Encouragement for the Soul

My Husband has gifted me a day of study and here I sit with a cup of hot Pumpkin Spice coffee in one hand and my laptop in my lap as I relax into God's message for me today about Encouragment and being an Encourager in The Kingdom. God has continued to affirm to me that my giftedness from Him is Encouragement. I used to always have the thought, "How is a hug or a WAY TO GO!!!! helping turn others towards Christ and the Cross?!?" Satan was clever to minimize this gift for sooo many years. I felt unimportant in my "lack of ministry."

My Family 2012
My Husband Josh of 19years....our kiddos:
Collin (15), Cody (12), Kaitlyn (7), Corey (5)

Just a Mom and a Wife, those callings I can affirm and I knew how valuable they were. I mattered there. I made a difference in my home. My thinking about "encouraging others" was shrunken down to make other people happy, make things pretty, give lots of hugs, say nice and positive things, be a helper wherever needed, put everyone elses needs before your own.

Until one day God took me so far out into the Wilderness, I was sooo extremely thirsty, that the one drop of Living Water on my soul brought immeasurable replenishment. At one point, I had nothing left. I thought I was done. Then, Encouragement came. Though they looked much like my friends, it was the Lord who hugged me. It was the Lord who cheered me on to get up and run the race. It was the Lord who reminded me of His faithfulness and Truths. The Lord was my Encourager, through the hands and feet, hearts and souls of "others."

Encouragement saved my life, literally. I'd say that's a pretty valuable gift. Anything in and of the Lord is precious and valuable. It took being on the receiving end of the Gift to fully understand the Power of the Gift. I alone am nothing. I am dorky and not always "intellectually quick." I have to really fight hard to gain knowledge through repetition and experience. I, Michele, in the Lord, am able...Wow, that's an honor to say yet a humbling truth. (I feel another blog coming!!)
With this Truth and Testimony, I have walked in-courage best I know how, how He leads me to encourage others. It's more than a pat on the back. My heart and soul desire with holy passion to turn the face of the hurting one towards Christ, and that means revealing the Truth of the Cross, giving Hope to the hopeless, being the hands and feet and sometimes even the mouth of Christ to encourage them to flee from their current captivity/lies and run for Freedom/Truth in Jesus Name! 

Just like any other gift, we can use it, actually, we are commanded to use it in His Name. He is the One afterall who placed that holy passion in us. May we be found faithful to nourish it and guard it from the one who comes to steal and destroy all that is Good. Whatever your gifting is, know it is water to the soul.

Eventhough my gifting is Encouragment and this is the primary theme of my study today, we are reminded that we are ALL called to encourage one another and build each other up. So, as I take time to work through some of these Self Evaluations about myself and ask God to refine me, won't you too take the time to search your spirit through the filter of your gifting and seek His teaching and refining. Really take the time to pray through these. If you have to bookmark it and come back later to it, then do. May we find ourselves answering more "Yes" than "No"...

Choose today who you will serve. You can serve yourself. Or you can serve Christ. Be encouraged Gift of God.
Michele


Taken from The Ministry of Encouragment:

Regarding the coming of Christ, Paul told the Thessalonians to “encourage one another with these words”(1 Thess. 4:18). In other words, build up each other with these marvelous truths— remind each other of God’s promises—comfort one another with these assurances and provide for believer’s stability and security. False teaching leads to insecurity and instability. God’s Word leads to maturity (Eph. 4:14-15). In 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, Paul says that God by His grace has given us “eternal encouragement.”

Self-evaluation: questions regarding the motivation and ministry of encouragement:

1. Do my words of encouragement outweigh words of correction or criticism?
2. Do people become more cheerful when they are around me?
3. Would my family consider me to be an encouraging person?
4. Is it easy for me to praise, thank and affirm others?
5. Do I apologize when I give a negative or discouraging report?
6. Have I been diligent in affirming those in my immediate sphere of influence?
7. Have I been diligent in encouraging the authorities God has placed over me?
8. Do I pass along good news and swallow gossip or do I do the reverse?
9. Does my conversation with friends generally build up or tear down people?
10. Do I think more about giving praise than receiving it?
11. Do I desire to counsel, comfort, encourage and exhort other people?
12. Am I able to encourage those who hurt or persecute me?
13. Have I recognized how encouraging God is to others as well as to me?
14. Does my impatience or anger get in the way of encouraging relationships?
15. Am I patient in listening to God so He can encourage my heart?

What are some benefits and blessing of being encouraged by others?

1. Encouragement helps others discover more about how God made them.
2. It helps them to better appreciate who they are and how they are gifted.
3. It increases their self-esteem and improves their self-concept.
4. It helps them to better love others as they love themselves (Mt. 19:19).
5. It helps them to be built up in the faith and increases their courage.
6. It helps them develop more healthy relationships with others.
7. It comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable
8. It gives them what they need, not just what they want.
9. It provides them with a much-needed inspiring role model.
10. It challenges them to provide a similar ministry to others.
11. It provides a positive mental outlook essential for healthy living.
12. It meets one of their most basic needs.
13. It contributes to the health of the church and enables it to function effectively.

How can we learn to spread “good” gossip?

It’s important to tell the people in your life how important they are to you. It’s also important for you to tell others how important they are. If you know something good about someone, spread it around. Don’t keep it a secret. Paul took the opportunity in his writings to brag on his fellow workers. He understood that it was part of the process of building strong relationships. Here are some things to keep in mind when you spread good gossip:

1. Be sincere! Cultivate the art of sincere praise (not flattery or lying).
2. Don’t use it like a cattle prod. The idea is not to brag on one person so that another feels shamed into doing better. This is not the best way to motivate someone. This leads only to resentment, or jealousy, or both.
3. Be consistent. Make sure that what you say publicly is consistent with what you say privately. If you compliment some one in public, but are critical in private, you’ll lose credibility and your relationship will suffer as a result.

