Running this Race

I heard a really simple, yet challenging teaching on Sunday about the "Race" we are running. While this is something that we are in some way or form doing, we hardly take the time to assess our journey. A lot of us have a goal in mind, or have a target as to where or what we want to be in life. The distance between where we are today and where we want to be, is what I call the "Race". The basics are obvious: starting point and finishing point, but the space between both is the hardest part. Some of us are currently in our starting point, some of us are somewhere in the middle or away from the starting point but I doubt that any of us are at the finishing point. The starting point is where we make the decisions, its where we set some goals, its where we anticipate the end, its where we are fired up! It is here that we pick a purpose; and then train towards that purpose. Then, we set off! And we somehow shoot off into the future....and we then, begin to face different challenges, obstacles, roadblocks, crossroads etc. How we handle these are very critical. At this point, we might feel the need to compromise or we might feel a little bitter with life or the people in our way or both :). We start losing sight of the goals we set in the starting point. We start bending a little here and a little there. We start losing the grace of God, due to the seed of bitterness that we have allowed to germinate in our hearts. We tend to forget that we are in a training season and the training eventually produces a reward, if we stay focused and unwavered. We start giving ourselves up to things that are not proper to our bodies; and to things that can and will contaminate our physical and emotional state. Before we know it, we are no longer training to win the race....we are now trying to run the race. Training is beneficial to the spirit, mind and soul; because it produces discipline! Training teaches you to deny yourself of what your body wants, and only feed it what it needs. Its like a diet...you naturally want to eat what will destroy your body, but you really should eat what will help you fulfill your long-term goal. It's just like in a race, the last lap is the most important. This is where your training is tested. It is the determinator of your training. How focused can you get? Can you hang on until the end? Will you give up and give in? Will your habits along the way, up until this point, cause you to be disqualified? It's just like our faith. Our faith is always challenged along the way, but what will you do with that challenge? Will you submit to this world? Will you stay focused and stand your ground? Like the Hebrew boys in Daniel 1. They openly decided NOT to partake of the King's meal, as it was not appropriate for their diet. In fact, it was contaminated and they chose to decline. Ladies, whatever goals you have set for yourself, or whatever life-changing decisions that you have made, or whatever steps you have decided to make; remember to stay on track...stay in your lane...as your race is yours and yours alone and MUST be completed. You cannot afford to be disqualified! Self Builders:

• What kind of race am I running?
• What type of training is needed for this race?

Filing your Taxes

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/the-dangers-of-not-filing-your-taxes/lifeandmoney_taxes/ (original site) We all sweat a bit at tax time, no matter how confident we are in our record keeping. The stakes are high, and one little miscalculation can bring a world of trouble. Sometimes, fear and embarrassment can prevent us from filing a return at all! That’s what happened to Sheri Lawrence. “I had always completed my returns faithfully. Then, because of some difficult things I was going through, I fell behind filing for three years,” she explained. “I was supposed to be a responsible adult!” Sheri continued. “By the time I faced it, I was so afraid—the tension just kept getting worse.” Sheri had good reason to worry. Failure to file a tax return is a crime punishable by a fine up to $25,000 and one year in prison for each year you don’t file. While jail time is rare, you’ll pay in other ways: •Penalties – If you owe taxes, you’ll be hit with a “failure to file” penalty and interest on the amount owed, adding as much as 25% to your tax bill.

•Loss of Refund – If you’re due a refund, you won’t be penalized, but you won’t be able to collect your refund, either.

However, you do have three years to file a return and receive your refund. The IRS may file a return for you. It won’t include any additional exemptions or deductions, so you’ll get a bill, including penalties and interest, that won’t represent your true tax liability. Sheri knew she needed help catching up, but she had previously been burned by her CPA. “My CPA left the company, and I was dropped,” she said. “I had signed over power of attorney to them to handle this for me, and they didn’t.” She wanted a professional she could trust, so she went to daveramsey.com. “I had listened to Dave (on the radio),” Sheri said. “Anyone he would endorse would bring that trust level I needed.” Sheri met with Darrel Ingram, a tax services Endorsed Local Provider (ELP) in her area. “After meeting with them for 10 minutes, I knew they would be there to guide me through the whole thing,” she said. “They told me my situation was not that bad, that I was not the only one, and no matter the situation, there was a fix,” she added. That was great advice. The IRS says if you haven’t filed, do so as soon as possible, even if you don’t think you’ll be able to pay all you owe. Pay as much as you can as soon as you can to minimize charges. So what’s Sheri’s situation now? “The experience has been such a blessing,” she said. “The process is moving—letters have been sent to the IRS, back taxes are getting paid. It’s a great feeling.” She continued, “If anyone’s considering using an ELP, you can feel confident that it really works. These people are what they say they are!” Need help with your taxes? You don’t have to be in a situation like Sheri’s to benefit from the help of a tax services ELP. Dave’s team can find a tax professional with the heart of a teacher in your area today.

