Embracing Jesus- John 1:36-39

John said even he wasn't worthy to untie the sandals of Christ in John 1:27, and yet this Jesus, this amazing Jesus came to him, and to many, and comes to each of us when we call, none of us worthy, but he is more than willing.

My first "Embracing Jesus One Red Letter Paragraph At A Time" scripture came to a bit of a surprise to me.  I had not even opened my Bible before I decided to do this to see what I would read first , I did not decide which of the accounts I would use, but I opened to John,  so I will be using John.

The first red letters I found were on the second page in my Bible in the book of John.  And as I read them, I smiled and laughed.   In the notorious words of myself  "I literally LOL'd."

John 1:36-39 (NIV)

When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!".  When the two disciples heard him say this they followed Jesus.  Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked "What do you want?"  They said "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"  "Come" he replied, "and you will see."  

This makes me think of all sorts of things, but the first thing that came to my mind is the simplicity of Christ in this moment.  His first words He spoke to them were "come".  He did not give them a list of reasons why, but just "come".  He did not ask them about their history, their backgrounds, who were their friends, or anything like that.  He did not ask if they were perfect, if they had life figured out, he just told them to "come"


I am literally sitting back in my chair trying to elaborate on this and I simply cant.  I have gotten more out of this four letter word than in a million reads I have done lately,  as I discovered Him speak it to them on these pages and to me that I can only sit in awe.  They wanted to know where Jesus was staying... and when I read that I wanted to answer it for them for their future "In you!"  But He had not told them that, He was still flesh walking across the dirt.  He did not have a permanent residence, until He rose and filled His believers up with Himself and this was long after He spoke these words.  Our bodies become His temple, His resting place.  He was about to show them that and so much more.  Goosebumps.

Embracing Jesus. One Red Letter Paragraph At A Time

Over the past little while you may have noticed that I am trying to embark outward into a new bold crazy mysterious journey in my faith.  To really try to get my feet firmly planted again.  I feel for too long it has been a wishy washy in my journey with Christ.

While I know I love Jesus.  Like..I LOVE JESUS.  God is on my mind more than anything all day, I feel as though I need a jolt.  

I have claimed this journey as my own, hand in hand with Christ... sometimes though I start seeking the hands of others, and their Jesus thoughts... let me explain.

While I decided long ago I would avoid debating the crazy stuff, the tough things in Christianity that cause more division than unity,  now I face another delima.  That because I try not to let this stuff get to me, I have now sought after other people who have felt the same way- who are standing firm hands raised sending out a cry of joy saying "this is my journey, not yours, and He will guide me, not you." 

Now in searching for these people, I find myself reading their thoughts and while sometimes I sit at my computer screen or the book I am reading and screaming YES!! I also find myself comparing my journey to theirs, as if to say 'oh well she thinks this way but is seeking Him in a similar way to me.. maybe I am wrong."  I have even changed my mind about something I was so sure about because someone elses journey and that opinion they had was so convincing, then I fall down broken.

See how that can get messy?  No one has EVER told me to think this way, infact, I have always had very supportive people in my walk with Jesus, who have really shown me Christ can approach us in different ways, and they have always been supportive.  Where these thoughts and ideas of how I see the world came from I dont exactically know, but I know that it can at times hinder my walk with Jesus.

So tonight I laid in bed with our three year old and his spiderman and decided I needed to spend less time in the opinions of others, even if they are similar to mine.  That perhaps I just need to not be so involved in social media discussions, or blogging discussions... That I need to really unplug from even community online in order to seek Christ and know who I am in Him.   Im thirsty and hungry, I am weary.  Jesus says to me "come to me" 

His words can anchor me

It never comes down to what church body you attend, or how you define a certain aspect of scripture.  It never comes down to if you worship with your hands held high or you sit quietly in your seat.  It never comes down to if you are shy in your walk or you scream it from the rooftops 

It never comes down to anything but Christ.

