recently i sent a powerpoint email to a couple of friends i hadn't seen in awhile to let them know i was thinking of them. the response was like night and day. one a christian friend i care deeply about, another a secular friend i have known for 28 years.
one said thank you it was beautiful. the other said i don't believe in that crap you do & to delete them from my list of contacts. two completely different responses from them and in me. that response really hurt. the pp included a beautiful song by nana mouskouri. it may have sounded christian to her but because it was in french i had no idea what the words were & doubt my friend knew them. the written words were just telling a friend i was thinking of them, nothing about christianity. it's not the first secular friend that i've lost since becoming a christian simply because they don't believe in 'that crap i do'. i don't mean to be offensive. unless it means to defend the name of Christ and then by His love exhibited in me.
so my friend's name has been added to my list of people i pray for daily. who would've thought. obviously i hadn't. but as Jesus told us in Matthew 5:44 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. i wonder what she'd say if she knew i was praying for her every day. she might have a few other choice words to say to me.
so if you need prayer - ask for it. or persecute (?) someone. it just dawned on me that one of the other people i pray for daily is another old friend that has said not nice things about me being a christian.
if they only knew. hm - i wonder who must have been praying for me.
Monday, November 27, 2006
the immensity of God
Andromeda galaxy - The diffuse light from Andromeda is caused by the hundreds of billions of stars that compose it.
Psalm 147:4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
unreal! and andromeda is just one galaxy & it is so distant it takes about two million years for light to reach us from there. check out the following website if you want to learn more about the immensity of God as it relates to His creation. it's absolutely mindblowing. http://www.seds.org/messier/galaxy.html
i just keep reading psalm 147:4 again and i'm stunned. really read it - He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. read about galaxies, it's just too immense to write about here, and consider the immensity of God. we are so nothing and yet He loves us SO much.
WOW!!! talk about amazing love.
white - a symbol of purity
Isaiah 1:18 Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. this is susan's verse for the week and rather appropriate for today i think considering there is 14" of snow outside.
yesterday morning as i was heading over to mission to go to church i was moved by the beauty of the snow covering the earth. it was like the world had been washed clean and white and was pure. then the ugliness and blackness of reality of this sinful world crept back in.
yesterday morning as i was heading over to mission to go to church i was moved by the beauty of the snow covering the earth. it was like the world had been washed clean and white and was pure. then the ugliness and blackness of reality of this sinful world crept back in.
no work today
i'm not used to this - taking a day off cuz it snowed. working for the rcmp i never got a day off because of snow. if i couldn't make it in they would come and get me. this morning i went to work later than usual only to find the gates locked. i guess i'll try again tomorrow.
this really burns my butt
Guanacacaste to Receive $2 Billion in Tourism Projects
The northwestern Guanacaste province is likely to receive more than $2 billion in tourism projects during the next three years, thanks to 35 projects including hotels and luxury residences in the works, according to the weekly El Financiero.
Additionally, during the next 20 years, at least 28 hotels and 9,700 homes are expected to go up in Guanacaste, many of which are marketed toward retired U.S. citizens.
Investors in these projects are mostly from the United States, but they also come from Costa Rica, Germany, South Africa, Japan, Mexico and Italy, El Financiero reported.
At least 347 hotels to have a total of 6,724 rooms are under construction this year in Guanacaste, marking 66% growth over construction in the region last year. Chains including Four Seasons, Holiday Inn, JW Marriot and Hyatt are among those building.
Guanacaste is the Costa Rican province showing the most tourism development. Attractions include its beaches, national parks and the Daniel Oduber International Airport in the city of Liberia.
the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. when i went to spanish school for 3 weeks last year while living in costa rica all 3 of my teachers, one of them a pastor, all of them very intelligent people, denied that there was poverty in costa rica.
i couldn't believe it. were we living in the same country? how could they not have noticed it?
then i talked to a friend that works for vision mundial (world vision). she said that the government is so hand in hand with the tourism board to promote costa rica as a tourism destination they avoid mentioning the poverty.
sure the ticos will benefit from the tourism, they will get jobs where they will be treated like second class citizens in their own country. although the beach is public property one posh resort that i saw blocked off the road to prevent the locals from the neighbouring village getting to the beach area.
i get so angry that the rich keep getting richer, spending millions of dollars on extravagant weddings, on gowns that they'll wear once, on homes that could house entire villages, on feasts that could feed an entire country. it wouldn't bother me if people cared as much for the welfare of others as they do for themselves.
i know it's to 'protect' us, but when according to food safe, food has to be thrown out simply because it has been out and is left over. there were times in costa rica where we all dipped our fingers into the same bowl and ate with our fingers. i have to admit it caused me to pause but my hunger overcame my concern as i know it would the many children dying of starvation.
