Dance ~ Life- a message to my girls.

I actually have a lot on my tired mind today, but I really want to congratulate my first born, Kayli.  

I can't believe I JUST watched her last competition~  I know she'd hoped to leave it with lots of accolades, plaques, ribbons, and diamond level trophies.  That didn't happen; we got a few platinum trophies and high golds sprinkled with a few special awards, but way more importantly I got to watch my  girl.  She's turned into a confident leader and has created lasting friendships.  In my not-so-smart mind, it appears that the competition circuit has changed since we first started competing.  Competing used to be a fun, healthy atmosphere for the dancers to see their strengths and weaknesses and a time when the "team" would support each other and share memories.  In fact, I made some of my best friends because of the camaraderie of the parents.     So despite the changes over the years, we must hold on to the awesome friendships and memories we have made! In the long run, THIS is what matters, not the plastic trophy or shiny ribbon! What WE have is way more special than any man-made idol that will sit on a shelf or hang around the neck of a stuffed animal!

So, how did all this begin?  When Kayli was little I wanted to find an outlet for her energy and get her involved in something.  It just so happened, a local dance studio was close by and looked fun for little girls.  15 years later, Kayli graduated from the same studio.  She's been fully committed and worked hard.  Upon graduating, she received a few awards and acknowledgements and it was VERY special.   She doesn't wish to pursue dance any further, but there's a lot that dancing has taught her.  She's learned how to celebrate success as well as  how to deal with great disappointment, stress, and frustration. (Unfortunately, sometimes that was more often than not) She knows what it feels like to be complimented  and praised, but she's also experienced ridicule and sharp criticism.  It's almost a microcosm for life packaged in sequins, ribbons,  tutus and ballet slippers.  IT'S GOOD, though.  Not everything is a bed of roses in real life.  Our society is tough.  People can sometimes be mean, but I want both my girls to hold their heads high and be proud of what they've accomplished and for what they've worked so hard. 

If I were talking to Kayli right now, I'd say something like this: 

"You are a fierce competitor and unbelievable dancer. I'm so proud of your loyalty to your Company!  Anytime volunteers were needed, YOU stepped up to support your team.  You've helped sell candy bars, balloons, lemonade to benefit Alex's lemonade stand, danced for sick children AND in honor of cancer survivors.  You've entertained lonely seniors over the years in various nursing home facilities and sang for the families of sick children at the Ronald McDonald house.  Your stage presence is a force to be reckoned with!  I am proud of you, my Sunshine for all this things, but in addition, no one sticks with something recreational for 15 years! You've done solos, duets, special numbers.  You've sang and you've danced.    Thank you for the wonderful memories and relationships it's brought our family.  I LOVE your spirit and hope you remember all you have learned!  I LOVE YOU and will miss seeing you perform.  You have made me laugh, cry, shake my head, and have inspired me. This last competition was long and some of the other dance school were amazing.   However, remember why we began this SO long ago.  Sometimes, not everything is about winning, but how you play the game.  YOU, my love, have played well. SO, Congratulations!  I think you are FABULOUS. No, I KNOW you are fabulous!" 

So then, how did Amy begin?  After seeing her sister dance, Amy quickly caught on.  I remember her tiny little feet mimicking her sister with her platinum blond curls dancing around her heart-shaped face.   At age 2 1/2, I enrolled Amy into the very same dance school as her big sister.  She was VERY timid at first and needed big sister to hold her hand and walk in.  Her graceful, wise teacher saw this need and allowed it.  Ever since, Kayli has "held Amy's hand" and helped her along the way to become the phenomenal dancer she is!

She is my Babycakes, my ballerina!  If I were speaking, this is what I would say: 

"I watched you this weekend intently.  I could see in your face on stage when you were enjoying yourself and when you were feeling downright frustrated and angry.  I'm sorry to see the latter.  I wish you could see yourself through MY eyes.  You are simply stunning, and you have every bit as much talent as the dancers that came in first place.  Your confidence is budding and I can see it!   Whatever you want to do, Amy, grab on and hold with both hands!  You are SO talented and have SO much to offer the world!  Don't be disappointed in what you view as failures from this experience.  They are NOT!  Nothing is ever a failure IF you learn from it.  With what can you walk away from this?  I'll tell you.  You DO work hard at what you do.  I know you practice not only during studio hours, but in your room on your own time.  I see you improving your craft and striving to succeed.  There's a lot that can be learned from dance whether you wish to pursue it in the future or not.  I know you have a lot of avenues you may want to explore, but let's enjoy THIS avenue NOW!  You don't need sparkly awards and ribbons for me to love you. I LOVE watching you dance.  You are so graceful and elegant and STRONG!  Yes, you are strong.  Do not ever let ANYBODY take that away from you. FIGHT for it, BE kind and you WILL go far!  I LOVE you, Babycakes!  

You have 3 more seasons left- LET'S DO THIS!!!  The Lord has given you a beautiful ability. Let's together use this to glorify Him."

Maybe I will tell them now or maybe I'll encourage them read this.  Whichever is fine.  

Side Note:

Sometimes, honestly, I do stop and question why we've traveled this path.  It is expensive and time consuming and requires our family to be separated at times.  We've sacrificed fancy vacations and quick renovations on our home to be able to afford this for the girls.  A pair of pointe shoes can cost me $130.00 by the time all is said and done, and sometimes, Amy needs three pair in a season of that shoe alone, not to mention ballet shoes, jazz boots, tights, body suits, etc.  The irony of it is that I buy CHEAP shoes for myself so we can do this.  I mostly shop at Kohl's and Target OFTEN.  We eat out sometimes, and we don't often get to have designer clothes. (My girls save their money and buy their own). Why? Why would any family make such sacrifices?  First, they are material things and do not make or break our family.  Additionally, the bible says to "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

As far as a relationship with the Lord, I've heard many people use this verse to raise  godly children. YES, we should be doing that but there's a little more to it.  It means to give your children a firm foundation. FIND what they are good at and help them excel and strive to master that talent or skill.  Dance is so much more than just talent.  It's learning how to deal with different personalities and how to handle disappointment as well as success.  I have truly enjoyed watching my girls dance over the years, but also feel as though developing a God-given talent was important.  HE gave this talent to my girls and my job has been to channel that and help them deal with all the other things associated with it.  It really didn't matter what they chose to do.  It could have been soccer, track, gymnastics- ANY THING- we just happen to have chosen dance.  

In the end, the reward is great and the life application is a challenge.  I challenge my girls to do this for the glory of God, not any human.  The result will be great!

And the Journey Continues

So today is day three on the  Zone approach to eating.  I am feeling a tad bit cranky and sore because I did my CrossFit class yesterday! (It's ALL GOOD!)

I have a lot to learn regarding the ZONE and am also very interested in the Paleolithic approach.

I bought the book: Entering the Zone by Barry Sears

In addition, this doc and this site are helpful:

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf

http://www.dbhonline.com/zoneful/index.htm

Bad News/ Good News

The bad news is that I'm pretty weak and pretty slow and really sweat A LOT.  I coughed and sputtered when I ran, but I did it.  I only did two rounds of the warm up when everyone else did three, but I DID it!

The good news, is that with scaling, I was able to complete the workout.  I didn't finish as much of the warm up as everyone else, but still, it is the MOST exercise I've had in a while despite that!

I really hope to improve my speed, my strength, and my agility.  The good news is that I should shed these nasty extra pounds from ugly fat stores as a result of eating balanced and participating in CrossFit!

Time for a REAL change

Ah... Hello there, blog!! It's been a while.  So much has happened since I last blogged.. basically, LIFE!

I began working part time in September 2010 at a Christian preschool.  It was hard, but I decided to give it another shot in September 2011.  Let's just say, things did NOT work out. Long and unimportant story.  Remember, one door closes- another door opens!  In December 2011, I became a primary specialized assistant in a local elementary school. AGAIN, let's just say things didn't work out how I'd HOPED, but that door surely opened a WONDERFUL door.  Currently, I am teaching full time at Hurffville Elementary School- 5th grade science and writing.  I.LOVE.IT!  It keeps me busy, though, for sure!  LOTS of planning and learning the current system for teacher evaluation, understanding the procedures of the school, meeting new people, making new friends:  IT IS ALL GOOD!

