Merry Christmas....NOT Happy Holidays

As I have traveled from store to store the last couple weeks doing my Christmas shopping, I made up my mind that every time a sales person said "Happy Holidays" and was going to respond with "Merry Christmas". Every single store (and there have been many) I have visited I have been greeted with Happy Holiday or as I am leaving have been told to have a "happy holiday". Well, the very sad part of this is that everytime I said "Merry Christmas" the person always responded to me in a whisper, "Merry Christmas", many times looking around to see who was looking. I had a few actually tell me that they are not allowed to say "Merry Christmas." I had one sales woman who told me she was not allowed to say Merry Christmas but as I was leaving she mouthed Merry Christmas.

I was struck at how sad that our country has come to this place that people are afraid to say, "Merry Christmas," for fear that they may loose their jobs, offend someone or have someone get mad at them.

Should we really wonder why our country is in the place it is when we have so turned our back on God as a nation. I will continue to pray for our country and that the people of our nation will turn their hearts toward God once again and that we can truely once again be a Christian nation that would not be ashamed to declare that we are celebrating "Christmas"

so I would like to wish you all a Very - MERRY CHRISTMAS!

"The angel said, Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide. A Savior has just been born.....LUKE 2:10-11 The Message

I realized today that it has been 10 days since my last post. Since my last post I have been working on some Christmas "projects". These are gifts I am "making" for my family this year. I can not disclose what they are at this time because family members may occasionally check my blog. I will reveal the secret after Christmas.

The "project" has taken alot of time but I believe it will be worth it as everyone sees what it is.

I also had an opportunity during these last 10 days to catch up with a friend that I have not had contact with for about a year. We just both became very busy with our own stuff and lost touch for awhile. I had a great time catching up. We laughed, shared and just enjoyed the moment. My friend has the most beautiful garden in the world (as far as I'm concerned anyway)and I had the privilege to tour and sit in the beautiful garden with a wonderful cup of coffee and just chat. Those moments are what life is all about and I realized how I need to make more room for them in my life.

After connecting with my friend I then watched my younger grand baby from Wed - Sat. Talk about moments that life is all about. Being with a grandchild is one of the best moments in life. We had a great time. Anna is my little adventurer. I have to keep a careful eye on her because she is always curious and into something. She just turned two and is learning all kinds of new skills that are so much fun to watch. She loves to give BIG hugs and I love to get them.












I will end this post with another nugget from my dad that seems especially appropriate at this time. It was his way of saying to Enjoy the "Simple" things in life.

The Joy of Taking Care of Mom
The Joy of Roaming Around the Castle
The Joy of Loving Unconditionally – All the Family
The Wonderful “Large Place” the Lord has provided
The Freedom to Eat, Sleep, Rest and Play - as the Spirit Moves Us.
The Wisdom to Just Delight in Every Second and Minute – We Have Ahead.
The Privilege to Love and Encourage the Children and all the Family

A Grateful Heart

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving brings back wonderful, enduring memories to me as I grew up in Penna. and was surrounded by the beauty of fall breaking into winter. Our Thanksgivings were very traditional, much like a Norman Rockwell picture. It was cold outside but very warm and cozy in our home. My mom was a great cook and she made Thanksgiving a special occasion. We sat around the table and it was set with her best china. Now I must add my mom and dad were very simple and modest people of modest means but along the way she had acquired some fine china - and the only time it came out was Thanksgiving and Christmas. We usually had a guest at the table, a neighbor or church member who was elderly and did not have family. The turkey was a presentation in itself. If came out on a platter whole and was carved at the table by my dad.

I love Thanksgiving not just because of the memories it invokes but also because of what it represents - a time of giving thanks to God for all He has done for us and for who He is. We should of course always be thankful and have a heart of gratitude but Thanksgiving is a time that the whole country for the most part acknowledges God's blessings on our country and land.

It is a great time to recommit to being a more grateful person in every area of life. Yes, there are a lot of worries and fears in our world today but there are so many more things to be grateful for on a daily basis. When I find myself getting negative - I start a gratitude journal - I become acutely aware of all the good things happening in my life during the day and write it down. If you do this for a few days you become aware of so many great and wonderful blessings that just everyday life brings to you.

I want to end this Thanksgiving blog with another nugget from my dad's writings:

It is the Simple and Gentler things in Life that
keeps us Contented and Sweet...and Success has its.......... place...but
the most Successful Accomplishment you will ever make...is if you can
look in the Mirror and not be ashamed of who that Person really is...Be a
Real Person...Compete yes...but Jesus said..."Blessed are the
Merciful"...not the Successful Only...

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever" Psalm 107:1
HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING.......

More Wisdom

My dad wrote these thots in 1997 and was 77 years old. He left us to be with Jesus at the age of 85. If you had met him up until about a month before he was gone, you would have thought he was much younger. He had a zeal and passion for life made him seem younger. He had a computer and would type his "thots" on that computer on a regular basis.

This blog is called as my business name is " A Seed of Hope" Life Coaching. Well, my dad was the greatest Life Coach I ever knew and that was before anyone knew what a life coach was. He encouraged every person that came in contact with him. You would come to visit my mom and dad in their little modest home maybe feeling a little down or your self esteem a little bruised but by the time you left my mom and dad's house you felt like the most amazing person in the world that could accomplish anything. In the world we live in today we need more encourager's. Let's make a point to encourage and appreciate someone this week.

A few more nuggets:

ON BEING PRETENTIOUS
People don’t mean to be pretentious or acting overly important –
It’s just that they don’t want to go un-noticed - in the scheme of things we
all like and need attention from time to time.

IF ONLY
One said once, " if only I could live my life over again" You do have that chance. It is called Today. You have never had Today before so be and do all the things you wanted to do today. This very moment - it is yours to live - Don't let the past bury you - get going and do it - that is - whatever you wanted to do - do it now.

