tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2455724520347504482024-03-12T18:34:57.316-05:00Faith, Family Life & Other Thingsdesiring what God desires. changing every day with each new lesson learned. and writing about it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-49538671069715128732013-02-22T10:33:00.000-06:002013-02-22T12:01:02.641-06:00Frazzled Mom Shopping with Crazy Kid | Don't Pass JudgmentI went to the grocery store to pick up some items last evening. While I was browsing the aisles, I overheard a young boy melting down having a full-on fit right where he dropped; he was not happy shopping with his parents. From an onlookers point of view, it may have appeared that this boy was in charge! But his dad was very patient. He corrected his son's behavior. Talked quietly to his son, giving him instruction I'm sure on what is the most appropriate behavior in a grocery store. Mind you, this boy looked to be about two years old.<br />
<br />
A little later on I was checking out when I noticed the mom and dad checking out too. The little boy's mood was no different than twenty minutes ago. The mom looked defeated as her son ran away from her towards the door. The dad looked out of place trying to pay for his groceries while running after his son. These parents were exhausted. The boy was overtired. And the check out lady looked a bit annoyed by the noise the boy was making.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7OaE9NpXqcgIYsx8H3nPWSzETnRig2mV3j7DYUY4E61gNBGXB_OLnlLx5m23LddPXRZ-nqnSJreuuvDCUTgPToQwSmNUbNj9NVI6l4rSJQlIsKQ2MCxJRCziKw5ZGfckdzLlzKJ5LA/s1600/3825966603_bf96494243_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7OaE9NpXqcgIYsx8H3nPWSzETnRig2mV3j7DYUY4E61gNBGXB_OLnlLx5m23LddPXRZ-nqnSJreuuvDCUTgPToQwSmNUbNj9NVI6l4rSJQlIsKQ2MCxJRCziKw5ZGfckdzLlzKJ5LA/s320/3825966603_bf96494243_z.jpg" width="249" /></a>I quietly loaded my groceries in my bags but thought to myself how much I could relate to these parents. I tried to make eye-contact with the mom to let her know that she was not alone and that I understood how she was feeling in this awkward moment. I've had moments like this with both of my boys. How embarrassing to see your child throw a tantrum while you try very judiciously to handle the episode like you are in total control. Except, let's be honest, the attempt is futile because at least for that moment you feel like you have very little control and like you want to run far away from everyone's staring eyes!</div>
<br />
I wanted to say something to this mom as she was walking out of the store but she averted her eyes from me. I've been there too. Looking off, avoiding everyone's stare and glare and their judgment on my parenting skills. I felt like I wanted to do something to encourage her but the opportunity just wasn't there. So I prayed.<br />
<br />
Before I had children, I was judgmental towards "those" moms who looked frazzled dazzled and out of control with their children. Sometimes the fact is that parents don't always do a good job at well parenting. But I'm willing to bet that most of the time when you see a mom struggling in the store most likely she isn't one of "those" moms. Moms have bad moments. Children have bad moments. That's it.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWz0w0DFaf01VdybCt2-sYsAdu7juF6bhV2xbi_VEDAhzWzsA5ZsSEjBmAdOtAD6u9ofLyAIslWv5Q6ucQ59aycUqs2SQJfZgeDj6PF7B9PEOL0PGSz0aXB04zCXasMl5f7etQ7P-1Q/s1600/Frazzled-Mom.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWz0w0DFaf01VdybCt2-sYsAdu7juF6bhV2xbi_VEDAhzWzsA5ZsSEjBmAdOtAD6u9ofLyAIslWv5Q6ucQ59aycUqs2SQJfZgeDj6PF7B9PEOL0PGSz0aXB04zCXasMl5f7etQ7P-1Q/s320/Frazzled-Mom.png" width="316" /></a>So I say this: if you see a mom having a hard time with her child, extend grace and mercy to her especially if you are a parent yourself by offering a smile or a word of encouragement by sharing a simple statement like "I so relate to you right now!" "Hang in there." Grace and mercy are two of the sweetest gifts we can give to each other. Kindness goes a long way. Understanding and compassion are easy to give too when we put ourselves in other people's shoes.<br />
<br />
Grace & Peace to you today! And may you experience grace, mercy, understanding, and compassion in your life.<br />
<br />
♥ Dori<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-14924327527214070142013-02-21T14:28:00.001-06:002013-02-21T15:46:15.816-06:00Spontaneous? Me? I Think So!I am a planner. This trait can be good or not so good. I seem to be breaking out of my shell lately. I feel freer these days. Not weighted down by much. Very thankful for the rest God is giving me following difficult years past. It isn't like me usually to do spontaneous things. I don't exactly like that about myself I don't think. I use to do those types of things when I was younger, throwing caution to the wind. I chuckle here because I didn't do something like bungee jumping today. Or skydiving. Or take a long trip on the spur of the moment.<br />
<br />
I just took Judah to a place called BounceTown. Had no plans to do this. Just dropped everything (all the housework, dishes, laundry, meal planning, etc.), grabbed my boy, and headed over there. I'm glad I did. We spent an hour and a half running, jumping, falling, sliding, laughing, and bumping into each other while working our way through the bouncy obstacle courses. Yes, I was sweating by the end of it. I was the only mom running through these courses like a crazy girl trying to keep up with Judah. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYySL399ffa-qDbR4n1MkeYrGpy0enP1cZmzlTOc7_rbwL72AEH2F2Jho5S4LseCv2qjhJMoIhxYzy4NCLMklGc84XADybm03V4xTf813s_cAfmak3I-G46ZiNOjDU-zjRd0Wl61FDLw/s1600/Silhouette%2520mother%2520and%2520child%2520280_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYySL399ffa-qDbR4n1MkeYrGpy0enP1cZmzlTOc7_rbwL72AEH2F2Jho5S4LseCv2qjhJMoIhxYzy4NCLMklGc84XADybm03V4xTf813s_cAfmak3I-G46ZiNOjDU-zjRd0Wl61FDLw/s1600/Silhouette%2520mother%2520and%2520child%2520280_0.jpg" /></a></div>
I felt like a kid again.<br />
<br />
I pushed myself to keep up with my little guy.<br />
<br />
Joy was bursting through watching Judah conquer it all.<br />
<br />
I was at peace.<br />
<br />
Having fun. Thinking of nothing but just enjoying my time with my son.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
At one point, when we stopped for a snack, all I could do was stare at my child's face. Thanking God in my heart for this moment with him. No rules. No instruction. No schedule. Spur of the moment actions are good from time to time. That was me today. I think I could get use to this.<br />
<br />
Grace & Peace,<br />
Dori<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-84564024054622039992013-02-19T09:23:00.000-06:002013-02-19T09:23:25.348-06:00Weight Steals Too Much Time From MeYesterday was cluttered with failures, mistakes, and wondering if I could really attain the goals I've set before me. Losing weight is not easy. Bad habits are hard to break. Motivating myself to exercise is difficult in the midst of my busy life with my boys. Craving that ice cream sandwich, and giving in is easier than doing five sit-ups for me. I can feel sorry for myself all I want but the decision to give in to my temptation doesn't go away. It stares at me, daring me to fail. <br />
<br />
What is important here?<br />
<br />
Losing 50 lbs?<br />
<br />
For vanity sake?<br />
<br />
Getting into the jeans that young teens are wearing?<br />
<br />
Or my own jeans from pre-baby for that matter!<br />
<br />
Looking like an ad model?<br />
<br />
Being puffed up by the compliments received over my small success?<br />
<br />
Or<br />
<br />
Being healthy so I can do all that God has called me to do?<br />
<br />
Taking care of the body God gave me, because life is a gift.<br />
<br />
Raising healthy boys, and being a good example to them.<br />
<br />
Living life with my husband.<br />
<br />
The latter things are what's important.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Grounding myself in eternal things, and removing things from my life that take too much of my time and focus is an important endeavor. Weight steals too much time from me. </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNEky6UgMISzWSiEgmA8XrDUBdkQjAda75GNckocoM5raVQB5KCvb-vhss6OUnUPQdeNe0lc8-dsMRHnIzajtgdNdkjR9g13jPzYP7galby_WrzMQweOfO6uMxT5r9a1QB78-FU71MQ/s1600/happy_woman_282153133_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNEky6UgMISzWSiEgmA8XrDUBdkQjAda75GNckocoM5raVQB5KCvb-vhss6OUnUPQdeNe0lc8-dsMRHnIzajtgdNdkjR9g13jPzYP7galby_WrzMQweOfO6uMxT5r9a1QB78-FU71MQ/s320/happy_woman_282153133_std.jpg" width="320" /></a>Yesterday is marked down in the history books. Today is what I make of it. Today is my new beginning. Today is my first step to freedom. Today is my renewed opportunity to win. I'm not giving up like in times past. I'm running towards my goals with new vigor and vitality. <br />
<br />
To God be the glory.<br />
<br />
~ Dori<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-48863905579029172122012-12-01T14:31:00.000-06:002012-12-08T08:47:32.161-06:00Recycling Cardboard Boxes | A Christmas Activity For Your KidsWhile browsing <a href="http://www.ikatbag.com/2008/07/whats-in-box.html" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, I found an interesting project that I wanted to do with my family. I started out thinking this would be a great way to give my two boys something to do for at least an hour. But I quickly discovered that this project was not exactly kid friendly. By the time I figured this out, I was already knee deep into the process. No quitting now. I had to carry on. The end result will be fun, but all the cutting and taping, and piecing together took me the entire morning to complete. Asaiah began the project with me but once he finished the decorating part, he faded fast. No complaints though. In my heart, as I was completing each item, I was filled with a lot of happiness knowing that my family was going to enjoy this activity throughout the coming weeks. <br />
<br />
And, I'm excited to share the end result with you in case you wanted to do something like this for your family. Here's what I did: I recycled cardboard boxes by making them into mailboxes. There's several ways you can have a great time with this activity. Ask one of your kids to be the mailman; tell him he has to check the main mailbox each day, sort the mail, then deliver it to each family member's smaller mail box. If you have more than one kid, let them take turns. My six year old was all over this when I told him he could check the mail, and deliver it. Each family member can bring their mail to the dinner table, and share what they received. Or, you can have each one read their mail on their own. I like the idea of sharing the notes with each other. <br />
<br />
Some suggestions for types of things you can put in the mail box: letters that contain questions to which your child would then write a return letter with his reply. Use stickers as stamps on your envelopes. Draw pictures. Tape a piece of candy to a small note telling your child how sweet he is. If you have younger kids, let them cut out pictures from a magazine, then tape to paper to make their own magazine, then put a label on it for Dad. While your child(ren) are writing letters, drawing pictures, or finding creative ways to make something for you, teach them the importance of having a giving heart especially during this season but also explain how Jesus wants us to have a giving heart all throughout the year. I've decided to use this activity as a way to also share with my sons that Jesus Christ was given to us by God, and that the greatest love letter ever given to this world is the Bible. <br />
<br />
Aside from the above suggestions, I thought it would be fun to write each other notes leading up to Christmas day. (I actually got a little excited myself thinking about what types of notes my husband might write to me). But too, my son has just floated around this morning coloring pictures, writing notes, and drawing pictures that he wanted to put in the mailbox for us. <br />
<br />
