Investing in the New Year

If your holidays were as busy as mine (and whose aren't?!) you can probably understand why it's been a while since I've posted anything! I had always intended to post something every day when I initially started this blog. However, I've discovered that it just isn't very realistic, likely, or even very doable for me (unless I give up my day job as well as my main job of being a wife and mother...yeah, not going to happen!).

What I have learned over the years is that often times, "less is more" (who has time to read someone's posts every day anyways lol?). I've also learned how to not be so "all or nothing" and to prioritize. My health and fitness is always going to be something that is important to me (as well as helping others with their health and fitness needs/goals as well). However, my first priority has always been to put God and family first. It's not likely that I'm going to be one of the super duper elite diamond coaches out there who do this full-time, but that's ok with me. My success as a Christian, a wife, and a mother far outweighs anything else that I could possibly excel in; on Earth and in eternity! In fact, I've seen the best and most PRICELESS "returns on investments" EVER in the past year; both in my family and in my work environment. Most notably, my son accepted Christ and was baptized. There is no greater investment than when you invest in someone's life; especially your child's! If the only reason I live and breathe is to make sure my children know and choose Jesus as their Savior, then I'm confident that I'm accomplishing what God wants from me! I am enjoying every second of every opportunity I have in directing my children to walk in faith! Those devotionals and books that you see in the picture above were Christmas gifts for my children; which they have been reading and enjoying daily. I am extremely proud of them and that they are excited about growing in their faith!

My son, Casey, raising his hands in victory!

With that being said, I've been feeling a greater sense of urgency to make sure that I can continue being there to nurture my kids; which won't happen if I'm not functioning as well as I could be. I'm still an overweight, tired, aging Mom who finds it more and more difficult to make time to prioritize fitness back into my daily routine (because I got out of the habit again). Chris and I did do our first two months of Piyo, but we didn't get to the two months of the "strength" phase. Illnesses, busyness, exhaustion, and stress have been our obstacles in the past few months (though, I suppose that's everyone's excuse). We really need to get into our "beast mode" again! As I mentioned, one just has to find what is "doable" and prioritize even just a LITTLE bit of time. If all I can manage is just a few minutes on the treadmill for a while, a few glasses of water, one healthy choice, etc., then at least that's something...I just have to remember the Beachbody motto: "Decide. Commit. Succeed." With the Lord's help, I can definitely do this!

How about you? What are your priorities? With a fresh new year comes a fresh new perspective! Personally, I want my spiritual momentum to spill over into the areas where I am currently weak. The best part is that God excels in strengthening our weaknesses! In what areas do you need infused with his strength? Consider this verse; which has recently become a favorite of mine:

Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you.

Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. 

- Isaiah 33:2

Now, personalize that verse! "Lord, be gracious to me; I long for you! Be my strength every morning (and all day!), my salvation in time of distress." This prayer not only gets me through the day, but gives me a sense of joy and peace that is amazing! This verse has been very calming and I feel that it has also been a key to unlocking a prayerful heart all day!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Leave a comment with your thoughts and feel free to contact me if there's anything I can do to walk with you on your journey this year! Visit www.infusion413.com to view the special January promotions (which include the 21 Day Fix as well as the new program The Master's Hammer and Chisel) or let me know if you need help choosing a program/customizing a plan. Remember, just start small; even if it's just walking for five minutes a day! Be the best "you" that you can be for God, your family, and yourself! Be infused! God bless you!

Don't Watch These Videos!

All three of the videos for "The Perfect Execution" series are NOW available! I know what you're thinking. There are all sorts of videos and sermons out there and everyone is saying, "Oh, you got to watch this one! It's so good!" I've had friends and family members recommend things to me in the past as well. Sometimes I get around to listening, reading, or watching it and sometimes I don't. Though, when I do, I'm usually pretty glad I did!

Below, you'll find the video for the last part of the series. Here are the videos for part one and two if you haven't seen them yet (be sure to subscribe to The Vineyard Community Church on Vimeo!). I won't say that you MUST watch them because maybe you aren't like me at all. Maybe you've never had a problem understanding God's grace or the fact that you don't have to earn your way into God's favor. Maybe it's all been easy for you to grasp and you've never felt (or been) legalistic, fearful, unsure, or had a hard time figuring out what it means to be forgiven and your sins paid in full. But, if you ARE like me, you HAVE had those moments of wondering if you're "enough" and if you're going to "make it" to heaven; wondering if your efforts will get you where you hope to be. If any of this sounds like you, watch this series! It has really been helpful in reaffirming to me what it means to be dependent on grace and not on myself. Chris had told me many times that Pastor Kent was good at explaining things in really relevant ways and is able to break things down to where people can understand. He's absolutely right! I love his preaching style and I am absolutely loving the Vineyard Church! Buuuuut...don't watch these videos. They're probably not for you. ;)

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope you had a blessed weekend! I sure did! It was busy and tiring, but full of family and good times (as well as those handmade Mother's Day cards lol). I'm so blessed! The Mother's Day sermon was outstanding too; can't wait for that to be uploaded because it talks about the femininity of a woman. Very interesting! Be infused! God bless you!



The Perfect Execution: Part 3 - Freedom from Vineyard Community Church on Vimeo.

The Cross Worked!!!

Last week sure was a crazy week! I have been BEYOND busy, tired, and overwhelmed! Having a garage sale is a lot of work (even more so when you have other things going on at the same time; but I won't get into that right now). It was so windy, and there didn't seem to be as many people, but Chris and I still made a nice amount! :)

Church was really great yesterday! I am enjoying this series so much because I used to have a really big problem with legalism and understanding grace. I had some big breakthroughs in 2007, but then I started having a hard time again after my divorce. I'm re-learning again that (as always) it's all about Him and not about me. It's about His sacrifice on the cross. Nothing I do can add or take away from it. His blood is sufficient for me; always. I can't make Him love me more or less. Neither good deeds nor my horrible mistakes will change anything.

The second part of "The Perfect Execution" series has just been uploaded. It is SO WORTH WATCHING! Be sure to check out part one as well! If you have ever struggled with wondering if you're good enough, if you're going to "make it" to heaven, if you have done too much wrong and not enough right, you need to watch this!! The bottom line is: "The cross WORKED!" It did! It worked and it continues to work; forever! As the old hymn goes, "my sin, not in part, but the whole...is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!" ALL of our sins (yours, mine, EVERYONE'S) was dealt with. Not just some, or in part, ALL OF IT!!! We are forgiven. We are made holy and perfect. THE CROSS WORKED!!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! These sermons are such a blessing; trust me! You will be so glad you watched them; especially if you are like me and sometimes beat yourself up over stuff and don't "feel" forgiven. Take heart and remember that no matter what you "feel", truth is truth...and the truth is, THE CROSS WORKED!! Be infused! God bless you!