Outspoken Blessing

Words of blessing communicate care and high regard for someone you care about or something you know. Of all the ways people express love, speaking words of affirmation is one of the most important. Words of affirmation are statements that show you value someone. "You look nice today," "Thanks for taking care of this." These statements focus either on something the person did or something that they are.

I hear people say all the time, "I didn't grow up in a home where we expressed feelings. Or I am not a verbal person." In my opinion, these are just excuses that we have picked up through the years to validate our own personal choices. There are lot of things that don't come naturally to us, of course, but we learn to do them anyway. Even if it's difficult, you can learn to express your feeling in words. If we want to do something new, we spend time learning to do that thing. And as they say, practice makes perfect.

When you hear someone pay a compliment to you or to someone else, write it down. Or as you read things, pick out expression of gratitude and love and start making a list. Then practice reading your list out loud. After a while, it'll begin to feel more comfortable. Then, of course, start saying these things to a friend, a co-worker, a family member, a loved one etc. Once you start, it becomes much easier.

Genesis 49: 28 - All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and ths is what their father said to them when he blessed then, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

Blessing Builders:

• Tell someone three things that you value about them
• Describe to someone close the types of expressions that make you feel most loved and appreciated.

Set some goals

We had an exceptionally great start today! I encourage you to get acquainted with your behavior profile (see below), set some goals for yourself (not your family, not your spouse or boyfriend/fiancee), but for yourself...and THEN do all that you can to achieve those goals. Pace yourself, of course. And don't forget to pray for your fellow righteous women, as we all strive to accomplish our short/long term goals. We will be working with a new curriculum - "Living with Unmet Desires". Let me know what arrangements you want to make to get yours...as we'll start using it at our March 19th meeting. They are $7 each. Have a great day ladies and be good... QQ _____________________________________________________________ YOUR BEHAVIOR PROFILE: Behavior profiling began in the late 1920’s as a result of psychologist Dr. William Marston’s theory that there are four basic personality types - D for Dominant, I for Influencer, S for Steady and C for Compliant (or DISC for short). Over the years, different versions of the same theory developed including BEST (Bold-Expressive-Sympathetic-Technical) and Dr. Gary Couture’s version using bird names (Dove, Owl, Peacock and Eagle). The ‘bird’ version has become quite popular as most people can relate easier to a visual object like a bird, rather than just a descriptive word. For this reason, we’ll go with Dr. Couture’s ‘bird’ version – besides, wouldn’t you rather describe yourself as an ‘Eagle’ or ‘Dove’ instead of ‘Dominant’ or “Compliant’? You and I fit into one of these basic personality types, which define the way we interact with other people, the way we go about life, our personal drivers and how we succeed. We will often relate better to people who have a similar behavior profile, and find other behavior patterns annoying and maybe even a little intimidating. But more importantly, these behaviors have a major impact on how we progress through life. So what are the 4 behavior types? In a nutshell they are: Dove The compassionate and peaceful dove. The dove is people-orientated, loyal, friendly, hardworking and a great team player but tends to avoid change, confrontation, risk-taking and assertiveness. Owl The wise owl. The owl is logical, mathematically minded, methodical and sometimes seen as a perfectionist. The owl can be slow to make decisions and inflexible if rules and logic says otherwise. Owls are not big risk takers but love detail. Peacock The showy peacock. The peacock loves talking; being the center of attention has passion/ enthusiasm and is happy/ optimistic. Peacocks can be accused of talking too much, and aren’t good with detail or time-control. Eagle The bold eagle. Eagles are dominant, stimulated by challenge, decisive and direct. Eagles can be blunt/ stubborn, can lose sight of the big-picture and can be insensitive to other people’s needs. Eagles are natural achievers. Think about yourself for a minute. Do you fit any of the above profiles? Perhaps you have traits of a couple of profiles (which is more than likely)? If one of these behavior types fits you perfectly, then start working on your goals and see how your behavior type may affect your goal setting process. www.achievegoalsettingsuccess.com

Communication

How many non-verbal conversations do you have in your head?

