Quote - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“We have a choice. We can seek for the bad in others. Or we can make peace and work to extend to others the understanding, fairness, and forgiveness we so desperately desire for ourselves. It is our choice; for whatever we seek, that we will certainly find.”

~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Victory Beyond the Podium

As I was fast forwarding through the cross-country skiing at the Olympics I had to rewind and I saw what is probably normally an uneventful cross-country skiing race turn into something more.  Many racers fell that day near the same spot so when I saw someone fall I kept racing through the show.  Then I saw another fall a little later in a different spot and decided to go back and see what happened.  A Russian cross-country skier, Anton Gafarov had crashed again due to a broken ski.  No matter what athlete falls or gets hurt, I hate to see that.  What country they are from does not matter to me, I don't like to see anyone get hurt or have their dreams crushed.  After his second fall he got up and started skiing on one ski.  Then a coach ran over and gave Anton a new ski so that he could finish his race, which he made it to the finish line with applause from everyone.  This man was not a Russian coach, he was actually a rival Canadian coach, Justin Wadsworth.  Justin said of this Russian skier, "I wanted him to have dignity as he crossed the finish line."

Anton was not going to get to the podium, but he did not give up and I believe he would have continued with one ski if he was not given a new one.  We all look at the medal counts and those that do not make the podium are soon forgotten.  This man did not quit, he was determined to finish this race no matter the physical pain.

Maybe the Canadian coach was just looking to pay forward a good deed that was given to his country back in the 2006 Olympics in Italy.  One of the Canadian women skier's had broken a pole and a Norwegian coach, Bjornar Hakensmoen, ran out to give a new pole to her.  This gesture ensured that Canada would win a medal while Norway did not medal in this event.  The teammate of this woman was Beckie Scott, Justin Wadsworth's wife.

There are many memorable moments so far in this Olympics, but this I will remember.  When the top athletes in the world fight for a medal, this athlete fought just to cross the finish line.  This is beyond a simple race, it is a grand display of God's handiwork.  How kindness and thinking of another can move the hearts of many around the world.

Quote - Winston Churchill

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

~Winston Churchill

Olympics 2014 - At The Start

The Olympics are going strong in Sochi, Russia.  Everyone wants their own country to win, of course they root for athletes from home.  There is such a sense of pride to follow them along this journey.  We do not know the pressure the athletes go through, but know it must be mind boggling to be on this international stage.  The decades of practice from a young age, the countless hours of training for a competition for mere seconds to strive for gold.  Many have had to leave their families to go train in a strange new city.  We do not see the intense training, we see the finished product, when they step foot onto frozen ground they are ready to compete.

One of the American women skier's, Heidi Kloser, crashed in a training run before the opening ceremony and had to be taken off the course in a sled.  She asked her parents if she was still going to be considered an Olympian.  Once you have made it on the team for your country, you will always be known as an Olympian.  Even if you don't get to complete due to injury before the competition starts, that can never be taken away from you.  It must be devastating to them to not get a medal, to us at home the fact that they worked hard and made the team is a feat we will never reach so we can't help but root for them.  They are hero's on the frozen ground and should hold their heads high.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's day and I hope that you all feel loved.  You may think to yourself, I don't have anyone special, but you do.  You have a wonderful Father who loves you more than you will be able to comprehend.  There are millions of people in this world who feel completely alone.  With all of our technology many feel even more cut off from people than ever before.  We are to fellowship and thrive while here in this world.

Today is a romantic field day for flower, candy and card companies, yet many will not receive a single thing.  The best Valentine card is to open the Bible and look for Scriptures that talk about love.  This entire book is a love letter from a caring God who wants you to know you are loved.  If today is a difficult day, please remember that throughout your entire day and the rest of your life there is someone waiting for YOU, wanting to show you love, grace, acceptance and mercy.

One of the most famous lines for this day is "How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways."  ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Here is a part of the love story between Elizabeth and Robert Browning.  Such a beautiful story of love and how the love of another person can bring about a happy life.  So think how much more God loves us as He waits for us to turn to Him so we can have a blessed life.

THE BROWNINGS

On January 10, 1845, Robert Browning wrote to Elizabeth Barrett for the first time, after reading her volume of poetry.  He was a little-known thirty-two-year-old poet and playwright, she was an internationally renowned poet, an invalid, and a thirty-nine-year-old spinster. “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett — I do, as I say, love these verses with all my heart,” the letter said. Over the course of the next twenty months, they would write each other close to six hundred letters — one of the greatest literary correspondences of all time.

