Contented Living Requires Readjusted Thoughts

The word of the week is CONTENT.

pleased and satisfied : not needing more

Are you upset about your job situation? Are you unhappy about being single? Are you longing for a child? Are you disgusted about where you live? Do you desire better health?  Do you wish you had more money? These are all circumstances in our lives that bring discontent. We want a change to happen, and we want it NOW. Is it okay to desire a change? YES! Is it okay to pray for a change? YES! But, the changes won't really help anything if we haven't already learned to be content.

Philippians 4:11-13 - I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (NIV)

Have you considered that maybe God wants you to readjust your thinking and LEARN to be content before He can truly bless you with your desires?

I can think of at least 2 circumstances in my life (I know there are more, but these two stand out the most), that God gave me what I originally desired AFTER I changed my way of thinking.

Special Friends

The first was when I was in college. I was single and probably a little bit too eager about finding a husband. My desire was to become a supportive wife to a Christian man, someone with whom I could share my life and who would serve the Lord along with me. It was hard to be content to be single, even though I was only 20 years old at the time. It was during my last year at the college when I finally accepted I might never get married and told God I was okay with that and wanted to serve Him no matter what. Shortly after I readjusted my thinking, guess who I met? It was David. We quickly became special friends.

Waiting for Baby EL

The same thing sort of happened when David and I were trying to start a family. We struggled with infertility for 2 years, and I was upset about that for quite awhile. It was hard to watch other women around me getting pregnant and having babies and I wondered if it would ever happen to us. Then, one day, David and I were talking and realized we both had somehow become content to be without children if that's what God wanted for us. Over time, we had readjusted our thinking and had learned to be content in our circumstances. Shortly after that, we had a welcome surprise - our daughter, EL!

Each of these situations were learning and growing experiences for me, and I know now that God's timing was best. I have learned that God does want us to be happy, but He wants our happiness to come from fellowship with HIM - not from our circumstances.

So, now I bring the question to you:  Is there something going on in your life that you need to readjust YOUR thinking about?

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Legend of the Easter Robin [GIVEAWAY CLOSED]

When robins build a nest on the window ledge at Tressa's Grandmother’s house, Tressa is thrilled, and also concerned. What would happen to the pretty blue eggs laid by the mother robin? In The Legend of the Easter Robin, Tressa watches the robins caring for their eggs, visits with Grandma and learns how to make bird eggs to hang outside on Easter morning, learns how our Heavenly Father cares for the birds, and learns about the legend of the Easter robin (an old Pennsylvania Dutch tale about how robins developed their red breast after one bird had an encounter with Jesus). It is a sweetly illustrated book, and would be an interesting and creative Easter story to share with your child, teaching them about compassion and faith.

For your chance to win a copy of this book, please use the entry form below. Entries will be accepted until Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. CST. Must be 18 or older to enter. One entry per mailing address. 

Entry-Form

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

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What Does it Mean to Wait for the Lord?

The word of the week is WAIT.

• It is a short word with a big command.
• It is one of the hardest things we have to endure, because we are impatient people.
• It is something EVERYONE (including my family) is doing right now, every day, in some way, for something. 

What exactly does it mean to wait? It means to stay where you are until it’s the right time for something to happen.

There are many verses in the Bible that talk about waiting; more specifically, waiting for the Lord:

Psalm 27:14 - Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (ESV)

Psalm 31:24 - Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!

Psalm 33:20 - Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 37:7 - Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 130:5 - I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

Isaiah 40:31 - but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Lamentations 3:25 - The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

Micah 7:7 - But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Proverbs 20:22 - Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

What does it mean to wait for the Lord? It means to stay where you are (i.e. remain faithful) until the right time (God’s time) for something to happen.

It means to expect and hope for the best to happen; for God to intervene in your situation.

Why? Because of what it says is Isaiah 64:4 

With help from the Hebrew dictionary, I broke that verse down:

• FROM OF OLD: since the beginning of the world
• NO ONE: not one single person in the history of time
• HAS HEARD OR PERCEIVED BY THE EAR: has become aware of by listening with the ears
• NO EYE HAS SEEN: and no one has visually recognized
• A GOD BESIDES YOU: a God other than Elohim (the Creator and Ruler of the world)
• WHO ACTS: who takes action/does something (works)
• FOR THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIM: for those of us who remain faithful as we expect and hope for God to intervene on our behalf, when the time is right.

So, when you put it all together, my own paraphrase says this:

Since the beginning of the world, not one single person in the history of time has become aware of, by listening with the ears, or visually recognizing, a God other than Elohim (the Creator and Ruler of the world) who takes action (works) for those of us who remain faithful as we expect and hope for Him to intervene on our behalf, when the time is right.

