God’s voice

by Sally Green

God’s voice whispers in my ear:  ”Slow down”
…  but there is so much to do, and there isn’t any time.
I hear:  ”Sit quietly and pray.”

God’s voice whispers to my heart: “Give more”
… but there is no money left to give away.
I hear: “Give first and pray.”

God’s voice whispers to my soul: “Be someone”
… but it is not my fault, I can’t catch a break.
I hear: “Stop blaming others and pray.”

God’s voice whispers in the wind: “Be the light”
… but what if others don’t listen, who am i?
I hear: “You are a child of God, pray”

God’s voice whispers in the night: “Don’t be afraid”
… but there are so many obstacles in my way,
so much sadness and heartache.
I hear: “I am with you, pray.”

Who moved the stone?

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.    Mark 16: 1-8 

 

The stone was such a powerful symbol for the women as they walked to the tomb.  How would they move the stone? How would get they get past this obstacle, this symbol of death and ending and anoint the body? Who was going to roll away the stone?

But then they arrived at the tomb. The stone is already moved from the opening. How did that happen, what did it mean? What does this moved stone represent now? They looked inside the opening to the tomb, and sitting before them was a man who told them that Jesus had risen. The place where Jesus’ body lay was empty.

What did the moved stone mean?  The moved stone symbolized the resurrection, new life, and the fulfillment of all their dreams and expectations.  It is true that the fulfillment did not come in the manner they expected.  God often moves in unexpected ways.  Who moved the stone for them?  God did.  God did what they could not do.  God moved the stone and that moved stone represents a new relationship with God.  The moved stone means a new life, in a new day, in a new way.

What obstacles are in the way of achieving our goals?  Trust that God will help us conquer them.  When we look at the moved stone we see the opportunity for a new day.  We see the opportunity to look at life differently. We see the resurrection as a new beginning.  Today is the Lord’s Day.  Let’s praise him, thank him, love him, and put our faith in him and allow him to help us move away the stone and all obstacles in our way to reach our destination.

You are the Light of the world

How easy is it for us to focus on our problems and descend into darkness? How easy is it, in this economy, to worry about our finances?  How easy is it to blame others, to be depressed when our relationships seem out of kilter, How easy is it to complain about our health problems?

But we are to be the light of the world!  We are to look to the light, to concentrate on the positive things in life.  We are to count our blessings; to thank god for the money we do have, to be grateful for the people in our life that we love, to appreciate the sunshine and the spring buds peeking out of the snow.

Are you peering down into darkness or looking up to the light.  Are you focusing on your worries or your blessings?  Because what your search for, what you focus on you will find.

A vulture will fly over a field and when he looks down, he sees death and destruction, he sees rotting meat; and he sees sick and dying animals that he can come back for later. He sees what was, what was past, and he finds it because that’s what he is looking for.  That’s what vultures thrive on.  However, a hummingbird will fly over the same exact field and the same exact time and see vibrant fragrant blossoms, He’ll see a field filled with green luscious plants and trees coming alive with new buds, the hummingbird is searching for what is, seeking new life and finding freshness and new blooms to visit.  Each bird finds exactly what they’re looking for.  We all do.  What are you focusing on? Are you looking at the dark side of life … or are you concentrating on what is New and Exciting?

Jesus says we are the light of the world. We were meant to shine brightly and to allow our light to be seen by others.  Do not hide or cover up your light.

Today, you have a new beginning with Christ.  Being the light will lead to greater peace, a sense of joy and a lifetime of Gods grace.  You are valuable to God – right now! And God needs you to sprinkle the world with his love and to show others how to live with his presence.

You are the Salt of the Earth

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.  Matthew 5:13-16 

You have had the experience, I’m sure, you sit down to dinner and you take that first bite, only to discover that the cook left out the salt.  Or perhaps the doctor has ordered you on a salt-free diet.  Have you ever tried eating popcorn, French fries or pretzels without salt? They’re kinda bland.  Salt is such a little thing, such a common thing, that we take it for granted.  But how big it becomes when it isn’t there!

When Jesus was preaching the sermon on the mount, he looked at his disciples and said – “You are the salt of the earth… “

Salt was a very valuable commodity at the time Jesus walked the earth. In fact,  the Greeks called salt ‘Divine” and Roman solders were partially paid in salt.  I believe that Jesus was telling us how valuable we are to God, and to the world we live in.

Perhaps you do not see yourself as someone of value. In fact, you may think that you are unworthy, not valuable at all, but with these words, Jesus places a great value on you.  So take time today to step back and realize how valuable you are, to let yourself feel the spirit of God moving in your life; to stop, amid all the chaos of everyday life and smell the roses – count your blessings.  Because too many times we are so busy with our day to day activities that we forget how valuable we really are.

We use salt to give flavor to every possible kind of food, don’t we? Salt has a definite purpose.  Salt gives food flavor; and, if used properly, will make an otherwise bland meal taste great! We are to influence the world in which we live by giving flavor to it. Rather than walking around with sour looks on our faces, we are the ones who should be the first to smile – the first to show joy! We should be the life of the party!