The northwestern Guanacaste province is likely to receive more than $2 billion in tourism projects during the next three years, thanks to 35 projects including hotels and luxury residences in the works, according to the weekly El Financiero.
Additionally, during the next 20 years, at least 28 hotels and 9,700 homes are expected to go up in Guanacaste, many of which are marketed toward retired U.S. citizens.
Investors in these projects are mostly from the United States, but they also come from Costa Rica, Germany, South Africa, Japan, Mexico and Italy, El Financiero reported.
At least 347 hotels to have a total of 6,724 rooms are under construction this year in Guanacaste, marking 66% growth over construction in the region last year. Chains including Four Seasons, Holiday Inn, JW Marriot and Hyatt are among those building.
Guanacaste is the Costa Rican province showing the most tourism development. Attractions include its beaches, national parks and the Daniel Oduber International Airport in the city of Liberia.
the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. when i went to spanish school for 3 weeks last year while living in costa rica all 3 of my teachers, one of them a pastor, all of them very intelligent people, denied that there was poverty in costa rica.
i couldn't believe it. were we living in the same country? how could they not have noticed it?
then i talked to a friend that works for vision mundial (world vision). she said that the government is so hand in hand with the tourism board to promote costa rica as a tourism destination they avoid mentioning the poverty.
sure the ticos will benefit from the tourism, they will get jobs where they will be treated like second class citizens in their own country. although the beach is public property one posh resort that i saw blocked off the road to prevent the locals from the neighbouring village getting to the beach area.
i get so angry that the rich keep getting richer, spending millions of dollars on extravagant weddings, on gowns that they'll wear once, on homes that could house entire villages, on feasts that could feed an entire country. it wouldn't bother me if people cared as much for the welfare of others as they do for themselves.
i know it's to 'protect' us, but when according to food safe, food has to be thrown out simply because it has been out and is left over. there were times in costa rica where we all dipped our fingers into the same bowl and ate with our fingers. i have to admit it caused me to pause but my hunger overcame my concern as i know it would the many children dying of starvation.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
the prayer of jabez
..."Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory!...." - 1 Chronicles 4:10
He is mentioned only once in a brief description in the Old Testament, yet what he says and what his life bespeaks could fill volumes. He was a man whom God saw as worthy of a request that had significant consequences for him and his family. His name was Jabez. Here is how the Scripture describes him:
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).
When you think of territory, you probably think of land or some area in which you have dominion. Jesus often spoke about giving responsibility based on what we do with the little things first. Jabez must have been a very responsible person. God describes him as honorable. Jabez must have understood what it really means to be blessed by God. He was a man who knew what it meant to press into God and ask for God's favor with passion. God saw the heart of this man and gave him his request. His borders were enlarged! He lived a life free from pain. Imagine that!
The only reason God will enlarge a person's territory is that He knows that person will use it responsibly. He will steward what is given in light of God's Kingdom. God truly wants to increase our territory to have greater influence in the world around us. That territory can mean personal influence and/or physical territories.
It is rare to have a life without pain. Pain is often necessary to mold us and shape us. This is the only exception I have seen in Scripture. Jabez must have been quite a man with incredible integrity and purity of heart.
Are you this kind of person? Can God enlarge your territory and entrust you to use it for His purposes? Ask God today to enlarge your territory. Ask Him to make you the kind of man or woman who is worthy of such trust.
He is mentioned only once in a brief description in the Old Testament, yet what he says and what his life bespeaks could fill volumes. He was a man whom God saw as worthy of a request that had significant consequences for him and his family. His name was Jabez. Here is how the Scripture describes him:
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).
When you think of territory, you probably think of land or some area in which you have dominion. Jesus often spoke about giving responsibility based on what we do with the little things first. Jabez must have been a very responsible person. God describes him as honorable. Jabez must have understood what it really means to be blessed by God. He was a man who knew what it meant to press into God and ask for God's favor with passion. God saw the heart of this man and gave him his request. His borders were enlarged! He lived a life free from pain. Imagine that!
The only reason God will enlarge a person's territory is that He knows that person will use it responsibly. He will steward what is given in light of God's Kingdom. God truly wants to increase our territory to have greater influence in the world around us. That territory can mean personal influence and/or physical territories.
It is rare to have a life without pain. Pain is often necessary to mold us and shape us. This is the only exception I have seen in Scripture. Jabez must have been quite a man with incredible integrity and purity of heart.