The pair’s last letter was exchanged on September 18, 1846, the night before the two left for a trip to Italy, and two weeks after their secret marriage. Their romance, which she would eventually credit with saving her life, lasted for fifteen years and spawned some of the world’s most beautiful poetry. Elizabeth Barrett Browning was the daughter of Mary Moulton Barrett and Edward Barrett Moulton Barrett, an extremely wealthy landowner who owned sugar plantations in Jamaica. Her mother died when Elizabeth was just twenty-one, after having given birth to twelve children. Although Elizabeth, the eldest, was probably her father’s favorite child, she struggled along with her siblings under his tyrannical parenting. Incredibly controlling, Mr. Barrett insisted that none of his children marry, baffling even the family’s closest friends.

To add to her difficulties, from the time she was a teenager, Elizabeth suffered from a mysterious illness that caused her uncontrollable spasms of pain, breathing difficulties, and a general malaise that made her unable to leave her house. In fact, she rarely left her room, and believed that she was destined to forever remain a sickly shut-in and spinster. When Robert Browning first began to court Barrett — through their correspondence — she seemed to enjoy the relationship, but dismissed any romantic aspect of his attention, unwilling to believe that he could really be interested in her. Browning, the son of Robert and Sarah Anna Browning, a bank clerk and pianist, was a direct and ardent suitor. But despite his obvious affection and the mutual admiration that is prominently displayed in their letters, Elizabeth refused to see him until the spring — months after their first contact — as the cold weather of the winter made her health poor. The couple’s first meeting occurred in May 1845, after five months of regular correspondence. It is believed that Browning wrote to Barrett immediately afterward to declare his affection — flouting Victorian convention — but this letter has not survived. Elizabeth, sickly and so long in isolation, found it difficult to trust his intentions and was already skeptical of the institution of marriage and its treatment of women. Despite the obstacles, Browning’s visits continued, though always when Elizabeth’s father was not at home.

In the summer of 1845, Barrett’s physician recommended that she travel to Pisa, in Italy, for the winter because he felt sure she would not survive another harsh season in London. Her father, for seemingly unknown reasons, refused to allow the trip. After writing to Browning about her predicament, he wrote back, saying, “I would marry you now.” Instead of dismissing him as she had done before, she embraced his sentiments. They continued to see each other regularly, and, thanks in part to an unseasonably warm winter, Barrett’s health began to improve. In January 1846, Elizabeth, inspired by Browning, took a major step toward recovery by leaving the room where she had spent the last six years of her life.

By May 1846, Barrett began to walk outside and, in her letters, credited Browning for having a large part in her recovery. Also, she had begun to decrease her use of the morphine and opium prescribed for her condition. By summer, she was living a much more active life. On September 12, Barrett and Browning were married, before another London winter could again weaken her health. Sadly, the wedding was held in secret, with only her maid and Browning’s cousin attending as witnesses. Although she was then forty years old, Barrett lived in fear of her controlling father’s wrath if he found out that she was disobeying his direct order not to marry. When her deception was revealed, she was disinherited by her father, as were the two other Barrett children who dared to defy him.

Just a week after their marriage, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning left London for Italy, where they would spend the next fifteen years of their lives. Barrett Browning’s Sonnets From the Portuguese (1850), of which the line “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways” has since become one of poetry’s best-known, was written during their courtship and early marriage and is about her dramatic romance with Browning, and how he helped her save herself from a life of sickness and isolation. In Italy, both poets would enjoy many productive years of writing, as well as the birth of their son, Robert Wiedeman Barrett Browning, in 1849. She completed a second edition of Poems, as well as Casa Guidi Windows (1851), Poems before Congress (1860), and her well known verse-novel, Aurora Leigh (1857). She also became active in the fight for Italian nationalism, the abolition of American slavery, and the advancement of the condition of women. He published Men and Women, which was dedicated to his wife and is considered to contain his best poetry. They remained in Italy for fifteen years, until Elizabeth died in her husband’s arms on June 29, 1861. Casa Guidi, the Brownings’ home in Florence, Italy, has been preserved and is open to visitors.  ~ from The History Channel

Jonah 3:1-2

v. 1-2 "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.'"  

