Birthday Break! :)

Good morning!
So... I've been 29 and holding for a few years. Today I'm celebrating that again! HA!

Tyler was awesome this weekend. He arranged a babysitter for the kiddo's and took me out of town for a Birthday weekend get-away! It was awesome! I'm so thankful for such a great hubby!!

Well... have a great day! I may do a CRAFT today since it's my bday... and I won't be folding any clothes! HA!

Have a great day too!

#245 - You Want Kids? God WANTS You to have Kids Too!

Malachi 2:15-16a - And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation....

Proverbs 31:28 - Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her... 

I always thought Christians are the people who should have lots of children. My logic? Logical, of course! Why not the Christians? Christians having multiple children who will grow up to make an impact on this world for Christ. Christians, especially the ones who really "live the life", raise their kids up knowing about Jesus, teach godly principles... those people should have lots of kids. Our world NEEDS them! Our world needs bold believers! So... though my thoughts seemed logical... I never really had scripture to back up just "WHY" Christians should have kids! And, WAAA-LAAAA, wouldn't you know it! Here it is in black and white in the Bible! And did not God make you and your wife one flesh? And WHY did God make you one? Because He sought to have a godly offspring from your union. 


God brought YOU & your spouse together so you could have godly offspring! It is HIS desire for you to be fruitful and multiply!


A few years ago I met a couple, they were so nice (still are nice!). Well, as I got to know the wife better,  I found out how good she was with kids. But in conversation she said concretely, "Oh no, we can't have kids. The doctors told us we can't." She was pretty sold on what the doctors said. I could tell she wanted kids, and would make a great mother if she had them. She and her husband were Christians and loved Jesus. At some point I gave her the book, "Supernatural Childbirth." It listed out sooooo many of the women in the Bible who had challenges getting pregnant, but how God blessed them with children! I would anticipate, those women in the Bible, Sarah, Rachel, & many of the other women... if they would see today's doctors, I'm sure they too, would have been told, "No, you can not get pregnant." Jesus is seed of Abraham & Sarah. Jesus is in that lineage. If Sarah hadn't have gotten pregnant, if our Saviour had not come.... where would we all be?

To this day, I do not know if my friend even read the book... but wouldn't you know it, the Doctors said, "You CAN NOT have children." But in 2011 she gave birth to a baby boy! :) Praise the Lord!!! :) When doctors said, "It CAN'T be done!" God said, "NOTHING is impossible to those who believe! NOTHING is impossible with Me!"

The Word says God is no respecter of persons, if God can do it for Sarah & Abraham at 90 years old, He can SURELY do it for you!!!

#244 - Train Them Up!

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 31:27 - She looks well to how things go in her household and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.

How are you training up your children? Now that Tyler & I are parents, these verses take on a whole new meaning. Train up your child. 

I was "saved" at a young age, according to my parents. I grew up in a Christian home. Like many young people, I definitely had my stage of rebellion. For several years I "left" my so-called Christian upbringing to experience "life." The parties, the relationships, the language.... for a period of time, my life was one that definitely mirrored the world. At the time, there was way to much fun to be had in the world and church did not fit into my new life.

Praise the Lord for a praying mom! Can anybody relate. During the party years of my life, my mom just prayed. She stood on Proverbs 22:6. She stood on the promise that she raised me in a Christian home, she believed God would be faithful to His promise and I would come back to my Christian faith and beliefs. Praise the Lord, I did. In November 1996, I came back and this time it was for good.

Train your child.

