In for a roller coaster ride?

Story of the day:  In for a roller coaster ride?

The word of the day is feelings.  Now here’s a word that best sums up our emotional data.  Dictionary.com describes feelings, as us being readily affected by our emotions.  Sometimes we may “feel” sad, lonely, tired, or fill in the blank.  All of these “feelings” are felt because of underlying circumstances that are going on in our life.  Do you allow these feelings to determine if you are to be happy or not?  I know for the last few weeks, the adjustment here has been a little harder for me than most of the moves in my entire life.  It’s been a month and I can’t seem to get into my groove.  It’s not like I have never moved before.  I have been doing this since I was born.  My father was in the military and now my husband is also serving full time. 

There is really nothing new about this move, except that things have slowed down tremendously in my life.  To me, that is kind of scary, because if any of you know me, I am a very active and social person.  It also doesn’t help that I am many miles away from family and friends.  So what I do with all of these emotions running through me?  Do I allow these circumstances in my life to determine my path of happiness?  Absoluetly not. 

I love that God placed these words deep into my soul:  “The things happening in my life don’t determine if I am going to be happy or not, and the circumstances in my life aren’t my emotional gauge in how I live.  I am right here Christy. I am never ceasing, never failing, always comforting, and always loving you.  I am grateful to now have some more alone time with you so that our relationship can blossom even more than it already has.”  Wow, my Heavenly Father, with such profound words, has always been steadfast in my life no matter where I go or what I do.  He is a spring of water that doesn’t ever change.  I found a great little illustration of this from Billy Graham.  He writes:

Near my home is a spring that never varies its flow.  Floods may rage, but its output doesn’t increase.  A long summer’s drought may come, but it won’t decrease.  Its flow is steady, reliable, and unending.

Such is the peace we all yearn for–and such is the peace Jesus promised to all who trust in Him.  The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

Whatever your day may hold, Your Heavenly Father is that Spring of Water, “steady, reliable, and unending”, waiting for you to take a drink.  Come and drink.

Bible verse of the day:  Psalm 36:9

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your profound words of wisdom.  You are my steadfast spring of life that is “steady, reliable, and unending.”  Though I may have these feelings, I pray for continued support to not let them run my life and determine my happiness.  I come to You this day and ask for forgiveness for anytime that I may have allowed my emotions to play a part in this.  I am grateful to You for loving me unconditionally.  I thank You for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Welcome Home

Story of the day:  Welcome Home

     I was reading a little story in Living Water, titled “for Reconciliation” and thought that I would share this little excerpt with you today. 

The last scene of the parable of the prodigal or lost son recorded in Luke 15:20-24 is a beautiful picture of reconciliation.  It offers hope to everyone who has strayed from home or rebelled against the Father. 

In the happy ending to Jesus’ marvelous parable, the father runs to his prodigal son, welcoming him home.  Note that the father sees the son “while he was still a long distance away”; thus, he must have been looking daily for his wayward boy.  And when he catches a glimpse of the bedraggled and contrite young man in the distance, the father drops everything and runs to his beloved son.  Nothing is more important than his homecoming, this joyous reunion.

The father represents God–loving, giving, and patiently waiting.  And we, his wayward children, are represented by the son.

Where are you in the story?  Perhaps you are ready to leave home–tired of restrictions and rules, you want to go your own way.  Maybe you are in the “distant land” (Luke 15:13), far from home and having a ball.  Perhaps you are in the pigpen, broke, hungry, and painfully aware of what you left behind.  Maybe you’re headed back, rehearsing your speech of repentance.  Or you may be in between those points in the story.  [Living Water for those who thirst]

Wherever you are, your loving Father waits for your return.  Standing at the edge of the yard, peering into the distance, he looks for that familiar form.  “Filled with love and compassion,” he is ready to run, to open his arms and welcome you back, to hug and kiss you to be reconciled with you, and to celebrate your return.”

Quote of the day:  Barbara Johnson

“Before you can dry another’s tears, you too must weep.”

Bible verse of the day:  Luke 15:20

“And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

The story of the parable son is so powerful and is a true representation of how You forgive and love.  Thank You for showing Your Grace to me throughout my life and for loving me the way that You do.  Father, I pray for those that may be experiencing this right now.  I pray that they too will recognize the love that You have for each of them and how You are waiting to celebrate with them their return. I thank You for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Driving through a dark and lonely place

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Story of the day:  Driving through a dark and lonely place

    Jeff and I were having a great conversation last night about people, their gifts, and how sometimes we perceive things according to what we’ve been told, or what we’ve made up in our minds.  As the conversation went on Jeff began to share this story that he had been reading about in one of his books and it intrigued me so much that I thought that you might find interesting as well. 

   It went something like this:  “Once upon a time there was a motorist, driving on an unlit back road late at night.  When the thought entered his mind that he would hate to break down in such a dark and lonely place, a tire went flat.  As he pulled his car quickly over to the side of the road, his headlights lit up a sign that read, “Glenville Mental Institution.”  The motorist got out of his car to check for damage, but he had an odd feeling that he was not alone.  Someone was peering though the nearby fence of the institution, not saying anything, just watching.

    After taking off the flat tire, the owner of the car put the five lug nuts in the hubcap so they would not get misplaced.  The stranger was still watching, and the motorist was getting nervous, now convinced that someone was staring at him from behind the fence.

    “What’s a maniac doing out so late at night?”  he thought.  “And why is he gawking at me like that?”

    While rolling the spare tire around from the trunk he stepped on the rim of the hubcap, flipping all the lug nuts into the tall weeds.  He went after them but found only one.

    Finally, the mental patient spoke:  “Take one nut from each of the other wheels and put them on the fourth wheel.  Then you’ll have four nuts on each wheel and will be able to get to a gas station.”

    The motorist replied, “That will work.”  Then, “Hey, that’s brilliant!  What in the world are you doing here?”

    The patient said, “I’m here because they think I’m crazy, not stupid.”

    As Jeff and I continued talking about this story, God shared this with us this:  God can use anybody to help you, but sometimes our preconceived notions limit us to think that God will only send people that meets our standards or conditions of the way things should be done.  We encourage you to not discount people just because of the way they look or where they are, because that very person may be the only person that God puts into your path at that moment.  We need to stop stereotyping or judging people and start loving them.

Quote of the day:  Charles Allen Kollar

“God is active in the heart, mind, and spirit of all who will ever come to know and love Him.”

Bible verse of the day:  John 15:12

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank You for all people.  Lord, we need to come to a point where we are not judging people based on how they look, what they may be wearing, or where they may be located.  When we judge people, we are putting ourselves into Your position and one day we will be judged for how harshly we judged others.  I pray that You continue to grow my heart so that I can love the way that You do and I pray to not pick and choose who I love, but that I love all.  I thank You for this day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen