Get on with it!

I'm sitting outside on an elevated deck on a gorgeous Spring day in Pittsburgh. I cannot remember the last time I sat outside, by myself, for longer than 2 or 3 minutes.
The only interruptions are the many birds that surround me. I am amazed by the different calls I hear; their own special verse that God has given them. They are beautiful even though I hear them more than I see them.
The trees are surrounding me. Their bare branches giving room to beautiful new buds. Soon they will be covered in numerous leaves that rustle in the breeze, accompanying the songs of the birds. I can picture children climbing all over some of these trees, hiding from the day to day life that creeps over us all.
The sun peeks out of the clouds and warms my face. It is as if God's breath covers me. He warms my heart and calms my soul. He brings me peace and joy during my struggles.

I came outside to have some quiet time with the Lord during a fabulous small retreat for a group of very special ladies. It has been thought provoking, reassuring, comforting, and, at the same time, a little uncomfortable. God is working on me.....He has been showing me how I need to be faithful - ALWAYS - UNCONDITIONALLY! I know that he is, even when I am not. What a relief. I am trying. With God, I know I can do this. I need to be obedient. HE will provide the "How?"
Why is this so difficult? I KNOW what he wants me to do. He has told me more times than I can count. He has offered the ways, the doors, the paths. All he needs is me. I don't want to miss out on God's blessing because of my stubbornness, fear, and laziness. It could be so easy if I would just jump in all the way. NO MORE EXCUSES! Do what God commands. Be uncomfortable! Get over it and get on with it!

Lord God,
Thank you that you care enough about me and think I am worthy enough for you to command me to do something. I want to obey....I need to obey. I don't want any more unfinished business that is creeping into every crevice of my life. Guide me...hold me through this. Take away all obstacles in my life, real or perceived, so that I may do what you have commanded.
You are so wonderful Father. Thank you for all you are teaching me.
You are so Faithful.

In your Precious Son's Name,
Amen


Please continue to pray for Stellan and the entire McKinney family!
You can click the "Pray for Stellan" button at the right to find out the latest and how to direct your prayers.

Pray for Stellan

STELLAN




I am asking anyone and everyone who reads this blog to please be praying for Stellan. Whatever you are doing, reach up to the screen, touch his face, and pray peace, health, and grace over this sweet baby and his family.





Brandy

Observations of a 6 year old

Mommy: "Matthew, your cheeks are very red."
Haley: "Maybe he's in love with someone."
Mommy: "Do your cheeks get red when you are in love with someone?"
Haley: "Yes, because you get shy."
Mommy: "But Matthew is only 2. Who would he be in love with?"
Haley: "Dora! Duh Mommy."

Pray like crazy!!!

MckMama

And if ____________, then _________.

Does the title leave you a little intrigued? Good.

I want to tell you about a life changing intense moment I had last night.

Every Thursday evening I head over to church for a Bible Study taught by Beth Moore. We are currently studying the book of Esther. Last night, we specifically dealt with the last part of Chapter 4...

"All the king's officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter....Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this? Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. And If I must die, I must die."
Esther 4:11 - 16

So how is it that Esther went from a time of self-preservation (not facing the king for fear of death) to brave determination, knowing that she would most likely die? This was all in a matter of a few sentences.

1. Esther had a choice.
She had to overcome herself in order to do what God had created her and positioned her to do.
I Corinthians 2:9 - "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." That is HUGE! We (You and I) may be ONE BRAVE DECISION away from what God has prepared for us. God's plans are going to happen with or without us. I want to be a part of that plan. I want to make those decisions out of faith and not fear. I want to be brave.

2. Esther faced the fear.
This is where my huge life changing moment happened.
Did you know the #1 most frequent command in the Bible is "Do not be afraid, fear not"? Yet, I know for me, it is the one major command that I cannot seem to keep, no matter how hard I try. Fear is probably one of the greatest adjectives for my life right now. I realized last night that my faith in God is conditional. "Lord, if you will just keep this from happening, I will trust you, I will have faith." Satan uses that. He takes our deepest fears and continuously threatens us with them. It is spiritual and psychological warfare. He knows my fears and constantly reminds me of them. He will use any situation in order to make my fears stronger and I allow it.