Every time you interact with another person two things can happen: you can build that person up, or tear them down. Every time you interact with another person, you have a chance to practice holiness. We’re called to encourage. Encouraging others strengthens them. It helps them draw closer to Christ. That is the role we have to opportunity to play every time we interact with another person. Jesus said... “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matt. 25:40). What a wonderful opportunity, yet what an awesome responsibility! May God give us grace as we strive to play the role of encour­ager in the lives of those we meet.

What does the New Testament teach about the spiritual gift of encouragement?

The gift of encouragement involves the special ability of stimulating the faith of others (Rom.
12:8a). We all have the responsibility to be encouraging but some have a special gift or ability. Bill Gothard has identified some common characteristics of this gift:

Characteristics Emphasized by the Gift of Encouragement/Exhortation:

1. A desire to visualize specific achievement and prescribe precise steps of action (Phil. 3:17).
2. A tendency to avoid systems of information which lack practical application.
3. The ability to see how tribulation can produce new levels of maturity.
4. A dependence on visible acceptance when speaking to individuals or groups.
5. Discovery of insights that can be validated and illustrated from Scripture.
6. An enjoyment with those eager to follow specific steps of action.
7. A grief when teaching is not accompanied by practical steps of action.
8. A delight in personal conferences that result in new, helpful insights.
9. A motivation to urge people to their full spiritual maturity in Christ (Col. 1:28-29)
10. An ability to discern where a person is in their spiritual growth (1 Cor. 3:1).
11. A strong desire to urge Christians on towards spiritual maturity (2 John 1:4).
12. Explaining truth with logical reasoning in order to make it acceptable (1 Cor. 15).
13. A desire for face to face interaction to insure a positive response (1 Thess. 2:17; 3:10).
14. A desire for harmony which is essential for spiritual maturity (Phil. 2:2).
15. The ability to see how tribulation can contribute to spiritual growth (2 Cor. 1:5; 4:17).

How can the gift of exhortation be misused or abused?

1. Raising the expectations of others prematurely.
2. Taking “family time” to counsel others.
3. Treating family and friends as “projects” rather than as persons.
4. Sharing private illustrations without permission.
5. Jumping into new projects without finishing existing ones.
6. Encouraging others to depend on them rather than God and their authorities.
7. Trusting visible results rather than a true change of heart.
8. Neglecting proper emphasis on basic Bible doctrines.
9. Giving counsel before discerning the type of person or problem.
10. The emphasis on specific steps may appear to simply the problem.
11. The urgency to give advice may come across as over-confidence.
12. The desire to provide a positive example may look like lack of interest in evangelism.
13. The use of Scripture for application may appear to take it out of context.
14. The emphasis on actions may appear insensitive to the feelings of others.

How important is the ministry of encouragement?

I believe that Dr. John Maxwell hit the nail on the head when he referred to “encouragement” as “oxygen for the soul.” If you deprive a soul of oxygen, it shrivels and it will not develop as God intended. Deprive a soul of encouragement and it will withdrawal into a shell. Deprive a soul of encouragement and it will live out a fearful existence. Deprive a soul of encouragement and it will be unable or incapable of encouraging others; it will be apathetic and cynical, pessi­mistic and lethargic. In the extreme, it may even wish that it were dead.

What Are Some Practical Ways We Can Encourage One Another?

1. Kind Words—affirmation, compliments, sincere praise, apology
2. Empathetic active listening and constructive feedback
3. Body language—cheerful look, smile, laughter
4. Godly example—the most powerful source
5. Physical touch—when appropriate
6. Providing hope—seeing a brighter future
7. Providing personal help and practical assistance
8. Assuring others of your prayers for them
9. Personal Challenge to grow
10. Spur one another to love and good deeds
11. Inspiring stories/examples
12. Remembering events
13. Giving to others—adding values to their lives
14. Sharing appropriate Scripture with others
15. Expressing appreciation
16. Rewarding accomplishments
17. Spreading good gossip
18. Caring, thoughtful, considerate actions
19. God’s Word—especially His promises
20. Our position in Christ
21. Unselfishly meeting needs
22. Empathizing with the hurting
23. Rejoicing with those who rejoice
24. Persuading others to trust/follow Christ
25. Exhort to persevere—to continue in the faith
26. Cheer up the faint hearted
27. Invitation to respond to the Gospel
28. Providing solace and consolation
29. Comfort and relieve those in distress
30. Urge on toward holiness

Is there anything we can do to encourage ourselves?

Sometimes we disappoint others or get blamed by others, rightly or wrongly, and we may find it difficult to find others to encourage us when we need it most. David had such an experience in 1 Samuel 30:6, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters...” It is very instructive how David re­sponded to this difficult situation. The text says, “but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” We can and we must learn to encourage ourselves when there is no one around to encourage us. The key is, “in the Lord.” When Paul was writing to the Philippians from jail he exhorted them to “Rejoice in the Lord always...” (Phil. 4:4). There is always a realistic reason to be encouraged “in the Lord” and to rejoice “in the Lord.”

How specifically did David learn to encourage his heart in the Lord?