Some scholars believe God commanded the fish to spit out Jonah at Joppa, the piece of land that Jonah had left to run away from God.  Looking at the map of the area the fish could have spit Jonah out up near Turkey so his journey wouldn't have to be as long, but why would God give us a boost if we are in defiance?  Back to square one,  this seems to be a good position for us to reevaluate our decisions so that our path will start to seem clear.  Obedience has to trump our feelings.

"You were created with specific intention and recreated at the moment of your salvation with specific attention to detail so that you would be equipped to walk in the plans God mapped out for you long ago.  You can not reach complete satisfaction in life apart from your decision to engage in His predetermined plans.  For Jonah and for us, this means giving Him the position of prominence in our lives and restructuring our plans so that we can partner with Him."  Priscilla Shirer

God repeated His commission to Jonah, although He said it in two different ways.

First - "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me"

preach against (to make known, to deliver, give earnest advice, in opposition, hostile to, resistance, defense)

Second - "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."

proclaim (to announce, to declare, to praise publicly)

Both times God said that Nineveh was great.  I think that Jonah hearing that a second time might have stung his pride a bit more than the first time.  Nineveh was a large city that was very powerful and influential in the area.  Then the wording changed.  First, Jonah was told to preach against them because they were brought before God.  Second, God told Jonah to proclaim the message He would give him.  The second one seems to me to be a message to someone who has been humbled and is ready to follow God's plan.  God's power shows up clearly in this passage.

"We run mentally when we detach our thought life from our tasks and go through the motions.  We run emotionally by building up a callousness displayed by the attitude we show to others.  We can even run spiritually, going through the motions while having no fellowship with Him.  We can be on the run from God's directives even while we are engrossed in them."  Priscilla Shirer

When things are repeated in the Bible that should be a wake up call to all of us.  We should study the reasons why things need repeating in the first place, then we can hopefully let the message sink in so that God does not need to repeat Himself to us.  Even after running away, God still used Jonah.  Sometimes we get hung up on the notion that we are too far gone to be of any use to God.  His love covers all insecurity, if only we would let Him.  If you give God all your mistakes and ask for forgiveness, He completely wipes it ALL away, never to be see again.  That is unless you continue to dig it up because in some strange sense it is like a security blanket that we feel we can never part with.  "Serving God is not an earned position-no one qualifies for God's service.  But God still asks us to carry out his work."  NIV notes

Looking back, Jonah could have gone to another city or just stayed where he was to avoid going to Nineveh.  At God's calling many of us stay put, we do not want to make any changes, especially when we are comfortable where we are.  It will cost us far more than we would ever want to pay to keep in our comfort zone and not follow God.

"When we flee from God's presence, we do a most unusual thing.  We put ourselves in the very spot of punishment.  We find the people who are most subject to bad consequences, and we join them in their negative results."  Priscilla Shirer

Is God calling you to something that you keep ignoring, thinking it will go away?  Don't waste another moment, heed the call from a loving Father who wants to use you to do great things in this world.

"Jonah was involved in ministry as a prophet to Israel and yet, when divinely interrupted, chose to run from God's manifest presence.  He claimed loyalty to God and yet desired no intimate relationship with Him."  Priscilla Shirer

Why God shut down my TV when I wouldn't listen to Him

A couple of years ago God put it on my heart to stop watching Grey's Anatomy.  I really liked this show and had no intention of taking it off my list of shows to watch.  So what do you think I did?  I said, OK God I will stop watching at the end of the season.  At the time this happened it was not close to the end of the season.  I was trying to reason with God, trying to get my way just a little bit longer.  Our minds justify things we do and we think them to be OK since we are going to listen to God, eventually.  Well guess what happened.  The next week on Thursday morning my DIRECTV went out, the show was going to be on that night.  I still had everything on the DVR, but I could not watch any new shows.  This was a loud hint that I should have not tried to make a compromise with God, if I would have obeyed and said yes, I am confident that my TV viewing would not have been relegated to just what was on the DVR.  This was when my husband was out of town working in another state, so I just hung out and watched things that were already recorded (this show was not on the DVR).  Several weeks later we ended up switching companies to a new satellite carrier.  The installer mentioned that the old satellite dish cable had been loose.  You may think things like that just happen, but when we refuse to listen to God, He is more than capable of using anything that He sees fit to teach us a valuable lesson in His perfect timing.  I'm not a fan of thinking that things just happen in a chaotic randomness.

