Called To Love

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,"  1 Peter 3:15 You wake up abruptly, realizing that you slept through the alarm. You forgot to lay out your clothes the night before. You didn't pack your lunch. All of the things you have to accomplish today now come rushing into your mind and you find yourself completely unprepared for what the day has in store for you. We have heard "Be Prepared," said by the Boy Scouts for years but have you ever considered what it means as a Child of God? We must be spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically prepared. This balance prepares us for whatever direction our journey takes us. Being spiritually prepared means that God through the Holy Spirit is guiding us. It helps us to navigate the what, who, where and whys that we will face. Being emotionally prepared m...

"Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Experiencing death is, to say the least, traumatic. It takes a mental, emotional, and spiritual toll on everyone who has been affected by it. Our physical bodies experience chemical changes, our emotions are elevated and we question God... asking why? This week I have not only experienced these effects, but I have witnessed loved ones and friends do the same. I have done much praying... yes asking why, but more than anything asking... "What Next?" God reminded me that if we have a relationship with Him, we will see them again. He also reminded me that those of us who remain still have a purpose, and God still has a plan. Those of us who know Christ must make sure that our friends and loved ones have every opportunity to know Christ as well. Live the word before them, ask God for the ...

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” ... Mark 14:38 Over the course of our lives, we have grown so comfortable to the things that we see and hear that we can recite phrases and quotes without hesitancy, but have absolutely no clue how to apply it to our lives. I believe that Gods word is woven throughout the fabric of what we see, do, and say, yet the comfortableness of it has left those words meaningless to us. As an example... there are several Christ inspired songs whose lyrics include the words,  "Watch, Fight and Pray..." I know as you read this, one of the first songs that pop into your head, is "Oh, Happy Day".  Let us for a second look at the actual line of the song...   "He taught me how to watch, fight and pray, fight and pray, And live rejoicing every, every day". If we take a deeper look, we can find such a deep meaning to this phrase and how it can apply to our ...

  "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Roman's 7:28 Have you ever worked on a puzzle and found that when you have that 1 piece it helps you to put all of the other pieces together. You can determine whether it's the sky or if its the grass. From that 1 piece you can build an entire picture. Our lives are like puzzle pieces. It is up to us to recognize the fact that we are a very special piece in the fabric of our families and  in our communities. When we are where we're called to be and doing the things we're called to do, others can find where they fit in the big picture. So as you go throughout your day today recognize what purpose God has for you and where your piece is supposed to be placed. When you do, this will open up your eyes and allow you tosee God's purpose and plan for you. God-bless G.

Identity theft is when someone gains access to personal information and uses it for their gain. It is a silent criminal assault that takes a long time to recover from. It affects you financially, emotionally, physically and socially.  The financial toll messes with your credit rating, closing and opening new accounts and so much more. The emotional toll is the stress, fear, and anxiety of what the future holds for you if you are not able to correct all the areas affected by this act. The physical toll is the inability to focus and the added stress of what this could lead to. Finally, the Social toll is not knowing whom to trust going forward. Everything and everyone is a potential suspect. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."  John 10:10-12  Satan steals the identity of Gods people and its effects are devastating. It has the same effects as in the e...

If you have ever been in a long distance race you find that the closer you get to the finish line, the harder it is to stay focused and push past your pain, anguish, and discomfort. Your thoughts and feelings come into play encouraging you to stop, convincing you that you have done enough. Our journey in life is like that race, the closer we get to our goals the more distractions we encounter. Satan gets in our ear, reminds us of our pains and discomfort and encourages us to just stop. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says; " ... the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them." Once again, Satan is on his job, adjusting our focus off of what God has already promised us... Don't let him deceive you, lie to you or rob you of what God has told you. Don't let Satan allow you to be an accomplice in overturning your own blessing. God has given us wha...

Growing up I had a very interesting childhood. There were very few girls in our family for many years. I did all the things the boys did like, climbing trees, playing baseball, racing barefoot, making zip guns and so forth. As I look back I've taken for granted one unique thing that I experienced as a child. I was taught how to be blind. I have an aunt who lost her sight at an early age. We spent a lot of time together, so I had to learn how to lead her around from the age of about 4 years old. I often asked what it was like to be blind. She would blindfold me and lead me around the house to show me how she navigated without sight. She showed me how to read braille, how she traveled outside and so much more. It is something that actually comes naturally to me now and allows me to ofter navigate through an unlit house with little difficulty. As I wake up in the morning, my phone often alerts me to the news of the day and lately it has been very dim and dismal. If you concentrate o...