Are you this kind of person? Can God enlarge your territory and entrust you to use it for His purposes? Ask God today to enlarge your territory. Ask Him to make you the kind of man or woman who is worthy of such trust.
Friday, November 24, 2006
november 23 - 15 years ago
i was living in hell on earth. after living with depression off and on for many years my marriage had dissolved. i was living on sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antidepressants, booze, coffee & cheese. the police came to arrest me under the mental health act because the shrink i was seeing thought i was a threat to myself. she was right. emotionally and mentally i had already died, i just needed to finish the job.
then God sent an angel to save me. my precious granddaughter was born on this date and she was the most beautiful baby i had ever seen. she has asked wasn't my own daughter the most beautiful. she was but i was so hurting and in such pain and great need when my granddaughter was born it was like she was an angel that God had sent to me. she took my focus off myself. my daughter was living in edmonton and i had gone there for my granddaughter's birth. when she came home for christmas my family told her not to leave, that my granddaughter was the only thing keeping me alive.
looking back i am amazed at how much God loves us and at what lengths He goes to to get our attention. He knew i was going to dissolve into a basket case and He provided a bright light in an otherwise pitch black darkness.
they had to go back to edmonton finally at which point i descended into the blackest hole of my life. that was hell on earth. i can't imagine the eternal hell being worse than that. i came to in hospital one day wondering where i was and how i'd got there. God just kept picking me out of these situations i was getting myself into.
it's amazing how faithful God is. when He knows you're gonna be His kid how He watches over you and keeps you safe even when you do the dumbest things. it still took me another 7 years to clue in and He was there watching over me all the time, even though i continued to do dumb things. i was and am and will always be blown away by how very much He loves me. and how awesome He is. and how faithful He is.
i can remember november 23 15 years ago as if i am living it right now. and yet i can't remember what i did yesterday. the weird thing is that i remember it so clearly when i was taking mind numbing drugs and now i don't take anything and can't remember anything. i guess that's a result of taking mind numbing drugs. they finally work.
anyway Father thank You for that precious gift you gave 15 years ago. she still is and will always be a very special angel.
then God sent an angel to save me. my precious granddaughter was born on this date and she was the most beautiful baby i had ever seen. she has asked wasn't my own daughter the most beautiful. she was but i was so hurting and in such pain and great need when my granddaughter was born it was like she was an angel that God had sent to me. she took my focus off myself. my daughter was living in edmonton and i had gone there for my granddaughter's birth. when she came home for christmas my family told her not to leave, that my granddaughter was the only thing keeping me alive.
looking back i am amazed at how much God loves us and at what lengths He goes to to get our attention. He knew i was going to dissolve into a basket case and He provided a bright light in an otherwise pitch black darkness.
they had to go back to edmonton finally at which point i descended into the blackest hole of my life. that was hell on earth. i can't imagine the eternal hell being worse than that. i came to in hospital one day wondering where i was and how i'd got there. God just kept picking me out of these situations i was getting myself into.
it's amazing how faithful God is. when He knows you're gonna be His kid how He watches over you and keeps you safe even when you do the dumbest things. it still took me another 7 years to clue in and He was there watching over me all the time, even though i continued to do dumb things. i was and am and will always be blown away by how very much He loves me. and how awesome He is. and how faithful He is.
i can remember november 23 15 years ago as if i am living it right now. and yet i can't remember what i did yesterday. the weird thing is that i remember it so clearly when i was taking mind numbing drugs and now i don't take anything and can't remember anything. i guess that's a result of taking mind numbing drugs. they finally work.
anyway Father thank You for that precious gift you gave 15 years ago. she still is and will always be a very special angel.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
Different parts and different hearts
Why do we all have different passions? So everything that’s supposed to get done will get done.
Sometimes we get overwhelmed because we are constantly exposed to people with various passions for service, and when they represent their cause, they are so committed to that which has captured them that we feel guilty for not sharing their zeal. We seem indifferent in comparison.
When I was in college, we had chapel every day and almost every day we heard a message from someone who had a passion for some particular ministry. They were usually in some way recruiting us for service, whether it was in missions or in the church, or in society, or among the poor. It was overwhelming, and often frustrating, because everyone made every concern sound like the only thing any caring person would support.
The same thing happens in our churches. Sometimes we feel guilt because we don’t have the same passion as the last person who talked about missions, or abortion, or the homeless, or marriage, or singleness, or men’s ministry, or AIDS prevention, or prisons, or evangelism, or the military. What we forget is that there are so many needs because there are so many of us to meet them. We aren’t supposed to get our bell rung by every appeal that comes by. We are a body made up of different parts and different hearts; we don’t have to all be moved by the same issues and needs.