To complete the project I used cereal boxes, tape, scissors, mailing labels, a garbage bag box, scrapbook material, and lots of patience. Even though this took some time to make, now that it is done, I am really looking forward to getting mail from my family throughout the week. Please take a moment to look at our finished project. God bless you all, and Merry, Merry Christmas! Love, Dori<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOaYDG3uMD6YQyLZf0OHSwOQE8ZJfjgzalat_EgxIQBxj-z6mgvQkIN1WtHUdZpozOsmuhp6Tp7IRTEwQT6aHV-eJcIONVIV-TCwrvfg4ZAhi-Ta5OSwcgb4rwYqGKpIkroLU-5sOWg/s1600/frontofmailbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOaYDG3uMD6YQyLZf0OHSwOQE8ZJfjgzalat_EgxIQBxj-z6mgvQkIN1WtHUdZpozOsmuhp6Tp7IRTEwQT6aHV-eJcIONVIV-TCwrvfg4ZAhi-Ta5OSwcgb4rwYqGKpIkroLU-5sOWg/s200/frontofmailbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of the Mail Box</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkPeWSS5Vcynmvtu33KmLzH-phVbXgPOtWMVUZh-zdGm6F-UaYKB6OGLhAuMJbIaxpQPQgNFc-mErkmm-sVkRr_plFl6VMwi4L7pIwNjbzMqHaAhQJY2gI3r5pU3IG1UhVN2HcXichw/s1600/back+of+mailbox+with+slot+closed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkPeWSS5Vcynmvtu33KmLzH-phVbXgPOtWMVUZh-zdGm6F-UaYKB6OGLhAuMJbIaxpQPQgNFc-mErkmm-sVkRr_plFl6VMwi4L7pIwNjbzMqHaAhQJY2gI3r5pU3IG1UhVN2HcXichw/s200/back+of+mailbox+with+slot+closed.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back of the Mail Box</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpGd88nXIfpZvks0aDh23HTL-rO5_HNiRkaTTDhN38sizlCgtU0eEDWteXFuo-s3PA31lnOVB88A0kYDGIveApqpRY04nDferbbnvrNW4NqtG0gh6nh5QMvx9LpoQKsssWbV7K1W_Mg/s1600/backofmailbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpGd88nXIfpZvks0aDh23HTL-rO5_HNiRkaTTDhN38sizlCgtU0eEDWteXFuo-s3PA31lnOVB88A0kYDGIveApqpRY04nDferbbnvrNW4NqtG0gh6nh5QMvx9LpoQKsssWbV7K1W_Mg/s200/backofmailbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back with slot open</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqWqZn537UGolyMEF0dVcE-4YlAbo-dzRMeYwqcN2MlzF7F9DoFZWIwXti2EFH8IEPlZJgK9O3qKnATvJRmi_BK4YnGuICry5TXDmOgm6YxndFifVEdbUGFOaq2nCuyz5RPXuRuPJIA/s1600/side2mailbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqWqZn537UGolyMEF0dVcE-4YlAbo-dzRMeYwqcN2MlzF7F9DoFZWIwXti2EFH8IEPlZJgK9O3qKnATvJRmi_BK4YnGuICry5TXDmOgm6YxndFifVEdbUGFOaq2nCuyz5RPXuRuPJIA/s200/side2mailbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side of Mail Box </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-GCBG7y-rwpbSNBfRYtqro7ZIr4hrnFp-5oMwu1LDMBtvRYXLwYOiIqWHP3VQXeReeZnm9CSKjMv6Q8bi7CgQLg0hZrgBEB9sNyYHxAXjEqDm21Zm5Ypx0yGwYAVMKWZ4JZWJh24ug/s1600/side1mailbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-GCBG7y-rwpbSNBfRYtqro7ZIr4hrnFp-5oMwu1LDMBtvRYXLwYOiIqWHP3VQXeReeZnm9CSKjMv6Q8bi7CgQLg0hZrgBEB9sNyYHxAXjEqDm21Zm5Ypx0yGwYAVMKWZ4JZWJh24ug/s200/side1mailbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side of Mail Box</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgMMK_FqBZO29Qx-H7FHIYnz6oqjflRJU7MfO-uq4tBUnwGe1fLUREN-Ngj5AWIQw0zNWH-ohHLmi8UIJJd-OSGTGPYSV_DBLAGG62OSbgw2tewRFpN92y8nicrTRRGW80vBW_7K7jQ/s1600/mailboxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgMMK_FqBZO29Qx-H7FHIYnz6oqjflRJU7MfO-uq4tBUnwGe1fLUREN-Ngj5AWIQw0zNWH-ohHLmi8UIJJd-OSGTGPYSV_DBLAGG62OSbgw2tewRFpN92y8nicrTRRGW80vBW_7K7jQ/s200/mailboxes.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mail Pouches for our doors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPgayCwbiAn9awFR7ChHEViaZ5n4XP8OiOt2UCNR-f39X61_8-LgFICYkvhxB8MUQebr5BfvWQ235ANYWL62LW5S4TRZZGS-rQOXiJ_dKj9jL5wViBcPFBZFMBxy9TFGgG7lSTS4iYQ/s1600/mommy&daddymailbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPgayCwbiAn9awFR7ChHEViaZ5n4XP8OiOt2UCNR-f39X61_8-LgFICYkvhxB8MUQebr5BfvWQ235ANYWL62LW5S4TRZZGS-rQOXiJ_dKj9jL5wViBcPFBZFMBxy9TFGgG7lSTS4iYQ/s200/mommy&daddymailbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging on our bedroom door</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjMKbDsvu1iu3LrgHgkq_Dm2tUPnX3O7doGR7KrCxWyvRQzEBdHj4tzZh5se_P3awYV_lCQlI3lMeAcblnIC9TW47xzYzjNMpys7csdQTyfh89xcgGs_Mq8QOn1rccZbK2HLe2ybheg/s1600/asaiahmailbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjMKbDsvu1iu3LrgHgkq_Dm2tUPnX3O7doGR7KrCxWyvRQzEBdHj4tzZh5se_P3awYV_lCQlI3lMeAcblnIC9TW47xzYzjNMpys7csdQTyfh89xcgGs_Mq8QOn1rccZbK2HLe2ybheg/s200/asaiahmailbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJ-bDP3WTitiEBW2YkJat4pJd6sck4kLkk5U4J-i8XPRwoQ-drd80I2WdAkHoGMDM6QrwvL4IgT67OrvCsE71Fm11OtwNWqNM6QROm_0jPOn-RvOKzbWWu4yYIxVVVwD7sNig1a_ATw/s1600/judahmailbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJ-bDP3WTitiEBW2YkJat4pJd6sck4kLkk5U4J-i8XPRwoQ-drd80I2WdAkHoGMDM6QrwvL4IgT67OrvCsE71Fm11OtwNWqNM6QROm_0jPOn-RvOKzbWWu4yYIxVVVwD7sNig1a_ATw/s200/judahmailbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-35218999846995451582012-11-22T10:26:00.002-06:002012-11-22T10:27:29.213-06:00Giving ThanksThanksgiving is a holiday that well, makes people think about all they are thankful for. This is a no brainer. I've watched the build up on facebook as my friends and family noted the many things they are thankful for. I hopped onto that train by posting my own thoughts on what I am thankful for too. When we take a moment to focus on the many blessings we have in our life, the things that aren't going as well naturally fade a bit in the background. Just food for thought. <br />
<br />
Thanksgiving 2012: My recap of the many things to thank God for.<br />
<br />
A new job. Last year was so different from this year. In a moment the momentum shifted in our family. A new job for my husband. What an amazing gift God gave to him. Not only is he working, but all of his life he hoped to work in a job that gave him meaning. God granted him his heart's desire. And mine, which was that God would open the door for him to work in a field that takes him far away from the corporate world. Done. God, You are so good to us.<br />
<br />
A new car with no car payment. I have to admit, sometimes when I ask God for something I need, my mind cannot fathom how my request will be granted. My faith has grown so much as I've seen Him miraculously move in my life. My brother in law graciously gifted to us a reliable car that has low mileage, and is even a bit sporty (Ryan likes this). The sweet part of this deal was that the car was already paid off. Another prayer request answered. To God be the glory.<br />
<br />
Sweet Relationships. Two years ago I got involved with a MOMS group. I had no idea the plans God had for me within this group. Not only have my relationships with wonderful friends blossomed, but God has also opened many doors for me to speak and encourage these beautiful women in their walk with Him. In doing so, my own life has been enriched. It is rare to find a few good girlfriends with whom you can develop strong relationships. I'm truly blessed to have so many in my life. A true gift from God.<br />
<br />
Our boys. I've seen so much growth in our boys this past year. Judah is talking in complete sentences (though sometimes one needs a special ear to understand). Now we have two boys chattering away all the time. It is non-stop, and oh so enjoyable to have them to listen to. Asaiah is in first grade, and loving his school experience so far. This is something to be very grateful for indeed. The boys love to play with each other. They are becoming fast friends. They keep me on my toes. I think I am teaching them so much about life; however, I think I'm the student most of the time. Children are the purest blessing from the Lord. Amen.<br />
<br />
My dear husband. We just celebrated our 7th year of marriage. That really isn't a long time compared to many of my friends who have been married for 30+ years. However, I'm grateful, oh so grateful for the years I've had with Ryan thus far. In all my life, I've never met someone whose had such a rock solid commitment to me. I love him deeply, and look forward to many more years living my life with him. <br />
<br />
Personal Growth. This year I've made some huge leaps in my personal life. I'm thankful that I am sensitive enough to recognize the areas in my life that need to change. I don't ever want to walk this life with a blind eye, missing out on opportunities for me to grow in my faith and in my life. I want to be kinder. More loving. Compassionate. Prayerful. Patient. Strong. Courageous. And willing to step out of my comfy, cozy Christian existence. <br />
<br />
The thing about Thanksgiving is that we see so many people become more giving, and expressive about what being thankful means to them. My hope though is that we as a people can carry those expressions and acts of kindness into our area of influence all the year through. Father, kindly sir, please keep this thankful heart alive in me. Holy Spirit speak to me each day and remind me each day to acknowledge the blessings in my life. I pray for each one reading my thoughts that they too will take the challenge to be thankful for all You've given to them beyond just this time of year. Amen. <br />
<br />
Happy Thanksgiving to all!<br />
<br />
Many blessings on your day,<br />
Dori Price<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-57152977839886010642012-10-04T12:59:00.003-05:002012-10-04T14:46:07.782-05:00The God Who Sees Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPWD_yjQyYGoVauZrAe6CxPKwPZ7Atq6lqoZjVhFd703gIXFF1qZqNTw-acEzMJ4lf4RwN5K0JEnjmdQG7WmBtL0mtPxNI7STwFZsaajB6JAEMWNo5o2iUYwHwHzxv5W50KgxJodvNw/s1600/whereisgod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPWD_yjQyYGoVauZrAe6CxPKwPZ7Atq6lqoZjVhFd703gIXFF1qZqNTw-acEzMJ4lf4RwN5K0JEnjmdQG7WmBtL0mtPxNI7STwFZsaajB6JAEMWNo5o2iUYwHwHzxv5W50KgxJodvNw/s320/whereisgod.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Many people think that God is far off, busy doing other things, and not at all interested in their daily lives. People who hurt often believe that God must be disappointed in them or that He must not care about them because a loving God doesn't hurt people through pain, disaster or catastrophe. They may ask, "Where is God today?"<br />
<br />
Many years ago, I based my understanding of God on how I felt about myself. If I was feeling down or disappointed in myself, then I imagined God felt the same way. My tendency was to superimpose my own feelings in place of how God really sees me. When I was feeling great about my good deeds then I felt very happy and very sure God was happy with me too. The problem with feeling this way is that my feelings weren't reliable. They are rooted in my humanity. I related to God the way I related to others from my limited perspective. But God's kingdom doesn't work that way. His love for us is not conditional on how He "feels" from one day to the next.<br />
<br />
His love doesn't increase when I'm doing good deeds or decrease when I've messed up. He doesn't think I'm a drag when I come to Him with my brokenness, or when I'm seeking His loving care when I'm hurting, or when I need His help through hard circumstances. He draws near to me when I'm broken hearted and sets me free from my impossible situation; and His action isn't contingent upon what I do. I can't do enough to earn His love. His love is constant. God's love for us is unchangeable no matter what we do. <br />
<br />
When I was a child, I messed up a lot. I remember one time when I was in third grade. My dad told me I had to come home from school immediately--that I was not allowed to go to my friend's house. I didn't listen to him. I went to my friend's house anyway. Yowza! When I got home, my dad was not happy. I received one good spanking. One I wouldn't soon forget. However, the next day when I was reminded again to come home after school, I didn't listen <em>again</em>. I was hardheaded. And I received another good whoopin', that I clearly deserved. On the third day, do you think I remembered how much that spankin' hurt before I made a decision to go to my friend's house? Yes, I did. I did as I was told. But my point here is that even though my dad disciplined me, his love for me didn't change. He didn't reject me or give me conditions to earn his love back. Because I was his child, he loved me unconditionally. <br />
<br />
