Marvelous Monday: Thirst

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”   John 4: 13-14

I love to be in Big Church.  I'm usually with the kiddo's, but every other month I get to sit in with the big folks.  This is a treat for me.  I went on a three year dry spell from hearing the Word taught by our pastor due to the fact that I had no help on Sunday's with the Children's Ministry.  And I've really enjoyed my month this time.  We're still in the midst of the 40 days of prayer for the lost and we were back in John 4 in big church today. 

We were back on the water again to be exact.  Living water, that is.  My pastor brought out a point that I wanted to expand on.  What is thirst?  It is a physical need.  The woman at the well was confused as to what kind of water Jesus was offering her.  She thought He had some kind of magic water that meant she wouldn't have to come draw at the well each day.  What she didn't know was that she had a thirst of the spiritual kind.  She had an emptiness in her that only the 'living water' could fill.  In her present state, she had an unquenchable thirst that could only be filled by the kind of water He could offer to her.

We are the same way.  We have a thirst that will drive us to seek out any kind of water to relieve us.  But until we find the 'living water', our thirst will never be truly quenched.  When we do find the 'living water' that He has offered to us...a more refreshing drink we could never find.  We are filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit.  We have no room left for the other 'dirty water' that is out there.

Once we've had a taste of the 'living water' we have no desire for the other stuff.  It's like comparing sweet tea to unsweet or Coke to Pepsi.  Once you've had the real thing the rest isn't going to satisfy.  If you've found the real stuff, the 'living water', won't you share it with your neighbor, co-worker, check-out lady, someone?  It's too good to keep to yourself!

I Forgive You, I think

Forgive and forget.  Forgive you neighbor.  Forgive others as He forgave you.  Forgive seventy times seven.  I've heard them all, have you?  It's just the 'Christian' thing to do.  We forgive any and everyone who offends us, cuts us off on the highway, hurts our feelings, breaks into our car, or anything else someone could possibly do to us.  Because that's what Christ would do.  Forgive.  Turn the other cheek.  But do we really forgive as Christ does?

I don't know about your bible, but in mine it says that He will remember my sins no more.  It also tells me that they have been cast into the depths of the sea.  Is that how I forgive others?  Um, no...I may say that I forgive someone or something and most times I mean it, but I still remember it.  I don't cast it into a 'sea of forgetfulness'.  Instead, it gets locked in a little compartment in my mind for Satan to find and bring out some day.

So, how do I display biblical forgiveness?  I must say that I have no idea.  But I did do a little definition digging and really liked this version:

Forgiveness is typically defined as the process of concluding resentment, indignation or anger as a result of a perceived offense, difference or mistake, and/or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution (wikipedia)

Now I can do a process.  I can recognize an offense.  I can extend the forgiveness.  I can really mean it.  But how do you conclude resentment or anger?  Let me know when you figure that one out.  The only way I know how to do that is to seek the help of the ultimate Forgiver.  If you truly desire to display forgiveness, then give it to Him.  When Satan tries to rear his ugly head, pick up the Word and read passages on forgiveness.  Pray.  Get an accountability partner.  Replace angry and resentful thoughts with pure, good ones.

I want to be a picture of Him on this earth.  I want to glorify Him.  True forgiveness is one trait that He has that I want to display to others (and for myself).  I don't know how to do it in my own power, but I know that through Him and the Holy Spirit that dwells in me, I am able. 

 

and check me out again today at:

Devotional Christian: Spark Plugs

The Right Path

'This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'  Jeremiah 6:16

At the beginning of this year I decided to try something new.  Instead of making a New Year's resolution that I'd never keep I chose a verse for the year as well as a word of the year.  Above you see the verse that I chose.  If there ever was a verse to describe my life this is it.  I have spent many years of my life down the wrong road.  I can even pinpoint the exact crossroad that I came to that resulted in so many lost years.

I had just started college and I had the choice:  a Christian sorority or a Greek (secular) one?  I had no guidance.  No one came up to me and offered to help me choose.  No one really acted like it mattered which one I chose.  So when the girls in the Greek sorority showed interest and told me about all the great things that they did- I chose them.  Boy was that the wrong decision.  I'm not saying that there is something wrong with a Greek sorority or that they are bad, but for me it was not the best choice.