Statistics show that our nonverbal communication accounts for 58% of the total message. Our tone of voice - the way we say things - makes up 35% of the message. The actual words that we do say account for only 7% of the total message. WOW! Now, think about the ways you, and the people around you communicate without using words. Think about what your nonverbal actions ACTUALLY mean....then, consider how that action is perceived. Is the perception accurate to what you were thinking or is the receiver completely off! Now, think about those results. Isn't is just safer to say what you really want to say? If your nonverbal communication is not safe to communicate, then you need to deal with that..and then re-visit the conversation. On the other hand, if it is safe to say what you are thinking mentally, then you need to just come out and say it. Either way, if you keep it inside, you will be mis-heard or un-heard. Nonverbal Actions vs What Those Actions Mean - 2 very different things..

Psalms 139:23

Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.

Powerful or Pitiful

I read this article this morning and thought it'll be nice to share it with you wonderful ladies! :) Are your thoughts powerful or pitiful? Sometimes thinking correctly seems to be a battle - and I'm here to tell you that it is a battle! The mind is the battlefield where we win or lose in life. Thoughts are powerful, and according to Proverbs 23:7, they have creative ability. If your thoughts affect what you become, then it should be a top priority to think right thoughts. And I want to make sure you understand the absolute necessity of getting your thinking in line with God's word. Here's the bottom line: you cannot have a positive life and a negative mind. A couple of positive power thoughts:

• God loves me unconditionally - Psalm 139
• I will not live in fear - 2 Timothy 1:7
• I am difficult to offend - Proverbs 19:11

Meditate on these power thoughts, as meditation is being interactive with information. Meditating on a scripture simply means to roll it over your mind, apply it to your life and visualize the scripture in action. We can choose our thoughts by exercising self-control, which is called "on-purpose thinking." Power thoughts, when applied, will help you gain more control. See for yourself how this practice will radically transform your life.

Practice the Presence

Genesis 28:16 - When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

We need to give God a time slot in our lives every day, but even more than that, God needs to be a presence in our lives all day long, every day. I have decided to establish a habit of practicing the presence of God; and I pray you will too. If it helps to set a timer/watch to remind you every 10-15 minutes, then do so. When your timer goes off, stop and think on God. I heard of a lady who wrote "Jesus" in huge print on a piece of paper and put it on the floor beside her bed, so that when she swung her feet out of the bed in the morning, she'd be reminded to turn her attention to Him. I'm beginning to be more aware of God. I talk to Him about my tensions, and my intentions. I desire to move from knowing theoretically that Christ is in my heart, to desiring intensely a conscious awareness of His nearness. I was like Jacob in Genesis 28:16 who said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." I still fall on my face. At times, my busyness and all my distractions take me far off. In that place, away from His presence, I get uptight, upset and totally ungodly. But by a deliberate act of my will, I submit, re-direct my thoughts and return to His presence and think upon His Word. Self Builders:

• Why is it that a sense of God's nearness is so difficult to keep foremost in our minds?
• What steps can we take to remind ourselves to rejoice in God's presence all day long?

Full Passage: Genesis 28:10-17

Be Encouraged

Forwarded by Debra King-Cooper, a fellow RW I'm too blessed to be stressed Too anointed to be disappointed I refuse to be discouraged To be sad, or to cry I refuse to be downhearted And here's the reason why I have a God who is all-mighty Who is sovereign and supreme I have a God who loves me And I am on His team I refuse to be defeated My eyes are on my God He has promised to be with me As through this life, I trod What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like. ~ author undisclosed