When I start to feel confused, its never His fault.  Its the fault of me seeking Him through the wrong avenues.  Im not saying that reading blogs are wrong, or to hear people's testimonies are wrong.  If we never heard a persons testimony, we wouldnt have the New Testament.  I LOVE hearing about a persons relationship with Jesus Christ.  What I am saying is that in order for me to firmly plant myself in Him (again and again), it has to be from Him.  From His breath, from His words.  If these avenues I am seeking at the end of the day are not making me feel more strengthened in my faith then why right now do I spend so much time seeking Him on them?  God is not the author of confusion.  He said that. 

I have decided to start a blog post "series" entitled "Embracing Jesus. One Red Letter Paragraph At A Time".  This is not to convince anyone to see things my way.  This is not for anyone to think I am a Biblical Scholar, or have it all figured out. 

This is my goal: To take each paragraph that is in those beautiful red letters, the words of Christ Himself, and to meditate on them.  To see what He wants to say to me in that section of scripture.  To write it down and to really discuss it with Him.  To not move on from that scripture until He says.  I want to share them here on my blog, not so someone would ever want to compare their walk with Christ with mine because I think when we do that, since I have done that so often, we miss out on the hugeness of Christ. 

I want it to be a time of intimacy, of thought and meditation, prayer and excitement.  To rediscover Christ over again in a way I havent before. 

So here I go...

Why are you hating on your church?

I have been reading a few blogs revently from frustrated Christians who are angry within the buildings they worship God.  They are not new believers trying to understand it all, they arent people who have no clue about Jesus or anything along those lines, these are people who have chosen to follow Jesus and have been and understand what He stood for and stands for.   From what I understand we ARE the church, not the building itself, but the building is a place the church comes together to encourage and build up eachother in our faith.  This should not be a place with constant anger stirring up within belivers.  To start hating on a church is to not hate on the walls or the photos on the wall, but the people inside. 

I do first of all want to say that I do firmly believe that God is fully capable and has and will call people out of a church body for His reasons. This has happened to me once, where I wasnt exactly trying to leave a church, but circumstances happened and He placed another church body right in our midst that we knew without a shadow of a doubt was where God wanted us to be.  There were no ill feelings, there was no anger involved, it just happened.  There was a peace that came from it.  No resentment, no eye rolling, just a peace.  I remember when we moved across province we were church searching and there were places we just knew thats not where God wanted us, so we did look at different churches, denominations etc till we found one we felt we were supposed to be at, but we were still only there for a short time till God called us to somewhere else.  These werent vain reasons, this was God telling us flat out "No"

BUT I do think also that God should also be the only one to tell you to leave a church body.  The question I think of is what is it that is causing a person to simply stew in their own anger/boredom  towards their church/denomination/etc  instead of being within that building and surrounded by fellow believers who none are perfect to worship the living God?  There is no perfect church body, there never will be till the day we are all with Jesus celebrating.  I think our goal should never be to find a perfect church, but the body of believers God wants us to be involved in.  There is a church body for everyone.

One thing I know for certain is that it does help to get involved, especailly in bigger churches.  All church bodies need the people to use their talents and gifts within the four walls of the church.  I attended a church for a little under a year that was significatly bigger than the one I came to know Christ in.  While it was overwhelming, I knew that it being overwhelming may not be a good enough reason to leave and find something I was more comfortable with.  So I got involved in small group studies and tried worship there for a bit.  While not all I tried to involve myself in worked, it got me to get to know the fellow brothers and sisters in Christ around me and not feel so shy and overwhelmed.   While its true that we also need the "regulars" of a church to step out and greet the new people ( I think this is very important), new people dont be afraid to step out as well.  Maybe there is not much happening at your church but you'd like to see something happen, like a study or something for the kids.  Maybe thats why God has placed you there, to start those things. 