The Perfect Execution: Part 2 - Friends with God from Vineyard Community Church on Vimeo.

A Welcome Attitude

Today was another one of those Sundays where I'm just barely finding some time to blog. This day (as well as the week/weekend) has been very full and eventful. It seems like the theme has been one of "welcoming". 

A picture from a few years ago;
probably the last time I seen her.

Firstly, my Grandmother was welcomed into the arms of Jesus this past week after battling with her health for the past few years. Our family is saddened and will miss her so much, but we are relieved to know that she isn't suffering anymore and is finally at peace. I'm grateful to everyone for their thoughtfulness and prayers for my family! 

Secondly, I continue to feel welcomed more and more by my boyfriend's family (and church home). This has been another great weekend of spending it with the many people who have become so dear to me. The theme was even in the church sermon as the pastor was talking about how we need to welcome AND honor Jesus. It's easy to invite Jesus in and have Him make himself at home in our lives if things are good and He's doing what we think He ought to be doing for us. It's another to honor Him regardless of whether or not things are going well. The pastor referenced various stories in the Bible where people were asking for Jesus' help and miracles and the fact that many times, it was those great wonders that made people believe as well as continue to expect Jesus to keep doing those things (and whenever they asked). Sometimes, it's so easy to forget that just because He's God, it doesn't mean He's always going to flaunt it the way WE want. Our requests won't always be answered the way we want and expect; which doesn't diminish His divinity either. No matter what happens, our faith needs to continue being just that: faith. Faith stands; no matter what. 

The last thing that falls along the line of "welcoming" is the fact that I have been becoming more welcoming of the changes that God is making in my life and in my heart. In the past few years, I feel that I have toughened up (probably a little too much) in order to get through everything that I have. While that is sometimes necessary, it can also become a problem when you become so tough that you don't allow yourself to be broken and vulnerable anymore. It makes it harder for you to let go (as well as let in) the things that you should. The depth of the emotional pain I have wrestled with has been difficult; hard to deal with and let go of. It's also been hard to embrace the healing and restoration that God has been pouring out on me as things have finally gotten better in my life. A woman with a prophetic word at church had shared that there was at least one woman there that was struggling and felt "numb". I knew that was me because I had shared that same thing with Chris recently. I resisted at first and reasoned that I didn't really "feel" strongly led to receive prayer from her (especially in a new church where I didn't know people yet). God pointed out that I didn't "feel" it because I was numb (duh) which is exactly why I needed it. It was also an issue of allowing myself to feel it and not trying to ignore or stifle that prompting that I knew might be arising in me. So, God was good and was like, "You want to 'feel' something? There, do you feel it now?" Yeah, I did...and I'm glad I had that lady pray for me because she had been through a very similar ordeal of a bad relationship that ended in divorce and she had experienced the same array of emotions. 

If there's anything that I've learned recently, it's that I need to give myself permission to be "that girl" again. I had made a conscious effort to not be as open in an effort to guard my heart better, protect myself, and be smarter about things. Maybe now it's time to rejoice in the fact that I don't have to do that anymore (at least not to the degree that I have) and that I can relax because I'm surrounded by God's love and the love of Chris, his family, and my own family and friends. This is probably the most peace, love, and goodness that I have ever truly experienced in my life and it's ok to "welcome" that. It's MORE than ok! I just never knew that life could be this good; even with the day-to-day stress that is still there. Life is good. GOD is good. Even if things fell apart again, He is still good and always will be. He is sovereign. 

Grace and peace to you, my friends. I encourage you to be open and welcoming; to Jesus and to others. Allow Him to take it all, good and bad, and work it out for His purposes (Romans 8:28). Rest in the fact that honoring Him really is a good thing no matter what you "feel". Have a "welcome" attitude! Be infused! God bless you! 

How to Be Fearless

Fears. We all have them and they come in many different forms. Some of them even have names like agoraphobia or arachnophobia (yeah, I'll fess up to the last one...but I won't be swimming in a sea of spiders any time soon in an attempt to get over it!). Though, in all actuality, there is only ever ONE fear at the heart of every one. I've heard Dr. Phil mention it many times and that is: "the fear of losing control."

Any time I ever feel worried or afraid, I always make myself ponder that root: losing control. I try to dissect the things that make panic rise up in me and do my best to identify what makes me feel that I've lost it (or WILL lose it). Figuring out and breaking down the triggers is a big help. No matter what, it all comes down to an issue of trust; not in myself, but in God. No matter what the fear is, I can overcome it because God enables me to do so. It's because His Spirit is a Spirit of courage, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Relying on His Spirit vanquishes fear because there is NO FEAR in love (1 John 4:18) and the strength and courage that He infuses us with deflates our fears. Oh, and that self-discipline part? Yeah, that's the part that helps us unlock it all! It all hinges on whether or not we make the right choice in accessing what He's given us. We have His Spirit inside our hearts; we just need to use Him! It reminds me of when I read Prison to Praise by Merlin Carothers and he mentioned how he said he wanted Jesus to use him, but Jesus told him something like 'I don't want to use you, I want you to use ME!' So many times, I've thought on that because it's so easy to think of things backwards; that God needs us rather than us needing Him.

The older I get, the more I realize and understand what it means to surrender control and trust God. There are so many things that I don't know, can't predict, and are unable to figure out; whether it's past, present, or future things. The only thing I HAVE been able to figure out is that God is sovereign. Sovereign. That word is a BIG DEAL. It's a word that means "supreme power or authority." In other words, ultimate control! So, here's my chain of thought on that: God = sovereign = ultimate control. If I'm worrying/fearing, I'm not trusting, which means that I don't feel in control which further means I need to "check myself" and remember who is. If I'm seeking ultimate control on my own or for myself, I'm putting myself in a place of God's sovereignty; big no-no! I am NOT God and that is what the fear and control thing boils down to; remembering who IS God and who holds the sovereignty and control. Reminding myself of that always sets me free, relaxes me, and I'm able to surrender and let go.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I know that there is someone out there that needed to hear this besides me. I composed this as a result of the things that God was working on in my own heart today (and in the past few months). I feel humbled and broken; but in an amazingly sweet and tender way that I can't explain. His Spirit is breaking my many fears by reminding me of who He is, who I am (and am not), and how much better life is when I remember who I belong to; knowing that if any fear (great or small) came to pass, I would be ok because He is Lord. I'll submit to Him the "what ifs" the "maybes" the "yeah, buts" and whatever else makes my mind spin and rest in Him because He's saying, "Hey, I got this!" Even if any of them came true, it wouldn't matter either because He'll work it out. He'll calm the seas so I can walk on the water; as long as my eyes are on Him and not the fear underneath my feet! Be infused...and be fearless! God bless you!

