It Never Fails

In our culture nowadays, we almost live with the expectation of being let down, hurt or failed. We expect people to not be able to live up to our standards because after so many times of them not, we just give up. We lose hope.

Will there ever be someone who doesn't let me down? Will I always have to deal with the ones I love hurting me the most? Who can I count on?

These are all questions and thoughts that have run through my mind.

The truth is, we have all been deeply hurt and wounded by someone, somehow. And after it happens, it’s hard to ever open up or be vulnerable again. Suddenly everyone becomes an opportunity to be hurt again. “Well I DO love them, but I've learned my lesson.”

We become so quick to put our walls up.

But recently, God has put a wrecking ball through my walls.

The beauty of God’s love is that is ALWAYS goes beyond anything I could imagine.

HE ALWAYS MEETS AND GOES ABOVE MY EXPECTATIONS. HE ALWAYS COMES THROUGH FOR ME. HE HAS NEVER LEFT ME HOPELESS OR LOST.

His love- NEVER FAILS ME.

                                                                                        

There are two things I have learned:

People will let me down. But that is NO excuse to not truly love them. Because I, myself, am bound to do the same. We are humans, prone to err. God’s love for me, and for the people around me, can heal and restore every wound.

Take a look at what Ephesians 3 has to say; (Ephesians 3:16-20) That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

God will strengthen every weak spot and wounded area of our hearts. That we may be grounded in HIS love, (for us and for people) so that we may be FULL, whole and complete again by HIS love that goes beyond human understanding or comprehension. HIS LOVE WITH DO EXCEEDINGLY AND ABUNDANTLY MORE THAN WE ASK OR THINK.

His love empowers us to overcome our fears. "There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out all fear." (1 John 4:18)

1 Corinthians 13

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

God, wash and heal us by Your love, that we might love despite our brokenness. Help us love deeply and intentionally without hesitancy.

His love NEVER FAILS.

~Emily Scranton
guest blogger ~

Stand Tall

I want to live dangerous,

Risk it all for you, Lord

I need you to wake me up

From the life I've known before.

Whatever it takes, I want you to make

me more like you.

There's nothing I won't give up.

I want to live dangerous

I want to live dangerous

~Group 1 Crew~

In a sense this is the cry of person's heart whose desire is to be on fire for God. For we were called for a purpose, Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 16:18-19.  To be honest with you this looks good on paper, sounds good in prayer, and some people seem to have a natural ability to do this.  If you are like me I want to do this with every fiber of my heart...but I let the fears of this world silence my tongue.  The next thing that happens I am filled with condemnation for my lack of faith.  Another thought that creeps in is, she is way better than I am.  I am not called to bring in the Harvest, but to take care of it once it comes in.  Then the Lord reminded me that I could and should do both.  This revelation was both exciting and scary at the same time.  He had breathed a fresh power into my spirit and gave me a new courage to what He called me to be. 

With this fresh desire came something else the realization that I might have to stand alone.  Was I prepared for that?  Yes and no.  Yes,  because I wanted to please the Lord and do His will.  No, because that meant getting me out of my comfort zone.  I had to make decisions to not go with the crowd, not laugh at those awkward inappropriate jokes at work.  Everybody wants to be loved, liked and needed. The questions I had to ask myself  involved this,What is more important to be everybody's friend, or to stand alone. The answer sounded like a verse from a Toby Mac song, I don't want to gain the whole world and loose my soul.  With this answer in mind I called upon God to give me the strength and the courage to make a stand for Him.  To have His desire to go out into the everyday places of my life with a boldness to speak His truth.  To have Him give me His eyes and ears for the lost, while not becoming part of the lost.  
To stand up and take my place in helping others see what He has to offer, which is the offer of life and not death.  So, now when I go back to my work place, or to my school I am excited to show others God through me.  If they mock me , so what I don't have to claim that for my God is greater than the words that are meant to hurt or tease me.  It gives me a chance to love them and not hate. Sure the battle will be hard, but it is not lost.  For every action or word that points them to God is one more step closer to them getting to know Him.  I leave you with this, know that I am praying for you and your personal battles that the enemy tries to throw your way.  I will stand with you arm and arm and claim the victories God has for you.  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

~Blessing, Missie

Here is a little something to bring your courage, enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coHKdhAZ9hU&feature=kp

Mom's sphere of influence

      It's been on my heart to take a look at the Mom's sphere of influence. She plays the single most significant role in the day to day and the effects it has on those around her.