I had a hole in my heart that I was trying to fill up with people and things when I should've been filling it up with Him.  I didn't seek His wisdom or pray about what I should do.  I did not ask where the good way was and I sure didn't walk in it.  And guess what?  I didn't find rest for my soul.  The rest of the verse goes like this:

 But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'

That is exactly what I said.  Just like the passage goes on to say I was brought into destruction because I refused to walk the right path.  But He is merciful and desires the best for His children.  He allowed me to open my eyes and seek the right path.  I am thankful to say that I am walking in it.  It is hard and I find myself reaching for His hand daily to help me walk.  But I'm doing it one step at a time.

Won't you seek the right path for your life today?  When He shows it to you will you be willing to walk in it with Him? 

Find me over at Devotional Christian today also!  Well, actually yesterday, but I'm there!

Tuesday's Unwrapped: Plowin'

'When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?'  Isaiah 28:24

Last night at bible study we finished up the final week of 'Breaking Free'.  One of our group facilitators mentioned a prayer she heard on the radio a few weeks ago where the pastor was talking about plowing.  She said that for the last few weeks she's been praying and asking God to plow her heart.

What a great prayer!  Beth talks about not leaving aspects of your life open to the devil's schemes.  Guard your heart and keep Christ at the front of all you do.  But what about those things that we've buried way down deep.  Things that we sometimes may not remember are even there.  What do we do about those?  Because you know the devil.  He's gonna come at you with everything he's got.  Looking for something that he can use to get a foothold into your mind.

Ask God to crank up His heavenly John Deere and get to plowin'.  Be willing to let Him till up the depths and bring those things that you've stuffed waaayyyy down deep, deep, deep...up into the light of day.  You can give those things to Him that He has shown to you and let him heal you.  Get rid of that buried junk so that Satan cannot come at you.  Because anytime you go about the business of getting 'in tight' with God the devil is gonna come a callin'.   Don't give him the opportunity he's looking for! 

Marvelous Monday: What Kind of Water are YOU Drinking?

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."  John 4:10

What kind of water are you drinking?  Well water?  City water?  Bottled water?  Is there a difference?  You bet there is!  Just ask anyone who has well water.  Us good ol' country folks love some well water.  If we go into the city and drink the water we can smell the chlorine before the water ever touches our lips.  And the taste?  Oh really!  The chlorine is overwhelming.  Yes, I vote well water hands down!

Now you city folks may say the exact opposite.  You may appreciate that fresh chlorinated taste.  It means that your water is clean.  I've heard well water called 'dirty' because it's not filtered, treated, and bled of all its good nutrients.  Do you know what is in that stuff?  No wonder the kids who are from the country are a little bit different!

Whichever water you choose as the best is going to depend upon your preconceived opinions.  If you grew up with city water, you most likely will pick that one.  If you were raised on well water, then that will be your beverage of choice.  Much like the water in the verse above.  Jesus was offering the Samaritan woman 'living water'.  This wasn't just any water.  It would quench her thirst so she'd never be thirsty again.  She was raised on city water so she didn't know what he meant with this so called 'living water'.

Are you willing to accept the 'living water' that He has offered to you?  If you have, then what are you doing with it?  Are you hoarding it for yourself in fear that you may need it one day when your well goes dry?  Or are you sharing it with others so that everyone around you has a chance for this eternal water?  He has offered you the opportunity to choose which kind of water you want to drink from.  I, for one, choose the 'living water' please.  Served up with a side of eternal life--what about you?

He Loves me...He loves me not?

He loves me...He loves me not...He loves me...He loves me not...  Remember that from childhood?  You'd pick a flower of some kind (mine were those yellow weed things that grow when the grass gets to tall--what are they?  Dandelions?  Who knows...) and you'd pick the petals off one by one as you chanted?  And oh how you'd try to get it timed right so that the last petal to fall would be on 'he loves me'. 

I've felt that way in my relationship with my Heavenly Father.  Sure I know the bible says He loves me and the song does too (Yes, Jesus loves me...), but sometimes I just don't FEEL it in my heart of hearts.  Anyone else feel that way or is it just me?  It is a feeling of despair, hopelessness, and just oppression.  It's a smothering sensation that you just want to get away from.  It brings on fear, doubt, anxiety, and a whole host of other things.