What is Your Life Blood?

There were a lot of things that I was considering blogging today. They were things regarding today's sermon which was given by three of the church elders in the absence of our pastor today. I haven't had the time to process it all, or organize them into a blog the way I would like, but it has definitely been on my heart all day. It was all about being close to God; thinking about when we were closest as well as furthest away. It's something that I have thought about a lot when evaluating my spiritual walk. They were talking about how when we are distant from him, it's because our E.G.O. has gotten in the way which stands for "Edging God Out". It's definitely true because when we aren't close to Him and depending on Him, it means that we have become too self-sufficient and full of pride to "need" Him. We take care of ourselves and whatever else is going on in our lives so much that we forget our priorities.

I just kept thinking about how everything they were saying was what I have been pondering for so long. I struggle so much to balance it all. I need to find a way to build more "God time" into my day the way that I do everything else. I don't want life to be so jam packed that I feel like I have to pencil Him into my schedule. I always have an awareness of Him being with me no matter how busy I am (and pray in my heart throughout the day) but I know I need some very focused time with Him as well. I know it definitely needs to be the first priority of the day (now, to start implementing that into my "I'm not a morning person" routine lol). I can make it a habit just like anything else if I would focus and do it! After all, being spiritually healthy is the most important thing there is because it will transcend into other ares of my health and life.

Life. That was the other thing I was thinking about today as we were singing the songs about the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus is everything. His blood was His life being given out for us. LIFE is IN the blood. That's why when a person bleeds until they bleed no more, they die. That's also why we sometimes refer to things metaphorically as being one's "life blood". For what or whom do you bleed for? Is it a sports team? Your job? A person? A hobby or addiction? Drugs or alcohol that courses through the blood in your veins? What gets your blood pumping? What has become the "life blood" that you can't live without? If one can't look at their life (and where all their time, energy, and resources are spent) and say "Jesus", those other things are going to bleed us to death. That's what the world does and is: death.

Grace and peace to you, my friends. I'm deeply pondering the things that I've mentioned and I hope that you are too. It's worth meditating on because God should be our focus and life blood. Every day, we go through our routines and life has its demands, but if we don't discipline ourselves to be consumed with the right life blood, the bad blood will drain the life out of us! So, more than ever, we truly need to remember what it means to "be infused" with Christ. I say it at the close of each post; not just because it's tied in with the name and meaning of Infusion 413, but because it really is important to BE INFUSED with the Holy Spirit. Here's to hoping we can all truly ponder that more and live it out! So, yes, be infused! God bless you!

Do You WANT To See?

Today's sermon reminded me of another one I heard a few years ago. Not only is it refreshing to be reminded of something that touched you so deeply the first time, but to it's great to see evidence of the Holy Spirit revealing Himself to people in the same ways! It's amazing! 

The sermon was about the story of the blind man; though it was mainly about being spiritually blind more than anything. The point of the sermon was to be like the blind man and cry out to Jesus for what we want to see. Jesus had asked the blind man "what do you want me to do for you?" That's the same thing that He asks us when we have an issue, can't see something clearly, or need some kind of healing and/or miracle. Though, it's more than just telling him what we want, it's being ready and willing to receive it. The paralytic at the pool wanted to be healed, but he was fairly passive about his healing. Jesus had asked him if he wanted to get well because the man only offered excuses of "well, others get in ahead of me". I guess he couldn't even find any good friends to help him. You know, the kind who would tear shingles off a roof in order to get their buddy healed. Nah. Too hard. Wishing, hoping, and complaining for decades was easier than finding the means/help to get himself well. Though, I can't judge him for that. After all, I've been on this weight-loss journey for years. When I have his attitude, I get no where. When I do whatever it takes to get healthy (and enlist God's help to do it) I ALWAYS succeed then!   

What is stopping us from getting what we most need in our lives? Jesus is asking us these two questions: "What do you want me to do for you?" and "How bad to you want it?" Passivity, excuses, and half-heartedness isn't the kind of attitude or display of faith to have if we expect to receive from Jesus. Like I've mentioned not too long ago, you either do it or you don't. "There is no try!" Remember?! We need to decide and be whole-hearted about whatever it is that we are in desperate need of! Jesus will be there to help us, but we have to want it (and want it with all our might) and not let anything get in the way of seeking Him for what we need! Think about it! What do you want, how bad to you want it, and are you willing to do what it takes (and will you receive it)? Do you really WANT to see what you need to see in order to be who you need to be?

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Click here to read the blog post I wrote a few years ago about this (it's worth it!). It's regarding that similar sermon I heard years ago that touched me so much. It was preached by the late Scott Kaehr (that man had such an amazing heart for God!). Be infused! God bless you! 

"Who Ya Gonna Call?"

What would you say if I started singing: "If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who ya gonna call?" Right. You'd shout "Ghostbusters!" You can't help yourself! "If it's somethin' weird an' it don't look good, who ya gonna call?" Yeah. You are probably hearing the theme music in your head and jammin' out right now aren't ya? It's ok...it's playin' in my head too!

Ok, so what does "Ghostbusters" have to do with anything and why on earth would I bring it up? Well, it's because there are a lot of times where I feel like something is strange or off (remember THIS incident lol?). I feel like something is weird; whether around me or just inside of me. You can't explain it. You don't know what it is, but you just feel like something isn't normal. You're wondering, "What is it? What do I do?!" You wonder who you can turn to or call on. Assuming it's not 911 emergency grade, maybe you call a friend or family member to talk to (been there, done that). Though, the very first person we should be calling on is Jesus. He is our first line of defense against anything strange, weird, or off-putting. No matter what is going on or how we are feeling, He is right there to battle and defeat it for us. All we have to do is speak His Name!

That simple fact is definitely something I have to remind myself of more often. This week, especially, was a time where I needed to remember that Jesus needs to be first in the chain of command. Sure, it's ok to talk to my best friend, boyfriend, and others that care about me, but no one knows me or cares about me like Jesus does! All I have to do is go D.E.A.P. (drop everything and pray). I'm not sure what brought that to my mind, but when I thought of that this past week, I googled it to see if maybe that concept/acronym was already floating around out there. Apparently, it is (google it for yourself). And, the one thing that I could find on it was this video from YouTube where a lady describes how life-changing it is to just drop everything and pray. It warmed my heart to watch it. 

So, "who ya gonna call" my friends? The next time you're struggling with something, who are you going to turn to? When you're hurting, feeling down, or life just doesn't feel quite right, just call on Jesus. He will calm every storm, defeat every demon, and bring peace to your heart. Just go D.E.A.P.!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope you have a blessed week! Remember, Jesus is always with you! He's just waiting for you to call on Him! Whether it's big or small, He is there for whatever personal emergency you have. Just like shouting "Ghostbusters!" is the irresistible response and answer in that song, so should Jesus be in our lives! I promise you, He is the BEST and QUICKEST first responder ever! He's always on call! Be infused! God bless you!

