Breaking away from the standard format of this blog, I'm going to be very real for a few moments with those reading this. Last week I was asked how I knew Jesus loved me. I gave a silly answer, but in reality a very truth-filled answer. My reply was "just look at me", I said with a smile. The group laughed and told me perhaps I needed help with my confidence. Funny thing happened this week, I began to really focus on that question... how do I know that Jesus loves ME?
I could give the "righteous" response and say because the Bible tells me so. It goes deeper than that, well at least it does for me. I've know that Christ has loved me from the time I was about 5 years old. Some may think that I really couldn't have understand the depths of God's love at that point...but I can honestly say today, that even at that early age, I knew without doubt that I was loved by a very big God and that I was safe in His care.
Without even knowing what seed she was planting, my Aunt who I adored (still do), took me to church on a Easter Sunday all dressed up...white gloves and all... for the special Easter program, I think it was primarly for the Easter Egg hunt that was going on that day. :) What she never knew and may still to this day not know, was that I found out about a Savior who died on a cross for me that day and I began praying His protection over my life and over my brothers eventually. I know that He heard each and everyone of those prayers from a little girl who didn't really know who He was, but He knew me.
Ask me how I know Jesus loves me?
When I was around 6 weeks old, the doctors told my very young mother that more than likely I wouldn't make it and if I did I'd never walk nor talk and would be mentally retarded. My brothers swear they got the last one right. I could share stories from my childhood that most would find hard to listen to, but God was listening. I had a "guidance counselor" in High School that called me into his office after hearing of my home life thinking that he'd see a girl walk in his door that was a total mess and instead found a very strong, intelligent, poised young lady who knew Jesus loved her. I could share how angels protected me that year in a car accident that could have turned deadly or later into adulthood how heartache and a close call to going home to be with Jesus occurred with the doctors informing my family that had I waited to seek help another 30 minutes I would have died. I could share all of that and some of you would sit and wonder how through all of that did I know Jesus loved me and my response would be, because He brought me through each moment with a purpose and a plan over my life.
He could have just allowed me home to be with Him as that small baby but He chose to leave me with my Mom and blessed me with an extended family that nurtured me and loved me so immensely. He could have allowed me to fall into the traps of life, blaming all around me for the hard times as a young girl and turning to the things of this world, but instead He placed incredible people in my life to set examples for me and to help me look beyond the pain and see the blessings. He could have allowed me to die 6 weeks before my son passed away, leaving my son to face his final days without his mother to hold him as he took his last breath on his own but God saved me to be there to rock my little man when his request was "Mommy, hold me". See that's how I know Jesus loves me... He could have never died on that cross, He could have allowed me to bare all of the hard times of life on my own and not given me the love of friends and family. He could have said that all my sins weren't worth the effort... but He didn't. He loved me and claimed me as HIS own and has been by my side each step of life through the good and the bad.
Some may be saying, well if He loved you so much why did He let you go through all of it? That's the interesting twist. He knew who I needed to be today to plant the very seed that my Aunt did all those years ago. I needed His heart to have a heart for others in pain and chaos. Today I thank Him for seeing me through and for teaching me His love, showing me His heart, so that I can share that with others.
Ask yourself today, How do I know Jesus loves me? You might find the answer deeper than you'd first respond.
Blessings,
Heather
Monday, January 24, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Trust, Jeremiah 17:7-8
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
I think this is the hardest part of my journey, to trust, and yet it's one of the most important things in my faith walk. I believe that I struggle not because God has ever let me down but because others in life have disappointed or have broken my heart. Sometimes it's me that I find hard to trust. Our Father tells us in His word to place our trust in Him, why do you think that is? Maybe because He already knew that we'd let one another down or that we'd let ourselves down. Somehow we turn those times into excuses for not trusting in the God who brought us into existence, who came in the form of man just to save us and who continues to show us grace and mercies each day even when we deserve the least.
Recently my Pastor in a sermon said "why do we worry when God already has been to our tomorrow". That hit me so hard and really drove home to me that I have absolutely nothing to fear or worry about in this life because my God, the God who loves everything about me (even the broken parts) made me who I am. He has already taken care of my tomorrow and does that for me each and every new day.
We are God's beloved, in Him we can place our trust and be confident in the moments to come because His word has told us so and because He has shown us time and time again. His word has told us that He has a plan, a hope and future for each of us. This world can let us down, our family, our friends... they all can disappoint us but we have Jesus who will never foresake us. In Him can we place our trust. Our currency says in God we trust, if only we could really begin to do that, starting with ourselves, to be a nation that again trusts in the power of the Father.
