I Don't Even Have Leftovers

We all wake up with or end the day with nothing left in us. This morning was my day. I woke up to pray with Rodney and I had nothing to offer; not even leftovers. I am the vessel that is looking at the half empty cup.  I didn't have anything come to me during prayer, not one name, request, or supplication. I expressed this fact in my prayer to God this morning and the fact I have not been this dry in a long time.
I am thankful that I can come to God with my emptiness and He knew it before I did, so he ordains my steps to rejuvenation. I went into another room and picked up a book called "The Word for you Today (out dated too). This book is a book with daily devotions and prayers; a good tool.  I open the book and the heading reads:
"HOW'S YOUR PRAYER LIFE?"  Please somebody shout out::  "God is at work today!" As I read this entry the words jumped off the page and into my heart.  "The place of prayer is where you meet with God to be instructed, corrected, cleansed, loved, built up and prepared to do His will. It can be anywhere, but it must be somewhere! It can be anytime, but it must be a set time. Without prayer, what do you have to draw on? You'll work harder and harder and accomplish less and less because you're operating in your own strength.  But after you've prayed you'll struggle less and accomplish more because your operating in God's strength.  If your spending hours watching television but say you've no time to pray., "it time to seek the Lord." I don't watch television, but I am in a place in my journey that I am seeking the depth of the Lord. I must spend time with the Lord to know His will.  Yet, I have nothing to bring.
      I sat down to sip on my coffee and came across another book "a scripture prayer guide DYNAMIC PRAYING."  I was ready to pray for others when the words, again, jumped off the page:
"Send your Spirit, Who is the breath of life, Who comes like the wind that blows where it pleases.  Bring Him like the breath Who entered the dry, dead bones Ezekiel saw in the valley.  Draw the Spirit as the breath Who will enter them and give them life."   (Revelation 11:11, John 3:8, Ezekiel 37:5,6,9-10)
"Father, this expresses how I feel today." and He replies "I know." I say: "Father this is what I need today" and He replies "I know."
Next, as I open my computer to share this truth with you (because if I feel this way, maybe you do too).
I came across a friends entry on Facebook and it reads:
 "Like Elijah, we need to rest in GOD, recall HIS faithfulness, and trust HIM for the future. GOD remains active in our lives even when it feels as though HE has fallen silent." Dr Charles Stanley
WOW~ this is where I am too and  this is why I am like the dry, dead bones of the valley. 
My calendar is so full for the next few months that will require so many things from me. I'm looking into the future instead of the moment that I am in.  I am questioning God on things I have been taught and I am struggling so much that I have nothing to bring.  


Do you see Him at work here in my life?  Rest assured my friend, He is the same God working in your life. 

God tells us in Matthew 6:27-29 this very thing:

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁷And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?    ²⁸And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin.
 ²⁹Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these.

Man, if he can take care of the lilies of the field and they grow with the need of nourishment, water, and sun, why wouldn't God take care of you and me too?

Just for today, I am going to trust that God "knows" my heart, schedule, needs and is willing and working in my life to provide all that I can ask for or imagine.
Friend, I hope, no I pray for you to recognize God working in your life. I pray for you my friend to ask God to breath life into your dry, dead bones. Last I pray that you will pay close attention in your daily movements to see God working in your life to change who you were to who you will be in His will.

~ I don't want to leave you, but I have to go have a little talk with Jesus.
Be encouraged, "He knows."

Does Your Public Face Match Your Private One?

When my children were growing up I didn't want my neighbors to know what was happening in our home. So when I walked out the door, I put on a happy face.  Inside I was complexed, unhappy, upset, or angry. I hid what was really happening in our home. We went to church because it was the thing to do. I wanted us to be a normal family (whatever that was), but I also was not walking right with the Lord.
I would tell my kids not to do something and I in turn would do exactly that wrong thing. What was I teaching my kids?  I was teaching them to lie, have a fabricated personality, and I taught them that wrong is right. My heart cries for the damage I did. BUT GOD!
I am thankful that I serve a great God! "But the fruit of the Spirit, GOD,  is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness." Galatians 5:22
He corrected me like a loving parent does. I in turn had  to reteach my children.

