Give Your Tongue a Makeover

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29) NIV

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every little word that rolled off your tongue brought a smile to the Lord? Each day blessed you with rainbows and butterflies. Life would be pleasant and calm, free of stress and worry and crazy drivers AND you had children who always listened and minded your instruction…

Wake up! That’s not our world. You certainly don’t need me telling you that life is challenging and imperfect, but I do believe it’s possible to tame the tongue, so to speak and exercise a certain amount of control over our words as well as our motives behind them.

Have you thought about some of the things you’ve said that may be considered less than wholesome? I’m not just talking about profanity – what about negativity, criticism, judgmental comments or words spoken out of worry when you could be professing your faith in your living God instead. Is your faith in the One who still claims you as His own? Then speak it. Know in your heart of hearts that your hope lies with Him, and in Him, there is no need for worry or doubt. Believe me, I know how easy it is to enter into a conversation that contains nothing positive. It’s complaining or fidgeting or maybe even gossiping cleverly disguised as “sharing,” but who stands to benefit from such talk? Satan! Somehow, I can’t picture Jesus smiling at His children while they’re discussing another’s misfortune, bad decisions or immoral behavior.

In fact, just this morning I nearly started a conversation with someone, but then realized I’d only be spreading hurtful information I’d received, and there was absolutely nothing that could be considered God-glorifying by doing so. It would only prove to make the enemy happy.

So, I kept silent….this time!

Lord,

Help me to remember that you hear and record each word uttered from my mouth (“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” Matthew 12:36 NIV). I ask that you be Lord over ALL I do and say that I may live a life and speak of life in a way that glorifies only You. Amen.

Surviving the Storm

Good morning. So glad you could stop by on this damp, autumn day (with more rain expected).

So, tell me. How are you today? Do you feel sort of caught in the storm and swept up in the current - like floating along in a boat on turbulent waters with no oar? Then please, take a moment, just a minute or two just for you. The voice of calm is waiting to comfort you.

You can hear Him between the cloud bursts, amid the downpour, even in the flood of emotion and chaos. It’s His voice you hear whispering through the brokenness and uncertainty speaking words of truth and hope to your soul. Even when the waves come crashing down at every turn. The lightening strikes. The Heavens rumble, the rain pours in, and you may even begin to lose your grip. But just when you can’t hold on anymore, you see His hand outstretched through the clouds. Yes, it’s there – it’s always there. Grasp it. Take hold of it and He alone will guide you to peaceful waters.

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side. "Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (Mark 4:35-41) NIV

Son In My Eyes Sundays

Good Morning to you.

Is the Son in your eyes today?

Thank the Lord for another beautiful Sunday! I am so excited to get to church and worship the Lord! Whatever you’ve been through this week, and whatever you anticipate for the week ahead, bring it with you and leave it at the cross. Nothing is too big for our God!

"Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness".

(I Chron 16:27-29)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW5S8Xm-GkA

"Untitled Hymn" Chris Rice

What Is Your Mission?

Don’t touch that dial! You’re not experiencing technical difficulties – instead, I’m expressing the many moods of me! I’ve just changed my bloggy mind again, and did a little remodeling of the cafe choosing yet another look…again.
I was recently asked why I chose to create a blog in the first place. For me, the answer was simple. Blogging provides an opportunity to encourage others by assuring them that our great big wonderful God is truly at work in our everyday lives. As we sometimes yo-yo between happy and sad, serious and silly, the Lord consistently calls us his own. He takes us, mixed up and all, just as we are. He comforts. He consoles. He listens. He cares. We don’t have to wait for sunny skies or for things to go our way for the Lord to notice us or for us to notice him. He’s there through the tears and the triumphs, cheering us on not from the sidelines, but from within.

Gosh, wouldn’t you want to write about that?

What could be more important than to write my faith out loud to a hurting, broken world for the Lord to use?
So…what is your mission in life? What is that certain something burning from deep within begging for wings so that it may be shared with the world?
When we know what we know, it’s a lot like holding that missing ingredient for the recipe everyone wants to make and you just know that if people would only take hold of it, they too would experience peace that transcends all understanding. They already have the best friend who comforts, consoles, listens and cares…and his name is Jesus!

Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD. (Psalm 117:1-2) NIV

Touching Up the Roots

It’s that time again. I’ve put it off a couple weeks, but now that there’s quite a bit more “salt” added to my “pepper,” especially at the temples, it’s time to treat my roots before I cross that fine line from sophisticated to outright haggard looking.If you think I’m going to turn this into a God-thing, you’re absolutely right. Besides, I feel a confession coming on….Last week, the Lord revealed that I’d been neglecting the roots of an important relationship. As difficult as it was to accept, there was no one else to blame but the gal in the mirror (yes, the one on the brink of haggard with all that gray showing).
After the initial sting of guilt subsided, I went to prayer. After all, only a loving, forgiving, merciful God could take the mess I’d made of things and show me how to make it right.
I’d been so caught up in marking items off of my mental to-do list that I’d managed to bury the hurt and disappointment I’d created beneath a pile of gotta-dos, gotta-hurries, and laters.
I love that God cares so deeply about our relationships, and He seems to give our requests concerning them immediate attention. All we have to do is ask.
He is so good!

Heavenly Father,
I pray and ask that you would come into the homes of each person who reads this message today and pour your spirit upon them. Touch up the roots of damaged relationships with your love and understanding. Bring about reconciliation and forgiveness and in so doing, may each one find renewed strength, appreciation and love.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Take Care of Yourself

Sometimes it takes an illness to knock you off your feet and force you into your fuzzy slippers and a blanket.
Your energy’s gone.
You feel like (and look like) some lifeless creature your cat proudly displays on the back porch.
When your engine sputters to a stop, it’s trying to tell you something.
Stop and rest.
Hand the reins over to someone else for a bit. I know; it’s hard to imagine that the world will continue to spin while you take the necessary time to return to your old self.
But, it’s okay to take a break from the game.
I have to believe that God is the creator and designer of rest – what a wonderful gift, especially when you surrender yourself to the fact that you are officially out of commission for awhile. But how long?
As long as it takes.
Usually, it’s your body that wins the coin toss when your mind is still determined to go at life full speed ahead.
So, listen to your body. It’s fighting a battle against the enemy over your good health.
Give yourself permission to heal and gain strength by receiving the rest God offers.
There’s only one you.
So, take care of yourself.

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) NIV

That Certain Someone

I’m so thankful that God not only gives us WHAT we need when we need it, but WHO we need, as well.
Have you ever found yourself in sort of a slump?
You feel it. You sort of know why it’s there, but you push it to the back burner trying to focus on the positive instead and just keep smiling?
Then, when you least expect it, the phone rings or maybe the doorbell, or maybe even something appears in your inbox and you just know it’s of the Lord.
It’s that special someone who knows you inside and out. The one who knows where you’ve been and where you want to go. They know of all the ups and downs that have shaped you over the years.
The one you’re happy to confide in. The one you laugh with. Cry with. Share your dreams with. It’s that one person who gets the excited “I-wanted-to-call-you-first” call when you have something new to share.
Sometimes, they’re the only one who can hear the sadness and the worry deep down when others can’t. Somehow, magically they know just how to bring it to the surface.
And you do – together.
And once again, you laugh together.
Cry together.
And sigh.

“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) NIV