THRU IT ALL
I would not want to change anything that has happened to me - that has forced me to take stock of myself and change. There were surprises and disappointments that occurred - down through the long years that were both the worst thing that happened to me and the best thing that happened to me. I had to change my attitude and give up bitterness and anger that goes with unfulfilled expectation. That was the best thing to have to accept in a mature way something that would not change to suit me. At the same time it was the worst thing to have to go through it - but I survived it all and became a better person for it.

"The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all he has made." Ps. 145:13

Wisdom

It has been 3 1/2 years since my dad passed away. I still miss him more than ever, in fact I think I miss him more as time goes on. My dad by his own admission make many mistakes in his younger years. He was very controlling, had a quick temper and very impulsive. As he grew older, and this is one of the many reasons I am so proud of him, he made a choice to change. He chose to let go of control on a daily basis, he chose not be be angry and to give more thought to his actions. He didn't always succeed but he tried harder than anyone I have ever known.

My dad faced many adversities and trials in his later years but he kept a positive attitude and looked at every situation and circumstance, no matter how devastating or challenging, as an opportunity to grow, to be an example to others and to trust God.

My dad was a poet, a writer and a philosopher and although he never published a book, he wrote many of his "thots", as he called them, down and left them for us to now receive his wisdom from.

I wish I had asked more questions, spent more time and written more of what my dad had in his heart while he was still here. (If you have a parent that is still with you , please take note of this) But I am thankful that he took the time to leave me and my family some of his ponderings that seem so much more insightful and wise than I ever realized when he was here.

I am going to share a few of these nuggets for a few weeks on this blog....so enjoy!

OLD AGE
Physically we are weaker. Spiritually we are stronger

MINISTRY
Requires the highest level of honesty

MOM AND DAD
No person can enjoy their successes without their Mom and dad,
being proud of them, always.
This is the number one inheritance we give our children

SACROSANCT
Other peoples lives, hopes, dreams, decisions, styles, methods and joy.
Unless you are invited in, by that particular, “person” – just buzz-off. You have no right to live your own life and their life too. No one is that smart, not even you.

HUMILITY
I Think, only a thot, that Humility is:
Acting like Jesus would act – in the same situation.

"The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace" Romans 8:6

God's Provision

Today in my Beth Moore study she is talking about having peace while waiting for God's provision. She brought out a scripture that we are all so familiar with but I have never seen the little details she pointed out.

In John 6:5-13 it says,

5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages[a] would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

As we look at this scripture we notice a few things about God's Provision:

vs 5 - He already knows what needs to happen but wants to see if we really trust Him
vs 8 - He uses what we already have and multiplies it
vs 10, 11 - He wants us to rest in His provision, once we see the need and use what resources we have. He commanded them to "sit down" and "fed only those who did sit down"
vs 11 He gives us immeasurable more than we can ask or imagine. He gave them as much as they wanted.

So if there is a need you have ask yourself if you have "given" Him all you have to offer even if it is a little bit. Ask yourself if you a sitting down ina posture of trust and sitting quietly to receive it. If you are - get your baskets ready!
Matt. 6:8
Matt. 6:25 - 32
Romans 8:32

Boundaries

The next three mistakes we make in setting boundaries are:

1. When we are doing things because of manipulation or guilt - 2 corithians 9:7 - The bible warns us dagainst giving to others "reluctantly or under compulsion. People with poor boundaries struggle with saying "no" to control, pressure and demands of others.

2. Stopping the sowing and reaping process in others lives - Galations 6:7-8 - sometimes people don't reap what they sow because someone else steps in and reaps the consequences for them. Understand that love is not always doing it for them but allowing others to learn from their mistakes.

3. When your motivation is wrong for doing something - sometimes because of our past our motivation for giving is not because we love, but fear of losing love, fulfilling our needs. if your giving is not leading to joy but to depression or resentment you need to examine your motives.

In ending this blog I did want to leave a scripture that I believe is very appropriate to all that has happened this week and more than likely will continue for months, possibly years.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Boundaries

I am currently teaching a 4 week class, and one of the subjects I'm teaching on is "boundaries". This as many people in my life know is one of my favorite subjects. :) I haven't studied it for awhile to teaching it again brought to mind some fundamental principles that I was reminded of and would like to share.

As most of us know we need to have healthy boundaries for our lives to be in balance. If you life is feeling out of balance it is very possible that you are having boundary problems. I am going to share a few of the most common ways our boundaries become out of balance:

1. When our priorities are out of order:
We all have times that our priorities are out of alignment but if this is becoming a way of life you are probably noticing some problems. Or is 2 or more of these areas are out of balance you will notice your life becoming out of balance. Generally most people agree this is the priority order that we should strive to keep in place:
God, Spouse, Children, Job, Church, extended family and friends.

2. When you take responsibility for others daily problems and loads that were meant for them (and yes mom this includes your adult kids).

Galatians 6: - 5 says: Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.

First, look at verse 2 - "Bear one another's burdens" the Greek word for burden gives us insight into the meaning of this verse - it means "a burden so heavy that they weigh us down" like a boulder that could crush us that we can't lift on our own. We need help with these burdens and we should help others with these burdens. They are times of crisis and tragedy in our lives.

Next, look at verse 5 - "each should carry his own load" Everyone has responsibilities that only he or she can carry or should carry. The Greek word for load is "cargo" or "burden of daily toil"
These loads are like knapsacks. We are expected to carry our own knapsack. Yes they are burdensome at times but they are still our responsibility. These are the everyday issues that we need to let others take personal responsibility for. Working, paying your bills, taking responsibility for the everyday tasks of life. When we are constantly helping others in this area we are out of balance and will eventually begin to resent it and we are hindering the growth of the one that should be doing this.

We will continue the rest of the list next time. We have 3 more principles to look at.

Keeping Life in Perspective

I found an interesting verse this week during some of my bible study time. It is Psalm 38: 4- 7.

I like the New Living Translation best.