Overpowering Love

I was reading Romans 8:31-39 this morning and was really blessed by how much God's overpowering love will never change....no matter what we do or don't do. There are so many things that try to sway us away from our love with God; there are other things that just happen to us in this life that can easily distract us and cause us to doubt God and His love for us; BUT, this paragraph of scripture is so encouraging and gives a sense of peace that embraces all fear and overpowers all doubt. God is still God, and that's that! NO MATTER WHAT. Whether He does want we want Him do or not...the fact remains that HE is still who HE said He is.... - our Father, friend, and comforter. Sometimes, we may be feeling stale and dry, or too busy, or physically exhausted, or guilt from not spending time alone with God. The guilt starts to remind us of all the teachings we have received, all the Bible College classes we have taken, all the great sermons we have heard - or even preached at times, all the notes we have taken - but never studied them again, all the powerful books we have read - but yet to apply them to our day-to-day lives, all the people we know - that we have learnt nothing from, all the critical things we have done or said, all the lazy moments we have had, all the unkind words we have spoken or thoughts we have entertained etc..... Then it begins to get really clear to us that we are not the saint that we want to be, or the saint that we have been portrayed to be. When we get all these feelings bundled up in one, its the best time to read Romans 8:31-39 - to remind us AGAIN, and bring to our consciousness that God's love is with us...no matter what. God loves you in spite of you! Sometimes, as ladies, we think that the less we deserve God's love, the more we have of it. If you have kids, you know that the one child who struggles the most, is the one that you reach out to the most. If you have any friends, the same logic applies - you find yourself emotionally or physically present with the friend(s) that struggles the most. Now imagine if you are exerting this kind of love and attention to a struggling person, how much more does our Heavenly Father love us even when we've fallen flat on our faces? Love Builders:

• When have you felt spiritually dry?
• When have you felt like a failure?
• How does receiving God's enduring love encourage you in times of staleness or spiritual dissapointment?

Hang on 'til Joy Comes!

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. — Psalm 30:5 http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/EverydayAnswers/dailydevotionals/ I gained an excellent piece of wisdom through personal experience: do not be afraid of pain! As strange as it may seem, the more you dread and resist the pain of healing, the more you increase the effect that pain has upon you. An example of this truth happened years ago when I went on a fast for the first time in my life. God called me to a twenty-eight-day juice fast. In the beginning, I went through some really hard times. I was very, very hungry. In fact, I was so famished that I was in actual pain. As I cried out to the Lord, complaining that I just could not stand it any longer, He answered me. Deep within me I heard the "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12 KJV) of the Lord say to me, "Stop fighting the pain; let it do its work." From that time on, the fast was much easier, even enjoyable, because I knew that every time I felt discomfort, it was a sign of progress. The rule is that the more pain is resisted, the stronger it becomes. When a pregnant woman goes into labor, the advice she is given by her attendants is, "Relax." They know that the more she fights the pain, the stronger it will become, and the longer the delivery process will take. When you are experiencing pain, do not fight it. Allow it to accomplish its purpose. Remember this promise, "they who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing (Psalm 126:5)". Learn to endure whatever you need to, knowing that there is joy on the other side!

Walking with God

Genesis 6:9 - (The Message) This is the story of Noah: Noah was a good man, a man of integrity in his community. Noah walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. We see scriptures of people who have walked with God. We see it in Abraham, and here also in Noah...and I sometimes wonder how I could add this to my life testimony - my walk with God. Depending on how long we know someone, most of the time when walking with them, we walk silently. Meaning, we do not do a lot of talking, we do not make a lot of comments, but there is a silent understanding that we are seeing the same thing, we are experiencing the same sounds and smells, we have the same reactions to things, or we understand the other person's reaction without them saying it. In fact, the better we know the person we are walking with, the less we have to say and the more we enjoy our walk. AND although this may sound like a relationship or a marriage, it can be but totally isn't. It applies to a friendship also. What about walking with God? Can we pray without ceasing as simply as we breathe without ceasing? Prayer could include our nonverbal communication with God. Just as we reach out in our other relationships, we can reach out to God without words. Just as we smile at a close friend, we can also offer a smile of appreciation to God. As I began to focus on my walking with God, I was able to see where I had been walking in my own direction, and how much of a distance there has been between God and I. Now, its harder for me to go on with business as usual when I am not at peace with God or with another person. Ladies, for us to walk with God, our whole self - body, soul and spirit - needs to be in order. Walk Builders:

• In what ways do you reach out for fellowship with God?
• How would you characterize your "walk" with God? Comfortable, close, distanced, awkward, serious,?
• What might make walking with God a more natural habit for you?