At first it didn't seem like such a big deal what I did in response to God, but it started to sink in that I was outright disobedient to something God called me to do.  Several times He has asked me to do something and I have listened, but not in this instance.  Sometimes in the small things we do not see the larger danger of disobedience.  This show did not have biblical values and I believe God wanted to weed out some of my entertainment choices.  You may think there is nothing wrong with this show, but for me it was time to quit watching.  We can't look around at other Christians and wonder why they get to do things that God has asked us not to do.  There are many Christians who watch shows and movies that are not considered Bible approved.  I still have work to do in this area and God is working on me.  I know He may not call you to cut out certain TV shows, movies or music, but I believe He is calling to many of us to make changes in what we see and hear.  God tends to work on us slowly over time starting with the big things and then moving on to the little things that we think to be insignificant that can come between us from getting to know Him better.  I cut out horror movies a long time ago, ideas of evil can influence your mind and if you tend to be paranoid like me it's not a good thing.  I am not a person who only watches and listens to Christian movies and music.  I like many things that are not considered "Christian", but are not bad influences either.  God can use most things in the entertainment industry to hint at His kingdom, but not all will see the message.  Many would never watch a "Christian" movie, but would gladly see an entertaining movie starring their favorite actor or actress.

Now when I see a commercial for this show I used to like so much, I don't feel even the tiniest bit interested to tune in.  I know that if I satisfied my flesh, my soul would suffer.  I am not trying to guilt anyone about their entertainment choices, I hope you all, along with myself, will make smarter choices.  Hollywood listens to money, so if we all would put our hard earned cash into good entertainment then they would start making more of it.  Unfortunately they get a lot of money from horror and R rated movies so they continue down that road until persuaded to a bigger cash cow.  There is a trend for romantic comedies to be R rated now, I guess that is to make the men want to go see them with their girlfriend or wife.  All it does is ruin a really good movie for a lot of us girls.  When we get desensitized, the movies continue to decline.  When will it be enough?  How low is the industry going to sink?

Our voice my be small against the world, but it is still a voice.

Jonah 2:10

v. 10 "And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land."

God is in command over all the land, including all the creatures of the earth.  God gave an order to a fish and it obeyed.  God ordered the sea to become violent, then be calm again, He ordered a fish to swallow Jonah, then dump him onto dry land.  The details of this story are so interesting, for such a short book it is packed with valuable lessons that beg us to pay attention.  Jonah was in the depths and God heard him.  You are never so deep down in darkness that God couldn't pull you out.  Light can crush through any amount of darkness.

Someone wrote to me and asked if I thought Jonah was dead or alive when he came out of the fish.  I had never heard this was a controversy before.  The bible does not say that Jonah died and was brought back to life so I believe that Jonah was alive and the fish spit Jonah onto land at God's command.  Maybe why some think this is because Jesus referred to Jonah in Matthew 12:39-40 "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!  But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."  There are many layers of meaning in the Bible, Jesus spoke in parables to the people.  It was never just a story, for instance, Jesus would speak about a farmer because the people would understand that topic, but those who could truly hear understood that the farmer was representing God.  There are literal, figurative, spiritual and practical lessons all throughout the Bible.

I hate fish and seafood and do not eat any of it, so the thought of being inside a fish for three days and the indescribable smells, rotten food and possible burning sensation of my flesh rotting away doesn't appeal to me at all.  I can see how that could be used to really open your eyes so you can see Truth and the mistakes you've made.  After looking at some of the posts on different websites about Jonah it is clear there are as many different views of this story as there are people to speak them.  It is dangerous to pencil in or cross off verses in the Bible.  People start huge arguments based on their belief which can greatly differ from what the Bible has to say.  We should ALWAYS refer back to the Bible and study to see what the Bible has to say.  I believe the Bible should be talked about so that we can gain wisdom and share our point of view with others, but I would not want to be the one who is before God answering for trying to rewrite His book.

