A Time For Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, 
   and a season for every activity under the heaven...   

Solomon describes in chapter 3 the cycles of life: sowing & reaping; weeping & laughing, mourning & dancing; gaining & losing; silence & speaking; loving & hating.....so how do we handle these cycles? Do we only respond well or with gratitude when they are the ones that we want? Or do we trust God in ALL of them? 

 

God is in control of all that happens to us, good and bad. So what is our response to Him in everything?  I think we have a tendency to love God when it is all good but then angry or hate God when things are bad. Like our children do when they don't get their way or have to do something they don't care to do. One moment our kids are thrilled with us because we are taking them to the mall but the next moment they are hating us for asking them to clean their room. 

 

I have learned so much about my relationship with God from watching my children respond to me as their mother and I know where they get it from.....their father! HA, I wish.....no I have to take responsibility here; unfortunately, they follow my example!

God's plans for your life far exceed the circumstances of your day! 

                                                                                                                              Louie Giglio 

Simple Life

Psalms 37:4 "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your hearts desires." 

We all long for more time to enjoy the simple things in life such as a sunrise, a sunset, a walk on the beach, to read a book, time with family and friends, traveling....the list is endless. Instead we spend most of our time working to obtain all the things that will actually keep us from doing the things we truly desire to do. It's almost as if we sabotage ourselves with trying to get ahead and obtain all the things we believe we need to have for our life.

Pursuing stuff can harm our time, cause stress and lack of peace. A simple life these days has to be done intentionally. We can't give in to what society thinks we need in order to have a better life. God's plan for our lives is simple ~ love Him and love others! There are so many opportunities to show our love for God and our love for others. We will not have time to do either if we allow things to control us. The sooner we learn to let go of things, the sooner we can begin to have a LIFE!

How do we begin? Prayer is ALWAYS  the key to change. Pray, asking God to guide you daily in everything you do. It's a daily walk with God!

This picture was taken at the beach May 2013.

Humiliation Can Be Useful

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops." Matthew 10:27

There can be no one person that has suffered more humiliation by his own family than Joseph in the book of Genesis. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. He was falsely accused by Potiphars wife and jailed. His life had many humiliating events that took place. I look at Joseph's life and consider myself fortunate to not have suffered as much as he has by his own flesh and blood. Yet, he always trusted in what God was doing in his life and declared God's goodness!

When I am in the middle of the conflict, I don't just feel abandoned by the one who has abandoned me in my life, I feel like God left me too. At those moments in life I begin to seek God completely. I know that He is the only one that can heal the pain inflicted by others. I also know that He allowed it for His greater good and His glory and I need His strength in order to continue moving forward in my own life. These are the times I feel like giving up the most but it is at these moments that God wants to do something that benefits Him and His Kingdom. Everything isn't about us but instead about Him ~ so when we find ourselves in those humiliating circumstances remember God allowed it for "His" purpose according to Romans 8:28 "Everything works together for those who love God for those who are called according to His purpose."  

Humiliation may not be a comfortable place but it can end up being a very "Holy" place in your relationship with Christ...... 

"We are devastated but not destroyed. God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble." Psalm 46:1 

 This picture was taken March 2013 while visiting St. Augustine, Florida.