"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath. We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you."

I believe this verse puts our lives in perspective. We have lived in a time of much busyness and obtaining of wealth and stuff. Things are changing in our culture and society and in some ways maybe some of it is good. It is a proven historical fact that in good times people in general become apathetic to the things of God, lazy and weak but in times of struggle we draw nearer to God, become stronger and we work harder.

As Christians I believe we need to constantly remind ourselves why we are here. I am certainly not saying we should not enjoy life but always we must remind ourselves of the shortness of our time here on earth and what we need to be doing with that time. We want to make sure our busyness is producing good results. Spending time with God, being there for our families and friends and doing the work of the ministry, whether we are in full time ministry or not. We want to make sure we are not so busy that we are missing the important things in life or the daily little assignments God may be giving us but we miss because we are so focused on our own agenda's.

It's OK and in some cases a gift to obtain large amounts of money but we need to constantly be checking our motives. Are we looking for power, position, title and our own pleasures or are we truly using the resources God has given us for His plans.

One of the people I admire most is Pastor Rick Warren, he is a man that has been given much, he has made an unbelievable amount of money off of the sales of his books and other products but has chosen to give back his salary to his church, stay in his same house, drive his same car and use much of the money to help those in greater need than himself.

I love the last sentence in this verse, as we watch so much in our world falling apart and uncertainly of everything around us. This is what we must remember and cling to on a daily basis no matter what the Dow is, what the news says, how much food costs and whether we have a job or not:

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you."

Let us do good

The second scripture that has jumped out at me during this weeks study is one that I am so familiar with that honestly I would never have thought I would get any more from it. In fact, I have done mini teachings on this verse many times at team meetings and volunteer meetings, I used to have where I worked. It was so applicable to the type of work or volunteering we were doing at a pregnancy center.

The verse is Galatians 6:9-10. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Well, about now I can hear you saying, really...how long have you been a Christian and still haven't gotten this????

I guess what I realized is that I tend to focus on the first part of this verse, the part about not becoming weary and not giving up and reaping the harvest. For some reason I've not really paid a lot of attention to the second part of this verse.... the part that says....

"Therefore, as we have opportunity (time, season, a small or large portion of time) let us do good (a kindness, something that benefits) to all people, ESPECIALLY (to a distinctly greater extent) to those who belong to the family of believers."

Did I not know that I was supposed to do good to fellow believers? No, I really did know that but there is just something about a scripture that suddenly screams out at you that makes you more aware of your daily responses. That is what has happened to me as I saw this scripture with new eyes. In stead of focusing on - ME - being weary, ME - reaping a harvest and ME -not giving up. My new focus is to find and watch for daily ways I can do good ESPECIALLY to those who belong to my FAMILY of Believers. To do a kindness, encourage or do something that benefits them.

This scripture is even more important now in the times we are living, as people in general, but ESPECIALLY believers need encouragement and support more than ever before.

Spiritually Mature

I am doing a Beth Moore study right now called, "Living Beyond Yourselves". It is one of her older studies but the Word of God never gets old so this study, which is full of the Word, is not outdated. In fact, it is very much speaking to my heart as I go through each lesson.

Last session there were a couple verses that jumped out at me. Were they new verses that I have never seen? No, in fact, they are common verses that I have seen, memorized and taught on many times. But they just seem to open up to me in a whole different light.

The first one is 1 Corinthians 3:1-3,
1.Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?

It seems to me that the main indicator of being spiritually immature in this scripture is that they were jealous and quarreling with each other. Like I said I have read this, heard this and taught this many times but I guess when I have thought of being spiritually immature I probably would have thought about not knowing the word or committing an obvious sin but as I looked at this verse with some new eyes this week I realized that God is telling us that a Big sign of not being spiritually mature is jealousy and quarreling with each other.

I believe especially among Christians this is a huge problem. We have a tendency to compare and to quarrel. One of my greatest desires at this time in my life is to be a light and salt not only to unbelievers but also to those who are believers, to live a life that honors God and expresses the love of Jesus to all I come in contact with. This verse has made me even more determined to question myself on a daily basis. Am I jealous of anyone? Has someone offended me or hurt me? How am I going to handle that? With Spiritual maturity or as a baby immature christian? My prayer is that more and more often I will respond with self-control, love and maturity that only the Holy Spirit can give us.

Next post I will share the second verse.

Vacation Memories

We started out with smiles on our faces, looking forward to cool air, fall colors and lots and lots of pumpkins everywhere.

We were not disappointed....we arrived at Maggie Valley, N.C. the day before the first day of fall. They were just putting out all the haystacks, pumpkins and scarecrows, the temps were in the high 60's low 70's....perfect!






Our first stop before getting the the cabin was Barbara's Orchard. This stop is a tradition for us..it is a little fruit and veggie stand but also a bakery. Our choice of indulgence was their perfect tasting "apple turnovers". Yummmmmm! They were still a little warm from coming out of the oven. We also bought lots of apples for more cooking during the week.
















Here are a few of the "priceless" memories we shared:

1. Kaitlyn saying, "I want to go in Nana's car".
2. Kaitlyn holding my hand every chance she got.
3. Kaitlyn saying, " That's OK, maybe next time."
4. Anna's beautiful, heart stopping smile.
5. Anna''s sassy little swinging hips when she is doing what she wants to do.
6. Anna saying, oh so quietly....pa pa
7. Making dinner with my sweet daughter, talking, laughing and just enjoying being together
8. Watching John and Abel's eyes light up when they got their milkshake, fudge or whatever else they are indulging in
9. Sharing dinner each night in the mist of our beautiful surroundings
10. Sitting around and talking and laughing about things that in normal life we would never have time for.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your Heart. Psalm 37:4

North Carolina

Well, it is that time of year. Our yearly trek up to the mountains of North Carolina. This picture is from our trip last year. We are going with our daughter, son-in-law and the grandbabies. I can't wait!