This is where the concept and the practical nature of spiritual gifts come in. There are a variety of gifts and there are a variety of ministries, but the same Lord working in all and through all. No one has to do everything; no one can. It is up to us to find out where we fit and what God put us here to do. Soon you will be just as passionate about something because it’s your thing. This is the way it’s supposed to be. We only get frustrated when we forget this and try and take on everything, or get so overwhelmed that we take on nothing at all.
All of this should just make us marvel at the wisdom of God even more. He’s designed us all with different abilities and different interests so that we are not only good at what we do, we do not have to be frustrated or depressed over what we aren’t good at. When we all do our part in the Body of Christ, everyone gets a job, everyone gets honored, and everyone is important. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
by John Fischer
Sometimes we get overwhelmed because we are constantly exposed to people with various passions for service, and when they represent their cause, they are so committed to that which has captured them that we feel guilty for not sharing their zeal. We seem indifferent in comparison.
When I was in college, we had chapel every day and almost every day we heard a message from someone who had a passion for some particular ministry. They were usually in some way recruiting us for service, whether it was in missions or in the church, or in society, or among the poor. It was overwhelming, and often frustrating, because everyone made every concern sound like the only thing any caring person would support.
The same thing happens in our churches. Sometimes we feel guilt because we don’t have the same passion as the last person who talked about missions, or abortion, or the homeless, or marriage, or singleness, or men’s ministry, or AIDS prevention, or prisons, or evangelism, or the military. What we forget is that there are so many needs because there are so many of us to meet them. We aren’t supposed to get our bell rung by every appeal that comes by. We are a body made up of different parts and different hearts; we don’t have to all be moved by the same issues and needs.
This is where the concept and the practical nature of spiritual gifts come in. There are a variety of gifts and there are a variety of ministries, but the same Lord working in all and through all. No one has to do everything; no one can. It is up to us to find out where we fit and what God put us here to do. Soon you will be just as passionate about something because it’s your thing. This is the way it’s supposed to be. We only get frustrated when we forget this and try and take on everything, or get so overwhelmed that we take on nothing at all.
All of this should just make us marvel at the wisdom of God even more. He’s designed us all with different abilities and different interests so that we are not only good at what we do, we do not have to be frustrated or depressed over what we aren’t good at. When we all do our part in the Body of Christ, everyone gets a job, everyone gets honored, and everyone is important. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
by John Fischer
... God's calling your name, are you listening?
A lot of Christians are going to get to heaven and find out that God offered so much more than they experienced. Steve Brown
this is SO true. i see so many people that claim to be christians but i don't see any joy in their lives.
i feel so blessed and i have such joy and i wonder 'why me'
the only thing i ever wanted in life was to be loved. my father died before i was born. the year i was born my mother's husband, father & grandmother all died. for me it was like she never recovered from her grief and didn't know how to love me.
i was 12 when i ran away from home the first time. i didn't have a great young life but although there were a lot of struggles i'd have to say it was pretty good for the most part. there was emotional, physical, verbal & sexual abuse but i don't know too many families that haven't experienced that so i'd have to say all in all i had a pretty normal childhood.
to say that that was a normal childhood sure makes it sounds like we live in a pretty sick world. and the older i get the sicker this world seems to be. i had a couple of marriages, normal; several relationships looking for love, also normal?
i didn't find true love until i became a christian. i still wanted to be in a relationship. but i think it's being single that has brought me closer to God. i am alone and it is in being alone that i have so much more time to spend with God than a married person would have.
i don't have very good people skills so i don't have a lot of friends. so again i am alone a lot. but i am never alone. God is always here with me. i spend time with Him and it is in spending my time with Him that i find my joy. married people and people with lots of friends spend their time with their spouses and their friends. people spend their time with family or friends or doing activities but how many people actually spend their time with God.
don't pity me. believe me i've done enough of that mayself in the past. but consider this - whoever you are spending your time with is who you are developing a relationship with.
if you are bemoaning your singleness you aren't drawing any closer to the lover of your soul. if you are spending all your time with family and friends when are you spending time with God.
ask anyone that knows me - i always wanted to be married, to be in relationship, to be loved. now i'm not so sure about being married. i am in relationship now and i am deeply loved. and i love deeply.
last night i thought i wanted to write something that would be read after i died. i wanted to have the last say. i wanted to say something that was bold. i wanted to say something to people that i was never able to say while i was alive.
so many so called christians have absolutely no idea about what it is to truly be a christian. they spend time in God's house one hour a week, sunday christians and have no idea what joy is waiting for them if they would actually take the time to spend time with God.