It is amazing to watch a 2 year old and the learning curve! Right now Tyler Junior is like a sponge. He is soaking in everything! He is learning things so fast! It may be a new word, a new facial expression, a new skill like putting a puzzle piece in the right spot, but NEW, NEW, NEW! Every day he is learning something new! As I reflect on Proverbs 22:6, I am reminded of my responsibility to Train him up! It is MY responsibility to give him a Christian foundation. It is MY responsibility to teach him the Word. Teach him reverence for God. Teach him how to APPLY the Word to his life. It is MY responsibility through my actions to let him see God through me. So far... as a 2 year old a few of the things he's learned is:

• Prayer. We pray before meals and before bed. We pray for family and friends, and it is often Tyler Junior that reminds us to pray. He even specifically says who he wants to pray for. The amazing thing most recently was a time we were praying for daddy. Tyler had a 2:00 appointment with a very important, potential account. He had asked me to pray for him. Well, the day got busy. 2:00 came and 2:00 went. Around 2:12, Tyler Junior (age 2!) said to me, "Mommy, Pray Daddy?" I was shocked! Tyler Jr was not around when Tyler had asked for me to pray for him! We weren't too late! So, at 2:12, we prayed for daddy! We prayed for divine favor in his appointment. We prayed for success and wisdom. Later we found out that the secretary who scheduled the appointment had been let go, and probably right around 2:12, the CEO or COO that Tyler was meeting with was trying to cancel the appointment. (Tyler had driven a few hours, someone had also driven from Charlotte, and someone had driven from Atlanta... so on Tyler's side, much time had been put into this appt and this man was wanting to cancel it!) Well..... Tyler Junior reminded me to pray. The outcome? The man changed his mind. He agreed to meet with Tyler and his associates that came. The meeting was a success! The CEO/COO was happy with what they discussed. They even agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting to go to the next step. PRAYER! FAVOR! Tyler Junior is learning the power of prayer and may not even fully realize it. 
• Applying the Word. As a 2 year old, it has been an often experience that Tyler Jr has gotten hurt. According to the Word, it says in Mark 16:18, Lay hands on the sick and they shall recover! So, when Tyler Junior has a "hurt." He puts his hand on it and says, "Healed!" It's been cute, he saw a freckle on my leg the other day and laid his hand on it and said, "Healed. Healed Mommy!" :) 

He's learning a lot of other things too.... but those are just a few things. 

Train up your child. In the amplified, it even states to train them up in their individual gifting or bent. So literally, feeding their talents. If they are good at music, feeding that. Putting them in activities where that gift can grow. If they are good in drama, helping that gift grow. If they are good in sports, helping that gift grow. But literally, as we are training them, steering them towards their giftings. 

So... how are you doing? How is your training going? 

• Verbally? Are you training them up in the Word? Are they learning the Word and how to apply it?
• Actions? What do your actions say to your children? Do they reflect the Word? 
• Time? Do your children learn from you by the TIME you spend in the Word? With your Father?
• Example? Do you choose to be a house of prayer? Praying before meal? At bed time? Throughout the day? For friends, family, business associates?
• Conversation? Is conversation that your children hear edifying? Does it build up? Encourage them and others? Are there seeds of gossip? 

We see the Proverbs 31 woman, as always is leading by example. She is looking to her household. I would anticipate, teaching & educating her children would be included in that verse. She is also watching what she says. Making sure not to allow herself to take part in idle things such as gossip or tearing down others. Through her words, actions, deeds, she is leading her children by example. She is training them up in what to do by what she is doing and what she is not doing. 

We are growing up the next generation of Christians. Our 2 years olds, 5 year olds, 10 year old.... they will be the next group of Government leaders, entrepreneurs, pastors, business men and women. We have a great responsibility to Train Them Up in the WORD! They will be leading our country one day and by how we train them, we are setting a precedent to how they will lead our country! 

Lets train them up well!

Success Formula!

Proverbs 16:3 (amp) - Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.

What an exciting verse... one that may take some time to actually fully do. Roll YOUR Works! Roll your job, your kids, your business, your book, your crafts, your projects, your inventions, your finances, your dreams.... ROLL THEM onto the Lord. Commit & trust them WHOLLY to HIM. Once we've rolled our works and our cares over to the Lord, then it's time to TRUST Him with them. Trust that His goal and desire for us IS for us to accomplish the God-given dreams and desires that we have! How exciting! He will cause YOUR THOUGHTS to become agreeable to His will. Probably my 2nd favorite part of this verse. When we cast our works upon the Lord... when we cast our business, our job, our dreams upon the Lord and trust him with it, THEN begins the work of OUR THOUGHTS coming into line and into agreement with God's! Now that is good stuff! Once our thoughts come into line with God's THEN He will cause OUR plans to be established and SUCCEED! 