The Psalms help to answer this question. David encouraged himself through spiritual journaling and heartfelt, hon­est prayer. The Psalms are a window to David’s souls. They record man’s word to God and God’s Word to man—usually in that order. The Psalms often begin on a low note and an honest sharing of emotion, but as the writer reflects God’s truth through the eyes of faith he breaks out in praise and foresees better days. The Psalms encourage a dialogical relationship between God and his children. The Psalms are filled with praise for who God is, with thanks for what God does and with hope for what God has promised. They provide evidence of a strong faith by a man who was after God’s heart. Worship enables us to focus our faith on God and our hope in God and it is always uplifting and encouraging.

How is the word “encouragement” used in the Scripture?

1. Hope encourages—Psalm 31:24—Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
2. Encouraged to find our joy in the Lord—Psalm 100:1—Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
3. Encourage the oppressed—Isaiah 1:17—Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
4. The Spirit encourages—Acts 9:31—Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
5. Encouragement through words—Acts 15:32—Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
6. Encourage new Christians in the faith—Acts 16:40—After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left; Acts 20:1—When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia.
7. Encouragement through affirmation—Romans 1:8—First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world
8. Encouragement can be a spiritual gift—Romans 12:8a—if it is encouraging, let him encourage...
9. Encourage your neighbor—Romans 15:2—Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
10. The Scriptures encourage—Romans 15:4—For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
11. Encourage through the spiritual gift of preaching—1 Cor. 14:3—But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort; 1 Cor. 14:31—

Cute is Cute and Sexy is Sexy

Thought I'd share a real life example of a Girl Gone Wild as described in my current bible study. It is exactly the message I have been reflecting on over recents months regarding purity.

I watched as my husband encountered a temptress last night at the gym. He was stretching before his workout on 1 of the 3 benches when a woman, barely dressed came up to the same bench, and put her leg up next to his. Startled, he looked up at her only to be met with her chest bulging out of a lace halter top as she bent over in a stretch over her leg, extending from her short shorts. He could not help but see what was being tossed right infront of him. He quickly put his leg down and turned around and sat on the floor to continue stretching. Praise God he had the self-control to turn away. 

What was she thinking?!? What was he now thinking?!? 

It breaks my heart and makes my stomach sick thinking that women, of any age-our young children, teens and adults- have a desire to flaunt out what should be guarded as precious in an attempt to what...get attention?!? To Feel special or pretty? You would hope this woman wasn't thinking in her head "I want to seduce that man and ruin his mind and family." She probably was selfishly wanting affirmation and fulfillment in her desire as a beautiful woman as the woman in Proverbs 7 in our study.

I have 2 dear friends whose families have been recently devastated by pornography. It's a HUGE and destructive industry. We can blame the man for looking but shouldn't the sensuous woman be held accountable too?!? Sometimes it's thrown right in your face. He wasn't at a nude beach or a men's club. This was at our family gym and it happens everywhere, even on our phones now a days.

Women, we must be careful how we dress walking out the door and be aware of the looks we give men being friendly. I don't know about you but I can sense the flirt, and if you are near someone giving you a little flirt, flee! While we cannot control others, we are accountable to ourself. 
Cute can be cute, but sexy is sexy. And sexy belongs behind closed doors!! 

Ladies, we must PRAY PRAY PRAY for the men in our lives! Be it our spouses, Dad's, brothers, husbands, sons, nephews, friends, co-workers, we must stand for their purity and pray for their eyes to be blinded to all the Wild Things available to them. It's a HUGE war!! 

It took one look at the girls at the school drop off line at the middle school and high schools to see what the girls were wearing for me as a Mom to begin petitioning harder for the purity of not only my own boys, but for the girls in our community too. I prayed for value and affirmations to be found within them, not from outward confirmations. For them to choose to respect themselves and those around them enough to not want attention that draws themselves or others to sin. 
Would my teens be strong enough to quickly turn away from the beautiful, good smelling, flesh revealing girls? Since I could not dress the girls myself, it was then I began praying first for the girls to become aware of their value and see themselves as valued and treasured, not something to be promoted for approval of the opposite sex. I became diligent praying for my boys to be blinded and shielded from the alluring flesh in front of them. I have seen this happen in my husband and in me so I know God can do that. He blinds us from things He knows we won't be able to not see. Other times, He helps our spirits to not see. I began pleading with God to help them be quick to turn their eyes and attention if it was laid obvious before them across the bench.
As for my husband, he is bombarded all day in this sex-driven culture and doors are always open for him. Sexual temptation is a serious war that must be fought for people of all ages and status, married or single. As his wife, it is imperative I stand in this battlefield with him. As his wife, I must war with him on his behalf that temptation would be quickly fled from and avoided. I am so proud of his strength and conviction to bounce his eyes (term from Every Man's Battle, book). There are always women on the other side of a bench looking for attention, so we must continue to intercede on behalf of our men, guarding ourselves too.

For the record, it's not just the woman who are the tempters. Boys/Men do it too wearing tight fitting jeans and shirts, giving off alluring signals, dawning their manly colognes, flaunting their body like Fabio. Men, just like women, have a need to feel wanted and noticed.

Thanks for letting me share this with you. This is a Gospel issue more than a purity issue and one people don't talk about frequently enough. 
"But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:17-20

May it start with us coming humbly before our God asking Him to bring to heart anything within us that does not honor True Womanhood in Christ's name by which we were created. There may be some things in our own lives we need to purge, or begin to value as precious once again. May we stand firm and courageous fighting on this huge battlefield for the sake of Christ. May we fervently petition on behalf of our men and boys to be blinded and disgusted by flesh that devours and treasure up the beauty that God intends to be the delight of their souls. Let it begin with us. Let us pray for our loved ones' purity and strength to cling to what is good and holy and flee quickly from temptation that leads to gratifying selfish and sinful desires.  