In summary, the God of Heaven and Earth, the Maker of the universe, is actively working FOR us. Why? Because He cares about us, and knows what is best for us. We can’t see the future, but He can. So, we need to trust and patiently wait for Him to work on our behalf. Sometimes, things turn out differently that what we envision, but oftentimes, they turn out even better.

Keep hoping, keep trusting, keep waiting for the Lord. It will all work out in His time.
 

Links:
BIBLE HUB - Text Analysis of Isaiah 64:4
BIBLE.ORG - Waiting on the Lord

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Created for More by Jonathan Malm [GIVEAWAY CLOSED]

Do you enjoy painting, designing, drawing, writing, preaching, dancing, acting, crafting, sewing, photography, baking, cooking, etc.? In other words, do you like to CREATE, whether it be for a hobby or for a job? If so, there is a new book, Created for More by Jonathan Malm that you might want to check out.  It is a short 30-day devotional that could be the spark you are looking for to help jump start your devotional life, as well as provide challenges for enhancing your creativity.

Malm points out that we are all uniquely made by God, and we each see things differently in this world but, sometimes, when we are expressing our creativity, we make things too complicated. He writes, "Creativity isn't some excessively complicated thing. It's simple. Just show others what you see." 

Each devotion has a Scripture reference, a short message, a prayer starter, a summary to help you change the way you think, and a challenge.  

I did not do any of the challenges listed at the end of each devotion. They just didn't excite me. I guess I was looking for more specific ways to help me be more creative in my writing; but, to me, they were too vague and just didn't provide enough motivation. However, I read through everything else in the devotions. I enjoyed them because they were different than the usual devotions I have read, and they gave an interesting perspective on how creativity reflects our creative God.

If you are interested in reading this book, I would be happy to pass my copy along. Just leave a comment below with your contact info, or send me an e-mail. I will randomly choose the winner on Saturday, February 20, 2016, at 8:00 p.m. CST. One entry per person. USA only.

NOTE: I recently joined the blog review team for Moody Publishers, and received this book free for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Unconditional Love

The word of the week is UNCONDITIONAL

not limited in any way : complete and absolute

Today is Valentine's Day. What better day than today to talk about unconditional love. 

Did you know there are promises in God's Word that tell us He does, and always will, love us unconditionally? His love is not limited in any way. It is complete and absolute. It is not based on anything we do or don't do for Him. He loves us simply because He created us and we are His people.

Romans 5:8 - But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (ESV)

Jeremiah 31:3 - The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. (NASB)

Titus 3:4-5 - But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  (ESV)

Isn't it wonderful to know that God loves us unconditionally? I think it is. But, now, here's some food for thought:

Do we love Him back with that same kind of unconditional love?

It is easy to love a God who favorably answers our prayers, am I right? But, what about when our prayers are not answered to our liking, or if we think He is not answering them as soon as we think He should? Do we still love Him and serve Him, JUST BECAUSE HE IS OUR CREATOR?

One of my favorite lines from the movie "Facing the Giants" is when the main character asks his wife:  "If God doesn't give you what you want, will you still love Him?"  She had no answer at that moment, because her earthly desires were overpowering her thoughts. It was hard for her to love Him unconditionally. As time went on, she did finally realize that God's plans for her life may not be what SHE had envisioned. So, she chose to love Him no matter the circumstances. 

What about you? If God doesn't give you what you want, will YOU still love Him?

Making God Your Own

The word of the week is OWN.  

belonging to oneself : used to express immediate or direct kinship (own son)

When we take ownership of something, how does it affect our relationship with it? It usually causes us to have more of a connection to it, or even an admiration for it, don't you think? If you own a pet cat, think about your cat in relation to all the other cats in the world. You might say, "That cat is nice" about any cat in the world. But, for your own cat, you would say, "This is MY cat. He is special."

Think about your car, your house, your child, your friends, and so on.You might say, "Look at all the nice cars in the lot." But, when someone asks which car is yours, you could say, "Here is MY car." The same would be true for anything else you own.

What about God? Do you feel as if God is an impersonal God who doesn't really care about you? Is He just someone who is "out there," someone who created the world but doesn't really have anything to do with you? If that is what you think, then you haven't made Him YOURS. 

Take a look at how many times King David uses the word MY in Psalm 18:1-3 when referring to the Lord, HIS God.  

Psalm 18:1-3 - “I love You, O Lord, my strength.” The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. 

In these verses, God was a personal God to David, meaning He was working for him and helping him through life.  He wasn't just "out there" and letting David fend for himself. David understood that.

