Simply Dismayed

Today, I am asking the question, "I'm a mess.  Now what, God?"  This morning I woke up feeling a whole ball of emotions.  I wasn't sure what I was feeling, just negative.  Most weekdays, I visit the website Revive Our Hearts.  Today, I decided to click on a link from that web site to read  "The Tree Outside My Window" from the web site Lies Young Women Believe. 

I am not a person that generally cares about my outside appearance.  God made me and I'm usually o.k. with my outward appearance.  I have accepted it.  But what I am struggling with today is my inward appearance.
I'm loud and obnoxious. I jump to conclusions.  I am quick to speak.  I get frustrated easily and quickly.  It's - just - not - pretty.

Somehow while looking on the Internet for  something completely unrelated, I stumbled upon the URL for The Interview with God.  The Bible verse on its opening page is:

"So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God." Isaiah 41:10a

And there it was.  That is what I am feeling . . . dismayed. 

I opened my devotional and the verse from yesterday (I don't remember reading it yesterday because I was too busy) was:

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10
Then in my mind I heard, "I created your inmost being."

I looked it up.  The complete Bible verse is: 

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Psalm 139:13

That is the verse that comes right before the verse that was used in the story "The Tree Outside My Window":

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.  Psalm 139:14

The answer to now what is:  "Do not be dismayed.  I created you, I am with you.  I know you inside and out. I know you better than you know yourself.  I will hold you up, lean on ME. Trust ME. " 

I praise you God for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Thank you, Lord that I no longer feel dismayed.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Disaster Preparedness

A woman I go to church with has asked me to attend a meeting on disaster preparedness for our community.  A part of me doesn't really want to go and I don't really believe in what they teach for being "prepared for a disaster".   They will teach us what we can be in control of before disaster strikes.  They will teach us what we as "humans" can do after disaster strikes.

I will tell you EXACTLY what I will do as a human.  I will panic.  I will panic.  And then I will panic some more.  No matter how "prepared" I am.  Then I will let God take over and only then will the work get done.

I believe as Christians that we need to be prepared for disaster at all times.  Sometimes it is called preparing for the storm.  But, the storm is always raging.  The battle is ALWAYS going on, until the Lord says, "It is FINISHED." for the last time.

People choose to ignore the battle.  Satan will lie to you daily and tell you that there isn't anything to fear in the heavenly realms.  Satan will tell you that you have time.  Satan will distract you with many things.

I will tell you that right now, I am in Spiritual battle against satan.  I have never prayed this hard in my life.  I fell asleep praying last night.  My son awoke crying.   As soon as I lay my head back on my pillow, I continued praying.  I fell asleep again.  My son awoke crying.  As soon as I lay my head back on my pillow, I continued praying.

I called one of my Aunts last night and I asked her to pray for my brother, Eric.   I called a few of my praying friends at church to pray for my brother, Eric.  I asked my fellow church members that were at church on Sunday night to pray for my brother, Eric.  I am asking you to pray for my brother, Eric.

My brother has an addiction and he is in the grips of satan.  My brother also has an illness that I am asking that you pray to be completely healed. 

Will you stand?  Will you kneel?  Will you pray?

May the Holy Spirit take hold of this problem.  This might be a little insignificant problem to the masses.  This insignificant problem is actually one GREAT big problem called satan. You deal with him too, whether you acknowledge the fact or not.  BUT, GOD CAN OVERCOME.  

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8



I am calling you to be alert.  I am calling you to WAKE UP.

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17

I pray that we open our eyes to the spiritual realm. 



For the Glory of God.  AMEN.

My Bucket List

The other day, I was arguing with my husband (oh, yes, we all argue from time to time, don't lie).  I told him through tears that I don't even know what would be on my bucket list. 

I am thankful to God that I have a passion for Jesus. 

I am sure over the years (if God grants me to live more than today), I will add to this list, but this is what I have come up with so far.

1)  Travel to South Korea with my entire immediate family (that would be 6 of us).  
2)  Help someone pay for their adoption  (I would LOVE to completely pay for another family's adoption).
3)  Lead people to Jesus (especially my children).
4)  Be a powerful prayer warrior.
5)  Visit Israel/Jerusalem
6)  Laugh more daily (I'm way too serious).
7)  Figure out my spiritual gift (so I can focus the most energy toward it) to GOD be the glory
8)  Work as a nurse for only room and board for those in great need (in a way I've done this already at church camp x 3, but I would like to do it for a longer period of time)
9)  Tell everyone that I love that I love them and grow in love for the ones that I find difficult to love.
10)  Wash a strangers feet (wash several stranger's feet). 
11)  Surrender my everything for God's work.  That includes trusting HIM from my little toes to the top of my head.
12) Serve widows
13) Write and teach a Bible Study
14)  Be a Christian mentor
15)  Memorize several chapters of the Bible starting with 2 Peter 3

Ok, I've got 2 kids wrestling me, so I'll have to finish this later.  They are more important right now anyway.

'Wrongful' Birth Suit

Have you heard about this?  'Wrongful' Birth Suit

First of all, medical tests for unborn children are NEVER 100% accurate.

Secondly, I see so much wrong with this lawsuit on SO many levels.

Thirdly, LIFE is precious and unfortunately MANY will not find it.

Fourthly, being an adoptive parent, adoption was another choice.  If they were going to get rid of the child before birth, then why couldn't they have found another home that was willing to "provide" for the child without suing?.

I urge you all to read 2 Peter 3.  So many truths in Peter's writing about the times we're living in.

May GOD be with you.

Cursed

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.   Jeremiah 17:5

You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.   Malachi 3:9

I am having a hard time posting this one.  It has been sitting waiting for me to publish for 3 days.  I would rather tell you about the GOOD NEWS, but it seems that maybe you need to hear a couple of warnings instead. 

God wants us to seek HIM. 

She's Official

Faith is now legally ours.  We went to court on Tuesday, March 6.  In our family style, we weren't all dressed nicely, we were almost late, and we forgot the camera.  So we have about 3 pictures from an i-phone, probably blurry because there wasn't a flash.  It was an extremely warm day for March.  It was over 70 degrees in our area.  Faith and I wore sundresses. Edited to add:  Our 2 older boys didn't get in the picture because our oldest is the one that took the pic and our middle boy was there, but sick.
In earthly terms it was a pretty anticlimactic day, but I wonder what it was like in the heavens.

Through this journey, I have read a daily devotional.  Here is the Bible verse from our Finalization Day (one of my favorites):

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2

She was the prize for this portion of the race.

Lamentations

Oh, my!  Oh, my! 

You've got to check out these kids:

http://reecesrainbow.org/

Aren't they just precious?

One reason for the title of this post is because of the boy named Samuel at this link

http://reecesrainbow.org/category/waitingchildren/other-angels-boys-10


He has M-I-N-O-R, I repeat, minor needs.  This makes me so MAD and SAD.   WHY does he not have a family???    There is nothing I can do, but pray for him and spread the word about him.  Will you join me?

 Oh, LORD GOD I cry out to you to find this boy a loving family to call his own.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
  Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
 Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.

Psalm 97:10-12


Another reason for my post title is that I feel bound by my limitations; however, God is not bound and HE is not limited.  I REJOICE in HIM.