Who wants SUCCESS?!? I do! By turning our works over to the Lord, trusting Him with them, He begins to transform our mind. Thoughts, ideas, plans, specific activities, the 'how-to', comes into clarity and focus. THEN because we have honored God with our "works", He causes them to SUCCEED!

So... Formula for success?

Roll your Work/Care/Dream onto the Lord + Trust GOD with that Work/Care/Dream = Our Thoughts Line up with God's thoughts (plans, ideas, ways to do things just "pop" into our heads) = (ultimately leading to) SUCCESS 

 

 

 

"I am a Great King!"

Malachi 1:11 - ... a pure offering...

Malachi 1:14 - ... For I am a great King... 

Malachi 2:2 - If you will not hear and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to My name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings...

"For I am a GREAT King!" Those words resounded in my head. The words rang off the page like a gong. "For I am a GREAT King!" Our Holy God.... our Great King... our Lord of Lords. Here in Malachi, we read about the people of Edom. We read about their offerings that they are giving to the Lord, the sacrifices that they are laying on the alter in a "supposed" act of worship. The offerings and gifts that they brought to the Lord were far from pleasing. Here we have this GREAT King and the people of Edom are bringing GIFTS of diseased animals, blind animals, lame animals. THESE are the gifts they are bringing to the GREAT KING! Gifts that certainly are not pleasing. Gifts that really shouldn't be called gifts at all. Who wants a diseased animal as a gift?!? I know I sure would not!

A pure offering. That jumped off at the page at me. For I am a great King. That jumped off the page. Here we have the Almighty God, the King of Kings, speaking. I can just imagine His baritone Voice ringing in the air. For I am a GREAT KING! I AM A GREAT KING! He is not just "a" great king, He is THE great King! He is the King of Kings! Here our God, whom at the sound or sight, we should immediately be in a place of reverence that we fall to our knees in honor and worship. The people of Edom were greatly displeasing to our Father.

In Malachi 2:2, we see the warning. If you will not lay to heart to give glory to my name. 'Lay to heart' -  one of the ways the Hebrew describes it, is to plant. Plant in your heart bringing glory to the Lord. PLANT in your heart the honor due is name. Plant. Allow it to go deep. Allow roots to take place. Allow roots to dig so deep that with your body & soul & heart, your automatic desire is to give GLORY TO HIS NAME. 


Malachi 2:2, goes on further to say the warnings if Edom does not do this... He will curse their blessings! Wow! Curse their blessings! Just because they have been blessed, doesn't mean the blessings will stay or remain. The Blessing is CONTINGENT! The Blessing of the Lord is contingent upon obeying the Word of God. Contingent upon honoring His Name. Contingent upon giving glory to His Name. Contingent upon our reverence, our honor, our obedience. Sure, our salvation may get us into heaven, but wouldn't it be better to live the Blessing on earth & not have to wait to enjoy the fruits in heaven?

Malachi has caused me to reflect... what offerings am I bringing? Am I bringing a pure offering? How is "my honor." Am I bringing honor to my Father? Am I reverencing His name? Am I planting in my heart the desire to give glory to His name? With my actions, am I following the calling that HE has on my life? Be it uncomfortable at times, be it even scary at times to enter into a place uncharted by me. Not uncharted by my Father, but a place I have yet been. Am I fully passionate and fully committed to answering the call of who I am meant to be? I am willing to push through the uncomfortable? Am I willing to DIG IN to the Word, DIG IN to the quiet time and seek His presence, SEEK answers, SEEK direction of where HE would have me go. Is it quiet enough that I can hear His Voice? Is it possible for me to turn off the noise of life just long enough to hear HIS Voice? His direction? Is the noise of facebook, pinterest, text, twitter, cell phone reminders, movies, the desire to 'decorate' my house, frivolous activities.... is the noise of ALL that TOO loud? Can I hear the Voice that resounds, "I AM A GREAT KING!" 