Do you feel your church isnt feeding you?  Now before you go blaming it on your pastor, remember its not your pastors job to give you revelation Sunday after Sunday - its Gods.  Are you taking your notes, or paying attention, coming home and praying and asking God to teach you about what was spoken about at service that Sunday?  God will show you things about His word you dont understand, but its not soley your pastors job to do this.  Pastors have all different kinds of personalities, maybe the pastors personality doesnt quite click with your ears, but that doesnt mean that God cannot give you revelation.  Bible time doesnt start Sunday and end Sunday.  God is always speaking.  I think people put way too much expectation on their pastors.  They're just human.  Remember its God who gives revelation, and he will do that through Christians, but even if you dont feel you are getting that big "ahha!" revelation every Sunday, dont for a second think its your churches fault.  Make sure you are making an effort to seek God in the word too that is spoken so He can feed you.  We ask Holy Spirit to fill us, not our pastors, decons, teachers etc.   So in essesnse even if you were to find your speaker not quite your jive, know that God will still give you revelation in the end.

Do you have a "beef" with someone?  Now the Bible makes it very clear that we arent to go to bed angry, to stew in our anger and let it become a part of us, so if there is someone within your church body that is making you angry or anything that isnt fruitful, then that needs to be addressed.  Its awful to watch churches split, agrue, and have any sort of resentment towards others in the body.  It needs to be taken care of.   This could be the church body you need to be a part of, and hatred and all the other traits of the enemy's tricks can prevent Gods work to happen through you.  The Bible warns of divisions in the church.  We are warned, so when we see it happening, or are a part of it, then we should be praying and acting to make it change.  

Maybe your church is teaching things that clearly arent Biblical? I know denominations may approach "church" differently and Im not really speaking of that, Im not a denomination hater at all, but maybe you do have a huge issue with things that genuinley need addressing?  Then address them.  Pray, seek God and if God says go then go.  But its scary to think that the issue is never addressed.   I think it would be devistating if no one ever spoke up about a church that was teaching something that clearly isnt scriptural (ex: the Easter Bunny and Jesus are the same thing, corney I know, but just for example) and no one ever approached that it was wrong.  It doesnt mean you have to run in protesting and screaming "LIES!" but something needs to be said.  And if the church says "no you're wrong" when God has shown you what He's put on your heart to be right, then I think its safe to say you go.
Think about it-  the church building is a place you go to be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ to come together and worship JESUS!!! We shouldnt be dragging our feet in there going "oh..yay..church time."  We should be jumping out of bed going "YAY CHURCH TIME!" and if you are like me you add a big ol "WHEEEE" to the end (I really do love my church family near and far! )   Church buildings are not the only place we worship, we should worship Jesus 24/7 but it is wonderful to gather with fellow believers to celebrate.
I think the world has enough haters of the church we dont need them inside, and maybe like I said you are genuinly not supposed to be in that church family and God is calling you somewhere else, but please let it be His will and not your will that you want to leave.  Make sure that the intentions are genuine and not happening because the enemy has tried to rip you out of a place God wants you or your flesh wants out of because of wordly reasons.  Get what Im trying to say here?  Church buildings are emptying faster and faster each day because Gods children cant always seem to get along and decide instead of thinking "what would Jesus do?" they do what the world says to do and thats to get angry, roll our eyes, gossip, hate, complain and every other thing that should just not be in a Christians vocabulary and run for the door.  This is the enemy doing a fine job at ripping apart congregations that could have done amazing advancement for Gods kingdom.  This is a perfect example and it happens far to often.  So I guess in the end I wanted to write this so that I could say that I really think it needs to be God that places you somewhere, not ourselves.  It may not look like what we thought it was to look like, but its where God wants us, for this time in our lives, and when we are where God wants us, then God will use it to his perfect plan and it will do amazing things for you, and/or the people around you. 

Understanding God will be my comfort in childbirth

We are hitting our last trimester... Where did the time go.  In the words of my friend Daisy Im going to need my own postal code soon, I feel this little girl is running out of room in there, Im starting to see elbows poking out and you can really feel her kick.  Its a truly amazing blessing to feel a life growing inside you.  I have very much enjoyed carrying this girl, and as she begins to get bigger and we hit the home stretch of only 12 more weeks (which will happen super fast Im sure), I realize that the time for birth is coming soon. 

