Billboard of Life

I was driving down the freeway one day, and I started reading the different billboard signs.  Well, this got me to thinking...if someone would ask me what my billboard of life would look like it.  Of course my obvious response would be that I am a woman running hard after God.  That I could say I love God with all my heart, soul, and mind.  That I would even die for Him or that I would give up anything for Him.  Then the thought that came to mind is am I really doing this?  Am I going through the motions on the outside, and giving the impression that God is my world and everything in it?  I have been saved since I was 7 years old, but I was not always walking the life of faith.  In 2007 at a Christian concert I rededicated my life to Christ.  I have since then really tried to do everything that God called me to  be.  I will be the first to admit my walk has not been a perfect one.  I have made decisions that have not always been the wisest.  Or worse yet done the exact opposite of what God was telling me to do.  As I kept driving down the road I decided to dig a little deeper into my thought process.  I began to ask myself some questions: When I say that I am a Christian what are my motives?  Am I saying this to be part of the "IN" club?  To make me look better than some else because I have faith to move a mountain?  To use this as an excuse not to do something that I know is wrong?  Well...here was my response: Yes!! I want to be part of the "IN" club!! I want to someday see the one who created me.  Yes!! I do have faith to move a mountain. (I might not always claim it, but it is there.) No! I don't use my faith as an excuse to do something that goes against my beliefs. What I discovered in the questioning of myself is that I do love the Lord with all that I am, but I want my billboard to say: Jesus is my everything and His name is written on my heart. When I am representing Him I want to do it in such a way that He shows through not me.  Not representing Him in a prideful I am better than you way, but in a humbleness.  I challenge you to do the same...take a moment and reflect/question yourself on who you are representing...I would encourage you to ask God to help you. It is good to take inventory of ourselves, because we can get so caught up in the everyday routines.  We lose sight of what is important...The One who created us and how we represent Him. Just my 2cents, Missie

What God sees...in us...

 

Show me what it's like                                            
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be ~Nickelback~ 

I heard these words the other day, and they got me to thinking.  There are a lot of us in the world walking around beat up and broken down.  Just for once we want to be the "last one standing".  For so long we go day by day just barely hanging on to the cliff of life with all are might.  It is a struggle to climb back up and brush off the dust of despair. Yet if we look down into the abyss below us that doesn't look encouraging either.  We value our life enough to keep it and in the small part of our soul we knows that there is hope.    We cry out to someone/something begging for us to be taught wrong from right.  We know if only given the chance we could show people who we really truly are.  We could show people what we are made of and all the possibilities that we have.  The good news is that small hopeful part of our soul is right...there is someone not something, but someone who sees us for who and what we really are.  Ephesians 2:10 tells us...For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.  If we only realized that He looks over us with love.  He sees the potential that we have.  He is just waiting for us to turn to Him for He longs to show us His great love.  With Him there is no doubt or condemnation. There is only peace and comfort.  He truly desires to have us see ourselves as He see us...beautifully wonderfully made in His image!!  Think about that we are made in His images, not our own.  Meaning what we think of ourselves does not compare to what He thinks of us.  Next time when we are down and just not loving life. When we are just dragging ourselves over the coals for every single mistake made.  we need to realize this, we are God's masterpiece. 

 You build me up like a city of gold
The battles rage but I’m standing tall
You formed my heart like an empire
The wind and rain can’t stop this fire
If only I could see it from your perspective
The beauty and the grace of your architecture   ~Jonathan Thulin~ 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RsozmX0B-I

When I look at this picture, I see all the wonderful colors in it.  To me it is a glimpse of how God sees us in color and not black in white.  Just as He created the colors of His promise in a rainbow, these colors show us His love.  Just my 2cents, Missie

 

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter may you feel the blessing of the Cross and know He died so you may live.

 

 

 

 

 

Blessings Missie



Loss of a friend...

I  recently  lost a co-worker who I considered a friend...Greg was an amazing, smart, funny guy...not many people understood him, they did not understand his sense of humor.  Those of us who did will miss the laughter he would bring into the room with his off the wall comments.  These comments would come out of left field and yet at the same time were fitting.  I worked the swing shift with him and he would take the time and with much patience help me with my Math.  In his last days he was sickly, but never let us know how much pain he was in.  He was always kind and respectful to others.  He led a very private life but if you were his friend it seemed you would be his friend till the end.  His death was sudden and in his passing made me realize how much I did not know him.  This got me to thinking, I need to make an honest effort in being there for the people who God places in my life.  I am asking God to help me renew my efforts in being a friend or family member He has called me to be.  The legacy Greg left behind was one of laughter, friendship, and a willingness to believe the best in others.  Greg...I miss you and I am so thankful for the brief moment in time God placed you in my life.  Thank you for being who you were, I can learn a lot from you.  I pray now that you are sitting with Jesus and enjoying a pain free life.  Your friend Missie...

Real Like Cheese??