I can hear the echo of the deep baritone voice. In the Voice is strength and power, but it also has the sound of a longing. A longing to draw me in. A longing that says, "Please Come be with me. Please come fellowship. Please come sit at my feet so we can talk."


Can I hear the echo?
"I AM A GREAT KING!" 
"I AM A GREAT KING!" 
"I AM A GREAT KING!" 




Do I need to eliminate noise?

 

#243 - Are You a Go-Giver?

Luke 6:38 - Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour ^[a]into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.

Proverbs 31:20 - She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].

Have you ever "given" something that someone does not want? Maybe it's been time. Maybe you wanted to help so bad so you've given your time, all the while it was more than a burden to the recipient than a gift. Maybe you've given a gift. Something that you thought was truly awesome and the recipient SHOULD want it, they SHOULD use it, it would help them out a lot, but it was something they did not want or need at all. Maybe you've given someone an opportunity. Maybe it's an opportunity to be a part of your Bible study, play group with kids, craft group, business expansion, but all the while, they were not looking for that at all. Maybe they were just looking for a friend. Maybe they were just looking for an ear to listen. Maybe instead of the gift, they really just needed help paying a bill.

I read an amazing book, several times, called the Go-Giver. It was a quick read and so inspiring. It talked about giving. It talked about providing a service that people want. Answering a problem that people need help answers to. It encompassed Luke 6:38, GIVE and it shall be given unto you. Give and you will receive in direct proportion in which you give. Provide a service, and you will receive in direct proportion to the number of people that you help. Whether you will receive back in friendships, in monetary means, in respect or honor.

I've caught myself at times trying to give. I'm trying to give, give, give. But looking back, it is not something that the person wants at all. They are not looking for what I am trying to give. So here I am, trying to force them to receive, but they just want a friend. Or... maybe I'm put in their life merely to connect them with someone they need to be connected. The whole idea? Be a Go-Giver! GO and GIVE. Give what people need. Find the need that THEY have and try to connect them with the answer. Try to connect them with a person who can help.

As I was reading this morning, and asking the Holy Spirit some questions, like He usually does, He reminded me of some things. Basically this, just because someone comes into my life does NOT mean that they are there to help me accomplish MY goal or MY objective, but maybe, just maybe I am there to help them with their need, their goal, their objective. Maybe I am there to give not the other way around.

For me, that means a change of mindset. Being focused not on, "How can I GIVE YOU what I WANT to give," but changing that to, "How can I give you what you NEED and what you are looking for?"

The Proverbs 31 woman is doing just that. She is giving to those in need. She is giving an ear to listen to, to the one who needs someone to listen. She is giving of her physical labor, to the one who needs physical help. She is giving of her money, to the one in need of money. She is giving of her time, to the one who needs quality time. She is giving of her love, to the one who needs love. Giving "physical labor" to the one who needs "love" would be a vain use of time. It would be "giving" to a close fist, because it is not what they need.

So... a new focus? Today or this week... how can we GIVE what someone is truly in need of? How can we give the gift that someone truly needs? A compliment. A helping hand. Paying for their lunch. Or just being a friend. It may take asking some questions. It may take not talking at all and listening. It's all about finding the need and filling it. How can we GIVE the gift today that someone really needs? Are you a Go-Giver?

#242 - Let the Blessing Work

Proverbs 10:22 - The blessing of the Lord--it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it].

Proverbs 31:20 - She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].

This morning these words have been ringing in my mind: Be a value adder. Allow the Blessing of the Lord to work for you. 


Here in Proverbs 31:20, we see our Proverbs 31 friend doing both. Not only is she being a value adder, giving to the needy in heart, in spirit, in physical necessity, but she is allowing the Blessing of the Lord to work for her. She is allowing the Blessing that is on her life because of the Lord, to bless others. She is open to bless. She is not so caught up in her own world, life, family, circumstances, "drama" of life, that she misses the opportunity to be observant of what is going on around her. She is aware. She sees a need and fills it. She is being a Value Adder.

