Salvation For Loved Ones....

Have you found yourself stressed lately about salvation for loved ones?  Many times as believers we want our loved ones to become Born Again and accept Jesus as Savior. We understand what is at stake, and what could happen, so we have an urgency to tell them the Gospel and the truth.  I have learned through trial and error that the "urgency" only confuses them and scares them away.  If you try and plant certain seeds, they are not ready to be sown in good soil.  The thief will come and snatch  away what was given to them. (Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown.  As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. -Mark 4:15).

We understand in scripture that people that do not know Jesus have a veil over their eyes. (But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read.  It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. -2 Corinthians 3:14).  ( They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. - Isaiah 44:18).  We have to remember that the Holy Spirit is the only one that can draw people to the Lord. ( "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day." -John 6:44).  So when we are able to fully grasp this then what are we to do?  If we cannot give urgency because the unsaved have a veil over their eyes and cannot understand the truth of the gospel, then what option does that leave us?  The answer is simple: Prayer!!  The real way to battle is to get down on our hands and knees and intercede for the lost. (To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." - Acts 26:18).

 We must have patience in the Lord and understand that it is HIS timing.  (The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  -2 Peter 3:9). We need to understand that prayer has no shelf life.  When we pray from the heart and intercede on behalf of someone, that God hears our prayers immediately and that orders are given, and angels move on our behalf.

 If we are praying scripture (which is Gods Word) then angels move on our behalf because we are speaking Gods Word out into existence over that person and situation.  Those prayers keep going and going and will continue on for generation to generation.  How do you think you came to know Jesus?  It was through the prayer of someone interceding on behalf of you.  Have you forgotten that you too, were once lost and blinded by the truth?  We need to stay humble and patient with our lost loved ones.

Instead of shoving scripture down their throat we need to have our actions speak louder than words.  Do NOT hold grudges!!! Forgive at ALL cost!!! Give Love at ALL times!!!  We are to be like Jesus when he was here on earth.  Our lifestyles should show that we follow Christ and that we are ambassadors for him!!

My husband and I are currently in this situation and have been for quite some time now.  We are continually lifting up loved ones that are not saved.  In the past we have tried in "our flesh" to help them see that they need Jesus, but nothing seemed to change.  We finally understood that the real battle is in prayer and that things happen when we pray for others!  We may never see the  fruits of our prayers, or live to see if our prayers got answered, but we need to remain standing strong on his word and have faith!!!  The Lord wants your loved ones saved, more than you do!!  The Lord created that person and knows what will speak to them.  He knows how they think, and how to reach them.  This is where we are to truly trust the Lord and understand that he knows best!!!  

I know that God is moved by the amount of faith that we have in him and how serious we take it.  We are to take God at his word and show it back to him.  There have been times to where I have printed out the bible verse: (Acts 16:31- They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household.")  I have printed this verse out on a piece of paper and literally put it on the ground and stood on this scripture and confessed it out loud. In my heart, I know that this pleased God because this showed that I was taking him at HIS WORD!  I literally stand on that verse for my loved ones and for the lost.  I have family members that are not saved and I have friends that are not saved.  I will continue to pray and intercede for the lost, and if God wishes to use me as a vessel to share my testimony then I am going to be obedient and share what Jesus has done in my life!  I do not regret my past, because Jesus has been able to use everything that the enemy meant for harm, and make good for the glory of HIS name!!  Every time the Lord blesses our family, I will share it with others and bring glory to HIS name!!  It has always been about Jesus, and it will always BE about Jesus!!!  As Joshua says: But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!! -Joshua 24:15

So I want to encourage you that you are not alone!!  Do not get frustrated!!  Understand that we serve a God that IS love, and has mercy for his children and creation.  God loves that family member more than you could understand.  God loves that family member so much that he sent his ONLY son to come and die for the sins of his people. ( That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:15-16)

Jesus is our shepherd and we are his sheep, he cares and loves us all.  In the Bible we see what Jesus does with the lost sheep.  ( "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?"  -Matthew 18:12)  We all know the story of the Prodigal Son and how the Father accepts us with open arms when we return to him.  This blog post should give you encouragement to stay in the fight/battle.  It should encourage you to get on your hands and knees and do real battle for your loved ones!!!  Know that you are not alone, we are doing the exact same thing!!!  Praise be to Jesus!!!