So, in these past few years, I've allowed myself to become very out of shape.  I actually thought about it last week after some nudging from my little brother!  I have tried SO many "programs" over the past 10 years!  I was on Atkins working out at home.  I joined CURVES, L.A. Fitness and had a trainer there.. (that was HORRIBLE! I'd NEVER recommend that for anyone!) I've tried Weight Watchers MULTIPLE times, and last year even tried the HCG diet supervised by my doctor with the promise that I could in fact lose the weight I needed and not put it back on.  Neither were true.  I lost about 20 pounds, but put on about 5-6 when I was done.  I actually, in the middle of it, lost about 30, but gained WHILE on the HCG, which is NOT supposed to happen, but it did.  Before that, I tried Metagenics Cleanse.  OY.. THAT was tough! NO RESULTS!

ALL of this left me very frustrated and still FAT and out of shape.  Most recently, I joined Planet Fitness.  This is cheap, but there's no instruction.  You really have to know your stuff to go there because they really do leave you alone.  Again, NOT good for me.  My confidence is absolutely SHOT and completely flushed down the toilet. :( (sad face, pity party, now!)

Recently, my oldest daughter graduated from high school. What a wonderful thing!  With this life event, several out of town family members came to help us celebrate including my 88-year-old grandmother and my Aunt Sue from Florida, and my little brother, Russ, from California.  Russ and his family are in GREAT shape and eat very healthily.  He's tried in the past to counsel me and help, but I was totally overwhelmed.  OH... I forgot to mention our "issues" in our house.

At age 5, my son was diagnosed with multiple food allergies- LEGUMES such as peas, soy, peanuts; grapefruit; corn, coconut.  STINKS.  THEN my middle daughter was diagnosed with food sensitivities to milk and eggs. THEN, about 1 1/2 year ago, I was diagnosed with MULTIPLE food allergies: Milk, yogurt, goat milk, beef, eggs, oats, glutens, shrimp(and other shellfish).  Talk about overwhelming.  At the same time, I discovered that my entire body is completely misaligned and I have a lot of necrotic tissue in my right let.  All of this pretty much shut me down.

So, now let's get back to my daughter's graduation.  My brother came without his family and while I REALLY did miss my sister-in-law and nephews, it was great to spend time with him.  Then, on Sunday, he asked if there was some place where he could use a bar for pull ups.  I suggested Washington Lake Park.  He wanted to get in his W.O.D.  (Secretly, I chuckled at this for some time... WOD)  It means, Workout of the Day. You see, he is a Cross Fit level 1 trainer. (I'm not 100% sure what level one means, but I know he is VERY fit!)  In 2011 he tried to teach me about the Zone approach to eating, but I was too much in the middle of a major pity party and way too overwhelmed by life at that point to even consider a lifestyle change like that.

However, something really special happened that Sunday.  Russ invited me to workout with him.  WHOA...  I didn't go, but it did prompt me to investigate.  He helped me research and find a local Cross Fit gym.  He's been coaching me through a lot of the process and yesterday, I fully participated in the Zone.  I must admit I was very touched that my athlete brother invited his chubby middle-aged-wife-mom-teacher  sister to work out with him.  He promised he could "scale" any routine.  I was a little intimidated that day and didn't go, but had my hiney in a CrossFit gym on Tuesday and Wednesday last week.

I'll admit it- I'm PETRIFIED.  I also do NOT like NOT being the one who knows.  I'm driving everyone crazy trying to read and learn and understand.  I'm committing for July to do 2 classes/ week and then in August, 3 classes.  I may need to drop down in September b/c of work, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

So, publicly, Thanks Russ and thank you to his wife Verlana. Both have answered every single question and been available to me this past week.  Truly, I'm sure I have been a royal PAIN!! :)

Here's where I'm going:

http://www.crossfitoffthegrid.com/

Today I'm supposed to learn Hand Stand Push UPS.. ME... lol.  Can you imagine?

I'm feeling determined!

If you have any interest in Cross Fit, you can research  A TON of information online.  I've read multitple articles and blogs.  Here are a few of my favorites!

