Thursday, December 4, 2008

Nuther good one...

I promise I'm not going to turn this blog into a nightly "talk about my devotion" time. It's just right now I feel like I'm waking up from a deep sleep. I'm excited that God is talking to me again...or rather...I'm excited that I'm able to HEAR Him again. Anyhoo...just wanted to share this:

"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11

Your joy is not based on your circumstances. Happiness may be based on what is happening to you, but not joy. Joy - a fruit of the Spirit - is like a deep well on the inside of you. It is not the fruit of your circumstance. No matter what you are facing in life, you can have joy in the midst of it. - From JM's Ending Your Day Right

It's not like these are new words to me. I've been a Christian for a long time. I've heard these things over and over. But, what awes me is that God knows just when you need to really hear these things. If I'd read that passage, say, last month...it wouldn't mean as much as it does to me today. Today...I'm excited to remember that I can have joy even though I'm going through some real crap right now. Yay!

One more thing...

"Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mmmm I get high with a little help from my friends. Oh I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends." - The Beatles

hehe.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

God's Peace. Like Calgon...only eleventy billion times better.


Things have been stressful lately. Work is so stressful that I'm working 10 hour days and having crying fits. My personal life...even worse. I've been freaking over some things this week. So bad that I've had to pull out the trusty old xanax just so I could calm down enough to sleep. This morning, I was so panicked that I could barely function. So, I prayed. "Please God. I need a miracle..."

On the way to work I thought, "Why do I keep doing this to myself?!" And by "this" I mean, separating myself from God. ABB, like you, I've been struggling with this. For three long years I've been moving further and further away. And for three long years, I've seen my life stagnate. I know what I need to do to make things right, but I'm lazy and I'm the queen of avoidance. Avoiding the physical (for lack of a better word) issues and the spiritual issues. Well, I avoid until I need a miracle. Then who's the first one I call on? God. I'm disgusted with myself for taking advantage of Him.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I did get my miracle today. And it came thru a friend...Jiff. Thanks pal.

The whole reason I'm really writing this blog is so I could talk about what I just read. You see as I was getting ready for bed, I decided I needed to get back in the Word. My life really has suffered since I stopped reading my Bible and praying...just spending time with and learning from God. So, I thought I'd start easy. Baby steps. I pulled the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer off of my bookshelf. I opened it to December 3rd and this is what it said:

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Jesus knew he was about to pass from this world and He wanted to leave us something. He could have left any number of good things, like His power and His name, and He did. But He also left us His peace. Jesus had a special kind of peace that surpassed anything mankind had ever known. He knew it was one of the most precious things He could give. Ask for and receive your inheritance tonight!

Um...........HELLO!
God knew I needed to read those EXACT words tonight. Earlier today I was praying for a miracle. God gave me one. And now he wants to remind me that he has also given me peace. I just need to receive it.