I AM fixing the broken things..

Forwarded by Treva... Some of us (@ our various churches) are participating in a 21-day Daniel fast. This should help encourage us :). And even if you are not participating in a fast, apply your situation to this story. *********** Hello, I just wanted to share a personal experience that I had today with each of you to encourage during the fast. I have had a CD stuck in my CD player in my car since 2008. I have pushed, prodded, tried to trick it to release the CD over the past several years. This morning after dropping my son off at school, I was trying to push the FM button and accidentally pushed eject. (I had stopped intentionally pushing eject, because I had given up on the CD EVER coming out!). To my amazement, the eject button worked and the CD came out with ease. I wish someone was there to take a picture of my face. If you understood the struggle I went through on my own trying to get the CD out, you would understand.(lol) The CD player operated just like it was supposed to and I was stunned. I was ready to scream with excitement about that when I heard in my spirit "I AM fixing the broken things." Things in our lives we have toiled over, worried about and pushed through are going to be fixed and ejected out of our lives with the anointing of ease! Sickness-ejected! Doubt-ejected! Debt-ejected! I was trying to push the FM button and a book I am reading refers to FM frequency as the "Faith Mode". We must stay in "Faith Mode" during this fast and expect God to show up. Now I believe He is even going to do some unexpected things just because He loves us so much. When we change our mindset to "Faith Mode" we also have choices! Now I have a choice of what CD to listen to in MY car! Praise God! When we are whole we have choices. Healing opens up choices. Finances open up choices. Situations you thought you would NEVER come out of are going to be fixed. I just have the faith to declare it! Choose to listen to the voice of God and eject the old voice out! (change the CD playing in your mind that says doubt, fear, discouragement and put in conqueror, fearlessness, encouragement) My CD player operates correctly now. Command your body to operate correctly, your finances to operate correctly! It's the season! I was trying to fix the CD player on my own, I never took it to a specialist. During this fast we have the ear of 'The Specialist'. Take those things to him that you had given up on and stopped believing and praying about. He can fix in a moment what we have been trying to fix on our own for years. Be encouraged, Joshua 3:5 says "Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow I will do wonders among you!" We are sanctifying ourselves through fasting and prayer. Be on the look out for the wonders!! Sister in Christ, Michelle Brown

Goals stretch your faith

by Rick Warren forwarded by a fellow RW According to your faith will it be done to you. Matthew 9:29 (NIV) "No goal is really a goal by default. If you don't set a goal, you've already set it and the goal is to stay the same." Every time you set a goal, you are saying I believe God wants me to do this by such and such a date -- and that is a statement of faith. Now, if you state a big goal, God will work in a big way. If you state a medium-size goal, God will work in a medium way. If you state a small goal, God will work in a small way. So you can see how goals stretch my faith. They affirm that I trust God, but that also are statements of how much I trust God. The Bible says, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” (Matthew 9:29 NLT) This means that no goal is really a goal by default. In other words, if you don't set a goal, you've already set it and the goal is to stay the same.

See how this works –

• When I ask you what's your goal for your health in 2011? If you say, ‘I don't have one,’ then your goal is to stay the same.
• When I ask you what's your goal in your relationships? If you say, ‘I don't have one,’ then your goal is for them not to get any better.
• When I ask you what's your goal for your finances and getting out of debt? If you say, ‘I don't have one,’ then your goal is to stay in debt.
• When I ask you what's your goal for your business career? If you say, ‘I don't have one,’ then your goal is to just drift along.

That’s why the Bible teaches us to have goals. They are a spiritual discipline. They challenge our faith. They develop our character and they build our hope

Tithing and Giving

Giving money to help meet the needs of others can seem financially impossible, especially if you are on a tight budget. This is why every woman needs to establish and follow a giving plan that is consistent with the financial priorities that are set in the bible. If we don't, then life's inevitable surprises (car trouble or repairs, illnesses, etc) will consistently interfere with our plans and desires - and our abilities to give freely. First and foremost, tithing is essential. The bible teaches us to give our first fruits onto the Lord. (Genesis 4:4). This must be our top priority! And then, the giving. Unfortunately, much of our giving is done with discretion. Meaning, we give the money that is left over after the bills have been paid and our family is fed, clothed and housed. The problem is that for most people, there simply isn't much left over for anything else! And we feel somewhat frustrated and guilty that we aren't able to give or even give more. This is why it's good to avoid leaving the amount of your tithe and gift to whatever cash is left over at the end of the month. Instead, prioritize and set aside a certain amount every week (if that helps). When we do this, we are making giving a top priority and we are removing the temptation to regard "the giving dollars" as discretionary funds to be used for family or personal expenses. God will bless you richly in your giving habit! Builders:

• How satisfied are you with your present level of giving?
• How can you make giving a higher priority each month? each year?