I want an unconditional faith with my God. I want to look at Satan and say "NO MORE!!!" No more will I sit and dwell on the "what ifs". No longer will my faith in Christ be based on conditions. No more will I keep from making the decisions to obey God out of my own fears. I will make those brave decisions, just as Esther did, so that I can be a part of the destiny that God has planned for me.

Beth Moore mentioned the topic of denial, especially when it relates to death. She spoke of people who were given diagnosis' that would be terminal and the denial that can come with that. You can't deny the diagnosis. It doesn't change anything. The diagnosis, illness, or circumstance is still there. But, THERE IS NO DENIAL IN COURAGE. She said....

"Don't deny the existence of fear,

Deny its authority and victory over you!"

WOW!!!

1 Corinthians 15:55 - 58 says...

" O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?

for sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."

Beth shared a conversation she had with God regarding one of her biggest fears, the fear of losing her husband to another woman.

She shared the worst case scenario of that fear and the conversation went something like this...

God: What is your worst fear?

Beth: Well, that Keith would meet someone else, or look at someone else because I wasn't attractive to him anymore."

God: And then what?

Beth: Then he would fall in love with her and tell me he wasn't in love with me anymore.

God: And then what?

Beth: My children would like her. She would be young and darling.

God: Okay, and then what?

Beth: He would leave me.

God: And then what?

Beth: Well I would cry and cry and throw a big fit.

God: And then what?

Beth: Well, then I couldn't get out of bed.

God: And then what?

Beth: Well, then I'd have memorize me some some scriptures and just lay face down on the floor with my Bible on my head.

God: And then what?

Beth: Well, then I'd have to play my music really loud in my car.

God: And then what?

Beth: Then....I'd get up.

That's when it hit me. My deepest fears, which likely won't come true are not going to kill me. My Jesus will still be there. He will still care for me.

MY GOD IS FAITHFUL!!

when I was able to fill the following spaces in...

And if ___________, then ___________. with

And if _(my worst fear)___, then GOD!!!!

There was such a huge weight taken off of me and I suddenly felt unbelievable peace. Praise Jesus, I have hope and maybe even a little courage. I am telling you, there was a miracle performed in that room last night, and even more importantly, a miracle performed in my heart. I am so grateful for God's message last night delivered through Beth Moore.

There was so much more that I learned last night. If you have the opportunity to take the Esther Bible Study, it will do so much in your life. God will speak to you through the life of this orphaned Jew who became a courageous queen.

Thank you Jesus that I can stop living fearfully, that I can have the courage to make the decisions in my life that I need to make. Thank you for showing me that my faith is conditional. Lord Jesus, give me the strength to change that, to love and trust you no matter what comes my way. Help me to make my words more than just words. Help me to live your truth every day, regardless of the circumstances. Lord, take my fear away so that I can be completely yours and free to live the way you want me to live. I love you Jesus. I choose to take the courage you have offered. Thank you for that gift.

In your holy name,

Amen

3. Esther took the courage she was offered.

I choose to be brave. I choose to take the courage God has offered me. I know it won't be easy, by My God is Faithful. He will take care of me. He will not leave me or forsake me.

I'd love to know what you think. It is really easy to leave a comment. What is Jesus working on with you in your life?

I WANT TO BE LIKE MY JESUS

Todd Agnew - My Jesus

From the album Reflection Of Something


Which Jesus do you follow?

Which Jesus do you serve?

If Ephesians says to imitate Christ,

Why do you look so much like the world?



Chorus:

Cause my Jesus bled and died

He spent His time with thieves and liars

He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant

So which one do you want to be?



Blessed are the poor in spirit,

do we pray to be blessed with the Wealth of this land

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness

Do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand



Chorus:



And who is this that you follow

This picture of the American dream

If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side

Or fall down and worship at His holy feet



Pretty blue eyes, curly brown hair and a clear complexion

Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins

But the Word says He was battered and scarred

Or did you miss that part

Sometimes I doubt we’d recognize Him



Chorus:



Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church

The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet

But He reached for the hurting and despises the proud

I think He’d prefer Beal St. to the stained glass crowd

But I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud



I want to be like my Jesus

I want to be like my Jesus

I want to be like my Jesus

I WANT TO BE LIKE MY JESUS!

These boots were made for walkin.....

So I am not a real girly girl. I love my oversized t-shirts, jeans, and tennies. Well, I used to. I am beginning to feel more like a slob. I never wear make up, rarely do much to my hair, and only own a pair of flip flops and tennis shoes.

