Change is in the air

You know when you feel like everything is going the way that it is supposed to be going and then WHAM! you get spun around and suddenly your directional compass has shifted?  That's what has been happening to me recently.  I need some stability!!!  AARGH!  It's funny not funny haha, but more peculiar how easily we can get misdirected and thrown off course by Satan.   It's so important for us to maintain our direction with God's compass for our life.  How do we accomplish this?  By getting into the word daily! By living God's love every single minute of every single day.

Whenever that overwhelming feeling of chaos strikes, I find that it is so incredibly helpful to take time, get away and recenter myself.  Remembering Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose." 

Mom always said, "This too shall pass".  We will get through whatever it is that we are going through, one way or another.  An example of this is Shadrack, Meshak and Abednigo and the firey furnace -  God didn't spare them from the furnace,  they survived the furnace - but they had to go through the furnace.  A refining process is happening. 

My prayer is that I learn quickly through the times of refining, so I don't have to stay too long in the fire!!

Have a blessed day!

God speaking through us.

But Moses pleaded with the Lord, "O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied and my words get tangled." Exodus 4:10

How many times do we say this? When we are being true disciples, we are able to speak clearer as God is speaking through us. It takes more than just having God speak to us, we have to have faith and trust that God is with us and speaking through us. This is something that I have seen in my own life. When I am fully devoting myself to God, I am able to speak clearly and it is easier for others to understand what I am saying. If I am not fully devoting myself, then I tend to babble and those listening have a hard time understanding me. J

What is stopping us from doing what God calls us to do.

But Moses protested to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt." Exodus 3:11

Is this any different today? We are called by God to obey and to go out and spread the Good News by serving others. What is stopping us from doing this? Many times we take on tasks that ends in failure but other times the tasks end in success. Why is this? Especially when we believe that God is telling us to perform these tasks and as believers we know that God is with us. Who's voice are we actually listening to? When we listen to the voice of the world the ultimate outcome is failure. If we list to the word of God, the ultimate outcome is success. The only way to help determine who's voice it is, is to be in God's word, being a disciple. J

Relying on the Holy Spirit!

OK - so it's been way too long since I have worked on the blog... think it's time to get back to it?!   I am so excited about our new study.   I am so thankful for our small group and what God is doing through us!   I'll try to be more on top of things! :) I can't wait to hear about all of your praises, and prayer requests!  N

RADICAL

We just started the book Radical by David Platt. Hope all of our mission group members are enjoying the first chapter! We will be discussing it on Friday!

JULY Prayer Requests!

Please post any prayer requests you may have, so that we can use this as a reference to pray throughout the week for one another...

****As we begin our new study, we pray that nothing will keep our group members from their quiet/private times, and from attending! We ask the Lord to be with us in our times of study, and that when we gather that we all feel free to share our thoughts, feelings, and insights honestly, and that we have sensitivity towards each other with patience and understanding. We ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us, and that throughout this study and personal reflection, that we begin to love the Lord more deeply, that we walk closer, and that we feel his presence more tangibly. We ask for insight and guidance throughout every day of our lives! Amen. *****

Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate

Our small group has just started some new curriculum - Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges. Our first week discussion is going to be hot I can feel it - talkign about Ordinarly Saints, The Disappearance of Sin, and the Malignancy of Sin! WOW!! What an eye opening study.

We all have a tendency to sit back and ask each other why is the world like this? What is happening to today's culture? What is happening to today's youth? This weeks study is causing us to take a look at sin - and where it has gone! Think about this -

"The very word, "sin", which seems to have disappeared, was once a proud word,
an ominous and serious word.... but teh word went away. It has almost disappeared -
the word, along with the notion. Why? Doesn't anyone sin any more? Doesn't anyone
believe in sin?" - Whatever Became of Sin? Karl Menniger, 1973.

What kinds of sins are sins that you allow to penetrate into your life? "Judge not, that ye be not judged?" (Matthew 7:1, KJV) I think it's really important for us to take a look at our own lives, and figure out where we are, and where we're going!!

I'm looking forward to sharing this adventure with my small groupies! Please add your comments, and use this blog as our discussion forum. As always - if you have any prayer requests, please let us know!!!