#212 - Prove It!

Good morning! It is one of those mornings where God just overwhelmed me with His Word. Proverbs 3 is so full of good nuggets & insight. Where do we even begin?! If I could... if I had no other responsibilities or schedule (aka: getting a child up and feeding him! ha!), I think I would just enjoy sitting here and reading over and over all the topics that are covered just in this ONE chapter! For the sake of time, your time & mine, we will stick with one or two main "take-aways" from the Word this morning. Let's get started!

Proverbs 3:1 - MY SON, forget not my law or teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments...

Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income; So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine.

Malachi 3:10 - Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Proverbs 31:18a - She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good...

I'm sure you NEVER do this... but, a shot in the dark.... have you ever questioned God's Word? Maybe in your heart, deep down you believe it, but in your mind you'd thinking, "Come on God! Where are the results?! This is what it says, why isn't it happening? When is it going to happen?" I'm sure you never think that, but I must say, at times I have.

I woke up this morning and began my normal "routine." Got my yummy coffee that Tyler made for me, grabbed my phone, the baby monitor & my Bible, turned on the lamp light on the end table (because who knows, lamp lighting is SO much better than the bright ceiling lights!), and sat comfortably on my couch, propping my Bible on my lap with a soft pillow. Tyler had a meeting with his boss... which by the way, according to Proverbs 3:4, TYLER shall find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight  of God and his boss, Kim! Since he had his meeting, he was gone early, so it was just me. Me, the silence & my Bible. Quite a good combination!


As I journaled, I was just putting God in remembrance of His Word! I was THANKING Him, according to certain scripture, for what I have believed for to come to pass. I was REMINDING God what His Word says. Ok, Ok...you are right, God did not forget what His Word says, and the Bible also says He is a Performer of His Word. He brings His Word to pass. As I thanked Him, I was just reminding Him that, I too, know what His Word says. I too, am standing on faith that His Word works! After doing all this, and taking some time to journal and write down what I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying to me, I cracked open my Bible to Proverbs 3. Wouldn't you know it, the very first verse says,  forget not my law or teaching.


I immediately thought of Joseph. I thought of Joseph's long journey from being thrown into a pit by his very own brothers, being sold into slavery to a passing caravan, being accused of making a pass at another man's husband (but being innocent), being thrown into jail unjustly and staying there for years, until finally he was lifted out of the place where he was and put into a position, 2nd in command over the WHOLE nation! He literally SAVED nations from starvation during a point of famine. I thought about Joseph because I can only imagine, being human, that at times maybe it was a bit discouraging. That, like me, maybe he too wondered, "Lord, where are the results? Where is the fruit from the dream that you showed me as a teenager? When is the time going to come where I see & live my dream?"


I would anticipate that those thoughts had to go through Joseph's mind at some point. My solution. Patience, obedience & putting God in CONTINUAL remembrance of His Word! One area where we can be faithful that is EXTREMELY important is the area of tithing. What is tithe? By definition, it is 10% of our increase. 10%. Not our "loose change" that we flippantly just throw into the offering plate as it flies by. The neat thing, is what the Word promises, in numerous places, but here you see it in Malachi & in Proverbs!

Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of ALL your income; So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine.

Malachi 3:10 - Bring ALL the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and PROVE ME NOW by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

I take some things very literally.... and with this, I take it literally also. In Amy's translation of the dictionary, "all" means "ALL." "Everything... leaving nothing out. ALL."  Even if I get a gift, birthday money, Christmas money, any increase of income, I choose to give the 1st fruits of it, 10%.  The blessing that follows is that in the Bible, Malachi 3:10 is one of the only places where THE LORD says to PROVE ME! Or in another translation, TEST ME. He is telling us that HE WILL PROVE to US that if we are faithful, HE will bring to pass the blessings, the overflow. So much that our "storage places" (aka: in today's time, bank accounts.) will overflow & increase. We will not even have ROOM for all that He has in store for us. Now friend, THAT, is good news!

Our Proverbs 31 friend is able to "taste & see." She has tithed, she has operated in patience, faithfulness, diligence, and she gets to the wonderful place of TASTING & SEEING the fruit of her labor! She is enjoying the increase & blessings that come along with faithfulness. Praise the Lord.

God is NO respecter of persons. His Word will work for you too! Prove it Lord! Prove it! Let's put Him in remembrance of His Word. He IS faithful and He WILL preform it!

#115 - Remember Me?

