Do You Need a Talking To?

Don't you just love it when God give you a spiritual "talking to"? It's kind of like when a teacher would call you out in front of the class and point out something you were doing that you weren't supposed to? Or is it?

My God is so tender and loving. When He admonishes me, it is so direct (cause He knows that is the kind of girl I am), yet so loving and kind! This morning as I was praying about my day and some areas where I have really been struggling to accept the actions of other people, He once again, gently spoke to remap my thinking.

"Do you know the plans I have for ___________? Could it be that you are secretly wanting them to fail?"

"OH NO GOD! That isn't what I meant at all. It's just that why do things work out for those that seem to constantly be doing wrong or messing up? It just doesn't seem fair!" (Do you detect my little bit of whining there? I didn't until I just typed it!)

"My baby girl! Was it fair that I let you come back to me after the things YOU did? Is it fair that I am making a ministry out of YOUR failed life? You do not know the scheme of my plans. You do not know how I am going to gain glory. You don't know that I have planted you here for a VERY SPECIFIC purpose. Sometimes the gain of those who don't deserve it can be the gain of those who do."

Ouch!!!

BIG OUCH!!

Sometimes God has us planted in places we don't understand. I think of a plant I have sitting in my kitchen window. You know I haven't even really planted it yet. It is sitting in a mason jar of water. I can't tell you HOW long it has been there. But I have left it in that jar, partly because I am ADD. But the other reason is that I am looking for JUST THE RIGHT pot to put it in. I want to keep it in the window. I want to see it every day as I wake up. But, I want to find just the right pot that is made especially for THAT plant.

The roots on that plant have grown, just as my roots have been growing...but... it isn't root bound yet. There is still room to grow.

Are you looking at other people and thinking it isn't fair that they seem to keep screwing up and STILL reaping rewards? Is there someone you know who is really making some BAD spiritual choices, and deep down, it "gets your goat" to see those choices seem to somehow pay off for them? Or maybe you feel like you are ready for your pot?

Remember, Isaiah 58:8 says, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." He has a bigger plan. We have no idea the scheme of things in His plan.

Boldly Love On God at the Next SHINE Event!

Hello ladies! Where in the world does time go? Man, how did this month fly by and I haven't even sent out an update about the next SHINE get-together! I know with this late notice, many of you may not be able to make it... but "consistency" is the area God is working on in my personal life.

So get ready to have a great time with our wonderful sisters and SHINE!!!

This month we are going to meet at my house... GOD HELP ME!!! Or maybe I should say, "GOD HELP THEM!!!" My house is ... well it is my house, my mother would probably flip her lid if she thought I was going to invite company into it. And to be honest, a few of you may think, "What was she thinking!?!" when you come. BUT...............life is life and this is me and I am trying to do better and it takes time... yadda, yadda, yadda! No more worries, just do what God is wanting me to do!

Ok, now that that is out of the way:O)  This month we are going to learn how to BLOG: Boldly Love On God!!! And yes, that is going to be the lesson; but.... I am also going to be giving a little Blogging 101 lesson as well. For our activity this month I am going to help any of you that want to, set up your very own BLOG!!! What better way to Boldly Love On God than to share your testimony!! A blog is the perfect way to practice.

There is so much I want to tell you all, but this isa crazy busy week! So, I will leave it at that! I will have at least 3 computers available and any of you who have laptops, PLEASE bring them. I have wifi and you can get online and get those creative juices running! The event will be Saturday the 28th at 5 pm at my house. If you have to work or can't make it right at 5, don't let that stop you. There will be so much going on, you can drop in whenever you want.

There will be some LIGHT snacks. Don't know what yet, this is one of those can't wait till payday kind of weeks, so I am going to be creative! It may be bologna sandwiches or it could be something fancy. I just haven't decided yet! Just come expecting to have a good time and enjoy the presence of good, godly fun!

I love you all! If you POSSIBLY can, it is always nice to know who is and isn't coming. It just helps me plan a bit. So.. RSVP's are great, but if you don't get to it, don't EVER let that keep you from coming on and joining us!

God bless you.. remember to BOLDLY LOVE ON GOD this week!

What to Wear? The Daily Saga

It doesn't matter how full my closet is, it seems like every morning I enter the same saga...WHAT TO WEAR? Maybe part of the problem is that I have too many blouses hanging in my closet, or not enough pants to have variety. It might be because I feel too fat, or look too slouchy. Whatever the reason, it seems the "what to wear" dilemma  faces me most every morning.

How many mornings have you left out the door with a pile of clothes on the end of your bed that you spent 30 minutes putting on and taking off only to find you have NOTHING to wear? I know you all aren't like that. Some of you are decisive and can rattle off your entire wardrobe "menu", and others of you, one I can think of in particular (smiles, cause you know who you are), that will pull out whatever is clean and hanging in front of your eyes. No matter what, our wardrobe in generally important to us all. From the jewelry we wear to the shoes on our feet... we take great care to look good. I don't know many ladies who don't WANT to look good.

I received a promise verse at the She Speaks training that I went to a few weeks ago. My goal is to memorize it, and you would think I would have/ could have done that by now.. but anyway. I have been chewing on this verse for a while now and it just hit me tonight how much I spend on my physical wardrobe in comparison to my spiritual one.

The verse was Colossians 3:11-12, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."

What am I wearing? Mercy? Kindness? Humility? Gentleness? Patience? Forgiveness? I must say, I don't look in the mirror every morning looking to see if those things are in the right place like I do my wardrobe. Are they looking good on me? Or a little sloppy? Am I accessorizing kindness by handing the  lady at the drive-thru an extra $5 so she can buy her lunch? Am I adorning my hands with gentleness by tenderly kissing my sleeping children on the foreheads? Am I sliding my feet into humility as I let the man behind me in the grocery store go first because he looks like he has had a bad day? Am I throwing forgiveness over my shoulder and stuffing all the hurt into God's designer bag to carry for me?

If only, I made it a habit to spend the same amount of time, put the same amount of care, invest the same amount of money into putting on these spiritual clothes!

