Things I am thankful for -
1. The gift of hearing, as I type this I hear my birds chattering to the left of me while kids are giggling from the other room...wonder what's so funny in there?
2. My parents still being alive, I am thankful that I have been able to mend the relationships with them ~ that my teen years wrecked havoc on...
3. My Children ~ they are so all uniquely different but the same, There is nothing that any of them could ever do that would change how much I love each of them.
4. I am thankful for being able to cry ~ did you know crying releases hormones that are stress related and when released they are a natural pain killer! God is amazing!
5. I am thankful for my husband, we did a lot of things our way for so many years, and this last year of handing our marriage and daily life over to God, life has become livable.
6. Thankful for my friends - I have a lot of em these days! I always had a lot in school but for some reason I secluded myself as an adult up until a year or so ago, God wants us to have fellowship with each other, and I have found comfort in seeing the little gifts he instills in each of us.
7. The gift off being able to see. My night vision is horrible, however last fall (2009) my son was going blind - and the worries of life being different for him filled me, more so because there was no obvious reason @ first for him going blind, 8.Thank God for Doctors and 9. Prayers - after several days in the hospital and a few weeks @ home he was diagnosed and made a FULL recovery from Viral Meningitis ~ Praise The Lord.
Did you see I slipped 8 & 9 in there? I hope that wasn't cheating... ;o)
10. Thankful for being able to sit here in my own home, with food in the cabinets, and basic needs and then some.
Showing posts with label Praise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Praise. Show all posts
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Womens Support Group
Womens support group @ church was introduced to me a little over a year ago. I was a "baby" Christian @ the time eh who am I kidding - I still am ~ but I'm more in my toddler stage... Anyhow I never envisioned myself in any type of "support" group. My life was upside down, I was sad, I felt lost, hopeless - I was broken and I needed help redefining myself.
How I got to that state is a long story, but never the less I got there, we all have the potential for hitting rock bottom one way or another - was it pride that made me think I would never be in a support group? It's like to say I am in a women's support group, says I have female issues within myself or the outside world in general - you know I just got to a point where I didn't care what that meant I needed something and I grasped on to anything at that time.
Let me tell you what my women's group isn't about - judging, insulting, hurting, hateful, negative - pretty much anything negative... does not exist.
What it is....It's God driven and facilitated by a wonderful woman who genuinely cares about each of us, Loving, Supportive, Encouraging, Embracing, Accepting, Acknowledging, Caring, Prayerful, Comforting - I attended my first time, choking on tears, I didn't speak probably the first several visits - I knew if I did I would be a mess, and honestly I had little faith and trust ~ However for some reason I came back every Tuesday, I needed to be there ~ hearing other women talk, was comforting, women who have lost their spouse, a child, a parent or other loved one, women who were in abusive relationships whether it was substance, physical, emotional, women who were going through or have been divorced, affairs, stress, depression - we came in all walks but faced similar challenges - I was not alone in my experiences. I never was alone, but I didn't understand this until I accepted Christ and became to immerse myself in God's Love and Word. Through strength in Christ and the shared stories and discussion I felt like I was no longer suffocating in my everyday life, I felt the wanting to live again. I felt myself opening up and sharing... through this journey I have learned how to forgive, really forgive - to let go, for me to to hold a wrong doing by someone is prideful, it not only hurts me, but hurts everyone I come into contact with, it keeps me from building REAL relationships with everyone including my own family. So I learned to let go and let God and live. Man that feels so good to not only say it but feel it. We are to forgive as it is obedient to the Lord - it is a choice and a decision that we make, when we take it to heart and give this forgiving thing a vigilant shot, we learn that this command is in our best interest as our reward in forgiveness is Freedom.
Staying angry @ others honestly just impairs our own ability to love and trust. In the end we hurt ourselves.
I am so thankful for the women's group @ FBCM - we learn together, cry together, laugh together, pray together ~ if you are a local friend and want to come along with me, please let me know! If you are a long distance friend I would love to help you with prayer, support group locations, and with some of the things I have learned. Feel free to comment!
Bless!
How I got to that state is a long story, but never the less I got there, we all have the potential for hitting rock bottom one way or another - was it pride that made me think I would never be in a support group? It's like to say I am in a women's support group, says I have female issues within myself or the outside world in general - you know I just got to a point where I didn't care what that meant I needed something and I grasped on to anything at that time.
Let me tell you what my women's group isn't about - judging, insulting, hurting, hateful, negative - pretty much anything negative... does not exist.