 

Let Your Light Shine....

I wanted to start this blog off with lyrics to a song:

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel- NO!

I'm gonna let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel- NO!

I'm gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it!

I'm gonna let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it!

I'm gonna let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it!

I'm gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes.

I'm gonna let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes.

I'm gonna let it shine, Let it shine til Jesus comes.

I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine,

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Yes this is a children's song, but aren't we children of God? We are close to finishing 2014 and we are on our way to the start of 2015!  I want to ask you several popular questions that many ask around the start of a New Year.  What are you going to do differently in 2015?  How can you improve 2015 from 2014?  If you are alive then God is not finished with you yet, and you are a work in progress!  You are in the process of being sanctified and refined.  Have you been living for yourself? Have you been living for Money?  Have you been living for stuff?  Are you going to fully surrender to Christ in 2015?  These are a series of questions that people need to ask themselves.  We are not fooling anyone, we are truly only fooling ourselves.  The true condition of your heart will be revealed when you are in private and alone.  It is easy to look a certain way in "public" and in front of people.  There is no fooling God.  What shows do you watch on T.V? What movies do you watch on T.V? Would you watch and listen to the same stuff if Jesus was sitting right next to you??  Or would you be embarrassed and ashamed?  Many people compromise their faith for what they watch on television, movies, and in music.  Is it truly worth it?  This might sting to hear this, but it needs to be said.  I do not care if I offend people, because it is truth. 

1 John 2:16- For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-is not from the Father but is from the world.

Philippians 4:8- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

It is time to stop making excuses, and start making decisions to FULLY serve the Lord and surrender ALL to him!  The light of Christ Jesus is in each one of us if we are saved and disciples of him. We each have our own little box of light in us.  Some shine brighter than others.  This is not a popular topic because people tend to get offended because they feel the Holy Spirit convict them, and it stings.  It is that "dying to the flesh" that Jesus talks about. When we fill our minds, eyes, ears, and hearts with garbage than stuff starts to pile on top of our "light" and we get dimmer and dimmer.  If you were in a dark room, how bright would your light shine?  We are told in scripture that we are in a dark world, and we are responsible to shine our light for Jesus Christ.

Matthew 5:16- Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

John 12:35- So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

Acts 13:47-  For so the Lord has commanded us, "I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth."

It is very easy to start blending in with the world, and slowly have our light grow dimmer.  This is why we are to constantly be filled up with the Word, and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  Do you live to please yourself or do you live to please God?  Many will try and make excuses for the things they do, so they feel better about their sin.  I want to truly encourage you to take the Word of God and see how your heart matches up with the Word.  What is the condition of your heart?  Is your light truly shining at your brightest?  I wanted to put a link to a short video about my New Years Resolution for 2015 and it deals with this very issue.  I am practicing what I preach, and I know it is from the Holy Spirit.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBmwufs0Qu0

The truth is that anyone can say with their mouth that they are a follower of Christ, but the truth is that many are not saved. There will be some that will call on the Lord and his response will be" Depart from me, I never knew you."  There are some that are wolves dressed in sheep clothing.  This is why we are to test things with the Holy Spirit.  If you are truly saved and a follower of Jesus Christ then you should bear fruit, and have fruit that remains.  Many would like to have one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world.  This is why we need to get our eyes fixed on HIM and the things that are ETERNAL!!

I pray this post encourages you to let your light SHINE BRIGHT!!! Be a light in this dark world, and have your lifestyle bring glory to God and make a difference in others lives!!  We are here for HIM, and not for ourselves!!  Let your little light shine bright!! Sing the song above and rejoice that you have a Heavenly Father that loves you and is pleased with you!!

Read more: Veggie Tales - This Little Light Of Mine Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

My New Years 2015 Video Message:

             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBmwufs0Qu0

The Power Of Believing The Gospel And Speaking Gods Word......