Are you having trouble figuring out what to wear spiritually? It shouldn't be a saga, it should be a delight. You know, I think every little girl wants to be a model at some point in her life, but very few of us have the ability (or the beauty) to do so.. but we can all still be models. Be a model for God. Walk down the runway of life with your head held high and strutting the beautiful clothing from the ultimate designer. Talking about BRAND NAME!!!

When you wake up in the morning, clothe yourself with more than just those trendy, or comfy clothes hanging in your closet. Put on your tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. Then, look in the mirror and see the shining star God has made you to be. Strut your stuff girl! God is watching, and so is someone who needs to see Him through you!

Progress..Where Does It Need to Be?

Progress! It is a good thing. Yet, so often we are so down on ourselves that we are blinded to our own progress. Do you think maybe it is because we are striving so badly for perfection instead? Do you think that we are looking so deeply for perfection that the progress just becomes oversight?

Let me just give you an example. I have been so discouraged that my posts to SHINE haven't been more frequent. I know I have a busy schedule, etc., but I just feel so inconsistent. I want to do it ALL right. So as I was looking around on the blog to make some the changes that need to be made, I realized that I have made 65 posts since 2008. That doesn't seem like much, but the cool part of it was that the number has increased. It hasn't been a lot... but it has been more each year.

2008= 20 posts

2009= 24 posts

2010= 25 posts... and the year isn't over yet.

You see, God so generously showed me that I AM MAKING PROGRESS!

Now, there are a million things that I need to grow in. I need to be more disciplined. I need better motivation. I need more energy. I need to be better organized. Oh yes, I have made progress in each of those areas, I see now... but I haven't attained a level I where am content yet. And, each of those areas spill over into my spiritual life.

Here is something God showed me the other day. We get so busy trying to do EVERYTHING that we never focus on one thing long enough to master it. We are all so should I say, "spiritually ADD," that we hop from one area to another without ever finding victory in any.

The one area I think God wants me to work on is consistency... isn't that funny considering my worries with this blog! However, I prayed that God would show me the one area that needs work where all the other areas will fall into place... and CONSISTENCY was it for me.

So, here is my request as well as a challenge for you. Please lift me up in this area. THE REQUEST: When you think of me, see me, see a post, see the word SHINE anywhere... lift up a prayer that God will help me find consistency. THE CHALLENGE: Ask God what the one area is that you need to focus on. Then, when you figure it out, post it here so that we can keep each other lifted up in prayer.

I would love for us all to look back at this post at the end of the year and be able to use it as a measuring tool of the progress God has done in our lives! What is your need? Let's lift each other up and remember that it isn't about perfection, it's about the progress!

Trying to Get There

I never thought I would be someone who enjoys quiet time so much. Usually I can't stand it, because I like having someone to talk to. Imagine that! Me a talker! (Smiles and snickers!) But today I felt an unusual drawing to just really focus on my quiet time with God. I have grown to love this alone time; because I do have someone to talk to... and He talks back!

As I was talking to God this morning, I poured out my heart of the things I know I need to work on. Certain areas of my life just seem to get in the way of being the woman I want to be. Un-organization, un-discipline, impulsivity... the list goes on. As I was praying about where and who I needed to be in Christ, I said to Him, "I'm trying to get there Lord. I'm working on it!"

Do you ever feel like that? Wondering why you can't get there? Why you have to work so hard at it? Do you feel like in order to receive God's blessings, to have the "rite" of passage into the desires of your heart, there is some huge thing you have to work to do to get there?

I so often feel like that. I feel like I will never "get there". There are so many things in my life that need perfecting. How can God use me like I am? How can He influence others for good when so many things about me are so bad? If I just had a little more motivation, discipline, passion! Why would God bless me with the things I need or want when I can't take care of the things I have now? I have to act right and be right for Him to give me the things in life I need.

God whispered...

That's right, I got quiet and He whispered to my heart. This is what He said, "Baby girl! Have you not learned this by now? It's not about what you do, it's about who you are. When I put Adam and Eve in the garden, what did I ask of them? I placed them where I wanted them, took care of them, walked with them, loved on them... not because of anything they did; not because they were trying to do anything."

It's amazing how clear things can be when GOD speaks them. I pondered for a while on that this morning. Here is what God is showing me. The only thing that kept Adam and Eve from God's blessings, provision, and ability to walk closely with Him... was their sin and disobedience. It wasn't the things they did to work hard at being His children. WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK AT BEING GOD'S CHILDREN... we already ARE. (Those who have accepted and repented of course.)

The only thing God wants me to do, is keep sin out of my life and be obedient. His blessings don't hinge on if I got my house cleaned up this weekend, or if I agreed to do that Bible study, or even if I went to church this morning. I CANNOT work for His blessings. Just as He did with Adam and Eve.. they are part of the package. He WANTS to take care of me. He wants to bless me.

Yes, God wants us to keep sin out of our lives. He wants us to be obedient. But even when Adam and Eve directly disobeyed God, He still took care of them. He still provided for them. For goodness sakes, He made them clothes! Where there new obstacles to overcome after their disobedience? YES! But what I believe God wanted me to see this morning is that MY WORK is not what is going to make or break His blessings on me. My obedience on the other hand, and sin in my life... that is a different story.

So, is my house being a mess a sin? No, it is a direct result of my un-organization. Should I think God isn't going to bless me and help me with the leaky faucet just because I have clothes piled up on my bed? Of course not!

So what is my point? Maybe we waste time trying to get there and forget about the actual journey itself. Do I need to learn to keep a better house? Yes of course. But is it going to keep me from being God's child and Him providing for me? No.

I am using my own personal example of things that bother me most; but each of you has that one thing that makes you sit and think, "Oh God will never help me with this until I do...." God wants to pour His blessings out on His children. He wants to take care of us. He wants us to grow in Him. But, He doesn't want us so busy with getting there, that we forget who He is and how much He loves us.

I don't know if this has helped anyone or not today. Sometimes when God speaks to me, I feel it so internally that it is hard to put an external explanation on it. But, I know God wanted me to share... and it's all about obedience, right?

