Journal of Faith: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Philippians 2:12

I decided a while ago to not complain about being single.  I have a wonderful family that supports me and helps me with my son.  I have a wonderful church family that values me and loves my son and I like they've known us forever.  I even have school friends that are praying for me and I feel it.  There are times like today, however, that really push me.  Everyone in my family got upset and everyone had someone to speak with that was in their struggle with them but me.  Who do I speak to when I am hurting or don't understand something or angry?  I don't have anyone to talk to that won't walk away from me.  This is why singleness brings people to their knees.  I can only talk to God.  There is no one else for me.  As much as I love my parents and my siblings there are certain things that I can't talk to them about.  There are certain things that they won't get no matter how I try to help them understand.  None of them are l...

It amazes me how God goes out of the way to bless us.  He went out of his way to bless me today already.  There was something that I had need for my devotion times and reflection, and I almost forgot that thing all together because of other things that seemed to matter more.  I had been substituting all kinds of things for this item and didn't even make a plan to correct the situation.  Fortunately for me God saw my need even when I chose to skip it.  He set what I needed literally right in front of me, and used someone who loved me to facilitate my blessing.  They didn't know what I needed, and I didn't know that it was there for me.  I just looked up, and there it was.  I didn't even recognize it at first, but as I put my hand to it I realized that I had just picked up exactly what I needed.  I am so excited about my new journal.  I know you all are probably laughing at me right now, but sometimes things just seem too small to bother G...

  This is the message I've heard twice now in my worship time.  I am not completely sure what area of my life the holy spirit is referring to, but the message has been clear.  Love more not less.  I suppose when a context is not give it means in all things.  It is kind of like when Jesus told the parable of the good neighbor also known as the good Samaritan.  When a man asked Jesus concerning loving our neighbor as ourselves "who is my neighbor?"  Jesus responded with this story and then simply told the man to be like the good Samaritan.  I suppose Jesus was answering the more appropriate question.  "How do I become a good neighbor?"  So I guess my question to God is "how do I love when I am hurt?" The Lord has called us all to love more and not less, but situations challenge our resolve in this matter.This is especially true in situations where we are hurt.  Broken relationships tempt me to withdraw from people who could be a ...

I love the autumn season in the Midwest. Don't get me wrong; the spring and summer show vitality and that is beautiful too.  I however find the most joy in the hidden beauty of the wonderful autumn leaves.  Even as they are dying they give us a view of the beauty they'd been hiding since April, and somehow is seems to give me life to see them.  People can be like this too.  Do you ever notice people that seem to come out of nowhere with some mind blowing statement or captivating decision? It leaves me wondering where they have you been hiding and amazed at how many lives have been touched by their unction to share. People tend to define each other by what they do, but that shouldn't be the most beautiful part of our existence.  We have been created with a purpose and on purpose, and our greatest beauty is in our ability to bring glory to our creator when life presses us.  This is the moment of truth when we have to show what we're made of. Who are we when h...

God created us to come together at the sound of his call. We are one. We don't have to be in the same church or even speak the same language to be one.  If we  receive the spirit of adoption through Jesus the Christ then we are the children of God together.  We are family.  We are one.  As I listen to others speaking or read what others are writing I can see that the Lord has spoken the same words to them that he spoke to me.  It's like the high pitched whistle that only God's anointed can hear.  God is so clever and intentional that ,when he speaks, he sends the signal directly to those who he intends.  It has very little to do with where we grew up or what culture we are in.  God's children are from everywhere, but there is a oneness of spirit that is distinct.  We have the holy spirit working in us that shines out like the glow over an expecting mother.  There are some who seem to glitter, but those who have the glow have a dr...

Okay so I just got convicted on my own blog page!!!  So here in front of whoever is reading my blog I make this commitment to not complain at all anymore.  This may sound impossible, but with God all things are possible.  After all, I have God and in him is everything that I will ever need.  He has it all in his hands to give to me.  If I have God then I have everything.  No more complaining.  Anyone with me?

I am a competitive athlete, musician, and business woman which means that I like to win.  It's not a matter of crushing the competition as much as it is about overcoming my obstacles.  Those that are the best at winning accomplish their tasks with finesse and leave the least amount of collateral damage in their wake.  As a kingdom woman I get the benefits of being a winner in every circumstance.  This is because the Lord has already defeated every obstacle and has undone every trap and trick of the enemy in my life.  This means that I only have to choose to win instead of fight to win.  That is how I am winning.  Even when I feel like I have failed, I still win because my victory is based on what God has done and can not be undone by me.   The win is me taking my place in the Kingdom of God to the glory of God. The only way for me to lose is to relinquish my position and forfeit. I said earlier that the best winners have finesse and leave les...