No sorrow is added to The Blessing. No toil is added to The Blessing. The Blessing of the Lord, is just that. It is all blessing! It is encompassed with good things, not sorrow. It is encompassed with joy.

Where can you add value today? Is it in prayer? Is it a financial gift to someone? Is it in friendship? Is it in time? Is it in babysitting and giving a friend a 'date night'? Where can you add value? Or... is it merely recognizing the BLESSING of the Lord in your life. The Blessing of the Lord that has been all around you. The Blessing of the Lord. Are you a Christian? Can you see where and how the Blessing has been working for you? Can you see it? If you took the time, could you slow down enough to recognize the Blessing?

SPEAKING!

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it (for death or life).

What are you saying? I've read this scripture many times. I've read books about positive confession, the power of your words, and confessing what the Word says. This morning I also read in a little book, "God's Creative Power" a statement that said, "Jesus said, "I HAVE TOLD MY PEOPLE THEY CAN HAVE WHAT THEY SAY"but "MY PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHAT THEY HAVE.""

They who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it. Eating the fruit of our words... the results. After years of studying the Word, reading faith based books, listening to ministers of the gospel, I feel like I have gotten good at curving what I speak. Instead of, "I have a headache." I may say, "I'm overcoming a headache." of "I'm healed of a headache." - Saying "I have a headache" is taking ownership of that headache, like "it's MINE!" Like I want it, I'm going to keep it. And headaches are not something I want to own or keep! I know that something like a headache is covered by 1 Peter 2:24, "By Jesus stripes I'm HEALED!" - I am HEALED of ALL headaches because Jesus went to the cross for them!

Anyways... I personally feel like I have gotten good at curving what I say, but the key thing I need to work on is SAY MORE! I need to SAY MORE! I need to SAY the LIFE that I want. Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death AND LIFE are in the power of the tongue and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it." LIFE is in the power of MY tongue! Am I living the LIFE that I want? If NOT then I am indulging in exactly what I'm speaking. If I'm not speaking enough, then I am receiving what the scripture says and I will sit right where I am.

I know for me, along with the proper action that is required to get my life where I want it to be, I need to make sure my WORDS accompany my actions. I know "Faith without works is dead." If I'm going to be in "faith," my actions need to show my faith. But I also know that I need to put my words to work more frequently!

What about you? What are you speaking? Are you speaking life? Are you speaking death? Are you not speaking enough? Do you need to SPEAK more?

#241 - Rejoice!

Proverbs 8:30 - Then I [Wisdom] was beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always,

Proverbs 31:26 - She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction]. 

A master and director of the work. I picture a director of a movie. He's not just any director, he is a really good director! He is amazing. Directing here, positioning there. Passion. You see the light in his eyes. He is not just a good director, he is a master! And, it is evident by his work. There is a reason for everything. I picture that "director," that "master" our Father. Literally directing my life. If my life were the "movie," He would be positioning things just perfectly. Events would be lined up in a sequential order that was important. All things would be positioned just so to accomplish mastery, to accomplish a "perfect movie." A masterpiece. Maybe it's joining a group... maybe a business, a mom's group, a Bible study.... a bit unsure why you're joining it... but it's all part of the line-up.... it's all part of things coming together perfectly. The director is positioning things "just so" in order that you will be in position to meet the crucial person that needs to be in your life. A friend, a future spouse, a publisher, a pastor, a business investor, an entrepreneur.... the person that you need to meet that is going to change your life. The person that the Director has placed there in order for you to continue on and fulfill your calling.

I noticed that in Proverbs 8:30, Wisdom is talking here. The notes in my Bible called "Wisdom" an "attribute of God." What does it all mean? How does it all come together? I'm honestly not sure... I wanted to also see if "Wisdom" was the same Hebrew word in both Proverbs 31:26 & Proverbs 8:30... I came up empty-handed. Nonetheless.... as I was digging, something that I found interesting was this: Wisdom is rejoicing. Wisdom, aka: an attribute of God, Wisdom is rejoicing. God is rejoicing. We're told in Philippians 4:4 to "rejoice always" and here we see God doing just that! God is rejoicing! He doesn't just give us His word, but He follows it too.