God really is offering so much more than they are experiencing but they won't know it until they change their life. don't know how? can't do it? how many times does God have to tell you 'ask, seek, knock' He's just waiting for you to ask Him.
the bible is truly THE guide to life, abundant, joyful, blessed life. why struggle with day to day living waiting to enjoy life, love and joy when you get to heaven. sure daily life can be a struggle but if you are truly, madly, deeply, in love with God He carries you through all that.
prayer - is your prayer time 2 minutes or 2 hours. you get what you give. are you praising God and thanking Him and praying for others? or is it all about you?
bible reading - you've just finished reading the bible for the first time. you've been a christian for 10 years and it's taken you this long? it truly is the living Word of God. start each january and read the bible each year - you'll be surprised at knowing that you've read the same things several times before but all of a sudden you finally understand it. you want answers - God's given us all the answers we'll need this side of heaven.
giving - i think this is the hardest part of being a christian. God blesses us but we hoard it. God says we need to be good stewards of His money. it is HIS money you know. you wouldn't have the job without Him. you wouldn't have the income without Him. everything we have is from Him. what is a good steward? someone that puts their money in the bank to save it for a rainy day? well we've had a lot of rainy days lately. are you content? are you joyful? or is a good steward someone that gives it back to God for His joy, His purpose? ever since becoming a christian i wondered about being a good steward. i used to be so far in debt i thought i'd never see daylight. then i lived on a small pension for almost 2 years without a job and although i don't have a dime in savings, now, excluding my mortgage, i have no debt, i am joyful and content beyond my imaginings.
do not worry - that is a command, but does anyone listen? how much of your day do you spend worrying? are you worried about finances? are you worried about health? worrying about anything is going to affect your health and quite likely your relationships.
trust - worrying about anything is saying you don't trust God to take care of you. if you are saying you don't trust God to take care of you how do you think that is going to affect your relationship with Him? He promises to always be with us. He promises to give us what we need. don't be anxious wondering when or how God will give us what we need. just trust. He says He will and He will. He will provide for what we need WHEN we need it and not before. He will comfort us when we mourn. He will give us peace when we need it. He will protect us.
i think romans 8:28 is my favourite verse "that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" whether in sickness or in health i believe this. we may not understand how death or disease is His working for our good but consider how He did not spare His own Son because He loves us so much. how many of you love your child so much that you would gladly give your life for theirs. how many people unselfishly have given their lives for a friend. or as i think of the martyrs who have died so that others might live to know Christ. or as jim elliot said when asked if they would protect themselves against the waodani indians in ecuador 'they are not ready for heaven, we are'
are you ready for heaven? are you going to get there and be blown away by all the blessings you missed out on while here.
one way God blesses us is giving us spiritual gifts. learn what they are and how you can use them. if you are serving in the areas of your giftedness you will be blessed and know God's joy.
don't do something just because you can. don't do something just because it's a paycheque. find out your gifts, discover your passions and work out of those and you'll be amazed at the difference between working for a living and living for God. the first is a day to day grind, tiresome, weary, an endless rut. but the second is a joy, almost that you would do it without pay, tireless, something to look forward to.
i wish there was something i could say to people that they would know / have the same joy i have.
so many singles that don't have the joy of an intimate relationship with the one perfect love that's just longing for a relationship with them. so many married people that don't have that joy.
i know some pretty awesome people that have been christians for a long time and they don't have joy. why am i so blessed? someone very close to me has been a christian for about 30 years but i don't ever recall seeing joy. has she forgotten her first love? she worries about money, health, doesn't show love or forgiveness. i wonder if because she is lukewarm, neither hot nor cold will she be spit out (rev 3:16).
i think i'd have to describe myself as a needy person. maybe because i am i spend so much time with God. i've always thought i was able and capable of taking care of myself. i was a survivor. the only one thing i ever wanted i couldn't have. i, like most little girls i imagine, dreamed of once upon a time living happily ever after. i kissed a lot of toads looking for my prince.
and then i found a King. and in Him the one, true, perfect love i had been searching for all my life.
so as a needy person i have come to the right place. He fulfills my every need. He is the lover of my soul, i hunger for Him and He fills me up. my joy and my life are complete in Him. sometimes i ache i long so much to be with Him. and when i have hurt Him i am completely heartbroken and desperate to be reconciled to Him. i am desperately, madly, deeply in love with Him and i submit to Him in anything and everything. whatever He calls me to i willingly do.
