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New Year’s Meditation 2009

***Scroll down for Thankful Thursday***

NewYear

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ~ Matthew 19:26 (ESV)

A brand new year…new goals, dreams, hopes for a year ahead. As Lori mentioned on her blog, she does not like to make new years ‘Resolutions’ — I don’t either. I break them within the first week. But I do have goals, dreams, and hopes for 2009…Allow me to share them with you:

  • Spiritual Growth: Realizing in 2008 how much I like to be in control of things, having pride-issues (still), self doubt, feeling worthless…I believe that the study of Esther by Beth Moore is just perfect for me. Reading through Esther is the last part of 2008, I realized how much Esther relied on God’s timing. She didn’t rush anything but waited on His ‘green light’. I also plan on attending the Phoenix “Women of Faith Conference” in October 2009

  • Marriage: With God’s help taking the focus off of my own needs. Continue to pray for our marriage. We have been married for almost 26 years, waves hit our marriage, but I trust God to continue to protect it.

  • Motherhood: Keeping out of the affairs of our son. He is grown up — I need to acknowledge that (hard one for me – 😆 )

  • Work: Let God handle the details. Keep my eyes focused on my own tasks to complete. Don’t worry about the work ethics of my co-workers.

  • Writing/blogging: Take one day/blog at a time. Continue hosting Thankful Thursdays — as long as the interest is there. Sharing His Word, grace, love with a world to read/see/respond. With His help, I will find the time to do so. As I have mentioned often (but can’t say it enough), God truly has blessed me with a wonderful writing team at Laced with Grace. I hope to deepen the friendships I have made through the team blog this year. These women are an incredible encouragement to me personally.

  • Photography/Scrapping: My dream for photography — get published or sell a photo or two (I know dreaming here 😉 ). One thing that I want to finish though this year is my Faithbook to have it printed. I hope that God uses my scrapping to make Him known through a different medium – digital layouts.

Maybe some of my goals, dreams and hopes for 2009 are a little lofty…but you know – all things a possible with God (thus Matthew 19:26 as my verse for the year 😛 )

If you would like to read more bloggers sharing their goals for 2009, stop by Lori’s blog “New Year’s Meditations”…

Be blessed today and as always…

grace_iris1

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Have you Entered yet?

***Sticky Post until Thanksgiving — Scroll down for new Content***

Would you like to spend some time with your mom, sister, or girlfriend praising God in a different setting? Meeting up with women who love Christ but are from different denominations? Than our Fall contest is for you. Click on the below button to find out how you can enter. You have until Thanksgiving…

Blessings on your day and as always…

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Blessed Reformation Day…

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” ~ Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Did you know that Martin Luther used Hallows-Eve to start the reformation of the church in Germany? On October 31st, 1517, Dr. Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the All Saints’ Church. Not only did it start the reformation of the churches in Germany, but spread throughout Europe.

So, instead of ‘celebrating’ ghouls and goblins, I honor the saints gone before us…

Blessings on your day and as always…

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Walk the Talk

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” ~ Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

As I had mentioned last week, my friend Lynn got me going with her post about “Edgy Christianity“. One book she had mentioned on her list was titled “I am fine with God…It’s Christians I Can’t Stand”. I have not bought/read the book, just took a peak at Amazon to read the first chapter…

One major annoyance to the unsaved population is that we try to impress our moral points with force on them. Do we? Do we point out what is wrong in their lives rather than to point to the cross of Salvation? Are we hypocrites? Modern day Pharisees?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.” ~ Matthew 23:25-26 (ESV)

Sadly part of me has to agree. You see, the world does not see the ‘average’ Christian, but the high profile preachers/teachers/tele-evangelists. How many have we seen preach moral points “Do this, don’t do that”? How many of them later stumbled over the exact issue (sin) — fell from their high horse?

My point is that we all are sinners (believers and unbelievers). We are all in need of a Savior. We are not saved by our own works, but by the grace of God:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” ~ Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

You see, good works is not what brings us to saving faith. Good works begins after we have been saved. Are we no longer a sinner after Christ reached down to save us? By no means. As for me, I sin daily. Do I want to? Of course not. But I am human. God gave me free will — sometimes I make wrong choices. Does God love me less because of the choices I have made? No, but I can not be in someones face because of their sin.

So how can we share the Gospel without self-righteous talk? Get out of the way…Walk the talk with His guidance and strength. Let us admit to our own sinful nature. Share what Christ has done in us. Only Christ can change hearts — we don’t have the power to do that. Let me close with a quote by St. Francis of Assisi:

“Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”

Blessings to your weekend and as always…