Saturday, March 9, 2024
Faith in God's Mission for You
What’s your mission in life? Does your mission align with God's mission for you?
The word mission creates a mental picture for me, of a small desolate village thousands of miles away, filled with starving people. What comes to your mind when you hear the word mission? The word is used a lot in Christian circles although it is not in the Bible. Webster's describes mission as an important assignment, vocation or calling.
Our lives are important. We all have a calling. We all have a personal mission. Seems like we are born "on a mission". Our original mission is made up of the things we want to accomplish for ourselves. Honestly, we usually chose these things based upon society or life in general. The things in our head we are taught or know to be right. Things like education, marriage, kids, good job, nice home, nice cars, etc. Our lists are long!
I went about my personal mission striving to obtain my mental list of things a nice southern girl is supposed to do. I was never taught to ask my Creator what he wanted my life to look like. At 19, when I accepted Christ as my Savior, a lot of changes happened in my life, including my desire to please God. God radically changed my heart when he saved me. He also changed my personal mission. God gradually changed my mission to his mission, my will to his will.
My outside didn't change appearance. My inside changed longings. I began to pray for God's guidance in EVERYTHING. Instead of buying a new car, I was like "God, can I buy a new car?". Will buying a new car please you or me? Every decision I made now included God. He knows the future. He knows what is best for me and my family.
God's Guidance changed my mission. My 'ah ha" moment came when I realized we ultimately all have the same mission. Our mission is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ! There is no other more important assignment for our lives than to accept Jesus and declare him to the entire world. Here, there and everywhere! We may not always do the Father’s will, but we can always share his Goodness!
I encourage to examine your mission in life. Is it personal or pure, gainly or Godly? Is God guiding your mission or are you the captain of your boat? Charting a course matters. Knowing your direction keeps one from becoming lost. Are you "on" mission?
Seeking guidance365,
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Is the Church a Hospital for Sinners?
We say this…
But is it true?
Our Attire: Patients are clothed in the same gown in the hospital. We wear our “Sunday best” to church.
Our Appearance: Patients openly hurt in the hospital and cry out for help. We hide our pain in church, silent as church mice. We’re there so we’ve got to be good, right?
Our Actions: Patients seek medicine and help at the hospital. We seemingly don’t seek or welcome our remedy Jesus in church.
Our Attitude: Patients are glad to lie in a bed in the hospital for healing. We neglect laying our all on the altar in church.
Our Attendance: Do we receive as much healing at church once a week as we do during a hospital stay in one admittance?
Our Atmosphere: There’s a huge difference in a hospital and a church.
Let’s quit thinking this, saying this and do something about this!
Our Allelujah,
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Faith and Soap
I love soap! The fresh natural kind with a soft fragrance and rich lather. The abundance of suds make me feel extra clean. I’ve been told I’m all about some feels.
We use soap every day! Bathing. Washing our hands. Doing the dishes. Laundry. Cleaning the house. I use a tea tree bar soap as astringent for my face to prevent breakouts. Spearmint for my body to awaken my senses. Lavender to soothe aches and pains. I can find a natural soap for just about everything that ails me. Sloane gifted me these local soaps from Union Springs Soap for Christmas.
Showering this morning, Jesus began to show me himself in the details of soap. He’s a balm that soothes every need (Jeremiah 46:11). He cleanses us daily if we ask him (1 John 1:9). His fragrance is sweet (2 Corinthians 2:15).
Jesus is the S.O.A.P (Savior Of All People)!
Sudsy365,
Friday, December 2, 2022
Faith and Grief
The waning grief seems to be unearthed and dug up again when any holiday rolls around, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I'm not sure why death seems to come calling more often during the holidays. I've attended three funerals in the last two weeks. I cry at every funeral. My heart breaks for the families. These three funerals were "good" funerals or rather, celebrations of life. The three individuals professed hope in Jesus so we know we will live with them forever in heaven. Until that glorious reunion, please allow me to share a wonderful message I heard at my uncle's funeral recently. I pray the words comfort you during your grief as they have me. The minister used the following scripture in his delivery.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
His message is "Nothing can seperate us from the love of our loved one", just as nothing can seperate us from the love of God. The love of Christ in us binds us with others for eternity. We can appropriately insert the name of our loved ones into this verse...
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of ___(insert name here)___, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The comfort of knowing love remains is powerful. I Corinthians 13:7 (paraphrased) assures us that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Certainly, love helps us grieve.
Much love,
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Five Basic Elements of Unconditional Love
Life has thrown some pretty big challenges at Steve and I. I'm sure you have plenty of your own. We are thankful the carousel stopped before the dizziness got to our stomach. The constant ups and downs of the ride churned our beings. We hung on for dear life. When Steve and I married, 36 years ago, he planned to take care of me. I was the one born with a congenital birth defect. He nor I, never, for one minute, considered my health would ever be better than his. My perpetual limp, coupled with my basic need for prostethics for both feet, was quickly overshadowed by Steve's need for a double lung transplant in 2020. Life, in general, for everyone, necessitates the five basic elements of unconditional love. Love is what makes our worlds go round.
Before his transplant, I watched Steve struggle to fit in with his new requirement for oxygen, unable to walk 10-20 feet without stopping for air. People stared at him and his tank. I've almost overcome the stares from curious people, although, some days I'm off my game. I wish Steve never endured the breathlessness of a chronic lung disease or felt inadequate. God grew both of us through his illness and transplant recovery. Praise the Lord Steve is back now! We've come full circle. I'm the one trying to keep up with him again.
Everyone wants unconditional love. These are the five basic elements of unconditional love we embrace and practice:
Everyone wants unconditional love. These are the five basic elements of unconditional love we embrace and practice:
- Different is good. Diversity was cool in our home before it became a popular buzzword.
- Compassion not pity. Compassion and pity are synonyms but aren't the same. Both convey sympathetic feelings for others, but pity creates cause for regret or disappointment. Pity comes across as sadness or misfortune. Advseristy encourages strength, adaptation and courage. Those valuable charcter traits desire compassion not pity.
- Wear a smile. A smile is so much more comforting than that furrowed brow frown; no sad faces allowed. Caring is revealed with a happy face. Show your love for ohters by greeting them with a warm smile.
- Do not stare, gawk or crane. When I share my story with groups, I laugh at myself. I've become so used to people staring at me, I get offended when they don't. I wonder what's wrong with these people? LOOK at me! (That is a joke, of course.) I really don't enjoy being stared at for the wrong reasons.
- Take time for all. Individuals are put into our lives for various reasons. We will learn and grow from every person we meet if we invest wisely. Understanding people is a full-time job. Friends are a blessing to cherish.
Faith is unconditional love. Our faith sees inner beauty. Our value lives on the inside. Grace and mercy are always unconditional.. Paul, a popular disciple, struggled with his problems until he found Jesus. His attitude changed completely. He accepted his physical plight. Paul wrote the following scripture. I think he began to practice the five basic elements of unconditional love.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10. "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Lovingly,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)