My Promised Land

When I walk with the creator it is like having my own promise land. It is my land with many running waters. I have brooks with rocks and guppies in it. You can hear the trickling water running up stream.  I have a waterfall. This is rushing water that sounds like a heavy shower and the water falls into a full pool of inviting water. The warm breeze, the beautiful sunset, the colorful flowers of delphiniums, mums, roses, sunflowers, marigolds and more. The grass is green and full of strength and color too. You can lie in the grass, watch the colorful sky colors change and listen to the inviting waters sound. 
My land has no place for worries, stress, doubt, pain, unbelief, infirmity, or rebellion. You can come and be replenished with strength, be in a place of refuge, and be in perfect peace.
So when you feel like you can't take one more hurt, or one more step;go to your promised land. Use your imagination and be a kid again;go ahead try it, go on. Try it.
References:Deuteronomy, Psalms, and the New Testament in the everlasting Bible. 

My Testimony

I am here to share what God has done for me when I realized I was broken and He was the only one who could rebuild me.
I was fourteen when I was yearning for God's love. I didn't know it though.
I started looking for love through sexual experiences, which turned into an addiction. 1. Addiction: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit forming, to such an extent that it causes trauma.
Next, I became addicted to drugs and then to alcohol. I was consumed with over fifteen fears. Fear of Satan, fear of man, fear of success and failure. I dealt with suicide, abortions, abuse, and more with myself or others in my family.
I heard the phrase "Nothing changes if nothing changes." I was ready for a change.
The choices I made lead me to bondage, but God wanted to set me free. Satan didn't want me to tell his dirty lies, BUT GOD DID!
I stood up one day and said "Okay Lord, I'm trusting you to take care of me and all I have is yours." It was then that my journey of surrender began.
First: Apart from God I can do nothing. I had to admit he was the answer to my way of life. He was the only TRUTH in my life.
SECOND: I had to forgive myself by looking in a mirror. I had to take responsibility for my decisions that brought me to this place of destitute.
You can't heal a wound by saying it's not there.
THIRD: I had to humbly admit to God, myself, and another human being the details of my bad choices. I had to walk through the darkness of my life and allow God to start changing me.
I had to read his word morning, noon and night. I wrote them on 3X5 cards and posted them on my walls. I asked God questions like: WHY ME? GOD DON'T YOU CARE? GOD, ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME, DO YOU HEAR ME?
God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.
God loves it when I bring my hurts, anger, and questions to him.
God loves it when I get snot nose to the floor and cry "I can't take it anymore"
Now I ask you. What in my story encourages you to let go of yourself and let God change you? What do you have to lose? What are you waiting for?
Jesus loves you just as you are.

Dance with Me

The Lord invited me to dance with Him, to turn my mourning into dancing, and to feel my heart beat. I respond with these words...
What an honor, my Lord, I am truly overwhelmed by your invitation. How could it be that I am chosen to dance with the Savior of the world? Today I place my heart in Your hands and say yes to Your invitation to dance. I'm ready to move to the beat of Your heart. I am ready to dance with You all the days of my life.
Love, Your Princess
Who wants to dance again
Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.
Psalm 149:3
Taken from "His Princess Bride" by Sheri Rose Shepherd

I want to be loved so very much and I have so much love to give. I get close to a person and run for whatever the reason is. I want to dance, I had friends encouraging me to dance. I danced a little while, but what I found was that God was inviting me to dance with Him, only Him. He is jealous for me right now. He wants me to stop and allow Him to shower me and absorb his loving and caring self around me. I am choosing to stop looking at the men in my horizontal view and dote on the Lord's love for me.

Where are you trying to find love? At the bar? At the church pew? In the park? Internet?
All the time we are looking, God is chasing us. He wants to be the love of our lives. He owns everything and give us the world. After all, he died for the world (you and me).

Slogans

Below are a few slogans that I have learned and they have been stepping stones to a better tomorrow. I don't know what you are going through, but I hope you find this to be interesting, useful, or just knowledgable.

Which one do you like the best?

Do not go where the path will lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail - Ralph Waldo Emerson quote

Be aware of what is happening and accept your part in it and then take action and change the situation.

Did they ask? How important is it? Does it matter?
Who did it? Who cares?
Familiarity breeds similarity

Keep it simple
Didn't cause it, can't control it, and can't change it
F-frustrated I -insecure N-neurotic E-extremely screwed up

F-face E-everything A-and R-recover

God brings sanity where insanity has had it's way.
False Evidence Appearing Real
Serenity loses it's priority
Change is inevitable
Growth is optional
Or suffering is optional
This I must earn time

Don't let the enemy occupy the penthouse while you're in the basement

Take what you want and leave the rest

Expectations are premeditated resentments

Listen and learn

Satan didn't make the day don't act like he did.

