Month: March 2016

Christian growth

Don’t Swallow a Lie

RefreshHer2 Comments

I feel like I’m just not doing a good enough job.

I don’t feel like I know how to effectively minister to people.

Those words (and others like it) poured from my mouth yesterday.  I began preparing lunch while mulling over my  feelings.  Disgusted with myself, discouraged, and feeling like I should just go crawl back to bed, I stood at the counter and prepared veggie quesadillas for my husband and me.  The assembly had been done; now was the mindless task of grilling them on the stove.  My mind wandered back to my words, and the Spirit of God rebuked me, using His Word.  The verse He used was Philippians 4:8 – perhaps you have wisely memorized it:

 

If I feel something, does that make it true?  No.  So I had to remind myself of what I knew to be true.

  1. God works in me to will and do His good pleasure.  If He’s doing the work, then it’s good.  Period.  
  2. When I give someone the Word, it is always profitable – even if my own words are not.

I let it go.  I knew better than to hang onto my feelings, but here I was doing just that.  I had to shake my head at myself – just hours before I had given that very advice to someone else.  Now here I was having to tell myself the same thing!

If you’re using words today like,

  • “It seems like…”
  • “It appears…”
  • “I think…”
  • “I feel like…”
  • “She looks like she…”

Stop.  Run to Philippians 4:8 and tell yourself only the Truth rather than believing the lies the devil is feeding you!

I have to say, lunch was a whole lot sweeter without the bitterness of those lies in my heart!

Believe the truth, friend!

With love,

Christian Life · Prayer

The Little Pink Shoe Box

RefreshHer2 Comments

shoes

I had a fun day of shopping yesterday.  From Aldi’s to Kroger and Target, I meandered my way through my lists.  It was when I got to Target that something unexpected happened – my emotions got hijacked!

As I was walking through the store, I passed the children’s shoes and I saw a pink box, labeled, Sam & Libby. That box immediately took me back to the time that God provided shoes for our older daughter, as miraculously as when Jesus fed the 5,000 on the hillside.

When our girls were growing up, it seemed that finances were nearly always a huge issue (can you relate?!).   We home-schooled, so we had the expense of books and curriculum, as well as the normal expenses of doctor visits, dental bills, piano lessons, insurance…you get the picture.  If I’m not mistaken, I believe the need for Whitney’s shoes fell at Easter.  We had no money to purchase something for her, so I did what I always did – I prayed.

To be honest, I don’t remember all the specifics today -like how long we prayed and waited, but I do know that used an individual who ordered and had shoes shipped to our house!  God  provided for her; they were Sam & Libby shoes – beautiful and perfect in every way!

Yesterday when I saw that box, my heart flooded with gratitude again, even after all these years.

 “Lord, you have always taken care of us!  Thank you!”

came the cry from my lips and my heart, right there in the shoe department in Target.  Someone walking by probably thought I was upset that they didn’t have what I needed, but oh no – I DO have what I need.  I had it in all my yesterday’s.  I have it today, and I’ll have it in all my tomorrow’s because I have  a God in heaven Who hears my cries and answers prayer!

For all those answers, I’m so glad there was a need, so I could witness my God at work in this family’s life!  It’s also a sweet blessing when a pink shoe box transports me back to the memory of His great love and provision for us!  What an awesome God we serve!

Do you have a need today?  It’s not too great OR too small for God.  Take it to Him and then trust and wait for Him to answer in a way that will be perfect!

Call unto me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.  Jeremiah 33:3

Lovingly,

children · Family life · home

The Happiest Place On the Earth!

RefreshHer2 Comments

I just heard a comment from a high school senior on her senior trip to Disney World say,

“This has to be the happiest place on the earth!”

Having been there I can understand her sentiment. With beautiful flowers everywhere, light-hearted music, Mickey and Minnie, fun food, fun rides and fun times. Of course it’s a happy place!

 There is another place that should be one of the happiest places on this earth –home. Home should be the most loving, secure and fun place for a child.

What will you do today to make it that way for your little ones? Are you homeschooling? Incorporate spring ideas into math or phonics reviews – put the facts on little paper kites made from construction paper and with each fact they get correct, let them hang the kite on the wall and let it fly! Perhaps you could give them a goal for the week – learning a certain number of new facts and then when it’s accomplished you and your child go fly a real kite.

Change things around today. Let your children eat their dessert first! Have lunch under the table instead of on it. Go to the library and get new books – perhaps books about spring, baby lambs or even a child’s cookbook. Read together in a new place – build a comfy spot on the floor with pillows and cushions or make a tent using all the kitchen chairs as props.

Play uplifting music – Patch the Pirate, The Donut Man, etc. Let the atmosphere of your home be encouraging for them. It’s easy to play what we like instead of what they would enjoy.

How about some fun food? Cut their sandwich into shapes using cookie cutters. Peanut butter and jelly can take on a whole new taste when it’s cut differently! Family Fun has tons of great food ideas for children.

Make your home the “happiest place on the earth” by taking time to be with your children and using creativity to make each day one they won’t forget!

Did you add a fun element to home recently that you could share?  We’d love to hear!

Lovingly,