Next Shine Event

Hey Ladies.... I am veering off the normal "inspirational" post to try to get some feedback. I am in the process of planning the next SHINE event. Originally I had intended on having another large event like in May, but I know this is a busy time with school starting and all. So I was hoping you all would help me brainstorm a bit on what you think would be some good ideas for the next few meetings.

What would you like to do, learn, talk about? Blogging has become such a trend, I was thinking about having an internet cafe type meeting and maybe show you all some tips on how to comment on blogs as well as maybe even start your own.

We of course will have our usual fellowship and devotional, but I think we all enjoy doing some type of activity as well... OTHER THAN EATING!!! LOL Any ideas or suggestions would be great! Just leave your comments below. The tentative date will be August 28th or 29th. You can leave suggestions on which day works best as well.

I love you guys and can't wait to see you. For those of you who only follow the blog and can't attend the meetings.. be patient... there are some cool things to come in the near future!

How Can I Get Where You Are?

Someone sent me a FLOORING message on Facebook.

The thing that was so flooring is that this person saw me so much differently than I see myself. But, the questions that were posed hit me deeply and I really feel it may help to share the discussion with you all. OF COURSE, I am not going to betray who sent me the message... but I want to share it because I think we all need to see what sphere of influence we have, sometimes without even

knowing it.

Here is what I was asked:

How can I get where you are? I mean, how can I get that feeling of total love and trust from God? Is it something you work at? Is it reading the Bible often and talking to God? Or is it a gift from God? I've always been close to God but I've yet to get that feeling that so many people I know gets....I want to be so much more like you but I just don't know how.

So here was my answer:

I am floored! I struggle EVERY day! My first thought is the verse, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." There are some key words in that... ALL your heart, OWN understanding, in ALL they ways, ACKNOWLEDGE Him. Honestly.. some days, it is just self talk. It is a daily choice and I have to proclaim it over and over again. So I have increased that proclamation by praising and acknowledging Him on FB as well as as much as comes out of my mouth as possible.

There are days that I want to post the most negative things on here. Like, how can so and so claim to be a Christian and drag me down with their insane hypocrisy; or how I feel like a horrible mother cause my house is a mess and my kids have smart mouths; or how I would just like to strangle ...(that part was left out to protect the NOT SO innocent). BELIEVE ME... I am so far from THERE... whatever that is.

I have spent the past 4 years finding my happiness and value from one man to the next, giving myself over to "slipping" in the moment and wallowing in guilt for the next two weeks until the moment hits again. And then living the space in between each relationship, spending my nights bawling and screaming out to God wanting someone just to hold me. Does that sound like a feeling of total love and trust to you?

BUT... God has brought me SOOOO far over the past few years. I feel like I hit rock bottom and am slowly climbing back where God wants me to be.. but HE is SOOOO gracious. When I think I am at my worst... as long as I am willing, He seems to use me in the craziest ways.

I know I am babbling maybe.. but it is so hard to explain... cause as much as I love God, I fail Him over and over. But, you asked me about that feeling of total love and trust. I think that part of that has come from just spending time in Bible Study.. I don't mean "devotions" I mean taking even one verse and looking at the meaning of each word. That has helped me so much. I am seeing how LOVING God is more and more.

The other thing I do, is really imagine God as my DADDY.. not my Father, but my daddy. When I can't go anywhere else I literally imagine myself as a little girl and climbing up in His lap and letting Him just put His arms around me and hold me tight, rock me, or just lift me up above His head and twirl me around. I know that sounds a little silly, but somehow, when I think of God that way... which He REALLY is that way... it teaches me to trust Him and love Him more. The other thing I do is imagine dancing with God. I imagine stepping on His toes and dancing with Him. I imagine literally dancing with God.. carefree. It actually helps me release those things that are holding me down.

That may sound so silly to you... but all I know is that THIS imperfect, insecure, impatient, impulsive woman would not be able to face each day without the love of my "DADDY" and knowing that I would just be a screw up without HIS plan for my life.

I struggle with the battle between the FLESH and the SPIRIT. It is so hard on the days I feel bad to FEEL like I am a "worthy" Christian. Some days I feel like SUPER-SPIRITUAL WOMAN and other days I FEEL like I am the biggest screw up on the face of the earth.. .the key is FEEL. I have to make myself move beyond FEEL to KNOW. And I know that Jesus bought me with a price, He CHOSE me, and He cared enough about ME.. ME.. this crazy insane "fat" girl... to plan my future before I was even a thought in my mother's little girl desires to be a mommy one day.

I don't know if this has helped you or not. But.. .it is my heart. Remember, what you see on the outside and THINK people are feeling... may not be what it seems. I have found that some of the most "seemingly" secure Christians struggle with doubt and insecurity. Not one of us are perfect... if we were, we wouldn't need HIM!

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you thinking of me. God is opening up my world in such a REAL way. If I can do nothing else, I want to be REAL with others so that they can be prompted.. or comfortable to be REAL with God and each other. We have enough fakes in this world.

My friend told me this yesterday when we were talking about comparing ourselves to other Christians who seemed to GET what we don't... and this is what she said:

"The only comparing you should do is the person that you are now and the person you know God wants you to be."

It isn't what Suzie Homemaker is, or Connie Corporate, or Anna Amazing-mom, or Christina Christian... You see what I mean? Just be YOU... be the YOU that God made you to be! FIND THE YOU in YOU! FIND YOUR PLACE IN GOD!

I am only posting because there is no way for anyone to really know who it is. But... I really feel it is important for us all to remember that it is our EVERY DAY LIFE that is making impressions on others... good or bad. I just had a discussion today with someone who was so disappointed in some of the posts that were showing up from "Christians" on Facebook. But you know... even "Christians" are human and FB seems to be the place we vent without thinking about the effects.