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

Praying Blessings and Purity of Body, Mind and Heart for each of us! May the Lord be the apple of our eye just as we are to His. To God be all the Glory, body, mind and spirit.

What Spills Out Matters

OOOPPPS!!! TOO MANY THINGS IN MY HANDS!! I was carrying my Carry All bag, my purse, my sunglasses, my coffee mug and my Bible and as I leaned over to grab my keys, CRASH!! My Bible slipped out falling to ground and EVERYTHING fell out. UGH! Really, when is it ever a good time to drop something and have to spend time cleaning it up?!? I think...never!

Past church bulletins, children's color sheets, meeting notes, bookmarks, sermon notes jotted on a piece of paper when I had forgotten my journal. It all fell out. I've always held my Bible close as it was much like a Diary to me and the thought of someone seeing some of my personal notes would have been devastating. It wasn't until I noticed a friend of mine continually opening and sharing her Bible with others that God began to show me how my Bible was something I should be opening wide and not covering up before others. One day she asked me to look something up in hers and the thought crossed my mind how she must really trust me with something so personal. 

God used this "sharing your Bible" thing to teach me on a deeper level that although we should be clinging to and guarding the Word, we should freely give it and share it. Therefore, what's on the inside matters. Taking this to a deeper level...if I open my Bible, or my heart to someone, what will they see inside? What does GOD see inside? I pray goodness and truths and hope are found. Whatever spills out, I pray it's good. This means I must be careful with my choices, and choose wisely what I hold on to.

"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:43-45 

When you are knocked down, what spills out? Good or evil? Good fruit or bad fruit? What you hold onto in your heart matters. Although no one wants to admit that "evil" comes out of us, we must be honest and own our sin. Sin is evil.

"And He said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." Mark 7:20-23 

It is never a good time to get knocked down. But it's only we are put to the test and shaken that what's on the inside can be honestly revealed. When something doesn't go your way, or someone says something ugly or incorrect about you, or even when the warfare against you is strong, what thoughts burst from within your heart and mind...and mouth? Remember that we also have to clean up our spill. The messier it is, the harder and longer it will take to clean up. 

Obviously when we are hurt, we are going to feel hurt, say we are hurt and even shed tears from being hurt, but what is attached to that hurt as it comes out? Gossip, revenge, deceit, bitterness, hatred? Or does your heart immediately cry out to the Lord for Him to take a hold of it as it breaks? Falling at the feet of Jesus and letting Him act on our behalf, strengthening in us at the same time with peace, forgiveness, self-control.

Like the commercial goes, "What's in your wallet?" Today, we must ask "What's in your heart?"

Forgiving and Just God,

How I pray for a heart that pleases You. When life shakes me up, give me eyes to see what You see in me that I may get rid of all the evil inside as it oozes out and fill my heart and soul with all that is good. Guide me Holy Spirit in self-control to make daily choices that led me on a path of goodness and mercy, purity and peace. Help me guard the influences around me, turning from all evil and taking in what is Good. Open my heart Father God and pour into me Your goodness and mercy, Your compassion and love and may I be bolder in sharing it with others. Your Word is a light unto my path, healing to my heart. Help me to hide Your Holy Word, engraving it into the depths of my mind, heart and soul so I may claim it's promises and power and rebuke the evil that tries to penetrate within it. I pray that when it is broken that it bleeds Your Blood which covers all my sin. Thank You Lord for Your perfect love. Be the core of me. Amen.

LOL...Tuesday Night JOY!!!!

We are The Dickerson Girls!!!! Living in a home with a man and 3 boys ages 15, 12 and 5, there is always action and believe it or not DRAMA!!! But that may be simply from the fact that there are SIX people living under the same roof and more than half of them are under the age of 15!!!!!

Tonight I am just returning home from my Tuesday Night WOMAN's Bible Study. It is led by an incredibly gifted, passionate and energetic, real, God-fearing and God-loving Woman of God. Her passion for Truth is contagious and as "iron sharpens iron" so she does. These Tuesday Night Studies have encouraged me and sharpened me in many ways, many more probably that I don't even realize until God one day says, "Lookie there!" Aside from the obvious study material and a teacher who is sure to drive home the "Better Get This" points, we also are held accountable for our scripture memory like no other!! If there was a buzzer, I bet she'd use it!! REALLY!!! 

It has been a fear of mine for most of my life to fail. Not only a fear of reflecting God in a negative light but also as a person who appears ignorant or "totally blonde." Years ago, I would have avoided a study like this where people are encouraged to talk and be vulnerable in their humanness. I would have run and not returned. Shy, Inadequate, not for me. I liked the video studies in large groups with obvious answers to the homework so I could hide in the back and be the first to leave before an social awkwardness in sued! I've heard the blonde jokes my whole life and yes they are funny but they also sink in, maybe not so funny afterall. I admit I do struggle with memory work with anything, not just scriptures and that feeds into my fear of feeling like a failure when I cannot remember something. As a Christian, if I followed all the commandments and trusted Him for everything and had His grace and joy and peace, I would not be having a bad day or a season of painful trials, right?!? How I thought I let God down every time I experienced a negative thought or behavior or didn't get something right. Not talking about how sin grieves Him, but me just being me and claiming to be His Child...how disappointed He must be in...me. 

One at a time, God brought into my life very special women who not only taught me Truths about God but also showed me Christ-like love. Not even knowing it, they were grace gifts to me from a loving God who saw me important enough to bring these amazing women into my life. 