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/03/01/a-beginners-guide-to-crossfit/

http://carrotsncake.com/2013/06/5-crossfit-tips-for-beginners.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/collette-debenedetto/from-the-couch-to-crossfi_b_3460332.html

Be blessed and be a blessing, friends!

Jesus has come

John 1: 1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome.


Courtesy of BibleGateway.com


Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I'm nervous about going shopping for the very first time in my 43 years on Black Friday.  I am troubled that I'm more consumed with this thought that reasons for being thankful. What has this become?  This holiday, which indeed was intended to be a "holy day" to thank Providence for providing such an abundant place for our forefathers has now turned into a mad dash for the best bargain.  Regardless, I will take advantage of the great deals, but in my heart of hearts, I know how much I have to be thankful for.  Let's not lose site of that as we enter into advent to prepare for the arrival of our Savior.  The sales will continue and the hustle and bustle and parties will go on, but let's not diminish what it really meant for Jesus to be "born".  


I love John 1:1-5.  It is among my favorite verses in the entire bible.  The WORD is Christ Himself.  Don't you see what this verse tells us?  The WORD, Jesus WAS with God.  "Was" is past tense, meaning before now.  Then it says the WORD was God- solidifying the persons of the Godhead or the Trinity.  Then the most beautiful "He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made."


My friends, nothing here is implied.  It's right there in black and white.  While Christmas is special, it is nowhere commanded in the bible to celebrate.  I personally believe that Jesus's coming was meant for only those special few to know, like His second coming.  Only the Father knows the day or the hour He will return.  I am not a fan of "Happy Birthday, Jesus." because I feel like it diminishes what God has done for us.  Birth implies a beginning; a starting point.  We celebrate mortal birthdays as the first breath we take upon exiting the womb and entering this fallen world.  We are brought into existence.  Before our conception, we did NOT EXIST.  


Jesus,  on the other hand, did exist before his birth.  He WAS God. He WAS FULLY GOD, yet lowered Himself to be born as a man and walk among us in our sin-filled world. What greater love could there be?  He created EVERYTHING.  Jesus Himself was there at creation, yet because of His great love for us, humbled Himself and came to serve.  This is not the mortal image of an earthly king.  Royalty here on this planet is elite and untouchable by commoners.  Not our heavenly King.  He did not havea throne or a home of His own during His ministry.  He had NO accumulated wealth.  He mingled with the outcasts of society who were possessed or sick and shunned.  He lived a PERFECT life HERE.  He did not have to do that, but He did- because of LOVE.  Perfect, beautiful, unselfish love.


So, as you go about your "BUSY-NESS" during this holiday season.. and yes, Happy Holidays is OK!  (HOLIDAY = HOLY DAY! :0) You have one up on those who think it is more secular.)  Stop to remember exactly what Christmas is.  We really don't know when Jesus entered our world.  Scholars and Theologians speculate, it is NOT commanded in the bible to remember and celebrate, and we have a Savior who humbled Himself and left paradise to come here and die for us.  How beautiful an act is that!


For this reason REMEMBER and CELEBRATE!  It is SO much more than a mere birth.  He WAS more than a wise man who once lived and told stories to teach us.  He WAS more than even JUST a man. He was, is, and always will be.  Below are two of my MOST favorite songs.  Enjoy!





Be blessed this Christmas season and know that Jesus loves you.  He's waiting for you to invite Him into your life.

I've just been pondering a lot of things lately and have felt the Lord draw me closer and closer.  Last week in Children's Church, I taught a lesson on Isaac being a good neighbor and peacemaker and the Lord blessing him. It's not one of the most common  stories often taught to children.  In fact, it isn't even in my Beginner's Bible.

Here it is, though, Courtesy of BibleGateway.com!