As being a disciple of Jesus Christ we are called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ!  How do you know what the gospel is if you do not read his word? How are you able to preach to others if you are afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone?  These are questions that every follower of Jesus Christ need to ask themselves.  It is easy to just say something, and then sit back and do nothing.  Jesus calls us to be fishers of men.  We are to preach the gospel to a lost and fallen world.  We are to lock arms with other believers to pray and lift each other up.  There are many lukewarm Christians in this world today and the Bible is very clear on what it means to be "lukewarm."  "So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."-Rev 3:16
When we are able to TRULY deny ourselves FULLY and follow Christ, then we are able to walk in the FULLNESS of what he died for us to have.  Please remember that Christ ALREADY (Past Tense) overcame the entire world!! So why do you still fear?  Why do you still doubt?  When you are able to FULLY believe in what he did and what he accomplished, then you just walk straight ahead, keeping your eyes fixed on him.  He is the author and finisher of our faith!!  When you are able to walk in the fullness of Christ then you are able to speak Gods Word "OVER" situations and circumstances.  You do not have to settle for the "norm."  You are able to rise above EVERY single situation that comes your way.  You can speak to things with the word of God and in the Spiritual realm things happen!!!  Angels move on Gods Word, and you will have Gods protection wherever you go.  You never have to fear about being alone, because Jesus will NEVER leave you or forsake you.  He will comfort you and guide you through every single trial.  In our society today there is constant fear being put on people.  You turn on the news and there are thousands of "what if's."  There are shows that specifically show you on how to survive a natural disaster and how to prepare for every crisis that could happen.  People are taking their eyes off of Jesus and they are being moved by each and every single thing they see.  People are being blown around by every single doctrine and looking for every answer.  When you can truly rest UNDER the shadow of the almighty then you do not have to live in fear.  Your house is protected, your family is protected, your children are protected, your marriage is protected, your finances are protected, your health is protected.  We are called to have dominion OVER the earth, and we need to be speaking Gods Word over our lives.  We need to be praying for our leaders, not bashing them.  Every person has an opinion, I get that.  But, what good does it do to sit and bash our leaders?  Are you helping the situation by complaining and being negative?  We need to be lifting our leaders in prayer and surrounding them in scripture.  Do NOT blend in to the world, be set apart!!!  Do you have fears?  Speak back to them with the word of God!!!  God has NOT given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.(2 Timothy 1:7)
You are able to speak Gods Word over your circumstances.  We are called to fight things where they matter, and that is in the spiritual realm.  All of the things we can see/taste/touch/smell/etc are temporal and subject to change, so why do we spend our entire lives working like dogs chasing after one thing to the next.  These are all distractions, and they take our eyes off of Jesus!!  I want to encourage you to start reading Gods Word daily!!! Start putting his word into practice on how you speak, on what you watch, on how you spend your time, etc.  Do you want to be lukewarm for Jesus? Do you want to be a follower of Christ?  A decision needs to be made, and you need to be ALL IN!!!  You will be able to move mountains with the word of God, but what good does that do if you don't know what Gods Word says??  This blog post is to encourage you!!!  It is not too late to have Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life!! Make the decision today!! It will be the BEST decision you will EVER make in your entire life!!  It is better than graduating from Harvard!  It is better than winning the lottery!! It is better than having an expensive house or your dream job!!! Keep your eyes on him and the things that are eternal!!

My Last Goal For 2014......

If you have been following my Instagram: KatyRoseTrains then you would know that I have been training for my First Half-Marathon, and I recently just got done with my race!!!  My detailed post for my Half-Marathon is at the link below, take some time and read it, if you have not had the opportunity yet.

http://katy-katyrose.blogspot.com/2014/11/my-first-half-marathon.html

Now that I have accomplished my first goal, I recently decided that it was time to smash another one!!  I know we are very close to the start of a New Year, and I thought it would be amazing if I could squeeze this last goal in BEFORE 2015!!  What is my goal you ask???