are you still searching for your prince / princess? surrender to the King of Glory and know the joy of His deep intimate love that He's just waiting to lavish on you.
as one friend told me just before i went to costa rica - i was just transferring my needs to something else. that i was running away and would never find what i was looking for. but i have found what i was looking for and more.
do you hunger for something more? do you think this is just a fairy tale? an impossible dream?
it isn't. God is alive and real and waiting for you to come to Him. i wish there was something i could say that would convince people of their need for God but i know there isn't. we can only let the Glory of God shine His light in us as a beacon to light the way for others to follow.
is your cup full, half full or half empty? let the abundant joy of God in your life spill over into the lives of others.
don't wait to get to heaven to experience the incredible joy of God's pleasure. enjoy heaven on earth, right here, right now. He's calling your name, are you listening?
this is SO true. i see so many people that claim to be christians but i don't see any joy in their lives.
i feel so blessed and i have such joy and i wonder 'why me'
the only thing i ever wanted in life was to be loved. my father died before i was born. the year i was born my mother's husband, father & grandmother all died. for me it was like she never recovered from her grief and didn't know how to love me.
i was 12 when i ran away from home the first time. i didn't have a great young life but although there were a lot of struggles i'd have to say it was pretty good for the most part. there was emotional, physical, verbal & sexual abuse but i don't know too many families that haven't experienced that so i'd have to say all in all i had a pretty normal childhood.
to say that that was a normal childhood sure makes it sounds like we live in a pretty sick world. and the older i get the sicker this world seems to be. i had a couple of marriages, normal; several relationships looking for love, also normal?
i didn't find true love until i became a christian. i still wanted to be in a relationship. but i think it's being single that has brought me closer to God. i am alone and it is in being alone that i have so much more time to spend with God than a married person would have.
i don't have very good people skills so i don't have a lot of friends. so again i am alone a lot. but i am never alone. God is always here with me. i spend time with Him and it is in spending my time with Him that i find my joy. married people and people with lots of friends spend their time with their spouses and their friends. people spend their time with family or friends or doing activities but how many people actually spend their time with God.
don't pity me. believe me i've done enough of that mayself in the past. but consider this - whoever you are spending your time with is who you are developing a relationship with.
if you are bemoaning your singleness you aren't drawing any closer to the lover of your soul. if you are spending all your time with family and friends when are you spending time with God.
ask anyone that knows me - i always wanted to be married, to be in relationship, to be loved. now i'm not so sure about being married. i am in relationship now and i am deeply loved. and i love deeply.
last night i thought i wanted to write something that would be read after i died. i wanted to have the last say. i wanted to say something that was bold. i wanted to say something to people that i was never able to say while i was alive.
so many so called christians have absolutely no idea about what it is to truly be a christian. they spend time in God's house one hour a week, sunday christians and have no idea what joy is waiting for them if they would actually take the time to spend time with God.
God really is offering so much more than they are experiencing but they won't know it until they change their life. don't know how? can't do it? how many times does God have to tell you 'ask, seek, knock' He's just waiting for you to ask Him.
the bible is truly THE guide to life, abundant, joyful, blessed life. why struggle with day to day living waiting to enjoy life, love and joy when you get to heaven. sure daily life can be a struggle but if you are truly, madly, deeply, in love with God He carries you through all that.
prayer - is your prayer time 2 minutes or 2 hours. you get what you give. are you praising God and thanking Him and praying for others? or is it all about you?
bible reading - you've just finished reading the bible for the first time. you've been a christian for 10 years and it's taken you this long? it truly is the living Word of God. start each january and read the bible each year - you'll be surprised at knowing that you've read the same things several times before but all of a sudden you finally understand it. you want answers - God's given us all the answers we'll need this side of heaven.
giving - i think this is the hardest part of being a christian. God blesses us but we hoard it. God says we need to be good stewards of His money. it is HIS money you know. you wouldn't have the job without Him. you wouldn't have the income without Him. everything we have is from Him. what is a good steward? someone that puts their money in the bank to save it for a rainy day? well we've had a lot of rainy days lately. are you content? are you joyful? or is a good steward someone that gives it back to God for His joy, His purpose? ever since becoming a christian i wondered about being a good steward. i used to be so far in debt i thought i'd never see daylight. then i lived on a small pension for almost 2 years without a job and although i don't have a dime in savings, now, excluding my mortgage, i have no debt, i am joyful and content beyond my imaginings.
do not worry - that is a command, but does anyone listen? how much of your day do you spend worrying? are you worried about finances? are you worried about health? worrying about anything is going to affect your health and quite likely your relationships.