Genesis 4:4 (New International Version) And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Committed to Love

These days, there is a widespread belief that the real problem people have in relationships is they haven't learned to take care of themselves properly. You hear people say all the time, that we should love each other as we love ourselves. AND we interpret the teaching as "we're pretty good at loving others; but our problem is loving ourselves". This may be true in some respect but not entirely. I believe that what Jesus was saying in Mark 12:31 is for us to love others with the same kind of commitment that you already have in loving yourself. The scripture does not justify learning how to love yourself before you love others....which is sadly, what we hear most of the time. If your commitment to loving yourself is invaluable, uncertain, low and dim, then guess what, your commitment to loving anyone else will be just the same. It's just the way it is! Love builders:

1. What do you think "loving yourself" means?
2. Why are you responsible to love others, even if your self-esteem is often low?

{"The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these." (The Message - vs 29-31) }

Great year - and looking ahead!

This year has been a tremendous year. A lot of different things have happened in our lives and many changes have taken place. The future is ahead of us and its bright with potential. I want to personally encourage you to continue to be fervent with expectation; and be zealous with your faith. Genesis 13:14-15 (King James Version) And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. Are you going to partake of this generational blessing? I pray you do! Happy New Year ladies, and I cannot wait to hear the greater things that you will be walking into in the new year! Much love :) What you see depends on what you're looking for - Source Unknown

Looking back in forgiveness

http://www.examiner.com/christian-inspiration-in-oakland/looking-back-forgiveness 365 days in a year is a lot of time to make history. Much happens in a year whether you feel like it went quick or slow. Life in a year can bring fond memories or horrible nightmares. One thing is certain in 365 days, a lot happens in a year. As we wrap-up the year 2010, it’s important to prepare our hearts, minds, and spirits to successfully transition from the year 2010 into the New Year 2011. In order to move forward, we have to let go of some ‘things’ and leave some ‘things’ behind. Moving forward is a choice and it doesn’t automatically happen at 12:00 am January 1, 2011. Memories which make our history can never be forgotten because they are part of our journey, our past, our history; whether it’s an event, person, or thing we’ve experienced. History is created by occurrence, experience, and memories which can serve to push us into our future or keep us locked in our past. The memories that you should be concerned about the most in these next couple of days are the memories in 2010 and earlier that have historically hindered you from moving forward spiritually and mentally. Memories that act as mental and spiritual prison cells are caused by pain, rejection, fear, disappointment, and failure. These negative memories that are connected to emotions paralyze you from any forward progress and keeps you from your destiny. You can’t deny these occurrences and experiences never happened nor can you ignore the fact that they affect you. In order to move forward with these memories as simply memories and not hindrances, is through forgiveness. Forgiveness is the prerequisite to moving forward. As long as you hold on to unforgiveness and regret, that same grip will keep you from progressing; and from moving forward. You have to ask the Holy Spirit in these next couple of days to help you forgive yourself for making bad decisions, forgive your past for the disappointment it may have brought, and most of all to help you forgive others that may have caused you pain. When you learn to forgive, you allow God to remove the power of negative memories so that you can move forward in faith. Zig Ziglar said ‘Mistakes are events, not people, and yesterday ended last night’. You are not a mistake or an accident, and your future has not been determined yet. Allow yourself to forgive so that you can receive healing and faith to move forward. Matthew 5:23-24 (New International Version, ©2010) 23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Relationships