What it is....It's God driven and facilitated by a wonderful woman who genuinely cares about each of us, Loving, Supportive, Encouraging, Embracing, Accepting, Acknowledging, Caring, Prayerful, Comforting - I attended my first time, choking on tears, I didn't speak probably the first several visits - I knew if I did I would be a mess, and honestly I had little faith and trust ~ However for some reason I came back every Tuesday, I needed to be there ~ hearing other women talk, was comforting, women who have lost their spouse, a child, a parent or other loved one, women who were in abusive relationships whether it was substance, physical, emotional, women who were going through or have been divorced, affairs, stress, depression - we came in all walks but faced similar challenges - I was not alone in my experiences. I never was alone, but I didn't understand this until I accepted Christ and became to immerse myself in God's Love and Word. Through strength in Christ and the shared stories and discussion I felt like I was no longer suffocating in my everyday life, I felt the wanting to live again. I felt myself opening up and sharing... through this journey I have learned how to forgive, really forgive - to let go, for me to to hold a wrong doing by someone is prideful, it not only hurts me, but hurts everyone I come into contact with, it keeps me from building REAL relationships with everyone including my own family. So I learned to let go and let God and live. Man that feels so good to not only say it but feel it. We are to forgive as it is obedient to the Lord - it is a choice and a decision that we make, when we take it to heart and give this forgiving thing a vigilant shot, we learn that this command is in our best interest as our reward in forgiveness is Freedom.
Staying angry @ others honestly just impairs our own ability to love and trust. In the end we hurt ourselves.
I am so thankful for the women's group @ FBCM - we learn together, cry together, laugh together, pray together ~ if you are a local friend and want to come along with me, please let me know! If you are a long distance friend I would love to help you with prayer, support group locations, and with some of the things I have learned. Feel free to comment!
Bless!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Today is Sunday, I have dropped two family sized pizza dough batches into 2 different bread makers to do the kneading :) - but I can't help think about todays service in church, we usually get there early before Sunday school -
This morning I was sitting there reading a 1 Samuel the covenant established between Jonathan and David... when I reflected on how some people make mission work their life, how people pick up their families and just implant them in other regions of the world sacrificing the comforts of our freedoms, extended family members and friends. How AWESOME I thought to be able to do that... and really I guess anyone can but how many are willing to say good bye to modern day conveniences in exchange for a poverty state 3rd world country? I know I wouldn't at least not anytime soon...
Anyhow I forgot today we had a guest speaker Pastor Sterling Edwards all the way from New York!! He is at a church called Crossroads Church of Long Island East - He had an amazing story to share.. and inspirational to try and make it short, he was born and raised here in Houston, Texas. His family is rooted here, but something pointed him and his wife to New York to start a church... yeah I know what's so inspirational about this? I can't remember the logistics and statistics that were given but basically only 3% of the population considered themselves as Evangelical Christians - and out of several million people on long island this is including the Bronx, Queens, and the communities around those - only a handful (literally) were baptist... I believe the number was 86% of people age 37 and under had NEVER stepped into a church... this is big and hits home with me as I could have easily fitted into that category @ the age of 36 (I am 38 now).
Pastor Sterling has a new approach to his community and that's what made me just open my ears and I just didn't hear what he had to say, my heart felt it and I just wanted to be able to do something. Financially the best I can do is tell somebody, and hope that somebody tells another somebody, hopefully reaching that community to tell someone maybe a loved one that there is a church that is just there to be friends to love on the community. This church can't just open the doors and wait for people to show up on Sunday morning, they are actually stepping out from behind the church doors out of their comfort zone and working with a body of unbelievers, showing them they want nothing but to share the love of Jesus Christ with them.
I realize I am not delivering his message impacting you the way he did to me and others this morning, but one thing I did hear ~ or took in was not to miss a chance of opportunity to share Jesus with another person - we tend to just keep our mouths fixed - I mean sure we will say God Bless you, Thank God, Praise the Lord in every day lingo, but how many of us will go out and really just talk about what Jesus did for you and me and everyone else's sins?? How Our eternal Father lifted us up out of our pit of sinful ruins giving us hope and life? What I believe from what I have experienced is that most of us stay in our comfort zone, and speak about God to people we know who love God and we do it in the privacy of our own homes, on the phone, or in church... anyone can do that... it takes a disciple to walk amongst the masses and speak of Gods love with out any reservations Paul's letter to Timothy states~ 2 Timothy 2:1,2: "Oh, Timothy, my son, be strong with the strength Christ Jesus gives you. For you must teach others those things you and many others have heard me speak about. Teach these great truths to trustworthy men who will, in turn, pass them on to others." (Living Bible)
We each have a choice to make a difference, I choose to step out of my comfort zone and share How God became apart of my life ~ and how others too can receive Christ. I choose to listen and say hi to somebody I don't know - after all everyone we meet is going through some sort of battle right now, wouldn't be awesome if being God's vessel could be the rope that person needs to see that they don't need to suffer in that battle alone... that they can surrender it and become free of it!? What will you choose to do?
