A New Direction

We are all familiar with the manger scene.  Its generally a part of the Christmas decorations in most churches foyers.  You may find it in a few homes of your friends or family. I was out for a run this morning.   It was dark, quiet, crisp. As I ran, in the quiet I realized that the greatest gift was given to us from a God who loves us fiercely. He sent His Son to be born, so that he could grow up and die for us.  The Cross is a symbol of grace, mercy, forgiveness and peace. How often do we truly accept the gift of forgiveness?  We are a broken people and without knowing it on a daily basis we hurt people.  We hurt them with our words, our actions, our attitudes.  We cheat, kill, destroy.  We deceive, lie, steal.  We judge people because they don't look like us, or like we want them to look.  We judge people because they have different beliefs and opinions than ours.  Why would God send his son to die for people...

Letting God lead me.  That's hard sometimes, isn't it? We either want to do things our own way, or what God wants us to do is HARD! He will ask us to give away something that means a lot to us ( our money, our time) He will ask us to forgive someone who hurt us (but they don't deserve it Lord) He will tell us to go and we want to stay (mission trip? move to a new city? new job?) Many times God wants us to do things that are hard, not because he wants us to fail but because he wants us to grow.  He is stretching our faith. If we do something that on our own we can't accomplish, then our faith in Him gets stronger, because its only by His power we are able to complete the task he has given us. Many of you may have heard the song "Oceans" by Hillsong.  I posted the video above.  I've heard it many many times on the radio and at times have turned it off because I was tired of hearing it.  But, God brought it to mind during my quiet time.  I re...

Adam and Eve had it ALL! The Ultimate Garden. Ecological Harmony. Spiritual Peace Relational Purity. Satan suggested there could be more.  And with that thought came discontent. I can have more?   Had they chosen gratitude, would the world be different today?  If you chose gratitude, would your world be different today? In this season of GIVING, I am more aware of the discontent of so many people.  What they have isn't good enough - they need more, bigger, better, faster, shinier.  Made me think about how often I say "Thank You" to God. Thank you for a home I can afford - no matter its size. Thank you that I have a job - even if its not my choice of jobs. Thank you for a car to drive - instead of having to use public transportation or walk. Thank you for healthy children - as I see others with children struggling with disease. Thank you for running water, heat, and food in my refrigerator.  I could be homeless and hungry. ...

When I pray, do I view God as a loving Father, or a dad who loves me when I'm good, but ashamed of me when I'm bad? This blog is going to be raw.  I cried buckets of tears this morning.  I am not ashamed to say God and I wrestled.  Ok, I wrestled, he sat and listened, waiting for me to calm down so he could hold me and let me know he loves me. I thought I felt free to come to my father with anything, at any time.  I have found I can't say "daddy" when I pray.  Why?  Because I grew up without a daddy.  I never had an example of a dad when I was a little girl.  My dad was absent.  Forgetful.  I felt dismissed.  Forgotten.  Forgettable. I have lived most of my life feeling like no one would ever remember me if they crossed my path.  I have felt that from God at times.  I try to live a life that is Godly.  I try to do the right thing and yet my blessings are held away from me.   I don't live my lif...

We take for granted what Christ did for us. We take for granted who Christ is to us. He was perfect.  Holy.  Seamless.  Pure. He went to the cross wearing a seamless garment of perfection.  At the cross he was stripped of that garment and clothed with our wardrobe of indignity.  The indignity of our sin. This perfect, spotless man became all that we are - liars, cheaters, murderers, thieves. He walked through the streets carrying a cross he didn't deserve so that we could be free from it.  He did all this and we take what He did for granted.  We squander the gift.  We do what WE want to do and forget the sacrifice that was made to give us that freedom. Yesterday was Veterans Day.  A day we celebrate all who fought and died for our freedom.  We honor those men and women publicly.  We uphold them and thank them for their service to us and our country.  Yet, the man who died on a cross in our place we fail to hon...

God's hands are powerful.  They created the earth and all that is in it. They parted the red sea. They furrowed truth into the tablets.  With a wave of his hands, he toppled the tower of Babel. From his hands flew the locusts that plagued Egypt. From his hands he sent the ravens that fed Elijah. The hand of God is a mighty hand.  So, why did he lay on the cross, palms open, and let the nails be driven into his wrists?  Why didn't he clench his fist, flex his bicep and push the nail and the hammer and the guard away?  He could you know.  The same hand that did all of the above is the same hand that stretched out on a wooden beam to be nailed down. Why didn't Jesus resist?  We always reply "Because He loved us".  Yes, that's true, but only partially true.  In my morning reading today I realized that Jesus didn't resist because between the wood and his hand was was a list.  A list of my flaws, my lies, my sins, my lusts,...

