Entering the Next Chapter

Things have been a little stressful but God has been so good. Family has had several health issue. Abbie had strep that wouldn't go away with the first batch of antibiotics. My mother's spot of skin cancer on her lip came back and now she is going to have a larger section removed from her lip this week and then plastic surgeon. My pains have been acting up lately but they seem to do that with the weather gets colder. Financially things have been a little tight. I keep looking ahead and can see that soon there will be a time when things are a little better. I want to be a good steward. I am trying to learn how to have self control and pay ahead on bills instead of wasting money on things that will only benefit us temporarily. It is very hard to give into immediate gratification. I do not want riches but it would be nice to have financial stability. I have really enjoyed being in the Discipleship University  class on Discipleship. The information we are covering is not diffic...

Just as there are with the earth our lives have seasons too. For the last several years I have been in a season of suffering. It seems like we have had nonstop troubles and difficulties arise. God has taught me so much through them. He has taught me about faith. He has taught me about His character. He has taught me how to get through things by putting focus on Him. And mostly He has taught me about His timing and His will.  Drowning, I was drowning in all my worries. I literally felt as if I could not breath. I was just trying to make it by and to keep my head above water but waves of troubles came at me. I tried so hard to not give in. I spent most of my time and efforts trying to stay above the water and the times when I had nothing left I would scream out to my savior. "Help me Lord, I am drowning." There was no response. I tried to call out again, "Lord, I can't do it. Help." Still there was no response. My heart felt as defeated as my body was. Where wa...

I may have titled this Financial struggle but the real struggle is in having faith that God will provide. Sometimes I feel like my head and my heart don't connect because I can know something with my head but still struggle to believe it. I know that God can, will, and has provided for us but when I see how close we cut it with the bills it worries me and I start to feel anxious. God provided for us the entire time my husband was off work and even through the first pay check. I know that things will be a little easier in a few weeks when the paychecks start coming in but for some reason I still worry. I only have two bills that are going to be just two weeks late when the next check comes in, and they aren't even dire. I will just have to keep praying that God can put my anxiousness to rest and can help me with my unbelief. 1 Peter 1:6-9 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so...

The process of purification was never said to be an easy one. It is a process which takes time and work. To purify silver the Silversmith holds the metal over an intense fire. He waits as the impurities melt off. Once the Silversmiths reflection is visible in the silver he knows it is finished. If he leaves it in the fire for too long the silver will be destroyed. I have often heard of this process compared to the process that we as Christians go through. God purifies us through trials and fires. It will be an ongoing process that will only be done when we are in Heaven with him. As we are purified He shines through us. We must have faith that God is in complete control. Proverbs 25:4  "Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith" Romans 5: 1-5  "1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which...

I love searching for scriptures on Biblegateway.com Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Romans 5:1-5  1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Psalm 27 Of David.   1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—        whom shall I fear?        The LORD is the stronghold of my li...

In my life and on my walk I have told myself many lies. The only way to get rid of these lies is to see what God says about it. Lies /Truths Becoming a Christian means no more struggles....  Romans 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.   God can't forgive me...  Acts 13: 38-39 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.  God can't use me because I am not educated or smart enough...  1 Corinthians 2:1-2 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to y...

A lot of my shortcomings lead back to self-control, or my lack of. I feel that it has a great influence on many areas of my life. I was watching a show on Bravo titled Tabatha's Salon Takeover and she kept calling the employees "lazy and complacent." As I think of it I wonder if God looks at me and says the same thing. Lazy is bad enough being that it is only the act of being adverse to work or exertion. But to be complacent (Showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself) also is terrible. I don't want to be proud of doing a half ass job. I often start out with the best of intentions. I will be focused and motivated for a small amount of time but quickly lose it. I have a very difficult time carrying out anything. Areas of my life that it affect are household, school, health, spiritual walk, and relationships.  As a mother I get so overwhelmed that the house is never done being cleaned. I feel like by the time I wash all the clothes, do the dishes, cl...