I am originally from PA and the one requirement I have had of my Tampa native husband when we got married was that we will see fall in the North every year. I don't believe we have missed very many falls. North Carolina has become our place of choice. I honestly could easily just stay there.

There is just nothing like the cold crisp air, the smell of fall in the air, the leaves beginning to change, pumpkins and hay bails everywhere and sitting on a porch of a cabin looking over the mountains with a cup of hot coffee in your hands.

Life just doesn't get any better than that.

God's Timing

I have been reading Joyce Meyer's book, "The Secret to True Happiness." The following was taken from that book. As I am in a very transitional time in life I have been struggling with God's timing on things. This paragraph from the book really spoke to my heart.

"One of the biggest mistakes we make as believers is failing to remember that God's timing rarely matches our timing. We think and plan in temporal terms, and God thinks and plans in eternal terms. What this means is we are very interested in right now, and God is much more interested in the long term. We want what feels good right now, what produces immediate results, but God is willing to be patient and deliberate as he invests in us over a period of time to produce results far better and longer lasting than we can imagine.

God sees and understands what we do not see and understand. He asks us to put aside our natural tendencies to want to figure out what should happen in our lives and when it should happen. He also desires us to stop being frustrated because things do not go according to our plan, and instead to relax, enjoy the ride, and trust He is working everything out according to His timing and the wisdom of His plan.

Without true trust in God, we will never experience satisfaction and enjoyment in life; we will always be striving to "make things happen." Psalm 31:15 assures us our times are in His hands. He is working, often in ways we cannot see, to bring His plans to pass in our lives in the best possible ways, to bring us the greatest possible joy. He sees the BIG picture of our lives, from start to finish; He knows what needs to happen and when. we simply need to trust Him and remember His perspective is far superior to ours and that His timing is PERFECT. "

A Grateful Heart

It's been almost 2 weeks since my last blog entry and if anyone does check this blog I am sorry and will try to be more consistent.  If no one checks this blog then it is not a problem because I am OK with it.   

I have been very focused on a project I have been working on and finally have completed this week. I have been writing a Life Coaching Workbook for pregnancy resource centers.  I always wanted to write an instructional training manual as I love to train but the reality of doing it was not quite as glamorous as I thought.  For a person like me that loves to be mobile, be around people and work on projects together with a team, this was probably one of the most challenging assignments I have ever had.  I had to sit for hours on end at my computer and research, type and correct mistakes, I was by myself most of the time and I was it doing myself so there was no team.  

But I truly believed and still believe that God put it on my heart to do this and that is what kept me going along with many family members and friends that believed in, encouraged and prayed for me.  The end result is not a book that I take credit for but a book that was something God helped me daily to do and

 gave me all of the support and encouragement through wonderful friends and family that I needed to finish the task.  I give Him all the glory and thank Him for everyone who was there with me during this time.  

I took the book to the printer today and will have printed copies on Friday to send out to those who have requested it.  The rest is in God's hands.  

I am hoping some of the centers that have ordered the workbook will do some blog questions once they get the book so they can be posted for everyone to see.  We will see what happens.  

For now I just wanted to post to be a encouragement, a challenge or a motivation to anyone who feels God has given them something to do that seems too big for them.  I promise you this was too big for me.  When God puts something on your heart - take a step at a time toward the path He has shown you.  He will light your path but only step by step the rest you just have to trust Him for, but who better to put your trust in!

Here is a picture of the front of the workbook.  I am hoping to have it on my website and a link to some of the chapters by next week. 

The Final Step

Today we are wrapping up our Steps Toward Purpose.  To review, these are the steps we have taken so far to move toward our purpose in Life:

Step 1 - Do today what God has for you TODAY

Step 2 - Forgetting what is behind

Step 3 - Love others as Jesus loves you

Step 4 - Pursue Peace

Step 5 - Repent of all known and hidden sin

Step 6 - Walk in Integrity

Step 7 - Expect the Desires of your heart

Step 8 - Surrender your heart daily to God

Step 9 - Anticipate God's Vision

Step 10 - Take Courage

Step 11 - Bring Glory to God

So our next and last step is Bring Glory to God.  As you consider what needs to happen in your life for you to follow God's plan, guard against losing hope because of the many unknowns. Instead, focus on what you do know and trust him with the details. The pressure to complete God's work isn't actually on us - it is on God.  He is the one who know what we are to do.  He will provide the strength and the resources. 

God will enable you to carry out your portion of his work whether you are currently accomplishing your purpose or taking your first steps to prepare yourself, your character, your finances, your network, or your skills for what is ahead.  

As we finish our Journey Toward Purpose I would give you these last words of encouragement:

Don't give up and do whatever it takes to heal and press on, do today what matters today.  Be aware of your motives and look out for others along the pathway.  Fall hopelessly in love with Jesus, pursue peace, and listen closely to every word He has to say.  Live a passionate life of full surrender to God, repenting from sin and serving Him faithfully for the rest of your life.  Be filled to overflowing with anticipation, vision and courage.  As you grow into each of God's daily and distinct purposes for your life, be confident that God is fulfilling His great purposes through you. 

I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.  John 17:4

Step 10 - Take Courage!

One of the biggest roadblocks to God's purpose in our lives is fear. So our next step in walking toward purpose is to Take Courage. Courage is a gift from God. To receive it, we need only show up and rely upon God's complete faithfulness.

Fear impacts life purpose. Once fear has you in it's grasp it blocks creativity, productivity, and relationships. So how can we take this next step and turn our fears into courage:

1. Make a list of all the things you fear about living out God's purposes for your life. Are you afraid you will fall short of God's intentions? Are you afraid of what people will think? No matter what the fears write them - then pray over the list and offer your fears to God.
   
2. Ask yourself two questions, How does fear keep me focused on myself? and What has fear stolen from me?"
   
3. Sometimes the best way to handle fear is to "just do it" just do that first speech, teach that first bible study,
   
4. Feed your courage with the word of God...find scripture on fear and write it on an index card - read them, meditate on them.