Which brings me to my next question-what do you do when you wonder if He loves you?  When you just want to get that 'feeling' of love back into your mind.  Where do you turn?  There is one thing that He has given us in these times of utter despair-His Word.  In numerous places you can find promises He has made to us of His unending, everlasting, unconditional love.  But until you pick up the book and actually read it you will not reap the benefits of what is inside of it.  Not only picking it up and reading the words, but choosing to believe what has been breathed there by His very breath.

Yes!  That is it!  I must choose to believe the truths that He has spoken about me.  I am His.  He loves me.  He will never leave or forsake me.  He has given me everything I need for life and godliness.  I am holy.  I am righteous.  I am forgiven.  I have no need to fear.  I am more than a conqueror.  I am His and He is mine.  He LOVES me...

'May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you'.  Psalm 33:22



This post written in response to this Thursday Jam!



Wiping His Feet With My Tears

 'When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.'  Luke 7:37-38

Can you imagine what this woman was thinking as she knelt before Jesus.  Do you think she was concerned about what everyone else was thinking?  Do you think she was worried about what she looked like?  If her perfume cost enough?  Did it smell good enough?  Would He rebuke her?  Push her away?

In spite of all her failures and all that she had done wrong she had the faith that He could somehow make it right.  She gave all she had to buy a little bottle of perfume which she opened and poured upon His feet.  Do you know this story?  Do you know what He said to her?

'Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."  Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."'  Luke 7: 47-48


Sounds to me like her gamble paid off.  She put it all on the line and she was forgiven.  She left her comfort zone and pretty much made a spectacle of herself for Him, but I bet if you asked her (and you can when you get to heaven) she wouldn't change it for a minute.  What about you?  Are you willing to lay it all on the line?  Are you willing to admit your mistakes and failures to others?  What about giving all you have to Him?

These are hard things to do.  Seemingly impossible.  But I think the benefits outweigh the negatives, don't you?  The last thing Jesus said to this nameless woman was the best news yet:

 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."   Luke 7:50


Ah peace.  His peace.  Priceless.  Worth anything we have to give.  I'm willing to give my all and lay it all on the altar to have Him.  When I get to heaven I hope I'm able to wash His feet.  The feet of my Savior.  Think about what you're willing to do for Him today.

Tuesday's Unwrapped

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

  Genesis 11:4


The comfort of our good 'ol pride.  Does your's feel like a well-worn shirt or your favorite 'ugly' sweater?  Mine does.  I like to wear it.  It makes me feel good.  It gives me worth.  My pride in my work, my singing (even though it may not be that great), the fact that I think I can do something better than someone else. 
What is wrong with this picture?



The tower of Babel



Just like the ancient builders of the tower of Babel I am relying too much on my self.  What I can do.  How well I can do something.  What I should be focused on is how well He can do so and so through me.  What I should be concerned about is whether or not my actions and attitude are glorifying Him.  Am I taking the credit for the work He has done in my life?



Our 'towers of Babel'



What about you today?  Do you wrestle with the issue of pride?  It can rear it's ugly head at any time.  We need to be armed and ready to recognize it and stomp it out!  We need to keep Christ and our reflection of Him at the center of our lives at every moment.  The more we do that, the more instinctutal it becomes.  And instead of being prideful we become humble in His sight.

Mar-FLU-velous Monday

Yes, I just made up a new word.  It describes what has been going on around my house for the last week.  I thank God this Monday that our flu outbreak has been contained (so far) to our sweet Sam and my hubby (who had a very short one day version of it).  But poor Sam has been SO sick.  All I can do is comfort him and pray for him.  That is what this mama has been doing this week, how about you?

I was able to make it to church Sunday (thanks to Nana) and actually got to sit in on the sermon for the first time in 2 months (I am the Children's Pastor so that is where I usually spend my Sunday mornings).  I'm glad I was able to hear Preacher Phil's message.  You may remember a few weeks ago I mentioned that we're doing a 40 day prayer journey for the lost.  Today we were challenged to choose one or two names and pray purposely for those people.

