What a BEAUTIFUL DAY!

We were very busy this past weekend. Our church sponsored a “Beautiful Day” - a day set aside to serve the community through different projects to spread the love of Jesus. Our family went in different directions, working on everything from Habitat for Humanity homes to tie blankets for homeless shelters to letters to military families to visiting a nursing home. It was an amazing day.

Even though it was awesome serving the community and loving others through doing it, God showed me something equally amazing once the day was “finished”. After having a wonderful visit with the residents of a nursing home, we decided to stop at a nearby park and play. It was a very warm and sunny day and the kids had been indoors for most of the day. I sat on a bench next to a mom as we watched our kids frolic in a splash pad.

As we sat and chatted, I learned that she is a single mom caring for three autistic children without any help. Her parents live several states away and only sees them a couple of times a year. Well, I “just happen” to have a very good friend who does “respite care.” She has a heart for autistic and special needs children. She will spend several hours taking care of the children so that the parents can have a rest- go out for dinner, take a walk, or even take a much needed nap! Before I left the park that day, I had gotten this mom’s name and phone number and promised to have my friend call her to set up respite services for her. I just “happened” to sit next to her? No way! God had His fingerprints all over that encounter!

I had to laugh because God showed me that following Him doesn’t just mean “signing up” for service projects to serve Him, but being open to His leading everywhere. Our family wants to make a difference, so we are excited about many service projects we have lined up over the next few months, but the most important “project” is the people God places in our path every day- the woman next to you on the park bench, the check out person at Target, your neighbor, your coworker….. We, as the Church, must be ready and willing to share the love of Christ everywhere and anywhere! We have to be open and “watching” for opportunities. When I slow down and just listen, I am amazed by the opportunities to love others God places in my path everyday.

“Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive.” Titus 3:14 NLT

The NIV says, “our people must DEVOTE themselves to doing good”! Lord, I have devoted myself to lots of things in my life, but not always to doing good!

Let’s make everyday a “beautiful day”!

Father God, thank You for Your love. Thank You that You allow us to reflect Your love to those around us. What a privilege for us and a responsibility. Thank You for entrusting Your Church with this amazing gift and blessing. Forgive us Lord, forgive ME, Lord, for the times that I “missed it”- either because I was too busy to even notice the hurting person in front of me or because I lacked the love and grace to help or that I was afraid and didn’t trust You. Help me to shine Your Light to those You place all around me. Help me to devote myself to loving and helping others. Help me to truly FOLLOW YOU by my loving actions. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

Have a beautiful day!

Empty cups?

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Are you a September 12th person?

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Sometimes surgery is needed for healing!

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Everday Miracles...and Perseverance?

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One thing at Laced with Grace

Oh, I hope you can join me today at Laced with Grace! I will be chatting about ONE THING!

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A Selah Season.....

Glad you stopped by! Join me at Laced With Grace today to read about a Selah season I am experiencing.....and discover why it has been so quiet around here lately!

The Light of the world..

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In the blink of an eye....at Laced with Grace

Do you ever find that life "happens" in a blink of an eye? I wrote about this at Laced with Grace and wanted to share it here.....


Have you noticed the beauty of fall lately? In Iowa, the leaves have become, almost overnight, a brilliant palette of golds, reds, oranges, and shades of green.

And, it has happened in a “blink of an eye.”

In fact, some trees are already completely bare- leaves turned, died and fallen to the ground in a crunchy blanket covering lawns.

In my life recently, I have seen two major changes- in the blink of an eye.

Two weeks ago, my sweet father-in-law suffered a massive stroke and is now fighting back to regain some sense of “normalcy” in life. He is having to relearn basic behaviors, including speech. Life has changed completely for our family “in a blink of an eye.”

The other change I was privileged to witness was a sweet, young girl accept Christ as her Lord and Savior. She attended a women’s retreat where I was the speaker. She began the weekend separated from God and left the retreat a NEW CREATION in Christ Jesus! Her life will NEVER be the same, and it happened in the blink of an eye.

Both examples remind me how important RELATIONSHIPS are in our lives.

Our family has rallied around my father and mother-in-law, all gathering around to help and support during this hard time. Family has never been as important as it is now. Life has taken on a whole new “preciousness.”

The sweet young lady who was welcomed into the Family of God, became a Christian because someone had taken the time to invest in a relationship with her. Her friend had been sharing the Gospel with her and brought her to the retreat.

Life happens quickly. We never know when things will happen- both “good” and “bad.” Life changes in a “blink of an eye.” Jesus tells us that the most important thing in life is to “love God and love others.” (Mark 12:29-31) Our relationship with God and with the people who He puts in our lives is so very important. It is so important to not waste the time God has given us, because life changes “in the blink of an eye!”

Father God, I praise You! You are awesome…glorious….so good! Lord, help me to always remember that life happens so very quickly. Lord, help me to prioritize my life and my time. Keep my eyes always on “the main thing”….always keeping YOU first place in my life. Open my eyes to see the importance of the relationships you have blessed me with. Help me to honor You in all my relationships. Give me a “Kingdom perspective” in all areas of my life. Thank You for the reminder that life can change, just as the fall leaves on the trees, “in the blink of an eye.” Praise You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Freedom!