Does your public face say that everything is going good when it is bad? Would I want my life to be on the big screen for the county to watch? Probably not. It's not anyone's business what happens in my home life.
Most homes are dysfunctional and everything is falling apart in the house with our temper, bad language, bad attitude and the junk that isn't in public is in private.
I have walked my dog and prayed over my neighbor's home. Once in a while I will see the person who lives in these homes. I don't know them, we just say "hello" and move on. God knows what is and is not happening in their lives. It's not for me to know unless someone is being harmed by themselves or others.
However, God tells us how we should conduct our homes.
There are many people dying in our world today because of addictions, domestic violence, and crime.

If we are teaching our children right from wrong we are doing well. If our talking the talk is not matching our walk, there is room for improvement.

The Lord says how we should resolve to conduct our homes: "I will behave myself wisely and give heed to the blameless way--O when will You come to me? I will walk within my house in integrity and with a blameless heart."               Psalm 101:2.

If you are praying a man or woman, shouldn't' we be praying for our neighbors and loving them as God has commanded us?

We drive our cars down the road and we should keep our eyes on that road, but is it too much for us to pray for our neighbors we pass?
Some of us walk or run in our neighborhoods, is it too much to pray for the neighbor that we just passed by?
My friend, prayer works. If it wasn't for people praying for me while I was teaching my children how to live unjustly, I wouldn't be writing to you now. My children would have been on a different road than they are now. Life is good because someone prayed for us.  It's not an easy road and it will not be an easy road, but it is more peaceful, loving, and kind to us.
I resolve to be the same in my home as I am in public. Sure there are things I will not do in public as private, but I chose to conduct my home as the Lord teaches us to.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15b

~ Be encouraged, these things are earth are temporal.
If you don't know this man Jesus that gives us life everlasting and a peace that surpasses all understanding. Please contact me or someone to help you to be introduced to him.  
I encourage you that if you aren't willing to talk to someone than listen about him on 91.3 Hope FM. 
He's worth it all. 
 

Who Has A Hard Time With Change?

Do you have a difficult time with change? I didn't believe I did. Since I've gotten older though, I've realized I would rather run from change than embrace it.
Recently I had an epiphany and a spiritual growth spurt.  If you are someone that doesn't care for change this might help you too.
I'm the girl that enjoys a hot shower.  When the air is cold, the comfort of this hot shower makes me NOT want to step on the cold floor, can you relate? That hot shower is the comfort zone. The cold floor is the change to come.
My space at work, home, or other ministries are comfortable. I know what to expect, my schedule is on a tight ship and things run rather smoothly. They run smoothly until a change in the process occurs. Now I am forced to readjust my lifestyle, my space, my schedule. Eureka! NO!
I'm now feeling disgruntled, I don't want to change my routine, I like what I do and when I do it.  What do you mean I need to organize and delegate? I didn't do that before, so why now? How did I get elected to be in charge?
I am invisibly struggling in the straight jacket that is marked with bold letters "CHANGE."  But I don't want to. (Can you see the temper tantrum going on?)
Okay; I'll breath now and move on. I need a change in my life, it's a good time to stop and relax a while, give myself a break from my normal schedule. Yeah, that's the answer.Breath.
Here's the epiphany. I stop and actually listen to myself and the words that are coming out of my mouth. I recognize that I don't like change. I don't want things around me to change or even make a slight adjustment. I don't like the change so I am just not going to.  Oops, there I go again, back into the disgruntled department.  Can you relate? 
It was like my past flashed before my mind. I'm doing what I've always done. Nothing has changed, just because I said I was going to slow down and adjust; I didn't.  So what can I do.  Hmmm.
Okay, make the choice to change.  Taking a deep breath, I am going to try this again.  I'm ready to run and move onward to greener pastures now.  Here I go, I'm taking off, I'm diving into the change. It's not so bad now.  I am going to look at it from a different perspective; okay this is harder than I realize.I DO NOT LIKE THIS TEETER TOTTER: LET ME OFF!
So I decided to have a little talk with Jesus.  I told him I recognize how I am ready to run from this change instead of embracing it. If all I know how to do is run from change, how can I embrace it instead?
Do you know the serenity prayer?  Most of us know the beginning part.."God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." I've got that part down.
But it's the second half that the Serenity prayer that the Lord brought to my mind that changed my life and I'm embracing the change now.
"Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen"