Some reasons Jonah may have turned away from God on this mission:

• This mission made no sense to Jonah
• Jonah foretold the prosperity of Israel, not the destruction of an enemy country
• If Nineveh received God's mercy they may block the future prosperity of Israel
• A trip to Nineveh would not be easy to make by foot
• Jonah might have had to sell most of his possessions to make this trip
• Jonah had to leave behind the comforts of home
• Jonah would have had to leave his position of power to become weak in a strange land
• In Jonah's mind only Israel was to receive God's mercy, not the people of Nineveh
• Nineveh was a great enemy of Israel so hatred ran deep
• Pride, from beginning to the end of this book pride held Jonah in a twisted grip that wouldn't let go

"God works miracles and that He has a plan that supersedes our senses."  Priscilla Shirer

Justification of our beliefs and ideas does not give us the right to run away from God.  Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?"  Our hearts will slide into darkness without God in our lives.  Anything done out of the heart (works of the flesh) will always fall short of God's plan for us.

This book is a reminder to us all to follow God even if what we are asked to do does not make sense, does not appeal to us, is embarrassing or is the last thing in the world we would ever want to do.

Concussion Update

It has been two months since getting my concussion.  I have what the doctors call Post Concussion Syndrome.  The neurologist said that it usually takes up to three months to get back to normal and could be several more months past that time frame.  My head and neck still hurt daily, sometimes a sharp pain, but most of the time it is an all over mild pain which is very annoying.  I don't like taking pills and do so sparingly.  So if it appears I repeat myself often in my blog posts then I have forgotten what I have said in older posts!

Even in pain I give glory and praise to God.  I know that He is keeping my safe and there was a reason for my injury.  Even if it is to empathize with others who have had concussions it would be for the glory of God.  There is a comfort in having someone else who has gone through the same situation as you have so that you know you are not alone and someone on this great big planet understands how you feel.

I would be most thankful for you to keep me in your prayers for healing so I can get back to normal and in help with my patience during this time.  I am not the best person to be around while I'm hurting.  I complain a lot and any patience I have goes out the window.  Thank you

Quote - Priscilla Shirer

"At some point or another God is going to ask for something that I wasn't anticipating.  He is going to expect something out of me, want me to yield and surrender completely to something that I wasn't fully aware of when I signed up to be a Christian."

~ Priscilla Shirer

Jonah 2:1-9

v. 1-9 "From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.  He said:"

"In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the deep,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
I said, 'I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.'
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O Lord my God. 

When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you, 
to your holy temple.
Those who cling to worthless idols 
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
But I, with a song of thanksgiving,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
Salvation comes from the Lord."

When we are in the darkest places we tend to bow down to God.  It is never too late to turn towards God, but a life lived only turning to God in our misery means we will be missing out on so many things in this life.   Jonah said that he called to God and God answered him.  Yet Jonah did not answer correctly when God called Him to a task that he hated to the very core of his being.  Even in what looks like the end for Jonah he says that God is compassionate, He does not turn from us when we call.  The problem is that we turn away from Him when the call comes to us and we do not like what we hear.  Jonah is in deep, he speaks so passionately that he was to the roots of the mountains.  This my friend is what many of us feel like and we do not have to venture down to the depths of the sea to know how Jonah feels.  We could be surrounded by sunshine, but what we see is no light in sight.  It's as if our vision is so clouded over with sorrow that all we can see is darkness.

Jonah was giving a prayer of thanksgiving.  Our words are powerful for good or evil.  I hear many things that people say as if the words spoken did not matter and it makes me think to watch what I say.  Think of speeches throughout history that have inspired us to do better or those propelled by hatred to start a war. They wield the same weapon, just used to get different results. Jonah thanked God for who He was and what He has done.  Many times in the bible people in deep despair will speak of God's goodness and how low they sank.  It is important to take responsibility for our actions and acknowledge them before God.  When we realized how far we have come, only then can we put into perspective the depths we sank to and the heights that God cares for us in.  It is interesting that Jonah spoke about people who cling to worthless idols, at first this seems to be odd that he was saying this in the belly of a great fish.  It was as if he were speaking to a large crowd, instead of himself in the darkness.  I think he was speaking about how pride is an idol if we let it take the place of God and think that we are better than other people.  Jonah had an issue with pride that had to be dealt with in a severe way.

Jonah could have avoided this situation if only he would have listened to God in the first place.  Would we rather be used by God to help shine His light in this world or be passed over because we ran like Jonah? God does not have to use any of us, He wants to use cracked pots so that His light can shine through the cracks so the world can see that it is not us, but Him.