I started looking into water births yesterday.  Started to talk to moms who have been there about the pros and the cons.  Started reading lots and lots.  The cons started to outweigh the pros in our case.  Would there be room in our house for a birthing tub? (We are planning to have her at home)  Would there be time?  Is it what I really really want to do?  "Birthing plans"  can be overwhelming.  This labour will be different because it is a new experience, a new birth.  My three previous births were all very different from eachother.  A Mother can never fully prepare for labour, and Im sure it never ever goes 100% according to the plan.  But I cant help but try and figure it out. 

 

So then I laid in bed, almost stressed out about this birth and it was like God said "You have allowed me to take care of this pregnancy thus far, I will take care of your labour as well."

And the more I think about it, I dont want to make anything other than God my comfort measure, my "epidural" my "birthing tub".  There is no subsitute for God.  He is our comforter, our provider, our sheild.  He's madly in love with His children and ofcourse that means even during birth!  For myself and this child inside, He is fully capable of taking control. 

So I begin approaching this different. I planned on having worship music playing, Scripture near by and in my heart, definatly prayer, but these things I never put in the place of PRIORITY during birth.  Up until last night they were secondary.  But God wants to be first.

He wants me to seek Him continually. 1 Chronicles 16:11 says Search the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him (NLT).  That means all the time.  Even during contractions, during transition, during things that may go wrong.  To never panic

(Philippians 4:6-7), or feel as if I cannot do it, because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)

I understand Gods power, I understand what He has poured out for me, and that Holy Spirit dwells within me and I have the ability to approach God with anything.  He see's the begining to the end.  There are no surprises.  He's already gotten it all under His control.  He is bigger.  It all comes down to trust.

So this is where I put down my stress about birth, about how its going to go down.  What position I wanna be in, where I wanna be in the home, and lay this birth down at God's feet, like I did with the pregnancy and say "have Your way Lord."  24 hours of stressing out about a birth I ultimatly in the end have little control over was 24 hours too long.  Time to shift it over to the One who gave birth to the entire universe, and allow Him to comfort me while brining Tehillah into the world. 

Praise for Jesus- Walk with Him Wednesday

I used to write songs when I was a teenager, about being angry at the world, how nothing mattered.  I would scream into a microphone random rage.  Amplifers were cranked, distortion full blast. 

I have a very hard time writing for Jesus.  I dont know if its just because the journals and journals of music I wrote before were so angry, or what it is.  I have picked up my guitar on more than one occasion in my walk with Christ.  I have sang many songs that are not my own.  The past little while I felt Jesus nudging me to just play.  To play and sing to Him, about Him, about my walk.  Everytime I attempted too I got discouraged.  Our 12 string has strings missing, goes out of tune so very often... (kinda sounds like me some days)

Evenings after the kids go to bed, I usually put on worship music, new and old, and just relax. 

This past Friday night I was trying to learn a song on the guitar, and it wasnt working, I decided that I would play random notes and remembering Ann's post from this day,  I realized that in this moment could be time for worship.   It didnt all flow perfect at times, but I felt such a presence of our Lord. Even in the parts I edited out, where I didnt even know what to say, It felt right.   I wanted to share some of it with you. 

Our Church received a program for my daughters class to talk about worship.  I found this out on Sunday.  I thought, how funny is this that something that has been on my heart is now also going to be taught in her class!  We can really start to have conversations on it.  She was up in her room Monday with our guitar, writing songs for Jesus.  Just songs on how wonderful He has been to her, just regular conversations of thanks.  So simple and beautiful.  They just flowed.  She knows no chords, she doesnt know exactically how to hold this big instrument in her six year old hands,

 but it was still beautiful praise...

This is I think where worship is at for me right now.  To be free in it, to be free in Christ to raise my hands if I feel the urge, to kneel, to dance and laugh or cry and weap.  Worship has so many emotions in it.  They are not just melodies and lyrics, there is feeling and prayer to them as well.  If we are just harmonizing with those around us, but not focused on bringing glory to Christ, then are we doing it right?  I love it when the harmonizing is between me and Jesus.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ~ Colossians 3:16

Not everyone sings on key, or can play even a beat.  Some people sing quiet, or belt it out. Some with hymn books, others with projection screens and new music, some original, some inspired, some with drums and electric guitar, others with organ and piano.  I dont think it matters.  Singing in your car, singing in the shower, humming as you lull young ones to sleep.  All of it can be praise to God.  It doesnt matter how you sound to those around you... it matters though that you are doing it for HIM.  I think thats what He has been trying to show me

My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. ~ Psalm 71:23



Let all the trees of the forest sing for joy!