WOW, I finally understood the second half of that prayer and I've been praying this for three years or more. It's that kind of change we don't want to accept but need to accept?
First we're only promised one day at a time. Jesus didn't give us tomorrow; it's only an idea. "Accepting hardships as a pathway to peace," I don't like hardships, long sufferings, but I will accept it because there is peace on the other side. "Taking as Jesus did this sinful world as it is not as I would have it," man I want what I want and I want it now. If you don't give it to me on a silver platter I'm out of here. I don't want to delegate or even be in charge, but I will for Jesus' purpose.  Isn't that  how we should change our mind set? Be more like Jesus? He took this world as it is, loves as we are, shouldn't we take things the way they are? "Change is going to happen Marjorie, embrace it and get over yourself."
Okay Lord, I'll surrender to this change I must go through, keep my eyes on you and the home that is set before me. This world is not where I belong, but just give me Jesus and I'll be alright. After all, he's the reason I do what I do, go where I go, and run my race for.
So why do you run your race? What do you do about the changes in your life? Do you do what I use to do, run? Or do you face them head on and just accept them for what they are; changes?
No one enjoys an interruption in their life not even in their schedule, but it happens. How you respond is up to you.  I'm embracing change and looking forward to enjoying it all the way through to the other side.

~Be encouraged, change can be good.

Disclaimer....I enjoy my work, home life, and ministries and I wouldn't change them for anything...BUT for Jesus.

An Umbrella in the Storm

My sweetheart made the sweetest comment to me the other day.
He said "We'll be the umbrella for each other on rainy days."
Now when he said this I was downhearted and crying over something we agreed was important. The change I witnessed in us was that we communicated what was on our hearts without any apprehensions.
No matter what the subject was it was wonderful to have someone listen and know that we will get through the rough times as well as the sweet times.
   Isn't that Jesus though? We can talk to him about everything without any apprehensions and he listens.  We make adjustments as needed and he is always with us and sees us through it. He is our covering.
God tells us that when we cry out to him he hears us. I know there are times when he appears to be far away from us. I too have experienced dry times in my life that I have cried out "where are you?" "Don't you care Lord?"  The Lord gives peace not as the world gives, but as He alone gives us. 
Take comfort my friend. If you don't know peace but torment, today you can know that peace.
Jesus died just for YOU. If you were the only person on this earth, God would still have sent His blameless, sin free son to die for you.  It says "For God so loved the world (YOU, you are in this world) that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life."  Are you lost my friend?  Are your tears like a running faucet, like mine was?  Do you cry yourself asleep at night and hold yourself in the fetal position?  If you do, cry out to the Lord and invite him into your heart. He wants to help you, cover you like the umbrella in the rain.
Oh Precious One, you are not alone. You're tears are not wasted, but the Lord will wipe away your tears for the hurt you are going through. He loves you more than anything, calls you worthy.
There was a time when I my heart was deeply broken. It was a Wednesday night. I decided to visit a church around the corner, I didn't know anyone there, but I asked someone what class I could visit. I was lead to a women's class down the hall.  I walked into this big room filled with many women in a circle sitting in chairs. I felt so out of place, lost is the better word.  I heard these two women talk about how God sees me as loved, wanted, and precious. Inside I was so broken, dirty, and lonely. I couldn't accept the words that these ladies were speaking to me, to the group.  It was long after a few minutes of sitting their that the class was just about finished and these ladies passed out these magnets that said "I AM A PRINCESS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD." I didn't feel deserving of this magnet, I had not been in the class all night or during the whole season. I started out of the room when one of the teachers called me over and handed me the magnet. As I took the magnet into my hand, I turned and I felt the warmth of another tear stream down my face.  It was a treasured nugget to me. It was as if Jesus had just put His arms around me, hugged me, and kissed my cheek. I couldn't take my eyes off of the words on the magnet.
Once I got home, I put the magnet down and asked the Lord to show me how he can call me a princess with all of my sin on me. He took me to that very verse that I shared with you a few moments ago.
He died for an audience of one, me. He died for an audience of one, YOU.
He loves you Precious. He loves you and calls you wonderful names, healing names, marvelous names, and will see you past your faults.  There is only one thing you need to do, ask Jesus into your heart and allow him to show himself to you.
Just as my sweetheart comforted me, you can be comforted also by a God that is loving, kind, gentle, and ever present.

~Bless the Lord, O my soul: And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless  the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalm103:1-5)
 
~My friend, let the Lord be your umbrella on the rainy days.

God's Gotcha!