Not sure really what has changed. I have been trying to lose weight and focus more on myself lately. Maybe it is because my daughter is almost 6 (next week) and she is taking more of an interest in appearance. I don't want her to grow up only seeing the extremes. You know, skinny and unhealthy actresses, singers, etc. vs. mom - the slob. I would like her to see more of the in between and help her to understand how to put on makeup in a tasteful way (quite a ways off I know but she likes experimenting at home). I want her to know that it is a good thing to take care of the body that God gave us...it is His temple and we should give it the best care.

I want to look good for my husband, although he loves that I don't wear makeup. He says it is one of the things that attracted me to him. I personally think it was the cute green skirt. :)

Yesterday was our MOPS Swap. This is such a fun day. All of the moms bring in stuff that they no longer use and then we get to go around and pick stuff that we can use instead. Does this make any sense? Okay, it's a swap. Swapping your stuff for someone else's. Last year I got some GREAT stuff including a brand new Pampered Chef stone bowl. You know, the big one that you can cook a roast or something in. I LOVE IT!!!

Check out one of the things I got this year.

I love these boots. I don't think they have ever been worn. They were my size and, I am assured by my fellow MOPS moms, they are light years away from flip flops and tennis shoes. What do you think?

I came home yesterday and wore them around the "shoes off limits in the house" house. I loved the clanking sound they made on my wood floors. I even called some of my friends to tell them I was wearing them. I kept looking at my feet thinking they looked mighty cute and sexy ?!? Never a word I use to describe myself or any part of my body. Anyways, I totally heart them. I wander if I can clean toilets in them today? Hmmmm. Maybe I will save them for tomorrows night out with the girls. Maybe I might even try one of those cute skirts I have up in a bag on my closet shelf. Makeup might even be in the future. Well, lets not get too carried away.

Brandy :)

I'll Pray for You...

How many times do we say this to people? Many of us throughout the week are involved in various groups, bible studies, church, MOPS, and conversations with friends and family. People share their prayer requests with us, thier struggles, heartaches, needs, desires. Many times we respond with empathy and the "I'll pray for you". Do we really do that? I know I don't always.

Things take control of our lives. Chores, children, life. It breaks my heart to think of all the times I have told someone I would pray for them and then forgot all about it. Are you the same way? I have recently felt very convicted of this. Why don't we stop right there and pray for that person. The Bible says in Matthew 18:20...

"Wherever two or more gather together in my name, I am there among them."

That is so powerful. We know the importance of prayer. Many times there is nothing else we can do in a situation but fall on our face before the Lord. I struggle with my prayer life, especially my public prayer life; praying out loud. I was in a situation in which someone made me feel that my prayer for someone wasn't good enough because I didn't use "the right words". It is taking me time to get over this. I want to be able to pray outloud for people, to hold their hand and declare the grace and mercy of God on their behalf. It is definitely something I have to work on. The truth is, there are no "right words". We are not all eloquent speakers. Jesus said in Matthew 6:5, "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get." This is so important to remember.

I was reminded today when reading James 5:13-18 when James is speaking of the power of prayer. He says "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."

I know I need the prayer of righteous people in my life. I have seen the power of prayer and God's grace work in the most difficult times and situations. When my cousin was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, I prayed endlessly for him as did many others. Through the thousands and thousands of people praying for him and through God's mercy and grace, my sweet cousin was healed and is now preparing to be married. GOD IS SOOO GOOD!!!

I am going to try and make an active effort to pray for people right then, to keep a prayer chart in my kitchen as a constant reminder, to share the prayer requests with my daughter (the little prayer warrior - whoooooo, I could take some lessons from her!) and to lift people in prayer whether they have asked or not.

Is there something you are working on? How are you going to actively work on it in your daily life? Is there a time when you saw the power of prayer work so stongly that you knew it was God? I would love to hear your stories.

Father God,
Thank you for the ability and guidelines on how to pray.
Thank you that we can come to you in conversation, in times of stress, fear, heartache, and joy.
Thank you that you hear every word and you know our needs before they leave our lips.

Help us to grow in our relationship with you through prayer for our loved ones and for those we don't know. Remind us the importance of praying for other, asking for prayer, and gathering together in Your Name.

You are the worker of all miracles and we praise your beautiful name.

In Your Precious Son's Name,

Amen