We also looked at John 4 and the story of the Samaritan woman at the well.  We only got to point number 1, but it was a good one!  In verse 4 it says:

'And He had to pass through Samaria.'

A very short sentence, but one that means so much.  Jesus didn't just happen to go through Samaria.  He had to go.  He had to go because there was a woman there who needed to hear about the Living Water.  And He knew it.  Therefore, He passed through Samaria.  What is your Samaria?  Is it your workplace, the grocery store, the baseball game?  Where is the place that He has you 'passing through'?  We must see these as places that He puts us in for a purpose.  There is most likely someone there that needs to see Jesus in you and me.

Next time Jesus has you passing through Samaria keep your head up and your eyes open.  Look for who is placed in your path along the way.  Be ready to tell someone what your Savior has done for you and what He can do for them.  Don't waste the journey that He is sending you on! 

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

  'And the greatest of these is love'.  1 Corinthians 13:13

The time has come for another Thursday Jam over at Faith Barista.  This week's topic is 'What I wished someone had told me about marriage'.  Oh boy....

Where do I go with this one?  Don't we all enter into marriage on the blind side?  If we had our senses about us, most of us wouldn't have married the person we did (not that this is true in my case).  In any event, there are just things that we wished we would've known before we took the big leap into forever. 

I must say that my hubby and I did the whole pre-marital counseling thing and did a really good job at bumbling through a really uncomfortable time.  Neither one of us likes to talk about 'stuff' and to be encouraged to do so just was not our cup of tea.  But we did it and I'm glad we did.  I read the books, he didn't, and we got married.  And that was that.

BUT- there are some things that I wish I'd known.  Or maybe I did know, but just didn't want to listen to.  Like the fact that it was OK for him to go play basketball with his buddies. I wish he'd have known once was OK, but not twice a week.  I also wished I'd have known we were both messy.  Maybe I'd have taken more of an initiative to be cleaner, but probably not. 

I have to say that that first year was a hard one.  Had we not believed in the institute of marriage and the fact that we were stuck with each other no matter what, we probably wouldn't have made the effort to make it work.  Unfortunately, we are seeing that a lot lately, even in the church.  Kids getting married because they think it will be fun, but when they find out it's not so much at first--they just give up and go their different ways.

That is not what God intended when he created the institute of marriage.  It is up to us, the more 'mature' married couples, to lead the younger ones.  To show them how to fight for their marriages and their families.  If they don't see it in action, then they'll follow the example of the world.  So consider finding a young couple to befriend, mentor, or just hang out with.  It can make a difference that you may not even realize.

'Then they (older women) can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.'  Titus 2:4-5 

Who Knew?

I have been honored in the past two days to be the recipient of the 'Stylish Blogger Award'!  Who knew I could be stylish!  A big thank you to Debbie over at Writin 4 Him and to Kelli and Heidi at Mothers on Mission for the honor.  Make sure you hop over and check them out.  I promise you'll come away encouraged!

So, in following the rules, I must list seven things you may not know about me.  Here goes...

1).  I grew up in Belton,SC and swore I'd never live here....well, guess what?  I do! In my husband's grandparent's old house.  It's old, but the hubby remodeled it...and the payments are CHEAP!

2).  My husband and I lived beside each other for about a year when we were kids.  We dated once when I was in college, but it didn't work out.  We met back up after I moved back into the area-that's a whole other story for another day.  We started dating in Feb. and were married in October.  We flew to Cancun right after 9/11...we were almost the only crazy people on the plane...which leads to #3

3).  I HATE to fly...hate. Hate.  Hate.  If I can't drive to it I won't see it this side of heaven (OK so obviously I need to work on that!)!

4).  I have always been afraid of the dark...not so much now (unless the hubby is out of town), but we do leave a night light on in the hall (for the kids, you know). 

5).  I LOVE to read.  I can read an entire book (like a really long one) in one day!  But I sometimes read the ending first to make sure it turns out OK-don't want to waste my time :-)

6).  I am messy.  I confess it.  I am NOT neat.  I will never be neat.  Please don't drop by my house Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday because we cannot find the door to let you in (those are the days I work my paid job and get up before Jesus so housework is just not on the agenda).