So enters Tuesday Night Gals. I am asked to pray...outloud....infront of 20 people! Yikes! Please God don't make me look stupid infront of them. God, please help me remember their names so I don't look stupid. I am given the opportunity to do logistics and praying I don't mess something up horribly and reflect poorly on our teacher who I stand representing, and Christ, and NEHBC. Me, me, me. Week after week, this "me" turned to You.

I was given the opportunity to be myself, and be accepted and loved and challenged through these studies...it has been a tool God has and is using to draw my heart and mind into alignment with His. Do I trust Him to use even me?!? Can I walk in Grace that I can honor Him simply by trusting Him in these inadequacies I see in me. Do I trust that He has me covered!?! YES!!!!! FINALLY I can say YES!!! Time and time again He has shown me His amazing Grace!! Throughout the love poured through this unique core group, I am sharpened, cutting through to the heart and spirit, dividing truth from lies, bondages and a hardened heart. There is joy unending. There is freedom in real love. God has used these evenings to open up layers of "stuff."

Although I have to be honest that I prefer to pray quietly and blend in rather than be in the front and center of stuff, I count it a joy and honor to pray aloud. What a privilege to not only speak on others' behalf in intercession or petition but to share my own personal intimacy with the Lord with the other women. While I do stand with a reverent fear of words and purity of heart that pleases the Lord, there is no concern for what other think about me or my prayers. I am where I am and it is what it is! My relationship with the Lord is more important to me than anything anyone may say. I know that He loves me unconditionally because His Word says so, even though I don't fully get it and certainly don't deserve it, I do want my words and thoughts to be pleasing to Him; therefore there is no condemnation (aka:failing) with the Lord. He sees my heart and for that, I have freedom from judgement.

Freedom of judgment brings such great joy to my heart after sooooo many years of guarding it so closely!!! God has blessed me sooooo much over the past few years that I sit here bubbling with joy, nearly laughing with a full heart, a sure testimony of the graciousness and goodness of God!! There is just something special that takes place with "the girls." There's a mutual understanding. There's a laugh that comes from the center of your heart that happens when girls are together. Yes, I love my husband and my kids but tonight I am focused on the relationships between Just the Girls and how precious and refreshing and fun it is. Sometimes it is hard, those relationships are out there too. But tonight, I am looking up to the Heavens counting one blessing at a time, naming all my Sister Friends by name!! How grateful I am for the gift of Sisterhood!! 

The blessings and lessons are many and I think my heart has bubbled over with many words so I will say Good Night and God Bless You with a heart full of His Love and Grace!!!

Thank You Jesus for blessing us in community within our families, church and and the world and especially for those near whom You have given to meet us in the center of our life, our heart where You placed them for such a time as this. I do not fear failing, just fear missing out on giving You due glory, honor and praise. Lord, forgive me when I sin and grieve You. My heart and mind want to be excellent for You and not for the impression of those watching. May my heart, mind and soul be so centered and grounded in You that I can stand confident and courageous in the face of the enemy. God, I worship You above all others for there is none like You!! My spirit and heart are full this Tuesday Night and I thank You Lord for that nourishment, encouragement and opportunity to experience joy in Your Name. Humbled and Happy, because You live, amen. 

Please Wait...Warming Up!

Sunday I was needing to make some copies for the kiddos and I had just enough time to make them. Afterall, I only needed 8 small copies. I could do that in 15 minutes, for sure.

Trying to save time, I headed to the downstairs copier which I hardly ever use. I clicked the button and it displayed "Warming up" on the panel. Hurry, Hurry...only have a second to warm up, I've got to go!!  As it warmed up, I got my papers ready to go....but I could not find the by-pass tray for my card stock. Well, maybe it handles both types of paper through it's feeder. Nope!! Paper jam! I soooo didn't have time for THAT!

I quickly took care of the paper jam and ran upstairs to the use the copier I was familiar with and could almost work on with my eyes closed! Cardstock in the by pass tray, 8 copies please..."Please wait. Warming up..." What?!?! I HAVE been waiting and you should already be warmed up Mr Big Copy Machine!!! I was surely out of minutes now!! It was just 8 copies I needed!!!

Anger at the machine filled me, as if it was the machine's fault that it was doing what was necessary to get me what I needed. By this time, I was sure that my group had gathered and I was missing out on the prayer time, more anger but this time at myself for not just coming up here to begin with when I knew it would get the job done. I put my hands on the Big Copier and took a deep breath, angry yet knowing I was doing all I could. In that pause, I began to  feel the calmness and correction of the Holy Spirit in that moment. 

Peace be still. 

Do not sin in your anger. 

Wait on Me. 

Be patient. 

All things work together for good.

The copier had to have that warming up time to work properly. After what seemed like 300 minutes, the display changed to "Ready." At the push of the button, copies were made and my task was done, making it downstairs to the bowing of the heads for our prayer time. Gracious God.

How much more efficient would we be if we too had a "warming up" period. Each time we approached a decision or situation a display read, "Please wait. Warming up...." Wouldn't we benefit in our efficiency if we took the time to wait and warm up, waiting on God to say "Ready." 

I was reminded today of a few things:

* While trying new things can be good, there are some truths that we must stick to so we don't end up in a "jam."

* Be careful who you hold responsible for your thoughts. They are yours afterall.

* Take time to "warm up." There is a reason athletes warm up and stretch before they compete, so they don't get hurt. Take that time to pause, take a deep breath inhaling the wisdom of God into our mind and soul.