Likewise, I remember many times as a child when I was sick and needed extra care because I couldn't do things for myself. My mom had a very compassionate heart. She wanted to make me as comfortable as possible until I was better. I remember when I was little she would caress my back for comfort or touch my forehead to make sure I wasn't too hot with fever. She didn't leave me to fend for myself. She nursed me back to health. Sometimes she held me; other times, she left me alone to rest. But at no time was she absent, even if she wasn't in my room. She was always there, just a call away. And no matter what time of day or night I needed her during those times, she came to me. If my mom and dad, who are human, showed such love and care for me here on earth, how much more do you think my Heavenly Father loves me? He who created me, and knew me before I was in my mother's womb?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJJRzdFz7Lq2jovNE_7Q5wJIg6JDU_ZNaX4wGUReM7KliczndDn7Pqem4q23nvjHqnqhDzdrEXux_FB1f7o7rWi_DJtElaNQPMXpnPMLoQT_yCtedZl36Tg2cvWSMrygW0IbSexY5JQ/s1600/il_fullxfull_356202978_1as4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJJRzdFz7Lq2jovNE_7Q5wJIg6JDU_ZNaX4wGUReM7KliczndDn7Pqem4q23nvjHqnqhDzdrEXux_FB1f7o7rWi_DJtElaNQPMXpnPMLoQT_yCtedZl36Tg2cvWSMrygW0IbSexY5JQ/s320/il_fullxfull_356202978_1as4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>God loves us so much. His compassion towards us is endless. He understands that we are limited by our humanity. That we make mistakes. That we are hardheaded at times. That we need tender touches, and loving care when we are sick. In His passionate pursuit of us, He never let's go of us. He doesn't change His mind about us because we made the same mistake again. When we are asleep, our great God is awake. He never sleeps or slumbers. He doesn't take bathroom breaks or vacations. God sees me. I'm thankful for this. <br />
<br />
I need to know this about God because even as an adult, I mess up a lot. Sometimes I feel a lot of shame going to God again, asking Him to forgive me for the same thing I just talked with Him about days ago. Sometimes I avoid bringing up my sin altogether because I feel disappointed in myself. God knows my weaknesses. He reminds me in His loving ways that when I am weak He is strong. Ever wonder how you made it through something difficult? I answer that question by acknowledging God and thanking Him for giving me the strength and courage to make it through. I sense Him calling to me when I run from Him. I am compelled to lay down my struggles, and let Him lift me up to higher places because I cannot handle some of life's tough circumstances on my own. <br />
<br />
May I ask you kindly: where are you today with your relationship with God. How do you believe He sees you? Are you going through some circumstance that has you thinking He has forgotten about you? Are you looking for answers to your cries, and wonder about your value to Him--or ask the question does He really care? God's shoulders are big enough to handle each of these questions. May I humbly speak to you the words I believe God would say to you and wants you to hear?<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Son, daughter, I see you in the wee hours of the night, crying out for My help. You may not understand or feel my presence while you hurt deeply, but I am with you. I will never leave you or turn away from you. Each day you awake, I've given you the strength and courage you need. Lean on Me. Turn your eyes towards Me. See Me in your circumstances, working all of those details you worry over, out for your good and for My glory. I know the thoughts and plans I have for you. My plans for you are for good, to give you a hope and a future. My thoughts towards you are good not evil. My love for you never runs out; and it never lets up on you. When you seek Me, you will find me. I will be found by you.</span></em> </blockquote>My prayer for you dear friend is that you experience God's loving embrace today. That you see Him in tangible ways, and that you are overwhelmed by His love. And may I humbly remind you as you go about your day, God sees you. He hears you. Even if you can't see Him, He is with you. Working behind the scenes, working all of the details together for your good. <br />
<br />
Many blessing to you,<br />
<br />
Dori Price<br />
<br />
Do you know Jesus? To understand God's never ending love, we must have a relationship, an encounter with His Son Jesus. To acknowledge that He died on an old rugged cross, a redemptive, unconditional act, to give us a way out of our sin. Does this mean we have to be perfect? Absolutely not; He is the only perfect one in this universe. Draw near to Jesus, and He will draw near to you. You don't need to say a lofty prayer or be in church to make this commitment. You just need a quiet place to rest your head, to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord, and as Your Savior. Please let me know if you've made this commitment. And if you need prayer, leave your comments. I am honored to lift you up. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-57495931593427187252012-10-01T14:55:00.002-05:002012-12-08T09:44:43.519-06:00Never Lose Hope<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's always good to look back over journal entries or notes you write about your life to compare where you were when you wrote the note versus how far you've come from that point. To have some sort of marker to measure your progress. Recently, I came across an article I wrote in February of this year called <em><a href="http://doriprice.blogspot.com/2012/02/are-you-anxious-about-anything.html" target="_blank">Are You Anxious About Anything</a></em>? I wrote the article on a day when I was filled with angst about a job opportunity for my husband. I felt like I was at the end of my waiting, kind of feeling tired, and scared to hope for the best outcome because I didn't want to be disappointed--again. We experienced so much rejection leading up to that point, secretly I wondered if this time would be any different. <br />
<br />
Fast forward to today, Ryan is finishing his training with his new department at the end of this week. He takes over his own cruiser on Thursday. But in February, just seven months ago, I couldn't have predicted the outcome of his interviews. I wanted to be anywhere but where I was experiencing such hard times with him. I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted God to do for us. My picture didn't include the many nights fighting the worry over how we would feed our boys, pay our mortgage, make sure the lights stayed on, or how we would reduce the tension between us. Sometimes I questioned my faith, wondering if God really saw what was happening to us. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro0Ra4-cx-2VzZ4ICqb7YEbAsQq21Nn5oEs4IPl9HkalnyTj1-MiQ-N0RDz7Wb-dYTWy6U8N7ZdmG-YN7S4ffxY1lCeMbylOOWFi4dYxWsKmbUKu5ehac6cZ-zoYbLMgCXNUOPfzwBw/s1600/Never-Lose-Hope.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro0Ra4-cx-2VzZ4ICqb7YEbAsQq21Nn5oEs4IPl9HkalnyTj1-MiQ-N0RDz7Wb-dYTWy6U8N7ZdmG-YN7S4ffxY1lCeMbylOOWFi4dYxWsKmbUKu5ehac6cZ-zoYbLMgCXNUOPfzwBw/s320/Never-Lose-Hope.png" width="320" /></a></div>
We don't always feel God's love for us when our circumstances seem bigger than life. We may feel like He's too busy to intervene or wonder how long our situation will last. It may be very painful and may at times feel quite lonely while we are experiencing such hard times. That's what I felt when Ryan struggled to find work. It was tough. I'm thankful to God for His faithfulness. For His compassion towards me and for His thoughts and plans towards me, which are always good (Jeremiah 29:11, New International Version). I'm also thankful that even though I wavered at times, God never abandoned me. <br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I cried a lot during that time. I prayed, prayed, and prayed some more. I didn't let go of my hope and I didn't stop bugging Him for answers. Sometimes I woke up in the middle of the night just to pray. I went in and out of sleep praying. I would reach over to Ryan while he slept to put my hands on him, and pray. From my perspective, my prayers weren't for God's benefit, just in case He needed a reminder that I was still struggling. I didn't pray to keep His attention just in case His schedule was too busy or He forgot about me. I wasn't reminding Him of anything new in my circumstances; He knew it all anyway. My prayers were for my own benefit. The action of my prayers gave me peace and settled my soul. Deep inside, I knew He was listening. <br />
<br />
I also stayed close to good friends for support. I wonder how many of my friends watched their caller IDs just to avoid my calls. I say that in jest, but if you were one of those friends, you know what I mean. I called constantly for support and encouragement. I needed fresh perspective. I needed someone to speak God's word and His promises over me. I needed those sweet friends to pray for me. To tell me everything was OK. They put their arms around our family and blessed us beyond measure. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Those actions, my prayers and the support from my friends, helped me to stay focused on the goodness of God even though I was hurting. Still it took time for us to finally see God's hand move in our circumstances. Today, Ryan is living his dream, and I am so proud of him.<br />
<br />
I started out saying that it is good for us to have some marker to measure our progress. When I read my words found in my "anxiousness" article, I enjoyed a warm feeling in my heart because my husband wasn't struggling any more. However, I also realized that in part, the hard time we went through made our marriage and my faith stronger.<br />
<br />
If I knew how this whole thing was going to turn out at the beginning of our journey, I wonder how much my faith would have grown. No body wants to experience hard times, but I learned so much through my own. That struggle brought my family closer together. Made me look harder for God when I was down. Gave me strength in odd ways to keep moving forward because I had great hope in God's rescue. <br />
<br />
My prayer for you today is that you see God's hand in your situation. May His love shine through in tangible ways for you today. And may you always experience the love and support of those He's planted in your life.<br />
<br />
In His Love,<br />
Dori</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-52875919468108673282012-03-28T09:30:00.000-05:002012-03-29T14:40:34.468-05:00Let My Words Be FewToday, I want to talk about something very simple: Our words. In Proverbs
25:11, the Bible states, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings
of silver" (NIV). Ever have the best intentions going into a conversation, only
to come out of it totally dismayed by the end result? The enemy constantly
looks for ways to stir up trouble. We can surrender our words over to him so
easily by a misguided statement or unsolicited opinion. A word fitly spoken
means that we choose carefully the time to speak, <em>and</em> the words we
speak to positively impact the conversation. If it is impossible to say
anything that moves a conversation forward, then may I suggest that silence
prevail? Yes, just be quiet. <br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAKC_k_gsT1F0rG1Qi5T_kJntqZulF8hxVHDTZuSIYpm_CNXkcfhqWO4putIgOxxemb2uiV6YsmFIGZ1m5TLZK88cM-14M2zi7jRv86TQMSo9UmzGuEkMpRxweNJfVfC8SuOx1Ku1qQ/s320/conversation.jpg" width="320" /></div>
We often have urges to speak even when we know that the thoughts stirring
in our mind ain't no good (pardon the bad grammar). <u>Tempering our words,
choosing them carefully, and making conscious decisions to be quiet are
disciplinary actions against our flesh.</u> Please consider this, and use it as a
guide to filter the words you speak:<br />
<br />
<div>
My words should be:</div>
<br />
<div>
Soft: "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger"
(Proverbs 15:10). The words we choose to use has an affect on the hearer.</div>
<br />
<div>
Slow: "Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" (James 1:19, NIV);
"Listen much, speak little, and don't become angry" (TLB). The wrath of man
does not produce the righteousness of God. No good ever comes from sinful
anger. Harsh, loud, caustic speech leads to arguments and quarrels; while soft,
gentle words bring about peace. "A soft tongue can break hard bones" (Proverbs
25:15, NIV).</div>
<br />
<div>
Sweet: "Sweetness of the lips increases learning" (Proverbs 16:21, NIV).
"Pleasant words promote instruction and understanding" (TLB). </div>
<br />
<div>
Suitable: "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and
health to the bones" (Proverbs 16:24, NIV). Kind, sweet words have a medicinal
effect on both body and soul.</div>
<br />
<div>
Scant: "In the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who
restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19, NIV). Don't talk so much. One who
talks so much is sure to sin. In other words, choose your words wisely and keep
them few.</div>
<br />
<div>
Words (Author Unknown):</div>
<ul>
<li>
A careless word may kindle strife.
</li>
<li>A cruel word may wreck a life.
</li>
<li>A brutal word may smite and kill.
</li>
<li>A gracious word may smooth the way.
</li>
<li>A joyous word may light the day.
</li>
<li>A timely word may lesson stress.