7).  I am not a people person.  Does that sound bad?  I'm sorry.  I'm just not.  If I know you, OK.  But if I don't, that's OK too.  And yes, I am working on this one also!  I am sssoo much better than I used to be (much to my hubby's delight), but that just is not my gift.  And I must confess that I'm glad it's not!



Me and my 4 favorite guys!



Whew!  Glad that is over.  The last part of the award is that I get to honor some other fellow bloggers with The Stylish Blogger award.  Please take the time to check these guys out (gals)--you'll be blessed!

Jenifer--Sweet Blessings

Lisa--A Moment with God

Phil--Inspirations from Phather Phil

Nancy--Walking the Walk

Guys, you can refer back to Debbie's post for detailed instructions on what you should do with your award!

Tuesday's Unwrapped

 

Sunday night I was reading the story of Jesus feeding the large crowd to my boys when a verse stood out at me.  I've read this story 100 times and never saw this.

'So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.'  John 6:13


This statement is made after the people had been fed from the young boy's lunch of 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish.  A lot of people.  A whole lot of them.  What struck me is the amount of leftover food they collected.  Bear with me here...there were 12 disciples.  I can see them walking among this huge throng of people collecting what was left over.  I'd think they were already stunned beyond belief that Jesus had performed this miracle.  But as the twelve gathered back together with their baskets, each one was full.

Why would He have chosen to do it this way?  He'd already performed the miracle so why did He need to go further?  I think it was to show each individual disciple a piece of His grace.  He didn't have to feed these people.  He could've sent them home to eat.  But He chose to perform a miracle that day to show his followers how much He cared for them.  Cared for them enough to feed them, all of them, and still have excess. 

Just like His love for us.  He loves us in our depravity.  He loves us in our 'hunger' and our fullness.  He loves us no matter where we find ourselves...and He still has love left over.  Even if our faith is lacking He will still come through for us.  And we can collect the leftovers!

Area near Sea of Galilee where feeding of the people took place-can you imagine?!

Marvelous Monday

Happy Monday everyone!  On this Monday I am celebrating the fact that God is God and I am not.  You may say 'Duh', but sometimes we can forget that we are not Him. 

My little nudge from Him came yesterday morning at church.  I sing on our Praise Team and was going to be doing the 'special' that morning.  Me and our two guitarists had worked out 'Mighty to Save' and had it down pat.  So I thought a slideshow on PowerPoint would go really great with the song.  I spend all day Saturday getting PowerPoint (the free trial, that is) and finding pictures and putting the slides in order with the words to the song.  And I must say it looked pretty good for someone who'd never done it before.

Well, what do you know?  We hook my computer up to the projection thingy and IT DOES NOT WORK gasp.  All of that hard work I had put in was for nothing!!  I was so upset.  More aggravated that anything.  And guess who comes creeping into my mind?  Yep, Satan.  Telling me that the song wasn't going to be that great now.  And on and on...

But as I was getting some water fixing to go to the side room to pray--it hit me--I was consumed with this 'project' when I should've been consumed with the song and my reason for singing it.  Sure, the slides would've been nice, but they didn't make the song.  Maybe someone saw something in me or the guitarists that they wouldn't have noticed had they been watching the PowerPoint.  Maybe they could be more focused on the words of the song instead of looking at the pretty pictures that I had picked out.



I just had to throw this in...two of the elusive slides!

 Whatever the reason for the slideshow not to work I know it was in His plan.  Because, after all, He is God and I am not :-)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  Isaiah 55:8

The Dating Game

The topic for the Thursday Jam over at Faith Barista this month is LOVE as this is the month that we officially celebrate it. To be more specific, today's topic is 'what I wish someone would have told me about dating'. Oh, I could write a book on this one, but I'll try to keep it to a few paragraphs :-)

Do you remember the TV game show The Dating Game from the 1970's? I didn't watch the original, but did watch the reruns and the revamped version that came later.  It was brought back to my mind recently when I saw on TV that one of our nation's most notorious serial killers, Rodney Alcala, (OK, so I'd never heard of him, but apparently he was pretty evil) was a contestant!  Who knew?  He actually won!  Poor woman...can you imagine finding out the guy you went out with for hamburgers had killed another woman (or more than that for all we know). 