Women are the worst at it. We see a beautiful woman who has what we want, and we start to compare. I wish I looked like her, then I would be happy.  I wish I could afford to buy new clothes and dress like her, then I would be happy.  I wish I had a car like hers, then I would be happy. I wish I had a job like hers, then I would be happy. I wish I had a husband/boyfriend like she does, then I would be happy. Its tiring really.  Wishing I was someone else.  Wishing I looked differently or had a different life.  I am who God made me to be.  Why would I want to change what He says is precious?    Is 43:2-4  "Fear not, I have redeemed you.  I have summoned you by name.  YOU ARE MINE.  When you pass through the waters I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am...

  Choices....we all have them.  We make them every day. Good ones. Bad ones. The choices I make today will set the course for my tomorrows.   Show me a decision or choice and I'll show you a direction . Decisions I made put me in debt - bad Decisions I made set me free financially - good. Decisions I made ended my marriage - bad. Decisions to turn away from that temptation saved my marriage - good. Decisions I made at work to do something unethical cost me my job - bad Decisions I made at work saved the company money and I got a promotion - good. We all have decisions to make - good and bad ones. Just as a rudder on a ship determines the direction the ship will go, so do our choices.  The captain of a ship will study the weather charts, wind speed and direction.  He will plan his course and use the tools available to him to make sure he reaches his destination.  The rudder keeps him on course. So should we...

You've probably heard the story in Daniel of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  They were ordered to bow down and worship the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar or be thrown into a blazing fire.   Not only would they be thrown in, but the King ordered the fire to be SEVEN times HOTTER!   Many of us think if we do the right things and say all the right things, life will get easier.  But this shows us that when we stand our ground for what is right, when we enter a trial or a test, things can get even hotter before we come out of it. These boys, teenagers at that, refused to turn from God.  They refused to bow down to the nasty King, and they were thrown into the furnace.  They did EVERYTHING right, and yet they still went thru the fire.   Sound familiar? Have you been asked to do something unethical at work or risk losing your job?  Has your marriage gotten difficult and you aren't sure what will happen next? Is your relat...

  20 years!  Wow, it seems like yesterday that I was in the hospital, waiting for this child to arrive.  I was excited, nervous, anxious.  He was not cooperating on coming out - so they went in to get him.  When I finally saw him, my heart changed shape. It grew bigger.  I knew that I would do anything to protect this child.   KADEN GARRICK SLOAN Happy Birthday! My heart. My Joy. My World. I didn't know it was possible to love another human being as much as I loved him.   Jeremiah 31:3 comes to mind when I think of my children  "I have loved you with an everlasting love.  With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself". It hit me as I was thinking back on the day of his birth that God loves me as much if not more than I could possibly love my boys.  It was overwhelming and it brought me to tears.  God loves me so much he sent his son to DIE for me.  Would I do the same wit...

We've all told lies.  Its something that is almost impossible not to do.  But, have you ever told so many lies that you begin to believe them to be truth?  The Bible says in James 3:8, "But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." The tongue can be the most wicked weapon on earth, so use it wisely and speak your words with caution. As Christians, we shouldn't fill our lives with deceit. We should always strive to leave honest, open lives that are full of trust and love. But, since we are all human, sometimes it is hard to avoid lying. White lies and small omissions are still lies - we should always remember that. The option to lie should not be a in a Christian's life; we should always think of the truth first. We are not made perfect and we are tainted by original Sin. But no matter how imperfect we are, we should always strive to be good people - and this means not lying.  Proverbs 17:7  "Eloquent...

A full moon. A clear sky. A cool morning. A heart searching for direction. This was my morning...I vowed not to cry.  It makes my eyes puffy and tired.   I told God I wouldn't cry.  Then I sat down, bowed my head, and began to sing: God you are my God And I will ever praise you Oh God you are my God and I will ever praise you. I will seek you in the morning I will learn to walk in your ways and step by step you lead me and I will follow you all my days. I didn't make it.  I cried.  A Lot.  My soul feels empty.  As barren as that full moon.  Why?  Why have I lost my footing?  Where is God leading me when I feel as if I'm not moving?   Have you ever felt that way?  As if you are stuck in your circumstances and you see no way out?  You pray and seek God, you face the difficulties, the loneliness, the dwindling finances and mounting bills, the sickness, the heart break - and you wonder where ...