tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67347970474206324132024-03-18T20:58:46.698-07:00peace of mine- empowering women of all walks of lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-16453633932386849442013-09-17T05:11:00.001-07:002013-09-17T05:47:56.042-07:00Prayer is the keyPsalm 55:16-17<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" id="yui-gen3" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;color: rgb(39, 39, 39); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(251, 250, 251); width: 308px; "><tbody id="yui-gen2"><tr id="yui-gen1"><td class="v1Col" id="yui-gen0" style="border: 0px solid rgb(43, 43, 43); vertical-align: text-top; width: 320px; "><span id="verse16" class="height" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.300781); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.234375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.234375); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.<br></font></span></td></tr><tr><td class="v1Col" style="border: 0px solid rgb(43, 43, 43); vertical-align: text-top; width: 320px; "><span id="verse17" class="height"><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); ">Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.<br><br>Prayer is a powerful weapon we have to battle the ups and downs of life. It is an opportunity to go before God with our problems and concerns. It is an opportunity to go before God with our praise and thanksgiving. It is a chance to ask for what we think we need. It is a chance to appreciate the blessings we have received. <br><br>Prayer is a private, intimate, quiet time where we reveal to God those portions of ourselves that no one else sees. It is a time to reveal our true selves that only God knows. <br><br>Prayer is the key to a healthy relationship with God. It is the way that we stay in communication. And as we know, every relationship needs good communication to survive.<br><br>Wikihow gives 3 tips to developing good communication:<br>1. Know what communication really is (the process of transferring signals/messages between a sender and a receiver).<br>2. Have the courage to say what you think.<br>3. Practice</font><b class="whb" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.300781); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.234375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.234375); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></b><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); ">(Read the entire article here: <br></font><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; ">http://m.wikihow.com/Develop-Good-Communication-Skills</span><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); "><br><br>As it applies to prayer, it is the method of transferring and sending messages between you and God. It is our way to stay in contact with him. Prayer requires courageous honesty. You might as well say what you really think because God knows what you really think anyway. And you get better with practice, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.<br><br>There really are no rules to prayer. You can do it when you want, how you want, how often you want. That's between you and your God. There are, however, some guidelines (see Matthew 6:9-13). And there's something special about praying three times a day: evening, morning, and at noon, starting off your day with God, checking in with God in the middle of the day, and ending your day with God. <br><br>It is nice to have that kind of regularly scheduled communication with God. So set up three appointments 6:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. Call upon God. He will hear you. Prayer is the key.<br><br></font></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-19538650652670294022013-09-10T05:07:00.001-07:002013-09-10T05:07:20.070-07:00God isPsalms 53:2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were [any] that did understand, that did seek God.<div><br></div><div>Seeking God is a skill, just like learning to read. It is something that must be practiced every day until it becomes second nature. </div><div><br></div><div>As children, we first learned letters and their sounds, learned to put those sounds together to make words, learned to put the words together to make sentences. And now, as adults, we read and write without consciously thinking about those steps. We've been practicing all our lives. It is engrained in our minds. We do it without even thinking about it. </div><div><br></div><div>The same is true about seeking God. We must first learn that God is. He is everywhere, He is everything, He just is. </div><div><br></div><div>We have to accept that God dwells in all people. No matter how broken, how damaged, how far they have strayed, how much they gossip and back bite... God is in there somewhere. </div><div><br></div><div>We must acknowledge God in every interaction, every conversation, every conflict, every trouble, every blessing. God is there, because we are there, and God dwells within us. </div><div><br></div><div>The more we practice seeking God, the better we will get at finding Him everywhere. And before we know it, it will become second-nature, it will become engrained in our spirits. And we will be able to say, with true understanding, that God is. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-40812959358251643952013-09-03T06:12:00.001-07:002013-09-03T07:36:58.198-07:00Cleaning Up<div>Psalms 51:10</div><div>Create in me a clean heart, O God;</div><div>and renew a right spirit within me.</div><div><br></div><div>There is something about being clean. After I've washed away all the dirt and grime that has built up on my skin over the course of the day. There's just something wonderful about being clean. And the thing is...I don't even notice all the dirt as its collecting on my skin. As much as I love being clean, I don't even notice that I'm getting dirty. </div><div><br></div><div>So it is with sins and vices and bad habits. We walk through life picking them up and allowing them to dirty our spirits. Sometimes we don't even notice how we've hurt someone else; how we've turned our backs on the commandments; how far we've come from being the spiritual beings we are called to be. As much as we love God, we still manage to get dirty. </div><div><br></div><div>Thankfully, every day is another opportunity to get clean. All we have to do is acknowledge our sins, vices, shortcomings, oversights or whatever we want to call them. Acknowledge them and really feel sorry that we've allowed ourselves to get dirty. Then seek forgiveness from those we have hurt, including ourselves, and be willing to forgive those who have hurt us. And finally, be willing to walk in a new way. Walk in the light of a new clean heart. Bask in the beauty of a renewed spirit.</div><div><br></div><div>It is hard work to scrub free of all our iniquities, but well worth it. And we have the benefit of a loving, awe inspiring, wonder-working God to help us with the really tough places. There is just something wonderful about being clean. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-2801310968130038502013-08-30T08:09:00.001-07:002013-08-30T08:10:12.558-07:00A Vision<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">John 9:4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is
day: the night cometh, when no man can work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This post and scripture was inspired by a conversation I had
with a dear friend. He recently lost his father and as we were recapping
some of the last moments he had with his dad, he mentioned a couple of things
that he learned. He said his father was a visionary, and that he was
always thinking three steps ahead. It made me began thinking about how important
a vision is to one’s life and the fact that we “all” should have one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the day you are formed there is a vision for your
life. God has a vision for you; your parents have a vision for
you. These visions help shape your future and your spiritual
development. Webster defines vision as the act or power of seeing.