Do We Know?

Yesterday, I shared about our church sermon and how Christmas all boils down to "God is with us." Our pastor challenged us to stop and ponder the miracle and gift of Jesus. He mentioned this song, "Mary Did You Know?", which describes the many things that Mary must have pondered about her son. Those of us that are parents know what she must have been feeling; to hold her first born, to admire his perfect features, and to think about his life ahead. Now, imagine that that child is the Son of God. Everything is that much more magnified! Pause and think about it. Take it all in!

Grace and peace to you, everyone! I won't be blogging again until Friday. I hope you all have a blessed Christmas and that you are blessed by the things that you ponder and know about Jesus! Be infused...and inspired! God bless you!!

Decompressing Christmas

Sander in hand and safety glasses on.
It's decompression time!

Yesterday was just one of those days where all the miscellaneous stress and busyness of the season (and life in general) finally caught up with me. I felt emotionally frazzled. Anything and everything was getting on my nerves and I really needed to take some time to decompress and channel it all into something. I had just bought an old chest of some sort (probably a toy box) and I felt like it was the perfect time to redo it. I needed to be "giving new life to old things", as Chris puts it. It's very freeing when you have a soulmate who understands and encourages you to have some "you" time. He said, "Okie dokie, my beautiful artist. You take all the art therapy you need. I totally understand the need for decompression time." So, that's what I did!

"Before"

As I mentioned, the busyness of life is stressful enough; and then you add the holidays on top of all of that. While there is usually much to enjoy about it all, it can be overwhelming. It's really important to take a timeout to just "be" and reflect. Taking a small break to breathe and decompress is vital.

It's very timely that today's sermon was about that very thing that I was doing last night. Pastor Larry Sprinkle was saying that no matter what is going on during Christmas, the four words that it all boils down to is "God is with us." Jesus, Emmanuel, was sent to us (and for us). We are not alone and God is always with us. In our busyness and in our downtime, He is there. He gives us strength and energy to endure as well as the peace and comfort to rest. He is everything we need. That is an amazing truth to take in; and something I value greatly when I have that "decompression time" because I know that God is always there to help me process things.

"After" :) 

Taking in the sermon, I thought about how true Larry's words were regarding how the Bible often says that Mary treasured and pondered all the wondrous things about Jesus in her heart. That's what we need to be doing; meditating and pondering the amazing things of Jesus in our heart and allowing it to sink in. Sometimes, you have to find fresh ways of making the "familiar" fresh again. We can easily become callused to the life-altering power of the true meaning of Christmas because we have heard the story, sung the hymns, and participated in the same traditions for so long. Therefore, we really do need to realize when we need to just hit pause on everything and take a timeout to refocus. Just like that old chest, we can find a way to give new life to old things.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Don't miss the wonder of it all because of all the distractions. Decompress Christmas and get to the heart of it. Stop. Ponder. Listen. Ask Jesus to make His story new and fresh for you! He will do it! New life is what He's all about! Ponder the miracle of what Christmas is: a precious baby, the Son of God, resting humbly in a manger; a baby, destined to die for you. His perfect features would one day be marred by thorns, nails, and a spear. All of it was for you. If you're a parent, you can imagine how Mary must have felt; her mind totally blown away at not only the miracle of her first-born, but the fact that her son was the Son of God. Treasure and ponder that! Be infused! God bless you!

"Home" for the Holidays

Every time our worship leader shares a personal story, I always tear up. His stories always grab at my heart and resonate so deeply. Yesterday was no exception. Dennis broke the bittersweet news of his father-in-law's passing to the congregation. He mentioned that while it was sad to lose him, it is great for heaven to gain him. He said that years ago, his father-in-law spent a lot of time mentoring a young man. Sometimes, it got to the point where his wife would call the church office, ask if he was there, and then say that he needed to come home. Dennis said that his father-in-law had been at death's door for a while. Finally, God called him up and said that he needed to come home.

I was all teared up thinking about that concept; about how we are all lingering on earth fulfilling God's purpose. Then, the time comes where we get called to go to the home where we truly belong. It just overwhelms me to think about how amazing it will be!

It also blows my mind to think of Jesus being sent from that amazing home to this sinful earth; just so we could be there with Him someday. This is the season where we pause to think about all of that; to think about the hope that humbly entered this world. We watched this short video which reminds us of that simple fact. There are a lot of things that sometimes get mixed in with the Christmas story. There may be a lot of things that aren't "politically correct" in how we celebrate it, but all that truly matters is that we GET IT. We need to get the simple fact that God sent His son, Jesus, to this earth to give us hope and salvation. He was born with the sole purpose to die.....for US! Because of Jesus, we can go "home".

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope that this video fills you with hope and that you'll take joy in the fact that someday, you'll get to go "home" as well (if you've made that decision for Christ). I know that many of you are probably remembering those that have already gone home (I'm thinking of my Grandma a LOT!). You might also be greatly anticipating the joys of being "at home" with the ones you love during the holidays. Enjoy it! Celebrate life and hope with your families in this temporal home we call "earth" and look forward to the eternal one in heaven! I know I am! I may be enjoying the new house that I've been blessed with, but it will never be "home" like the place He is preparing for me! Be infused! God bless you!

"Don't Look Back"

"Don't look back" is almost like telling someone "don't look down" when they are way up high. No matter how much you know you should listen to that advice, it's so hard to heed it and fight the urge to do exactly what you were told NOT to do. It's  not like you really needed to be reminded, but hearing it almost makes it that much harder to resist when you're already fighting the temptation inside to begin with.

That's how I've been feeling. I know that my focus needs to be forward and upward. I don't want to look back on the past and get stuck there. My life is in the present and moving onward toward the future. I don't want to be brought down. I want to keep looking up and not focus on falling down, but trust that I am going to continue to be able to make my climb upwards. I know I'm in good hands and that God is providing for me.

I have expressed to several friends and family members (and even through this blog) how emotional the whole moving process has been for me. I'm sure I'm not the first or last to feel this way. Moving is a known stressor and it's taxing on anyone no matter how positive the transition is. I have been triggered in so many ways, and I'm struggling a lot inside. Even though I know that I'm at a very positive turning point in my life now, I'm still maybe in a state of shock about it all. Even though it's been a process, a lot of it feels like it happened so fast. This blog entry is being composed as I sit here in my very own house with my kids asleep in their own rooms. I'm still trying to take all that in!