On a personal note this has been a step that I am in the process of conquering. I am in a transitional time of life right now and it would be easy to allow fear to envelope me but even when the path of life is not clear and the purpose is bleary my trust is in my God. He has never failed me and He has been so very faithful in every situation in my life. We have to keep the prospective that God sees the big picture of our life we only see this moment so knowing that He wants only our best we can rest and go about doing what we are to do for this moment as He is preparing us for the next step.

"I sought the Lord, and He answered me; he delivered me from all of my fears." Psalm 34:3

Step 9 - Anticipate God's Vision

Ok, we are almost done with our steps of walking toward our purpose.  Most steps as you have probably noticed have alot to do with us working on us.   The next step is the one we have been waiting for.  Step 9 is eagerly anticipating that the Lord God Almighty WILL reveal His vision for you.  So what does this mean?  What is vision?  It is basically catching a glimpse of the type of person He wants you to become and what He wants you to do for him.  

God's primary vision for our lives is already clearly revealed in the Bible.  Basically we are to love God, love our neighbor, and go and make disciples.  This is our anchor point but God also reveals to each of us His individual, specific assignment in relation to that broader vision. 

The hard thing about the word anticipate is that is means, "to expect, to look forward to"  so what that means is we have to be patient as we look forward to what God is going to reveal to us if He has not done so already in your life.  So what are we to do as we eagerly expect and look forward to God specific assignment for us if we do not feel He has revealed it to us yet.  

I think a quote by Patrick Morley say it best:

"When "how" God wants us to undertake our vision is unclear, we must pray and wait patiently. These are the times when he is equipping us - preparing us - with all we will need to successfully fulfill the vision.  it may be His will to keep things unclear for years, as in the case of Moses.  Keep moving with what you've seen so far, while praying for what you still need to see"

Step 8 - Surrender Your Daily Life to God

Many people balk at the idea of surrender.  They want to do something meaningful for God, but they want to control what it is, when they do it and how it will be done.  Surrender has no place in their plans.  

The facts are that we cannot fulfill God's greatest purpose for us without surrendering our will and life to him.  Surrender, which can be defined as, "the act of giving up one's person or possessions into the authority of another, of relinquishing one's power, aims or goals." is a daily response to the Holy Spirit.  Surrender is about learning to live for an audience of one, and this is God.  

I wrote the first two paragraphs of this blog on Friday morning.  During the weekend I went to the Beth Moore Simulcast and she spoke on the Parable of the Sower, Luke 8.  But her main message was how to have 100 fold impact in our lives toward others.  It really did come down to surrender.  It is the way to find purpose in our lives.  

One interesting note was in Luke 8:1-3 which are the verses right before the parable the scripture talks about Jesus being with some women and how these women were helping support Jesus and the disciples with their own means.  Beth stated that these were woman of substance - not in a material way but in a spiritual way.  They had surrendered their lives to Christ.  Beth gave 7 steps to surrendering our lives so that we can have a life that produces a 100 fold harvest.

1.  Treasure the Wonder (the wonder is the Word) 2 Tim. 3:16,17 just a little note in that scripture the Greek meaning for thoroughly equipped is to be "competently competent.  So that means we need to be competently competent about the Word of God!

2. Protect Your Heart - (hide the word in your heart- know it- believe it) Memorize and know scripture.  it is what is needed the most in times of trials. Luke 8:12

3.  Expect the Test - We will be tested especially in times when God is getting ready to use us the most.  But if we know the Word we will survive the test.  Luke 8:13

4.  Dig the Roots -  Understand how much God loves you.  Not just saying but knowing with all of our being. Ephesians  3:17

5. Stop the Choke - Anxiety chokes the Word out of us. Luke 8:14  This is probably the hardest step of all but when we know the Word we can speak scripture and God's promises during these times and that will stop the anxiety and worry. On the other hand riches and pleasure can have the same affect.  

6. Retain the Word - to possess , own it. Luke 8:15

7. Press Forth Toward Your 100 Fold Harvest and Purpose - "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart(beautiful and beneficial heart) who HEAR the Word, RETAIN it and by persevering produce a crop."  

When God gives you a project, an assignment, persevere with it.  Don't give up!

Step 7 - EXPECT The Desires of Your Heart

The psalmist David spells out the win-win nature of Step 7 in Psalm 37:4.  Let me explain:

Psalm 37:4 says,  

If you will make God the chief affection of your inmost heart...meaning you delight yourself in the Lord, find enormous pleasure and joy in him, get to know him well by continually sitting in his presence and obeying him. 

He will give you the desires of your heart.....meaning you will receive boundless enthusiasm for the deep passions, cravings, longings, petitions, and aspirations that he planted in your heart. 

God is waiting for you to recognize and enjoy the passions he gave you.  The best way to find your God give passion and purpose is spending time in His presence and His word.

The following are some suggestion to help you find and nurture the God-given desires of

 your heart:

• Ask family and friends what they've noticed about your desires and passions
• Write down some notes about your times of greatest joy.
• Get out of your rut.  Do something different, unusual, out of your normal routine. 
• Guard against jealousy of other people's assignments from God. 
• Spend some time thinking about what would ignite your passion.
• Experiment and look into some short term projects that you think you may enjoy (examples: volunteering, teaching etc)

As you spend time with God and work through some of these items expect God to reveal and give you the desires of your heart and don't be surprised if you find you already have them!

Step 6 - Walking With Integrity

We are going to continue with our Steps toward purpose today.  Step 6 is Walking with Integrity.  Our integrity determines whether we halfheartedly or fully participate in God's best purposes for our lives.  

Integrity can be defined as oneness between our mind and our actions.  A person of integrity keeps their promises.  Their motives are pure and they are honest, upright and genuine.  They are real in their relationships. 

