New Bible Study

Last week I started my 2nd ever Beth Moore women's bible study. If you're not familiar with her, she's wonderful. However, if you're not prepared for her, the first introduction to her may be a tad overwhelming. She's small but mighty!!! She's got so much love and excitement for the Lord it just radiates from her. Her excitement to share all of this with others is over the top. She's infectious though, you can't help but want a little bit of what she's got.

I'm very excited about this one, and miraculously it comes at a time in my life when I truly need it. This one is the study of the Psalms of Assent, 120-134. In the introduction of this series Beth says that this is a study of happiness, that these Psalms are truly happy. She said, if you're in a dark place and need to see the light, these Psalms will do that for you. Praise the Lord!!! In the last month or so, I've been in the darkest place I've ever been in my life and am so happy to be seeing the light, this will just help solidify my foundation. Even though I shouldn't be amazed, because He does it so often, but I can't help it, I'm amazed again that God knows just what I need just when I need it.

Are you there God? It's me, Lisa.

Do you ever have times in your life that even though you're still doing all the right things, praying, reading your bible, living right, you just feel like God is busy with someone else? Now, obviously I KNOW He's here, He's with me, heck, He's even watching me type this post and probably shaking His head at me for it. I think it's just because of all the turmoil that has been going on in my life as of late that I'm feeling like I just can't seem to reach Him. I'm reminded often though, when my thoughts get like that, of that famous poem, Footprints, where God carries us through times of trouble and only one set of Footprints show up in the sand. I'm certain that I wouldn't be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that I am now, if it weren't for God carrying me through the tough times. So I will continue seeking His face and I know that my season will come again. I think God takes advantage of these kinds of challenges in our life to make sure that we will still turn to Him even when we don't feel His immediate presence. That we will love Him unconditionally, not just for what He can do for us.

Here's a video on You Tube that reminds us that God's Love is never ending, it's about 4 minutes long, I hope you'll take the time to watch.

Living a Life of Discipline

Hebrews 12:11 says: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, for those who have been trained by it, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace. Self imposed discipline is not something I've ever been really good at. Oh sure, I can do it as long as I have someone to do it with me, but leave me to my own devices and I fail miserably every time. This verse has come up a couple times in the last few weeks in different avenues of my life and each time it has given me pause because I know it's something I struggle with. Tonight it came up in the Financial Peace University Seminar that Jerry and I are going through at our church. Separately neither one of us are good at self discipline, but hopefully together we can do this and be successful.

The Revelation Song

Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord God Almighty

Who was, and is, and is to come

With all creation I sing: Praise to the King of Kings!

You are my everything,

And I will adore You…!

This is one of the newer songs we've been singing at church and it is just so moving to me. You cannot help but raise your hands and just praise our Lord Jesus Christ with every thing you have in you. If you're interested, you can see/hear it on You Tube. Thank you Jesus for giving us music that we may use it to praise Your Holy Name and to give You thanks for all you have done for us.

Keeping My Focus

There has been so much going on in my life right now, most of it very stressful. I know that satan is a foot and just dancing for joy at my stress and frustration. I try so hard to keep my focus on God who I know can save me from this, who can ease my fears and frustration and stress. I'm surprised how hard this actually is, it's so easy just to give into the pit and want to crawl into bed and stay there. However, I have awesome people in my life that remind me constantly to turn to God and to keep reading my bible and praying and knowing that God will prevail. I just keep speaking aloud to satan and letting him know that he has no place here, that my God is the almighty God, all powerful and He has control of my life and my heart and my thoughts. Life will return to normal and things will become less stressful soon, in the mean time, I pray without ceasing.

Only Praise Allowed

This summer Jerry and I participated in a Life Action Seminar and it was wonderful, it taught us many things. One of the things that we learned was to pray with out asking God for anything! To pray but only to Praise Him and give Him thanks. So often when we come to Him in prayer it's only because we have needs and want Him to solve our problems and voice our complaints. As a mom I know how irritating it becomes when the only time your children come to you is to ask you to do this, or take them here, or fix that. However, occasionally one of them will come to me just to give me a hug and tell me they love me. Some how that makes all the catering to their wants and needs worth it. Just that reaffirmation that they need me for something other than to fix it, take them, or do this. I think God feels that way too. We bombard Him with our needs and wants and forget that He needs to just be worshiped and praised and thanked. Give it a try sometime.

Woke With A Psalm In My Head

Isn't it awesome how God works? In the post below you can see that I am just really struggling with being patient and trusting in the Lord and really leaning on Him. Yesterday morning I woke up and before my eyes had even fully focused Psalm 23 popped into my head. This is one of the few passages I vaguely remember memorizing in school when I was in 2nd grade. I don't always remember it word for word but can usually recite most of it, especially if I say it with someone else. What an awesome Psalm, and then of course it lead me to read a few Psalms after it. What a renewed strength and spirit it gave me to read that no matter what God is there for me and He WILL provide. In my head and my heart I always know that God will take care of us if only we cast our cares upon Him. Sometimes though that "human" factor sneaks in there and we want control. My having control isn't exactly working for us. LOL Thank you David for giving us such a wonderful book, thank you God for loving us.

Why is this so hard?

We've made some adjustments in our life in the last few months and we feel they're all for the better. The biggest thing we've done is taken a long hard look at our finances and the way that we're spending our money. We also started tithing, we WANT to tithe! Thats the one check or online payment that I write out every pay period that doesn't make me sick to my stomach. I know that God will bless us ten fold and I KNOW that He will provide for us. However, does He have to cut it so close??? I am more stressed out about our money and our finances now than I was before we decided to reign things in and start really paying attention to how and where we spend our money. I know that I am supposed to trust Him and believe that He will provide, and I do, however, it's so scary right now! When I've paid all the bills and there's nothing left it freaks me out! I've done a whole lot of praying as of late on the subject of money that I probably sound like a broken record. I'm not asking to be rich, I just want enough. Thank God that the Financial Peace Seminar is starting soon at church cause I certainly need some Financial Peace!

Who Am I Worshipping For?

Oh Boy! I've been thinking on this post since Sunday. Pastor Dave really hit home with me during his sermon and I've been feeling convicted ever since. He said that Worship isn't about how it makes US feel, it's all about God. Then as if that wasn't bad enough, he had to drive it home with a video about it as well. I walked out of there humbled in shame in front of my Lord.

Don't get me wrong, when I praise God, I praise Him with all my heart, soul and mind. However, I know that I have ulterior motives to it sometimes as well. I know that I love the way it makes ME FEEL when I praise Him. Sometimes if I have been feeling low I'll think, I know, I just need to praise God and play Christian music and sing and pray and then I will feel better. Now, I know, the important part is that I praise Him and that I come to Him in prayer and praise, however, I also know that if I am completely honest with myself I also do it because it makes me feel good.

Here in lies a bit of a catch 22 though if you will, it's just a natural occurrence, for me at least, spending time with God DOES make you feel good, it can't be helped. So now I struggle with making sure that my time with Him is ALL for Him and not for me!