Honestly, this is something that I have not done enough of. Rejoicing. Thanking God. Praising God for the blessings in my life. I was recently just looking at my fingers and thanking God that I had 10!! I mean, imagine if one of your fingers were gone, cut off... it sure would make life a little different. What seems like such a little thing that can be so easily taken for granted. So, I began thanking God for my fingers and toes. Then, my kids fingers and toes! They have all theirs too! Praise God! We have working vehicles, we have a great marriage, a great business, a nice home to live in, we have furniture in all of our rooms, a great kitchen, new TV, washer, dryer & fridge.... we have money to buy groceries, ALL of our needs are met! We do not go without! Praise God! Not to mention, I am BLESSED to be able to be a stay at home mom and raise my kids!!! PRAISE GOD! I was also thinking of that the other day... I CAN SEE! I can hear! I can touch, taste & smell! What an awesome blessing! So often, I forget about "major" things that are a blessing if I did not have them! I need to do a better job about rejoicing!

So... I leave you with this, "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say REJOICE!" What do you have to be thankful for today? 

Obedience. (quick post!)

Proverbs 7:1 - MY SON, keep my words; lay up within you my commandments (for use when needed) and treasure them. 

Just wanted to share a quick verse today.  It's very appropriate that this was the first verse I read. Have you ever had scripture convict you of something you should be doing? Or have you ever had a prompting or the Holy Spirit tell you something that you need to do? Here, in this verse, we are reminded to KEEP HIS WORDS. Obey.

I'm still working on crucifying the flesh... specifically when my alarm clock goes off! Say a prayer for me if you think about it! I NEED to wake up earlier!

What about you? Is there anything you are working on? Are you "keeping HIS word?" Are you being obedient to what His last direction was for you and your life? 

Imagine: Sitting Down with Jesus

Imagine. You are sitting in your bedroom a little discouraged and in comes Jesus to sit on your bedside. Life has been getting to you. Defeat has been infiltrating it's way into your thoughts. This time, you've been down a little longer. You've stayed on the ground, too exhausted to get up. Jesus' appearance shows up at just the right time. You really need a Word from Him. You need encouragement. You need hope.

As I sat in church yesterday, the Pastor said something that sparked my mind going off in all these thoughts. I imagined what Jesus would say. I imagined that He would remind me and you of WHO we really are as a believer. That He would bring us out of the pit we felt like we were in and REMIND us of WHOSE we really are. That defeat is only temporary and victory is permanent! As a child of God, ULTIMATELY, WE WIN! Jesus went to the cross, chose death, DEFEATED Satan on our behalf and victoriously arose from the grave a WINNER! Our Team won! He won for ALL of us! He won for Believers!

This morning I began thinking back to the childhood song I remember singing over and over in summer Bible School. You probably sang it too.... it goes like this, "Father Abraham, had many sons and many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them and so are you, so lets all praise the Lord. Right arm. Father Abraham, had many sons..." And the son goes on until you're moving all body parts, marching, wiggling and as a kid, having a blast just moving all over! The more over the years that I've thought about that song, the more I realized what GREAT stuff is in that children's song! It begins to tell us WHO we are! As a believer, we become one of Abraham's sons, adopted if you will, but a son! An heir to the promise.

Galatians 3:29 - And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

As Christians, like the song says Abraham is, "Father Abraham." So we could go back to Genesis and begin to see the promises that belong to us throughout the entire Bible! One of my favorite places to see the promises that belong to me are in Deuteronomy 28 (check out the New Living Translation). Let's take a look.

• My CHILDREN are blessed! (v 4)
• Wherever I go & whatever I do, I AM BLESSED! (v 6)
• The LORD will guarantee a blessing on everything I do and will fill my bank accounts with increase! (v 8)
• The Lord blesses me with many children! (v 11)
• The Lord will bless all the work I do. (v 12)
• I AM the head & not the tail! (v 13)
• I am always on top and never at the bottom. (v 13)

These promises are straight from the Bible and they belong to US! I basically copied & pasted them, then personalized them! They are for us today! Let us not forget how Deuteronomy 28:1-2 - If YOU will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above the nations of the earth and ALL these blessings shall come upon you and OVERTAKE you IF you heed the voice of the Lord your God. 