</li>
<li>A loving word may heal and bless.</li>
</ul>
"Let the words of my mouth...be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord" (Psalm
19:14, NIV).<br />
<br />
<div>
May God grant you peace today as you think on these things!</div>
<br />
<div>
God bless,</div>
Dori</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-48041093350000475352012-03-22T15:40:00.001-05:002012-03-22T15:50:45.734-05:00The Grammy Blanket | A Story About Letting Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBqC24pDgPHZjhj0xobNNX_9Iz4i6A_n_aSZ7bF2yPELEd9I1oNM2YyQx5ALS2Jr25ct_wKAbvmw4Oy_7vCvetmyE5kGB8jePpGLTLgjYCBuu-NrLZ-HbphnSQeeeS12mIBRoT2WP_A/s1600/5-8-2006-021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="1" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBqC24pDgPHZjhj0xobNNX_9Iz4i6A_n_aSZ7bF2yPELEd9I1oNM2YyQx5ALS2Jr25ct_wKAbvmw4Oy_7vCvetmyE5kGB8jePpGLTLgjYCBuu-NrLZ-HbphnSQeeeS12mIBRoT2WP_A/s320/5-8-2006-021.jpg" width="320" /></a>When I found out I was pregnant with my son Asaiah, I began dreaming about the many experiences I would have with him. The feelings of exhilaration washed over me, leaving me energized, and full of hope with anticipation for his arrival. I haven't been disappointed. Being a mom is hard work but full of wonderful surprises and sweet moments that I wouldn't trade for the world. Asaiah has been a wonderful gift from God.</div>
<br />
Now, I have to admit, there were those days when I didn't always feel the gift part; those days when he didn't sleep through the night, or when I was at my whit's end trying to hang on during one of this marathon fits. But those moments were fleeting; they seemed like an eternity while I experienced each second but they quickly faded as soon as I held him in my arms.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsDm7zMObRBPYsf4h7x4CjWAWxg60ZvdCv0PrOmQKpRl53hUjHWuQ20fHo6h7nOt-2RPN5lTJ1QigAkxoEO_0hZn4d_xcSxK5FKnRnldmPUXBL9uQILPhUxFLkZSxo9UubX1zIGEb3Q/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="1" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsDm7zMObRBPYsf4h7x4CjWAWxg60ZvdCv0PrOmQKpRl53hUjHWuQ20fHo6h7nOt-2RPN5lTJ1QigAkxoEO_0hZn4d_xcSxK5FKnRnldmPUXBL9uQILPhUxFLkZSxo9UubX1zIGEb3Q/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Asaiah has a warm, sweet personality that has stolen my heart many times. Life moments with him have been rewarding yet unexpected; they've been so beautiful and revealing, unscripted, and at times, have kept me laughing until my belly ached. I believe God knows we need these types of moments with our children to balance out the more challenging times, and to encourage us while we work through the times that test our patience and endurance. And, if we hang in there long enough, we'll learn something too. I'm amazed each time I learn something through my son's experiences.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTbaXE8htNiLeNAaorRBfB38nrQDJgCWhzCMTmcDvmCs06fjyH97sCe6zVnNKMsjx-yb3WVlqHL-k-goRasMaq6135pd0igRfRbRoNMNVY1fF6DwIevvYjMOya-lv8p908l655rq7jg/s1600/My+Family+2011+142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="1" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTbaXE8htNiLeNAaorRBfB38nrQDJgCWhzCMTmcDvmCs06fjyH97sCe6zVnNKMsjx-yb3WVlqHL-k-goRasMaq6135pd0igRfRbRoNMNVY1fF6DwIevvYjMOya-lv8p908l655rq7jg/s320/My+Family+2011+142.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
One night, a couple weeks ago I had an experience with him that uncovered my struggle to let my little boy go. I'm still recovering, trying to come to grips with the fact that he is growing up and maturing faster than I want him to. On that evening, the roles reversed. Instead, he became the teacher and I was his student. It was an innocent conversation between us. He shared his concern for other children who didn't have blankets to keep them warm. I told him we could pray for those kids, which was fine with Asaiah but it wasn't enough. He said, "Mommy, I want to give those kids my Grammy blanket to keep them warm."<br />
<br />
I'm not sure why I tried to reason or convince him that we could keep his Grammy blanket and still give the kids newer blankets. I could feel a tug in my heart. I heard myself say, <i>"See the significance of this moment Dori? Your child wants to give his most cherished blanket to someone who needs it. To him, the blanket kept him warm and gave him security. He wants to give that feeling to another child."<br />
</i><br />
It was a pivotal moment for me. I think as parents we're aware that every moment counts. We teach our children to be kind, to be loving, and to be giving. We teach them something every day, whether intentional or by accident. They reflect and mimic what we've modeled to them. They speak like we speak. They act like we act. They follow in our footsteps. They learn from us--the sometimes good, sometimes not so good--habits we display. Their actions are telling. I'm thankful to God for watching over my boys, and that His grace prevails where I fail. And I do fail, all the time. Thankfully, my son's capacity to forgive me has proven to be endless. <br />
<br />
As I think about my conversation with him over the blanket, I realize that I want to be more like him; the compassion in his heart rivals mine. I'm reflecting now. Wondering how it came to be that my sweet boy thinks about life the way he does. His giving nature is refreshing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TLw9rSepoF4X-fFHYZAlcD7WpcwziciqKuQKsrbL6J7R8R3fK8aqJNa6ptrQiIYYEDx9UDTimpl7BDRdRVLmQ2FVGJJEyv8srpttjyAb2vm3COA5_FUHKapZJuDVr39l4kVm0-XvZg/s1600/296077_2134618057796_1616421773_2077523_2204155_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="1" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TLw9rSepoF4X-fFHYZAlcD7WpcwziciqKuQKsrbL6J7R8R3fK8aqJNa6ptrQiIYYEDx9UDTimpl7BDRdRVLmQ2FVGJJEyv8srpttjyAb2vm3COA5_FUHKapZJuDVr39l4kVm0-XvZg/s320/296077_2134618057796_1616421773_2077523_2204155_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I was pulled out of my thoughts by Asaiah, still insisting he wanted to give his blanket away. It was getting late, so I hushed him for a moment, and told him we could discuss it further in the morning. As I was leaving his room, I thought back to when he was a toddler with his blanket in tow. He didn't go anywhere without it. Before we left the house, we listed it as a priority right up there with diapers and food. I know the connection to his blanket started out because it was given to him by his Grammy. But something odd was happening to me.<br />
<br />
To think about giving it away somehow pricked my own heart. I never expected him to willingly offer it to someone else. Besides, I had plans for his blanket, like saving it for his wife one day. Surely, she'd want to see it--all of its sewn together holes, which resembled battle scars. Each one of those precious holes representing an event in which mommy was hero and nurse saving the day by mending the blanket. Its been well loved by Asaiah and, by me too. When you hold it up to a window, you can see clear through it. When I look at it these days, the memories of my sweet boy carrying it around flood to the forefront of my mind.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsI4lD41EHePYP_rUoiy3GhGHID7mFD8n8Sw4fi9vFQ6UclAr5hVNJpLVC6mCRz_LobS7AB4cpDjs6FLqSNa3FtuYXXf3TTy2ILp42ifHeYgW2rre-oYF4NfUSSppa5DtPKN221FTNQ/s1600/pics+of+Asaiah+June+2006+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="1" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsI4lD41EHePYP_rUoiy3GhGHID7mFD8n8Sw4fi9vFQ6UclAr5hVNJpLVC6mCRz_LobS7AB4cpDjs6FLqSNa3FtuYXXf3TTy2ILp42ifHeYgW2rre-oYF4NfUSSppa5DtPKN221FTNQ/s320/pics+of+Asaiah+June+2006+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Even as I type these words, my heart begins to beat just a little faster because so many things are changing. He's recently begun calling me, "Mom" instead of "Mommy." And the other day, he chose to walk by himself rather than allowing me to hold his hand. I wasn't prepared for that moment either. The time is ticking away too fast. People tell you all the time that it all goes by too fast but when you're changing poopey diapers, cleaning up after your children, and losing sleep, somehow you just can't see beyond where you are. It seems like the appreciating and the cherishing of moments with your children gets lost in the shuffle of daily tasks and routine.<br />
<br />
Asaiah is half-way through Kindergarten. He's learned to read, and write, and do math problems too. He's made such progress since his first day of school. The hard truth I'm struggling to swallow is that my baby isn't my baby any more. The Grammy blanket isn't just the Grammy blanket any more.<br />
<br />
The realization came fast for me. Asaiah isn't attached to his blanket any longer; it is I whose become attached. Asaiah, my compassionate boy wants to give his very best gift to a child who needs it more than himself. We've taught him to prefer others, and now, he's doing what we'd hoped he'd do all along. How can I argue with that?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vqu_T7qoonIKKJo2CvD0U4Xklw2J3QimvY3F6-35HQhI-35TYaLt8cGfg33lKD21huBsksfJvHQyOFifIdIEIzslQFQGC5u-TZvJxJcGr52z1ASA1_WJgLKgP3W2tzMbjZqnXSB3Nw/s1600/blogger-image-1442089502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vqu_T7qoonIKKJo2CvD0U4Xklw2J3QimvY3F6-35HQhI-35TYaLt8cGfg33lKD21huBsksfJvHQyOFifIdIEIzslQFQGC5u-TZvJxJcGr52z1ASA1_WJgLKgP3W2tzMbjZqnXSB3Nw/s1600/blogger-image-1442089502.jpg" /></a></div>
I turn my heart to the Lord, thanking Him again for the wonderful gift of our son, Asaiah. Both of our boys are so special to us. Time is fleeting. Here today, gone tomorrow. I hold Asaiah and Judah closer, tighter, and a little longer these days, knowing that I have a short span of time to influence them. I'm learning too that they are influencing me as well.<br />
<br />
As I mentioned in the beginning, I'm aware that every moment with them counts. Asaiah's heart of giving has taught me that letting go can be a beautiful thing. And really in the end, we never let our children go; we just step back and let them grow into people who hopefully spread their wings and fly while we stay steady supporting and loving them along the way.<br />
<br />
God bless,<br />
Dori<br />
P.S. This story was revised and reprinted from its original copy date of March 21, 2012, Asaiah's sixth birthday.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-2609440426297946162012-03-16T13:45:00.000-05:002012-03-16T14:15:43.083-05:00Redefining Possible<div style="text-align: justify;">
My family has experienced an incredible move of God over the past several weeks. More specifically, what we've been praying for over the past three years concerning my husband's job has finally materialized. Ryan had his swearing in ceremony with a local police department last evening. He is now officially a police officer on his way to the academy on April 2nd. What I've learned through this process more than ever before is this: God is truly a God of impossibilities!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What I want to share with you today is a message that I hope will reinvigorate your faith, to inspire you to look up once again, to know that whatever God has in store for you, nothing can stop His plan from unfolding in your life. Everything on paper concerning Ryan's pursuit to become a police officer looked impossible. He was the least in a pool of many. This is true as far as the human eye could see; however, when God is on the scene, look for miracles to happen. Don't let the devil trick you into thinking that your time has passed. It hasn't passed. Ask God for big things. Be bold in your faith, and believe that God is working everything together for your good. I say this all the time. But let me be clear, what I witnessed through this testing process with Ryan redefined my ideas of what was possible. The devil tried to avert what God was doing but God prevailed. He always prevails.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Are you holding onto a dream that hasn't happened yet? Have you put it on the back burner because you take the time delay as an indicator that it isn't suppose to happen? Well, today I challenge you to move your pot to the front burner. Bring your dreams before the Lord. Don't be afraid to ask for what you desire. God will sift it all anyway. His plan is perfect for us. Pray over your dreams without ceasing. I have a renewed sense of faith this morning after Ryan's ceremony. God showed us that no one made his dream come true except for God Himself. He showed us clearly. And without a doubt for the first time in many, many years, we are confident of God's direction for Ryan. I share this because I want to encourage you to keep your dream alive. Your hope alive. Your petitions before our great and mighty God. He is listening. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Lord knows exactly your location. He knows what you are believing for, asking for, standing for. He knows your struggles. He knows when your doubts creep in. He is not lost somewhere looking for the answers to your problems. He is supreme. He is all-knowing. All-powerful. His economy is not our economy. His ways are not our ways. He moved mountains for our family. He isn't a respector of persons which means what He did for our family, He can do for your family as well. Declare the goodness of God today. Know that today you are one day closer to real change, real transformation, real provision, real direction, and real breakthrough in your life! Don't get weary in well-doing. Stay the course. Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord, and experience His mighty hand in your life.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:10-13, NIV).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Blessings,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dori</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-73908095208959879452012-03-06T13:14:00.000-06:002012-03-06T18:55:07.951-06:00Ryan's Crown | Our Fun ExperienceI want to share a precious experience Asaiah and I had serving Ryan one day last week. My husband has been working hard lately while he waits for answers concerning a tremendous job opportunity. I could tell that the stress of the waiting was getting to him. I wanted to engage my son, Asaiah, in an activity that would boost Ryan's spirits when he came home from work. I believe the Lord prompted me to make this night special for Ryan. I wanted to obey God on what I was hearing but wasn't sure what I should do. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately I am not a very creative person when it comes to crafts but somehow the idea of making a "king's crown" for Ryan sounded like an activity that Asaiah would have fun doing. I don't have many craft items around the house but I do have tons of unused scrapbook material that I decided to use to make this project a success. I grabbed some card stock, scissors, my glue dots, and the crayons and markers. I looked online to find a template for a crown. And the project was underway.<br />
<br />
Asaiah was doing a great job of cutting and pasting items to the crown when I began talking to him about his dad. We talked about how his dad had ambitions to become a police officer. I told Asaiah that his dad worked hard to get past things that might be in his way and that I was so impressed with his dad's courage to keep going even though it was hard. I explained to Asaiah that the reason we were making the night special for daddy was because we wanted to show daddy how much we appreciated all that he does for us. In the back of my mind, I wasn't sure if Asaiah was grasping our conversation but we continued on with our project. <br />
<br />
Asaiah's excitement was growing as the time neared for Ryan to come home. I really pumped up the excitement, too. We made pizza and dessert to top off our night of fun. By the time Ryan arrived home, Asaiah was so excited to serve his dad. <br />
Just then, we heard the garage door open. Asaiah jumped up to grab Ryan's slippers. He ran downstairs to greet his dad. He helped Ryan take off his shoes, and helped him put his slippers on. I saw Asaiah run upstairs with Ryan's shoes to put them away in his closet. Wow! I smiled as I watched Asaiah serve his dad.<br />
<br />
Ryan hardly made it upstairs before Asaiah began explaining the special night we planned for him. We placed the crown we made at Ryan's seat at our table; there was a note that Asaiah wrote along with it. Ryan was so good at going with the flow. He wore the crown proudly. Asaiah was beaming from ear to ear just seeing his dad wear the crown that we made.<br />
<br />
While this night was geared toward doing something very special for Ryan, I saw something developing in Asaiah. Each time his dad acknowledged his acts of kindness, Asaiah soared with pride and excitement. Asaiah even offered to rub his dad's feet! I wish I had a picture of that scene (Asaiah needs some lessons in the area of feet rubbing). <br />
<br />
Later that evening, Ryan thanked me for making the night fun. It was not difficult for me to create an opportunity from which we could show respect for Ryan's leadership in our home and to let him know how much we appreciate him. This experience made me realize that I have an important influence on my son's developing perspective on how we honor and esteem Ryan. I am thankful for my family, and plan to do these types of things more often. <br />
<br />