Join me at Laced with Grace today where I will be talking about FREEDOM!

Do you ever find yourself wearing a MASK? Join me today at Laced with Grace to chat about that!

Are you a GRUMPY Christian????

Head over HERE to read about THEM!

Are you HAPPY?

Are you filled with JOY? Do you want to be? Hop over to LACED WITH GRACE where I will be chatting about JOY.....

Join me today at Laced With Grace where I will be talking about ROOTS....

AND the Cafe where I will be talking about childhood phases....and growing out of them!

J-U-N-K FOOD.......JUNK TIME!

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This is war.....again!

Please join me at Laced with Grace as I share about the war I am engaged in (again!) this summer!!!

Lessons from a Garden...

Please join me at Laced with Grace today where I share lessons I have learned from my garden!

Use that razor, girl!

Yes, it is that time again......

SUMMER= SHORTS = SHAVING!

Hop on over to LACED WITH GRACE today to read how razors relate to the Word of God! Click here to read the devotion....

April Fool's Day!

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Do you ever feel like you wear the "cone of shame"???

Visit me at Laced with Grace today to read more....

and if you would like to read more about walking FREE from shame..

please scroll down to read an excerpt from my talk "Freedom in Christ."

There is another story of Jesus meeting a sinful woman that begins in Luke 7:36. The story says that Jesus was having dinner at a Pharisee’s house named Simon. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume to Him.

Now, we may not understand the significance of this, but it is really important. When a woman would become of marrying age, as part of her dowry, her family would purchase a marble, or alabaster box or jar. It would be filled with expensive perfume, sometimes costing as much as one year’s wages. This would be the woman’s most precious possession, a priceless treasure. When a man came to ask for her in marriage, she would break the jar at his feet, anointing him with the expensive oil as a sign of great honor.

So, this woman brings her alabaster box, her most precious possession intended for her earthly bridegroom, to the house where Jesus is.

Can you imagine what everyone all around is saying?

"What is she doing here, and with her alabaster box?! What is she going to do? WHO would marry HER?"

She walks in and stands behind Jesus. Notice her body language. She is standing BEHIND Jesus, maybe ashamed to look into his face. She is weeping at His feet. She wipes His feet with her hair. She kisses His feet, anointing them with her perfume. We don’t know what her sin was, but we know how thankful she was feeling- she was washing Jesus’ feet with her hair and her tears.

Maybe you understand her shame all too well- maybe you feel like because of what you have done, or because what has been done to you, you could never come to Jesus. You feel unworthy of His forgiveness.

Ladies, whatever her sin was, however dirty or terrible it was, it led her to Jesus. There she is with her most precious possession, her alabaster jar, reserved to pour out honor upon a bridegroom, pouring it out upon Jesus, mixing the expensive perfume with her tears, washing the feet of Jesus. Her heart, completely abandoned to Him, not caring about what others thought, only there full of praise and thankfulness for her Savior.

I wonder if words similar to Psalm 30 were on her lips? “I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O Lord, you brought me up from the grave, you spared me from going down into the pit.” No matter how "bad" her sin had been, it brought her to Jesus.

But, of course, there is always someone there to judge us. And, in this story, it is Simon the Pharisee. He says to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of a woman she is.”

But, ladies, that is just it- Jesus does know who is touching Him, who we are and what "kind" of women we are and IT DOESN’T MATTER.

Jesus answers Simon with a parable. He says, “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One man owed him 500 denari and the other 50 denari. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love the man more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had a bigger debt canceled.”

Jesus agrees. And, while He is still speaking to Simon, Jesus turns and looks at the woman. Even though He is talking to Simon, Jesus turns to look full in her face. He says, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You didn’t give me any water for my feet, but SHE wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins are forgiven, so she has shown much love.” Jesus tells the woman, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Ladies, those of us who have sinned much are forgiven much! Jesus wants us to come to Him, no matter how great our sin, to be forgiven. He wants us to go in PEACE. He wants us to experience the peace that passes all understanding. He wants us to not worry about what others will think of us, but to be completely abandoned, head over heals in love with Him, pouring out on Him all the things of our alabaster jar which we think are so precious. To come, so thankful, full of praise to our Savior, pouring out on His feet all of our sins, all of the things we have felt guilt and shame over, to pour on Him. He will turn our sadness to joy, our mourning to gladness, our ashes to beauty.


Dear, sweet sisters, come now to the feet of Jesus where you will find mercy and forgiveness. Whatever you have kept in your alabaster jar, pour out on His feet. If you have sinned much, you have been forgiven much. Don’t worry about what others will think of you, but instead give Him everything you have. Fall head over heals in love with your Savior. Pour out your praises on Him, He who forgives and loves and offers peace.

Lord, may I come to You honestly, seeking TRUE forgiveness. It is when I am truly sorry, truly repentant, truly full of Godly sorrow that I can experience the JOY of being forgiven...the JOY of Your salvation. Lord, give me eyes to see my sin the way You see it. May I never look a blind eye to it. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You, Jesus.