I am a huge tree hugger. Big on nature.  I love moss between my toes,  the crisp smell of autumn as we are collecting leaves... I must joke every autumn that if I could bottle the smell of Fall I would wear it all year.   We live a "crunchy" lifestyle when we are able too.  I feel God's presence in nature.  Not that He is the nature, but that He has given it to us to show His beauty and strength. 

When the wind blows I feel how amazing it feels, I admire the fact that His Spirit feels even better than that. 

When its just about to rain... and theres that amazing scent in the air, He must smell even better than that. 

When the sun is shining in the summer and its that perfect day... His presence when we meet Him face to face, it will feel even better than that. 

When Im out barefoot running I pray as I go through paths in the bush, down the bike trails along the river and creeks.  I thank Him for creating such beauty.  As I look at the trees and how tall they grow, its just amazing to me. The branches pruned and trunks knotted...years of change, growth, repair, bending, rising.   My son has taken a fascination with the tree's latley, hugging almost every single one as we go by.  Looking up high into their branches (as you can see to the right)  and going "WOW!"  Its so adorable.  To think God created these mightly oaks and the tiny ants that crawl up its trunk.  To think all this remains rooted as the earth spins at around 1,670 Km an hour.  I remain rooted in Christ as I sit in awe of all that He made. As the creek bubbles and flows whispering "This is nothing, just wait till you see what He has for us in eternity."    I love teaching them about how our Lord created all of this and we need to respect it, keep it lush and green so future generations can enjoy it as well.  He has created such a balance we should try hard to respect.  Jean E Syswerda had this poem I discovered in my Womens Devotional Bible and I came across it last fall.  I really love it.  All these noises of nature, praises to Him.  I love dancing and singing to these melodies, giving thanks. 

 

Where do we get off... (meditating on talent television)

Sitting here tonight, a certain television show on our tv.  These are shows I normally enjoy, they are normally shows that I would giggle at the people who go on who arent exactically talented to our eyes.  But I really feel this gut check happening latley saying "where do you get off laughing at people who are truly doing something they love?" 
Someone sings off key, someone doesnt dance like a professional, and they get laughed at, boo'd, thrown off.  I understand these shows are to find the best of the best.  But really, what is the best?  This is the worlds view of best.  This hurts a lot of people who are doing something they love.  And we sit and judge them, call them idiots, cant wait for them to stop and go home.  Cheer when they go home.   Is this right? Am I all alone on this?  This is what our world strives on people?  Is this what Christ wants? 

I know Christ changes people, in every detail, maybe He's working in me with this, I just sit here so confused at what Im thinking.  It seems every week there is a new show on judging peoples talents.  And all of a sudden it doesnt sit well with me.   Lets talk about this shall we?

How simple it is to be a follower of Christ

This has been on my heart to make a blog post about this for a while, not exactically sure why, but I feel like God wants me to post this stuff so here it goes <3 

When I became a Christian after following different religions for about 7ish years of my life, I thought "jeez this is going to be hard. All these rules, this big HUUUGE boring book that Im going to have to read to try and understand... Im loosing control over my life.  I wont be able to do the things I want to do."  I struggled for a long time in my faith in Christ... not because its hard to love Him, I find it quite easy to love the living God who died for me and gave me His Spirit and everlasting life. 

I had a hard time for a while believing that Christ is the ONLY way to God, that its being a follower of Jesus that is giving us eternal life... I had a hard time with that.  But it is said much more than once through the Bible. 

Jesus says in John 14:6  (The Message version)

 "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!"

also in Acts 4:12 (New International Version)

 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

The first few years in my walk with Christ - I have been a Christian for 6 years, were hard, I would hear a lot of things that would stick, but I may not have really chewed on them or tried to understand fully.   I had amazing Christian people around me willing to answer my questions and that was fantastic. 