Here's the picture of Ryan in his crown:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe5neqxHeXWhmvdFGUUqjtXHOdSf16edwOr7rlrRe2RTV92jX6dEP6080xg3VRf671p1mtGuDPBNIuvgYjesN9orBUI-rSqzWg0hjE7L3e5KAg9R359XPLIpz5WbeXjJrtVZBRhEmFA/s1600/9f10bea663d611e180d51231380fcd7e_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe5neqxHeXWhmvdFGUUqjtXHOdSf16edwOr7rlrRe2RTV92jX6dEP6080xg3VRf671p1mtGuDPBNIuvgYjesN9orBUI-rSqzWg0hjE7L3e5KAg9R359XPLIpz5WbeXjJrtVZBRhEmFA/s320/9f10bea663d611e180d51231380fcd7e_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you have a story like this, or are raising boys, and have a story that would encourage other parents, please share. I love to read your feedback.<br />
<br />
Grace & Peace,<br />
DoriUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-576034783759814562012-02-29T13:11:00.002-06:002012-12-08T09:56:47.600-06:00Are You Anxious About Anything?<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today started out a little slow because my children didn't sleep well last night. I hardly wanted to get out of bed but my responsibilities called to me. So up I went. After I got going (pardon the horrible grammar), my day was turning out to be pretty good. Then it happened. I got a text from my husband giving me an update on a job opportunity that we've been praying about. It wasn't necessarily bad but the news does require us to wait (wait and wait some more) to complete the process. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My heart started to race as I felt myself getting anxious about what the results could be. And at that moment, it seemed like I lost confidence in my God. I know this isn't popular to admit. But I have my up and down moments when I feel unsure. Thankfully, I know my feelings are temporary. My feelings can toss me around, tilting me one way or the other, stealing my focus. But God's Word tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that God's plans towards us are good. He doesn't want me to worry about anything, especially those things I have no control over. Nevertheless, I was in that moment letting my feelings get the best of me. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The truth is that we all have those moments. And when we do, we shouldn't get deeper in "doo doo" by allowing our thoughts to carry us away far off the beaten path. In my own weakness, I feel the need to write about this subject probably to encourage myself more than I'm thinking this might encourage someone else. I need to focus my thoughts on the promises of God. I either believe Him or I don't. I either know His word is true or I'm living a lie. <br />
<br />
Either way, thankfully God's promises work when we don't have any pressure and they also work when we are severely under pressure, waiting for the Lord to move mountains on our behalf. God knows these things. He knew before we awoke today that we would receive that specific news. He didn't shudder or think to Himself, "what am I going to do now??" Yes, we fall into this trap from time to time when fear tries to take over. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But hang on for a moment. We have to do something practical here. Last week I asked you to focus on Deuteronomy 28. This week I humbly challenge each of us to speak the word of God out loud over our home, our children, over our spouse, over our circumstance or situation and to remind the devil that he's been defeated already. He has no place in our life. He has no authority or dominion over us. We can say these things with confidence because our words have a powerful effect in the supernatural realm.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Let's focus on this scripture: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6, NIV).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Every time you feel anxious, recite this scripture verse out loud. Then, take five minutes to take your requests before the Lord, with thanksgiving in your heart, and then leave those anxious thoughts and your requests right there at your altar. Pour out your soul (feelings) to God. Let the peace of God overtake you. Be confident that He is a good God. That every good and perfect gift comes from above. That He doesn't withhold any good thing from us. That He desires to bless us. That His grace and mercy chases after us. That His grace abounds where we once faltered and sin occurred. He is a faithful God. A true God. He is on our side. If He is for us, who can be against us? The doors God opens, no man can shut (Revelation 3:7, NIV). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Remember, faith is an important component here too. When you speak these truths out loud, you energize your faith. Your words are like fatal blows to the enemy! The Word tells us that if we possess the faith of a mustard seed, we can tell the mountain to throw itself into the sea, and that if we believe what we say, it will happen (Mark 11:23, NIV). I don't know about you, but that in and of itself thrills me! </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em>Trouble, go throw yourself into the sea. Be removed from my life. Obstacles, go throw yourself into the sea! Devil, you are under my feet. I curse every assignment you've placed against me and my family. I come in the name of Jesus Christ, who defeated you at the cross, I command you to let go of my dreams. Let go of my destiny. Let go of my husband's dreams, and his destiny. I bind you and cast you away from our family. You cannot shut the door that God has opened. You cannot have my mind or trick me into believing your lies. You have been found out. </em></div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<em>I seal off every entryway to our home and into our lives, in the mighty matchless name of Jesus Christ. I plead the blood of Jesus Christ over those areas, that His grace would abound over those places! Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. I declare this day that every good and perfect gift comes from above. That God's thoughts toward us are good. That His love is never ending. That he desires to bless me. That we are the head and not the tail. That we are above and not beneath. We are blessed going in and blessed coming out. We are joint heirs with Christ in heaven. My daddy-Papa God-owns a cattle on a thousand hills. I plead the blood wall of Jesus Christ around our family. No weapon formed against us shall prosper! Take that, devil. take it. and be gone. Take all your minions and evil spirits and return from where you came. Do not return to this place ever again! In Jesus' Name, Amen! Amen! Amen!</em><br />
</blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wow! I feel better already. Just allowing my mind and my heart to rest on God's Word has taken its affect on me. I hope and pray that my prayer of faith has also inspired you to fight the good fight of faith. To stay the course that God has you on. To believe with all of your heart that God is truly working everything together for our good. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Grace & Peace,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dori </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-41117490379608616162012-02-20T14:27:00.001-06:002012-03-11T14:27:39.800-05:00If You Want to Win | Do Something<div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This year I've been learning much about spiritual warfare. God has been teaching me how to combat the enemy when he comes against me like a flood. I've heard many people say many things about this subject but nothing has been as powerful as using the Word of God to destroy the enemy's plan against us. Now hang on, if you think you've heard this message before, please give me a quick minute to share a scripture passage with you. </span></div>
<div>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This morning the Lord brought to my rememberance a portion of Deuteronomy 28. When I looked up the whole passage, verses 1-12 came alive. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With that said, if I want to win, I need to do something. The next time the enemy comes to me with lies, I'm going to remind him of God's promises found in that passage. I'm going to prepare my heart and mind for those battles by meditating on this good word, each night. Not only that, to encourage my faith, I'm going to cling to these promises through all my circumstances. </span></div>
<div>
<br>
</div><a href="http://doriprice.blogspot.com/2012/02/if-you-want-to-win-do-something.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-46149968122699400662012-02-16T13:05:00.002-06:002012-02-16T13:05:45.700-06:00Judah Got Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ubsMCHH1myl1dXbd91NpipgplsZjeAeyZeT9BaNeii7RFlpiNV5GcSqDq7i2FJ82Rbow3csUrd568DK7nb4Lu84dRxlhLcVQ-jH8l4FbOq_tP_lJXg6lL9JISAeG3dxgT_oLYktBYw/s1600/My+Family+2011+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ubsMCHH1myl1dXbd91NpipgplsZjeAeyZeT9BaNeii7RFlpiNV5GcSqDq7i2FJ82Rbow3csUrd568DK7nb4Lu84dRxlhLcVQ-jH8l4FbOq_tP_lJXg6lL9JISAeG3dxgT_oLYktBYw/s1600/My+Family+2011+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ubsMCHH1myl1dXbd91NpipgplsZjeAeyZeT9BaNeii7RFlpiNV5GcSqDq7i2FJ82Rbow3csUrd568DK7nb4Lu84dRxlhLcVQ-jH8l4FbOq_tP_lJXg6lL9JISAeG3dxgT_oLYktBYw/s320/My+Family+2011+039.JPG" width="240" /></a>I have a quick story to share about Judah. Yesterday I was working in the kitchen, putting lunch together for us. He was in the living room watching a cartoon and playing. I heard the bathroom door shut, which didn't seem unusual because Judah likes to shut doors. I continued on thinking nothing of it. Later on in the day, I went into the bathroom to find the biggest mess ever! Judah dropped four toilet paper rolls plus the toilet paper holder in the toilet! Yikes! I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry (but I did laugh). I'm telling you, Judah gives me a run for my money. He is sweet but has this very mischevious side to him. If you have a similar story, I could use a good laugh today! Please share your experiences with me. <br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-73745918364772325422012-02-15T14:44:00.000-06:002012-02-15T14:44:26.242-06:00Teachable Moments with My Five Year Old<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Its been a while since I've shared stories about my boys. This past week, I had a special moment with my five year old son Asaiah. Actually, I have special moments with him frequently but the one evening we shared a few nights ago just stole my heart.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I often tell Asaiah a made up story from "my head" as he calls it. He likes the stories that I make up more than he likes for me to read books. Well, honestly, he tricks me into doing both. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Anyway, a few nights ago, I laid in bed with him after we read a book. He said, "Mommy, tell me a story from your head. Then when you are done, we will talk, ok?" Asaiah always has a plan in mind. When he wants to do something, he likes to plan each step so that you are on the same page with him. He is very much like his dad in that regard. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I proceeded to tell him the story. When I finished, he wanted to talk (of course he did, what kid wants to sleep??). We got to talking about lots of things, but at the end, it was time to pray. I asked him to pray for me. I told him that my prayer is that I would be a good mom and a good wife. In Asaiah-fashion, he said, "Ok Mommy, listen, if you want to be those things, you have to do this." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He instructed me to lay on my back along side him. He put his hands over his heart and told me to do the same. Then he gently released his hands from his heart and raised them to the ceiling. With a tender, hushed voice, he said, "Mommy if you want to be those things (as he is doing the motion I described), you have to give your heart to God. Just give it to God."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ahhh, out of the mouths of babes. My heart was so warmed by his instruction. From my point of view, what he was telling me was that I needed to release my desires to God and let Him help me. Asaiah had it right. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Today I am thinking about that moment with Asaiah because this morning I needed extra prayer to stay encouraged. Ryan and I continue to wait on the Lord to move in an area that we've been praying over for a long time. I believe the Lord gives me moments with Asaiah like the one I shared because they are life-lines and reminders to me to hang on. My goodness, if a five year old boy gets it, surely I can too, right? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Asaiah Asher Price. A sweet boy. A smart five year old boy stepping out in faith to encourage his mom. I am thankful for my miracle child who is a reminder to me that God is the good gift giver. He doesn't withhold any good thing from us. He is present even when we don't feel Him. He is working even when we think our time has past. He never abandons us; He completes His work to perfection in our life. If you need a boost today, remember my son's action: put your hands over your heart, pray, and then give it over to God. He will help.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Thanks for reading my thoughts today.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Grace and peace,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dori</span><br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-17488285460660773502012-02-10T04:43:00.000-06:002012-02-12T11:17:38.389-06:00Hush and ForgiveI wanted to share an experience I had this past week. I received an email from a friend that really tested my discipline and obedience to Christ. When I began reading the email, my heart started to race. That was my first clue that I needed a moment to step back before I reacted. Ever been there? Someone says something to you that rubs you the wrong way? If you are like me, in those times you may have wanted to fight back. I struggled for a moment on what I should do. I even began writing a reply email expressing my opinion. Before I could finish the email, I heard the Lord say, "Don't do that." I knew He was right. It wouldn't do any good to send back a reply because the battle was not mine.<br/><div><br/><br/>Oh after making that decision--to step back--the devil began working over time on my mind. Saying things like, "if you don't do something, this person will think their point of view was right." "Why don't you say something??" Well devil, its like this, "Get thee behind me!!" Come on y'all...you know what I mean. The devil likes to yip-yap in our ear to get us to do things in disobedience to the Lord. He started his trickery in the garden of Eden when he faked Eve out....and she fell for it.<br/><div><br/><br/>So what am I saying today? My point is simple: it is better to "hush" when someone offends you or says hurtful things to you and let God handle it. Do the right thing. We know that a kind word turns away wrath. Do we want to be a part of the devil's strategy to bring strife into our situations? I don't know about you, but I surely do not. I don't want to be on his team. I want to be a woman who pleases God.<br/><div><br/><br/>If you are holding on to something that someone said that has hurt you to your very core, I understand that it is difficult to work through those feelings. But the thing is that the longer we take to make a decision to forgive the longer we stay in the wilderness fighting a fight that could easily be won. Forgiving doesn't mean we don't feel the hurt feelings but we have to manage our emotions by refusing to give the devil any ground in our life.<br/><div><br/><br/>That's it. This is what I feel the Lord wants me to share today. If this message hits you or you are struggling with something that has been difficult to let go, would you go to the Lord in prayer and wait on Him? Forgiving someone is a process. It takes active faith each day to decide in your mind to forgive. Put a stake in the ground on that issue, and say "I choose to hush and forgive."<br/><div><br/><br/>May God bless you all abundantly!<br/><div><br/><br/>Most Sincerely,<br/><div>Dori</div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-27858655514060958192012-01-04T08:43:00.000-06:002012-02-12T11:17:38.399-06:00Faith and Football | What's the Correlation?<span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Recently, I began reading a book called <em>Spiritual Warfare: Christians, Demonization, and Deliverance </em>written by Dr. Karl I. Payne. This book is one that when you begin reading you cannot put it down because the wisdom and knowledge contained within its covers has a profound effect on you. What I took away from this book is too good for me to keep to myself. </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I began writing this article a few weeks ago, there was so much buzz about Tim Tebow, the Broncos' quarterback who was living out his faith in front of millions each week. No doubt his successes this past year (despite his losses) have been fun to watch even if a bit painful for Bears' fans who befell the magic (term used loosely) of Tebow-mania. </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In any case, I'm sure that Tim Tebow prepares for his opponents by watching their performances recorded on tapes. He probably doesn't watch these tapes just once; he most likely watches them over and over until he knows his opponents' strategies.