Even as I read over my response, I think, "Maybe I didn't use enough scripture to back up my views like so and so would have." You see... it is like I heard this weekend from Lysa TerKeurst ...when Satan wants to discourage you by what someone else has that you don't... personality, skill, influence.. etc....YOU have to take authority and say to him, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" Don't let him discourage you like that. It is a matter of the mind and it is crucial that you let Jesus have control of your mind!

Sometimes I ramble.. but in it all, I hope you get the idea. BE YOU!!! That is who God made you to be. And, find security in YOUR DADDY! Climb up in His lap and enjoy His love and protection today!

Revelations

Please don't sigh! I know when many hear the word "Revelations" they think of the last book of the Bible that is so difficult for many to understand. It has been said that it is the most difficult book to decipher. This may be true, but I want to look at the word "revelation" and what it means. While doing this, it may actually give you some insight on howto actually understand the book of "Revelations" as well.

Our N-house cell group at church has been studying the book of Galatians. I am so enjoying Bible study and not only relishing the new insights God is giving me, but the wisdom of my brothers and sisters in Christ as they read as well.

One of the ways God has been helping me to dig deeper into His Word is to actually go back to the Greek and Hebrew to discover the true meanings of various words and how they are used. This has been so interesting. So many things have a totally different intention, or at least broader meaning than we gather by quickly reading through the scripture.

These are the verses that struck me: "I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." -Galatians 1:11-12

How did Paul know the TRUE gospel? By revelation!

Now if you are like me, you probably read this and think like I did. Ok, so Paul knows that it is a true gospel cause Jesus showed it to him... he revealed it to him. God was like, "OK man... I want you to get it straight. Here is the true gospel... it is right here. I am showing it to you. I revealed it, it had nothing to do with you."

Let me share with you what I found by doing my digging:

The word "revelation" is the Greek word apokalupsis . It's actual definition means : appearing, an uncovering, revealed. It is from the word apokaluptó which means: to reveal, to uncover. Do you see that there isn't one definition to this word? It is a two fold meaning.

Here is what God showed me in this study. A revelation is two fold. #1 Appearing which was an act done by God and #2 an uncovering which was Paul’s searching for. Even the root word is two fold: uncover (I must do) and reveal (God must do).

When God truly reveals Himself to you, or when He reveals something about His word...you will get the most revelation from it when you have actually be searching for the answer. When I dig deep and try to uncover the true meaning behind the scripture, then God reveals what He really wants me to see and know.

Are you asking God for revelation on some area of your life today? Are you reading the Bible, let's just say maybe Revelations, and need to understand it better? Do you need "Revelations" in your life today?

Maybe it is time to stop waiting on God to just "magically" appear and reveal while you sit around and wait. Maybe what God is wanting you to do today is look deeper, uncover a few things for yourself so that when He does reveal something to you, you will know it is truly a revelation from Him.

It is amazing what can be revealed to you when you join forces with God and really make an effort at uncovering His Word and His will for your life!

Apple of God's Eye

You're the apple of my eye! You've heard it before. And if you have grown up in church I know you have been told that you are the apple of God's eye as well. But what does that really mean? We al know from the context of how the phrase has been used over and over again that it represents favor. But why?

If you were able to attend the last SHINE event, you already have some insight on this phrase. We were amazed the more and more we learned about this old phrase as it gave us a new meaning to God's love for us. Let me just share...

Moses talks to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 32:10 as he tells them how God has cared for them. Then, in Psalm 17:8 David asks God to keep him as the "apple of the eye" and guard him. And in Proverbs 7:2 we are told to keep God's commandments as the apple of our own eyes.

So what exactly is the apple of the eye? The Greek word used for "apple" is actually the same word for pupil. So when God tells us to guard his commandments like the apple of our eye, that means as we would protect our pupil.

Let's look and see what is so important about the pupil and why we need to protect it. Look at these interesting facts and spiritual symbolisms for the pupil.

• The pupil gets wider in the dark, but narrower in the light.
• When we are walking in the light (of Jesus) our path becomes narrower, but when we are walking in darkness... the way is wide.

• The larger the pupil, the more light can enter.
• The "larger" we grow in Christ, the more His light is able to enter.

• The pupil of the eye is the hole or the opening of the iris, through which the rays of light pass, and falling upon the retina, there depict every object in its natural color, as upon a piece of white paper.
• The more we allow God's light to shine on our life, the more we are able to see things as they really are (in their natural color).

• The pupil allows light to the retina where the image of the visual world is. The retina is like a film camera.
• What is showing on the films of your life? How much of God's light are you letting in?

• The pupil dilates in response to extreme emotional situations like fear and pain.
• Isn't it easy to shrink in our faith/confidence in God when we are dealing with extreme emotional situations as well?

There are many other facts that we discovered and shared about the pupil, but the one most interesting fact was found after our event. It is so interesting and such an example of God's love for us, that I have to share it.

The original Hebrew for this idiom was 'iyshown 'ayin (אישון עין), and can be literally translated as "Little Man of the Eye." This is a reference to the tiny reflection of yourself that you can see in other people's pupils.

[You are the Apple of God's Eye:

You are the Little Man(or Woman) of His Eye]

When God Looks at You, He Sees the reflection of himself! That was His plan. That is what it means when you hear that you are the apple of His eye. Now here is the hard question... ARE YOU? Can He see His reflection on your life? Are you mirroring Jesus?

God loves us so much. We are the apples of His eye.. but He also wants us to hold His commands as the apple of our eyes as well. Let's think about the wonderful love God has for us and learn to have a love relationship with Him. He promises to love and protect us as the apple of His eye, and we must love right back by protecting His commands as the apple of ours.

Last Minute Changes

I have been so behind on posts, but hope to get better ONE DAY! :O)

The SHINE event for today has been canceled, but for those of you who would still like to get together...Hot dogs and fellowship at my house today at 5. We will still talk about being the apple of God's eye and maybe even get a taste of some kind of apple dessert.

My house is a mess, and I am not prepared for company, but isn't that what SHINE is all about... being real?!?! Well, if you want to see reality at its finest, come and hang out! See you all there!

