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

By now it is no secret that most of us want success, but it can sometimes be the worst thing to happen to a person.  It sounds odd, but the truth is that anything that creates a rift in our relationship with God is a catastrophe including so called success.  An interesting thought that the Lord shared with me today is that he won't give us anything that will keep us from him.  That means that if a certain form of success is going to strain our relationship with God and the things that he has given us to do then it isn't from God.  This form of success is no success at all, but a precurser to stress, strain, and emptiness. The Bible tells us to examine ourselves and this includes in our ambitions. We may be allowing ourselves to be "promoted" right out of our peace and into pieces. We can only find true peace and satisfaction in God's purpose for us because he made us with certain things in mind for us. The worst place in the world to be is OUT of purpo...

Sometimes I know that I may come off to people as if I am preaching to them, but the truth is when I speak or write I am preaching to myself.  Everything that I write comes through my fingertips, but the insight is for me not necessarily from me.  Some of the thoughts that I share are due to experiences and sometimes they are from talks with other people that give life to a new train of thought.  God is working on me through my own writing, and I am thankful.  I believe that while the writing is for me that it is meant to be shared with you.  Please don't misunderstand me and make me into some perfect person that is condescending to you in my writing.  I am writing from a standpoint of struggle and redemption.  I wish that all of the things that I wrote I don't have a problem with anymore, but that isn't true.  My pastor said something that blessed me though.  He said that you know you are doing something right if you are struggling...

I don't doubt that most people who are married, dating, or single are reflecting on who they love and who loves them.  Some of us may feel unloved or even reviled in this world, but I am learning more and more that after God the person that should love us the most should be US.  I should love me more than any other person should love me.  I should take care of myself; I should believe in myself; and I should forgive myself; I should deal with myself with a soft heart and prayerful handling versus abusive language and neglect.  It doesn't matter how many people love me if I don't love myself, so this year I am pampering myself for Valentine's Day, and at least one day a month for the rest of my life.  This may sound selfish, but only if we believe that love is in short supply.  Love is not limited and neither is our capacity for it.  We always have room for more love.  Yes time is limited for us,not for God, but that speaks...

I think I have hit a time in my life where I am sick of the noise.  TV, babbling, unnecessary ranting, it all does something to my insides that I don't enjoy.  I only want to read, speak, or listen to things that are good to the edifying of God's Kingdom.  I don't even desire to talk anymore.  I just want peace and quiet so that I can hear God better and process my thoughts.  This is a new season for me.  I used to really enjoy being roudy and loud as an expression of joy or a release of tension, but now when I get upset I get really quiet.  I don't talk to anyone and I don't rant or vent.  I just hold my breathe and wait for the moment to pass.  If there is something that I can do to make the situation better I do that, but otherwise I just wait for the issue to pass.  Sometimes I pray silently or sing to myself. I allow time to feel my emotions and then to grieve the situation if there is one.  I don't feel as much of a ...

It is difficult to show love to someone who has done wrong when we forget how wrong we have been. We need to be honest with ourselves and with others about the fact that it is truly the grace of God that has saved us from ourselves. We all need to own up to our brokeness, which is whatever is wrong with us, and begin to realize that out of our brokeness God can teach us how to minister to eachother with compassion.  When we are wrong truth hurts no matter how nicely we say it. If we speak the truth in love and with the understanding that sometimes we need that same loving truth then true healing can occur. Sometimes the things that we go through aren't our fault, and in those times of brokeness we need to look around and take note.  God has a purpose for everything that happens to us and his plan for us is prosperity.  That means that even the bad things that occur in our lives are somehow for good.  This is what I believe Paul meant  when he...

I hear all the time about parents who don't want to impress their beliefs on their children, and I am saddened.  If I really believe that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation then why in the world would I not encourage everyone I know to choose Jesus?  It makes no sense that the world can tell us to leave our children alone and we believe them. The world is not leaving our children alone, and we should not allow this world to determine our children's morality and faith. The rest of the world doesn't play by the rule of letting  them make their own decisions.  Media bumbards children with images of what they "need" to be happy and what is "normal" or "cool" while we parents are struggleing with the decision of whether or not we should tell our children about our faith in Jesus Christ. We can't just assume that somehow one day they'll understand. How can they learn without a teacher?  I don't believe that I should force my son ...

It is amazing to me how unaware I can be of things that are right in front of me.  Almost every movie that I see or tv show that I watch or book that I read speaks to humanity's desire to be recognized.  It can be seen by people searching for love and companionship, people fighting to get to the top of their careers, people writing blogs, letters, or books, even the more drastic acts of suicide, prostitution, murder.  People want someone, and they usually have an idea of who that someone should be, to notice their existance and validate their worth.   I can see that even in myself.  I stuggle sometimes with wondering if society sees value in me.  I suppose it is a pretty obvious issue for women and girls although I am sure that guys wonder the same thing but show it in different ways. It doesn't really help that people make fun of each other in some brutal ways. When I am feeling worthless or overlooked I find edification in ...