</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Why do you suppose football players do this? They do this to gather information that will help them prepare an offensive and defensive strategy that will hopefully lead them to a win against the opposing team. Makes sense, right? </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">All throughout the New Testament, Jesus used parables to help us understand points He was making. I am taking the liberty here to use football to prove my point today. And my point is simple: </span></span><br/><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">If we ever hope to win our daily battles against Satan and his demons and against the world's system that competes for our attention constantly, then we need to study our opponent and formulate a winning strategy against him.</span></span></em></blockquote><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It is true that the final war was one at Calvary when Jesus Christ sacrificed His life on the cross as a ransom to save us from our sins. No doubt about it. But we live in this world. And we cannot overlook important strategies the devil uses to keep us from living a fulfilled life in Jesus. Yes, we are saved. But the question remains, why do we struggle still? </span></span><br/><br/><strong><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A Defensive Strategy Is Not Enough</span></span></strong><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Satan's strategies are at work against us. We know this but what are we doing about it? Sadly, many of us do not have a strategy to fight against him. We offer up defensive prayers that keep him at bay for a while but are not enough to overcome daily struggles. We see this principle at work each week as we watch professional football teams struggle to win. For example, the Bears have a strong defense but their offense needs reworked and strengthened. The Bears, or any other team for that matter, cannot win with a defensive strategy only and neither can Christians. </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">What is a defensive strategy? Prayers like, "thank you for keeping me safe Lord. Please do this or that for me and my family. Please keep the enemy at bay." These prayers are effective. But Imagine a little boy balled up in a corner, using his hands and arms to shield himself against an attack of spit balls flying at him. </span></span><br/><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He is protecting himself but he is not winning or overcoming the attack by just sitting there. He has to stand up. He has to raise himself up and do something offensive to stop his attackers. Defense alone cannot win wars. Defense allows one to rest but the offense scores the points.</span></span></em></blockquote><br/><strong><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">An Offensive Strategy Is Important</span></span></strong><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In football, an offensive strategy moves the ball forward, scores points, and ultimately does its part to win games. I read and hear about many great quarterbacks who have impeccable work ethic, who do their part to formulate an offensive strategy to win games. They learn their opponent's tendencies. They watch how defensive players work against them. Simply put, they know their opponent.</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Christians need to know that they have opponents working against them too. Consider this, Satan is our opponent. He has two strategies: one, his mission is to keep people deceived from accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior; and two, his strategy is to keep Christians distracted and ineffective in leading people to Christ. His world system, which is set up to rebel against the truth of Jesus Christ, does its job well. </span></span><br/><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We see his plan working against us in TV shows, music, culture, social acceptance of systems diabolically opposed to the truth, and so on. Likewise, his strategies against us as Christians to keep us ineffective from leading people to Christ, are working, too.</span></span></em></blockquote><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">How does he keep us ineffective? A few things come to mind: anger, un-forgiveness, bitterness, hard hearts, justification of actions that without a doubt do not line up with the word of God, back biting, gossip, hate, jealousy, pride, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, which is selfish ambition. </span></span><br/><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Any trace of these cancers simmering in our hearts renders us ineffective. </span></span></em></blockquote><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The emotional baggage keeps us weighed down and focused on ourselves and not on leading people to Christ through a truly reformed and free life in Jesus Christ. I'm not saying that a true Christian never feels these emotions or doesn't have experiences that hurt us deeply but when we allow our emotions to fuel wrong actions, the sin comes alive.</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Satan challenges us by presenting thoughts to us that question the authority of God's instruction. He distorts the truth and has done this as recorded in Genesis 3:1-6 when he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. </span></span><br/><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">His tricks have not changed but for some reason we haven't either because like Eve we trade our eternal rewards for his temporary bag of goods. </span></span></em></blockquote><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Satan, along with our flesh and the world's system war against us, too. How many times do we accept what the world offers without thought to the eternal consequences it produces? We pursue things that take us to "Nowhere'sville." These temporary rewards give us satisfaction today but at what cost to our well-being, our sanity, our family, our testimony, our community, or the impact we have on our world? </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We are supposed to be set apart not blend in with the world's system. I can think of a few ways we support and accept the world's system: watching reality TV or movies that promote lifestyles that oppose right living according to God's word. Listening to music with lyrics that oppose God's character and instruction for living. Keeping up with the Jones' by getting caught up in buying the latest and greatest thing even if we don't have the means to do it. Appealing to our senses, like gazing on things that set our minds against God and that aren't pleasing to Him. Overindulging, whether it is in food, "retail-therapy", and preoccupation with our looks, health gimmicks, exercise, or whatever. </span></span><br/><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Satan's number 2 strategy is to Distract. Distract. Render Christians Ineffective. Dull our senses and convictions because after all, we don't want to appear religious right?</span></span></em></blockquote><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I realize even mentioning some of these things that take more of attention away from our efforts at developing a relationship with God are hard to swallow. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes because I am talking to myself here as well. But at the same time, as I reflect on what I want to accomplish in 2012, I know that I need to make profound changes that take the power that--Satan, his world-system, and that my flesh have lorded over me for too long--away. </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I have mentioned to my son many times that if he exercises obedience, his obedience muscle will grow. But there is another side to the equation. I say to him that if he chooses to make wrong choices, or chooses to disobey repeatedly, then that action becomes strong too.</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">So what do we do? </span></span><br/><br/><strong><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Developing the Strategy</span></span></strong><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Developing a strategy against our opponents entails an offensive and defensive strategy. We must know the authority we have in Christ. For example, I can have an inheritance waiting for me because a long-lost uncle has died and left me billions, but if I don't know the inheritance exists, it is of no value to me. Likewise, my dad could give me his authority to use his checking account for any of my needs but if my name is not on the check, then the merchant may not recognize the authority that my father gave to me. </span></span><br/><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We have to know with confidence that we are co-heirs in Christ and we must not let Satan or any of our opponents question our authority in Christ. </span></span></em></blockquote><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Pray with authority against the enemy. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:15b). Offensive prayers may include:</span></span><br/><ul><br/> <li><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In the name of Jesus, I bind (whatever it is) on earth as it is bound in heaven. I cut off the works of the enemy against me, my family, my husband, my children, our finances, etc. </span></span></li><br/> <li><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I cancel the assignments of the enemy placed against me, my family, my job, our life, in Jesus' Name.</span></span></li><br/> <li><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I release confusion against (whatever is ailing you). Father God, crush the enemy's strategy against me! In Jesus' Name.</span></span></li><br/> <li><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I plead the blood of Jesus Christ over my mind, over my thoughts, over the works of my hands, on the ground that I walk! </span></span></li><br/></ul><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Study David's prayers in Psalms. Look closely at how he talked openly to God and used offensive prayers to scatter his enemies. Close the door and pathways that may feed your flesh or that may give access to the enemy in your life. Do this by pleading the blood of Jesus Christ over those areas, resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7). Don't stay balled up in the corner, allowing the enemy to throw his fiery darts at you. Use God's word to fight against him. No weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:7). </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Continue to pray those defensive prayers as Satan tries to tempt you. If you are trying to overcome an area in your life that is tied to you flesh, then remove all traces of it from your life. Determine each day to live free in Christ because His death set us free from the law of sin. He conquered death at the cross. We do have authority in Christ Jesus to overcome our daily battles but we have to know our opponents. We have to get serious about our strategies. We have to want to change and submit ourselves to Christ to gain the victory. </span></span><br/><br/><strong><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Final Thoughts</span></span></strong><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Knowing our opponents, preparing a strategy that is sure to win, and developing an offensive and defensive prayer life that implements the authority of Jesus Christ against our thoughts, against our flesh, and against Satan ensures us of victory in our daily struggles. Refusing to buy into the world's system is another way we can cut off the enemy's direct attack on our life. Why would we praise God on one side of our mouth and curse Him with the other? I believe we do this by making choices that line up with the world's values, which ultimately negate the power of Christ in us.</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This year I don't want to do the same-old, same-old things. I want to make real changes that have real effect on myself, my family, and all that God has entrusted to me. I would love to hear your thoughts. Do you agree or disagree? Whatever your thoughts, I pray that you would know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I also pray that this year would bring many wonderful and great things to your life! I would like to open the dialogue.</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">God Bless Always,</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Dori </span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:small;"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-74303241503507321652011-12-05T07:33:00.000-06:002012-02-12T11:17:38.430-06:00Wait, Listen, Obey + Boundaries = BalanceI used to love living fast and free, avoiding strict routines and regimented days. I've noticed lately though that I crave balance. When I was a bit younger, the "living free" lifestyle didn't include caring for a family or raising my boys. And since those important gifts have been added to my life, my priorities have definitely changed. All the more reason I need to find balance.<br/><br/>I was talking with a friend today who shared with me that she finally found balance in her life. I was intrigued by this statement. I asked her, "what does that look like?" She said she's achieved balance in her life from learning how to wait on God before she commits to or moves forward on anything. As soon as she mentioned the word "wait" I thought, "<em>man God loves this action of waiting. It comes up in practically everything I do</em>." She went on to mention a couple more key components that have brought balance to her life, which are listening and obeying. Later when I had time to think about our conversation I pieced it together this way:<br/><blockquote><br/><h4>Wait. Listen. Obey + Boundaries = Balance</h4><br/></blockquote><br/>Could it be that easy? I wasn't sure. But when I looked at her life, and saw bright beautiful peace in her eyes, and experienced the simple life she's living with her family, I had to give credence to her formula. When I wait on the Lord to confirm in my heart whether to take on something new, then I am truly taking on what is important to Him. If He's in it then I will have peace, and my responsibilities will come more easily to me. When I stop to listen to God speak, I won't be led in the wrong direction. When I obey God, I am walking in His perfect will. In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11:30&version=NLT" target="_blank">Matthew 11:30</a>, Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light" (New Living Translation).<br/><br/>When I got home from her house, I sat down before the Lord to ponder these things. I was led to this word, which was on-time and for me:<br/><blockquote><em>"Come to Me, daughter, when you feel out of control and overextended. I want to take you to a place where you can be still and reflect on your life. I did not call you to be everything to everyone. You have placed that demand on yourself. Even My son, Jesus, needed to walk away from the demands of the crowd and find comfort alone with Me. Let's write out what really matters most to you, so we can draw some boundaries to preserve your peace of mind and purpose for living. Even I drew the boundaries around the mighty ocean. It's good to take control of your valuable time and realize it's all right to say no. That one word will deliver you from a life of pressure to a place of amazing control and peace. Love, Your King, who knows your boundaries" (Sheri Rose Shepherd, His Princess, Love Letters From Your King).</em></blockquote><br/>Dear Lord, I am amazed by You. Your goodness towards me never ceases. You are steadfast, working on my behalf. All the details and loose ends are put together by Your masterful hand. You have a plan for my life. Nothing will stop that plan from coming forward. Thank you for reminding me of this word today. I cast my cares upon You. I ask You to define my boundaries. To give me ears to hear. To give me patience to be still and wait on You. Father, I pray for peace for all those who desire balance in their life too. I pray also for those hurting and for those who need a touch from You. Please be merciful to them. Heal their bodies, deliver them from brokenness and disease. Lead us into a place of peace. Let us remember Your Son's sacrifice and gift to us this Christmas. Let us be thankful in all things, giving You an opportunity through our praise to work in our circumstances and on our behalf. I pray for Your will to be established on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus Name, Amen.<br/><br/>God Bless Always,<br/><br/>DoriUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-40241481761183525822011-11-22T04:50:00.000-06:002012-02-12T11:17:38.411-06:00In Everything Complain?<h3><span style="color:#000080;">No, In Everything Give Thanks</span></h3><br/>But how can we have thankful, contented hearts when the circumstances in our lives are not what we had planned and when they lie outside our control or our power to change? Let's look at our alternatives. If we are not thankful, we become bitter and angry with God: He is not providing what we "rightfully" deserve. If we are not content, we become rebellious and complaining: after all, He gives our friends everything they pray for--why does He refuse us?