Webster goes on to say it is a thought, concept, or object formed by the
imagination. Through God we have the ability to see what God has in store
for us in our future, you just have to believe and allow God to lead your
life. Your parents picture/have a vision of the future they intend for you and the child they hope and pray you grow up to be.
They have hopes, dreams, and aspirations for you. Both God and your
parents help develop and nurture you by loving, protecting, and caring for you,
in hopes of you fulfilling your purpose here on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There comes a point in life when you will build a vision for
yourself. You will have your own goals to achieve, and dreams to
pursue. Having a vision will help you overcome obstacles, hold on when
times are rough, help you stay focused, and help you fulfill your
purpose. A man with no vision can lack drive, hope, and miss his
purpose. This is why having a vision is very important. A vision is
a strong force that will keep you motivated, open your mind to endless
possibilities, and help you see a future that is bright. Leaders do not see
visions as a dream but as a reality that can and will come into
existence. You have to view your life the same way and believe in
what God has in store for you. You have to see the future “you” and focus on
your present condition and how you are going to get there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scripture says I must work the work of him that sent me,
while it is day. To achieve your vision you have to work. You have
to be willing to invest in your future in hopes that there is a brighter side
further on. The race is not given to the swift but to he who endurath to
the end. Your vision may require late nights, tears, sadness, pain, hard
work, sacrifice, and happiness. The continuous presence of God and a
vision will help you build resistance against these negative setbacks. God will
give you all that you need to carry out your vision. The scripture goes
on to say at night no man can work. Once you return to the earth you can
no longer work. This scripture symbolizes how important it is to do all
you can with your time here on earth. Don’t allow your living to be in
vain. Have a vision, work by day, and feel good about all that you have
accomplished. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-8819418429037522812013-08-28T14:31:00.001-07:002013-08-29T06:07:58.908-07:00Time for Judgment<div>Psalms 50:6</div><div>And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.</div><div><br></div><div>I want to be a better person. I want to grow spiritually. I want to change. I want to walk in a new way. The only way to change, however, is to first acknowledge where I am. What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? Where do I keep messing up over and over and over again? And most importantly, where do I stand in terms of my relationship with God?</div><div><br></div><div>I admit that in the morning, when the world is quiet, before the day has begun, that God is my refuge and strength. I declare that in the evening, after the day is over, my God and I have a reunion. But in the middle of the day, in the midst of the noise and confusion, work and kids... I struggle to maintain a strong, intimate relationship with God. I struggle to hold my peace in the face of challenges. I struggle to keep my ego in check. I struggle to lean not to my own understanding, even though I know for myself that God is the only way.</div><div><br></div><div>Now is the time for me to take a long, hard, courageously honest look at myself. It is time for introspection. I looked up the definition of introspection and it means the examination or observation of ones own mental and emotional processes. Synonyms are self analysis, self examination, reflections, and soul searching. But how? How do I deep into the recesses of my soul? How do I examine what is right in my life and what needs changing? How do I give myself a spiritual check up to analyze if I am keeping God's commandments? That I am living within the framework of the covenant? </div><div><br></div><div>Some people meditate. Some people run. Some people go fishing. As for me, I write. 20 minutes of unedited, unadulterated, pure truth. 20 minutes of judging myself harshly, of being unashamedly real about where I have fallen short, messed up, hurt people, hurt myself.</div><div><br></div><div>And when I'm done, to bring myself back to center, I remember that God is judge himself. And that He is a forgiving God. Much more ready to forgive me than I am ready to forgive myself. He is a God of love, and He loves me unconditionally. In spite of my shortcomings. This doesn't mean that I shouldn't work harder and strive to do better. It inspires me to mirror the love that God has shown me, and to be a reflection of His forgiveness in my daily walk. Today is the day that I will declare His righteousness, for God himself is judge. </div><div><br></div><div><div>
</div><div><br></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-90468823166979411602013-03-08T14:56:00.001-08:002013-03-08T14:56:18.439-08:00When is my change going to come?Psalm 30:5 For his anger [endureth but] a moment; in his favour [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning.<br />
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This is one of the most frequently quoted verses in the Bible. It gives hope and encouragement to those in the midst of trials and tribulations. It reminds us that trouble won't last always. It inspires us to change our focus from tonight's weeping to tomorrow's joy. <br />
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But lets be honest. A "night" of weeping might last months or years. There is no biblical guarantee that we are only going to suffer for a mere 8 hours before our change comes. <br />
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We often think that we have dominion over time. We take for granted the fact that there are 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 52 weeks in a year. We rely on that structure to schedule appointments and fill our days. We even know the exact moment every day that night turns into morning. 6:06 am today, to be exact. <br />
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It is that exact nicety that makes waiting patiently on the LORD such a delightful spiritual challenge in our day. <br />
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It forces us to stop asking the question, when will my change come. Because our time is not God's time. It's cliche, I know, but still sound doctrine. <br />
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Perhaps we should stop thinking of time in literal hours, and counting down the minutes until we are delivered from weeping into joy. What if we embraced our night of weeping as a phase, as a level of spirituality that we must experience before we are ready to cross over into morning, to attain higher spiritual heights.<br />
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Perhaps, while we are in the midst of a trying time, we strengthen ourselves with prayer and meditation. We feed our spirit with the Word of God. So that we are not just passively waiting on the LORD to turn night into day, but we are actively participating in our own transformation from weeping into joy. <br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-3504237071162792572013-03-05T16:02:00.000-08:002013-03-05T16:06:11.085-08:00A Peace that Passeth Understanding<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Philippians 4:4-7</span></span></h3>
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<span class="text Phil-4-4" id="en-KJV-29447" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">4 </sup>Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.</span><br />
<span class="text Phil-4-5" id="en-KJV-29448" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">5 </sup>Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.</span><br />
<span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-KJV-29449" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">6 </sup>Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.</span><br />
<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-KJV-29450" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">7 </sup>And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0000ee;">Within the past couple of months, I have gone through a lot. I've seen the depths of medical depression, had financial conundrums, and most recently became engaged in a battle for custody of my children. In these faith-testing times, I really have found comfort in the Word. It honestly and truly has helped calm fears, renew strength and advise well.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0000ee;">The scripture I read today was given to me by my mother, who constantly reminds me to see God in everything. When I read the words, I felt totally refreshed. It really puts things into perspective.</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #0000ee;">Rejoice in The Lord always- whether I am going into a new problem, right in the middle if a problem, or coming out of a problem, there is always something to be thankful for! Inhale. Exhale. Perfect reasons!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #0000ee;">Be careful for nothing- be concerned but don't worry! Don't be afraid of anything because God controls everything!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #0000ee;">Let your requests be known unto God- take your burdens to Him and leave them there!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #0000ee;">And the peace of God- when we acknowledge the presence of God in every and all situations, there is a peace that envelops you and causes all stress and strain to subside. It baffles the forces that wish to see you fail. It baffled me; even though on paper there are a lot of things that are awry, I am at peace. He didn't bring me to these "Jordans" to not let me cross over them. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #0000ee;">In the face of my mountains, I'm rejoicing! I'm singing! I'm smiling and dancing! I have received my gift of peace and I'm basking in it! It's mine and you can't take it! The good thing is God has some for you too :)</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-4171090614701817392013-03-04T16:29:00.001-08:002013-03-04T16:29:04.274-08:00Walk WorthyEphesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,<br />
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;<br />
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.<br />
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I've been struggling lately to articulate my calling. What is my vocation in the service of the LORD? What is my purpose in this life? What are my gifts? What are my talents? What makes me happiest? When do I feel most at peace? <br />
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As a child of God, I know that it is my duty to contribute to kingdom building. But how exactly I go about doing that remains to be seen. <br />
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Recently I unearthed an old copy of Iyanla Vanzant's One Day My Soul Just Opened Up. I was reading that book 10 years ago and making notations about my life's calling and my attempts to fulfill it. And here I am today, struggling with the same questions.<br />
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But before I wrote myself off as a failure, I remembered this: "Progress, not perfection". I don't know who said it, but it sure hits home for me. My spiritual journey has certainly not been a straight path. Sometimes I feel like I'm going in circles when it comes to walking worthy of my vocation because I'm not sure I know what my vocation is. But as the song goes, "When I look around and think things over, all of my good days, outweigh my bad days, I won't complain."<br />
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I'm closer today than I was yesterday. I'm stronger today than I was yesterday. I'm more convinced now than I was before that God has a job for me to do. And in the meantime... Until He's ready to reveal it to me, it's my job to walk worthy. It's my job to show the world what a child of God looks like: patient, humble, kind, always striving for peace.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-35357392036183453482012-10-22T10:21:00.001-07:002012-10-22T10:21:07.000-07:00Daily Word: Destined for Greatness<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Job 33:4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If all your life, you were taught “You are destined for GREATNESS", how powerful and strong would you be? Would there be any limit to how hard you worked or pushed yourself because failure was not an option, nor in your panoramic, conscious, or subconscious view? Would you doubt your ability to succeed, be victorious, or triumph over any hurdle? Would you allow anyone or anything to stand in between you, your God, your goals and your dreams? <o:p></o:p></div>
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These are questions I often times ask myself as I journey along this path called life. I believe that I am God’s creation and that a portion of His/Her spirit dwells within me but yet, I do not always believe in my ability …….. Nor trust that God will stand in the gap when I am at the end of my rope. <o:p></o:p></div>
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During life we face obstacles known as trials, tribulations, hurt, pain, fear, doubt, insecurity, and the list can go on. However, every time we are faced with adversity and challenges that seem impossible to overcome, we become doubtful in our ability to be a “survivor”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Elihu said to Job Gods servant “The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life”. During this time, Job was at a low point in his life and Elihu wanted to remind him of his Creator. He said to Job the same God you serve, I serve, and the same God who made me, also made you. The spirit of God dwells within me but guess what Job, He also dwells within you too. Let me personalize on this scripture to let you know that that same spirit of God dwells within you and I as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Merriam Webster defines spirit as an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms. It defines life as a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings; the form or pattern of something existing in reality. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This tells us that Gods is the primary source of our existence and His Spirit is a necessary component and the organ that brings forth life to this temple in which we reside. GOD is GREAT, MIGHTY, POWERFUL, and OMNIPOTENT. If God is our creator, the very essence of your life is founded on the same greatness, might, power, and omnipotence. It is the sustaining factor and the force in which you were created upon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With a portion of God's spirit running through your vital organs, how can you be anything but GREAT? Do you believe? If you don’t know, I am telling you that from the day you were born God said, "My creation, you are Great. Believe in your ability and I will give you eternal peace. Strive to be all that you can be and I will give you the increase. You are destined for GREATNESS my child, it is in your foundation and make up." Trust and believe the only thing that lies ahead of you is your destiny which is field with GREATNESS. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lady A~Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-56856321840392487522012-05-16T10:03:00.000-07:002012-05-16T10:03:01.354-07:00Silence<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Corinthians 3:16:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Sprit of God dwelleth in you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spirituality is a personal journey inside our individual temples to commune with the Spirit of God that dwells therein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is an inner path that strives to achieve a connection with God so that we can have a more comprehensive understanding of who we really are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Striving toward increased spirituality, striving toward a stronger connection with God, requires us to block out the noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The noise of the world, the mundane, the literal, the trivial, the bills, the house, the car, the dog, the trials and tribulations, the limitations, the distractions, the enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make them silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our challenge is to let all the earth keep silence while the LORD is in His holy temple so that we can connect with the Spirit of God that dwells within us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-74408823096205975762012-04-19T14:09:00.000-07:002012-04-19T14:09:16.162-07:00Daily Bread: Overwhelmed<em>"O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee." 2 Chronicles 20:12</em><br />
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Life can be really overwhelming if you allow it to be. Thinking about family obligations, financial obligations, the future, the past and everything in between can leave you feeling weak, powerless, and overwhelmed. This week my student loans really got to me, and I was frustrated and wishing it would all just go away. But after a lovely and helpful talk with Lady A., I was reminded this trouble aint gonna last always. You do what you can to address your problems, and what you can't do you turn over to God. The truth is sometimes life's problems are more than we can handle. If you are really powerless against your problems and really don't know what to do, keep your eyes on God. He will direct your path. He will order your steps. He will lead you to a solution. As a person of faith, I have to believe that there is nothing too big for my God to handle. I know that is something that people say all the time, but I have to constantly remind myself that its true. There is no financial situation that He can't handle. There is no family situation that He can't take care of. There is no health issue that He can't make better. There is no breach that He can't repair. There is no heartache that He can't mend. Stay prayerful. Stay peaceful. And keep your eyes on Him.<br />
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Lady S.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-34336540127380840032012-03-30T07:14:00.001-07:002012-03-30T07:14:14.139-07:00Daily Bread: Embrace Your WeaknessI have been doing a lot of thinking about strength lately. More specifically, I've been thinking a lot about this phrase coming from Exodus 13:14, "By strength of hand, the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage." And I've been plagued by this thought: What exactly is God's strength of hand? <br />
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I mean I know what my strength of hand is. I know how to push, pull, lift, and support with my hands. To snatch something away quickly, to offer a hand to stabilize my toddler, to reach out my hand to stop my 4 year old from doing something she shouldn't do. But what exactly is God's strength of hand? <br />
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It must be so much more than my concept of strength. I mean, God is my strength. God is strength. God is so much more than strength. And thinking about God's strength, just makes me think about how weak I really am. <br />
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Over the past 6 months, watching my mother struggle with the effects of diabetes really hammered home for me just how frail the human body is. For anyone who has tried to open a jar and couldn't, or lift something that was too heavy, or do something that your strength just wouldn't allow you to do... the feeling you have is something akin to impotence and to powerlessness. And if your day to day life is plagued with those feelings of weakness and lack of strength, you could get lost in the abyss of negative emotions (doubt, sadness, depression). But o troubled soul there is a God.<br />
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Thinking about my own weaknesses makes me feel sad and inferior. I'm not the smartest, not the wittiest, not the funniest. But you know what... I have decided to embrace those things. I embrace my weaknesses because they make me humble. They remind me that my strength does not come from me. My strength comes from God. My weaknesses remind me that without God I would be nothing; that I would be able to accomplish nothing; that my life would be worth nothing. As a child of the Most High God, I have enjoyed success that I did not earn, blessings that I did not deserve, happiness that should not have been mine. And since I know my own limitations, since I know my own weakness, I know for myself that these things were not created by my strength of hand. But rather, by strength of hand, the LORD brought me out. <br />
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--Lady S.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-41488254014780857422012-02-29T19:10:00.000-08:002012-03-01T07:06:10.109-08:00Daily Bread: Prosperity<br />
The children of Israel, all 70 of them, came to Egypt to escape the famine in the land of<br />
Canaan. (Exodus 1:5). Joseph, as you’ll recall was already there. (Exodus 1:5). In any<br />
event, as time went on the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and<br />
multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was full of them. (Exodus 1:7).<br />
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Pharaoh, this king which knew not Joseph, was uncomfortable with their number. (Exodus<br />
1:8). He worried that <i><u>if</u></i> there was a war; that the children of Israel <i><u>might</u></i> side with the<br />
enemy against Egypt. (Exodus 1:10). So he says, “Come on, let us deal wisely with them.”<br />
(Exodus 1:10).<br />
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You know what happens next. The Egyptians set up taskmasters over the children of Israel<br />
to afflict them with their burdens. (Exodus 1:11). But still the children of Israel continued<br />
to multiply. (Exodus 1:12). So Pharaoh recruited the midwives to get rid of the male<br />
children when they were born (Exodus 1:15-16). But the midwives, because they feared<br />
God, would not cooperate. (Exodus 1:17). And the children of Israel continued to multiply<br />
and waxed mighty. (Exodus 1:20).<br />
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A few thoughts about this:<br />
<br />
1. The children of Israel, who were basically refugees, were prospering in the land of<br />
Egypt. When you prosper people start to notice. Not everyone who notices your<br />
prosperity will have your best interest at heart. They will try to devise schemes to<br />
bring you down. They will try to deal wisely with you to make themselves feel more<br />
comfortable with your success.<br />
<br />
2. Multiplying was a blessing given to the children of Israel by God. God tells Abraham in<br />
Genesis 12:3, “I will make of thee a great nation” and in Genesis 17:2 “And I will make<br />
my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” God tells Isaac<br />
in Genesis 26:24, “fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed<br />
for my servant Abraham’s sake”. God tells Jacob in Genesis 28:14, “And thy seed shall<br />
be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east,<br />
and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the<br />
earth be blessed”. The point is that the children of Israel were fulfilling their blessing.<br />
No wise dealings can stop, block, or undo a blessing that God intends for you. It doesn’t<br />
matter who is uncomfortable with your prosperity. It doesn’t matter how they try<br />
to limit your success. If God has promised it to you and you hold up your end of the<br />
bargain, you will inherit your blessing.<br />
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3. When I read Exodus 1:10 “Come on, let us deal wisely with them…”, I could help but<br />
think of Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together saith the Lord of Hosts..”.<br />
The ability to think wisely and reason well is a powerful tool and can be used to achieve<br />
both good and bad results. Pharaoh reasoned with bad intentions and the end result<br />
was that, in spite of his “wise thinking” he could not overcome the blessing God had<br />
bestowed upon the children of Israel. Compare that with what happens when you<br />
reason together with God. When you use your rational mind with the intention of being<br />
who and what God called you to be, when you infuse His word, His commandments, the<br />
guidance He has given us for daily living, the result is salvific: though your sins be as<br />
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.<br />
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Final Thought: Don’t be ashamed of your prosperity. Be determined and confident in<br />
the blessings you have been given. Adversity will only serve to test and strengthen your<br />
determination. So it doesn’t matter who is trying to deal wisely with you, as long as you are<br />
reasoning together with God.<br />
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--Lady S.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-78487460640480549822011-12-15T10:49:00.000-08:002011-12-15T10:49:41.787-08:00Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Self-Concept Thursday<a href="http://www.curlynikki.com/2011/12/self-concept-thursday_15.html?spref=bl">Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Self-Concept Thursday</a>: Affirmations for Letting it Go by GG of PeaceLovenadPrettyThings It doesn't seem fair when he cheated on you and now he's happily marrie...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-57875417754517539722011-12-01T06:50:00.001-08:002011-12-01T07:39:33.710-08:00Daily Bread: World AIDS Day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 Corinthians 13:11 "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."</span></span><br />
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My father died from complications related to AIDS. So on World AIDS Day, just like my father's birthday, father's day, and the anniversary of his death, I think about him and all the things that he is missing. He never got a chance to meet his grandchildren. What a lively bunch they are! He would have gotten such a huge kick out of them. I also think about how much I miss him being around. He had such a great sense of humor and he could make anything and everything fun. In fact, at his funeral, my sisters and I joked through most of it in his honor. Sounds weird, but that is exactly how he would have wanted it to be. My father was also an eloquent public speaker. He could talk about anything and make you believe it. I never got to say goodbye to him, but I imagine that his farewell advice to me would be something along the lines of the scripture above. He'd want me to be perfect, well he'd want me to aim for perfection in all areas of my life: with my husband, with my kids, with my mom and my sisters, with my friends, with my church family, on my job. That's because he wanted the best for me. He'd want me to be of good comfort, knowing that even though my earthly father was going away that I still serve a Heavenly Father that is just and true, who blesses and heals and redeems and saves. He'd want me to be of one mind, be like-minded and on the same page with my sisters about what is important in this life. And mostly he'd want me to live in peace. He wouldn't want me walking around stressed out, anxious and frustrated. He wouldn't want to see me living a life full of anger. Neither do I want any of those things for myself. I desire to live in peace so that the God of love and peace will be with me. And I desire the same thing for each of you. Live in peace so that the God of love and peace will be with you. --Lady S.<br />
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Visit <a href="http://www.worldaidsday.org/">www.worldaidsday.org</a> for more information.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-19417794415961305132011-11-30T11:59:00.001-08:002011-11-30T12:08:18.992-08:00Domestic Diva Corner: BedtimeOK... its confession time. Bedtime in my house is... an experience. My daughter is, in her own words, "never tired". And in her 3 years of life, she has proven that she can easily stay up until midnight if given the opportunity. Bedtime makes me want to pull my hair out, mostly because I'm so tired, and I can't understand how or why my beautiful girl doesn't angelically float to her bed, lay down, and drift peacefully off to sleep. I started to think it was only me. Especially after my cousin recently disclosed that his daughter is in the bed at 7:30 every night with no exceptions. And then I read <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/2011/11/bedtime-woes%E2%80%94help-a-girl-out/">this post</a> over at Inspired to Action and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. I'm not the only one. And what was even more beautiful was that it lead me to <a href="http://www.itakejoy.com/close-every-day-with-a-blessing/">this post</a> from I Take Joy. In a nutshell, the writer talks about how she prioritized bedtime with her children, made it a special time, and closed every day with a blessing. The post is so beautiful and inspiring. It just really moved me, and I hope it will move you too. --Lady S.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-29012425472768331042011-11-29T06:39:00.001-08:002011-11-29T07:04:17.585-08:00Daily Bread: Sacrifices of Joy"And now mine head shall be lifted above, mine enemies round about me. Therefore will offer in his tabernacle, sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord." Psalm 27:6<br />
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How can you sacrifice joy? A sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or lives as an act of worship. It is the surrender or destruction of something prized, important, or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher value or greater importance. So how do you sacrifice joy? How do you offer joy as an act of worship? How can you surrender or give up joy for something higher? <br />