Quote - Be Yourself

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
~ Unknown

I saw this on a sign online.  We care so much what others think about us that often we will bury the key parts of our being.  Afraid to share in case we are rejected, so instead we try desperately to blend in to the world. There is a sadness when we are not showing our true self, the self that God created us to be.

Do not fear to be you.  Those around you whether they are family or friends may put you down or just don't understand the things that you do, say or think.  You were designed by a Master to be unique, beautiful and one of a kind.

Have you ever thought that those around you may be the ones who are hiding their true self and as a result are unable to comprehend a fearless child of God?  

Jonah 1:17

v. 17 "But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights."

The bible says that a great fish swallowed Jonah, many people assume that it was a whale.  I'm not sure what type of fish it was, I just know that it must have been massive for a man to fit inside.  If we were in this situation we might think that this is a punishment for disobeying, in a way it was.  It also was a caring Father correcting a child and literally changing the direction for this child to keep on course.  Jonah was ready to give up, to be swallowed by the sea.  God did not change the plans He had for Jonah.  God is not surprised by what you do, He will not change His plans for us just because we decide to give up or to do something crazy and foolish.  Although if we don't do what He asks and continue to avoid Him, He can easily find another person to do His will and we will be the sorry ones because we will have missed out on the blessings that come with obeying.

We often get ourselves into trouble, then when God gives us a way out we complain about what He has given us and we don't even thank Him for helping us in the first place.  This story has been taught to many people around the world, but I think the huge meaning gets lost in the sea and everyone focuses on the big fish.  God can do so many great things, we need to pay attention to what He has done for us or we will stop being humble and start to be proud.  The way out of a self inflicted situation may seem worse than the situation it self, but if we let God lead us out He can show us that there is light coming out of the darkness.

I think this story is one of the most difficult to believe in the bible, for some highly educated people.  When we come to God with the faith of a child, we are to believe and not question, we are to have faith and not doubt and we are to hope in the God who can do anything.

Quote - New Year & Making Goals NOT Resolutions

"What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year."   
~ Vern McLellan

In January people focus on what they didn't do right the year before and make a list of resolutions that may lead to more disappointment in the coming year.  By the time February roles around many resolutions are long gone.  Then we add more guilt onto ourselves for not changing, which never does any good.  Without God there is little chance of doing anything right.  The first step should be to pray for help, God may show you ways to achieve your goals that you may never think of.  Second, we should focus on a list of goals and break them down to manageable pieces.  Aiming too high builds us up for a great fall.  Place the list where it will be a reminder and know that you don't have to get it all accomplished in one day or a few months, you have an entire year and more to work on it.  Know that you are not alone there are millions of us who are wanting to make changes.

What are the most important goals for you?  Whatever they are you will put all your time and energy into changing them if you are motivated.  Figure out the different areas in which you wish to improve; spiritual, physical, mental, financial, career, etc.  Even if you list one thing in each category that would be a great start, then break down each one into small steps that are within your grasp and can be accomplished.  Don't think that this is just for you, I am in need of a good pep talk too!  We are creatures of habit so I hope you will join me and try to break some bad habits and make changes so that new habits will eventually take over the bad ones.  I pray that we will grow closer to God this year and grow in wisdom so that we will be prepared for the chaos of this world.  

May God say "Well done my child" when we meet Him in the end.

One Year Anniversary

I started this blog on 12/4/2012.  I am very blessed to be able to share God's word and what has been on my heart this past year.  This blog is not inundated with hits due to the volume of traffic that other sites have, but I believe that even if only a few people visit then I claim it as a victory.  It is not the quantity, but the quality. From the ladies I know from my church that read this blog to those of you on the other side of the world that I will never know, you all are special to God and me.  

I am very blessed that you all visit my blog.  The other day I looked at the different countries and just started crying, yes I cry often.  I have lost track of all the countries that have been here, I think it's close to 60 and counting, but I am amazed how many people visit from countries that are not considered Christian.  There are over 190 countries in the world, my goal is to have as many visit as possible.  I am thrilled that people are able to visit since I am not able to go out into the world personally, to be able to reach people on almost every continent is astounding.

I don't know where you are in the counties that I see listed.  I think about how God knows which town you are in, the street you live on, whether you are male or female, young or old, your race, your beliefs; He knows YOU.  Whether or not you know Him, He loves you.  He waits patiently for each and every one of us.  For those who do not have a relationship with Him I pray that you will invite Him in and open your heart to His love.  He saved me from my selfish and destructive life and gave me love that is nowhere else on earth.