Looking Back

Hello everyone. It has been quite sometime since my last post and I have REALLY been struggling with knowing what to post. Part of the problem, I am sure, is because I have personally been going through some trials. Today has especially been a hard day for me. I have just been in prayer all day for God to remind me of what it is HE wants for me. You know when you are down, that is when Satan just wants to kick you in the stomach and keep you there. Whatever it is that Satan is trying to use for defeat in your life right now, God is ready to use for victory!

So, in the neat way God works, I stumbled over an old blog I wrote. I forgot I even had it. I have copied and pasted what I wrote back in July of 2008. For some reason I felt like it wasn't only something I needed today, but maybe you can benefit from it as well... God bless!

Late Night Temptations

God has really been working in my life. He has given me strength to overcome and mercy when I have not been successful. Lately I have been so excited about the misitry God is putting together through me that I can hardly stand it.

It is really neat to think that this ministry isn't a hand-me-down. It isn't something handed over to me from someone who didn't want it. It isn't something I would rather not accept. It isn't something to hide in the corner. It is something that God made.. brand new... just for me to use to serve Him. As each piece to the puzzle comes together, I seem to grow more and more in strength. The temptations that used to cause my emotions to knock me down and control me are not nearly as "tempting" as they used to be.

Don't get me wrong. Temptation is just as strong. The difference is that I am becoming more aware. I am seeing the better side of doing what God wants rather than what I want. I am seeing the benefits of waiting on His timing rather than my own. I am growing.

I was so proud of myself last night over a very wise decision I had made. It was a choice to avoid the opportunity for temptation. It was a choice that I didn't necessarily want to make, but knew there was a better reason for it. Some things are worth waiting for. I was able to put away Satan's offer to entice and put me in a situation where I may weak. I know that really BITES for him! LOL

You know, if Satan can't defeat you while you are fully awake when you are at your best, he tried to catch you off guard. Nothing like a late night phone call to get the temptations rising. Satan is smart and sneaks up on you. In my half asleep state, normally I would have fallen right into the temptation... willingly. But God gave me stregnth! Not only was I able to avoid temptation, but I used the time of interrupted sleep to spend some extra time with God.

What Satan wanted to use for defeat, God turned into victory! What can be better than that!

How Do You Feel?

How do you feel? Do you feel like a Christian? I woke up this morning and I don't really "feel" like a Christian. What is a Christian supposed to feel like? I guess that is a pretty good question. Shouldn't a Christian "feel" happy and joyful? Maybe a Christian should "feel" successful, animated, ready to tackle the world? Is it ok for a Christian to "feel" tired and lifeless? Can a Christian "feel" depressed? What's wrong with me if I am having those feelings? What's wrong with you if you are having those "feelings"? Does it really even mean something IS wrong?

I can honestly tell you that I don't know the answer to most of those questions. GASP!!! I know someone in ministry that doesn't know the answer to the questions we have. (Feel my sarcasm there.) As I was praying over that question, I decided to do a search on the word "feel" in the Bible. I checked my trusty BibleGateway and searched for the word "feel" or derivatives of it in the NIV. Do you know I only found the word "feel" 26 times? And the amazing thing about it is, I checked the word "know" as well... it was listed 1161 times!!

So what does that have to do with anything? I think it is something for us to think about. We get so hung up on "feeling" like a Christian.. or NOT feeling like a Christian, that we forget it isn't about how we feel, but what we know. 2 Timothy 1:12 puts it all in perspective for us. It says:

"...I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."

Are you feeling BLAH today? Are you questioning your salvation because Satan is sitting there lying to you? Are you hearing a whisper in your ear that says, "A Christian shouldn't be THAT tired!" or "A Christian wouldn't be depressed."? WHAT DOES A CHRISTIAN FEEL LIKE? Quit worrying about how you should feel and bank on what you KNOW! If you have asked God to forgive you for your sins; if you believe in Him and that Jesus died on the cross for you; if you want to hand your life over to the control of the Holy Spirit... then just rest in KNOWING that you are a Christian. KNOW in whom you BELIEVE and be CONVINCED that HE is able to GUARD what you have entrusted to HIM. You may feel bad, but you can KNOW He is in control of your life today! Don't rest in what you FEEL, rest in what you KNOW!

The Intricacies of God

Can I just start out by saying how wonderful God is?!?!? I have been so blessed over the past few weekends to allow God use me at the SHINE event and then speaking at my home church in WV's mother/daughter banquet. Now I am having my cup filled up at the Women of Joy Conference in Charleston, SC. WHAT A BLESSING!!!

We so easily forget the way God works when we have stopped letting Him have full control and try to take things into our own hands. But... my, oh my how wonderful it is to watch Him remind us of the power He has to work in the most unexpected ways! I still can't figure out why I am so amazed when God does something miraculous. Isn't that the mere essence of who He is?

This morning was a beautiful, wonderful service. Travis Cottrill (forgive me if I spelled it wrong) has been leading the worship services and he will just blow you away with his voice. But the coolest thing about this man hasn't been his musical abilities, it has been his openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit and his obedience as the Spirit moves.

Today we had an altar call mid-service and it was beautiful!!! He challenged us to be REAL before God and just bring the burdens to the feet of Jesus. I have been so lucky to sit in the second row. (I will post pictures when I get home.) I was honored and privileged to have a lady and her mother stand right beside me in the aisle and kneel in prayer. I just was moved to kneel and pray with her as well.

Guys, when God tells you to do something DO IT! God spoke and directed for me to just lay my hands on this complete stranger and pray. I share this with you only as a testimony to the intricacies of God, because that is all it is about, not me. (I just wanted to emphasize that!) Anyway, God's Spirit was so thick at that place it was just amazing! Hundreds of women kneeling at the feet of Jesus... and I saw God directly answer this young ladies request! As we were praying her phone went off, she raised it in tears and showed her mother what it said. They cried, let me rephrase that, they wept together. I of course had NO idea what was going on, but felt it had something to do with her husband as God had been directing me how to pray.