 Proverbs 31:27 The Stay At Home Mom: gives her days to serving her family. Her walk is filled with the day to day tasks of cooking, cleaning, endless amounts of laundry, transporting kiddos to and from, appointments, reading and re-reading story after story, peacemaking, and so much more. Her days are full and she is often left trying to squeeze in fellowship, time for herself, and her husband. She needs another 8 hours each day and even that wouldn't be enough to do all that is required in the demands of the day. One day at a time is too long for her. She lives in the getting getting through breakfast, getting through lunch, getting to nap time, and the highlight of the day when Daddy comes home, and preparing for dinner. What I would encourage her with is to embrace the gift she's been given in the blessing of staying home. She sets the tone for her family. If she had the opportunity for a do over, she would walk the kids to the park one more time, she would play with the toys and sing the song, and make the cookies, and re-read the story with joy. The Lord blesses her sacrifice and sustains her energy level with every act of service that she does unto Him. Her targets to impact for the kingdom are the treasures entrusted to her that are watching, learning, and growing not by what she says, but by what she does. Also those she comes into contact with throughout her day, the clerk at the grocery store, the neighbor, the coffee barrista, the school personnel, and they are all placed with divine appointment strategically placed for  impact.

Luke 11:33-35  The Working Mom: is equally as busy adding a job outside of the home to her day which includes preparing herself and her family to leave the home and tackle the home tasks around the work schedule. She juggles home life and work relationships while being salt and light to the world and her co-workers recognize that she carries herself with integrity, grace, humility, transparency, and joy. The Lord is faithful to equip her with the Full Armor she needs to combat the many distractions and opportunities that are presented at every turn to take her off the path The Lord prepared for her and have her step out from under His protection. Her targets for impact are with every word she speaks throughout the day. Every request, answer, and interaction is an opportunity to plant a seed for the kingdom. She ends her work day to go home and partner with her husband in the nightly routine.

The Single Mom: has no record-able description. Her day is ever changing. She is both Mom and Dad. Nurturer and  Provider. She survives in a place of constant happenings. She relies solely on the promises from the Lord to sustain, nourish, strengthen, replenish, discern, protect, equip, and walk with her through every action from beginning to completion. Her days go by rather quickly rarely with a moment to ponder the next. After working her day job, she begins the night shift at home sweet home where little people depend solely on her for survival. She is required to rise early, and stay up late often finishing the less than appealing task that daunt her line of vision at every observation of her personal surroundings. She too is called to use every opportunity of breath to speak in such a manner that leaves impact on those precious little people and those she comes in contact with. The Lord is ever close to her. He comforts in times of loneliness, He walks along side when she is exhausted, He steps in between her and the line of battle often unbeknownst to her, He guides and leads when she doesn't know where to turn. He's there through every laugh, sigh, and cry.
 

    The Someday Mom: If she's not yet married, has single work to do. She is watched most closely in every decision made. Is this where she is suppose to be in her life? Is she seeking the will of God for her future? Is she dedicating herself to being used and trusting wherever the Lord will take her whether or not that leads to providing her with children someday?
 If she is married, her days may or may not include a job away from the home and either of the previous description include her in the community and whom she impacts. Though her role is more focused toward serving in the care of her home and husband. If either of these Someday Mom's never have children of their own, they are both women with purpose to the children in their sphere of influence to come along side and support the variety of Mom's in the body of Christ.

     So I ask this dear Mom, are we waking each day with our agendas full of the dailies that inhabit our lives or are we filling our days with the purposes of our roles in this generation and those to come?

 "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

 -Leo Buscaglia

~Jennifer


   



 

My Heart...My Love!

     

  
   This a conversation Jennifer and I overheard the other day...A friend of ours answered his phone with these four precious words..."My Heart My Love".   These four word stopped me in my tracks, I looked at Jennifer and she looked at me.  We were both in that moment of time rendered speechless.  As we tried not stand there staring at him with our mouths wide open, he noticed we were smiling at him.  He told his love that we were making fun of him.  No, were just really in awe in the fact that he loves his girlfriend so much that he was able to express it in the manner that he did.   When he got off the phone and looked at us like, what?  It then became clear to me this was the norm for him, and he was surprised by our reaction. 
   

     Later  as I reflected back on this conversation, I was talking to the Lord about it.  For a woman to hear such words of endearment can really play on some emotional heart strings.  Then Lord being ever faithful whispered in a still small voice," You long for a love like this, but I long for you to love me like this". For the second time that day I was stopped in my tracks, but this time I was humbled by the meaning of what He had said to me. It gave me pause to think and to ask myself, am I giving all my love to the Lord"?  Am I setting my eyes upon Him and trusting Him with every thing that I am? These were some very good questions I had not asked myself in a long time.  I then asked the Lord to show me anything that was keeping me from loving Him in all that I am. 

I love all who love me.

    Those who search will surely find me.

Proverbs 8:17

     This is a reminder of God's promise to us and that He will love us  for all eternity.  He asks us to seek Him in all things and trust in Him in all things.  He is a kind a loving God who only wants the best for us.  Just remember when you are feeling lonely, left out or not even wanted.  You are, you are wanted and love by the One who created everything for you, by the One who sent His only Son so that you may have life.  

The sky could fall

the ground could shake

The stars burn out

And seasons change

Time will pass

and beauty fades

But all my love

will remain

                                   ~Royal Tailor

 Take a moment and ponder the meaning of that.  I believe when you stop to really think on it and ask God to reveal His love for you. You will feel it!  

   ~Missie