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Joy is an emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. It is a state of happiness or felicity. Can you imagine anything higher than joy? Joy is elation, bliss, delight, rapture, and wonder. What could possibly be higher than that? <br />
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Nehemiah 8:10 says "for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Psalm 16:11, "Your presence is the fullness of joy." Psalm 35:9, "And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in His salvation." <br />
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My joy is the joy that comes from doing well at work, or making my children smile, or passing a test, or making my mother happy. Those things are great, but they can't compare to the joy of the Lord. My joy comes from thinking about how good God has been to me, what He brought me through. My testimony is my joy. But the joy of the Lord is even higher than that. I lay down my joy to enter into the joy of the Lord.<br />
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Does sacrificing my joy mean that I walk around with a frown on my face? No, because my joy is replaced by the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is greater than elation, greater than delight, and greater than bliss. The joy of the Lord is greater than being joyful because of what God has done . The joy of the Lord is being joyful simply because God is, God was, and God always will be. The joy of the Lord does not wax or wane, it does not change, it is a constant joy. Once you have it, it never goes away. I will sing, yea I will sing praises unto the Lord, not because of what He's done. I've sacrificed that kind of joy. I will sing praises unto the Lord, not because of what He's allowed me to accomplish. I've sacrificed that kind of joy. I will sing praises unto the Lord because of who He is. --Lady S. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-88838834693862211092011-11-23T10:39:00.000-08:002011-11-23T10:39:00.179-08:00Daily Bread: NehemiahI was cleaning up my house and uncovered a page that was torn out of a notebook and was dated July 30th. Now, I'm guessing that because these were notes that I'd obviously taken in church, they must be from 2007 before I had kids! Since having kids, the times that I've been able to actually take notes in church have been few and far between. <div>
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Anyway, in these notes the preacher was talking about Nehemiah, the man given the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. My notes say, "God wants us to use our lives for a specific purpose. We are placed on this earth with gifts and talents that are waiting to be used for a divine purpose and until we accomplish that purpose we will find emptiness." </div>
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Now what came next really hit me hard. "Nothing can prevent you from doing the work that is required to fill your purpose. But it won't necessarily be easy. Struggle is necessary. When you have to struggle you appreciate your purpose more. Struggle gauges your level of commitment. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives because struggle qualifies you to help others. When you've stood your ground and weathered the storm you are a help to others. Thank God for the struggle. There is not testimony without a test. There is no victory without a battle." </div>
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Given my last post of <span id="goog_478497403"></span><a href="http://peaceofmineladies.blogspot.com/2011/11/daily-bread-dry-bones.html">Dry Bones</a><span id="goog_478497404"></span>, I think maybe God is trying to tell me something. --Lady S. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-80142531059572619752011-11-18T06:03:00.001-08:002011-11-22T10:36:06.295-08:00Daily Bread: Dry Bones<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>"The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest... Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD."</i> Ezekiel 37:1-3, 11-14</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This parable of the valley of dry bones is a message of hope. It reminds us that God has promised to restore His people to life. It tells us that even if we are at a place where we are spiritually dead, that God can and will restore us to life. It reminds us that no matter what valley we are in, that God will deliver us. He's done it before so he will do it again, and again, and again. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">While the overall parable gives us a timeless message of hope about being delivered from the valley of dry bones, I think there is an important lesson to be learned about being in the valley of dry bones itself. The valley of dry bones is a place of pain, suffering, and despair. For most of us, the valley of dry bones is a place that we have visited on several occasions in our lives: when we've lost a loved one, when we're battling some type of disease, when we've lost a house or a job. We all have examples of a time when we looked around and suddenly found ourselves down in the midst of a valley that was full of bones. I don't know about you, but when I find myself there, my first response is get me out of here, make this stop, deliver me from this spiritual pain, or emotional pain, or physical pain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">It motivates withdrawal from damaging or potentially damaging situations, protection of a damaged body part while it heals, and avoidance of similar experiences in the future. So while the sensation of pain is unpleasant, pain really has an awesome purpose. It causes us to pay attention to a particular situation that we may or may not be neglecting. It causes us to protect ourselves while we go through the healing process or the process of deliverance. It causes us to take note so that we can avoid experiencing the same pain again, or at least be better able to handle the pain the next time around. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Perhaps we should change our perspective on pain. Maybe we should be thankful for it, because it makes us who we are. I am a clumbsy person. And as such, I have fallen down stairs on several occassions (and even tripped and fell going up the stairs a couple of times). Now that I'm a mom who is often either carrying a child or holding the hand of a child I always take extra special care on the stairs. I don't want to fall and hurt myself. And I really don't want my kids to get hurt. The pain of falling down has made me this way. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Similarly, the pain of going through these valleys of dry bones have made us who we are. Our valley build strength and character. So for those of you are, like me, in the midst of the valley of dry bones, remember that God heals, God provides, God delivers. But remember that this test will soon be your testimony. --Lady S.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-25171978531755195582011-11-17T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-17T06:00:15.985-08:00Daily Bread: Encourage Yourself<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. </i> 1 Samuel 30:6</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This past week has been one for the books! My mother is in the hospital battling a condition related to her diabetes. My children decided to take their colds to the next level and get pink eye. To top it all off, a co-worker of mine tried to put me on blast and attack not only my intelligence, but my ability to do my job. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">After spending time writing about and reflecting on <a href="http://peaceofmineladies.blogspot.com/2011/11/daily-bread-suffering.html">suffering</a>, I felt like these recent events were just an opportunity to put my <a href="http://peaceofmineladies.blogspot.com/2011/11/daily-bread-prudent-strategy.html">prudent strategy</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> into effect. But by Monday, I found myself looking around for a word of inspiration. I went back and read some of the past daily breads to keep me uplifted and focused. <a href="http://peaceofmineladies.blogspot.com/2011/10/daily-word-lord-lift-me-up.html">Lord lift me up</a> and <a href="http://peaceofmineladies.blogspot.com/2011/09/daily-bread-strive.html">We must strive</a> have kept my spirits high and have kept God on my mind as I go through this valley. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And then this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFNHmA9a2g">song </a>came on my Pandora station. Speak over yourself. Encourage yourself in the LORD. The song made my realize that while its nice and beneficial to look for support and encouragement from outside, that inside me I have everything I need to keep going, keep pushing, keep smiling. And so do each of you. So today take some time to encourage yourself in the LORD. --Lady S. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-68323240522899418202011-11-16T07:15:00.001-08:002011-11-16T07:46:56.777-08:00Daily Bread - I WILL BE...!<br />
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"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-1590" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;">10</sup>Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> <sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-1591" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;">11</sup>And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> <sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-1592" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;">12</sup>And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain." - Exodus 37:10-12</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><b>"I want to... I wish I could... I wish I had..."</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-size: x-small;">If you have ever uttered these words with the end of the sentence filled with an unrealized desire or goal, I invite you to focus on one thing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-size: x-small;">GOD said I WILL BE...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">GOD said this to Moses when he started to question his purpose and authority to go before Pharaoh. Just as we all do at times, Moses needed a little reassurance. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you take the time to consider the things that God has been for you in the past, it will be a surefire way of reassuring and reminding yourself of what He IS and what He WILL BE for you right now.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">At times, personally we all lack confidence in ourselves and about the path of our lives. But the question we must ask ourselves is why be "scary" when God himself said He will BE with you every step of your journey...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">His power is non-conforming and everlasting. He can BE whatever you need Him to be, whenever you need Him to BE it, and in a way that will definitely let you know that it was Him alone who worked on your behalf!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">And, the ultimate beauty of God's omnipresence and omniscience is that even while He propping me up, He can lift you up just the same. When He is being a mother and father to me, He won't cease to be a support system for you. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I encourage you to hone in on what you would like to be or do, and realize that if you acknowledge and court His presence in your life, you can do nothing... but BE that which you want to BE!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Believe. Receive. and then give Thanks!</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>- Lady R. </i></b></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-41484263601586901922011-11-09T09:12:00.000-08:002011-11-09T09:12:17.120-08:00Daily Bread: Prudent Strategy<i>"A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life." Proverbs 22:1-4</i><br />
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The word prudent means acting with or showing care and thought for the future. The scripture says that a prudent man foresees evil, and hides himself. So the prudent man (or woman) knows that evil will come and acts in way that shows that he or she has already given thought or planned for the future situation. In a post last week, I submitted the idea that <a href="http://http//peaceofmineladies.blogspot.com/2011/11/daily-bread-suffering.html">suffering </a>was inevitable. So if we know that bad things will happen, that life will inevitably throw us a curve ball, we should have a strategy in place that we can hide in when the time comes. <div><br />
</div><div>Last week, I suggested that we should practice praising God in the good times so that it would be easier to do in the bad times. This week, I think that the strategy needs to be a little more concrete than that. So I started to think about what I've done when I've come face to face with evil. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I do have a strategy in place, because I've realized that I do the same thing every time. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Step One. Pray. I usually just straight up ask God to make the situation better or make it go away. And then, when I'm a little bit calmer, I acknowledge that there is some lesson in the situation, so I ask for the strength to endure whatever the evil is, to be open to His will in the situation, and to be used as an instrument in the process. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Step Two. Prayer Warriors. I have some praying friends. I mean friends that can go to God on my behalf with my best interest at heart. I don't even have to ask them to pray. I just tell them the situation and they usually respond with, "I'll pray for you". If you don't have some prayer warriors in your life, get some. There is something so comforting about knowing that somebody is praying for you. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Step Three. Keep My Focus on God. Evil situations can be distracting and draining. In order to keep my focus on God and off the situation, I listen to gospel music constantly. Thanks to the Brighter Day radio station that I created on Pandora, I have an endless stream of songs that remind me that God is in control, that trouble won't last always, that there's going to be a brighter day, that the LORD is with me. </div><div><br />
</div><div>This is the strategy that I hide in every time evil comes my way. What about you? What is your prudent strategy? --Lady S. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-24520854827516077692011-11-07T07:58:00.000-08:002011-11-07T07:58:50.144-08:00Daily Bread: Memorialize Your Praise<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>"This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD."</i> Psalm 102: 18-22</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There is power in the writing for the generation to come. Thanks to Lady R and Lady A, who had the inspired thought to create this blog and the technological ability to make it a reality, I have the opportunity to write all the time. There is something so powerful about being able to sit at my computer, open my heart, and let God's praise flow through my finger tips. That is what each of us was created to do... Praise the LORD. But we have to find some way to memorialize our praise, to write it down, to make it permanent in our hearts and our minds. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">We have to find a way to memorialize our praise, so that the generations coming behind us will see that if nothing else, their forefathers (or foremothers) praised the LORD. We may not be able to leave them trust funds or mansions, but we can leave them a legacy greater than all the finances in the world. Let the record show, that we were a people who were ready, willing, and able at all times to praise the LORD. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I praise God for waking me up, for starting me on my way, for tempering my morning grumpiness by giving me loving sisters who both made me laugh out loud this morning. I praise God that even though my babies are battling colds (again) that He has made their Aunty available to take care of them today. I praise Him for keeping me open to His will in my life, for encouraging me to go forward even if I don't understand how or why or when or what. I praise Him for teaching me to trust Him. Let the record show that in the midst of my human undoneness and turmoil that I myself created, I will stop what I'm doing and start praising the LORD. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So this morning I put it on you to memorialize your praise in the comments. What's your praise report? What do you want generations to come to know about how you praised the Lord on this day? </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734797047420632413.post-15699054929046693312011-11-02T10:53:00.000-07:002011-11-02T10:54:34.143-07:00Daily Bread: Suffering<i>For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. </i>Job 19:25- 27<br />
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Pain and suffering are part of life. I don’t mean that in a morbid or depressing way. I just mean to state it as a fact. Our physical bodies have limitations. This life is full of upsets, disappointments, and hurts. These things are not anomalies. They are not rare occurrences. They happen everyday. <br />
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So maybe we should just accept that bad things happen. That way, when they do happen, we don’t start wondering why. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Am I being punished? Perhaps we should just accept that sometimes the car will break down or the money will be tight (or nonexistent), that unemployment may come, that relationships will end, that people will pass away. <br />
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Then maybe we can move away from thinking that these things happen because we did something wrong. Or that things are happening to us because we have bad luck. Or that these things are happening to us because God is mad at us, so we therefore become mad at God. No. These occurrences are just part of life. And they only have as much power as we give them. It is our job, as people of faith, to rise above the suffering, and keep our eyes on God. <br />
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Being a child of God does not mean that we will not suffer. But it does mean that we focus on God in response to our suffering. Rather than destroy our own peace of mind, by replaying the hurt or the disappointment, or feeling sorry for ourselves, we focus our energy on the One who can deliver us. This is much easier said than done. I mean when the money is low, and there is no job on the horizon, and you have no idea what your move will be, its not going to be easy to sing songs of praise. But that’s why its important to work daily on strengthening your relationship with God. If you don’t pray and praise in the good times, it will be that much harder to do it in the bad times.<br />
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I’ve noticed that this is a particularly difficult concept for people who are non-believers. They can’t understand telling someone to thank God and praise Him when things are going wrong. But that is because they are focused on the cause and effect of the situation itself. I don’t have a quid pro quo relationship with God. He blesses me when I haven’t done anything to deserve being blessed. He has brought me out of countless situations and circumstances. He has shown me a way when I couldn’t see one for myself. And because I know He’s done it before, I know He will do it again. I don’t have to know when my deliverance will come because I know that I will be delivered. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that God is not some random, uncaring, deity that haphazardly inflicts punishment on humanity. I know that everything I go through has a purpose, is strengthening me for some future battle. No matter what I go through, I know for myself that when it is all over, I will look back and I will see God in the situation. So while I’m going through it, I will keep my eyes on Him, trusting that it is all for good. --Lady S.<br />
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The Galatians were a group of Gentiles who were converted by Paul. Once Paul left, a group of people came to preach another doctrine to the Galatians. They tried to discredit Paul and the gospel that Paul brought. They claimed that Paul didn't even have the authority or the training to preach the gospel. <br />
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Paul addresses these claims head on in his letter to the Galatians. He says that perhaps his call may seem inferior, but these other people who have come along; they are either called of men or by man. Paul says that his call is the highest possible. He was called by God and Jesus Christ. Paul says he is qualified to preach the gospel because God and His Prophet said so.<br />
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This made me think that Paul’s boldness could apply to me and my life. There are things in my life that I feel are my ministry. There are things that I do that come naturally to me; talents that I didn’t know that I had until God saw fit to use me in that way. And sometimes I have doubts. I am, afterall, my biggest critic. I think, who am to write with such authority? Who am I to speak about doctrine with such confidence and conviction? I didn’t go to school for this. I don’t have any previous work experience. What are my qualifications? <br />
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Paul’s response to the questions about his qualifications is the TRUTH. He says in Galatians 1:11, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.” I don’t need any certification from man to do what God has called me to do. I don’t believe Paul was stating this in an arrogant way. But I believe that he was just making a bold declaration that once God has called you to do something, that’s it. Its done. Shut down the doubts and the disbelief. You don’t need man (or woman) to validate you or tell you that you're qualified. <br />
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Embrace your calling. Do what God has called you to do. And do it with confidence. Don't allow others to doubt your qualifications, and more importantly don't doubt yourself. You are qualified because God said so. --Lady S.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0