Genesis 26

Isaac and Abimelek

 ¹ Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. ² The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. ³ Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. ⁴ I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring^[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,^[b] 5 because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.” ⁶ So Isaac stayed in Gerar. ⁷ When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”
 ⁸ When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. ⁹ So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
   Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”
 ¹⁰ Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
 ¹¹ So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
 ¹² Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. ¹³ The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. ¹⁴ He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. ¹⁵ So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth.
 ¹⁶ Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us.”
 ¹⁷ So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar, where he settled. ¹⁸Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.
 ¹⁹ Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. ²⁰ But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek,^[c]because they disputed with him. ²¹ Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.^[d] 22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth,^[e] saying, “Now the LORD has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”
 ²³ From there he went up to Beersheba. ²⁴ That night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”
 ²⁵ Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.
 ²⁶ Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces. ²⁷ Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?”
 ²⁸ They answered, “We saw clearly that the LORD was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you ²⁹ that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the LORD.”
 ³⁰ Isaac then made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. ³¹ Early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.
 ³² That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. They said, “We’ve found water!” ³³ He called it Shibah,^[f] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.^[g]

Later, Jesus talks about what a neighbor is. Often, when I ask children this particular question, they tell me it is who lives next door or across the street. This is true. As Believers and Followers of Christ, we expand that definition, like in the story of The Good Samaritan, and rightly so. (Luke 10, 30-37) However, what about the folks who live across the street and right next door. I must confess that I have indeed not been a peacemaker. I found myself being bitter over a few situations that have arisen, which is NOT Christ-like. The point of the story of Isaac and the wells is to show how Isaac was indeed the peacemaker and while his land was in fact void of water in the wells, by keeping the peace and accepting the treaty with Abimelek, the Lord was able to bless him abundantly. I'm fascinated how the Lord uses His own word and my own gift of teaching to our tiniest disciples to TEACH me.

This, while very amazing, is also quite humbling. In the grand scheme of things what is really important? When Jesus was arrested, He never showed bitterness or anger.  In fact, He healed the ear of a soldier who had come to arrest Him.  He never cried out in pain, anger, frustration, or terror.  He spoke no evil word and not once retaliated.  He was spit upon, whipped, beaten, bruised, called terrible awful names, ridiculed, stripped, made fun of, humiliated, pierced, nailed, hung, and ultimately murdered.  He did no wrong.  It had to come to pass, but it breaks my heart as I ponder what He endured for me, and I can't ever live up to His example.  (Read Matthew 27 for the story of Jesus's betrayal and death to remember.)

So, what is it we must do when it comes to our literal neighbors?  I was so blessed in my previous neighborhood.  It's easy to love those who love you, right?  Now, I must find a way to love someone who does not love me.  I don't know why, really, and my instinct is one of fear- to just avoid the situation all together, but, that's not what Isaac did.  Pray for me today, that I may hear God's voice through His Holy Spirit and find a way.  I SO want water in my well! :0)

Daily Deliverance

I wrote this a LONG time ago and never published it.  VERY timely for these times!

So, today is a beautiful sunny day. Chirping birds and fluttering winged insects flitter and soar about outside without a care in the world. The Lord comments on this. Why should we worry when we have evidence that he takes care of even the tiniest of creature? If He does this, why wouldn't He take care of us? I think that many people get this confused with "the good life". Sadly, so many people think that their good deeds are what God notices. They are good and all are planned according the His plan, but that is not what gets us into heaven. WHAT???? CAN IT BE??? Being a good person is impossible. None of us is good at heart. The bible even says that in this life we will have trouble! The difference is that Jesus promises to ALWAYS be with us to see us through. Some day, for those who believe that Jesus is the way, we will live the "good life" with Him. NOT NOW! Trials and tribulations come to strenghten us. Like a child being corrected, our Father in heaven must correct us and thus sometimes He does allow things to happen to us. Sometimes bad things happen just simply because this is a fallen-world. This is the devil's domain! The good news is that Jesus had triumphed and we can get through each day by His grace through our faith in Him.

That's not to say that some days are definitely harder than others. We are creatures of sin and we fall prey to the lies of the evil one. Peering through the darkness, though, a Christ-follower can always see light, even if it is far off in the distance. Each day, hour, minute, second, the light grows as we learn to lean on the Lord until one day, we are out of the darkness and surrounded by glorious light. Paul tells us to run the race and strive for that wonderful finish line. He encourages us to jump those hurdles; sometimes, we'll trip and fall, but we MUST get back up and finish the race. Remember, Jesus promises to always be with us. He will help brush off the pebbles and dirt and carry us to the finish line. Isn't that wonderful! We can do it.

In all things rejoice! I say again, REJOICE!