Ever since starting this blog I have been under attack from the enemy.  My brother Bryan passed away in September, I have had several medical problems, most notably is my concussion in November.  Any time we are growing and spreading the Good News, we WILL come under attack from the enemy.  Satan does not want us to gain wisdom, nor does he want us to share God with others so they will also gain wisdom and have weapons to fight the enemy.  He wants us to feel that we are all alone, that we have no hope and that we are worthless, being in that place in my past I have no desire to go back to living that way.  If I am to continue to spread God's word then I would not trade that for having the enemy leave me alone.  The end game is far too valuable to let it slip away to an enemy who only wants destruction.

When I see all the countries that visit I pray you will know the following:

• God and His amazing love
• when you open the bible and start reading, it is your map for life
• those who judge you are having any issue with pride, pray for them
• God's peace
• we ALL are imperfect
• you are NEVER alone
• you are accepted just the way you are (ignore judgmental Christians)
• you are welcome into a wonderful large family
• you are valued more than anything else on the planet
• He wants a good life for you
• He is waiting patiently for YOU
• your history can give God praise because it's HIS story to give to others

Christmas

Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem since there was a census they had to go to their town to register.  Luke 2:6-7 "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her first born, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

I have heard it said that there was no way Jesus could have been born in a manager.  I believe in the entire bible and thinking that the bible had it wrong is beyond dangerous.  When everyone was gathering for the census it must have been so crowded in town that there wasn't any room left.  That isn't even the point, this amazing miracle of Jesus' birth in the simplest of places is often overshadowed by the uncertainty of the location.  When you read the story, picture it as written and you will see the significance in the words written so long ago.  Jesus was not brought into this world in a palace as most people probably thought he would have been.  He was brought in to be a servant of God and how appropriate that He came in to the world in an unlikely place.

Luke 2:8-14 "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'"

Shepherds were near the bottom of the choice jobs.  Angels came to shepherds in a field, not the religious leaders of the day.  They brought them news for ALL people, not just the Jewish people.  They also brought the news to the least likely in that time period.  How appropriate that God uses the least likely for His work so that we should not boast in our own talents, that we give God the glory for the work He is doing through us.

Matthew 2:1-2 "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

Magi are considered to be wise men, a very fitting description since they saw a star and followed it out of the east.  How did these men know to follow a star?  They saw and followed.  If we choose it can be that easy for us, we see and follow Him.  These men were wealthy and had to have a position of power due to the gifts they brought.  They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh, all highly valuable during that time.

I hope:

• we will be like Mary, caring for the helpless in abounding love
• we will be like Joseph, looking beyond the circumstances
• we will be like the shepherds in the field, lowly yet mighty in the Kingdom
• we will be like the wise men who came from afar to bring a precious gift to someone they did not know, for they knew to follow a star that let them to the King 

I hope that you all will have a wonderful Christmas and remember the real reason we celebrate this holiday, the precious birth of the King.

Quote - Les Brown

"Act the way you want to be and soon you'll be the way you act."

~ Les Brown

Jonah 1:13-16

v. 13-16 "Instead, the men did their best to row back to land.  But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.  Then they cried to the Lord, 'O Lord, please do not let us die for taking this man's life.  Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O Lord, have done as you pleased.'  Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.  At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him."

God is in control and if there was any doubt we can plainly see it here in Jonah.  God controlled the sea and the fish, not to be harsh, but to guide Jonah to the task he had been given.  The men tried to row back to land and the storm increased.  When we are fighting God the obstacles get bigger and bigger until we finally see that it's not worth it to go up against the God who created everything.  The men thought that if Jonah was thrown overboard that he would surely die in such a violent storm, they could not conceive the thoughts of God or imagine the great thing that was about to happen. These men who believed in pagan gods where showing more compassion than Jonah could muster.  They were turning towards a God who has power in all things.  Sometimes people who don't believe show more concern and compassion than those who believe.  That is a sad situation, but a warning to us that our hearts are not in the right place. These men were concerned for Jonah's life.

I notice something missing from the ship's crew.  Instead of ganging up and getting mad at Jonah they cried out to God.  I think in most situations like this people start to take sides and their defenses go up.  I think God might have been showing Jonah compassion through these men.  They believed in the same God that Jonah was working for, yet excelled at something that Jonah found so difficult to do.