As we went to stand up, the girl hugged me and told me that her husband was in Afghanistan and had texted her mid prayer, "I love you!" Yes ladies! I am bawling as I write this. I knew her pain.. I could relate to her, out of the thousands of women in that coliseum, God had me pray with her. I quickly gave her a few details of how I could relate and hugged her deeply with a few words from a "been there, done that" stand point and just encouraged her to let God love her in her husband's absence.

Isn't that how God works? He plans where we are supposed to be so that HE can use us how HE wants... all we have to do is listen and be obedient!

Another little example of God working this weekend is that our scheduled speaker got stuck with no plane service in Texas. The speaker that was able to fill in for her was actually the original speaker they wanted for this weekend, but she was supposed to be in South Africa today. To say the least plans left her in the states today and she was able to drive all night to get here and fill in for the speaker on the schedule. And let me tell you, GOD WANTED HER HERE. So, HE worked out all the intricacies that had stood in the way before.

You have heard, "Don't sweat the small stuff!" Well, that is it, don't sweat it. God is in control! Just be obedient to Him today. You might miss a great blessing if you don't!

Love you sisters!

A Fervent Prayer

I woke up with God speaking these words to me..."A fervent prayer availeth much." I have heard those words for years. But have I really listened to and discovered what they mean?

As always I went to the dictionary. "Fervent" means having or displaying a passionate intensity. "Passionate" means showing or caused by strong belief. "Intensity" means highly concentrated. "Concentrated" means wholly directed to one thing. "Avail" means to take advantage of an opportunity or available resource. So let's paraphrase this verse...

"A wholly directed prayer of highly strong belief takes advantage of many opportunities and resources."

Boy.. now that makes you think...right? First thing this tells me is that there are many opportunities and resources available to me. Isn't that true with God? He has so many resources available to us, yet so many times we just don't even open our eyes wide enough to see them... or maybe we are just too busy or even lazy to take advantage of them.

The second thing that shows me is that our prayers need to be wholly (entirely, fully) directed. So many times our prayers are whispered as we run out the door, drive to work, sit in the waiting room, finish a phone call. But are our prayers "wholly" directed? Do we put full attention to the prayers we are offering up? Or, are we thinking about what to fix for supper and where we are going to find the money to pay the next bill? I am so guilty of not having "wholly directed" prayers.

The third thing God showed me is the part about it being a prayer of "strong belief." One definition of strong is "of, relating to, or denoting the strongest of the known kinds of force." And "belief" means "an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists." So in other words, a prayer we believe strongly in is a prayer that we know is true, that we know exists and it isn't just knowing a little.. it isn't just having hope it will happen or might exist...it is knowing with the strongest kind of force that it is true and the resources ARE there and they ARE available to us.

How many of us are really praying with that kind of power? Girls, a fervent prayer availeth much!!!! Maybe we need to start taking advantage of our prayer lives more and calling out the power and believing more so that we can take full advantage of what is already provided for us.

You know the coolest thing about this verse other than it's full meaning?.... It is the second part of James 5:16, the foundational verse of SHINE. "Confess your sins one to another so that you may be healed." And right after that is where the fervent prayer comes in. We need to start being passionate about what we are doing, how we are praying and what we are believing. If we can take up this challenge, I think we will see HUGE changes in our life.

I think the thing that is resonating with me is BELIEVING. My prayers don't carry much belief sometimes. Why waste time saying a prayer and finishing it up by making a statement to a friend that the issues "will never change"? You know what I am talking about..."It will always be this way." "He will never change." "That's just the way it is."

Girls... let's start believing! Let's start praying! Let's start taking advantage of the resources already given to us! A fervent prayer availeth much!!!

Beautiful Christian Woman

I got an email this morning and it so encompassed what I believe we want to portray at SHINE, that I thought I would share it with you.



We are all at different places in our walk, but one thing women need to realize is that we are ALL beautiful to God. This is really great! I hope you not only consider what it says about your own life; but think about it as you are examining the lives of those around you. Sometimes we get so caught up in what people AREN'T doing that they are supposed to, that we forget to realize we have the exact same tendencies.

A Beautiful Christian Woman

When I say that I am a Christian,

I am not shouting that I am clean living.

I'm whispering,

"I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say that I am a Christian,

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

and I need Christ to be my guide.

When I say that I am a Christian,

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

and need His strength to carry on.

When I say that I am a Christian,

I'm not claiming to be perfect.

I have my share of headaches,

so I call upon His name.

When I say that I am a Christian,

I am not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

who received God's good grace, somehow!

Pretty is as Pretty does,
but Beautiful is just plain Beautiful.

What a wonderful way to look at our testimony. Unfortunately so many times these days when someone says they are a Christian, we look for perfection in the person, rather than the reflection of Christ and what He has truly accomplished in their lives.

Have a wonderful day today.. and be beautiful!

Step of Faith

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

lean not unto your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him
and He will direct your paths."

You know those verses seem so simple when we say them, but putting them into action seems to be the hard part. I have to say this weekend has truly been a reflection of how true God is to His word and His promises. Our first SHINE luncheon was held at The Wrenn House on Saturday. It was a wonderful day and a true testimony that when we trust God with ALL our heart, He is true to His word and will direct our paths!

God had spoke to me about asking a few of friends to join me and be guest speakers for the event. I was so honored to be joined by Sherry Hicks and Dori Facemyer, two of my closest friends. We spent the weeks proceeding the event praying not only over what we would be speaking about, but also who God wanted us to invite. As we sent out the invitations, we prayed over each and every woman that was invited. God promised 30 women would be there and with the waitress, we had 30 ladies join us for a wonderful afternoon.

What a perfect place to have the event! The Wrenn House was so wonderful to us. The room was beautiful and the view was even more gorgeous, a lovely view of the Bell Tower in downtown Salisbury. Part of the goal of THIS event was to treat some special ladies to a relxing afternoon with food, fun, and spiritual encouragement. We hope that each one who attended left feeling refreshed both physically and spiritually.