The past I'd say 3 years have been my most amazing Christian years so far.  I WANT to read God's Word.  The words that are not just guidelines, but the words Holy Spirit spoke through these people, to teach us God's love.  There isnt a time that I read the Bible that I dont get something out of it now, because I am fully putting my trust in God that he is Truth.  Before it was so hard, I didnt trust Him.  Boy, what a difference it makes. To listen for Him as I am reading.  Its so awesome.

Someone once said to me "How can you go from a faith that is so fun looking, to a faith that you sit in Church and sing hymns and listen to some guy talk for an hour?  I couldnt do that.  No way."

My walk with Christ has been so not boring, its different every day.  I see God not only in Scripture, I see Him in everthing that grows from the earth, His creation He gave to us to take care of and enjoy.  I feel God in myself because He has given us Holy Spirit within us that gives us a power I still dont fully appreciate to the fullest in my opinion and I have been really praying that God will help me understand His Spirit more and more each day.  I hear Him when I hear His word spoken.  I feel Him tons during worship time, feel His Spirit pour over the Church with such a feeling of Love I have never felt anywhere else so strong.  I have heard Him in so many ways and could share many moments,  the way God speaks to us is so diverse. He speaks to us in ways that work perfect for us.  And when God speaks, you KNOW its God. 

And to be honest, people reading this who havent experienced God's Love to its fullest wont get it.  You want to experience it, start looking at your local Churches, find the one that is right for your needs as a follower of Jesus Christ.  You may need to go to one, or two , three or four till you find the one that you feel at home in.  It might be a hop skip and a jump from your home or across town.  Some Churches can be more traditional, or really up beat and vibrant, or somewhere in between.  The importance is to find the one that works for you and your family.  I think that surrounding yourself with people who also walk in faith is so important because you are going to have questions and if you dont have anyone to ask about them and even help you in your learning, then you may struggle in your walk with Christ as your Saviour.  

Being a Christian isnt hard, and it isnt throwing your "fun life away", heard that one many times!  What have you got to loose really?  A life where you have a God who loves you so much, who died for you, wants to have a relationship with you constantly, to speak to you and allows you to speak to Him anytime!  All that is required is that you accept Him as your saviour and to walk a life that reflects His forgiving unfailing Love.  You dont have to understand everything, He'll show you everything He wants you to understand as time goes by.  His timing is perfect!  Im the furthest thing I think from being religious as I can be if that makes sense. Jesus is my Saviour. I am a follower of Christ.  Its a relationship. 

!!!Easter!!!

Easter is coming, and I have been in complete awe of what Jesus did for all of us.  The fact that He became human, so He could come and die for us... to be prosecuted, spit on, ignored, laughed at, bullied, beaten, bloodied to a point that when hanging on the cross you would have to look a second time to see if He was human.... 
Gross I know, but thats the facts of Christs death.  Our pastor said it right when he said that the Passion of the Christ comes no where near to show what He went through... for all of us. 

To think, He thought of you, He thought of me, He thought of our children, our childrens children as he hung there on the cross.  To give us eternal life with Him. 

Now some may say thats insane, to believe in Jesus Christ. That some Churches, the people who claim themselves to be Christians, have so corrupted Christianity to make it what they want.

Some may say that the Bible has been so messed up and changed that you dont know what to believe.  I believe that the Bible gives us very very important teachings of Christ and His life, the words God spoke to people from the beginning of time.  Are there parts of the Bible missing?  I bet there is, but does that make me dismiss the whole thing, not a chance! I love reading my Bible, I love listening to the stories of the living God who chose to save the world no matter what mistakes we make. The teachings of unfailing, forgiving, love.  No matter what stupid things I do, or did.  He loves all of us.  We just need to trust Him in that. Fully. 

