So joining up with Lisa Jo Baker again with all the writers on her 5 min. Friday... Where she gives you s prompt & you write for 5 mins. Check it out....
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BELONG.... GO...
This is a loaded word for me tonight as it reminds me of my thoughts this week..... First it brings to mind my friend Betsy whose service I attended this week! I tell everyone she was unique.... Betsy belonged to many of us through her friendship & love but she #1 belonged to God.... She was herself & wasn't always trying to fit in or impress... . she stood out but she belonged to God & that was evident in life she lived & now she fully knows that belonging!!!!
I also learned this week that I want to be more like her.... To worry less about trying to look like everyone else but to enjoy #1 the WHO I belong to.... To live life as a daughter of God & to give to others by living out His Gospel & Grace!
I too often struggle with wants especially housing but I am once again reminded of my need to trust Him & be thankful for all He has given.... To not aim for stuff of this world but strive for the things they are eternal!!! Need to constantly remember who I belong to & trust Him!
Because of Christ I belong.... Nothing else really matters!!!!
Done. 5 min. Friday.... #fiveminutefriday
Join it! :) #FMFParty
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Thursday, July 10, 2014
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Perspective on Hope changed! Lessons on Joy!
So, last night I started watching a new Bible Study series on Right Now Media (something our church has linked up for members, LOVE it!!!!) called, DNA of Joy (by Greg Surratt).....I had been challenged earlier that night by a blog written in memory of this lady's friend:
http://floferrell.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-friend-jenny-tribute.html?m=1
Here's a quote that CHALLENGED me from the mother of 15 who is now mourned by her husband & 15 children:
"I am a testimony to God being able to do FAR greater than we could think to ask for. I spent a lot of time depressed and discouraged as a young mother so it is hilarious and redemptive that God would use me now to shout out: motherhood is a really, really JOYFUL thing. Not a picnic, but leading to a banquet. You CAN be a joyful mother of children. Traumatized children, sick children, goof-ball children, less-than-perfect-but-each-del
- Jenny Groothius
So this quote challenged me because I have greatly struggled with depression these early years of being a mom and struggled with discouragement in trying to raise 3 little's! (Praise God He has sent MANY to encourage me! and His presence continually pulls me to draw near to Him & know Him!) So, my word for the year is suppose to be JOY..... well, i haven't continually struggled with depression this year, but it has crept in & so has discouragement often..... and JOY, what's that.... to truly live a life JOY-filled & enjoy my precious babies! One thing I also got out of this blog is my need to abandon selfishness & LOVE my husband fully (not naturally romantic or lovey dovey.... so what would that look like if I tried more, my husband would LOVE it & the kids could see a picture of a love worth waiting for..... right! & He is to come before the kids anyways, & God before that!) Only through God can I know JOY in my marriage, my kids, my everyday life and relationships with others! So, I need to stop worrying all about the "How to's" like I tend to do & LOOK to the "Who to" & then I can draw strength from the Father and abide in His joy through all things!
So, how has my perspective on HOPE changed..... So after listening to this, I looked up some favorite verses. 1-Psalm 42:5 & 43:5 (heard by John Piper recently) ".... Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, My Savior & My God." Great verses to remind myself when discouraged or afraid or down.... to HOPE (In GOD!!!-- i think i missed that part a little bit the other week when I heard it!)
2014 Verse for JOY: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: REJOICE!!!" Philippians 4:4 (this BS, DNA of Joy is from Philippians)
2014 Song about JOY: Hail the King by The Citizens (Song from Romans 5)
SONG: http://youtu.be/VSvJYCaxRtY
Romans 5 is powerful chapter in the Bible! You should read it!
Verse two: "We rejoice in the Hope of the Glory of God!" Do we rejoice in this hope? Do we continuously rejoice always (Phil. 4:4)? I struggle with that.... when things don't go my way.... I get frustrated.... its normal sometimes but seriously sometimes I wallow in it.....
ok.... so most of you know I have struggled with infertility for years (i have called myself the infertile momma! b/c I am the mother of 3 beautiful children through the gift of adoption!) I use to & recently went through this again, be so frustrated with the hope of conception b/c i felt like if i had no hope, I could move on and not desire it anymore and not be disappointed when each cycle came along......
And, that's what began to slowly happen..... yes, i was still disappointed with each cycle but I began to long a little less with time..... THEN, we got pregnant & got to enjoy the JOY of it for 2 days to find out I was 7.5 weeks with an empty sac & full miscarriage happened the following week...... So, God walked us through all of that.... I got my hopes up even more than before..... So we decided to REALLY try..... then it all started again, the irregular cycles, the not knowing, the disappointing negative pregnancy tests and for a few days this past week, I was a little mad @ God b/c of this thing called hope & I struggled to trust Him (and not consider Romans 5:4-5)..... I just wish I didn't have this hope and wish He hadn't increased it through the miscarriage..... BUT i have been reminded what a blessing it was to be pregnant & experience all of that even if it ended up in a miscarriage..... I knew before the test but b/c of lack of trust, I refused to take the test!?!