I have often wondered when I read a product that the labels states, "made with real cheese".  I then think to myself why would anything be made with "fake" cheese.  Where am I going with this you? I am cheese is cheese right?   What does cheese have to do with life? So, I  decided to put this in real life relational perspective.  How real our we as Christians being?  Are we real like cheese, or does our label just say made with real cheese and we are not?

A lot of times we as Christians hide the realness of us...Meaning if we let people see the hurt, the anger, the disappoint that we feel we are not being Christ like.  We even have the belief system (not all of us, this is just a generalization.) that if we show what is really going on with us, we won't  win the lost for Christ.  We take this burden upon ourselves and try to present a cookie cutter life.  When in all reality we need to be real, open, and honest with everyone around us whether they know Jesus or not.  If you think about it that is exactly how He was, He never hid anything.   

I was talking to a co-worker a little about what this week's blog  post was going to be on.   The one thing she stated was, "what has turned me away from religion was the fakeness involved.  The people who where not willing to be real.  How could I have someone  help me get to know Christ better, if they themselves displayed a life that was perfect in all areas? I walked away with the feeling that I was unworthy of their God".  Her comments really got me thinking...then conviction set in...it is okay to be real and share our ups and downs.  I know that when we share our testimony to others we give the: I was broken and then God healed me talk, but then we stop sharing the trials we go through?  People need to see that we go through the same trials and temptations that they do.  That we like them are unworthy of the Cross.  It is okay to be frank and bold when we talk to people about what we are going through.  On some level it is healing for us to get it out and not keep it bottled up inside.  My challenge to you is to ask God to guide your conversations with the people who He places in your path.  He will let you know when to be bold, and when to be soft.  One more thing, in the area of prayer...just ask for it!  If you need someone to pray for you then ask. What you are asking for in prayer someone else might be needing prayer for the same thing.  Just my 2cents, Missie

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW-4JSo93Bs

Can Christians date?

I have often wondered if as a Christian could I date?  I went to the place that I know I could find the truth, God's word.  What I found was not anything on the topic of dating, but rather how to have good relationship with people.  How to prepare yourself to be a husband or wife.  How to commit yourself and keep your eyes focused on God.  Also, guidelines on how to keep yourself pure. When my daughter's fiancé asked me about dating her I told him, "keep God in it make Him the center of your relationship and to keep it pure".  In addition, when you are dating your potential  spouse keep the lines of communication open, don't put yourself in a position of compromise and have fun getting to know each other.  Where it gets tricky is if there is children from a previous relationship.  I would highly suggest that you keep the children out of it until you know for certain that it is moving to marriage.  If you are dating someone and the kids get involved then there is a break up it can do damage to the children.  Your kids are a gift from God and the time you have with them is precious.  Just keep that in mind when you are trying to start a relationship with someone.  The joy of feeling potentially loved by someone is glorious just ask God to help you keep it in perspective.  Just my 2cents...Missie

Here is a link that I found in research for this article that I found very helpful.

http://www.crosswalk.com/family/singles/what-does-the-bible-have-to-say-about-dating.html

Questions can I ask them?









Questions are good thing right???   Or are they???  Take a moment and think back on how your day went. Did you ask questions? More than likely the answer is yes.  You may have asked your boss a question on why this policy was in place.  You may have asked your teacher why it was so important to know this information if you probably was never going to use it again.  It seems safe to say in almost in all areas of your life you questioned one thing or another, with out even thinking twice about it. 

There is one area that I have stumbled upon that it may or not be okay to question...this area is in religion. How about I take it a step deeper for you...you can question another person belief systems.  Just be prepared for a conversation that may not end well.  Be prepared to back up your faith.  Be prepared to have a compassionate heart and listen to what they are saying. After all there are different belief systems in the world.  The best way to show who Christ is and what He did for us is not by harsh words, but by actions that reflect Him.   What I am talking about it is, authority...don't question your church leadership or you may be marked as "rebellious" or "independent".  Most likely that was not your intent, you were just making sure you understood what was being told to you.  I am not saying for you to go off on the deep and question every little thing they say or do.  Just be wise and use the brain God gave you. Say you are sitting in service and the message does not make sense to you, or you get that hmmmm is that really in the bible feeling??? Ask!! It is okay.  If you don't understand it ask for clarification.  You can even say show me where it says that in the bible. ( One word of caution is when you start to ask these questions do it in a respectful I want to learn the truth way.) I would also suggest that you ask God for clarification after all He wrote the book, He knows what He is talking about.  Don't just trust that man has the final answer and leave it at that.   After all man is man and not all knowing.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

 When we let other people place themselves above God in our lives, something is seriously not right.  We than have given all our faith and trust in them, not God.  This my friend is a dangerous place to be. For man cannot save us only the one who died on the Cross can.  When we don't question and just do as we are told, we lose sight of what is important.  What God has planned for us, which is greater than are wildest imagination.  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. These are just my 2cents on a valuable lesson I learned recently. It is okay to question what you are being taught from the pulpit.  Everyone has the right and the responsibility to know the truth, just be careful on how you ask.  Questions are a good thing!