The thing that I can't get out of my head are those phrases above. My Mom actually said it the other day when I had called her on Friday as I was remembering the 20th anniversary of Uncle Brett's passing. It's hard to believe that it's been two decades, but we've all had to move forward. Of course, we never forget him (and we still miss him) but we wouldn't be living if we stayed submersed in the past. That's what I had to be reminded of when I was telling Mom about my vast array of emotions lately. She uttered that simple phrase I mentioned, "Don't look back". For some reason, it just resonated with me in a fresh way and I remembered in the Bible what happened to Lot's wife when she looked back:

And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. - Genesis 19:25-26

It was pointed out in a sermon that I once heard that the heart of Lot's wife was still back in those cities. She was fleeing those wicked places and the Lord told them not to look back. She just couldn't help herself. Her heart wasn't focused on the good and safe place that she was headed; it was back in the places of evil and destruction. So, she ended up destroying herself.

This is something I have really had to be mindful of. I am in a new, safe, and good place; not just in regards to this new house, but in my life as well. I am headed in a fresh new direction. God is doing great things and it's wonderful! However, if I don't keep my heart in the present, I'm going to destroy myself the way Lot's wife did. I can't allow my heart and mind to live in the past. The past isn't all bad things or anything, but thinking too much on the people, things, and events that WERE is going to hinder me from what IS! There is a new plan and purpose now. That drawing board has been erased. It's clean and fresh and ready for new blueprints! It's time to focus on the new design!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I am learning so much as things in my life continue to change. It's one heck of a journey and I pray that as I go through all this, someone reading this might just be helped in their life too. We're all in this together! Keep your eyes forward and keep walking on the good path, my friends! Fix your eyes on Jesus...and don't look back! Be infused! God bless you!

Do You Want to Be Blessed or Cursed?

When it comes to whether or not we want blessings or curses in our lives, the answer to that is really a no-brainer. I can't imagine anyone saying, "Yes, I want to be cursed!" No. We all want good things for ourselves, our family, and to have a wonderful life.

If this is true, WHY do we still choose to be cursed? I have been pondering that ever since the other day when I was reading Joyce Meyer's daily devotional on the WONDERFUL Bible app on my phone. She mentioned that Deuteronomy 28 describes a blessed life and a cursed life. The difference between the two is obedience to God. Read it and see the huge contrast between the two! The one who listens to the Lord is BEYOND blessed and life is good, prosperous, and abundant. Then, it goes on to say how difficult, disastrous, and calamity ridden a disobedient life is. It's a very bleak, distressing, and depressing picture! Seriously, take a moment and read it for yourself!

After I read it, it really got me to thinking about my own life. I had always tried so hard to please God and be a "good girl". The closer I walked with God, the better my life truly was and I can honestly say, those were always the happiest times. Any time I wandered astray, that's when I saw things in my life fall apart and bad things happen left and right. I've never saw it more plainly than in these last three years. I've always had my faith, but I'll admit that it was by a thread for a good while. I'll tell you what, I've never had a more heart breaking, miserable, lonely, depressing, and horrific time than when I was so lost and losing hope in the Lord. My worst moments of my life have been during these past three years when my faith was so weak. However, I have noticed that my life truly began to get better again due to the profound and simple choice I made on Easter Sunday of this year to rebuild my faith. That day, I was talking to the boyfriend I had at the time. Our relationship was very new; we were about two weeks into it (I think). Unfortunately, that was all the further it would go because he decided that he didn't want to renew his faith. I had told him that I was watching church online and asked if he was going anywhere or doing anything for Easter. That's when he told me he believed in God, yet wanted nothing to do with Him. It was a heartbreaking thing to hear; especially when that is not the kind of thing he had originally told me when we got together. He assured me that he wasn't going to change his mind on it, so I had to make the painful decision to let him go because I knew that being unequally yoked never works and that anyone who chooses anyone over God isn't worthy of Him (2 Corinthians 6:14, Matthew 10:37-38).

It was that choice that started changing my life all over again; this time, for the better. I started out by watching my brother's church online and committed to doing so each Sunday until I found a local church home. Later on, I started watching Blackhawk Ministries instead and was considering attending there (even though it's a 45 minute drive from where I am). I hadn't been to church in a long time and even though I tried a few churches, I hadn't found one in which I felt like it was "home". Yet, I knew it was important to find somewhere local, so I went to a few churches last summer. It's funny where you end up because the place where I finally felt like I belonged was the one that my parents' go to. I have went a couple times, but didn't feel like I connected (and mostly because I think I just didn't want to). However, I feel like God wanted me there because on the Sunday that I went back, it was due to the fact that I missed the service of another church. I was driving to it, but couldn't find a way to get there due to the road construction. It was like God was literally road blocking me lol. I didn't want to just give up and go home, so I figured I would surprise my parents and show up at theirs since it was about time for it to start anyways. Not only did I surprise them, but God surprised ME. The church was welcoming, the worship was full of heart (it always gets me teared up!), and the people there just have an attitude of servanthood (as evidenced by the testimonials they were having from the youth group that day; it really blessed me and melted my heart). The church is all about love, serving, prayer, ministry, and missions. It's so genuine and does EXACTLY the kind of things a church SHOULD do!

Over the next few weeks, I realized that I knew I belonged there. Not only that, but my kids love it there and they have a sign language interpreter in the service that my son loves to watch. I was also able to jump right in and start getting involved when I heard about the Steps of Faith Walk that they were going to have. I was very blessed to take part in it (she ended up getting well over 600 pairs of shoes to send to Africa!). I love getting connected with people that I already know, as well as getting to know new people. This church family makes it so easy! I am so grateful for them and look forward to getting to know them all more!

It is pretty obvious to me that Deuteronomy 28 is right on! I am seeing how blessed my life is again now that I have renewed my faith and started making choices for Him again. As you've read in my recent posts, He has blessed my children and I with a new house and so much more! I just can't even begin to tell you all the ways that he has provided for us and how wonderful my life is becoming more and more each day! I'm leaving the life full of curses and entering a life full of blessings when I choose Jesus!