Good morning.... actually, Good afternoon! I pray you are having a great day so far! We are officially 15 days from Christmas! WOW! How exciting!! A wonderful time to enjoy with family & friends. A wonderful time to really spend time being thankful.

Psalm 40:1-3a - I WAITED patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.    ²He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings.
    ³And He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

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].

Psalm 40 made me think about how much we have to be thankful for during this Holiday Season. The hustle and bustle can cause us to be focused more on the gift getting and gift giving than on the true reason of why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. Now, let me say, I am equally guilty.... sometimes maybe even MORE guilty than most. A book that I would HIGHLY recommend.... actually would even be a great present for the stocking for husband and wife, "Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman. Well, in the book as you read through the love languages.... the 5 are this: Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Acts of Service, Quality Time & Gifts. Everyone has a love language that they just really feel loved when done... my #1 love language sometimes seems the most "vain"... but it is what it is, GIFTS! I LOVE GETTING GIFTS! I can't help it. I just light up when I get a gift... so for me, Christmas & birthdays are awesome! I even have told Tyler, "Wrap up a pair of Nike socks! I don't care! Part of the fun for someone like me is just opening many wrapped packages." For Tyler I know he would tend to want to put everything in one box for me to open... but for the "Gifts" love language person, that is not as fun! But, one love language is not better or worse than the other. Some are just more evident to point out. Tyler on the other hand is "Acts of Service." When I get him something to drink or make him a meal or pull the covers up over him when he is taking a nap, he feels most loved then.... I'm still waiting for him to use the really cool electronic highlighter that I got him for Christmas last year! :-/ Argh. 


But... the main point is really this... even without the presents, the lights, the trees, the wreaths, the food.... we have SOOOOO much to be thankful for! Even if we took all of that away! We have so much to be thankful for! He drew YOU & ME up out of a horrible pit of destruction, out of the froth and slime, and set OUR feet upon a rock, steadying OUR steps and establishing OUR goings. And He has put a new song in OUR mouths! 


The Almighty God, GAVE US LIFE! Because God sent Jesus, we are able to live with HOPE! We are able to live with JOY! We are able to live free from FEAR because He has put ANGELS all around us to guard us (Ps 91)! Because God gave His son Jesus, we are able to experience a love greater than any person could ever give us. 


If gifts are stressing you out, don't do them. If you feel like things are out of control, do what the famous Napoleon Hill said, "Take your eyes off yourself and go help and serve someone else." Go to the hospital and bring gifts to children who wouldn't otherwise get gifts. An orphanage, a nursing home, an Alzheimer's unit. At the end of the day does Jesus say to you, "Do you Remember Me?" 


At the end of the day what is the FOCUS? May the focus go from self to Jesus. May the actions, attitude and atmosphere in your life and family be on Jesus. And at the end of the day, you don't hear the question, "Do you Remember Me?" BUT, you hear the comment, "Thank you for remembering me!" 

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25: 37-40

#70 - DON'T BE MOVED!

Top of the mornin' to ya. :) Can you hear my accent? Irish? :) lol. I sometimes sit around and say things that make MYSELF laugh. It's a good thing I can entertain myself. I laughed yesterday as I was recalling something that my grandpa often reminds me of..... he says, "Amy Jo... when you were little, it was so funny. You just looked up at me and said, 'Grandpa, I just like myself so much I can't keep from smiling.'" To this day, he is still tickled by that comment I made as maybe a 5 year old child. It is pretty funny! :) lol. "I just like myself so much, I can't keep from smiling." But, you know what, that's how we should be now! We should be so happy with life, with God, with who we are and where we are going (because we are Christians and are following a divine plan), we should be so excited because the FAVOR of God is all over us, ALL THE TIME, that we cannot keep from smiling. :-D ---- Maybe today... when you are driving down the road, or walking to class, to a meeting, to an appointment, while you are working out, cooking dinner.... just practice the art of SMILING. :) Just SMILE. You can just be silent. You don't have to talk. Just SMILE. If you need something to smile about, recall all of the "HIGHLIGHTS" in your life. Like movie previews, showing the best parts... go through your life and see the previews. Smile at the main events. Think on the best moments that you have lived up to this point. And... even smile at what is to come. How GOD is going to use you in mighty ways to bless and further HIS Kingdom. Like YOURSELF so much that YOU can't keep from smiling! Smile so that people ASK YOU, "Why are you smiling? Why are you so happy?" What a testimony that is, just from a smile?! :) 


Ok... let's roll today. 


