Wishing I Could Love Like Jesus Loved

To Love Like Jesus Loved, Here is What I Need to do:

Accept Others, Just as Jesus Accepted Me.....
"Does this mean EVERYONE??"..... "What about that person talking negative about me, or constantly putting me down?"...."What about the neighbor, who constantly parks where they shouldn't and you know is just up to no good"....

Romans 15:7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory

There are a few people in my life that I need to learn to accept. I need to realize that not everyone will think, look, or act like I do. I need to know that I do not have to like what they do, but I should love them and accept them just as Jesus would.

Whats that saying "Keep your side of the street clean"
In this case, I should love others - if I show love to others I will receive love back.

If I can show someone around me 1 random act of love a day, this could become a regular occurrence for me. My goal is to reach out in love to one person a day to help spread the same love Jesus has for me.

Click here to listen to one of my favorite songs that goes in line with this post. I recommend listening to every lyric closely, this song has touched my heart since the first time I heard it and often brings tears to my eyes

Amazing Story - Lord...Make Me a Better Person

Today, on my way home from work - as I was irritated at the drivers around me
(see this blog posting by my friend to understand)

http://www.theresatrotter.com/2008/03/02/my-spiritual-diet-struggle/

I heard a wonderful story on the radio...

This story referenced a man who was victim to a horrible act of road rage by two brothers, and awarded 41K dollars for the brutal attack brought to him. This man then looked at the men that beat him in court on Tuesday and said "I forgive you" - Not only that (as if that wasn't enough) he continued to tell the court that he would take the 41K dollars and put it away for one of the mens two children. - OMG!

I heard this on the radio, and began to cry and pray while driving. I was frustrated at every person driving too slow around me, and couldn't believe my own thoughts at that moment about everyone.

I prayed for the Lord to make me more like this man, he offered forgiveness when I don't think I could have. He then offered their family the same money he was awarded by them, if I was awarded a large sum of money, my first thought would be my family and what we could do with that. I think my thoughts are close to everyone else, our first thoughts are always selfish "what will I do with this, how will myself or my family benefit?".

My prayer was to be less selfish, to give more to others, and to think more like the man in this story.

This story has touched my heart, and you can read it at this link:
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/57950707.html?index=1&c=y

Facing the Future

Facing the future (the unknowing) is one of the most scariest unsettleing things we go through. One of the many frustrations we have in life!

....No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future. - Ecclesiastes 10:14

GOD WANTS ME TO FACE THE FUTURE...

With Humility - God doesn't want us to know the future.
With Wisdom - Live with the reality of death and see the big picture.
With Patience - Live one day at a time
With Commitment - Stay in Gods truth

But..Most importantly:
With CONFIDENCE - TRUST GOD'S PROMISES

throughout the Bible God makes us 7,486 promises! How amazing is that! 7,486 promises to us, and everyone answered with a "YES!" from God!

Throughout the Bible God promises to...
Hear our prayers - Isiah 65:24
Be with us always - Mathew 28:20
Comfort us in the times of need - John 14:18
Turn our tragedies into triumphs - Romans 8:28
Never to give up on us when we make mistakes - Philippians 1:6
Reward us for being faithful - Mathew 16:27
Forgive our sins when we confess them - 1 John 1:9
Give guidance to those who seek it - James 1:5
Provide for all our physical and spiritual needs - Philippians 4:18
Someday put an end to all evil and death - Revelation 21:4

Wow..how amazing! With all of the promises God makes, out of all the 7,486 promises, why should we ever fear the future?

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

Bonds are Formed Through Rituals

Bonds are Formed Through Rituals


I have been pondering this statement for most of the afternoon. Someone said this to me, and at first I thought of my Fiance - I thought "Hmm, maybe we should have some sort of ritual, like going out on a date once a month". Then a few minutes later I thought "Hmm, my son...we currently have a ritual at bed time where we spend about an hour together every night before bed" I believe this ritual has created a bond between me and my son that makes our evenings together very special.

When you really stop and think about it, this is a wonderful saying - its completely true.

Later this evening - the more I pondered this saying, it clicked.

This is even more true when it comes to the Lord. I started asking myself "Have I made a ritual with the Lord of when I would actually pray, or do I just do this when its convenient for me?" What I mean is, I don't expect to make a ritual to get up every morning at 7am and pray, what I mean is....When I'm struggling or upset do I look to the Lord, or try to figure it out on my own? The same when things are going well...When I'm happy or feeling blessed, do I remember to look up and thank the Lord for everything he has given me? I know I'm not doing any of this, only when its convenient or I just happen to remember.

My mission this week...to make my time with the Lord a ritual!
For every smile: I will thank the Lord
For every meal: I will thank the Lord
When I am able to pay for something at the store: I will thank the Lord
For every morning: I will thank the Lord
For every afternoon: I will thank the Lord
For everything: I will thank the Lord

For every struggle: I will ask for help, and then thank the Lord for giving me strength to make it through.

I can think of a million reasons to talk to the Lord everyday, currently I'm not.

This week...I will!

How can expect to have a relationship or true bond with God when I'm only talking to him when it's convenient?

Locating my Mission

My first goal and mission is to be closer to God! I made the first step in this direction a couple months ago when I decided to be baptized at my local church. However, since I made that decision I feel like my faith has been pretty idle since - I mean, I go to Church on Sunday and Google scriptures that fit into the situation I am currently in, but.....have I honestly used any of it like I should? Probably not!

So, my new direction started last week. I was at wits end with my job, a job that I find possibly impossible to be a Christian in, when I called my friend Theresa. I called her to cry and worry to her about a possible job interview I had since I have been very actively looking for a new job. I called her at a loss, this job would have paid me half of what I make now and I would have worked 4 days a week - as great as the 4 days sound, it was the half the money that scared me to death. I spent that whole night trying to find ways to make this income work in my current life, I looked for ways to cut spending, items to sell, and contemplated eating Top Ramen to get by, all of this while in hysterical tears.

After all of this, something hit me...I realized that even though I currently work at an "impossible" job, currently I am here for a reason. Leaving this job for a new one that pays me way less money would only take one stress away and add another. What good would this be to my family? I then realized that the answer I have been looking for was hanging above my computer monitor the whole time, I looked up to see:

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer" - Romans 12:12

When I read this I realized I was doing the exact opposite of everything in this scripture. Yes, I'm currently miserable where I am at in my career, but - have I EVER been constant in prayer?? NO!! I have not! Instead I have sat around trying to find ways to get out of work until a job comes along that I can jump into, just to get out of the one I'm in. Is that being patient in tribulation?? NO! Not at all! At this time, I have decided to do my job the best that I can, to work like I'm working for the Lord - yes, I will still apply for every
job available online. But, I will take the right one, the one that doesn't hurt my family - because as long as I am patient the "right one" will come along. And, as long as I pray, God will show me the way.

The second thing I have decided to do is to find everyway possible to be closer to God. I have spent several hours the past couple of days, reading woman's blogs about what God has done in their life and have found many spiritual websites. Because of this, I have decided that instead of sitting here in my bedroom wondering what to do - I need to get out there, I need help from woman like those I have found online. I need help everyday to find ways to be closer to God! I need help in my everyday life struggles! I just plain need help!

So with this, my plan is to write about me finding my mission in life. My mission to help others, why others help me.

P.S - I am not a good writer, never have been. I think this is because my mind moves so darn fast - and my fingers just cannot keep up. But with that said, please have patience with what I write.