* Wait till HE says you're "Ready." We should neither rush ahead of God or drag behind.

Father God,

There is no one as long suffering as You. Your patience and endurance are infinite. To You, time has an eternal view but for us, it's ticking away. The older we get, the faster it seems to go. Until we find ourselves in Glory where there is no timeline, help us manage the time here on Earth efficiently, in our bodies that are wasting away. Help us to wait and not rush the tasks You have before us. In our "warming up" periods, we ask the Holy Spirit to give us self-control in the moments that seem to take longer than we want them to. Help us trust You and Your perfect timing for everything we face. Your ways are good. Your ways are right.
Thank You Gracious God for having the Way and the plan for everything we face today and forever. Help us learn the discipline of "warming up" in You. In Your Son's Eternally Faithful Name, we pray, amen.

Psalm 25

"To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, in You I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. 3 Indeed, none who wait for You shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. 4 Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long. 

6 Remember Your mercy, O LORD, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O LORD! 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. 

11 For Your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. 12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. 13 His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. 14The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and 

He makes known to them His covenant.

15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He will pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. 18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. 19Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. 20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. 21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles." 

At the Picnic Table with JESUS!!

The day I "found" Jesus. I have know of the Lord my whole life. I was fortunate to be raised by two parents who loved the Lord and had our family in church every time the doors were open. We served in the Children/Youth ministries, Handbell Choirs, Dramas and Musicals, Communion, Conferences, Mission Trips, Youth Camps, etc. I haven't missed very many Sunday worship services in my lifetime. I am grateful for the foundation of faithfulness laid by my parents.

Although I choose Christ as my own personal Savior in 1986, there were seasons in my life I felt like I couldn't find Him. There was a void in my heart and soul. 2009 was just a season. I was searching and reading in the Word as the restoration process went on. There was just something missing then. I knew He was there with me and yet I felt doubtful. Anxiety is my personal thorn and in times like these, Satan gets in this healing wound and poisons it with thoughts like, "you know He's done being gracious with you," "are you really praying for that again," "He has others with bigger problems than yours," "He doesn't want to hear all your whining," "you're just not smart or special," "the void is because you're not trying hard enough." When really the problem is that I was sinning in my disbelief. I doubted His grace, patience, peace and faithfulness to me to never leave me or forsake me, never give me more than I can bear, and that He is eternal in everything, for everyone!!!

Our family decided to get away for the weekend and headed to a family camp. Each morning I woke up and walked to the lake just down from the cabin to have my quiet time with the Lord. There was a typical picnic table there at the edge where I would sit and read and pray. It was beautiful and quiet. I love being by the water. 

This particular morning I was feeling this great void in my heart and soul. I felt empty. The poison of lies began again. I am just never going to be the same (and He knew better-PRAISE GOD I haven't been!!!), I am not worth His time, This is just my discipline for doubting Him all these years, His time is better spent helping those who are super-Christians, living full out for Him or for those who are hurting so deeply. I was just normal and didn't really matter in the big picture. To my family, I mattered. The World, I could leave and no one would probably notice my absence.

I closed my Bible, laid my head down on the picnic table and prayed, "God, am I more than nothing? Do I really matter? I believe in You and love You more than anyone and anything but I am afraid I have lost value in Your eyes. I want to find You close to me. I want to live a life pleasing to You, not grieving You. Please forgive my whinings. Forgive where I have been a coward. Help me know You better and trust in Your love. Amen." After a few quiet moments, keeping my head down, I opened my eyes. Looking down at the dirt, I found JESUS shining in the dirt.

You will see in the picture above JESUS right there in the dirt. I quickly looked around to see who's it could be...at 6am mind you! JESUS?!?

My wondering soul just anchored down. My mind was centered. My heart leaped! I FOUND JESUS!! WooooHooooo!!!! Sweet JESUS!!!!! He really is near...literally!! This was hysterically awesome!!! I had sat there in that same spot several times and yet, JESUS came that morning to meet with me! What was lost, was found. Sight overcame blindspots. Salvation in a season of needing refuge and strength...and proof with gentle correction. (Keeping it real as there must be correction when we sin.)

I found it and knew it was a message straight for me, and I got it! There was no one around to ask, so I get to keep it right?!? This is totally my new ring that I will never take off!! Well, no. Being a person of strong ethics, I knew I needed to turn it into the office. Someone was missing their JESUS. I walked it up to the office, wishing it could just be mine but knowing the right thing to do. I handed it to the lady telling her where I had found it. She looked at me and said, "Looks like JESUS is yours. No one has reported it missing. If someone comes in asking for it I will call you but otherwise, it's yours."

What joy filled me!!! It was a real-life miracle. A testimony no doubt. How could you possibly doubt something tangible!!!! A tangible message from a listening and speaking God. God knew me and the depths of my heart, mind and soul. He knows that I am a "prove it to me" personality, hence anxiety that makes me question everything. Today, in my moment of doubt, anxious or trial, I can literally cling to my JESUS!! I am reminded He is near. He's on me and I am spoken for!! Amen and Hallelujah!!  

Just as my wedding ring doesn't make me married, neither does this ring make me a Believer. Removing it doesn't remove my relationship to God or my Husband. The rings are outward symbols of the commitment made. Both from me to my Spouse, my Spouse to me, and to my God and my God to me. With my wedding ring on my left and JESUS on my right, I testify that I am committed. I am also spoken for. You cannot have me cuz I am already in The Arms of Ones who love me.