Today's Scheduled Reading: Proverbs 16, Psalms 16, 46, 76, 106, 136, Proverbs 31:10-31


I'm going to give you my highlights of the scriptures that jumped out to me this morning in a different way. I'm going to run them all together. I really think it tells a story... check out this.....

IN JUDAH God is known and renowned; His name is highly praised and is great in Israel. Our fathers in Egypt understood not nor appreciated Your miracles; they did not earnestly remember the multitude of Your mercies nor imprint Your loving-kindness on their hearts, but they were rebellious and provoked the Lord at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake to prove the righteousness of the divine character, that He might make His mighty power known. To Him Who earnestly remembered us in our low estate and imprinted us on His heart, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. Be still, and know, recognize and understand, that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth! I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life. Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain because it is not lasting, but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised! (Psalms 76:1, 106:7-8, 136:23, 46:10, 16:8, Proverbs 16:17, 31:30)

How is HIS name in YOUR home? In YOUR life? God wants to be KNOWN! Not just in JUDAH, not just in ISRAEL, but he wants to be known in YOUR LIFE! He wants to be known in your home, at your address. 2121 Main Street, WhereILive USA. Put your address there! He wants to be KNOWN THERE! 


Look at it, a WHOLE generation FORGOT. A whole GENERATION forgot about the miracles that GOD DID! "They did not earnestly remember the multitude of Your mercies nor imprint Your loving-kindness on their hearts." Do you realize, WE are, right now, WE are a generation following His miracles....not only following them, but in the midst of them. He is STILL performing them today! Do you know what, He wants US to remember HIS miracles. Often, not only in the time of the Bible, but also just in times past, stories would get passed down from generation to generation. In order to REMEMBER. In order to REMEMBER. Remember what ancestors had done. To remember what Great, Great, Great, Great Grandpa Abraham had done. But, now, we do not just have stories, we have those stories in WRITING! The actual events written down exactly how they had taken place. Miracles. What God did in Egypt JUST to bring His people out of a land of slavery. Miracle after Miracle after Miracle! What GOD performed through Moses to bring out GOD'S CHOSEN people into a land flowing with milk and honey. We are a generation that did not live during that time, but we can STILL REMEMBER. Do you remember? Have the stories been passed down from your parents, from their parents, from their parents? Have the stories continued? Are you passing them down to your children? The great and MIGHTY works that GOD did so that HIS PEOPLE would have FREEDOM!!! Would be released from the slavery they experienced in Egypt. If you do not remember, NO FEAR.... the EXACT details of the story are ALL written down so that YOU COULD REMEMBER!!! So that you could pass it down to your children. 


Even though a generation had forgotten, had forsaken God, but needed help in a time of trouble....they had forgotten, forsaken and turned their backs on God. Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake to prove the righteousness of the divine character, that He might make His mighty power known. He SAVED and FORGAVE a generation that had forgotten Him. 


What does He want US to do? To set the Lord continually before us, to NOT be moved. Friends are pulling you down? Don't be moved! Your marriage has been rocky? Don't be moved! Your finances have been in trouble? Don't be moved! You've experienced a sickness? Don't be moved! You have lost your job? Don't be moved! You're trying to launch out with a business and you've had set-back after set-back? Don't be moved! You are trying to overcome an addiction? Don't be moved! 


WHY? WHY NOT BE MOVED? - Because MY GOD, YOUR GOD, THE SAME GOD of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, the VERY same God that sent the 10 plagues (In Exodus- frogs, lice, boils, locusts, hail, darkness, etc...) in order to FREE HIS PEOPLE. THAT GOD, is the SAME GOD of ANY problem you may be facing today! He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! When Moses said, "LET MY PEOPLE GO." And Pharoah continued to say, "NO"... God was going to SHOW HIS POWER until HE WAS KNOWN! God was GOING to WIN, eventually, and HE DID! (Like now... if Tyler Jr is putting up a fight when I change his diaper... MAMA is going to WIN every time! One day he will be over 6 feet tall, but it's going to take a LONG time for him to be stronger than MAMA! :) ) 


REMEMBER! Do not be like the generation that forgot. Yes... even if you forget and get in trouble, whine, complain, finally cry out to God, yes out of His mercy may drag you out of your problem again. He will SHOW OUT His Power to be KNOWN! BUT, DON'T FORGET! Stop forgetting the GOD you serve! Stop forgetting that HE STILL is in the MIRACLE business! Whatever your situation, GOD CAN PULL YOU OUT! PRESS IN! Is it urgent? Is it a pretty important situation? Problem? Well, get serious! PRESS IN TO GOD! Press in like your life depended on it. PRESS IN and WATCH GOD SHOW UP! 