In Joyce Meyer's devotional, she says: ""you can get free from one thing and go on to another thing and another thing and pretty soon, you'll start to realize that you have some real authority in Christ." I am definitely finding the bliss and freedom of working on all the things I need to work on in my life. I'm embracing each stage and step; learning, growing, and changing (even if it's uncomfortable, painful, or difficult). Joyce says, "Don't live your life without the thrill of growing and changing or you'll miss out on the good things God can do through you." Amen! She couldn't be more right about that! She also suggests to, "Take some time today to visualize the person you want to be and start pursuing God's freedom. Because one day at a time, you and God can do anything!" Amen to that too!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Take it from me, it's a lot better to be blessed than cursed; and it's within YOUR power to decide which of the two you want to be! Your heart, attitude, and willingness to lay down your pride and be submissive to the Lord is what will bring forth transformation, renewal, and blessings into your life! So, if your life is a mess, full of stress and turmoil, etc. pause for a moment to think about whether your choices have invited curses on yourself due to issues of disobedience in some way/area to God. Do you have an addiction? Do you fear/worry to much instead of surrendering control and trusting God? Do you hold onto hate and unforgiveness? What's the condition of your heart? Be honest with yourself and then bring it before Him and make those issues right. Make a choice to be a better you and have a better life through obedience to Christ. There truly is blessing and freedom in abiding in Him! Be infused! God bless you!

Preparing a Place

"It won't be long now," I keep thinking to myself. Every day, I survey the progress that has been made in my house and see the old interior continue to change and transform into something new and better. For me, it gives the verse about being a new creation fresh meaning (2 Corinthians 5:17). Watching the old, dingy, gross, and filthy things be made clean and new makes me think about what God does for me in the interior of my heart! It's amazing to think about and to witness!

I have mentioned in my blogs lately about how emotional things have been for me. I'm still trying hard to process it all and allow God to work in my heart bit by bit just like we've been working on the house. So many things have been stirring in me. There have been many moments where I have been overwhelmed to tears; both happy and sad ones. I am so humbled, blessed, and grateful to have this new house (as well as so much help and team effort from my parents in making it a home). I have also been wrestling with the sad tears and have cried here and there as I've been painting by myself and frequently listening to the music of Jeremy Camp as I do my work. His music has always been so heartfelt, genuine, and full of praise and gratitude towards God. I also want to have that same humble heart that's fixed on God; a God who loves and heals me of my brokenness. I even wear the shirt I got when I first saw him in concert in 2005 when I was pregnant with my daughter. It says "Restored" on the front of it. To me, it couldn't be a more appropriate shirt to wear when I'm painting because not only is the house being restored and made new, but so is my heart and my life!

These past couple days, I haven't been able to shake Jesus' words from my mind from John 14:1-4:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

Those verses are resonating with me more than ever before! This house, that God so graciously provided, is for my children and I. At this moment, I am preparing this place for us. We will be together; living and thriving in our new home. We also invite the Lord to be with us; giving back to Him what He has given to us. This house will become our home together and I pray it will be abounding in the fruit of His Spirit as we invite and welcome His presence into our home and our hearts. Where we are, may He be also! Always!

I can only imagine the place He is preparing for every one of us! I think about all the work that my family and I are doing on this house and just how much is being put into it. Though, even as we do our best, there are going to be mistakes and imperfections. Nothing usually ever looks exactly right. You end up finding flaws and living with the "it'll be ok for now" type things until you can put more time and money into something later. Yet, it's alright! Our earthly homes don't have to be perfect (and they aren't/won't ever be). This home, even as homey as it's becoming, is still not my true "home". My real home is in heaven; with Jesus in the PERFECT place that He is preparing for me. I kind of laugh to think of Him constructing a place, painting rooms, and doing home improvement work. Heck, he could just say the word and things would be completed without him ever having to lift a paint brush or power tool! But, I'm sure that it's not anything like that at all. He's not in heaven doing heavy construction. I don't think He meant things quite like that. I'm not sure exactly how or what He's preparing, but I believe that He's just waiting for God to say "Ok, it's time! Go and get them!" It's like when you are preparing to receive guests into your home. You prepare for an event (like the house warming party I will most certainly have) and you receive your guests at the proper time; when everything is ready. Right now, I don't know the day or hour of my own house warming party, but I know the day is close because my house is becoming more and more ready as it gets completed. That's just like how these end times are. Prophecies are being fulfilled and soon, everything will be completed. Then, the day and hour will come and it will be time to go home!!

I am just so awed and amazed by all these thoughts! It not only thrills me, but comforts me and helps me to remember that no matter what, my home is with Jesus and I'm never alone. I just keep thinking about the words to Jeremy Camp's song "Right Here": "Everywhere I go I know you're not far away. You're right here. You're right here." I feel like He's always saying that to me, "Melissa, I'm right here." He is. He's always right here with me. No matter what. I am SO GRATEFUL for that!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Watch and listen to "Right Here" (right now lol) and let it speak to you. Jesus is ALWAYS right there with you. He's not just in heaven preparing that place for you, He IS with you. We don't have to feel alone or like He's far away from us. He never leaves us and wants us to be with Him. We need to invite Him to be with us; to be at home in our hearts. Nothing feels more like home than when you've made Him at home in your life! Be infused! God bless you!!

The Beauty of True Love

It's amazing how God can touch your heart through music and movies in such unexpected ways!  A few nights ago, while I was painting in my new home, several songs from Disney's "Beauty & the Beast" ended up playing on one of my specially created Pandora channels (yes, I'm a dork and I listen to Disney songs and musicals lol). Of course, this caused me to think and reflect a lot about the movie. It's been a while since I've watched it, but I've always enjoyed it. It's a fun and delightful treasure for kids and adults alike. It also has a lot of depth and substance that probably gets overlooked.

I feel as though we all need to learn the lesson of true love and surrender that is at the heart of this movie. The Beast learned that love is only love when it's a choice. When he realized that he truly loved Belle, he put his selfish desires aside. He was no longer rude, angry, or demanding his own way. He became a good example of the definition of love when He put HER first (as well as her ailing father, whom he had previously shown no mercy or compassion for). He realized that forcing her to stay, and making her his prisoner, could never be true love. I think it was truly a turning point in the story where he told Belle that he was releasing her. Moments later, he told Cogsworth that he "let her go" and that he "had to". Cogsworth was in shock and asked him why. The Beast's answer was simple, "Because...I love her." 

Belle's own realization of true love came later after she confronted Gaston when she returned home. While trying to save her father from going to the asylum, she proved via the magic mirror that her father wasn't crazy and that the Beast existed. When Gaston realized that she was defending the beast, and that she had feelings for that "monster", she had the guts to say that Gaston was the true monster. To me, that was a very profound thing because if you look at the Beast and Gaston side by side, no one would dare to say such a thing. Though, that's because people usually look at appearances instead of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

If there's one thing that God has constantly reminded me of over the years, it's this very powerful and simple truth: "It's all about the heart, Melissa." Whatever or whomever you're judging, it all boils down to the HEART of it. The heart is all that ever truly matters. Belle could definitely see that the Beast had a good heart despite what he looked like on the outside. The opposite was true of Gaston; pretty on the outside, but a rotten heart on the inside. I probably don't even need to mention how the story ends, but of course Belle came running back to the Beast. It always thrilled my heart how the Beast was so overwhelmingly touched that she did. He thought that even though he did the right thing in letting her go, he had lost his chance not only to have his curse broken, but to have the woman he loved. So, having her CHOOSE to come back to him (and to love him) was the most amazing thing in the world to him!