How many times have you turned something over to God just to take it back and think you can do it on your own? Where is your trust? Maybe it's time to let it go, to fully turn your life over to God and see what He wants for your life. Maybe it's time to be mighty oaks planted by the waters, growing deep roots in faith and trust that the Living Water will never run dry instead of pine trees who easily blow over because their roots are too shallow to sustain the gusty winds.
Blessings,
Heather
I think this is the hardest part of my journey, to trust, and yet it's one of the most important things in my faith walk. I believe that I struggle not because God has ever let me down but because others in life have disappointed or have broken my heart. Sometimes it's me that I find hard to trust. Our Father tells us in His word to place our trust in Him, why do you think that is? Maybe because He already knew that we'd let one another down or that we'd let ourselves down. Somehow we turn those times into excuses for not trusting in the God who brought us into existence, who came in the form of man just to save us and who continues to show us grace and mercies each day even when we deserve the least.
Recently my Pastor in a sermon said "why do we worry when God already has been to our tomorrow". That hit me so hard and really drove home to me that I have absolutely nothing to fear or worry about in this life because my God, the God who loves everything about me (even the broken parts) made me who I am. He has already taken care of my tomorrow and does that for me each and every new day.
We are God's beloved, in Him we can place our trust and be confident in the moments to come because His word has told us so and because He has shown us time and time again. His word has told us that He has a plan, a hope and future for each of us. This world can let us down, our family, our friends... they all can disappoint us but we have Jesus who will never foresake us. In Him can we place our trust. Our currency says in God we trust, if only we could really begin to do that, starting with ourselves, to be a nation that again trusts in the power of the Father.
How many times have you turned something over to God just to take it back and think you can do it on your own? Where is your trust? Maybe it's time to let it go, to fully turn your life over to God and see what He wants for your life. Maybe it's time to be mighty oaks planted by the waters, growing deep roots in faith and trust that the Living Water will never run dry instead of pine trees who easily blow over because their roots are too shallow to sustain the gusty winds.
Blessings,
Heather
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Strength, Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Many times we battle and try to overcome things in life that we just seem unable to get beyond. It's during those times that we realize that we are relying on our own strengths, our owns gifts and talents and our own will and not that of our Father. We as a culture are so quick to think we can handle and master any and all things only to find that there is only room for one master and we aren't Him.
God tells us that He will uphold us in His righteous right hand, whose hand better can we be in to overcome our trails and our battles? There are lessons and growing times for each of us, sometimes those times are what we think we simply cannot surmount because we try to do it alone. We do have the power within ourselves...but its not "our" power it's that of the sweet Holy Spirit dwelling and living in us that gives us the strength, the wisdom and sometimes the perserverance to move forward.
Other times the power is the Holy Spirit dwelling within our brother or sister, in that time we learn to trust and lean on one another in this journey of life. God never designed us to walk alone, He Himself never wanted to be alone and we are created in His very image.
Today God is reminding you that your strength comes from Him, trust in that, turn to that and press onward knowing that He isn't a God who fails but a God who sees us through each moment. When the battle seems too hard and no victory possible, remember who has you in His hand. Remember today who has your name on the palm of that hand, who knows your very name and each strand of hair on your head...that's how much God knows and is a part of you.
What battle today are you fighting that you have been trying to fight alone? Will you choose today to let go and let God take over so that you find comfort and joy again and grow in the lesson that you needed to learn from this moment of time?
Blessings,
Heather
Many times we battle and try to overcome things in life that we just seem unable to get beyond. It's during those times that we realize that we are relying on our own strengths, our owns gifts and talents and our own will and not that of our Father. We as a culture are so quick to think we can handle and master any and all things only to find that there is only room for one master and we aren't Him.
God tells us that He will uphold us in His righteous right hand, whose hand better can we be in to overcome our trails and our battles? There are lessons and growing times for each of us, sometimes those times are what we think we simply cannot surmount because we try to do it alone. We do have the power within ourselves...but its not "our" power it's that of the sweet Holy Spirit dwelling and living in us that gives us the strength, the wisdom and sometimes the perserverance to move forward.
Other times the power is the Holy Spirit dwelling within our brother or sister, in that time we learn to trust and lean on one another in this journey of life. God never designed us to walk alone, He Himself never wanted to be alone and we are created in His very image.
Today God is reminding you that your strength comes from Him, trust in that, turn to that and press onward knowing that He isn't a God who fails but a God who sees us through each moment. When the battle seems too hard and no victory possible, remember who has you in His hand. Remember today who has your name on the palm of that hand, who knows your very name and each strand of hair on your head...that's how much God knows and is a part of you.