Not only is salt valuable but it was important for survival because it was the only way they had to preserve meat.  They didn’t have the refrigeration that we do today, so salt was rubbed into the meat before it was stored because it helped prevent decay.  Does this mean that Jesus is telling us that we have the purpose of hindering the process of decay in our society?  I believe it does – especially with the people that we deal with everyday.

It’s not always easy to live a life on purpose, to say no to temptation, to do the right thing.  We all stumble and fall.  We all struggle with temptation – and doing the right can oftentimes be difficult.  But God is there for you, you will find an inner strength that you didn’t know existed.  You will notice that other followers will come to your rescue and you will be lifted up every time you fall.  You will become stronger, more confident and wiser with each right decision you make.  You will discover opportunities to help others who are going through what you have overcome.  This is part of our purpose; this is what being the salt of the earth is all about; helping & influencing others.  Do not step away from the path that God has put you on.  Become the salt of the earth and sprinkle the love of God on those who cross your path and on those who come to you seeking to know Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

One day at a time

  I seem to be saying this a lot lately… Sometimes life throws us a curve ball and we’re up to bat trying to figure out what happened and what to do next.  Our entire life can change in an instant … for the better or for the worse.  Many people I know are going through times of struggle, grief, mourning, stress and despair and I feel helpless, but I keep coming back to these 5 little words … One day at a time.

To all my family & friends struggling with grief … take it one day at a time. . . Celebrate the life of the one you have lost and cherish the good memories.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.   Matthew 5:4

Life continually has its twists and turns and we all go through storms ~ some are more fierce and scary than others~  We all deal with the tough times in our own way, but know this… you are not alone.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified 
because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; 
he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:5, 6

Sometimes the situation we are in is not something we are supposed to get over, it’s something we have to go through.  If we are open to it, in the process we may discover people we can count on, make new friends we would have never met otherwise, find an inner strength we never knew we had, or develop an appreciation for life we didn’t have before. 

God puts some people in our life to bring us comfort, joy, peace and love.  Look for those people in your life and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:18-31

Feel free to share your favorite memory of a loved one you have lost in the comment section below if you would like to.  Sometimes remembering the past helps us deal with the present and gives us hope for the future.

xoxox

Victoria

The tragedy that hit us this week was heart wrenching.  I watched the news of the shooting at Sandy Hook elementary School and learned that one of the members of our church was a victim of the attack.  Our church family was shaken to the core. And our hearts broke for this family and for all the families who lost their little angels and loved ones.

There are no words to describe the sorrow I am feeling. Hearing that Vicki shielded her classroom full of children and is being labeled a hero is of no surprise.  I have known this family for many years and all of the women in that family  I have had the pleasure of knowing, are inspiring, loving, and caring women who give their time and energy to helping others.

And so what do we do next?

We put our faith in God

Life isn’t easy, and sometimes it brings us disappointment and heartache.   When our faith is in Him, we know that He knows all about our problems and burdens, and we know also that He loves us and will give us everything to need to overcome our challenges.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,   Psalm 46:1-2

We pray… not only on our own, but in groups.

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.
Matthew 18:20

Prayer takes us beyond the limits, it steps over all the boundaries, it causes us to rise above the our challenges, and it helps us cope  - Because when we pray, we are connecting with the All-Powerful, All Mighty God.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  Mark 11:24

We Trust in him

In life…We will face times of difficulties and find ourselves in bad situations.  I believe that God takes those pains and blends them with His grace and finds a way to produce some good out of bad situations.  We may not understand it;  and we may not like it; but we must put our trust in God and believe that he will work all things together for our good.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5

We Cry together and comfort one another

Whenever there is a tragedy like this there will be tears.  There are tears from those directly affected and those who empathize.  We feel helpless and wish things were different.  Strength is the ability to rise up, even with teary eyes, and move forward.  We need to take time to be with those we love and allow ourselves to be comforted.  We need to give God time to act.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.  Psalm 46:10

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  John 14:1

count your blessings…

Let our hearts never get used to the miracles that happen around us & within us everyday. Let every sunrise, every flower, every smile, every raindrop and every child make us rejoice at the miracles in our lives.  Imagine that you are looking at the world for the first time.  Be in awe of everything you see, hear & feel.

You must learn … to accept yourself, to love yourself, to pamper yourself.

you must try … to enjoy yourself, to trust yourself, to believe in yourself.

you must be determined … to changed yourself, to educate yourself, to motivate yourself.

you must strive to … feel joy, feel happiness, feel successful, feel worthy.

And what about the miracle of being you, your thoughts, your breath, your spirit – you are exactly where you are supposed to be and you are beautiful in God’s eyes.  Stop beating yourself up and start lifting yourself up.

Discover an attitude of gratitude.  Find something to be thankful for and focus on that.  Picture things going your way.  Play your desired life- like a movie- in your head.  Declare what you want to happen.  Visualize a peaceful serene setting and smile.  Enjoy where you are right now.

Stop for a moment and enjoy this day.  Life is too short…. so stop worrying and start counting your blessings.  His love for you is more than you know or possibly could imagine.