But, maybe you are asking, "How do I make God my own?" The short answer is that you make Him your own when you DRAW NEAR to Him; and, in order to draw near to Him, you must do two things:

Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)

#1 - BELIEVE HE EXISTS 
Romans 1:18-20 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (NASB)

Since the creation of the world, God has made Himself known. You just have to open your eyes, and your hearts, to see it.

#2 - SEEK HIM
Jeremiah 29:13 - You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. (NASB)

How do you seek Him?

• Most important, accept Jesus as your personal Savior. Trust Him for the forgiveness of your sins and ask Him to make things right between you and God. (Go to this page to learn more about WHY WE NEED SALVATION.)
• Get to know Him better by studying His Word (the Holy Bible). The words in the pages of the Bible are God's personal letter to you. Find out what He has to say. 
• Talk to Him as if He is in the same room as you and not just up there somewhere in the clouds. Prayer is your very own personal connection to a God who hears you and understands your needs. 

When you seek God in this manner, you WILL find Him, and you WILL be drawing near to Him. You will be making Him your own.

Draw near to Him today, and He will draw near to you.

Answered Prayer

The word of the week is ANSWER  

something spoken or written in reply to a question :  a correct response :  something done in response or reaction :  a solution of a problem

When we pray, we often ask only for the "big" needs in our lives.

• Lord, please provide a new car for me.
• Lord, please heal my mom.
• Lord, please help me find a new job.

What about the everyday needs that we often take for granted? Do you pray for those also?

• Lord, please give us safe travels.
• Lord, please protect my children.
• Lord, give me strength for this task.
• Lord, show me someone I can encourage today.

If you do pray for the everyday needs, do you notice when the answers come? Or, do you only notice the answers to the "big" things?

I was cleaning out my e-mails recently, and came across a note from my dad. He is allowing me to share this with you today, as it expresses what answered prayer means to him:

From: James L. McIntosh 
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 8:27 AM
Subject: Answered prayer

Sometimes we look for the big things for answered prayer. I am finding the answered prayers in the "little" things we pass by and take for granted.

Last Friday I was praying for protection for our trip to the Creation Museum and God gave safety. 

I also prayed for my children and their children. My grandson slid off a rain slick road and had a partial roll over. Little damage to the car and he was safe. God answered again.

Sunday I prayed for strength in teaching our Sunday School class as I have a had a very hoarse voice from a sinus infection. He gave me a full voice and, afterward, I went hoarse again. He gave what I asked for.

This morning (Monday) I heard the road report coming in and there was a pile up on I55. I was going another direction but it reminded me to pray for the accident victims. As I was praying for them I asked for protection for myself again and, as I was coming off the PSB onto I55 south, I heard a loud bang, looked to see what it was and just missed getting hit by a big truck who smashed another car. God answered again.

Recently, I asked to see opportunities to witness. While waiting for my wife's MRI, I engaged in conversation with a lady in the waiting area. She was trusting in a works-based salvation. She pondered the conversation we had and said, "Now, I believe in Christ alone." God answered again.

God answers prayer! But we don't have because we don't ask (or sometimes because we ask with wrong motives).

James 4:2b-3 -  You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (ESV)

So Pray! It is powerful, and is the most horrible thing to Satan to see a Believer praying.

Visit James at: BUILD ON TRUTH MINISTRIES

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Jesus Today Devotions for Kids [GIVEAWAY CLOSED]

Are you ready for my first review and giveaway of 2016?

Jesus Today: Devotions for Kids is a children's devotional book, for kids in the 6-10 age range. It's a hardcover book of 150 devotions, with the main theme being "Jesus is a Friend who is always by your side."

My honest opinion:  I love the idea, and the content. This is a unique devotional book that is written as though Jesus is speaking directly to the readers, assuring them He is in control of their lives. Plus, each devotion includes Scripture verses to go with it, which is very important for kids to read and know. The only thing I did not like about the book is the look of it. I guess it is meant to look like an old, worn book, and maybe the publisher has a reason for this that I don't know about, but to me (a detailed person who loves to see things neat and tidy), I just wasn't impressed with a book cover that looks old when it really isn't. However, I would not let the look of the book keep you from purchasing it. The content is good!

Take a peek inside at devotion #32:

When the book is open, the devotion is on the left side. The right side has Scripture verses to go along with the devotion. The verses included with devotion #32 are John 21:19, Psalm 23:1 & 4, and Psalm 18:28.

Enter below for your chance to win your own copy of this book. Entries will be accepted until Saturday, January 30, 2016, at 8:00 p.m. CST. Must be 18 or older to enter. One entry per mailing address.

Entry-Form

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

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You Have A Purpose

The word of the week is PURPOSE

PURPOSE is the aim or goal of a person : what a person is trying to do, become, etc.