So, after hearing this BS video clips & reading God's Word, I gleaned a new perspective on HOPE, I was hoping for something earthly.... I was hoping for God to fulfill my earthly desires, for God to bring about my plans.... but we all know His plans are greater!!!!! So, Lord, Help me as I learn to take JOY & HOPE IN YOU Alone! May my Joy be founded in Hoping in YOU & trusting You & Your plans for my life! Help me to instill this kind of JOY & HOPE in my kids! So we can rejoice together! For God's Word says, "This HOPE will NOT Disappoint because God's Love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us!" (Romans 5:5)
That's it, when I got it..... "This HOPE will NOT Disappoint!!!" Praise God!!!! He loves us soooo much! & that is why I Can fully "Rejoice in the HOPE of the GLORY of GOD!"
Praying you see a changed momma, one filled with HIS JOY!
http://floferrell.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-friend-jenny-tribute.html?m=1
Here's a quote that CHALLENGED me from the mother of 15 who is now mourned by her husband & 15 children:
"I am a testimony to God being able to do FAR greater than we could think to ask for. I spent a lot of time depressed and discouraged as a young mother so it is hilarious and redemptive that God would use me now to shout out: motherhood is a really, really JOYFUL thing. Not a picnic, but leading to a banquet. You CAN be a joyful mother of children. Traumatized children, sick children, goof-ball children, less-than-perfect-but-each-del
- Jenny Groothius
So this quote challenged me because I have greatly struggled with depression these early years of being a mom and struggled with discouragement in trying to raise 3 little's! (Praise God He has sent MANY to encourage me! and His presence continually pulls me to draw near to Him & know Him!) So, my word for the year is suppose to be JOY..... well, i haven't continually struggled with depression this year, but it has crept in & so has discouragement often..... and JOY, what's that.... to truly live a life JOY-filled & enjoy my precious babies! One thing I also got out of this blog is my need to abandon selfishness & LOVE my husband fully (not naturally romantic or lovey dovey.... so what would that look like if I tried more, my husband would LOVE it & the kids could see a picture of a love worth waiting for..... right! & He is to come before the kids anyways, & God before that!) Only through God can I know JOY in my marriage, my kids, my everyday life and relationships with others! So, I need to stop worrying all about the "How to's" like I tend to do & LOOK to the "Who to" & then I can draw strength from the Father and abide in His joy through all things!
So, how has my perspective on HOPE changed..... So after listening to this, I looked up some favorite verses. 1-Psalm 42:5 & 43:5 (heard by John Piper recently) ".... Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, My Savior & My God." Great verses to remind myself when discouraged or afraid or down.... to HOPE (In GOD!!!-- i think i missed that part a little bit the other week when I heard it!)
2014 Verse for JOY: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: REJOICE!!!" Philippians 4:4 (this BS, DNA of Joy is from Philippians)
2014 Song about JOY: Hail the King by The Citizens (Song from Romans 5)
SONG: http://youtu.be/VSvJYCaxRtY
Romans 5 is powerful chapter in the Bible! You should read it!
Verse two: "We rejoice in the Hope of the Glory of God!" Do we rejoice in this hope? Do we continuously rejoice always (Phil. 4:4)? I struggle with that.... when things don't go my way.... I get frustrated.... its normal sometimes but seriously sometimes I wallow in it.....
ok.... so most of you know I have struggled with infertility for years (i have called myself the infertile momma! b/c I am the mother of 3 beautiful children through the gift of adoption!) I use to & recently went through this again, be so frustrated with the hope of conception b/c i felt like if i had no hope, I could move on and not desire it anymore and not be disappointed when each cycle came along......
And, that's what began to slowly happen..... yes, i was still disappointed with each cycle but I began to long a little less with time..... THEN, we got pregnant & got to enjoy the JOY of it for 2 days to find out I was 7.5 weeks with an empty sac & full miscarriage happened the following week...... So, God walked us through all of that.... I got my hopes up even more than before..... So we decided to REALLY try..... then it all started again, the irregular cycles, the not knowing, the disappointing negative pregnancy tests and for a few days this past week, I was a little mad @ God b/c of this thing called hope & I struggled to trust Him (and not consider Romans 5:4-5)..... I just wish I didn't have this hope and wish He hadn't increased it through the miscarriage..... BUT i have been reminded what a blessing it was to be pregnant & experience all of that even if it ended up in a miscarriage..... I knew before the test but b/c of lack of trust, I refused to take the test!?!
So, after hearing this BS video clips & reading God's Word, I gleaned a new perspective on HOPE, I was hoping for something earthly.... I was hoping for God to fulfill my earthly desires, for God to bring about my plans.... but we all know His plans are greater!!!!! So, Lord, Help me as I learn to take JOY & HOPE IN YOU Alone! May my Joy be founded in Hoping in YOU & trusting You & Your plans for my life! Help me to instill this kind of JOY & HOPE in my kids! So we can rejoice together! For God's Word says, "This HOPE will NOT Disappoint because God's Love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us!" (Romans 5:5)
That's it, when I got it..... "This HOPE will NOT Disappoint!!!" Praise God!!!! He loves us soooo much! & that is why I Can fully "Rejoice in the HOPE of the GLORY of GOD!"
Praying you see a changed momma, one filled with HIS JOY!
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