A story of a relationship between a man and a little bit over 4,000 people is told in Matthew 15:32. The story is so simplistic yet it depicts a lot about the kinds of relationships you and I experience daily (or try to experience…or even avoid experiencing). Relationships are tough! They are by choice and every one of us chooses the relationships that we have. We decide which ones to invest in; which ones to hold on to; which ones to patch up; which ones to let go of; which ones to disregard; which ones we don’t even bother with, etc…the list goes on and on. The bottom line is that all the relationships we have are based on our personal choices. When you walk with someone for a little while, it’s only natural to see the different hats they wear; the different faces they carry; the different moods they have. The more time we spend with someone, the more we are introduced or invited into their world – and vice versa. And this is usually where the choice is challenged. Are you going to let them into your life? Are you going to let yourself into theirs? How much compassion are you willing to have with the people that are around you? Compassion is an inward affection, a form of mercy, a tender heart towards someone. The Encarta dictionary defines compassion as sympathy for the suffering of others, often including a desire to help. Webster’s dictionary defines it as a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. This exact trait is a strong key into another’s heart; thereby allowing you to offer sympathy and/or empathy. One of the important parts of a committed relationship is that you don’t hesitate to give something of yourself; AND sadly, a lot of us flop in this area. We should always take something good away from every relationship (no matter the outcome). Realizing that no perfect person exists is a great perception that will keep you committed in staying close to someone. You can freely persevere through a friendship or abide with a person; knowing that their/your destination is ahead. It also helps not to be bitter or unforgiving, if things don’t turn out quite as expected. Jesus said in Matt. 15:32 that He wouldn’t send the multitude away fasting (hungry, without food); lest they faint in the way. This is a very significant statement. It’s as if Jesus was so empathetic with the people for walking with Him for so long already (3 days) that He was worried about their well-being, more than why they were following Him in the first place. Unbeknownst to them, what He offered them was the reason why they were drawn to Him anyway. They needed sustenance, strength, hope and faith; and they received that and MORE! Think about this - How many people are connected to you? Do you know why they are so attracted to you? Are you able to give them a bit of what God has put inside of you; so they can gain some hope and strength for their own personal journeys? Our relationships are not always about how it feels to us; but it’s also about how the other person can grow from your legacy, your way of living, your outlook on life. Ladies, if you see something in someone that you feel needs some attending to, please attend to it. Don’t be selfish. Don’t say “that’s someone else’s job” or “that’s someone else’s ministry”. You might actually be EXACTLY what they need to make it through their next crossroad in life. Selah… (Meditate on this)