As I was reading scriptures, I came across a passage that brought tears to my eyes that strolled down my cheek.It read "I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth.  Even when you are old, I will be the same.  Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you.  I made you and I will take care of you, says the Lord."Isaiah 46:3-4
When I began reading the passage I was transported to my childish days. I remember things I did that were not nice and choices that were down right wrong, but God carried me through them. He was with me even if I did not acknowledge Him. I know Jesus is with me now, I see the evidence in my work and personal life. The scriptures says He will be with me even when my hair turns gray.  In that split moment, I thought about my friends that have silver / white hair and are widowed, He is with them too. He will be with me even when my spouse is no longer with me or I with him. The last line is that he will never change. He won't get old, gray hair, feeble limbs or joints, no He will always be strong for us and be there for us.

This past week, I've been keeping certain ladies on my prayer list or thought about them daily. I've considered their walk with God or away from God during this week. When everyone is talking about love in the air and what they are going to be doing with their significant other, it can hurt because their other is gone. I've seen some ladies that are doing their best to stay busy and keep their heads up, eager to get the day / week over with. My heart cried for them, but then rejoiced. I rejoiced because just as the scripture read, their true spouse is with them always. The lover of their soul is always carrying them, walking with them, and providing for them. This is more encouraging to me than anything my significant other could do for me. 
Love is an action and we can chose what we do with all the love we have in our hearts.  We can share it with someone else that is walking this earth alone or we can isolate ourselves and allow the love light to go out.
I encourage you to share the love you have with someone else.
One of my dear friends, Alesia, gives her love away to a young child in Uganda. Alesia is filled with joy and excitement when she talks about all the goodies she has collected to send over to her new friend. That is love. Alesia doesn't have her husband with her anymore, but that does not stop her from expressing her love to others. 
I hope you will take the characteristic of Christ and love on someone this week with a kind word, a letter of encouragement (thank you Sharon!), or a cup of coffee with conversation.  Whatever you do, do it with your whole heart and receive a blessing in return.

~Be encouraged and know you are LOVED!

I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.
                                                                                      Isaiah 44:2

"I intend to"

Have you had days you said you would do something but didn't? How about a life time of intend to's? What keeps you from moving forward? Is is fear of success? Is it mindless wondering how you are going to accomplish the task? 
Bruce Wilkinson was one of our great inspirational speakers who had a segment called "The Dream Giver."   He said "everyone has a dream." When I first heard him speak it was on a cd that my mentor gave me. I thought to myself "I don't have a dream and I can't remember what my dream is."
It took me at least 6 months to find out what my dream was. When I opened my mind to the impossible it was like the whole world exploded.  I went online to look at photos of landscapings, countries over seas, houses, and boats too.  I was amazed at the world I could live in.
I then had to face all of my "good intentions." My good intentions did not get me any further than the words coming out of my mouth. I had to take some time and really ask myself what is keeping me from my dreams. You know what my answer was and still sometimes is?  Me.
I cannot get myself out of the way. I talk myself out of it by saying it's not for me but someone else. I can't because of financial status or upcoming events.
Yet, when I want something else, like a lunch or dinner date; I'll make time. If I want to take a bath, I'm going to make sure my schedule is free and clear.
So why not work on my dreams? Where do our dreams come from anyways?
Going back to Bruce Wilkinson, he told me that God gives everyone a dream, something they were made for. Sometimes we know what the dream is and sabotage ourselves. Other times, we have to explore ourselves to find  that dream.  The dream giver gives us a dream from our heart. When it comes to pass, it will be wonderful and probably better than we ever expected it to be.
I believe the one thing that truly keeps us away from filling our expectations is feeling we are unworthy to dream.
I have to tell you "knock that thought off your shoulder and away from your ear!"
God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. Hellllooo! God doesn't create junk and He doesn't give you junk to meditate on.
You are not bigger than your dream is but God is bigger than you and your dream. Step into the fullness of God and believe His word to be true.
Think about it....
Mandisa was on American Idol and was told she didn't look the part. Now she is one of the top recording artist in Christian Music. She listened to the Lord.
Whitney Houston is dead because she listened to the whispers in her ear that said she needed a drug instead of Jesus.
Can you see the similarities?  Mandisa is following the Lord even with her weight loss and Whitney Houston listened to the Devil and ended up dying at a young age of 48. Both of these ladies had a dream and both of them pursued and is pursuing  all that God has for them.
What are you dreaming about?  Are you pursuing them or do you just have good intentions?

I am about to do something about my "good intentions." I hope that if you have a dream or are finding your dream that you will pursue it to the end.

~ Go for it, what are you waiting for?




