Keeping Whats Yours

My families home has been robbed. Not only did they take physical things, but they took our right to feel comfortable and safe in our own home. While these thieves took just about every thing we own, we have we still have our scriptures, our savior, our church and each other and that is what matters.
Because I myself have never been stolen from until now, I never realized how much it really does affect a family. They stole from us physical things, including things from my young kids and they stole a feeling that I don't know that we will ever get back.
I know that God has a plan. I know that for some reason He aloud this thief to take from us and this is a part of a greater plan. As a family we have really been focused on readings about thieves, stealing and robberies today and it has helped us to be calm and know that these thieves will be stopped for God has given us this information through His word.
Reading:
Exodus 20:15
Deuteronomy 24:7
Matthew 6:20
Reflect:
Have you ever been stolen from?
If so did this weaken or strengthen your faith in God?
How do of you think God may use a robbery as a part of his greater plan?

The Way God Works

God works in many ways. Some miraculous, some expected, some small, some large, and some in the most unexpected shocking ways. I don't want to say God works better in some ways than others because that's not right, but to me he shines brightest when he works in these crazy ways which is how he worked through me.
I was raised in a bad home around drugs and abuse in a trashy unsafe trailer park. I never knew about God, but my entire life I felt there was something bigger. Most my life I sent condemning God for the things I'd been through. I said things no person should say and lived a life that reflected those view points. But, some how, by thr grace of God I discovered the Bible. I read it all the way through in a matter of months and wanted more and more. I wanted church and missions and to help people and to live the way God demands.
People thought this was so strange that I, the girl from the trailer park, the girl on drugs, the teen mom, the "scrapper" now wanted God. After spending my life wanting material possessions that would never last and persecuting Jesus, He became all I wanted.
To this day I know that our savior is all I need.
We see a snipet of a story similar to mine in today's reading. A man who once persecuted Jesus would now be used.
Reading:
Acts 26:14-18
Reflect:
How did God find you?
If you were born into religion how has God kept you?
As Christians what can we do to make sure God can work through us to spread the scriptures to people who may not hear word otherwise?

Life Lesson

I feel like anger is something we post about often, but that's okay. Today during my class at church we were reading an article about a husband and wife and this is their story:
They were newlyweds who had some trauma take place early on and their marriage began to suffer because of it. They argued argued and argued and finally received counseling from the church, went once and didn't go again. Their marriage continued to suffer. Eventually the husband grabbed their sons toy, threw it in the direction of his wife but missed her and hit their son. He was paralyzed.
Imagine the guilt this father felt. Imagine your anger affecting people, even people not directly involved, in such a negative way?
We may think our anger towards someone doesn't hurt anyone else but it probably does and we may not see it until its apparent to us.
Reading:
Proverbs 14:17
Psalm 37:8
Ecclesiastes 7:9
Reflect:
-Are you quick to anger?
-Do you believe your anger doesn't affect others?
-How can you change your anger into a more god like quality?

God doesn't pick favorite.. Acts 10:27-35

I remember in second grade I had a teacher that didnt't really like me. There was a few kids in the class that she "favored". I remember complaining to my mom about why she didn't like me and how she picked favorites. I didn't think it was fair. But, I learned that in life some people just don't like you. Plain & simple. But you know the one person that will never pick favorites and loves everyone equally? God. God NEVER picks favorites.. He loves everyone equally.

In Acts 10: 34-35, "Then Peter began to speak: 'I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.'" God will always accept everybody & will treat them all the same. As long as you fear him and do what He says is right. Knowing that God will never play favorites and treat you equally makes me feel comforted that no matter what I do.. He will always love me and treat me the same.

Reading: Acts 10: 27-35

Reflecting:

- Have you ever been in a situation where "favorites" were picked? How did it make you feel?
- Does it make you feel knowing that God will always love & treat you equally..
no matter what?

Let Their Iron Swim

A common theme that seems to be coming up in my life a lot lately is "helping others." I keep finding myself bending backwards to help others even when it means causing additional stressors in my already hectic life.
Something I am really excited about is working at the Kiwanis camp! It's a camp for disabled children and adults where they can have a week of fishing, horseback riding, arts and crafts, and friends. You can find more information about it here!
Because of all the "helping" that's going on in my life I know I am creating miracles. Whether or not these miracles affect me directly or not I know that when I go to camp these kids will experience something that they don't always get to. As small as it may be I want that week to be a miracle for them. My outlook on this brings me to today's reading.
In the reading a man drops a borrowed ax into the water. Elisha, a man of god, allows the iron to float to the man when he expresses his concern because the ax wasn't his.
By expressing his concern for OTHERS a miracle was preformed for him. Don't you think you could focus on others every single day to be making miracles no matter the size?
Reading:
2 Kings 6:1-7
Reflections:
-Are you currently trying to make a difference for OTHERS?
-What can you do to make a difference in others day to day life?
Goal:
Make it a goal this week to "make someone's iron swim." let yourself focus more on others needs and wants then your own.

He ALWAYS answers.

Lately, I feel as if God is not answering my prayers. I feel like I pray and pray and pray, but nothing happens. Truth is, something always happens. God always answers prayers- it just might not be the way you want them to be answered. It might not always be immediately, it could be days, months, even years down the road. In reality, he will ALWAYS answer your prayer, even if it is not the way you want it to be answered. 

Matthew 21:22 states, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." I think this is such an awesome verse. As long as you believe God will answer your prayers- He always will. It's so comforting to know that whatever you ask God for, He will always deliver. You have to remember, He might not always answer it in the way you think is best, but He will always answer in His way. You have to be patient and have faith. 

Reading: John 14:12-14 & John 16:23-25

Reflecting:

-When God answers your prayers in His way, how do you feel?

-When God answers your prayers in His way, do you believe that and accept, that is the right plan? Or do you become angry, thinking He answered it the "wrong" way? 

-When is an example of a time that God answered your prayer in His way and you saw the good come out of that? 

GOAL: Start accepting and being thankful that God answered your prayer in His way.. not in yours. 

Showing Others Christ

Sometimes I feel that it's hard for me to discuss God with others and I know this is really bad. I should never be ashamed of embarrassed and if anything I should be looking for someone to teach about Jesus, but I don't!
Today's reading helped me find strength in converting others because of what an impact it had on Paul and Silas to show Christ to others.
I personally need to focus on not worrying about what others think as only worrying about what God thinks. Since I have started this blog I have learned that this is my biggest weakness in my walk in God. I am so focused on earthly things that I realize soon enough I have forgotten about the heavenly things which are what really matter.
Reading:
-Acts 16:23-36
Reflect:
-Are you focusing on God and what He wants from you or are you focusing on what people here on Earth want from you?
-If you are doing the latter what can you do to change this?
-Are you voluntarily spreading the word of the Lord as often as you can?
Goal:
I personally am now making it a goal to spread Gods word to at least one person per day. Whether it be someone in the store or a person on the street I will reach out his hand because I know God wants to work through me.