 My Goal is to run 100 miles in one week!!!  Yes, that is right!!!  I will be running 100 miles in one week!!!  I have decided to do the last week in December, and this way I will be able to accomplish this BEFORE 2015!!  I will start this goal on December 24 and end on December 30th!!  I will be running 14.2 miles for the six days, and on the last day I will run 14.8 miles!!!  Keep in mind I have only run one 5K and I recently just finished my first Half-Marathon!!  My longest run Before my race was 10 miles, and since completing my race, my longest run has been 13.1 miles!!  As I am putting the facts before your very eyes, you can see that is going to be my greatest challenge yet!!  I will be documenting this goal with photos/videos/and of course show my mileage!!  I am doing this for myself, and this is something I want to prove to myself.  When my mind is saying: "Katy, this is impossible!"  I literally say out loud to myself: "Katy, you got this!! You can do anything!!"  So this is my last goal for 2014!!  If you would like to join me on this journey and see each update as I accomplish this, please go over to Instagram and follow me at: KatyRoseTrains

When I have completed this goal, I will of course write a detailed blog post about my experience!!  I will also be adding another "runner sticker" to my car!!!  I will be adding a 100 mile sticker next to my 13.1 :)

My First Half- Marathon

I cannot believe this day is finally here!!!  I signed up for my race 6 months ago, and I have been counting down each day until this very moment. The reason for this race was because in my mind this was the definition of IMPOSSIBLE for me.  Running is one of the hardest things for me to do.  I have never been able to run long distances, and have never enjoyed the sport.  I wanted to do the IMPOSSIBLE for my body and do my first Half-Marathon and train for it.  I have been training for this race for over 3 months now.  My longest distance in training for this race was 10 miles.  I purposely didn't want to run 13 miles in training because I wanted to do it for the very first time in my actual race.  This journey has been so rewarding for me because it has taken so much hard work and discipline.  My husband has played a huge part in it because he made it possible for me to train each day for hours at a time.  My husband has always been my biggest supporter, and has encouraged me from day one about this race, and my training.
I have filmed a short video the night before my race and wanted to show everyone what I plan on bringing to my race.  When I first started running, I had no clue about the "running world" and I learned so much through this process, that I wanted to share my knowledge with everyone.  In this short video I will go through EVERYTHING that I will be bringing, and the reason behind it. Throughout this blog I will post lot's of pictures and videos because I wanted everyone to be on this experience with me, and see it through my eyes.  So I hope everyone enjoys this detailed behind-the-scenes blog post about my race.

What I Pack Before My Race:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kDTgJlZKnQ

I am on the way to pick up my race bib in Tampa at International Mall. My husband and I are going to pick up my race packet and then get something to eat.  This is the day before my race, so we are going to take it easy.  The plan is to get some food, walk around a bit and then get a night of rest because we will waking up around 5am on race day!!

 Good Morning!!!! :)  It is my race day!!!!  Here is a quick picture before heading out the door.

Here, we are officially at the race and I am just going to start posting a bunch of pictures below :)

Here is a picture of getting out of the car and arriving at race destination!

There were 422 runners at the race and here is a picture of the American Flag and singing the National Anthem.  They had a live Band at the event and tents set up.

My Husband and I went inside to stay warm because it was very chilly out, and of course I had to pee from all of the water I was drinking.  While I was waiting in line for the restroom, we decided to take a quick selfie!!  I love my husband and it was so nice to have him their to support me, and be in my corner!!

TIME TO START THE RACE.........................................................................

The race start time was 6:30am.  They had a D.J there at the event to play music and countdown for all of the runners.  I was staying as calm as possible and stretching while waiting.  It was finally time to start, the horn was sounded, and all of the runners took off!!!!

On Your Mark.... Get Set.... GO!!!!!

Here is the actual course map.  We were to run over several bridges and go over to Davis Island in Tampa and run around the entire Island.  We were then to cross over another bridge and run along side Bayshore Blvd which is along the water.  We were to then turn around and run on opposite side on Bayshore Blvd and then arrive at our original starting point, which was at the Hockey Stadium in Downtown Tampa.