<br/><div>Underlying these complaints and questions lie two errors in our thinking; that God is not trustworthy and that He does not desire our good. When we compare these conclusions with Scripture, we discover how wrong we are! God's Word instructs us that God is sovereignly in control. He is intimately involved with us; He works out His purposes through the events in our lives so that we may be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. We can be sure that God's love for His people is not determined by the circumstances in our lives. His love is steady and unchanging (Carol L. Baldwin, Devotional Thought on Gratitude, In Everything Give Thanks).<br/><div><br/><h3></h3><br/><h3><span style="color:#000080;">Final Thoughts</span></h3><br/><div><br/><br/>Once again, the Lord is leading me to write an encouraging word for people experiencing tough circumstances. Maybe He continues to do this because in the process He is also encouraging me. As we near Thanksgiving, I sense many people are walking through the motions preparing for the holiday season. Maybe some are walking through the motions to keep family members from knowing what is really happening inside. Or maybe one is shielding her child from the pain of a broken relationship. Or maybe others are experiencing financial difficulty. Whatever the reasons we are struggling, our God is trustworthy. Place your complete trust in the Lord, do not lean on your understanding, and fully embrace the joy of living through your intentional choice to allow God to work peace in your heart.<br/><div><br/><br/>Be thankful. Meditate on what God has done for you up to this point. Look forward to a prosperous future. Show mercy to others. Encourage your family with love and kindness. "Give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds" (Psalm 107:27). "God will make your deserts like Eden, your wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in you, thanksgiving and the sound of singing" (Isaiah 51:3). "Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:7); do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).<br/><div><br/><br/>My wish for you is that God strengthens you. May you see His goodness through the relationships He's planted in your life. May He develop a heart of thankfulness in your heart as you wait on Him. May every desire of your heart be transformed into the desires He has for you. May peace blanket you!<br/><br/><object height="350" width="425"><br/> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6eCYb0X9iqM"><br/> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br/> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6eCYb0X9iqM;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"><br/> </object><br/><div><br/><br/>From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!<br/><div><br/><br/>Dori Price<br/><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-51474752108215211442011-11-09T07:37:00.000-06:002012-02-12T11:17:38.422-06:00God Hasn't Missed the ExitThis past Thursday I presented a message to a group of women in our local M.O.M.S. meeting about hanging on through the hardships of life. Many women came to me afterwards to share their hardships and concerns. It was amazing to see how God was using each one to perfect His glory in them. But when we walk through hard times, we sometimes miss sight of the fact that God is indeed working His plan together for our good (Romans 8:28). We let the heaviness of our situation weigh us down so much that our focus shifts from depending on God to nursing our wounds inflicted by our hard place.<br/><br/>Is that God's plan for us? Does He want us to give more time and attention to our rough experience, which in essence is a form of worship, or does He want us to shift our focus and attention on Him, offering a sacrifice of praise even in the midst? I know He understands the human side of our living and that He expects that we will feel uncomfortable emotions from time to time. Nonetheless, I believe He expects us to fix our eyes on Him. Depend on Him. Trust in Him, which brings us to a place of peace because our burden becomes light when we release our situation to God.<br/><br/>This action of faith is what it means to hang on through the hardship. God hasn't missed the exit. He isn't lost. He hasn't been defeated nor will He ever be. He is sovereign. He is in ultimate control over our life. He orders our steps. He is also good. God is a good God. The fact that He is good is unchangeable. His thoughts towards us are good. His plans are good. His goodness lasts forever. And finally, our God is at work. Through each experience we face, God is at work in us, accomplishing His good plan in and through us for us and for His greater good. Nothing is impossible with Him. So as you think about your life this week, first give praise to God for all He's done, then rest in the peace of God's good and sovereign plan for your life!<br/><blockquote><em>Dear Lord, I pray for those experiencing hardship. Lord, would You please meet our needs completely? Would You give us a tangible touch to inspire and motivate us to fix our eyes on You. Sometimes we just need that reminder, but You know this oh great and mighty God. You know that hope deferred makes the heart sick. I pray that You would move quickly, that Your answers would be made clear, and I pray that we don't miss what You are perfecting and completing in our life as we wait on You. Our trust is in You. Our hope is in You. We offer a praise of thanksgiving to You as we remember that You are a faithful on-time God! </em></blockquote><br/><h2> Application Steps</h2><br/>1. Center your heart and mind on the goodness of God. Make a list of the goodness of God demonstrated in your life. Give God thanks for all He has done. And thank Him for all He is doing and is going to do on your behalf. Choose to fix your eyes on Jesus. Remember He is interceding for you continually. Your needs are known by God.<br/><br/>2. Pursue others. When I am feeling the pressure of my situation, I want to retreat and hide away where no one else is exposed to my pain. But I believe God moves in powerful ways when we take our eyes off of our own struggle and reach out to others by offering words of encouragement and by sharing the goodness of God with them. People need to know there is hope in Christ. And there is. And through the hardship, God displays His great glory which is a testimony to His goodness as He sustains us. Share a cup of tea with someone else who needs prayer. Make a phone call to encourage them. Send a note through the mail to let them know you are thinking about them. These gestures go a long way.<br/><br/>3. The greatest breakthrough we may experience as we press through a hard place is through offering a sacrifice of praise to God. Before you ask God to do anything in your situation, first a take a moment to praise Him and acknowledge His goodness in your life. Shower Him with your words of love and adoration. Speak of His splendid character. Exalt His name through your praise. This act of faith, lifts us out of our slump by encouraging us to remember that God is bigger than our situation.<br/><h2>Additional Encouragement</h2><br/>We sang Everlasting God by The Fellowship Church in our worship service this past weekend. I cannot escape the lasting impression it had on me as I thought about many things in my life. My resolve to trust the Lord and to remain confident that I will see His goodness was renewed as I surrendered myself to Him. May you be encouraged like I was as you allow these words to wash over you!<br/><br/><object height="350" width="425"><br/> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oyMl1zCbprc&feature=related"><br/> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br/> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oyMl1zCbprc&feature=related;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"><br/> </object><br/><br/>Many Blessings!<br/><br/>DoriUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-366639597155710172011-11-04T11:06:00.000-05:002012-02-12T11:17:38.407-06:00Chew On This<blockquote>"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise ~ the fruit of our lips that confess His name" (Hebrews 13:15).</blockquote><br/><br/>There is no greater fruit, none that is more pleasing to God the Father, than the fruit of our praises. To exalt His name, to sing His praises, to lift our hands and offer up our hearts, is the ultimate purpose for which we were called. In those moments when life is a struggle and our praise is not found in our circumstances, it is then that our hearts and thoughts are challenged to focus only on how great God truly is. It is in those moments that our praise becomes a holy sacrifice and we remember that all our fruit-bearing efforts are dependent on Him and not us...and He gets all the glory!<br/><br/><em>Dear Lord, forgive me for using my lips to grumble and complain when things don't go my way. Instead Lord may I remember You have been good to me. May I offer a praise of thanksgiving to bless and honor you with my words. In Jesus Name, Amen.</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-15203169661482937542011-10-25T12:54:00.001-05:002011-10-25T12:56:36.016-05:00I'll Catch You! A Lesson in Trust<em>"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. In all your ways remember Him. Then He will make your paths smooth and straight" (<a data-mce-href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%203:5-6&version=NIRV" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%203:5-6&version=NIRV" target="_blank">Proverbs 3:5-6, New International Reader's Version</a>).</em><br />
<br />I often find myself looking for opportunities to teach my boys biblical principles through their life experiences. This morning was no different as Asaiah and I sat down to begin his devotion. Once again God reminded me of a simple lesson about trust through an exercise that isn't new.<br />
<br />
We opened his bible and began looking at Proverbs 3:5-6, which in part instructs us to trust in God with all of our heart. I asked Asaiah what he thought trust meant. He explained it from his limited perspective but I felt like he needed to see trust in action to help him remember its true definition. I sprung up from the couch, and asked him to stand in front of me with his eyes looking forward. I asked him to stretch his arms out and without looking I told him to fall straight back. Right away Asaiah was hesitant. He was scared. He said as much. I told him that he could trust me to catch him. He wasn't so sure.<br />
<br />
Then, he did something that I didn't expect him to do. He began taking control, instructing me on how far back I could stand from him. Next, he told me to reach my arms closer to him. At first without thinking, I followed his directions because I wanted him to feel comfortable. But was that the lesson I was trying to teach him? That he could manipulate and take control of uncomfortable situations to make it easier for him to trust? Does God want us to trust Him in the same way? I don't think so.<br />
<br />
I stopped my son at that point, turned him around, and looked him in the eyes. I said, "Son, trusting God is not an exercise in our ability to make our situation comfortable. We have to trust God even when we can't <em>see</em> that His protection is there. Mommy is right behind you. When you fall back, I will catch you. By obeying me, you are learning to trust me. I won't let you hit the ground. This is true about God, too. In life, you won't always <em>see</em> God with your eyes, but He is all around you, and as you learn to obey Him, you are also learning to trust Him. You have to let go of the control. Trust God to catch you just like mommy will catch you now!" This little pep talk gave my five-year old son courage because he turned around and without a word he fell back in my arms without looking back!<br />
<br />
I was so proud of Asaiah for taking me at my word and for following through with this exercise in trust and faith. But in the process of teaching him this important lesson, God put His thumb on this area in my life. Can you relate? Have you taken control back from God in some areas of your life so you didn't have to continue enduring a challenging situation, relationship, or hardship? So you were more comfortable? I'm sure we've all done this to some degree, at some point or another.<br />
<br />When we are faced with an uncomfortable situation, our first instinct may be to take control to reduce our fear in some way. That's what Asaiah was trying to do by giving me instructions on how to catch him. But May I challenge you for a moment? Our relationships are not perfect. Our children are not perfect. Nothing is guaranteed or perfect in life; however, the one thing that is constant and never-changing is God's Sovereignty over all the details. This means that nothing happens to us that He does not allow. So rather than trying to take control over our situation that leads us outside of God's will for our life (we find His will for our life in God's word--the Bible), why don't we first seek Him and trust Him to see us through?<br />
<br />Falling back into the arms of God with our eyes closed and trusting God to catch us is uncomfortable but if we take God at His word in Proverbs 3:5-6, we can be sure that in doing so, He will make our road straight and smooth even in the longest valley! The point is that God allows us to walk through difficult situations that require us to trust Him blindly so that it brings glory to <em>Him</em>, to <em>His saving grace</em>, to <em>His restorative power</em>, to <em>His healing mercy </em>not so that we can boast in what we did to bring resolution to our problem or so that it suits us entirely (though God desires for us to enjoy success, <a data-mce-href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jer%2029:11&version=NIRV" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jer%2029:11&version=NIRV">Jeremiah 29:11, New International Reader's Version</a>).<br />
<br /><em>Father God, I pray that we would be prompted by Your Holy Spirit this morning to re-evaluate our choices to take control back from You because we are uncomfortable trusting You to help us stay the course in whatever we are experiencing. Please forgive us for stepping in the way, for jumping ship too early, for walking in our ability, for not leaning on You but instead leaning on our own understanding. Please help us to remember that as we trust You in our life, You will make our path smooth and straight! In Jesus Name, Amen.</em><br />
<h2>
Take Aways...</h2>
Take some time today to put your mind and heart on God. Don't think about others who may be involved in a situation that is difficult. Just think about the Lord and ask Him to give you clarity of mind to do the right thing. Ask Him to teach you how to trust Him and to follow Him according to His word and what His word instructs you to do.<br />
<br />Write down your thoughts in a journal, date your entry, and each day this week reflect on what you wrote. Are your thoughts in line with God's word? <br />
<br />Do they reflect a biblical perspective? Forget about how you feel. Just answer, yes or no, to this question.<br />
<br />Finally, write out a prayer that includes scriptures on trusting God. Read and re-read your prayer throughout this week. Jot down any changes in your thinking or feelings.<br />
<h2>
Scriptures to Remember....</h2>