True love; it proved to be stronger than any curse....even death. That fact, my friends, is no fairy tale! That IS real life! The best example of that is Jesus' true and everlasting love for us. Through His sacrifice, He conquered the grave for us! He brings us back to life when we are dead inside and gives us life eternally! But, of course, we have to choose (like Belle did) to love and be loved. Just as He came (and is coming back again) for us, we have to come to HIM! 

I've learned so much by pondering on the deep lessons found in that movie. I'm glad that God found a way to bring it to my mind from something so simple as those "random" songs from my Pandora station. Though, nothing is random with God. His timing is so perfect! He knew I needed to reflect on such things right now because as I mentioned last week, getting my new home has been a very emotional thing for me for so many reasons. I will officially move in after some minor interior work gets finished. Though, as that time grows closer, my many emotions continue to surface and intensify. My primary emotion: loneliness. I've never lived alone before. I married young, so I went straight from living at home to being a housewife. Then, it was back to living with my parents after the kids and I were forced to leave. Granted, the kids DO live with me, but it's still a lonely and incomplete feeling when you are so used to having other adults or a spouse in the household. This reality is what is finally drawing out the last bit of grief that has been hanging on since the divorce. I have been anticipating this, but have dreaded it even though I welcome the closure of it all. 

Like I stated earlier, God's timing on this is perfect. Today would have been my 12th wedding anniversary. Yet, here I am...single. In my marriage, I was always like Belle; trying to tame the Beast and loving him no matter how much he raged. Though, in my case, I didn't get a happy ending. The prince that exists somewhere inside that raging creature never emerged. His heart hardened instead of softened until terror and rage took over completely and now, the Beast is all that is left. I mourned then, and I mourn now, as I continue to hope and pray for peace & change in that heart and that he truly will allow God to transform him into who he is meant to be. God showed me then, as well as now, that it's in HIS hands and not mine. Surrendering someone or something is SO HARD, but it's only when we give up control to Jesus that everything gets set right again and He can stabilize our lives. We just have to learn to let go. 

 

Letting go of people has never been easy for me; and I feel like I have had to let go of so many! I hate it, but sometimes it's necessary for one reason or another. Actually, I think that the main reason God wanted me to think on that movie was so that I would face the reality that there was someone else that I needed to let go of. When it truly dawned on me, it literally brought me to my knees because I knew that God had been nudging me for a while to release this person to Him. It's someone that I love deeply, but knew that God was asking me to let go and release this person into His hands. I have been avoiding it and living in denial that I was even holding on in the way that I was. However, when God worked on my heart through those crucial lessons of the movie, I couldn't deny what had to be done any longer. I cried and cried and felt the need to kneel and raise my hands to the Lord and say out loud, "I release _____ to you."

When I raised my hands to the Lord, I also remembered the story of Jenny's pearls that has always meant so much to me. In the story, Jenny's Daddy asks her to give up her cheap pearl necklace to him (which she loves more than anything). She refuses and keeps clinging to them until one day she hands them over. In return, her Daddy's gives her a REAL strand of pearls. I felt like I was giving up my prized "pearl" necklace. To me, this was someone I felt was such a treasure and that I was meant to have, but God asked me to trust Him and hand that person over. I don't know what God is going to do in that situation, but I trust Him. It doesn't mean that that treasure is gone, but God will do something with it. It could be that I'm not meant to have it, or maybe I'm just not meant to have it right now or in the way that I thought. Or, maybe he will give me something totally different. I don't know. All I know is that this person belongs to the Lord, not to me. When and if they are meant to be "mine" is up to God. It hurts so very much, but I know that I had to make the same kind of decision that the Beast did by "releasing" them. In doing so, I'm demonstrating that I truly do love this person by giving them their freedom. Maybe they'll have their moment like Belle did and come back. Or, maybe they aren't my "Belle". Either way, I am open to whatever God is determining for me. He will give me something genuine. I don't have to settle for fake pearls!


My heart has been broken more times than I could ever count. Yet, I still have hope  that I will get a "happy ending"; it just may not be in the way that I think (or with whom I think). All I know is that God's new beginning for me was a whole lot different (and better) than anything I could have imagined, so I know that He has the rest in hand too! It took these past three horrible years (well, probably my whole life) to get it, but it's finally here! Maybe sometime soon, some of my other dreams will come true too! I just have to keep trusting and believing that God will do it (because He WILL when He chooses to - and when I'm ready for it). Just like in another Disney movie ("Tangled") we sometimes find a new and better dream. A classmate of mine had reminded me of that fact three years ago when I told him that my dream (my family as I knew it) was now dead and he assured me that it wasn't, but that it was just different and that I would have a new dream. I've always held onto that and I believe that he's right. God is restoring me and building me bigger and better dreams; new and improved versions of the ones I have always had. He is so amazing!
 

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope that what I've shared will help you as much as it has helped me. Learning (and re-learning) about true love, surrender, and sacrifice is something that never gets old. It's also important to remember (like Cinderella would say) to "have faith in your dreams...no matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true." Things may not always happen as soon (or in the way) that we would like, but God knows our hearts. If we continue to delight in Him, and seek him FIRST, He will give us our heart's desires (Psalm 37:4, Matthew 6:33). We have to keep persevering and having faith in Him. He is greater than any fairy godmother could ever be and the TRUEST love we'll ever find (because God IS love)! He is a dream come true all by Himself! Anything else is just a bonus! Believe in Him! He'll come through for you...because He loves you!! That's the beauty of true love, dear ones!! Be infused! God bless you!! 

Running to His Arms

Yesterday, my laptop was having connection problems. For some reason, it just wasn't working (and still isn't working much today either). I don't know why! Anyways, it prevented me from composing and posting a blog yesterday (and it drove me crazy!).

Since I started this blog, I have stayed consistent with posting every day; and according to the particular pre-determined topic/category of the day. Yesterday was supposed to be "spiritual Sunday" and today is "media Monday". So, since I missed yesterday, I was trying to figure out what to do. Should I post a late blog PLUS today's blog, or combine the two? I've opted to combine the two because the media for today is a video/song that we sang at church yesterday that I wanted to share; and the content for what would have been yesterday's blog fits with it as well.

Yesterday, I was feeling rather down. I won't go into the particulars but I was rather drained (emotionally and physically). When you feel that bad, you just want to be held and comforted. Sometimes, there's someone there to offer it to you and sometimes there isn't. However, God IS always there to offer comfort and that is where this song comes in. When we sang it at church, the part that I just kept hanging on was "I'm running to your arms." I became really focused on that lyric. So many times, we treat God as the last resort. We run to other people and things when we should be running straight into His arms. He's sovereign and He is God. He should be first and number one. He's shouldn't be our last resort, but our first response!