trust - worrying about anything is saying you don't trust God to take care of you. if you are saying you don't trust God to take care of you how do you think that is going to affect your relationship with Him? He promises to always be with us. He promises to give us what we need. don't be anxious wondering when or how God will give us what we need. just trust. He says He will and He will. He will provide for what we need WHEN we need it and not before. He will comfort us when we mourn. He will give us peace when we need it. He will protect us.
i think romans 8:28 is my favourite verse "that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" whether in sickness or in health i believe this. we may not understand how death or disease is His working for our good but consider how He did not spare His own Son because He loves us so much. how many of you love your child so much that you would gladly give your life for theirs. how many people unselfishly have given their lives for a friend. or as i think of the martyrs who have died so that others might live to know Christ. or as jim elliot said when asked if they would protect themselves against the waodani indians in ecuador 'they are not ready for heaven, we are'
are you ready for heaven? are you going to get there and be blown away by all the blessings you missed out on while here.
one way God blesses us is giving us spiritual gifts. learn what they are and how you can use them. if you are serving in the areas of your giftedness you will be blessed and know God's joy.
don't do something just because you can. don't do something just because it's a paycheque. find out your gifts, discover your passions and work out of those and you'll be amazed at the difference between working for a living and living for God. the first is a day to day grind, tiresome, weary, an endless rut. but the second is a joy, almost that you would do it without pay, tireless, something to look forward to.
i wish there was something i could say to people that they would know / have the same joy i have.
so many singles that don't have the joy of an intimate relationship with the one perfect love that's just longing for a relationship with them. so many married people that don't have that joy.
i know some pretty awesome people that have been christians for a long time and they don't have joy. why am i so blessed? someone very close to me has been a christian for about 30 years but i don't ever recall seeing joy. has she forgotten her first love? she worries about money, health, doesn't show love or forgiveness. i wonder if because she is lukewarm, neither hot nor cold will she be spit out (rev 3:16).
i think i'd have to describe myself as a needy person. maybe because i am i spend so much time with God. i've always thought i was able and capable of taking care of myself. i was a survivor. the only one thing i ever wanted i couldn't have. i, like most little girls i imagine, dreamed of once upon a time living happily ever after. i kissed a lot of toads looking for my prince.
and then i found a King. and in Him the one, true, perfect love i had been searching for all my life.
so as a needy person i have come to the right place. He fulfills my every need. He is the lover of my soul, i hunger for Him and He fills me up. my joy and my life are complete in Him. sometimes i ache i long so much to be with Him. and when i have hurt Him i am completely heartbroken and desperate to be reconciled to Him. i am desperately, madly, deeply in love with Him and i submit to Him in anything and everything. whatever He calls me to i willingly do.
are you still searching for your prince / princess? surrender to the King of Glory and know the joy of His deep intimate love that He's just waiting to lavish on you.
as one friend told me just before i went to costa rica - i was just transferring my needs to something else. that i was running away and would never find what i was looking for. but i have found what i was looking for and more.
do you hunger for something more? do you think this is just a fairy tale? an impossible dream?
it isn't. God is alive and real and waiting for you to come to Him. i wish there was something i could say that would convince people of their need for God but i know there isn't. we can only let the Glory of God shine His light in us as a beacon to light the way for others to follow.
is your cup full, half full or half empty? let the abundant joy of God in your life spill over into the lives of others.
don't wait to get to heaven to experience the incredible joy of God's pleasure. enjoy heaven on earth, right here, right now. He's calling your name, are you listening?
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
the worst places to be a kid
Each year, the United Nations ranks more than 175 countries according to health, education, and standard of living. Known as the Human Development Index, the annual list provides statistics about life around the world.
the index is at http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/ human development indicators pages 219 to 220
Norway, Sweden, Australia, and Canada topped the list with their high standards of living, long life expectancies, and low infant mortality rates. At the bottom of the list, however, are a number of countries where it is much more difficult for children.
The Worst of the Worst
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has an infant mortality rate of 166 deaths per 1,000 live births. The average life expectancy in Sierra Leone is a mere 34 years.
Considered to be the world's least-developed nation, more than half of Sierra Leone's population of 5.3 million lives in extreme poverty. The country's decade-long civil war ended in 2002, but the problems that caused the war—poverty, tribal rivalry, the illicit diamond trade, and government corruption—are ongoing. World Vision began working in Sierra Leone in 1978.
Niger
In Niger, the infant mortality rate is 154 deaths per 1,000 live births. A child growing up there can expect to live only 46 years on average.
