Verse of Hope

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Would You Die For ME?

In or around 1992 I use to ask my friends and boyfriends "Would you die for me?" I would place us in scenerios that would cause this person to make a choice to die for himself or die for me. It's strange, they would (most of the time) say no they would not die for me, why wouldn't they after all they said they love me.
I wanted them to love me so much that they would trade their life for mine. Isn't there anyone on earth that loves me that much? Don't you want someone to love you so much that they would give the very breathe they breath for you? I wanted to be put on a pedestal and loved beyond all measure. 
Then one day around Easter, I was in a church service. The Pastor told us to write down on a sheet of paper what we wanted to give up.  I don't remember what I wrote, but what I do remember is this wooden cross that was handmade and placed in the sanctuary. We had to nail our papers to the cross. 
I stood at my seat and cried. That cross was more than a place to put my sheet of paper with what I wanted to surrender. That cross was a representaion of Jesus' love more me and that he died for ME. I was born with sin in my life and he died to save me from the torment and bondage of this world. There was no scenerio, I didn't have to ask him, he did it just because he loves me.
So, if you are looking for love and maybe in the wrong places, you will find it in HIM, Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Humility

"Humility is neither self promotion nor self demotion. It's teachability and putting others before yourself."

We live in such a world that is all about "ME," "WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?" 
What happened to caring for your neighbor? Who is your neighbor?  Do you know the person(s) living next door or down the street to you? Is what is happening in your neighborhood only affecting you?
What do you do for others?

I was watching this commercial about baking cookies for a class, and that gave an idea to someone else to make cookies for another person, and  the idea of giving and doing goes on. I don't remember the company it was promoting or the idea. What I do remember is how everyone was thinking of someone else.
Putting others before yourself.

Recently, I was at a conference with my co-workers and took the opportunity to shake Loui Giglio's hand and ask him some questions. My good friend, mentor, and Lil Brother Adam introduced me to Loui with honors and accolades about me. I felt less than humble.  You may ask "what is that?" It's a person who doesn't think they are worthy enough to be on the same road or in the same room as others. I was so excited to be shaking the hand of Loui Giglio the Pastor who talks about "How Great is Our God," makes videos and is interesting to listen to. I didn't feel worthy to be in the same room as him or any of the other radio personalities there. I wasn't on the radio, I didn't have hundreds or thousands of people listening to me.
Who am I? I'm just the Office Manager. Who am I that gets to sit in this conference and listen to these amazing speakers?
In the past few months,since our trip to Orlando, God changed me with humility to stride-stepping out confidently, purposefully, positively, and selflessly to care and help His ministry grow.
From the experience of listening to "big radio personalities," business men and women about networking, and how to make the ministry better, God has shown me that he has a place for me in His mission field.

Humility is taking yourself out of the equation and making sure others are provided with the tools they need to succeed. God will make sure you are given your tools to make you succeed.
I"m no longer "just the Office Manager," I'm Marjorie the office personality that partners with others to spread God's love. Apart from Christ, I can do nothing. Apart from the body of Christ, I cannot do it alone.
It brings me great joy to answer the phone, take your monthly donation so you can be a partner also in God's work, and I enjoy praying for others too. There is no other place I'd rather be than working in God's mission field.

When we stop looking at ourselves with what we don't have and begin looking at ourselves with what God has given us, we can do amazing things for others.
I look at the glass being half full, other times I don't; I look at the glass being half empty.
I use to look at my life and think "I don't have money, I don't have a job, and I don't have a higher education." I use to think I couldn't do anything worth a dime. Then I learned to look at what I did have such as, a car, a little bit of gas, two good arms, two good legs, and a lot of time on my hands. I started focusing on what I could do for others while I was trying to change my life.
The Lord says "Humble yourselves before me and I will lift you up" and he also says "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

So, what does humility look like to you? Are you trying extremely hard to show how good you are at your job or are you trying to help someone else succeed at their job? Are you willing to take the lowest paying job or are you waiting for that high profile job?  Take Jesus as an example, he washed the feet of his disciples (I am sure they were pretty dirty feet because they walked in sandals back then) and is the same man who died on a cross sinless for our sins.
Humility isn't glamorous, but it is being meek and NOT weak.