And so it was thought

The word of God is astounding; it has the power to cause what is not seen, to be seen. It speaks life, enters into our minds, and changes something and everything. The word of God gives us new energy, and allows us to run for miles and miles with a new focus and a new direction. God is in the business of renewing us and extending us to higher heights. To be renewed means to cause something to go back to its original condition; God’s original intention. Have you ever thought that your situation is way too deep for redemption? Or your case is beyond restoration? Do you feel so lifeless, that nothing can ever change your situation? Well, God is more than you can ever imagine! You’ve got to believe it! Your situation is ripe for change and He is the change maker!! The Lord has a way of arriving after your crisis has completely manifested! He arrives at the end of the end, and when all options have exhausted, and the situation is way beyond dead; and has essentially perished and spoiled (or so it seems). We see a short phrase in Luke 3:23 of the story of Jesus and his father – “or so it was thought”. The expression is significant because it shows how easily and somewhat unknowingly, people can think one thing of a situation, but in reality, it’s quite different (especially in God’s eyes). You know how you drive on the road or the freeway and you see a dead squirrel, bird or whatever; and you find yourself swerving away from it, so you don’t get tainted by it…or the dead skin does not get on your car (think about this). Of course you do this, because it stinks, and/or its messy everywhere. You might actually say out loud “that is nasty!” Well, God will often allow something to die, in order to allow something greater to come forth. Think about it, if Lazarus didn’t die, then resurrection wouldn’t have been manifested; if the blind man wasn’t blind, then his healing wouldn’t have been significant; if the red sea wasn’t there, then the miraculous parting of the sea wouldn’t have been glorifying. God arrives when the situation is good and dead! Even to the point that the situation has a smell to it. The smell only shows that death is approaching or is in the works. And let’s face it, smells are not appealing to us; we are human. We tend to walk away from people that smell and we – in the name of leaving them up to God – give up on them, and we do not want to be associated with them. Or if you are the dead one, you tend to give up on yourself when you get an aroma of your own smell, and you completely forget what you are made of and who you are made in the image of…and you willingly surrender and call it quits. For us, the smell might signify the end of the end, it might mean that our situation has gone too far for help; it could also mean that we have run out of options and our only answer is death or surrendering to the dark side. Or so it is thought……. The wonderful news is that the Lord does not like tombs and smells do not deter Him. He didn’t stay in one, and won’t allow His children to stay in it either. We remember the work He did for Lazarus (John 11). When He came to Lazarus, Lazarus was good and dead. And the people were sure of it! As a matter of fact, when it was brought to Jesus’ attention that Lazarus was sick, Jesus responded that his sickness will not bring him to death. To top it off, Jesus stayed a few more days away from Lazarus. Have you ever thought that God should have arrived to your situation sooner? Of course! It would be easier for us to understand because sooner would make the situation more predictable and it would suit us better; but God never works on our schedule. He arrives on time!!! The other part of this puzzle is that you and I play different roles in this. You might be waiting on God to do something BIG in your life, and get you out of the situation that you are in. Or you might know someone that is going through a tough hopeless situation. You may be the one that drives past the dead / stinky mess and want nothing to do with it. You might be the one that cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel for your life; actually, you might be waiting for death to overtake you. None of us are exempt from this. When the Lord was about to resurrect Lazarus, He asked the people around to roll away the stone. He then resurrected Lazarus. And then He asked the people to loosen Lazarus and let Him go. ISN’T THAT AMAZING?!?!?!?! Will you be available for the rolling of the stone on someone else’s life? Will you be willing to walk out of the tomb when your stone is rolled away? We need to stop dwelling on the dead things and actually move on from them! We need to stop thinking the “and so it was thought” thoughts that we have. We need to remove those limitations from our thinking. God is here to heal and resurrect us, and it’s our choice to work with Him. He wants to take us out of the emotional realm and remove the boundaries that we have placed on ourselves, and the ones we have placed on others. Only God can walk into a dead place and bring life out of it. Do not give up, stay encouraged and believe that God can do it! Adapted from Pastor Patrick's Sermon 12/5/10. http://www.shilohchurch.com

Not like trees

There was a blind man that had been blind for quite sometime. One day, he happened to be in the midst of a man, who could possibly help him with his problem. Some believed that the man could help this blind man. As a matter of fact, others around begged him to help the blind man. Although everyone was probably looking for an outward display of a miracle, instead this man led the blind man outside the town......and then he spat on the blind man's eyes. Miraculously, the blind man was able to see but not quite clearly. When asked what he saw, he explained his vision as "I see men, as trees, walking". This was not good enough. The man then placed his hands on the not-so-blind man's eyes again and asked him to look up one more time and explain what he saw. Now, his sight was completely restored, and he saw men, as men. This story is recorded in Mark 8:22-26. Great story! I heard a very simple message today (regarding this scripture) and I was really challenged. Well, it showed me something that I/we easily and comfortably overlook. And that is - the way God sees people vs the way we see people. We often see people as trees, and we know that this is NOT the way God sees them. In fact, we get so burdened with our own perspectives, agendas, justifications, selfish thoughts that we are not able to see lost souls as nothing more than trees. Keep in mind that lost souls are not only the unchurched or the unsaved. Lost souls are people like you and I...people that are only familiar with traumatic lives, people going through difficulties of life, people dealing with diverse trials, people that are not able to make any decisions in life, people that are stagnant between their past and their future, people that are just trying to make it, people that are not able to navigate through their every day life, people that you and I actually know....etc. I really believe that God wants to restore my vision in respect to how I see people. I want to see people the way God sees them, not the way I see them or what I think they look like. I don't want to have to go through the lesson again, I want to get it the first time around! I believe that the blind man's first response had a judgmental edge to it....because I know I do that sometimes. When I see people, I immediately judge them by what I remember of them or whatever mindset I am in at the time. This is selfish and IT IS NOT God's way. How am I going to reach people if I keep this type of attitude, right? God always looks at us with the heart of a father, with compassion, grace and mercy. And I am forever grateful to Him for it. If He looked at me with the lens of all the things that I have done wrong, then I wouldn't have a chance. And neither would you! I pray for us ladies, that we allow God to restore or renew our vision, so we can see people the way He does. “People only see what they are prepared to see.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson