Love, Patience, Character and Hope

September 5, 2000
(Day 5 and 360 to go-My year-long quest to grow closer to God)

This is not working out like I want, but I am not giving up, throwing in the towel, or any of those acts of defeat.  God has never given up on me, and I refuse to let the craziness of my life dictate the outcome of this quest.  I absolutely do not be need to be having my quiet time at the end of the day, or even if I begin my day with God, I don't need to "blogging" this late at night.  It makes me feel like I am trying to meet a deadline for some newspaper.  I do not want this journey to be a pressure to complete, even though I have put a deadline on myself.  Rather, I want this time of writing to be a good, fruitful experience, and perhaps the beginning of something I really love doing anyway. 
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Yesterday and today, Joyce Meyer wrote about some key areas I need to work on:  making love a habit, and producing patience, character and hope in my walk with the Lord.  I don't see life through rose-colored glasses, and I tend to see what is around me with a tinge of cynicism.  What a drag that must be for those just listening to me.  My daughter, Lauren, told me of an actress on Saturday Night Live who plays the part of "Debbie Downer".  I laughed when she pulled up one of their skits on her laptop, but you know what?  I cringed inwardly because some of her comic comments sounded way too much like me. . .ugh again!  I know I could get all offended at myself, and just give up but the Lord is using my daughter and some SNL actress to get my attention.  

Patience, character and hope...I am not there yet the way I want to be but I can honestly say that walking with the Lord as a Spirit-filled Christian has produced spiritual traits that I never in a million years thought I would ever experience.  Patience...I have walked this out in my life just to even witness the Lord working in a mighty way for my children.  Character is my ultimate goal...I want to be what people see all the time.  Hope...I will never give up hope even though I have come close at times.   I realize that the Lord is always there for me, even when I pushed Him away.  

He is there for you, too.  It may not feel like He's there when you're in the middle of some unholy mess, but He is there.  He love us beyond what we can even imagine, and His grace and mercy never fail.  He never leaves us or forsakes us...what a great and wonderful Father He is to you and me.
Love in Christ,
DeAnn

  

A day not as planned

September 04, 2009
(Day 4 of 365 days-Getting closer to God)

I woke up with a major headache, and all I could think of was that I should drink a big glass of water.  My son, Steve, a military man says that drinking water is the Army's solution for all manner of aches and pains.  I drank the water, and it helped tremendously...but it was like I was moving in this atmosphere of snow in an avalanche...I was being caught up with "things to do".  

Well, first I will be honest...I didn't crack my Bible, or the daily devotional all day long.  It was like I woke up with this huge agenda on mind, and that agenda kept me out of rest and on the go ALL DAY LONG!!!  Ugh! Ugh!! Ugh!!!  Although the Lord helped me get through some of my rough spots (getting the 20 Countdown CD uploaded at the radio station, and putting my outfit together for a friend's wedding)...yes, how are those rough spots?

Secondly, let me say that I am not saying my day was a waste...it was just not flowing like it should have.  I thought about the Lord, but I didn't start out my day with Him as planned.  I did get on the scale and it showed that I had lost 2 1/2 lbs....(yeehaw), but I didn't drink as much water as I had planned, and I didn't eat like I should at the wedding reception or IIHOP later on tonight.  I had my hair colored, trimmed and styled and my hair looks good.  It would be great if I could just have Sheila do this every day...not gonna happen.  I will say my hair looks so much better when she gets hold of it.  Was that a ramble or what?

So, I will NOT throw in the towel and act like there's no hope.  I repent, Lord, for this heck of a day...and I commit to getting back on track ASAP.  This blog is helping me, whether anyone reads it but me.  Lord, I ask that You help me clear my plate of stuff to do...I will listen for Your guidance...I'm sorry for not doing so today!
Love in Christ,
DeAnn       

Prasing God all the time- Day 3 of 365

September 3, 2009
(Day 3 of 365 days-Getting Closer to God)

The title for today's devotional, Take a Praise Pause, is based on the scripture from Psalm 119:164.  This verse says we can praise God 7 times a day...and by the time we have God's Holy Spirit on the scene, and operating in the lives of all Christian believers, we can praise God all the time!

We are not limited by rules of when to praise the Lord, other than by ourselves and other people's expectations about the whole concept of praising God.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit, well there's nothing like it, and when we do live a life of praise, our focus stops being on ourselves and our problems.  Our focus is on God, and that is great! 

Get yourself a praise and worship CD, or download some praise tunes on your IPod so you can play them whenever, and wherever you go.  Hey, sing your own song to the Lord, lift those hands, and lift your eyes unto the heavens. 

So, note to myself...praise to the Lord is my reponsibility as a believer, not the Praise and Worship leader at church.  Besides, they can't be with me all the time.  I commit to taking frequent praise pauses in my daily life.  I am doing that because it's my heart's desire to grow closer to the Lord through this whole cathartic writing journey.  

All of my praises to You, Lord, for everything You are!  This life is not about me, or my family and friends.  It is all about You!
Love in Christ,
DeAnn   

The Still, Small Voice-Day 2 of 365 Days

September 2, 2009
(Day 2 of 365 days. . .Listen to the still, small voice of God)

I really liked today's daily devotional entitled, Listen to the Promptings of the Spirit, probably because it hits very close to home where I live.  I can hear the Lord speak to me through His Holy Spirit, but I am keenly aware that I don't often hear Him enough, which also means I am not doing many of the things He wants me to do.  I say this because if I am not hearing the Lord, how could I possibly be doing what He is telling me to do???   