I started off at a good pace and made sure to go nice and slow and get into a rhythm.  I was nervous when I started because I couldn't believe I was actually doing it.  I even started to tear up because it honestly overwhelmed me, but I quickly got it together because I needed every breathe I could get in order to make this run a true success.  I prayed the night before because during my training I encountered many problems with my calf muscles locking up to where I literally cannot walk or run.  Having this problem in training kept me from covering several runs because my legs were out of commission.  The thought was in my mind and I knew if I could make it over 1 mile with no issues, then I was in the clear zone.  I prayed to Jesus the night before and in the morning and I knew once I did that, then I was covered and safe.  As I began to run I found my rhythm and got my breathing down.  I was starting to pass people, and I got in a clear zone to where it was me alone and I didn't have people around me.  At mile 2 there was a mile marker and a water station. I kept on running and didn't stop for water.  It seemed like every 2 miles there were mile markers and then as the race progressed, the mile markers were spaced out.  I honestly felt good during my run and didn't  have any issues, it actually flew by pretty quick.  At mile 6 I took my first cup of water and literally took two sips while running, and through the cup.  I did not want to stop running, because I didn't want to lose my rhythm.  At mile 9 I felt my hamstrings tighten up and felt intense pain.  I knew my body was pushing itself and that I was giving it everything I had.  I told myself that I had to keep going but to just back it down a bit with my run.

I then approached mile 11 and my body started to feel robotic.  My legs were so heavy to where I had a hard time picking them up and my legs were extremely tight.  My hamstring pain was still intense and I knew my lower body was screaming in pain, and that I was hitting the wall.  In my training I hit the "wall" a few times and it was usually around my 9mile/10mile runs.  Keep in mind that 10 miles was the longest I ran, and I did that on purpose because I wanted my first 13.1 to be accomplished in my first Half Marathon.  So here this 11 mile territory was new ground for me and my body was letting me know that it was not happy, or used to it.  I started to talk to myself and tell myself "Katy 2 more miles, you can do this, keep going!!!"  I started to talk to Jesus and thank him for this race and for no injuries and that I needed him with me to strengthen me for the last 2 miles.  I can honestly say the last 2 miles of the race were the absolute hardest for me.  My goal was to not stop one time, so no matter what, I knew I HAD to keep running.  I got to mile 12 and there was a guy standing there clapping and cheering the runners on.  I gave him a thumbs up and went in for a high five!!  I looked down at my Garmin and that truly helped motivate me because I was able to see how close I was getting to the finish.  Towards the end we had to go up another bridge and my first thought was "Are you kidding me?? I can barely lift my legs!"  I got my favorite motto going: "Hardwork/Dedication" and powered through it.  I got up on the bridge and started to go back down.  I could see the Finish Line in the distance, and I was excited to see my endpoint.  I looked and saw my Husband in the distance.  I began waving to him, and he grabbed his phone and started to film me.  As tired as I was I knew I had to finish strong and proud.  I began talking to my husband as he videotaped me and he started to run alongside of me.  I was pumping myself up by talking to the camera and could finally see the "timer" above the finish line and I was super excited to see that I was WAY AHEAD of my goal time.  My goal time was 2 hours and 30 minutes.  The timer was at 2 hours and 18 minutes.  I began to sprint because there was NO way that I was going to finish at 2 hours and 19 minutes.  I sprinted my little heart out and my entire body went numb because I was running on fumes.  As I was crossing the finish line the DJ yells out "KatyRose making the sprint and finishing under 2 hours 19 minutes."  I was so proud of myself and I got a bottle of water and got my medal!!!

Here is the link to the video my husband filmed as I was finishing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZBIIJoT1xA

I walked off to the side to catch my breathe and my husband and I 

embraced.  I began weeping and he started crying as well.  I hugged  him and told him that I didn't stop at all!!!  He said he was so proud of me, and he couldn't believe how fast I finished!!

Here I am catching my breathe, and giving my legs a rest!!

Here is a picture of my husband and I after the race!!

Here is a picture of me celebrating!!!