"God is able to use even our mistakes to help others come to know him."  NIV notes

"Your life is God's story being told and His character being displayed."  Priscilla Shirer

Admitting our sins can be so powerful to those that do not believe.  Some see this Christian package with our dog eared bibles, nice clothes, sweet words and these might be some of the most hurting people around you.  Most people do not advertise their heartache, unless they feel safe and hear the stories of others.  We walk around and when asked how we are doing we say fine or OK.  Do not resist God's will for your life, Jonah defended his right to protest God, but I think he must have suffered greatly for this.  We should reach out to others and share the path we have gone down without God and how God has transformed our lives since then.

Jonah was thrown overboard and the sea grew calm.  This must have been a sight to behold.  The darkness cleared away and the sea went back to normal.  When you see a miracle do not hesitate to be in awe of it or you will miss the message hidden within.

If you do not like what you see in Jonah then that is a good thing because that means there is a chance for change.  We can see ourselves as Jonah, even though his situation was completely different from ours, it shows our hearts and really tests our ability to follow God without reservation.

"God bluntly confronted Jonah with the reality of his disobedience, the pettiness of his demand for comfort, and the sinfulness of his blatant disregard for others.  The wonderful character of God that Jonah wanted to withhold from the Ninevites, he himself had been taking for granted.  Fortunately, God will be just as blunt with us.  He will shatter our comfort if that will place us in the best place to meet Him."  NIV notes

Concussion

I have been away due to a concussion.  I just went to the doctor to get a CT scan and I'm praying everything is OK.  My head hurts all the time and sleep is difficult due to my head hurting.  I should be back to posting before the end of the week.  Please pray for a speedy recovery.

Jonah 1:7-12

v. 7-12 "Then the sailors said to each other, 'Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.'  They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.  So they asked him, 'Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us?  What do you do?  Where do you come from?  What is your country?  From what people are you?'  He answered 'I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.'  This terrified them and they asked, 'What have you done?'  (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)  The sea was getting rougher and rougher.  So they asked him, 'What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?  Pick me up and throw me into the sea,' he replied, 'and it will become calm.  I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.'"

Casting lots was used to settle disagreements in the ancient world.  Proverbs 18:18 says "Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart."  The men wanted to know why this stranger had brought calamity upon this ship.  They wanted all the details so they could figure out what happened.  There was only one detail that mattered, Jonah disobeyed God.  This one thing was the reason for this fierce storm that surrounded them.  They knew Jonah was running away since he told them already.  They asked what he had done and his response was that he was Hebrew and worshiped God.  There was no admitting his part in this giant mess just yet.  

If someone asked you what should they do to calm down a violent storm at sea I doubt the phrase "throw me overboard" would come out of our mouths.  Jonah knew that his decisions had put this group of men into danger.  He had no wish to see them die on his behalf.   Only after the lot was case and it fell on him did he admit that it was his fault that this storm had come upon them.  Sometimes we are to confess out loud in front of others before it really sinks into our core.  How can we seek God's love and run away from Him at the same time?  We either have to come before Him fully or we will miss out on numerous blessing during our lifetime.  Jonah knew that he could not run from God.  For us to finally obey we must stop going down the path we were headed, pause to accept His will and be able to think clearly.  Then we can turn off the wide road of destruction and onto the narrow path.  If we want God's love and power in our life we must follow the tasks He lays out before us.  How can we say that we believe in God if we don't choose to follow Him completely?

How interesting that Jonah would choose to give up his live for this group of men who were not Jewish, yet his refused to possibly give up his life for the people in Nineveh who were also not Jewish.  We should not dare to put ourselves in God's place of judgment or we will be the one's judged harshly.  Believing we have the correct view changes when God shines His light upon it so that nothing is hidden in the darkness and only then can we truly see how twisted our view really is.  

We are Jonah when we choose to deny God's will for our lives, our Nineveh is a person, place or group that for many reasons we dislike or think unworthy of God's grace.  The storm is the mechanism that propels a final decision, being thrown into the sea is obedience at any price no matter the outcome.  God is full of mercy and grace, yet can we see it for all the judgments that we are continually putting out into the world. "Your life involves you but is not ultimately about you.  Knowing this allows you to be more willing to relinquish control over your life and yield to the divine intervention."  Priscilla Shirer