Next time you feel a void, won't you seek, ask and knock. There may not be a ring at your feet when you open your eyes, but there will be proofs. God is not going to leaving you standing at the door, He is going to open it for you. But you must knock! He's invited you, won't you come. Take a seat at His table and enjoy His fellowship. If you don't get an answer, I'd be sure I was knocking at the right door cuz you may be knocking at the wrong door.

Be aware of sinful and poisonous lies. Rebuke them. Know The Truth by being in His Word!!! It's the only way to recognize the lies. In JESUS....

You are NOT nothing! You ARE special!

You are NOT worthless! You ARE worth dying for!

You are NOT hated! You ARE Loved!!

You are NOT stupid! You ARE Wise!!

You are NOT helpless! You ARE powerful!

You are NOT conquered! You ARE a Conqueror!

You are NOT sick! You ARE Healed!! 

You are NOT lost!! You ARE Found!!!

 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:7-11

Amen and Hallelujah!! 

OUCH!

OUCH is right!! Boy did that one hurt! And yes, that IS a black eye, not make-up! (I actually received a lot of compliments on how great I looked with my "new make-up!" lol) This was my very first black eye. As soon as I fell, I felt the pain swelling up in me...literally!! It hurt. It was obvious. My eye and cheek began to swell immediately eventhough upon the initial impact it was flesh colored. As days went by, the swelling and pain diffused and it began to look more normal and eventually did heal. The array of colors lasted longer than the pain, praise GOD!!!!

That was back in 2009. The picture below was taken just last week and guess what....injury to the face, again. Adjusting some handlebars on my daughter's bike popped me good. Nope, no black eye...it wasn't hard enough to even cause an uproar or change colors but it sure hurt! I am the only one that feels the pain and noticed the tiny bit of swelling it caused. As recent as yesterday, it was tender to apply my foundation over it. 

That's how it is with hurts. Some are obvious and while others go unnoticed to those around us. Everyone can see obvious injuries but many little injuries go unseen. There was just no way for me to hide that peacock of an eye I had. I could only attempt to camouflage it with make-up and hair. Today, no problem, just a little extra powder, hair parted off to the side and sunglasses...good to go!

This was a good reminder for me today:

People are hurting (including this smiling face sometimes) all around us. 
Be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to interceed on their behalf through encouragement, prayer, help. Last week was a really tough week for me and a friend of mine walked up to me at church handing me a Panera Gift Card and said, "God put you on my heart this week and wanted me to encourage you." I cannot tell you what that meant to me. That my friend was being sensitive to the whispers of God. That she cared enough about me to follow thru. And that God cared enough and was saying "Yes Michele, I am here." 

Hurts come in all shapes and colors.
No hurt, betrayal, grief, pain, stress looks the same for one person, much less everyone. If God allows our pains as a testing of our faith, or a refining and pruning or maybe even a discipline, then in wisdom and faith, we can confidently cling to the hope that He is with us as we walk through the fire. There is a greater glory coming than this temporary suffering.

It takes time to heal.
I know, me too. We are hurt and we want to make the hurt stop asap!! However, if everything has purpose, then we cannot assume we are going to have a life of no pain. Our Lord who is perfect and blameless even endured suffering and pain. Not everything can be solved with a bandaid and a little oil. One time prayer may not be enough. We may have to uncover/reveal our hurt in order to process in a healthy way. We may have to get on our knees before the Lord day after day, week after week and maybe even year after year. Healing is a process as diverse as the colors in the spectrum. Until we finish that process till completion (whatever God has planned), it's going to be tender. But again, we can rest assured that He sees us, He is with us, healing is coming. Our ultimate healing and restoration will come in the throne-room of Heaven.

Action steps:
Give Grace. To yourself as you walk through the process of healing. To others who may have hidden hurts as they walk through their healing process.

Give. Just give whatever it is God tells you to give, to whomever God tells you to give, including to yourself. We can be our own worst sabotager. When you're not sure what to give, you can never go wrong with the gift of prayer!!


"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5: 2-5

"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door." James 5:7-9

Thank You Lord God, my Healer, Redeemer, my Refuge, my Savior and Friend. Your touch quenches these dry bones. Restore us to Your glory. Forgive us Lord when we doubt Your plan and question Your promises. Deepen our faith and trust in You. We praise Your Name and we believe that we have healing and joy through the Blood that covers us and fills us. In Your Perfect and Faithful Name, amen. 

SURFS UP!!! Are you protected?

"What happened?" "Did something happen with one of the kids?" "What set you off?!?"

These were the questions several of you were sweet and curious enough to ask after a recent Facebook post about "Issues." For those who did not see it, here's the post:

SOOOOO hard to let go of your children, even when you trust God and know God is in control!!! I know I have peers and younger ones on my Facebook, so I will say this to both:

Parent to Parent: PLEASE CHECK YOUR KIDS PHONES AND EMAILS AND FBK MESSAGES!!!! Yes, takes extra time and they may not like it, but it's important for them to know they are still under your accountability and authority and i

t's our responsibility to set boundaries and correct bad choices. Don't put your child's friend in the position to have to go tell a parent! Every Parent should already know!!! Be in their DIGITAL WORLD and ask about what they've seen and heard each day.
Grieves my heart to hear what goes on even in JUNIOR HIGH!!! Makes me struggle with "control" and letting them go. Phil 4:13, trusting He is in control!!!
Blogging about DIGITAL Parental Controls tomorrow!! Then hopefully Thursday, SPIRITUAL Parent Controls. Parents, we need each other!!! Where two or more are gathered...!

