I wish I could put one of the many stories in my brain onto paper for a book