What battle today are you fighting that you have been trying to fight alone? Will you choose today to let go and let God take over so that you find comfort and joy again and grow in the lesson that you needed to learn from this moment of time?
Blessings,
Heather
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Commitment, Part II
Proverbs 16:3, Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans WILL succeed.
As we move from 2010 to 2011 I'm sure many of us are reflecting on the past and wondering what the future has to hold. What will 2011 be like? What will it bring for us, for our family or our friends? Will the year bring prosperity or will this be a year of tough times? I'm praying that we all learn to be simply grateful for this day and for the opportunities that it affords us whether it be a day of joy or of sorrow for each are merely a season in itself.
I read an email this past week that reminded me that in all things there is a reason. I know this but sometimes I need a different way to be reminded that this life that I lead is not my own but that was purchased for me on the cross 2000 years ago. A debt was settled on behalf long before I entered my mother's womb, a debt was settled for you in the same way. Jesus Christ already performed the ultimate "unfair" act by sacrificing His life so that we can have life eternal.
The past month or so I've been hearing a lot of people talk about this past year and how unfair so many things were. The word unfair almost makes me ill. Where is it written that things will be fair? Life isn't about being fair, its about living your life as an instrument of love to one another. If we focus on sharing that love and giving that love away, the whole concept of "fair" seems so ridiculous. Too often we waste time comparing our lives to what others have or are doing that we fail to see the blessings right in front of us that have been there all along. So and So got the better job, the nicer home, the more expensive car... the list can go on and on. But why are we spending our time focusing on what So and So have instead of focusing on the salvation of those around us and perhaps our very own salvation?
There have been many times that I too have thought that just isn't fair. When I spent those two years in the cancer wards watching my son fight his cancer and all the other children there braving their battles, I thought God this is so unfair... why? Or I hear of the cruelty towards the children of our world as they are being sold as slaves and prostitutes or being starved or treated worse than the dirt they walk upon... I think, Father... that is so unfair. But the reality is that it's tragic, yes, but no one said that life would be fair. The good news however, is that on the other side of life... the eternal life, the one that lasts beyond seasons... there God will bless those that continued to believe in Him even while on this side of life, it wasn't "fair".
What is your commitment level today? Are you committed to the Lord in whatever you do? Are you looking to see what 2011 brings you or are you looking forward to what you can bring to 2011 to the lives of others?
Blessings,
Heather
As we move from 2010 to 2011 I'm sure many of us are reflecting on the past and wondering what the future has to hold. What will 2011 be like? What will it bring for us, for our family or our friends? Will the year bring prosperity or will this be a year of tough times? I'm praying that we all learn to be simply grateful for this day and for the opportunities that it affords us whether it be a day of joy or of sorrow for each are merely a season in itself.
I read an email this past week that reminded me that in all things there is a reason. I know this but sometimes I need a different way to be reminded that this life that I lead is not my own but that was purchased for me on the cross 2000 years ago. A debt was settled on behalf long before I entered my mother's womb, a debt was settled for you in the same way. Jesus Christ already performed the ultimate "unfair" act by sacrificing His life so that we can have life eternal.
The past month or so I've been hearing a lot of people talk about this past year and how unfair so many things were. The word unfair almost makes me ill. Where is it written that things will be fair? Life isn't about being fair, its about living your life as an instrument of love to one another. If we focus on sharing that love and giving that love away, the whole concept of "fair" seems so ridiculous. Too often we waste time comparing our lives to what others have or are doing that we fail to see the blessings right in front of us that have been there all along. So and So got the better job, the nicer home, the more expensive car... the list can go on and on. But why are we spending our time focusing on what So and So have instead of focusing on the salvation of those around us and perhaps our very own salvation?
There have been many times that I too have thought that just isn't fair. When I spent those two years in the cancer wards watching my son fight his cancer and all the other children there braving their battles, I thought God this is so unfair... why? Or I hear of the cruelty towards the children of our world as they are being sold as slaves and prostitutes or being starved or treated worse than the dirt they walk upon... I think, Father... that is so unfair. But the reality is that it's tragic, yes, but no one said that life would be fair. The good news however, is that on the other side of life... the eternal life, the one that lasts beyond seasons... there God will bless those that continued to believe in Him even while on this side of life, it wasn't "fair".
What is your commitment level today? Are you committed to the Lord in whatever you do? Are you looking to see what 2011 brings you or are you looking forward to what you can bring to 2011 to the lives of others?
Blessings,
Heather
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