God hates it when our secret motive is to manipulate a situation, control an opinion, seek revenge, stir up trouble, embarress someone,  or show off.  Those things are destructive to our relationship with Him and others.  Living without integrity will lead to cheating, envy, gossip, scheming and malice. 

So how do we become people of integrity?  We must inspect closely the motives for our actions.  We test our motives by regularly asking ourselves one question. "Why am I doing this?"   

Examples of this is.....Did I use flattery to get my way today.  Was gossip the underlying reason for the prayer request I made for my neighbor.  By asking the probing questions we learn to be honest with ourselves.  As we learn to thoroughly inspect our hearts, we become people of deeper character. 

As a person of integrity, you are a role model to your children, friends, neighbors, and others who desperately need examples of authenticity and honesty.  

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Proverbs 11:3

Vacation

As you may have noticed I have been gone for a week.  We will pick back up on the next step toward purpose tomorrow.   Today I just would like to share a few highlights of my trip last week.  For my birthday and our Anniversary my husband and I went to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.  I really have to say these are some of the most beautiful parks in our country.  The variety of sights and activities is more than I have ever seen at other parks and we have been to quite a few others. 

Old Faithful Geyser at Yellowstone.  Old Faithful gushes every hour give or take a few minutes. It was an amazing sight.

Bison are everywhere.  Walking down the road.  Herds of them in the fields.  We also saw Elk, Rams, mountain goats, marmots, pikas (little rodents) and Mule deer.                                             

We took a 6 mile hike up Mt. Washburn in Yellowstone and the sights were amazing.  They give you such a sense of God's awesome presence and how big and great He is.  As we were climbing up the mountain seeing the mountain on either side of us I 

was reminded of Psalm 121.  If fact I  was reciting it out loud as we were climbing:

"I raise my eyes toward the mountains, 

Where will my help

 come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip;

your Protector will not slumber.

Indeed, the protector of Israel 

does not slumber or sleep.

The LORD protects you:

The LORD is a shelter right by your side.

The sun will not strike you by day.

or the moon by night.

The LORD will protect you from all harm;

He will protect your life.

the LORD will protect your coming and going 

both now and forever.  Psalm 121

If you would like to see more pics of our trip go to:

http://gallery.me.com/katcu7#gallery

Step 5 - Moving Toward Your Purpose

Notice that the title of these posts are - "Moving Toward Your Purpose"  Let's review the steps we have looked at so far:

Step 1  - Do What Matters Today

Step 2 - Leave Your Past Behind

Step 3 - Love Others as Jesus Loves You

Step 4 - Pursue Peace

Are you seeing a pattern here.  What it takes to Move TOWARD your purpose is a lot of self-examination.  You can still get there without these steps but you will not be as affective and you will not be prepared.   To truly live out the purpose God created for us we must learn the basic elements of contentment, love, forgiveness and many other character building attributes. 

So let's get to the next step ...ouch it's a hard one.  Step 5 is Repent of all known and hidden sin.   Repentance requires that we honestly appraise our sin life and adjust our thoughts and deeds accordingly.  That is never easy.  It requires being willing to make deeply personal changes.  When we repent we are better able to hear Him and focus on the purposes for which we were born.    

Character Formation is far more important to God than anything you could ever hope to accomplish for Him.

Repentance is remorse for our sinful conduct.  It is regret and sorrow that lead to a willingness to change.  Did you see the word...CHANGE??  When we truly repent our actions will match our words.  Acts 26:20. 

5 Sins That will Distract You from God's Best for Your Life:

1.  Jealousy

2. Anger/unforgiveness

3. Pride - this one should be number 1

4 Disobedience

5. Dishonesty

Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.  Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.  Ezekiel 18:30-31

Step 3 and 4 - Moving Toward your Purpse

Today I am going to combine the next two steps because they go nicely together.  

Step 3 is love others as Jesus loves you.   Loving as Jesus loves is one of your most basic life purposes.  It is critical to every other life purpose God has in mind for you.  What is loving as Jesus loves?  it is spending ourselves, investing ourselves, in the daily and eternal well-being of others.  It is a huge calling.   What you will find is - as you begin to focus on this next step - loving as Jesus loves - your love for Him will grow.  

Here are a few suggestions to get this step going:

1. Catch Yourself Making a Loving Difference:  Make note of anything you do that makes a loving difference in someones life.  This exercise will raise your awareness that you are fulfilling one of your life purposes by endeavoring to love God's people. 

2.  Offer Forgiveness:  Forgive someone today.  Don't put it off.  Forgive in honor of Jesus' forgiveness of you.

3. Take a Relational Opportunity Checkup:  What opportunities do you have at this time to develop specific relational habits?  (join a bible study, support group, working on family relationships, finding a prayer or accountability partner)

Step 4 is to Pursue Peace.  Peace is defined as a state of mind that is free from annoyance, distraction, and anxiety.  Peace is a stepping stone that will lead you toward God and his other purposes for your life.  You may ask, How do I pursue peace?  You pursue peace through spending time with God in His presence and in His Word.  Bottom line that is it.  It's not easy and it's easy not to but that is the answer.  As you spend time with Him you will grow and become more attuned to His ways and His character.  Then when you least expect it you will become more receptive to impressions He gives concerning your life purpose. 

Some suggestions for Step 4: 

1. Practice Silence:  Create opportunities for God to speak to you by practicing silence. 

2. Pray Continuously:  Train yourself in the habit of talking to and listening to God all day, every day.  

3. Purposely Change your Pace:  Learn to slow down.  Make a conscientious effort to eliminate the pressure of performing for awhile.

4. Avoid Peace Killers:  There are three main peace killers.  People - pleasing, keeping up with the Jones and worrying about things that are out of your control. 

Seek peace and pursue it.  Psalm 34:14

Step 2 - Moving Toward your Purpse

Today we will get back to our series on purpose. Remember in three posts ago we discussed that Step one to finding your purpose was one of the hardest. It is doing today what God has purposed you to do for today as He is preparing you for youR future purposes and plans.