My husband, David, met someone who used to attend church and understood the meaning of Salvation through Jesus Christ, but he was throwing his life away with drugs and alcohol. He was super depressed because he knew he was addicted and was tired of the life he was living. In a brief moment, David tried to encourage the man by simply saying, "God has a purpose for your life." The man focused on David and asked, "Do you really think so?" David answered "Yes" and the man broke down in tears. He felt worthless, and defeated, and stuck; yet someone told him God has a purpose for his life. God had a reason for him to be alive. It was what he needed to hear. It's what we all need to hear from time to time, because we are all sinful and we all have moments when we feel like failures. The good news is that, whatever our failures are, we can always make a new beginning with God. So, remember this:  no matter who you are, or what you have been through, our Father in Heaven has a purpose for YOU. Read the following verses to see what God's Word has to say about your purpose in this world. Then, make a new start today, a new commitment, to try and fulfill the purpose God has for you.


YOU ARE HERE TO DO GOOD
Ephesians 2:10 -  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)
 
YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE THE LORD AND OTHERS (with the use of your God-given gifts and talents) 
Psalm 100:2 - Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. (NAS)

1 Peter 4:10 - As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 

YOU ARE HERE TO ENCOURAGE
1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

YOU ARE HERE TO THINK OF OTHERS
Philippians 2:3-5 - Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (NAS)

YOU ARE HERE TO GIVE THANKS
Colossians 3:17 - Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (NAS)
 
YOU ARE HERE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
Mark 16:15 - And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."
 
YOU ARE HERE TO LOVE - Love God and Love others
Matthew 22:37-39 - And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (NAS)

YOU ARE HERE TO IMITATE GOD
Ephesians 5:1-2 - Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

YOU ARE HERE TO WORSHIP GOD 
Psalm 95:6-7 - Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. (NAS)

YOU ARE HERE TO BRING GLORY TO GOD (And, you will bring glory to God by doing all of the above.)
1 Corinthians 10:31 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

Make a new start today, a new commitment, 

to fulfill your God-given purpose.

To help remind you of your purpose, here is a Google document that you can print out and keep handy for future reference:  

YOU HAVE A PURPOSE

 

Searching For My Pen Pals from Taiwan

The word of the week is SEARCH

to carefully look for someone or something : to try to find someone or something

When I was in High School and the early days of college (1986-1988), I had two pen pals from Taiwan. I had joined the International Pen Pal Club, and was so excited when I received mail from someone overseas. I was able to learn more about their country, make new friends, and share my faith with them both. One girl was interested in my faith, but not convinced of its truth. The other girl was very interested and eventually said she had become a Christian. Over time, we lost track of each other, so I am now on a quest to find them and see what has become of them. It is my hope that someone will see this, and will have some sort of contact information for either of them.

The first one is Su-Yeng Lin (a.k.a. Lucy). Her birthday is in May 1971. At the time we were writing, she was a student and was living in Chia I City, Taiwan. She had one older sister, and 2 older brothers. Her father died when she was very young. Her mother died in 1987, while we were pen pals. Then, she lived with a classmate for awhile so she could be closer to her school in Taipei City. In her last letter to me, she said she wanted to go back to Chia I City. After that, we lost track of each other. Here are a couple of pictures she sent me.   

The second one is I-Ping Lian (a.k.a. Yvonne). Yvonne was a student at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan, and was majoring in Business Administration. She was born in July 1968. She had 2 brothers and 2 sisters, and was the oldest of the siblings. She said she had a friend in Los Angeles, and one in New York also. She was the pen pal who was most interested in learning about Christianity, so I shared with her as much as I could. Then, in her last letter to me, she said she had become a Christian. Here is a portion of the letter I received from her:

Is it difficult  for you to read the letter I wrote to you? Do you think the sentences I wrote are funny or not fluent? If I have any defects, please tell me. Now, I am a Christian, too. My friend gave me a Bible. I read it every night. But, I can't understand it very well. I prayed to God to help me in my troubles. Do you think God can hear what I said to Him? How will you spend your summer vacation? I'll sign off. Write back as soon as you can. Sincerely yours, Yvonne

I was so excited about her news and wrote back to her a couple more times, but never heard anything in return. I have wondered for many years what happened to her.

If anyone has any information about these two ladies (they would be in their 40's by now), please contact me, or direct them to this blog so that they can contact me themselves.

In the meantime, if you are interested in making new friends, learning about a different culture, and want to share the love of Jesus with others who may not know Him, being a pen pal is a great way to do all of that. I can not find the address or link for the International Pen Pal Club I was a part of. But, if you do an Internet SEARCH (there's that word again for this week), you will find several different pen pal clubs you could try. I don't have any experience with any of them, so I can't recommend one. I would love to hear your thoughts if any of you have tried one of these clubs.