Here is my ticket to show how I did :)

Clock Time: 2 hours 18 minutes 59.3 seconds

Chip Time: 2 hours 18 minutes 34.6 seconds

Overall: 255/422

Gender: 150/279

Age Group: 57/102

Pace: 10:34 per mile

Start Time: 6:30am

I went inside and changed into clean clothes!!!

We sat and talked for a bit, and I called my Mom to tell her the news!!  At this point I had to limp to walk to the car because my lower body was DONE!!!

We got to the car and I was finally able to put on my 13.1 sticker!!

My husband and I went out to Breakfast and then came home and slept.  I took some pain relief medicine and took a hot bath.  To celebrate tonight, we are going to a Hockey Game in Tampa (at the venue where my race was that morning) and then we are going to our favorite Spanish restaurant/club: Ceviches!!

My Thoughts On My Race:

I would not of changed one thing about my race.  My preparation was on point, and I did everything I was supposed to do!!  I made sure to keep my nerves down, and to pace myself and take it slow.  I am still amazed that I was able to accomplish this dream for me.  Being 30 years old and having two children and NOT being a runner or ENJOYING running at ALL, made me honestly push myself and truly discipline myself.  I now see that I can accomplish anything!!!!

Obedience.......

Let us look at the definition of Obedience: compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.  Now let us see what the Bible says about Obedience: Romans 1:5 and Romans 16:26 says: Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake.  But now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith.

So as we can see that in order for us to be "obedient"  we need to submit to another's authority.  Who is the leader that I am talking about?  God!!  How do we submit to him?  By doing what his word says!!  What if I mess up?  Well, that is what Jesus came for!!  We literally have no excuse because God covered it ALL for us!!  It then falls down to making a choice.  We can do it "our" way or "God's" way.  Now the main question that I want to ask you is:  How Can You Start To Become Obedient And Do It Gods Way??  The answer is: In the smallest things first, then the big will follow.  If you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you also have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, and he is your guide.  When you make decisions, counsel with the Holy Spirit and see if you have peace.  If you do not have peace, then you know it isn't the right thing to do.  I am going to make this blog come alive now with real life everyday principles that everyone can relate with:

Disobedience:
- Calling in sick to work when you are not sick
- Canceling plans and making up a lie on why you had to cancel
- Paying for something at the store and something you didn't purchase ends up in your bag and you choose to keep it.
- Holding onto anger towards another person, and know that it is wrong.
- At work playing on the computer, and the moment your boss walks in, you act like you are working.
- At the grocery store and you choose to leave your shopping cart in the parking lot, instead of walking it to the proper place it should go.

Now some of these things might sound small to you, but it is the small things like this, that lead to true obedience.  In our eyes we have two categories: 1) Big lies and 2) Small lies
We like to play games with ourselves and think that if we do only "small" lies, then we will be fine and that it is ok.  I am going to ask you to look up to the top of the Blog where I mention who the leader is that we are to submit to? The answer is: God!!!  So in God's eyes it is wrong whether it is a Big lie or a Small lie.  We need to remind ourselves that we serve an audience of one, and that we are to please HIM!!  When we do things HIS way, it is showing that he is our number 1, and that we trust him with our whole lives.  Everything we do, should be for the glory of God!!  When we return that shopping cart to the proper place, it is for the glory of God!  When we choose to forgive someone that has wronged us, it is for the glory of God!!  When we return that item that got put in our bag that we didn't pay for, it is for the glory of God!!  God sees our heart, and we need to start submitting to him!!  I want to encourage you to start in the small things.  Be God conscious!!  Seek HIS WILL FIRST before your own!!  If this subject is new to you and you want to dig deeper in it, I want to highly recommend a book that I have read that is phenomenal.  You will learn so much in this book, and it will challenge you mentally.  The name of the book is: Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee
I have included a brief description of what the book is about below:

Authority is a tremendous thing in the universe, nothing overshadows it.  God's throne is established on His authority.  God's authority represents God himself.  God alone is authority in all things; all the authorities of the earth are instituted by God.  It is therefore important for us who desire to serve God to know the authority of God.  God's authority is absolute, hence we must give Him absolute submission (our hearts attitude) and absolute obedience (our outward actions).  But to His delegated authorities we can render absolute submission, but only relative obedience.  For their authorities are circumscribed by the measure of life of Christ in them. Only when they themselves submit to God's authority in them are they able to represent God.  Hence there is much we have to learn about how to represent God.