Bruce Wilkinson "The Dream Giver"



A Love Story

I don't know if you have read, or even know, the story of how God created the earth and included all the animals both male and female. He created man, Adam, and told him to name and care for this new place. Imagine that God was watching the animals graze and rest together. He may have even watched them play also. Adam working alone naming the animals, trees, flowers, insects, and working and eating alone. God had compassion on Adam. We know God loved Adam because Adam was His creation.
We read in Genesis 2 how God created a mate for Adam. It reads:
And the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
   
 ¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat;
     ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die."
     ¹⁸And the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet for him."
     ¹⁹And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them; and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
     ²⁰And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper meet for him.
     ²¹And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.
     ²²And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman and brought her unto the man.
     ²³And Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
    Do you see the love story? God brought Adam a woman to love, have a conversation about all that has happened to him, a helper to help him care for God's things. God wanted to please Adam; make Adam happy by bringing him a lady.
If God can do this for Adam, why do you not think God would want to or can't do the same for you?
This was my revelation with God. This morning I was listening to a pastor talk about this scripture and how God had presented Eve to Adam. He presented a woman to a man.
Have you tried so hard to find the right mate? Have you tried so hard to make your relationship work?
I did MAANY times over and it failed.
Have you perhaps said this "Lord, I quit, I am not going to look for another boyfriend (or girlfriend) again" "If you want me to have someone you are going to have to bring them to me."
Next something happens. First, either the woman is going to the man or the man is noticing the woman.Next, they become acquaintances and then fall in love. Third, they come as one, marriage, and the unity of these two probably don't even hit divorce court. Why? Scriptures tells us why...

Matthew 19:6

New King James Version

⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

I shared with you that there were  MAANY times I pursued a man and every time something went wrong. You see Satan is sneaky. He will lie to you and present the counterfeiter mate. When you accept the bait, he has you line and sunk for rocky waters.. BUT when God presents the one he has created for you,  it's like honey on your lips...SWEEET. 
Let me make this disclaimer also. God CAN and WILL take what Satan used to destroy us and make us something beautiful. If your relationship is rocky waters now, know that God loves you, CAN and WILL make this relationship BETTER. God is the restorer of all creation. Don't give up on him/her, press into God for your answers. 
Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. God comes to save, nurture, and restore with many more benefits. 


~What is your love story?

This is mine.

TOO BUSY!

           As women we have this mind set that we should take care of others, run and do for others, love on others, and we forget about ourselves in the process.  We are too busy taking the kids to football or cheer-leading games, cleaning laundry, and getting ourselves out  to the door and on our way to work. In the busyness of our lives, we forget or just plainly neglect loving on ourselves.  We walk around with the burdens of everyone else, concerned over the decisions we need make and cause ourselves to NOT take time to rest or even pamper ourselves.
            I believe Mary had the right attitude. Martha and her sister were having Jesus over for dinner one night while he was in town.There was much to be done, Martha was busy taking care of things and Mary sat at Jesus' feet. I imagine Mary sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, elbows on her knees, and a smile on her face as she listened closely to Jesus' words. She was in a relaxed state of mind and resting in the words that flowed from her Savior. Sometimes we have to take timeout of our busy lives to rest, listen, and relax.
           You see even God rested on the seventh day and said this is good. Then he made man in his image and said this is very good. I believe in that moment he was more pleased with creating you and me than he was about the other "stuff' (birds, trees, oceans, sands, and all the animals to insects). If God is more pleased with having created you and me, than shouldn't we be more available to get to know this creator of ours?
         He loves you even with your hot temper, your busy schedule, your bad attitudes, bad hair days, broken shoes, and ignoring him in all of these things. He loves you with an unconditional love. Jesus doesn't put limits on you; ONLY desires to be able to love you and have you love Him back.
          If you don't know a love that is everlasting, extravagant, or even undeserving, I encourage you to stop what you are doing and ask Jesus to clear your schedule to make time to meet with him. I encourage you to have coffee and conversation with the one who loves your broken heart, watches over you, and adores you.
          You may think that the relationships you have experienced will be just like one with Jesus. I am here to tell you that there is NO relationship on earth that can compare to this man's love for you.
Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and meet Jesus. What are you waiting for?

~The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.
                                                                                       -Lamentations 3:25

~We all go through troubling times, but we must never doubt God's love for us.

~The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.
                                                                                       -Isaiah 30:18

~The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  he cares for those who trust in him.
                                                                                        -Nahum 1:7

~Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that will prevail.
                                                                                        -Proverbs 19:21