No, I don't think that all guys are serial killers or have the potential to be.  But I do think that when girls start the 'dating game' most of the time they really don't know the guys they are seeing.  Out of everything that I wish I knew when I started dating this is one of the biggest.  The fact that you may think you know someone after a few phone calls or because you see them at school when in reality you don't know a thing about the guy.

I also wish I played the field more.  I don't mean making a name for myself as being 'loose', but not just settling for someone because I thought that was the best that I could do.  I wish I'd have prayed about the guy that I should be dating.  I wish I had listened to my head instead of my heart many times over.  Oh well...

The best piece of advice I have to give is that you need to be certain of your relationship with Christ before you even think of dating or finding a mate.  If you don't have a relationship with Him then get one.  Get to know Him before you worry about anything else.  You'll save yourself so much heartache.  The second most important thing is to make sure of the relationship the potential guy has with Christ.  If he doesn't have one...lose Him.  If  he's wishy-washy...lose Him.  If he says he'll go to church and 'get to know God'...lose Him. 

Remember that God has a plan for your life.  His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts.  We don't like to be alone.  It is not in our nature.  But we don't need to search for our fulfillment in another human being.  We need to start with God and from there everything else will fall into place.  He is the only One that can fill the empty places in our hearts and He wants to be our first love...

'We love because he first loved us'.  1 John 4:19

Finding Wisdom in Walmart

'Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.'    Romans 12:2 NIV

Our local Walmart is notorious for only having one or two registers open at any given time on a Friday night.  As you probably know everybody and their mama thinks that dinner at Golden Corral and then a trip to Walmart is the only thing going on in a small town on the weekend.  So you can imagine the length of said lines.  In order to pass the time I must confess that my eyes do wander over to the magazine rack.  Then out of sheer boredom I find my hands reaching for the latest gossip magazine which I can't help but open because I have to see if what the cover says is true.  I mean, do these people really live like that?  According to the gossip they do.  And I must say that it is just plain sad...and somewhat disgusting really.

I ask myself is this who our young people are aiming to be like?  Are they wanting money and possessions and husbands and non-husbands?  Do they really see what chasing after this world will bring them?  This leads to the question:  what are we doing as the body of believers to change their perception?  Are we showing them Jesus and His grace?  Or are we showing them legalism and condemnation because of their failures?

If we can show them how to renew their minds to heavenly things and not be focused on temporal ones we have a chance to greatly impact this generation for Christ.  These young people are searching and ready to fight for something they believe in.  Think about it...if they focus all of their energy and abilities on furthering the kingdom of God...Wow!  It's hard to imagine.  I, for one, am ready to show them Jesus.  I will answer His call.  Will you?

Tuesday's Unwrapped

OK, so this could almost be considered a Wednesday unwrapped, but I'm sure you can understand the tight schedule I have.  I did make it to bible study last night for session 9 of Beth Moore's Breaking Free.  If any of you have done this study it's the lesson on God's unfailing love-WOW!  How humbling it was to hear and actually 'get' that I can only love God because He loved me first.

Beth issues a challenge that every time you think of God, or even when you don't, instead of saying 'I love you God' try saying 'I love you too'.  Pretty cool, huh?  I've practiced it several times today and am just awed that He loves me...really, really, loves me!  He is good to me.  He desires my companionship.  How great is that?  The God of this universe that controls EVERYTHING in it loves me?

Do you know that?  Do you feel that?  Even when everything else around you falls apart you can know that He loves you.  Even when you don't love Him as you should or you don't feel His love for you--He loves you still.  He is love (1 John 4:16).  That makes it impossible for Him not to love you!  Kinda confusing, but once you grasp the concept it will change your life.

Beth also made a statement that was eye-opening to me.  She said that 'One of the biggest and least addressed obstacles to loving God:  Thinking I already do when I don't.'  That was a good one!  Think of the person that you love most in this world (your spouse, child, parent, etc.) and ask yourself 'Do I love God more than ___________?'  Don't be ashamed of your answer.  If it is 'No', then ask Him to take that place in your life.  Seek Him daily in His Word and through prayer.  Choose to give Him your first, choice love everyday and trust that He'll cultivate the desire in your heart for Him to be your one true love.

He can do it for you.  He can do it for me and I am going forward trusting that He will!

 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15