Teens: PLEASE REMEMBER THAT DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS ARE PERMANENT!!!! In these days, what you put out there can instantly be shared with all the world!!! Everything done in darkness will come to Light! If you want someone to tell you you're beautiful/handsome and worthy, give yourself to GOD, not immature boys/girls! You're value and image is reflected in Christ! Hold on to it and guard it!! You are wonderfully made and created for a purpose!!!!! You don't deserve anything less than what God has planned for you!!! If someone wants a piece of you, make them go through your Abba Daddy to get to you!!!! Christians, hold each other accountable!! Help each other be pure and strong!!! Where two or more are gathered....Honor your Father!!

And there it is....yep, I was at the end of my rope with EVERYTHING!!! Ever have one of these kid of days...or weeks...inside-out and backwards!

Well, I was! No matter what I did right it only seemed that 2 things would go wrong. One step forward and two steps back, so it seemed. Just a "toss in the towel" week, or two actually.

Without getting into specifics about who and what, I will share my "issue." Bottom line is technology can be very dangerous. I cannot believe these words are about to come out of my mouth (I'm actually old enough to say it-wow), but BACK IN MY DAY, there weren't computers in the home that could access something called the internet and there weren't cell phone that not only will allow you to talk to anyone, anywhere and even via live stream but they can also access anything you could could possibly want in the world...any item, any information. 

Just like anything, there is a choice...it is a choice you have to make cuz these things in of themselves are not evil but we choose to use them for good or evil. I receive inbox messages often from others thanking me for the encouraging words shared on Facebook while so many others spew hatred or junk out there. I choose to use my life and the resources God has given me to bless, not curse. Not bragging but sharing the strength and joy that comes from having a personal relationship with Christ and choosing to live a life, best as this sinner is able, to honor Him. 

With the privileges we all have with things (fame, money, technology, etc) there comes with it responsibility to use it responsibly and for the Christian-respectfully and honoring Christ. We have the choice to use our things for good or evil, and it is our responsibility to set up whatever boundaries necessary to make sure we do. If we struggle with overeating, we should stay away from buffets. If we struggle with alcohol, we should stay away from environments or people who drink. If we gamble, we should stay away from money-pits. If we struggle with purity, we should have major filters on our "media." Whatever our vice, we need accountability and filters!

This brings me back to my post! DIGITAL Parental Controls! WE...THE PARENTS...MUST put them on EVERYTHING!!! I didn't even realize what was out there and what all my different gadgets could do. The Wii, PS3, Desktop and IPhones/Cells all have access to the internet. Unless you put up blocks or filters, they can look up anything!!!! Stuff you don't want them to see. While there is a ton of awesome uses for the internet, we need to set those guards up so our kids are only able to be in the "safety zone."

I am shocked at the things I see on the Internet with teens pictures! And it's not just the girls!!! Guys are flexing and showing undergarmets too, all talking about their weekend happenings. Are there really that many parties going on out there?!? And the things texted, wow! Conversations these days progress faster than "back in my day." I always wonder what the parent would do if they actually saw or read what their child had just posted or sent. When my kids come home and tell me what they've seen, I immediately say a prayer for the parent to please find out. I too want to know what my kids are up to. It should not be up to another child to report the misuse of media to their friend's parent. I doubt anyone would ever actually do that.

What if every parent were active in their own kids phones/computers? What if there were filters in place that prevented adult content to leak out into our kid's worlds, even for us adults who struggle with our own purity temptations. There is much that NO ONE needs to see. We shared a statistic in our SS Class a few weeks ago that the Pornography Industry profits more than all the Sporting Industries combined!! That's a LOT!! And we wonder why many marriages are being destroyed, sex-trafficking is on the rise and why it's so hard to find a show or movie that is void of sexual content!

So, I am a Mom on Mission to protect the Digital purity of my home, that includes my husband and I, our children, as well as any guests that come into our home. While we cannot protect them at every turn, and I wish I could force filters out to everyone under the age of 18, we have the responsibility and ability to do what we can. Filtering 75% is better than 0%. (Yes there are the legal warnings that you must be 18 or older, but what good is that if the child has the password!?!)

I am in the process of learning myself what our legal and moral consequences/responsibilities are, I hope to put together a little workshop for parents but I wanted to put a feeler out there and see if anyone would even be interested in digging in, getting the information and having accountability with it. If so, please email me.

Meanwhile...for you ITunes people...did you know that Apps and ITunes have ratings?!?! I had no clue! I have officially removed YouTube, ITunes and App Store from all the cells. If we want to see something on there, it can be done at home on the desktop where there is accountability and a history. If someone wants to make a purchase, it must go through Mom or Dad since only we know the password (for every device!!!) and all purchases can be seen on the ITunes desktop. Even if a purchase isn't made, scrolling aimlessly through the App store can be dangerous too, just reading about all the apps with MA ratings and seeing the promo pictures is too much for little eyes.

So, I challenge and encourage you to take charge for the DIGITAL purity in YOUR OWN home!!!! No, your kids will probably not like it cuz like we already established, there is some good and they may simply be having fun, but it only takes a spark to get a fire going! If you or your spouse are the ones who struggle with DIGITAL purity, then change the passwords, put on stricter filters, get accountability and counsel and pray, pray, pray!!!! There is nothing God cannot free you from.

I am eager to learn what I can to clean my home from the inside out!! Remember that it is your responsibility to clean yours!!!! To GOD be the glory in every digit of our world.

*EMAIL me if you'd want to take a class from me which would be basics on what I will have learned and implemented in my own home. SURFS UP!!! 

Michele

happymomfour@comcast.net