I was thinking so much about the core idea of the sermon which was the fact that nothing and no one is ever "enough", but GOD is. People will fail. God will not. Like another song goes, "All of you, is more than enough for all of me...." It's true. He is MORE than enough. He is BEYOND sufficient. What no one else can satisfy, God can! We have to come to Him; running into His arms. He will supply us with everything we need! The timing for that reminder couldn't have been more perfect for me than it is right now!! Nothing and NO ONE compares to Him! I have to remember that!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope we can all remember to run to the arms of Jesus for everything. May we rest in His peace, delight in Him, and allow Him to be our comforter, healer, and so much more! Be infused! God bless you!

How to Hear from God

Today has been one of those days where I wasn't sure what to blog. Sometimes, I almost worry a bit until I focus and remember that God ALWAYS gives me something. I don't have to be concerned about running out of content to post on here to help others because GOD is in charge. He always supplies me with something to share! Yet, sometimes I also get concerned that I won't hear Him even when He is speaking.

Today, I was absolutely wowed by a verse while listening to a sermon at Huntington Baptist Church today. It spoke to me about that very concern that I just mentioned. It wasn't something I didn't already know, but for some reason, it hit me in a fresh way:

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. - Isaiah 59:2

Iniquity. Sin. If we can't hear, if we feel separated from Him, it's because something isn't right in our hearts. We are holding something back from Him; our unconfessed sin. When Jesus was on the cross, He had the sin of the whole world on Himself and He had asked God why He had forsaken Him (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). God is holy. Sin can't stand in His presence. It becomes a barrier between Him and us. Until it's torn down by our confession, and the forgiveness through Christ's blood (1 John 1:9), we're going to continue to feel distant from God. We have to make it right! God wants to be near us. He'll draw near to us if we draw near to Him (James 4:8). He never leaves us or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:8). We're the ones that build up that wall and cause that distance by running away from Him and letting sin build up in our lives.

I've been struggling for a few years to feel God's presence like I used to (and yearn to). I keep praying for the wisdom to see and hear Him clearly and to be aware of the things that I need to do to accomplish that. I am a constant work in progress. I'm doing much better, but I still have a lot of work to do. I'm going to keep praying for God to sensitize me and to keep learning how to die to self more and more every day (Matthew 16:24-25).

I want God to hear me; and I want to hear from God. I don't want His face to be hidden from me. I want to SEEK IT! I want to connect with God, but building a wall of sin brick by brick is going to make it impossible unless it's torn down by confession and the blood of Jesus. Dear Lord, give me the strength I need to do whatever needs to be done!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! May we all have humble and open hearts to the Spirit of God; sensitized and never callused. Watch the video below. It's a powerful illustration of how God chips away at us and molds us into his masterpiece if we allow Him to work in us and remove the things that don't belong!
Be infused! God bless you!

How You're Impacting Over 5,000 People!

Last night, my son was reading from his Goodnight Warrior Devotional Bible before we said our prayers. The story was from John 6:3-13. It's about the boy who shared his five loaves and two fish with Jesus so that he could feed a crowd of 5,000. I'm sure most of us have heard the story before. However, I think we've heard it so much that we forget just how deep that story is!

For some reason, it resonated with me in a whole new way. I paused to think about it in a more modern aspect for a minute. When we have holidays or special family gatherings, there is a LOT of work that goes into food preparation. You not only have to have money to buy all of the food, but you have to prepare it all and estimate how much you'll be able to feed. Having too much is always better than not having enough (and leftovers are usually a plus). Now, imagine that you have to prepare food for more than just a small family. Think about having to buy and prepare food for several families; enough to feed a small city! In my case, that would be around HALF of my city (our population is roughly 10,000). It is mind-blowing to think of feeding that many people! I could never afford to buy enough food for ONE MEAL to feed THAT many people; let alone prepare it all! To do that would take an act of God!!

An act of God; that's exactly what happened in the Bible passage. The disciples were stunned at Jesus' suggestion that they should feed all those people! Philip told Jesus that it would take over half a year's worth of a person's income just to be able to buy enough bread for everyone to have a SMALL piece! Can you imagine the panic the disciples could have felt? How could they afford to feed the people? Would they even be able to find THAT much bread nearby to buy even if they could? It seemed like an impossible dilemma!

Of course, God always makes the impossible possible (Matthew 19:26)! Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, that a young boy unselfishly offered to the Lord, to feed everyone! What a kind act and statement of faith! Can you visualize opening your pantry and giving what sparse food supplies you had to feed half of your city? I wonder what went through that boy's mind. I wonder if he already had the faith to know that Jesus would do something amazing with it or if he just simply had an attitude of "well, it's not much, but maybe it will help." Either way, Jesus took it and multiplied it! Not only did everyone eat  until they were satisfied, but they had TWELVE baskets of food leftover!! That is BEYOND amazing!

When I let all of this soak in, I thought a bit more about how this applied to me. Sometimes, I feel like what I have to offer isn't "enough". I always find myself wishing I could do more for God and others. I think "if I had more money, I could give so much more to help" or "I wish I could donate more time or goods to worthy charities." What an apathetic attitude and a poor reason to maybe not even give at all just because we can't give as much as we would like! Where is our faith?! We have to remember that God blesses EVERYTHING and MULTIPLIES it beyond what we can see or comprehend! Every donation of your time, money, food and goods, and even your prayers, hugs, smiles, and every act of kindness MATTERS! He takes it all and does wonders with it! We have no idea how many lives we are touching and how many people are being blessed in everything that that we share! Jesus said that even a widow's two copper coins are worth more than the excess of the rich.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Watch the video below. It's a classic song that reminds us all that everything we do unto the Lord makes an impact! We may not even know it while we live on earth, but in heaven, we will finally understand! I can't even begin to list all the "little things" that people have said or done for me that have meant SO MUCH and have stuck in my mind and heart over the years. They have no idea the degree of an impact they have had on me; even if I try to express it to them! Likewise, I may never fully know the kind of effect I have on others. I smile at people. I'm friendly and polite. I do whatever I can to make others around me feel encouraged and blessed (that's one of the many reasons I blog too!). Every time I have ever had someone say "I needed to read that today" or "thank you for the hug" or "your smile made my day" or I see that someone or something I've prayed for is improving, I feel so blessed inside! IT MATTERS to them and it matters to God! Do everything unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24)! Who knows how many people you're reaching (and the ripple effect it causes!). You could be impacting way beyond 5,000! Think about it! Be infused! God bless you!!