I was approached about believing in Holy Spirit recently, that it seems insane to believe God lives inside us.  But I tell you the first time you "get it"  its a moment you never forget.  To know that we have been given this amazing blessing from God, to have His Love living within us that is more powerful than any "good vibe".  That is more wall breaking than any protest will ever be.  I will never need a single tool in my home to reach this power of Christ. I do not need to find the proper source to get results. He is INSIDE me.  Holy Spirit was given to me the moment I asked Jesus into my heart! 

I wasnt a Christian my whole life, as a child I attended programs once a week, but we never attended Church regularily. As a teenager I left Christianity all together, went a total different route.  I would fight and fight for things to go the way I wanted too.  I found Christ as a Mother as I experienced the birth of my daughter, I "got" Him in that moment. But it was still a long process in getting to know Christ as a friend, and not just what I believed Christianity was.  I no longer had to fight and fight to have things go the way I wanted too. I give my desires to Christ, and let Him do what was best for me... and you know what. He has NEVER gone wrong.  I look back and just smile ear to ear in amazment. Our God is an Awesome God. To be able to just pray to Him anytime, anywhere and He hears me. 

While some people think following Jesus is too complicated.  Please hear me when I say how can showing Love to all, forgiving all, and following the one who died for You be complicated.  Dont think about the tithes and offerings right now, please dont look at the big huge massive Cathedrals right now or the corruption in the Church... the politics...just think about Christ and what he spoke.  What He did for you so you could have eternal life.  A freedom from all the hatred in this world.  If we all showed forgiveness to ALL, and loved ALL... do you think the world would be like it is today? 

I hope everyone's Easter is filled with revelation, blessings, good food and most importantly love.

Stuck in the mud

The past few days I have felt like I have been stuck in the mud.  Worried about something that I really have no control over and yet I find myself constantly all day thinking about it.  And yet Jesus tells us not to worry in Luke 12 ~~

²² Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

   ²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰ For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.  (NIV)

I am a bit obsessive over things and until I understand a situation fully, I am almost in a silent panic mode..sometimes not so silent. 

I know God doesnt give us anything we cant handle. Paul tells us: "God is faithful, and He will not let you be tested beyond your strength but with your testing He will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it".

God has got my back. 

In reality, logically, I should give my worries to God. Because He will and does take care of them. I have seen it happen many many times before.  He has answered my prayers, healed what needed to be healed and provided for us what we needed to be provided for. But when its the BIG things going on, I give it to Him, then take it back. Give it to Him... hear what He has to say, get impaitient and then do my own thing.  GAH so frustrating. 

Im sure others of you can relate.  And He knows that I am like this too and is probably sitting up in Heaven going "oooo Candace, you silly girl. Just go to bed, no worries. I got it, trust me." 

I need to get out of the mud, give it to God, and leave it... walk away from it till I feel God telling me it is time.

Jesus our comforter

This past week our household has been loaded with sickness. Today our boys are finally starting to sit up, colour, sing, and EAT even just the littlest amounts! Whatever flu bug was romping around looks like for them, its on its way out. Last night I started to feel a bit under the weather and was thanking God for not letting me be sick while they were at their worst! Today, Im feeling still a bit not quite 100%, and I hope that God will just protect me from the illness because theres just so much a Mom has to do!!!!


Yesterday I was giving one of the boys a bath and as I sat there watching him just so tired and weak I was thinking of how Jesus takes care of us in this way. He is our comforter! Just as parents are there for a sick child, to bathe them and hug them and nurse them back to health, Jesus is there for us through our sickness when we call to Him for help.  I just think its so amazing! I have seen Him do this so many times in my household alone, He is just so awesome it makes me smile ear to ear! 


In the NLT version of the Bible, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

Have a fantastic day everyone!

Hungry for the word of God???

Okay... I know I have said I want my children to be hungry for the word of God... but seriously, I didnt mean it like this!!!!!!

This is my youngest son, Zayden-William Thomas, who is two. He's quite the character and even at his young age I understand how important to share with him what I know about God and what the Bible says. We do daily devotions that are geared towards children and are easy and fun to understand. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6 ~ Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(NIV)~

But I keep telling him, "if you eat your Bible... we wont be able to read it!"...maybe thats another good reason for memorizing scripture!!!!