Just one more thing I would like to share ~ I do believe God was speaking to me this morning as I was reflecting on families who move to other countries to do Gods work prior to the service, I had no idea what Pastor Sterling was going to speak about... but his message was what my heart needed to hear - Pastor Sterling was God's vessel for me this morning saying Lana - you can work right here in your own community as well in others around you which certainly I knew this however... I think I was stuck in my comfort zone....
This morning I was sitting there reading a 1 Samuel the covenant established between Jonathan and David... when I reflected on how some people make mission work their life, how people pick up their families and just implant them in other regions of the world sacrificing the comforts of our freedoms, extended family members and friends. How AWESOME I thought to be able to do that... and really I guess anyone can but how many are willing to say good bye to modern day conveniences in exchange for a poverty state 3rd world country? I know I wouldn't at least not anytime soon...
Anyhow I forgot today we had a guest speaker Pastor Sterling Edwards all the way from New York!! He is at a church called Crossroads Church of Long Island East - He had an amazing story to share.. and inspirational to try and make it short, he was born and raised here in Houston, Texas. His family is rooted here, but something pointed him and his wife to New York to start a church... yeah I know what's so inspirational about this? I can't remember the logistics and statistics that were given but basically only 3% of the population considered themselves as Evangelical Christians - and out of several million people on long island this is including the Bronx, Queens, and the communities around those - only a handful (literally) were baptist... I believe the number was 86% of people age 37 and under had NEVER stepped into a church... this is big and hits home with me as I could have easily fitted into that category @ the age of 36 (I am 38 now).
Pastor Sterling has a new approach to his community and that's what made me just open my ears and I just didn't hear what he had to say, my heart felt it and I just wanted to be able to do something. Financially the best I can do is tell somebody, and hope that somebody tells another somebody, hopefully reaching that community to tell someone maybe a loved one that there is a church that is just there to be friends to love on the community. This church can't just open the doors and wait for people to show up on Sunday morning, they are actually stepping out from behind the church doors out of their comfort zone and working with a body of unbelievers, showing them they want nothing but to share the love of Jesus Christ with them.
I realize I am not delivering his message impacting you the way he did to me and others this morning, but one thing I did hear ~ or took in was not to miss a chance of opportunity to share Jesus with another person - we tend to just keep our mouths fixed - I mean sure we will say God Bless you, Thank God, Praise the Lord in every day lingo, but how many of us will go out and really just talk about what Jesus did for you and me and everyone else's sins?? How Our eternal Father lifted us up out of our pit of sinful ruins giving us hope and life? What I believe from what I have experienced is that most of us stay in our comfort zone, and speak about God to people we know who love God and we do it in the privacy of our own homes, on the phone, or in church... anyone can do that... it takes a disciple to walk amongst the masses and speak of Gods love with out any reservations Paul's letter to Timothy states~ 2 Timothy 2:1,2: "Oh, Timothy, my son, be strong with the strength Christ Jesus gives you. For you must teach others those things you and many others have heard me speak about. Teach these great truths to trustworthy men who will, in turn, pass them on to others." (Living Bible)
We each have a choice to make a difference, I choose to step out of my comfort zone and share How God became apart of my life ~ and how others too can receive Christ. I choose to listen and say hi to somebody I don't know - after all everyone we meet is going through some sort of battle right now, wouldn't be awesome if being God's vessel could be the rope that person needs to see that they don't need to suffer in that battle alone... that they can surrender it and become free of it!? What will you choose to do?
Just one more thing I would like to share ~ I do believe God was speaking to me this morning as I was reflecting on families who move to other countries to do Gods work prior to the service, I had no idea what Pastor Sterling was going to speak about... but his message was what my heart needed to hear - Pastor Sterling was God's vessel for me this morning saying Lana - you can work right here in your own community as well in others around you which certainly I knew this however... I think I was stuck in my comfort zone....
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