SHINE was introduced as well as the inspiration for the ministry. It was such a blessing to have so many wonderful ladies interested in what God has called us to do. Specifically speaking about myself, this ministry has been a long time coming, but definitely a path that God has directed me on. Again, I am just so blessed Sherry and Dori not only supported me, but decided to join me in the efforts of the day. SHINE may be my vision, but it was OUR day to minister.

Once we shared about SHINE, it was time to get down to business. NOPE... not eating yet. It was time for door prizes. The mothers with the most children were honored with a little gift of notepads adorned in the SHINE colors. We all know that mothers need lists, especially if they have 5 or, even worse, 9 kids. (Not to say that 9 kids are bad or anything! LOL) There were handmade earrings and also SHINE canvas bags with treats inside.

We had lots of fellowship... and of course... GREAT food! Now you know that a bunch of women can't get together for that long and not enjoy a wonderful meal! I can only hope the ladies thought that there was more meat at this event than just the physical food. Our hearts' desire was to not just feed the body, but feed the soul. I know I so enjoyed listening to my friends as they opened themselves up and shared what God had put on their heart as we spoke on Faith, Failures, and Flaws. Only by God directing our path were we able to tie in each message so perfectly, since we hadn't shared at all what we were going to speak about in detail.

Dori Facemyer shared with us about FAITH. For those of you who don't know Dori, she was diagnosed with MS and has had to learn lessons on faith in more ways than one surrounding her health alone. The room teared up as she shared how God taught her harder lessons in faith when she lost her brother on the same date as our luncheon several years ago. Dori talked to us about child-like faith and challenged us all to truly depend on God for our faith.

Sherry Hicks followed with her message on failures. She shared about her many failures through life from failing her driver's test the first time to losing her job in the corporate world. She told us that God showed her an important lesson about the failures in her life.. the failures in her life all had one common theme... the word "I." Each time SHE tried to do something on her own, she was bound to fail. Sherry really made us think when she raised her hand and introduced herself as they do at AA meeetings, "Hi, I'm Sherry Hicks and I am a failure." But... she didn't stop there, Sherry challenged us to keep moving and press forward. She inspired us to write God's word on our hearts so we could depend more on Him when we felt we were failing.

I (Christina Helm) finished up the afternooon of speakers. God used this event to humble me in so many ways. My topic was flaws and OH could I give you a list! Mid-speaking I felt God prompt me to forget about the notes from the studying I had done prior to the event and share a bit more detail of my personal testimony. As God, once again directed my paths, I saw how the events of my past had brought me to that very moment. Isn't it amazing how God works? God had me sum everything up with an visual aid that honestly made me very vulnerable. I won't give the details in case you missed out.. you have to hear it for yourself the next time, but as you can tell from the picture, it was messy. But God brought everything... Dori's message, Sherry's message, and mine, together.

Our prayer for the women at this event as well as for you is for you to write your areas where you lack faith, your failures, and your flaws... on the Rock of Jesus! We don't want to live in the rubble of our lives any more. We want to SHINE as we reflect the Light, Life, and Rock of our lives.

I know this has probably been the longest SHINE post so far. I just want you to catch the vision and see the fun we all had. It is our desire to make the SHINE fellowship meetings be times of rest, relaxation, and spiritual rejuvination. When you come you will have the opportunity to meet wonderful women like we were honored to have in our presence! If you weren't able to be with us, we do have CD's of the speaking portion of the event. See the side bar for more information.

SHINE is ready to trust in the Lord with all our heart. We no longer want to lean unto our own understanding. We want to acknowledge our Heavenly Father with ALL our hearts. And one thing is sure... we know HE WILL direct our paths. So keep coming back to the site. Leave some comments, share a little, help each other out, inspire someone, nurture a friend's spiritual growth, and join us as we educate the world about the love of God... of course, one little light at a time!

Luncheon Countdown

WOW!!! Can I tell you how excited I am? We are just so excited to see what God is going to do through our very first SHINE Women's Luncheon. I have scheduled this to post at noon, so that means there will be exactly 24 hours left. We look forward to an afternoon of new friendships, great food, and experiencing God's presence in a room full of REAL women who just want to grow closer to each other and to our Heavenly Father.. or as I like to say, "My Daddy."

If you are coming to SHINE tomorrow, or even if you received an invitation and can't make it, I want you to know that you have been prayed for all week. The girls and I have really felt the need to just pray power, peace, and new perception into your life this week. God has shown us how WE ALL are so much alike, dealing with the same family issues, insecurities, work frustrations... we all share SOOOO much. Not one of us is better or worse than the other. It has been such a blessing to lift each and every one of you up in prayer.

Just for the record, any of you who are still a little confused.. THIS IS A FREE EVENT!!! Yes, don't worry about having to pay for your meal or anything else. God made it very clear that this event had a specific purpose and the purpose includes blessing you with a wonderful meal and environment like provided at The Wrenn House. I am so sorry we didn't make that as clear as we had intended and hope it hasn't kept anyone from coming. If you are reading this now and declined for that reason, PLEASE call me and we will put you on the list to come. We don't want ANYTHING to hinder you from coming and experiencing what God has for us.

Pray for Sherry, Dori and I. We want more than anything else to do and say what GOD wants. You will not enjoy yourself or leave feeling fulfilled if we are not able to only rely on Him. He has great things in store and we are SO excited to see what is going to happen.

We love each and every one of you. We look forward to spending an afternoon in God's presence with YOU! And since, this is our first event, we will see lots of things that can be improved, so don't be afraid to tell us. One was not telling you clearly that it was free. The other was giving the address of The Wrenn House.. so click here for the directions. And lastly.. we didn't tell you how to dress.... WHY? Cause it doesn't matter! If you want to dress up, then do it. If you want to wear your jeans and flip flops, then do it. We just want you to be comfortable.

I am going to leave you with a word that God gave me right now just for each of us. It is from Matthew 11:6...

"The blind see,

The lame walk,

Lepers are cleansed,

The deaf hear,

The dead are raised,

The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.

'Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!'"

Come out tomorrow and be blessed!

Hiding Out

I don't care where it is... but I am ready to go hide out somewhere! It's been one of those days, and I know you have them too. Maybe today is one of those days for you. Want to join me? Let's just go hide out somewhere!

Why in the world am I wanting to hide so badly? Well, let me just fill you in a little. EVERYTHING is going wrong!!! Ok ok, that may be a BIT of an exaggeration, but it feels like more and more is turning out wrong than right.

Amongst the kids whining in the mornings, learning to communicate effectively in a new relationship, deadlines at work... and of course a computer that has decided to "not respond" after 2 hours of tediously editing a document and being stupid enough not to safe it somewhere along the way....(You know exactly what I am talking about, don't you? Stop laughing!)...I just want to throw my hands up in the air and give up. Find me a bushel and I am going to go hide under it! Actually, just for the record... instead of hiding, I am just going to blog this on my lunch break. :O)

Isn't that the way Satan works? Right when you are about ready to take your life and let your light SHINE (no matter how big or small), Satan comes in pushes you till you want to go hide out. See, that is so clever. If Satan just came in and snuffed out our fire, then we could blame our failures on him. But NOOOOOO!!!! He IS a sly old devil. IF he can convince us to go hide out, go find a bushel and hide under it; he has accomplished two purposes:

1. No one can see our light if it is under a bushel. If we lift our hands and run to hide out, we are missing our opportunity to SHINE in our situation. We lose the opportunity to let Jesus SHINE through our imperfections and humanity.
2. If we go hide our light under a bushel, we will eventually run out of air and not only will we suffocate, but our light will burn out as well. See... if WE make the decision to go hide, WE are the ones that snuffed out the fire, not Satan. There is nothing worse than someone sitting in pity and self condemnation. Satan wants to hinder our ability to SHINE and defeat our self-confidence as well.

I can tell you this day will probably end up worse before it does better. Quite honestly, I know Satan well enough to know he is going to be on the attack because I am being obedient and finally conquering my fears. Our first SHINE luncheon is in 2 weeks and I will be speaking at a Mother-Daughter banquet the week after. I am nervous, scared, and insecure. There is nothing better Satan would like to do than to defeat me before I even get started. I am about to SHINE and hopefully spark some light in a few people around me. If Satan can put my light out now... he won't have to worry about the FIRE that God has promised to create from my obedience.

Quit hiding under a bushel today! Don't let Satan convince you to put out your own light! Don't let him suffocate you today!

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine! Let it SHINE! Let it SHINE! Let it SHINE!"

"Arise, shine, for YOUR light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." -Isaiah 60:1 Remember, when you raise up to shine... you have the promise of God raising up with you. He's got your back, so quit hiding out!

Secret Recipes

Does your family have a secret recipe? Is there some wonderful dish that has a special ingredient that makes all the difference in the world? Most families have some type of secret recipe that is written down in an old cook book or penned on a notecard and tucked away in the back of the recipe box. And for some reason, there seems to be a sort of pride that no one else knows just exactly how to create that perfect dish the way your family can.

I was reading in Second Peter this morning and realized that I have a huge cook book of secret recipes right at my fingertips. 2 Peter 1:4-10 gives the specific recipe for how NOT to fall. Giving all diligence... add to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge... temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. For if you do these things, you shall NEVER fall.

Here I go around worrying about how in the world to be the person I need to be and it is right there in front of me. If I can just add those things to my life.. then I won't fall.

The point I am making is that we all have a priceless cookbook readily available at our fingertips. The recipes are SECRET recipes, but not because they are meant to be hidden from you, but because you have to be part of the FAMILY in order to fully execute the recipes.

Are you part of God's family? Then open up the cookbook and start memorizing the secret recipes of life. If you aren't a part of the family, then it is time you accept Christ and get in on the wonderful meals of life God has waiting on you. It is time to cook up a delicious life... a life centered in Christ!

Another God Name: Coach

I am a Facebookaholic. My favorite way to keep up with friend is to go to my home page and see what everyone is doing. Many times this not only helps me stay in touch with my friends but know how to pray for them. Often I will get encouragements from a quote or inspiration someone has posted.

Yesterday my heart was blessed as I watched our pastor sending posts every 15 minutes or so on how his daughter was doing through labor. He was the picture of a proud father and soon to be grandfather. He was making updates via twitter. This is a rundown of how it went:

“I'm at the hospital now. Worth, my grandson will be here soon. Pushing starts any minute now.”

“The Dr. just came in and said she would come back in 30 mins and have her start pushing then.”

“Pushing is on but the Dr is trying to decide if she will continue or take a break. More to come...”

“I'm so proud of my girl! She's doing awesome!! And Coach Mel is rockin' too.”

“It is on like Donkey Kong! He'll be here soon.”

“7lbs, 2oz, 21 inches long with a head full of hair.”

“Check out my grandson!” with a link to his twitter photo account.

You could just hear the excitement and pride in his voice. Obviously he was there right by his daughter’s side every step of the way. As I read his posts God gave me a vision of how He is with us.

You see, I have seen our pastor’s daughter over the past few weeks and she has been the typical “ready to pop” woman in expectancy. I remember those days.. just waiting! And then the moment for delivery comes.. so exciting, but a true effort. Painful! Exciting! Exhausting! At some points you just want to quit and have the pain over. If I hadn’t had coaching while I was in labor, I don’t know I could have made it through so successfully.

Now back to my point, as I saw our pastor’s excitement, I was reminded of God’s excitement and pride in us, His children. When He births something in us, sometimes the process is long and exhausting. Sometimes we just want to give up. But our FATHER... our COACH... is right there by our side giving us strength. Sending out updates to those who care about us so they can remember us in prayer. He is excited as we PUSH through toward His calling. He is proud as we birth the beautiful gifts He has given us. He is RIGHT BY OUR SIDE every step of the way giving us encouragement.

What are you about to birth? What has been developing inside of you? Is it time to PUSH and let God hold your hand as you labor toward delivering the beautiful gift inside of you? Let God hold your hand. Let Him be your Coach. And let Him brag on his child and the wonderful job you are doing!