This arid country of 12.9 million is the world's poorest country and its second-least developed. Drought and hunger affect the population of subsistence farmers almost annually. Literacy rates are low and disease is widespread. World Vision has been working in Niger since 1973.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has an infant mortality rate of 107 deaths per 1,000 live births. The average life expectancy in Burkina Faso is only 46 years.
Landlocked in west Africa, this small country of 13.8 million has suffered recurring droughts and military coups. Allegations of human rights violations and involvement in the diamond smuggling trade have dogged the country for decades.
Mali
In Mali, the infant mortality rate is 122 deaths per 1,000 live births. A child growing up there can expect to live only 49 years on average.
A relatively peaceful, democratic country of 13.8 million, Mali's poor rainfall, recurrent droughts, and degradation of natural resources have contributed to the decline of food production. Approximately 80 per cent of Malians work in agriculture, yet less than four percent of the land is arable. World Vision has worked in Mali since 1975.
famines, droughts, plagues, wars. you read about them in the bible. these poorest of the poor nations live them daily, yearly, their entire lives.
and we in canada rank 5th in the world for quality of life. too many of us enjoy this 'quality' of life, completely ignoring the poor that God commanded us to clothe and feed and care for.
the index is at http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/ human development indicators pages 219 to 220
Norway, Sweden, Australia, and Canada topped the list with their high standards of living, long life expectancies, and low infant mortality rates. At the bottom of the list, however, are a number of countries where it is much more difficult for children.
The Worst of the Worst
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has an infant mortality rate of 166 deaths per 1,000 live births. The average life expectancy in Sierra Leone is a mere 34 years.
Considered to be the world's least-developed nation, more than half of Sierra Leone's population of 5.3 million lives in extreme poverty. The country's decade-long civil war ended in 2002, but the problems that caused the war—poverty, tribal rivalry, the illicit diamond trade, and government corruption—are ongoing. World Vision began working in Sierra Leone in 1978.
Niger
In Niger, the infant mortality rate is 154 deaths per 1,000 live births. A child growing up there can expect to live only 46 years on average.
This arid country of 12.9 million is the world's poorest country and its second-least developed. Drought and hunger affect the population of subsistence farmers almost annually. Literacy rates are low and disease is widespread. World Vision has been working in Niger since 1973.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has an infant mortality rate of 107 deaths per 1,000 live births. The average life expectancy in Burkina Faso is only 46 years.
Landlocked in west Africa, this small country of 13.8 million has suffered recurring droughts and military coups. Allegations of human rights violations and involvement in the diamond smuggling trade have dogged the country for decades.
Mali
In Mali, the infant mortality rate is 122 deaths per 1,000 live births. A child growing up there can expect to live only 49 years on average.
A relatively peaceful, democratic country of 13.8 million, Mali's poor rainfall, recurrent droughts, and degradation of natural resources have contributed to the decline of food production. Approximately 80 per cent of Malians work in agriculture, yet less than four percent of the land is arable. World Vision has worked in Mali since 1975.
famines, droughts, plagues, wars. you read about them in the bible. these poorest of the poor nations live them daily, yearly, their entire lives.
and we in canada rank 5th in the world for quality of life. too many of us enjoy this 'quality' of life, completely ignoring the poor that God commanded us to clothe and feed and care for.
i have more than enough
i'm sitting here in my pj's and sweater, wrapped in a blanket to keep warm but i'm so cold. i have a thermostat 3 feet away that says it's 23 degrees yet it feels like it's 3 degrees. last night i had planned to go to bible study but after being outside in the cold i was so drained & my energy sapped just trying to get warm, i didn't go. as i'm sitting here inside my nice warm shelter i'm thinking of all those that don't have shelter, that don't have warm blankets, or jackets, people living outside on the streets of my city and people on the other side of the world. i'm thinking of people that are going to go through this winter with not enough food to eat, not enough clothes or blankets or heat sources to keep them warm. i can't imagine it. i'm sitting inside a warm place of shelter and i'm so cold it hurts. you might think - it's 5 am, go back to bed fool and get warm and quit complaining but i can't. i need to think of how very much i have. i need to think of how very little the rest of the world has. i need to think how i can make a difference. i need to think how i can support agencies who can make a difference.
if you have a nice warm place to live, if you have enough food to eat, if you have more than a couple pairs of shoes, a couple of sweaters, a couple of pairs of pants, you have enough. and more than most of the rest of the world.
if you have a nice warm place to live, if you have enough food to eat, if you have more than a couple pairs of shoes, a couple of sweaters, a couple of pairs of pants, you have enough. and more than most of the rest of the world.
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