God is Calling

What has God called you to do today, tomorrow, or with your entire life? Where and how can you serve Him? If you don’t know the answer to these questions, it is ok. You can answer this by first starting with a relationship with God. When you have a relationship with Him, He will show you where and how to serve Him. It may be as simple as sending a card to a friend in need or something as complex and committing as becoming a missionary, but God has a plan for you. He created us all in our own unique way to serve Him. There may be someone that will never hear of the saving grace of Christ because you chose not to use the gifts He gave you. You have talents that no one else has and will be able to reach people that no one else could. Will you choose to answer when God calls?

“Training your body helps you in some ways, but serving God helps you in every way by bringing you blessings in this life and in the future life too.” 1 Timothy 4:8

Quiet Time

Quiet time, what does that mean to you? Most of my life I have been told we are to have a quiet time with God. I thought this meant to take time each day to read the Bible and pray. While this time can be used for that, the majority of the time should be spent being quiet and waiting to hear from God. I was convicted of not being quiet this weekend. I heard someone on the radio say we should spend our quiet time waiting to hear what God has to say. If we don’t hear Him, we should read the Bible and ask Him to speak to us through His written word! I love to talk, so therefore, I spent my quiet time talking and not listening. My favorite verse is “Be still and know I am God,” but I wasn’t doing that at all! I challenge each of you to find a quiet place and ask God to speak to you and then actually get quiet and still and listen to what He has to say. It may just surprise how clear His voice will be!

“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

A Flower in the Rubble

I am sure you have all seen pictures of the devastation from the earth quake in Haiti. We can either focus on the tragedy and death or we can find the bright spots in this sad situation. I have read reports of orphanages being the only building not touched and of people being found alive and unhurt in the bottom of crumbled buildings. We can also apply this to our own lives. When faced with a terrible situation we can either choose to dwell on it or we can find the bright spot and hopefully show someone God’s love. When we allow God to guide us through an explosive situation, He will defuse it every time!

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. Psalm 84:11 NLT

Our words do matter

So many times we say things and have no idea the words will have an everlasting impact on someone. When I was in high school , I had one teacher that loved telling us stories about her personal life. Most of the time I rolled my eyes and really didn't pay attention. One day I decided to listen and received advice that I still remember 13 years later. She said she and her husband wanted their children to see them show each other affection. For example, her husband always put his arm around her during church. This may sound very simple, but watch your children's faces when they see their parents love each other. I encourage you to show your children how much you love your spouse. This can also be applied to our relationship with Christ. Let your children see you reading the Bible and praying.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

We can Change the World!

Have you ever thought the world is so bad there is no way we could change it? Well, we can change the world and it starts with you and me. We have to start by changing our own thoughts and hearts. We have to try and see the good in people and treat them the way we want to be treated. This sounds so simple, but it is much harder than you think. My first response when someone mistreats me is to lash out. I am really working hard to see their thoughts instead of just actions. This kind of thinking makes it much easier to deal with people, but does hurt when we see what some people have had to deal with. Children should never wonder where their next meal is coming from or if their parents are coming back, but thousands of children have these very thoughts daily! We can’t change the world without starting in our inner circle of friends. We all know at least one person that could use an encouraging word or just to hear God loves them! It would be a great start to changing the world if everyone that reads this email would tell one person about Christ! You could also ask a stranger if they have any prayer requests. The look on their faces is worth it!

2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I charge thee in the sight of God and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”