None of us enjoy the terrible things that happen or the rude mean things that people say. Look to our savior as an example. He was arrested, shackled, whipped, beaten, bruised, spit upon, cursed at, accused, abandoned, mocked, laughed at, abused, tortured, pierced, dehydrated, starved, and ultimately humiliated as He hung from nails on a cross. His example should sadden us, yes, but more importantly encourage us because our Savior understands. So, remember, if the Lord can take care of the smallest insect, He will take care of us. He understands. He is with us. EMANUEL.

Be blessed today!

Tough Times, Mighty God

So much has been happening around and to me lately, that I feel compelled to write this morning.  This is actually my second attempt because FB froze up on me, so here goes!

It seems lately that our family has been touched by many, many different circumstances such as but certainly not limited to the death of a young friend, people suffering financially in this very difficult economy, folks losing their homes, sudden terrible illness and disabilities, struggling marriages, dealing with the turmoil of poor decision making of superiors in a work place, loved ones succumbing to the pressures of life and turning to their addictions for comfort, and so many more sad, lonely, frightening circumstances.  It is very easy to sit on our bottoms and complain about God.  What kind of God would do this to His creation?  

Well, the truth is, WE DID THIS.  We are the ones who brought sin into the world.  The good news, though, is that God knew.  He knew because He is God and he had a plan all along from the very beginning.

 The bible says that, "We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God," BUT "While we were STILL sinners, Christ died for us."  My dear, dear friends, we ALL need a savior.   In fact, Jesus Himself acknowledged the fallen nature of life here on earth.  He said, "In this life you will have trouble."  However, He also assures us that "[He] has overcome the world".  This is our HOPE, and I don't mean how we simple humans use the word hope as in a wish or desire, but in a biblical definition meaning this:

"To wait in joyful expectancy"

Isn't that so much more beautiful than to wish for something?  It is a PROMISE of what's to come!!  All that is broken will be fixed.  All that is sad and tragic will once again be happy and joyful!!  All who suffer will be at rest and at peace.  It is so simple... just confess Jesus.

• We must ADMIT our sin and our short-comings.  Who among us has NEVER lied, cheated, thought or said something hurtful?   Who?  None.. but Jesus of Nazareth.  Just say it!

• Then we must BELIEVE that Jesus is who He says He is and that He did what He said He'd do.  He is the only Son of God- fully man and fully God.  He lived a perfect life without sin. He was hung on a cross and separated from the father bearing all sin for those who believe in Him AND THEN, he conquered death by rising on the third day.

• Beyond that friends, we must CONFESS, or proclaim this out loud before our peers.  I have.  I believe this with my whole heart.  I do not profess to be perfect AT ALL.  In fact, often I think I am the greatest sinner who ever walked the face of the earth.  I need to confess my sin daily because my heart can deceive me.

If you can do this, just pray a very simple prayer along these lines.

Dear Jesus!

I am a sinner!  I fall short of your glory and need you to help me.

I believe You are who you are and that you died to bear MY sin.  Thank you. 

Lord, Abide in me.  Make me part of your family of adopted sons and daughters to the throne of grace.

Lord, I cannot do this on my own and need you in my life.

In Jesus POWERFUL name I pray, AMEN.

If you pray this and mean it, you belong to God.  He will sustain you with peace that transcends all understanding at all times both good and bad.  He will calm the storms as they come.  Best of all, He will forgive you when you come to  Him with your faults and wrong-doings.  Many people cannot do this.  They hold grudges and hatred in their hearts, but God NEVER withholds forgiveness from His children.  Take your hurts and your sins to Him.  Lay them down at his mighty feet.  Yes, times are tough.  Yes, terrible things happen to those whom we love and we just can't imagine how He could allow this.  But, remember, this heart-ache is our own doing and our God will not forsake those who belong to Him. 

I praise Him today for giving me these words.   I praise Him today for being much, much bigger than anything I could face.  I praise Him because despite the pain in this life, the horror, the sorrow, the tears, the anger, the fear, the hurt, the confusion and anxiety, He is GOD.  He is with US.

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  Praise Him all creatures here below.  Praise Him above you heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!  AMEN."

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from…the Father.” James 1:17

Be blessed and be a blessing today!

Love,

Tracy