Thursday, February 22, 2007

Guard Your Thoughts...

What is your focus today? Are you willing to focus your thoughts on the countless blessings that God has bestowed on you? The direction of your thoughts will determine, to a surprising extent, the direction of your day and your life.



Our thoughts dictate the direction of our lives. The greatest battlefield of life is the mind, and we are constantly at war for its control! If we want to live right, we must think right because how we think affects how we live.


"Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Don't use your mouth to tell lies; don't ever say things that are not true. Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths." Proverbs 4:23-27 (NCV)


~~~


The mind is a garden that could be cultivated to produce the harvest that we desire.


The mind is a workshop where the important decisions of life and eternity are made.


The mind is an armory where we forge the weapons for our victory orour destruction.


The mind is a battlefield where all the decisive battles of life are wonor lost.


Author unknown




*Attitude is the mind’s paintbrush; it can color any situation.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

FAITH:

Belief, trust (Hab. 2:4: Mark 11:22). Faith in Jesus Christ is essential for salvation (Eph.2:8-10). Faith is always active: It is a commitment of both mind and heart.

A Faith Bigger Than Fear…

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

John 14:1-2 NIV


Because we are imperfect human beings, we worry. Even though we are Christians who have been given the assurance of salvation – even though we are Christians who have received the promise of God’s love and protection – we find ourselves fretting over the countless details of everyday life. Jesus understood our concerns when He spoke the reassuring words found in Matthew 6: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…”

As you consider the promises of Jesus, remember that God still sits in His heaven and you are His beloved child. Then, perhaps, you will worry a little less and trust God a little more, and that’s as it should be because God is trustworthy… and you are protected.

A Thought to Jump Start Your Day

Worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil.

E. Stanley Jones


Faith

1781

MarbleSanta Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi, Florence

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

A little about me

I am a Child of God

I love God, my children, my family, I love life and I love the friends that I have made here on-line and in life itself and I believe in unconditional love. I have lived an extremely full life in my 45 years on this earth. I don't live with regrets, many walk in shame and embarrassment from their past wrong doings and I have had my days of walking in shame and embarrassment, but I have repented and have asked for forgiveness for my actions and bad choices that I have made in my life. All my experiences, bad choices and actions have made me who I am today, and I thank God for the revelation of who I am on this day and who I am to be, at the end of this journey.

I have three beautiful children and have been married twice, in which those times, I have always believed that my calling from God, was to be a loving wife and mother. All of that was shattered when both marriages ended due to society's pressures, temptations and addictions. I am not a perfect woman, I have had some blame for each marriage coming to an end. I prayed each time for both marriages to be saved, nothing was changing. Little did I know that the ending to the first marriage was going to lead me down a long road full of uncertainty. All the time I prayed for God to change me, I thought it was me all along, but I found that I was the only one attempting to change. Each marriage ended, the second one left me a shell of a woman.

I fell in to a marriage that was a controlled one, it was a marriage that was based on "My way or the highway". I accepted that condition, due to my previous marriage, where there was no control on my ex-husbands part. The control that I allowed myself to live through was subtle at first, I was showered with attention, loving attention and as time went by, the control became more obvious, NEVER to abuse, but if my hair didn't look right, I needed to brush it different, I was told certain clothes didn't look right, I was told how to talk, how to communicate. I was told that my hobbies and interests would not have a place in my life because my life would be consumed by him. I was told to lose weight constantly, even at 115 lbs., it killed my self esteem, I thought I was unattractive, even at 110, even then, it was "5 more lbs". I was told that I wasn't a good mother to my children because I loved them too much. My children were my life, I was asked if I would give them up to their father (who could barely take care of himself). I couldn't do it, I had no choice but to lie at times to protect my children and my marriage. It wasn't always like this,each marriage had many great times. There were other things involved that led to the ruin of the marriage but, the control, was his addiction. I couldn't change any more...and I knew he wouldn't or couldn't, so when I prayed for my marriage to be saved, I was saved from the marriage. Twice God told me that the marriage was not a good one... I left that marriage with very low self esteem. I'm rebuilding my self-esteem as I write these words. I'm exposing myself here, only in hopes that maybe, just maybe, I can be some comfort for another woman out there. That she has worth to her, just as I do.

I continue on my journey, and I wake up every day and welcome the unknown that lays before me with open arms. I praise God for every single day that I am given.

I have been blessed with a wonderful man that has been a rock for me and of great support with my awakening... Thank you PC, I love you dearly for the endless love and support. I experienced an Awakening of sorts (with no knowledge to myself) in August of 2005, I didn't realize it until I read the poem "The Awakening" months later. The poem describes exactly what I found myself living at that particular time in my life, word for word.

An AWAKENING is not a short synopsis of sorts. It is something very real and well worth the fight, the struggle, the tears and even pain! Because at the end, you'll find yourself in a peaceful place...

I have been through the fight, the tears, the pain and still continue with the struggle on this journey of mine, but... I am in that peaceful place! Thank you Lord for the journey, the trials and the tribulations that made me the woman that I am today and for the woman that I am meant to be.

I am very open minded to all things in life, I don't judge others and don't like judgmental people. I believe in angels, I also believe that bad energy does exist and that we play a big part in creating it... My beliefs are my beliefs, I have an interest in many things that may come across as conflicting to others, but this is a free country... and in saying that my respect and full support goes to all military men/women that are out there fighting for my freedom of speech and my right to express it.

Please know there is no situation in your life that is too big for God to deliver you from. I personally know this.

I'm hoping that I can pass along some "hope" for those that face daily challenges.

This is my way of trying to make a difference in the world. 

**Update: Fast forward to April 2020 - I am God's Daughter, I belong to no one but Him. I no longer look for approval, acceptance and love from a man or from this earthly world. My bondage from Codependency have been broken through God and ONLY God! Glory to God forever!**

Why Am I Here?

May He grant you according to your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purpose.
Psalm 20:4 NKJV


"Why did God put me here?"


It's an easy question to ask and, at times, a very difficult question to answer. As you seek to answer that question, our purpose will not always be clear to us, God's purposes will not always be clear to us. Sometiems you may wander aimlessly in a wilderness of your own making. and sometimes, you may struggle mightily against God ina vain effort to find success and happiness throguh your own means, not HIS.


A Thought to Jump Start Your Day

My policy has always been to ask God to help me set goals because I beieve God has a plan for every person.
Bill Bright

Woman

Gen. 2:23

The man said,

"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man."