I believe if Jesus sat with us, he would remind us that the devil is a TOOTHLESS lion. He roars, but he is toothless. He can't bite us! I believe Jesus would remind us that we ARE the head and not the tail. That HE went to the cross and DEFEATED it on our behalf giving us VICTORY! I believe that Jesus would remind us, ON EARTH as it is in HEAVEN! Live on earth, as it is in heaven! Don't accept defeat. Apply the Word to our situation. Apply faith and diligence, that we would walk out in victory as He desires us to. I believe Jesus would begin to remind us of WHO we are and WHOSE we are! We are His! We are JOINT HEIRS according to the promise! A joint heir, has EQUAL ownership! Romans 8:17 - And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ....


I believe Jesus would REMIND us that WE ARE A WINNER! Because HE has already won, WE have already won! Coming out of our little "sit-down" meeting with Jesus I believe we would walk differently, talk differently, carry ourselves differently. I believe we would walk tall. Be bold. Listen sharper to His Voice. Attempt greater things, knowing we have already won. I believe we would be bolder & more confident.

Imagine... if Jesus came to sit down with you on your bedside, you would leave changed. Radically and fully changed.

Begin today. Live like Jesus sat down with you this morning! Live boldly. Live victoriously. Live your calling without fear! Live as though you can not lose, because when you FULLY receive the promises as your own, YOU CAN'T!

I Got a Spanking. :(

Jeremiah 13: 1,3,6 - Thus the Lord said to me... And the word of the Lord came to me the second time saying... And after many days the Lord said to me...

Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages).

Have you ever slept in and known you should get up? Well.... let's just say my 7:00 snooze on my phone went off until 9:36!!! YES! 9:36! I feel like I'm still trying to get into a regular bedtime routine & wake-up routine. Sure... we have routines, but now things are a bit different with Trinity being here... more things to do before bedtime now, which has pushed things back for actually getting to bed!

So finally... after our 11:30 breakfast (Jr wanted to take a bath when he woke up at 10:30), I am finally sitting down to journal & read my Bible before beginning a full day of laundry! Recently, the Lord specifically told me that I needed to wake up by 7:00, but that it will get earlier soon. So... my first acknowledgement after just telling Him "Good Morning" was this: Please forgive me Lord for sleeping in & not waking up when I was suppose to. This was the response I got, brace yourself, there were no warm fuzzies in what He responded:

It's really your loss Amy. I forgive you, but you are the one who loses when you don't spend extended time with Me. I do promise, you will enjoy your time with Me if you get up earlier! 

Booyah! Well... I know this to be true! It's just sometimes getting past my flesh in the morning. But praise the Lord that the Lord IS the same yesterday, today & forever! Just like in the day of Jeremiah. The Lord SPOKE to Him. In the verses above, we see 3 different times just in the beginning of chapter 13 where the Lord came to Jeremiah and was giving him instructions. So... why is it so crucial for me & for you to spend quality time with the Lord... I think first thing in the morning is the best. Aside from giving God the "first fruits" of our time, for me it means receiving INSTRUCTION for my day. As a wife, mom, business owner...also having recently moved with an abundance of boxes that still need unpacking... I want to do the things with my day that are the most productive! My goal is to NOT toil in my day. My goal is to do the RIGHT things with my time. When I don't take the time to acknowledge the Lord with my activities, I look back on my time and found I was doing things in vain. I was completely tasks that were not the best use of my time. Where if I just acknowledged the Lord, HE would let me know specifically what I should be doing.

Anyways! There it is.... Amy's reprimand from the Lord... a bit of a spanking, whatever you want to call it.  I'm going to do my best to LEARN from it and not snooze when I should be up! I know I have much to accomplish for the Lord and that requires TIME with Him.

What about you? Any areas you care to share? Anything you are working on???

Have a blessed day! I'm finally going to go get my day started at 12:20! :)