This second day brought a fatigue that sleeping an extra 15 minutes was not going to solve.  This fatigue was brought on a variety of things, all of which were robbing me of consistent sleep-filled nights.  I guess I could ramble/complain/mention with way too much verbage about those "things", but they are really not important...the only thing that mattered was that I woke up just too worn out from too much busyness.  And when I finally sat down to spend some much-needed time with the Lord, it really hit me that all of this fatigue and busyness in my life was really hindering me from hearing the Lord's still, small voice.  Alas, another "Ugh!" I need wisdom, and direction...not so much stuff in my life that all of life is a bunch of timers going off (I use my little kitchen timer a lot!) to alert me to the next task or event. 

Sometimes my life feels like a real-life version of The Peanuts Comic Strip.  I can see myself in this room with all of the characters:  Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, and even Snoopy, and all of these adults who you can't see and their voices sound like, "Wah, wah, wah!"  Me and the whole Peanuts gang are confused...we don't understand anything said because of so much unintelligible talking.  So, how I can hear God's still, small voice if my life is full of "wah, wah, wah"???

I am ready for a change...a change that brings me to a closer relationship with the Lord.  I WANT/THIRST God's still, small voice speaking to me. and me doing what He wants me to do moment by moment.  I am tired of looking tired, feeling tired, and allowing myself to get in this crazy, spin cycle of a life that just doesn't measure up the potential the Lord has planned for me.  So, here at the end of this second day of this journey, I purposely choose to spend some quiet time every day so I can hear God's still, small voice, and I challenge you to do the same.  Listen to Him, and do what He says today, and everyday...this is my new motto.
Love in Christ,
DeAnn    

The Favor of God-Day 1 of 365 days

September 01, 2009
(Day 1 of 365-Getting closer to God)

Inspiration from other people, plus God's loving correction about areas you need to change, are good things! So, yes, I have been inspired both by God, AND some people portrayed in a movie (Julie/Julia) that I have already seen twice with my husband, Glen. This is the beginning of a spiritual journey of getting closer to God, not cooking even though some of my inspiration comes from a movie about two women who had a love of cooking. I like cooking, but I am a basic cook...one that cooks for family and friends...not for the pure love of cooking. The chef in my family is Glen, my husband and best friend. Perhaps, one day he will pursue a quest through some exotic cookbook. Until then, this blog shall remain free of food and recipes!

I need to get closer to God-I am a Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit, and I want a closer relationship to my Father in Heaven, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit who leads and guides me. This is not an easy thing to say, but I have a hard time finishing things I start that are long-term...short-term I can handle since those goals are over and done with in no time. So, I feel like this quest has been put in me by God, and my guideline for this journey of 365 days of blogging comes from the newest devotional book by Joyce Meyer, New Day-New You. Joyce Meyer is one of my role models of Christian women, as well as a great teacher of The Word of God. There will be other Christian devotional books used, in addition to this book, but this newest treasure will be my main guidebook for getting closer to God.

Also, I want to do a case study on how getting closer to God changes not only you spiritually, but outwardly for the good. I will post 5 photos of myself during this year-long journey, beginning with today (Sept., 01, 2009) and ending on the last day of this project (August 31, 2010). For my own benefit, I will post all 5 photos on the the last day of this project...not a day earlier...they will be time stamped with the day and year. You will just have to wait until this is over and done with. I am referring to the blogging portion...getting closer to God is, like I wrote earlier, a lifelong journey!

So, today's topic is about favor (p. 254) and is titled, Believe in the Favor of God. The two Scriptures for today are: Genesis 39:21 and Acts 10:34. First, Joyce Meyer talks about how the Lord was with Joseph. Joseph needed God's favor big time. At the writing of this verse, Joseph was in prison for something he didn't do. He had already been sold into slavery by his own brothers, now he was in prison, but the Lord's favor would elevate him in this dire situation to a place of great power and authority in the land of Egypt. This favor would eventually help him to save his own father and brothers during a time of famine, as well as restoring him to his family.
Acts recounts to us that God is no respecter of persons-He liberally gives His favor to anyone who seeks and pursues after Him.

I like what Joyce Meyer says...
"Favor is actually a part of grace. In the English New Testament, the word grace and the word favor are both translated from the same Greek word charis. So the grace of God is the favor of God. And the favor of God is the grace of God. . ."

I have seen God's favor operating in the lives of my children, my husband, family and friends, and yes, even myself. But it is harder for me to see that favor operating in my life. I am often believing that for others, and I see it very easily when it happens. When that favor from God begins to manifest for me, I often feel like I don't deserve it, or I am so busy working at earning God's favor that I can't enjoy it or accept when He blesses me with His favor. Ugh, what a mess!

So today, I am releasing my faith in the area of God's favor, and I choose this day to not be afraid to ask for His favor, and to enjoy and be thankful when it begins to manifest in my life!
I challenge you to release your faith, too! Day two tomorrow!

Love in Christ,
DeAnn