Step 2 is one you can not leave out or you may not be able to handle any big or new assignments from God. Step 2 is best described in this scripture, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phil 3:13,14

Step 2: Forgetting what is behind so you can press toward your goal. If we are carrying around heavy weight of the past it can wear us down as if we are carrying a backpack loaded with bricks.

Before we go full-steam ahead down the pathway to purpose, we need to allow healing to be our focus for a period of time. It really is OK and in fact necessary to give yourself permission to slow your pursuit of purpose to concentrate on healing and putting behind you whatever could overwhelm you or hinder you on the journey ahead.

As we discussed in our step one post, God uses every part of your life, the good and the bad to shape you into who you are today. Those experiences many times are the very areas God will use us the most to help others.

Are you willing to empty your backpack of the load of bricks? Are you willing to unload the excess weight of your past and let old wounds heal? God wants you to get to the other side of your pain and hurt so that you can help others with theirs.

Some steps you may take to let go of past hurts and wounds:

1. Write about your Pain: Make a list of the areas that are holding you back, that you need to heal from. It may be an unsent letter to someone who has hurt you. Write it, pray over it and burn it. Possibly have a prayer partner pray with you over this.

2. Remember a time when God did heal you: Be encouraged by how far you have come. God has helped you and healed you before, He can do it again!

3. Write your testimony: If you have never done so, write out your story since coming to know Christ. Page one: life before Christ, Page two: Describe God's mercy and how he healed you, brought you to Him and the pages after: the changes that have taken place and how He has used you since coming to Him

4. Ask yourself, "How will my hurt in life help someone else?". Then every time you want to bring back your hurt into your heart remember how many people will eventually benefit from your healing.

5. Surround yourself with people of hope: Positive role models are powerful influences in our lives.

God wants and wills to bring good out of the bad in our lives. Trust that He will use the best and worst of your past and present to fulfill His purposes for your life!

Truth

I'm not even sure how to convey all that Kay Arthur taught on this weekend.  I am basically going to give the scripture references and the main points of what she said.  She stated she has been physically ill from what God has shown her.  It is a hard message but one we need to hear. 

The text started in Jeremiah 36.  It was a warning that Jeremiah the prophet gave to the King and the warning was not heeded - in fact the king burned the scroll.  In Jeremiah 5:1 and 9:1-6 we are told that truth does not prevail any longer with the nation at that time and Kay stated God was showing her that America is in a very similar position.  Truth is not prevailing in our country.  Isaiah 59:14,15 was given as text also.  

Kay stated, "what happens when a country sins against God".   "What are the characteristics of a country that is turning its back on God?"  Ezekiel 14  One thing that happens first is Famine in the land.  There is no fear of God or His Word.  

Other scriptures she used were:  Ezekiel 14:12, Isaiah 5:3, Hosea 4, Jeremiah 2:13, Jeremiah 5:7, Jeremiah 6:10, Jeremiah 7:1-11.  She stated that America has rejected the truth and knowledge of God, has forsaken God and committed spiritual adultery.  

Her talk was for 2 1/2 hours so it is impossible to convey all that was said but the good news is the 7 things we need to do as Christians in light of all this.  Whether we agree with all that Kay has stated or not these 7 principles are something I believe every American and Christian should do at this time in our culture.  

1. Return our hearts to God.  We have been swayed and desensitized by the culture we live in so we need to Pray this prayer:  "Lord, break my heart with what breaks your heart"

2.  We need to mourn for our country, weep for our nation.  Jeremiah 9:17-19

3.  We need to pray with passion and fervently and consistently for our country. 

4.  We need to Love God's Word like never before.  We need to know God's word in a greater way than ever before.  Jeremiah 33:1, 9, 15, 17

5. We need to love others as Jesus loves them.  We need to be different than the world.

6.  We need to introduce people to Jesus.  Jeremiah 31:31-34

7 .  After doing all the above we need to rest in faith believe we can trust God and that He has heard our petitions and seen our obedience.  

I'm sure I did not do justice to all Kay said but I hope at least it has given all of your some things to meditate on and pray about.  I know it has done that for me. 

A Divine Invitation

I am going to take a few days break from writing about finding purpose in your life.  I am in Atlanta at a Deeper Still conference.  It is a woman's conference that features, Kay Arthur, Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer (Tony Evan's Daughter)  It was an amazing teaching tonight so I am going to give you a brief summary as I feel it is a word that will speak to your heart especially if you are in a wilderness time in your life right now.  

Exodus 19: 9 -11, In these verses you see an invitation to the Israelite's to hear God speak and see Him with there own eyes.  As Priscilla began to set this message up - she explained that we all have an invitation to see and hear God personally in our life but she explained the Context of the Invitation and the Preparation of the invitation:

In Exodus we see that when this invitation was extended to God's people it was in the context of them being in the wilderness and they were camped there in the wilderness.  Her explanation was that in our wilderness experiences is about something - it has a purpose. The wilderness is where we develop intimacy with God.  God has something for you through that wilderness experience you are in.  It is in the wilderness that you will find the mountain of God.  Instead of just wanting it to be over and getting frustrated because its not going away faster - sometimes God wants us to "camp" or pitch a tent in the wilderness for a temporary time to learn something.  What we learn will help us to get to the place of preparation for the invitation to see and hear God more personally in our lives.

When we have settled ourselves in the wilderness to prepare.....there are three things we need to do:

1.  Remember what God has done on your behalf in the past.  In Exodus 19:4 He reminded His people how he carried them, and brought them to Himself.   He wants us to think back to where you were in the past and what God has already delivered you from.   He can and will do it again.