"The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life." - You are on a HIGHWAY. Choose to TURN from evil. Choose to GUARD your way and what will happen? Your VERY LIFE will be preserved! Think about it.... what do preservatives in food do? They make your food last longer! They can be in your fridge or on your shelf for longer. While you are on this highway of life, TURN FROM EVIL, GUARD your thoughts, your mind, your eyes, choose careful your association, choose careful the movies or TV you watch, the internet sites you go on. BY GUARDING your way, you are PRESERVING your life so that while you are on the SHELF of life, you can LAST LONGER! 


GOD IS A GOD OF MIRACLES! DO NOT FORGET HOW MIGHTY HE IS! He is NOT to small for your problem! He is IN THE BUSINESS to clean up and fix things. HE can FIX YOU. He can FIX the problems you are facing! Just turn and go to Him!

#49 - Really, For Real! Are You Really Crazy?

Good morning! Believe it or not, I am on my THIRD cup of coffee!! WHOA! This never happens! :) But, it sure is yummy. :) Tyler had an early appointment, so that left more coffee for me. 


Ok... WHOA! OMG. Today, prepare yourself to learn some stuff!! GOOD STUFF today! Let me preface the comment so you do not think I'm being "boastful." So.... I was sitting here reading my Bible. As I was reading my Bible, if you could see Proverbs 10 it has more verses than not that are doubly high-lighted. Many verses are in brackets, or have stars outside particular verses, many verses are underlined or circled, some have $$ signs beside them. I mean, literally, this chapter is ALL marked up. As I'm sitting here reading it, this doesn't happen very often, but I was kinda whining to God in my mind. This was what my "whine" sounded like, "Ahhh. God. How am I suppose to pick a verse out of this whole chapter? There are too many good ones to choose from. I could go a number of different ways. This is way to much pressure. Can I really write a 'new' blog each day when reading the same stuff every month? Waaaahhhh, waaahhhh, waaaahhhh!" So, yes. Pathetic, I know. I'm sure none of you ever whine to God like that...but, there it is, in black and white, I was being a baby. :) So.... right after my "whining" episode, God didn't say anything, but a verse JUMPED off the page at me!! TOTALLY JUMPED OFF! Something I knew, and even something I READ this morning in another book. I was scheduled to have a coaching call this morning with someone I'm coaching through a program to optimize health, fitness, eating & weight-loss.... well, as I was reviewing her homework assignment... there were some very interesting pieces of information that I think will really bless you, today. It has definitely blessed me now as a 33 year old... and will ESPECIALLY bless me when I hit the golden years... 70's, 80's, 90's & 100's! :) This read is going to bring LIFE to you! Get ready!!!! :)

Proverbs 10:7 (KJV) - The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

Proverbs 31:25 - Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]!

As a high school athlete... I remember all the funny things we would do to pass time. If you know my sister, Kimmi, you know that she is a little goofy. :) I'm sure this stemmed from her. Well... at cross-country meets and practices when we would be on the bus, or sitting around before or after a meet, or when we would be out for a warm-up, or long run... we would often sing stupid songs. One of them was super funny & fun and this is how the words went...."I was crazy once, they put me in a rubber room, I died, there were worms and they tickled me, it drove me CRAZY! CRAZY?! I was crazy once, they put me in a rubber room...." That was just one of the stupid little "ditties" or "songs".... and you just kept going on and on repeating it. (Along with the "Song that Never Ends" ... ahhh!) Well...for real, let's think about it. From a spiritual perspective, even with just lyrics to a silly song, when we say it out of our mouth, we are CONFESSING it. We are speaking it. We are bringing LIFE to it! What are the common things we have read in Proverbs? "Life & death are in the power of the tongue." "You are snared by the words of your mouth." We could go on and on with verses. So...there we were, naive little high school students, speaking into our life that we were CRAZY. Crazy! Think about crazy. We classify crazy as someone who has "lost their mind". Crazy. "Oh, this _______ is driving me crazy!" You fill in the blank. "Oh, I forget. I don't remember their name. I have a horrible memory." Really? For real? Is that really what you want to be confessing over your life. Or, even to this day.... I'll be listening to Pandora and a song will come on that brings back memories, I'll begin singing along because I know all the words, and then in the chorus it will belt something about, "It Drives me CRAZY!" As I get ready to belt out the lyrics, I have to catch myself and NOT say them! Proverbs tells us that our words REALLY are important! They really do bring life or death! I'm sure when God had that put in the Bible, He wasn't joking about it. 