How to Celebrate Hunger Awareness Month | eHow.com

How to Celebrate Hunger Awareness Month | eHow.com

Who and where do you run

I grew up in the church and one would think that I knew a lot about Jesus Christ, not. I knew who to run to in time of trouble. When I was in sixth grade I was dared by a classmate to throw a match into a tin trash can. After I accepted the dare and struck the match, the classmate ran to the office and told on me. Of course, you can see what's coming.
I was taken to the Principles office and she called my parents. "OH NO!" As I waited in the Principles office, there was a bible on her bookshelf laying flat. I put my hands on the bible and began praying. My story reminds me of Psalm 91:1-2
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty, I will say of the LORD, "He is my fortress;My God, in Him I will trust"
Now to break that down. When I live close to God and draw near to him, I am in a His presence. I can trust in him and I am safe.
As an adult, I still run into the arms of the Almighty to be protected and safe. Then as soon as I think it's safe to go play again, something happens in life and I run to him.
It's okay though, He is there for me and you. he waits for us with open arms, ready to wrap His outstretched arms around us and shower us with love.
Some make think this is crazy, but it's true. I imagine a field of tall grass with wild flowers mixed in of assorted colors. I am in a sundress and I am running to Jesus with His arms wide open. I fall into His arms and feel comforted, adored, saturated in His love and He respects too.
So I leave you with these questions:
Who and Where do you run to when trouble comes to your playground?
How safe is your place of refuge?
**LORD! May those that read this find that you are the One to run to in time of need, in time of a broken heart because you are the One that created all things and knows all things before it is said or done. So let it be, Amen**

Tis The Season!

The season is approaching for turkey, dressing, and lots of rerun movies and more. The best season movie, in my opinion, is "A Christmas Story." It's a classic comedy and drama. it wasn't until last year that I finally saw the movie "A Christmas Vacation." I laughed until I cried! Charlie Brown and that puny tree makes me belly laugh, what a great time of season that is approaching us to laugh at the crazy stuff in our lives.
Now for the true meaning of the seasons. There are a lot of things that we all are thankful for. if you aren't sure what they might be, here's my list.
A place to rest my head
Running Water
Music and movies
Food on the table
Friends
Love and laughter
Clothes on my back
My children and grandchild
And more

Friendships

I have to say, I have friends that I miss seeing and laughing with. I don't know about you, but I enjoy the friendships we have with girls or guys that time apart doesn't appear to exist. I have a friend that we don't talk for a while and then one day we connect and start where we left off. Friendships are important.
We need friends with whom we can discuss deep issues, confide in about our fears and hurts, but also laugh, play and cry with.
True friendships are characterized by grace, truth, forgiveness, unselfishness, boundaries, care and love in gigantic and mutual proportion. - Luci Swindoll
So let's celebrate! Call a friend or two (or more) and enjoy some cake, chocolate, coffee, and even some party favors. Why not? Call it a birthday party or celebrating us or you.
Sometimes we need a break from our ordinary/mundane lives and we need to belly laugh.
Jesus was a perfect example of a friend. He had 12 very special friends. There were times he celebrated with one or two and sometimes with all of them.
Jesus is or can be your friend today. He was as close as a brother for he laid his life down for you and me. He sacrificed so we didn't have to when we die.

Q
I encourage you to dance, laugh till you cry, eat some goodness in life and do it with a friend. Make a new friend and celebrate that friendship.
When you have nothing to laugh about, laugh anyway. Soon you'll feel the healing power of joy and laughter bringing new energy to your weary frustrating day. - Thelma Wells

Worship

When I first heard the term "Worship" I automatically thought "singing." I have found out that worship is so much more. Worship is a lifestyle. Worship is a way to to set your attention towards Jesus and to learn to love him, to praise him and begin talking to him.
When I was learning who Jesus was and what he had to do with me, I began listening to music. I didn't want to hear someone preach a sermon. In fact, I listened to a Christian radio station, before HOPEfm, and would turn the radio to another station when the "ministers" would come on. I didn't need to listen to that part of the radio.
Until one day, a friend asked me why I turned the channel, I was missing a "blessing" when I turned it off.
Now a "blessing" what is that?
When I worship, I receive a blessing?
I do something and I get something? WOW! "Tell me more" was my response.
So I turned on the radio and listened to the music and the words. If you miss part of the song; you miss the message.
I began listening to one "minister" at a time and found out how Jesus loves me JUST AS I AM. I am a woman. I am that doll that has a broken arm, her dress is torn, mud on her face, markings that won't come off and noone wants to love on anymore. That is noone but Jesus.
If you are broken and feel invisible. You're not.
I love you and want to share more with you.
Please leave me a comment and I will talk or listen which ever you need.
Marjorie

Your attitude determines your altitude

I confess, my attitude has been poor lately. I have been grumbling and complaining about different things I see going on around me.
Then I remembered a sermon a pastor shared last week about Paul and how he had a choice to accept or change his circumstances. He chose to accept what God was doing in his life. I suggest reading Philippians if you haven't already.
How come it is harder for us to do that? There are no perfect marriages,churches, or schools. No one lives a life free of trials, pain, sickness or death. We do not have hopeless conditiond but we become hopeless of our condition. Perhaps that is why we are called to be prisoners of hope in the book of Zachariah.
Zachariah 9:12
Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope!I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
Remember 90%of what we worry about doesn't happen.
That's great news wouldn't you say?
So, I am walking through some trials and asking the Lord "Can't I run through them?" of course the answer is "No, or you'll miss the message." I will continue to press forward and have faith in that which I do not see.

If you are having troubles, I am sorry. Let me know and I will pray for the both of us. Would you pray for me too?

Thanks and God Bless,
Marjorie