2.  To recognize our identity in Christ and God.  Understanding from God's perspective not the worlds our spiritual identity.  1 peter 2:9

3.  To come to a new level of surrender to Him - Exodus 19:7,8 

So the question is - How are you going to respond to the invitation to come closer to God - to hear Him personally and see Him to a greater degree than ever before?  Are we willing to totally surrender, believe God can and will get us through this wilderness experience because of all the great things He has already done and realize who we are in Him.  Are we willing to get more into His Word and in Prayer so we can really hear from him.  It's not easy and sometimes painful but definitely worth it.  

I'll be back tomorrow with Kay and Beth's messages.  

Moving Forward to your Purpose

Today I am going to start a series on finding your purpose, finding that which God has called you to for this time in your life. I am using the book, "Pathway to Purpose" by Katie Brazelton as my reference for much of my writing. I highly recommend you get this book.

Here's the first question:

What am I doing in the midst of deadlines, diapers, to do list, laundry, and daily schedules? What is the connection between my life purpose and the daily life I am living now.

"Whatever our season of life, it offers its own opportunities and challenges for spiritual growth. Instead of wishing we were in another season, we ought to find out what this one offers."

John Orterg

STEP ONE to purpose is one of the hardest - it is -- to do today what God sent you into the world to do for today - some women stumble at this because they try to pass this step to rush to pursue a more prof0und, exciting, fun purpose. But realize that your day in and day out efforts are extremely precious to the heart of God

All our life experiences have value to God. Everyday he considers our willingness and faithfulness in the ordinary things to see if we can handle the challenging, unique assignments that he loves to entrust to those who are faithful.

In the mist of the boredom and sameness of life's ordinary tasks there are wonderful blessings to be found in doing today what God has sent you into the world to do. God has assigned you to a purpose for each day. God sees and rewards the daily roles of servant hood that you are pouring your life into. These everyday experiences are part of His plan to prepare your character and faith so He can entrust you with greater responsibility in the future.

If you are going through a difficult season of life right now remember that God never wastes a hurt. He uses them all to prepare us and equip us for future purposes and to help others.

Even in the midst of your ordinary routine, God reveals hints about what he has called you to do. God has has blessed you with spiritual gifts, skills, talents and natural abilities. You may be able to teach, organize, write, encourage people or something else.

Some steps to take toward understanding your purpose:

1. Write out the many roles you have.

2. Write out any areas of your daily life that you really enjoy or are really good at. (ex. finances, organizing, cooking etc.)

3. Prioritize your Roles

Most important, second most important, third most important etc.

4. Enjoy today.

"Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord: point out the right road for me to follow."

Psalm 25:4

Hope does not Disappoint!

Yesterday was a difficult day.  Something very disappointing happened in my life.  It was unexpected, fast and left me feeling like I had suffered a great loss.   I have no doubt that many people are on a daily basis going through these types of circumstances.  So what do we do when life hands us some unexpected problems and trials?   Recently a sweet friend of mine had given me a scripture to hold on to and today that scripture become even more relevant to me.

If you are going through any type of loss or challenge, keep this word close to your heart.  

Romans 5:3-5 (Amplified Bible)

3Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

    4And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of ^[a]character (approved faith and ^[b]tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] ^[c]joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

    5Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

So out of this I am planning to develop patience, endurance and maturity of character.  The best part is that character produces HOPE.  And HOPE never disappoints!

If you are going through any difficulties or struggles today give God all your expectations, attitudes, hurts and keep your HOPE in God and you will not be disappointed. 

Just Be Nice.

I want to give you a great web site to check out if you are needing some relationship help.  It is leslievernick.com.  She has a lot of information about emotionally abusive relationships and even some tests to take.  She also has some good articles on just making a good relationship better.  

Of all the challenges in life I believe maintaining good and healthy relationships are the biggest.  We all have our perspectives on life and what that should look like and when we mix that with all the various family members or friends that bring to the table their perspective on life and what that should look like for them it really shouldn't surprise us that there is conflict or at least a little conflicting thinking.  

So how do you maintain the very best relationships with those you love but may be very different in thinking and behavior than you?  Good question.  I certainly don't have all the answers but scripture does give us some clues.  One of my theme verses for this time in my life is Romans 12:18, "Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible".  

Let's break it down.....Do your part... OK so we have some responsibility here to do what we can to keep peace.  With who??? I think it says everyone.  :)  I am not a Greek scholar by any means but thought I would look up some of these words in the Strong's dictionary to get the original meanings.  Everyone is basically EVERYONE.  Which means we can't pick and choose who we want to be at peace with....sorry I didn't write it.   Live in peace meant to cultivate.....I think cultivate means we need to be working it.    Now lets just look at that last little part.....as much as possible....here is what the Strong's says about that....be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources, or of a state of mind.  Mmmmmm....I wonder if we are really using all our abilities and resources to really live at peace with those God has placed in our life.  I think I am going to have to reflect on this a little. 

One last little thot on this..I recently did a Beth Moore Study and in that study was a section about unity.  This is what it says....Stay with me now.... Many of us have distanced ourselves from extended family because we've replaced them with people we prefer.  Though some elements of the transition are justified and godly, others are selfish.  Let's face it.  Family is more trouble than friendship, and the fear that we might share similarities with some of our members also carries an indictment too strong to face on a regular basis.  For one think, we can drop friends more easily when the relationship becomes inconvenient.  Here's the rub and maybe the help.....God Chose our Family even if We Didn't.  Even the challenges they pose can be effective motivation to seek his throne and His healing (aka: deal with OUR stuff)  After all, where would our prayer lives be without family? (:    IF we only chose to be around those who require nothing hard from us, what will prompt us or possibly force us to change?????

Just some thots...........

I'm Back!!

Just a short note to announce my return to my blog.  Since last September I have started a business called, "A Seed of Hope Life Coaching".  The web site is www.aseedofhope.org.   This blog will now be dedicated to posting information to help anyone who visits my Web Site with skills and tools to help them overcome the obstacles that may be holding them back from a life filled with purpose, passion and fulfillment.  Kathy