The memory of the just is blessed! I receive that! That is for me! In the Hebrew the just also is translated as "righteous", memory is also translated as "remembrance." Being able to remember things....that's pretty important, wouldn't you say?


So, how can we apply this to every day life? How can I NOT say, "I don't remember" or "I don't know"?? I mean, for real Amy, there are times when someone asks me a question and I really don't remember, or I really don't know. How can I realistically confess the right thing? 


Try this on for size. Here are some responses to include instead of "I don't know" or "I don't remember."

• The name of that movie? Hum.... it'll come to me. 
• I'll let you know when I think of it. 
• It will come to me any moment now. 
• The Holy Spirit is making it known unto me. 
• I'll check and get back with you on that. 

It really is quite easy to change, it may just take some pro-active thinking and catching yourself when you slip. 


I guess for me, it really hits home for a few reasons. My grandpa passed away when I was either in middle school or high school. He was bi-polar. My mom said in his later years, he was indeed "crazy." (I believe she used that word.) So ever since I can remember, if she has heard one of us kids confess being "crazy" or "I'm crazy" or "That drives me crazy," she was and still is quick to correct us! "Don't speak that, because it has been in our family and you do NOT want to be crazy!" I'm sure my mom would have stories for you. Well... then with my grandma.... she is such an awesome, amazing person!! :) What a server. Growing up, I just remember grandma making me "mashie eggies".... or we'd get to her house and she'd take drink orders and go downstairs and get drinks for everyone and come up with her arms full! I would always be drinking a Mountain Dew. She took us shopping. She just did anything for us!! What a woman! Well.... I remember hearing her countless times say things like, "Oh that just drives me crazy." Or... "I'm loosing my mind." I confess that she is HEALED in JESUS NAME.... but as the facts lay currently, she was diagnosed with Dementia/Alzheimer's and has been in a nursing home for the last several years.  (Please say a prayer for her... she just broke her hip a few days ago and had surgery. Agree with me for wholeness & restoration & no pain!)


Our Words matter. Our words that we may say flippantly, could really determine the outcome of our future. Change your words now!


That brings me to some other things that you can do NOW besides just watching your words. The following tips & facts came from a GREAT book by Sean Foy entitled: The 10 Minute Total Body Breakthrough (Sidenote: I do his 10 minute workout and now weigh lower than my wedding weight! Just from 10 minutes!!! I'm the lightest I've been in over 10 years! From 159 to 129... shooting for the low 120's. Now I coach people to do what I've done! So fun!)

• Exercise reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. An article in The New York Times entitled "Exercise on the Brain," notes that individuals who get regular exercise in the middle age are 1/3 as likely to develop Alzheimer's in their 70's than those who do not exercise. Even people who don't start exercising until their 60's have their risk cut in half. 
• In 1967, 100 set of Swedish twins were enrolled in a study called HARMONY. 30 years later, researchers tried to determine why, in 90 cases, one twin developed dementia while the other did not....the study concluded that the twin that did light exercise, such as gardening or walking, & regular exercise involving sports were associated with reduced risk of dementia. Higher levels of exercise seem to be associated with an even lower risk of dementia. 

Tyler's great-grandmother Melba is 94 years young and strong as an OX! He remembers when she was in her 70's, and she'd be out in the yard with Ty doing yard-work, raking and just keeping up like she was 40. Her memory? Sharp as a tack! She worked right up until about 90-91 years young. Worked! If you were in Atlanta, GA over the last handful or years, you may well have been greeted at Wal-Mart by Melba. Tall, upright, strong & just nice as can be! At 94 years young, she is still not only "kickin it", but she's still STRONG, active & even living on her own!


Our Proverbs 31 friend is able to REJOICE over the future because she knows she is strong now, and WILL be strong in the future. She is not worried that her family may have to take care of her... she is strong! Her mind is sharp. She knows that SHE is ready for the future! (Not to mention, she exercises!! See Proverbs 31:17)


So.... get your words right! Begin to exercise! And if you need a good tool to help, order that book by Sean Foy! 


Xoxo!
Amy J


BONUS FIT TIP: Want strong abs? Stand up straight! Sit up straight! Do you want to be a senior citizen that is hunched over? Well, begin working on it now! Stand up straight, shoulders back, abs in. Good posture even helps in abdominal strength. Sit at a computer all day? Don't use that as an excuse to slouch and have poor posture. Don't be lazy, stand & sit up tall!