So our town is now filled with tons of students, my daughter is starting pre-school next week, the stores are filled with other children buying new clothes and school supplies, and I am excited to start back up with my weekly women's Bible study, mom's groups, library classes, leading music for the middle school youth group, etc. I had to write out what goals I had for my daughter this school year, and I certainly always think of goals for myself for the coming year. But I was reminded when praying today that no matter how many goals I accomplish, how many new things I learn, etc., it is all meaningless if I do not do them with love.
The Word:
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
It's funny as I type, these match a lot of the 'goals' I set for myself all the time- to learn new languages (tongues)- Spanish and ASL to be more specific, to understand more about the Bible and about our relationship with God, to have more faith, and to be more sacrificial (which will be demanded with another baby entering our lives). But all of these things will not add up to a successful year, it is the love behind these things that please God, the greatest lover of all.
Prayer:
For love to be my motivation behind every attempt to learn more- both about the world and the world to come, serve more, and accomplish more for the Glory of God!
Food Story:
Fasting during pregnancy has still been going ok. I usually have a piece of fruit later in the morning, or just after lunch time, something healthy instead of snacky. I know as I start to show more and more that it will be tempting to think about myself more and more, so this is a good reminder that there are others who have more urgent needs than me.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Thanks for life
At lunch today, my daughter prayed "thank you God for this life, and for this great day..." I just thought it was so sweet and very applicable today because I just heard about a high-schooler committing suicide from our old church, and on the other side being so thankful for the life inside of me after feeling a small movement for the first time.
THE WORD:
"This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it"
Isaiah 42:5
I was thinking the other night that I was not being very consistent with taking my pre-natal vitamins and how it is strange that with so many laws, so much government oversight, rules from parents, employers, etc...that no one was really keeping me accountable to taking care of this growing baby inside of me. It reminded me that I still have lots of choices about how much to pay attention to things in life, how much to care, how much I value things, and the only person I am accountable to is the Lord, the one who gives breath and life to us all, and knows us before we live one day outside of the womb. I think of this sad situation with the high school girl, and know that she had some really great friends and influences in her life. I don't know any of the bad ones, but there must have been some- be it people, music, tv, computer, I don't know- but there must have been some to have an evil idea in her head to take her own life. (To clarify, I do not think of her as evil in any way, but any thought to take one's own life is evil because our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and God cares for each life that He created.) We all have positive and negative influences in our lives, and since no one knows our minds and hearts except God, He is the one we are accountable to when we choose which voices to listen to- the voice of truth or the author of lies. I know I believe a lot of lies about myself and my life that are put in my head by someone other than God, and I shouldn't. I need to remember that life is a battle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12). We don't like to talk about this in the world today, because it sounds really wakko, and makes people uncomfortable to admit what they are really thinking and feeling, but it is the truth, and we need to be prepared- this daughter of the King needed to be strengthened in the battle, but ended up losing her life.
PRAYER:
For Faith's family (terribly sad, ironic name). To continue to feel the same love and value for life that our Creator does, and to know how to empower and uplift one another in daily battles to protect and sanctify our lives for the Lord.
THE WORD:
"This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it"
Isaiah 42:5
I was thinking the other night that I was not being very consistent with taking my pre-natal vitamins and how it is strange that with so many laws, so much government oversight, rules from parents, employers, etc...that no one was really keeping me accountable to taking care of this growing baby inside of me. It reminded me that I still have lots of choices about how much to pay attention to things in life, how much to care, how much I value things, and the only person I am accountable to is the Lord, the one who gives breath and life to us all, and knows us before we live one day outside of the womb. I think of this sad situation with the high school girl, and know that she had some really great friends and influences in her life. I don't know any of the bad ones, but there must have been some- be it people, music, tv, computer, I don't know- but there must have been some to have an evil idea in her head to take her own life. (To clarify, I do not think of her as evil in any way, but any thought to take one's own life is evil because our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and God cares for each life that He created.) We all have positive and negative influences in our lives, and since no one knows our minds and hearts except God, He is the one we are accountable to when we choose which voices to listen to- the voice of truth or the author of lies. I know I believe a lot of lies about myself and my life that are put in my head by someone other than God, and I shouldn't. I need to remember that life is a battle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12). We don't like to talk about this in the world today, because it sounds really wakko, and makes people uncomfortable to admit what they are really thinking and feeling, but it is the truth, and we need to be prepared- this daughter of the King needed to be strengthened in the battle, but ended up losing her life.
PRAYER:
For Faith's family (terribly sad, ironic name). To continue to feel the same love and value for life that our Creator does, and to know how to empower and uplift one another in daily battles to protect and sanctify our lives for the Lord.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Breaking off from the group
I took some time to pray about and reflect on this past week, having had the opportunity to go back to our old church in MI and serve on a middle school backpacking/city serve trip. I thank God that He connected the young ladies and myself quickly, and sustained me through hiking with the heavy backpack :) Every day on the trip, there was a planned quiet time where everyone would break off and go through a trip devotional, then come back together to discuss how we felt God speaking to us. Coming back home, I was thinking about when Jesus left crowds to go have some time alone with his Father. It wasn't planned, and no one else was doing it. As a person who loves social interaction and hates to miss anything, that would have been, and still is hard for me some times. During the summer, I have not had the same 'homework' from my weekly Bible study or life group that keeps me accountable to making time to specifically listen for and seek God.
THE WORD:
"The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed." Isaiah 50:4
Not that I claim to have already obtained this well-instructed tongue :), but reading it reminds me that the Lord and His instruction can make even the simple, wise. So I will continue to take time to lend my ear and heart to His instruction, even if it means having to separate myself from a group or activity for a time.
PRAYER:
That even in groups, other people's homes, on vacation, wherever I may be, that I would remember it is the Lord who sustains me. Lord, help me remember my need for you and your great lovingkindness to teach me.
THE WORD:
"The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed." Isaiah 50:4
Not that I claim to have already obtained this well-instructed tongue :), but reading it reminds me that the Lord and His instruction can make even the simple, wise. So I will continue to take time to lend my ear and heart to His instruction, even if it means having to separate myself from a group or activity for a time.
PRAYER:
That even in groups, other people's homes, on vacation, wherever I may be, that I would remember it is the Lord who sustains me. Lord, help me remember my need for you and your great lovingkindness to teach me.
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