challenge...

I owe you all an apology. I have not been the encourager lately that I should be. I’ve allowed worldly influences to infiltrate my mind, my time, my heart. I’ve neglected my quiet time with God, I’ve let my small group down, and I’ve even been excited about NOT serving at church. How easy it is to allow Satan and his demons to ruin your world?!? I can look back now and know the exact moment I placed Jesus on the backburner of my heart and my life. I was in an inappropriate conversation with a college friend. We began reminiscing of days past that were not my smartest times in life. I found myself caught back up in those desires. It just takes one small step in the wrong direction to knock you completely off the path God has set for you. Why is it so hard to fight the world? The answer to that question was easily defined for me yesterday morning while reading my daily devotional… it’s easy to fall into worldly ways when I’m not wearing the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:14-17 lays it all out for us. It says “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” How often do I awaken in the morning and rush through my routine so that I can be at my designated place on time? ALWAYS!! While instead I should be fully equipping myself with the tools God provides me before my feet ever hit the ground.

I try so hard to be a Godly woman and I fall short ALL THE TIME! I have no one to blame, but myself. I have a choice as to how I react to what’s going on in my life. If I remembered to put on my belt of truth, there would be no grey areas. Everything would be cut and dry based on the instructions God gives me in His word. What about the Shoes of peace?!? There is no peace around me. That is why I have to make a conscience effort to be pleasant and joyful. There is constant hatefulness and backbiting ALL around me on a daily basis. I always try to remember that this world is not fair, but if I constantly seek God for peace in my spirit, I might be able to survive a little while longer (Jesus hurry back!). Oh, the helmet of salvation. How blessed am I to know that Jesus Christ crawled up on a cross and chose to die FOR ME!!! When he came to earth as a human and died a painful, torturous death, he saved my life. He spared me from an eternity in hell. All I deserve is a seat next to Satan on a hot lava rock, but by God’s GRACE, I will forever roam the streets of gold.

We are given the power to choose how we live this one life we’ve been given. We can take on the role of the servant and choose to live our lives as if they are not our own OR we can make the choice to live for ourselves and suffer the consequences later. I don’t know about you all, but I want to know that when my time on this earth is over and I pass on, people say that I was a “good Christian women”. That I cared more about others than myself, that I left a lasting positive impression on someone, that I may have left this world in better shape than I found it. I want the people around me now to be blown away at the fact that I LIVE MY WALK, not just talk it! May I always have a kind word to offer, a dollar to spare, a hand to lend, and a heart to pray. I want to be used by God in a mighty way, but sometimes it starts in the little things. I challenge you all to ponder what your actions say about you. Do others know not just that you’re a Christian, but that you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Be a light to someone that is stuck in darkness. Offer a smile and an “I forgive you” to someone that has wronged you. Be loving to someone who might not deserve it. I’ll try if you try.

LOSS=GAIN

Hi all… Sorry it’s been longer than normal since my last post. It’s been a difficult couple of weeks. This past Saturday, my great grandmother passed away. Loss and death are a part of life. I thought I was prepared for this. She’d been sick for years and when she went into the hospital this past week, I began to pray for God to take her to heaven. I have hated to watch her suffer through the years with diabetes and breathing problems. Her husband passed away in 1993 and not a day has gone by that she hasn’t missed him terribly. So the call came in early Saturday, I packed and headed out of town to join my family. The entire way I kept thanking God for being faithful to her and to us. I cried a little, but they were tears of joy knowing that she will never again be sick or lonely. The weekend went well, considering the circumstances. THEN the funeral came along. No matter how prepared I thought I was to say goodbye to Grandma Strange, the tears began to flow the moment the first song started! She had professed her faith and lived it out and I know that I will one day be reunited with her, but Thanksgiving will not be the same without he, July 1 will not be the same without her, Christmas will not be the same without her. I know that to lose is to gain… We may have lost her here on earth, but she has gained Eternity in Heaven with Jesus. The day before she passed away, I was introduced to a song by The Crabb Family. It’s entitled “Through the Fire.” The lyrics are listed below. The part that kept me going ALL WEEKEND was the chorus… It’s true that we were never promised this life would be easy. He warned us there would be trials and tribulations. He warned us there would be tears and sorrow. BUT He did promise us that He would be there to walk us through it all. We are never alone in our fear, sadness, hurts, grief. Thankfully, as I was sitting there, letting go of an outstanding great-grandmother, God was comforting me and showering me with peace, assuring me that she’s safe. I pray that the words to this song impact you today.

Through The Fire
So many times I've questioned certain circumstances
Things I could not understand
Many times in trials, weakness blurs my vision
Then my frustration gets so out of hand
It's then I am reminded I've never been forsaken
I've never had to stand the test alone
As I look at all the victories the spirit rises up in me
And it's through the fire my weakness is made strong
(chorus)
He never promised that the cross would not get heavy
And the hill would not be hard to climb
He never offered our victories without fighting
But he said help would always come in time.
Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision
And the adversary says give in
Just hold on, our Lord will show up
And he will take you through the fire again
(bridge)
I know within myself that I would surely perish
But if I trust the hand of God, He'll shield the flames again

~What kind of valley are you walking through? What kind of decisions are you facing? I am here to tell you today, my friend, that there is nothing that can conquer you. Jesus conquered it all when He chose to crawl up the hill to Calvary and hang on that cross. Have faith today that He wants to help you through life, but you must accept His hand.
Humbly His~BG