I really hope that this blog post inspires you to dive into TRULY following God and being Obedient to HIS ways.  I really pray that this post inspires you to pick up this book and dive into it and learn about how to truly represent God.  

One Day At A Time.....

Many have heard this statement: "Take It One Day At A Time."  This phrase is said frequently and the meaning behind it gets lost.  What does is mean to take something one day at a time??? Let us take a look and see what it means.
Matthew 6:34 says: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
James 4:14 says: How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone.
Many people like to read "Motivational/Inspiration Books," but people should really start picking up the Bible and reading pure wisdom and truth.  God's Word is the ONLY truth in this world and the ONLY thing we can truly count on.  Other people's words will come and go, but Gods Word is always firm and NEVER fades away.  When we are to truly take it "One Day At A Time" we are to just focus on that day and that day alone.  We are to not worry about tomorrow or the next day, or the next day.  Every morning get in the routine of getting up and praising God each morning because his mercies are new EVERY SINGLE MORNING!!  Then ask yourself "What Does Today Hold?"  "What Do I Need To Do Today?"  God already goes before you ahead of time, so you can trust him for that day.  We are instructed to rest IN HIM, and stay connected to him and in fellowship with him.  We are to remain UNDER his covering, and not step out from under it.  As long as we STAY UNDER the Shadow of the Almighty, then we are truly aligned with God and His Plan, and what he has for us. Then, we are able to walk it out with him.
Proverbs 27:1 says: Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
We can have "our" plan but we must be real with ourselves and force ourselves out of the driver seat and let God drive.  God's plan needs to be ABOVE our own plan!!  Like I said earlier, when we STAY UNDER the Shadow of the Almighty, then you are in the middle of God's perfect will!!
Matthew 6:26-27 says: Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
I pray that the phrase: Take It One Day At A Time, is starting to really hit home with you in your heart.  To be a follower of Jesus, we need to walk step by step with him, as he did when he walked to Calvary.  Let us remember that Jesus carried a cross on his back and he was beaten along the way. Understand that it is a very slow walk, with many interruptions.  Nothing is going to be smooth, but we can do it because Jesus will give us the strength to do so.

Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
God doesn't light the entire way for you because if he did then we would go on ahead of him because we would rely on what "we see."  We would go fast and at our own pace.  As you see in Psalms it says that his word is a lamp for our feet, and his word lights our path.  This means there is enough light for each step.

God takes his time with us on each step we take.  Remember that God took his time creating you. Genesis 1:27 says: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female he created them. God the Creator of ALL things is Perfect and makes no mistakes!!  He took his time creating you and did it in HIS OWN IMAGE!!

To God, you are absolutely perfect!!  God does not make junk!!  Since we can understand how detailed our God is, then we can understand that he wants us to take step by step WITH him!!  We are not to try and reason with why we should or shouldn't do something.  Isaiah 55:8-9 says: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways", declares the Lord.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."  We are to follow the Lord's Word and HIS ways, and not what the "world" says we should do.  Let us remember that the "worlds" way and "Gods" way DO NOT line up!!  To the "world" you will look foolish and crazy, because the "world" is deceived and has blinders on.  The Lord reveals certain things to his people, and opens their eyes with wisdom and understanding.  The Lord will not do this for everyone, because many do not accept him.
So I want to remind you and help strengthen you to start taking ONE DAY AT A TIME WITH HIM!!!  Learn what it is like to truly surrender to him and follow him!  Learn what it is like to truly rest IN HIM!!!  Start pleasing God, and Stop trying to please people!! Do not worry if things do not make sense, because we are to walk by faith NOT by sight!!  Lift up your head and fix your eyes on him!! Do not be moved by what is happening on the left or the right of you!!