<a data-mce-href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%209:10&version=NIRV" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%209:10&version=NIRV"><strong>Psalm 9:10</strong><br /> </a>Lord, those who know you will trust in you. You have never deserted those who look to you.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2013:5&version=NIRV" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2013:5&version=NIRV"><strong>Psalm 13:5</strong><br /> </a>But I trust in your faithful love. My heart is filled with joy because you will save me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-49425483162486141322011-10-24T03:59:00.000-05:002012-02-12T11:17:38.418-06:00My Offering<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">Last week was one of those weeks that caught me off guard. I've learned something about myself long ago that probably isn't a good thing. I tend to retreat when I am battling something difficult. Please forgive me if you called last week but didn't get me. But I needed time to process through where I am. I needed time to ask important questions about this place I am walking through. Come on--you know what I'm talking about. Life gives us incredible ups but certainly we all experience those low points. And for many of us, the valley can be long. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">A couple of times I sat down to write my thoughts out. I stopped. Started. Stopped. Started. And here I am again, starting. But this morning my perspective has changed. I feel renewed and full of hope again. I started my day different, offering all that I am to God. Surrendering myself--the struggle. The unction to make things happen outside what God has required of me. That felt good. Emptying myself. </span></span><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">Yes, last week was a bit difficult but today is a new day. One filled with hope and thanksgiving for all that God has given to us. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">Before I go, I feel led to share my private thoughts with my readers, the ones that came from last week's hard place. May God keep you and comfort you and give you all that you need. In Jesus Name, Amen. </span></span></p><br/><br/><blockquote><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. </span></span><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">My cup overflows with blessings. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#333399;"><span style="color:#000000;">Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23, NLT).</span></span></p><br/></blockquote><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;">Lord, You are my great God. Guiding and leading me. Showing me the right way even when I cannot see, I fear nothing because Your eyes are on me. You miss nothing. You don't waiver under pressure. Your arms are strong. Your shoulders wide. They carry a load larger than me. Your wisdom infinite. I don't always understand...actually rarely do I understand why the hardship lasts as long as it does. But it does. And even in those places, You are with me. Comforting me, like the good Shepherd. You are close beside me. Carrying me when I can't take another step.</span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;">When I think I am down and out, You swoop in to rescue me. Yes, You <em>save </em>me. Do You get tired Lord? Do You ever wonder when I'll get it? You alone are God. You alone know my beginning from my end. You created me when I was nothing but empty space. You filled me with Your plans, ordered my steps. Nothing takes You by surprise. Thank God this is true. I hope in You.</span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;">I lay awake in awesome wonder of Your greatness. How You hold all of Your universe in Your hands. And then, in the midst of it all, there I am...little me, for whom You care deeply. I'm barely a speck in Your great big world but still You give me promises of hope and a great future. The promise of eternity. You listen intently to all my prayers. To my petitions. Your answers are sure. They come in the nick of time. You never leave me hanging. You always come through for Your name sake. Glory to God. Praise be the name of the Lord forever. I lift my voice in praise because You are on the throne. Because You order my steps. Because You are sovereign. You are all knowing. I will declare the goodness of the Lord all the days of my life. Amen.</span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><object height="350" width="425"><br/> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CVeB7ACVgO0"><br/> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br/> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CVeB7ACVgO0;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"><br/> </object></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-42120705884200136372011-10-12T08:46:00.000-05:002012-02-12T11:17:38.414-06:00Our Son Judah | The Pond Incident<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><a href="http://doriprice.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/smilebox_14769392.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-646" style="border:3px solid grey;" title="Smilebox_14769392" src="http://doriprice.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/smilebox_14769392.jpg?w=210" alt="" width="251" height="336" /></a>Saturday my husband and I took our boys, Asaiah and Judah, to Blackberry Farm. The weather outside was the most beautiful we've enjoyed during this time of year. We took a train ride, rode on the tracker, and Ryan and Asaiah rode the merry-go-round a couple of times. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When we sat on the tractor for our ride around the lake, Ryan was holding Judah. Judah was relaxing in Ryan's arms, resting his head on Ryan's chest. Ryan looked over at me and whispered, "This is the life." I certainly agreed with him. Doing anything with our boys and spending time together as a family always warms my heart. Life seemed as it should be. Little did I know that in just a few hours we would experience a horrific event that would take us to our knees in thanksgiving to our great God. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I think after the long day at the farm, we were all tired. I was feeling it particularly and was looking forward to arriving at Grandpa's house. He invited us for a cook-out and a camp fire. Perfect ending to what was turning out to be a perfect day. I love his backyard. It is one of the most peaceful places I know. <span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><a href="http://doriprice.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/smilebox_14769391.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-640 alignright" style="border:3px solid grey;" title="Smilebox_14769391" src="http://doriprice.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/smilebox_14769391.jpg?w=200" alt="" width="262" height="409" /></a></span></span> He takes meticulous care of the plants and flowers surrounding his yard. He has a garden that is wonderful to gaze upon. One of the best attractions in his backyard is his man-made pond, with a flowing waterfall. It isn't too large but big enough for about 10 fish and other wildlife like frogs, squirrels, and other animals to enjoy. The depth is about 5 ft, I'm guessing.</span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When we arrived at his house, we immediately gravitated to the backyard. My brother-in-law, Kelvin, was out there, too. Ryan and Asaiah started playing soccer, while Judah just began exploring all the wonderful things he could find in the yard. Grandpa was making a butternut squash soup, which I wanted to check out. I felt comfortable leaving for a moment while Judah and Asaiah played with their dad. When I was inside, I saw Kelvin at the edge of the pond with Judah. He had his arm around Judah's waist. They were taking a moment to watch the fish. I was relieved to see Kelvin over there with him. I went back to the conversation with Grandpa about the soup. A moment later, Kelvin walked inside. I asked Kelvin who had Judah. I felt in my spirit that I needed to go outside to find Judah to make sure he was safe. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I stepped into the sun-room just about to head outside. What I saw through the window was almost unbelievable. It was like I was watching one of those silly cartoons where you might see the blur of one of those characters running to something. That's what it looked like when I saw a blur of Ryan running so fast towards the pond. I quickly ran there too. Just as I rounded the corner, I heard a huge splash. My heart started pounding. I ran fast towards the noise. Ryan was in the pond pulling Judah from the water. As I write this, I get chills up and down my arms as I relive the scene in my mind. When Ryan pushed Judah out of the water, Judah's eyes were closed. He looked a bit pale. I didn't see any expression in his face. I heard myself crying out Ryan's name, "Ryan! Ryan! Ryan!" And in my heart, I was crying out to God, "No!, No! No!" </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The scene was so hurried that I can't even remember how Ryan got out of the pond while holding Judah in his arms. A few minutes later, I heard Judah gurgle out some words. He was moaning a little, very shaken, very scared. Both Ryan and Judah were soaking wet. I put my arms around them thanking God that Judah was OK. After the scene settled down, I was able to speak with Ryan about what happened. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He said that he thought Kelvin was with Judah so he went back to playing soccer with Asaiah. Not a minute later Ryan heard a splash--Judah falling in the pond. When he reached Judah, Judah was lying face down in the water, just floating there. He didn't think at all, just jumped in to grab him. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><a href="http://doriprice.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/smilebox_14769394.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-627" style="border:3px solid grey;" title="Smilebox_14769394" src="http://doriprice.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/smilebox_14769394.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="335" height="350" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It took me a few minutes to compose myself. I could hardly believe what just happened to my sweet Judah. I started thinking about my child. My 17 month old--the mess maker, adventure-seeker. He is a loveable, endearing boy. Full of smiles and joy. He is hilarious. He usually finds trouble before the day begins. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">To say he is strong-willed would be an understatement. He is confident and very social. He loves to dramatize everything through his loud outbursts and funny expressions. I love him so much--my blue-eyed boy.</span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He is delightful in many unique ways. He gives me a run for my money. Such a busy child. Just a little humor here as an afterthought, but when I think about him floating face down, all I can imagine is this child thinking that he would take advantage of the time he has to watch the fish first hand while he waits for someone to rescue him. He is just that kind of boy. Like "what's all the fuss about guys??" </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Of course as I recall these details, I am sobered by the possibility that this situation could have turned out much worse. I remember thinking that I couldn't live life without him. </span></span><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I held him after Ryan rescued him from the pond, I squeezed him close. All the small things that I've lamented over about him seemed so insignificant in that moment. Our son Judah is a beautiful gift from God. We are so thankful that God has His hand on Judah's life. I couldn't stop thanking God for His divine intervention. </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We love you little buddy! </span></span></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"><object height="350" width="425"><br/> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QCLewqlP3Og"><br/> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br/> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QCLewqlP3Og;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"><br/> </object></p><br/><p style="text-align:justify;"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245572452034750448.post-30622823911896387442011-09-28T06:42:00.000-05:002012-02-12T11:17:38.403-06:00Deep-End of Faith<blockquote><em>"I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, [friend], I have not achieved it, <span style="text-decoration:underline;">but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead</span>, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%203:12-14&version=NLT"><span style="color:#0000ff;">Philippians 3:12-14</span></a>, New Living Translation).</em></blockquote><br/>Have you ever wanted to take an eraser and wipe away all the mistakes you've made? Or thought to yourself, "I wish I hadn't done that" or "if only I thought about this before doing that." We've all had those thoughts as we've navigated this life. But what happens when we get stuck in all the "what ifs" rather than using those experiences to better ourselves for our future? What happens when we can't let go of past mistakes, failures, setbacks, or actions that have perhaps even hurt others? For one, we go nowhere. We stay stuck. And, should we never find a way to get beyond looking in our rear view mirror, we'll never take hold of the beautiful experiences waiting ahead. I don't know about you, but I don't want to live my life from that point of view, always living in the past, allowing my defeats to take control over where my journey leads. No, I want to live beyond the failures, beyond the what-ifs, beyond feeling sorry for myself over mistakes or choices I've made that I cannot change.<br/><br/>In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%203:12-14&version=NLT" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0000ff;">Philippians 3:12-14</span></a>, Paul admitted that he wasn't perfect but no matter that detail, he was determined to forget the past and focus on his future by pressing on and running a good race. If you know anything about Paul, you might wonder how he was able to do this. You see, Paul was a Pharisee, not just any run-of-the-mill Pharisee, but one who was ruthless, strict, and murderous and whose main objective was to kill and humiliate Christians. He persecuted the church and even saw and approved of the stoning of Stephen (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+8&version=NLT" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0000ff;">Acts 8:1, NLT</span></a>). Yet, after his conversion, which by the way was so profound that he is now one of the most referenced and highly favored persons of the Bible, Paul knew that it did him no good to continue remembering his past. His life is a reminder to us that God wastes nothing. If we let Him, God works everything together for our good. Paul's mistakes after all led him to his faith in Jesus Christ. Did you catch that? His ruthless acts led him to redemption. He was a murderer but God stopped him on his journey to Damascus and radically saved him. <em>S</em><em>aved</em> him.<br/><br/>Saved a murderer? Yes. All our experiences, choices, hardships, missed opportunities, failed attempts, broken relationships, suffering, pain induced, pain endured, offenses, or any other thing I've missed doesn't make us any less appealing to God. God has a plan for every person's life, just like He did for Paul even though Paul did despicable things. Now, I'm not saying you're despicable or judging your deeds, but what I am saying is this: there isn't anything you've done in your past that changed God's love for you then or His love for you today. Every day another piece of God's plan is unfolding in your life.<br/><br/>Today you are on God's heart. He is thinking about you. Working on your behalf to make a better future for you. Is everything perfect? No. Are you still experiencing a hardship? Maybe. But all of it, every circumstance that surrounds your life deepens your faith and is a bridge linking your trust and faith to God. Those heartaches teach you how to trust God. They take you to the deep-end of your faith. That's where I want to be. Not in the shallow end of my faith that is safe and where I tend to lean on my own abilities to get me through. No. I want to be in the deep-end of my faith, in the middle of the ocean, where I can't touch the bottom, where I have to completely trust God to sustain me in an impossible situation. In that place, I will see the hand of God move on my behalf. In that place, God receives the glory alone. In that place, I grow stronger in my faith.<br/><br/>Paul didn't have all of this figured out, and neither do I. I don't always understand why God uses certain situations or why I have to walk through tough spots to increase my faith and to learn to trust God. I mean, certainly I have an idea but if I had my way I'd make an easier time of it. Nonetheless, let's not forget that even though we haven't "arrived" yet nor do we have everything figured out, like Paul, we should set our focus on these things: forget the past. Look forward to the future. Press on to reach the end of the race. And finally, (this is the good part) receive the heavenly prize from God, Himself through our faith in Jesus Christ.<br/><h2>Prayer Focus</h2><br/><em>Father-God, I lift up Your name today because You are a good God. A loving God. A faithful God. The one true God. There is no other God like You under heaven and earth. You made me before I was in my mother's womb. You fashioned me together with Your powerful hand. You breathed life into my being. I am because You spoke me into existence. As I think on these things, I think about those reading my thoughts today: the ones who are broken hearted over unmet expectations or unfulfilled dreams. The ones who are walking through financial difficulties or trying to mend broken relationships. Father, I ask on their behalf that You would surround them with Your presence today. That change and relief would come quickly to their situation. That they would increase in their faith and understanding of Your word and Your character. That they would be courageous and strong to fight the good fight. Oh Father, please I pray that You will meet their needs and heal their wounds and help them to forget the past, look forward to the future, press on in the race to make a good finish, and ultimately receive the heavenly prize You have waiting for those in Christ Jesus. I pray these things in the might name of Jesus, Amen.</em><br/><h2>Take Aways</h2><br/>1. Let go of past hurts. When a thought comes to mind that touches a wounded place in your life, stop and give that hurt over to the Lord. Your prayer might be: <em>"Father, this person hurt me. Please forgive me for holding on to any unforgiveness. Please forgive them for any wrong doing. Please heal my heart so I can be free. I release this hurt to you. I release forgiveness to them. In Jesus Name, Amen." </em>Every time this hurt presents itself to you or is triggered by some event, repeat this step over and over until you feel a release from the pain and hurt experienced.<br/><br/>2. Pray for the one who wounded you. You'd be surprised at how quickly your heart heals from a hurt when you continually pray earnestly for the person who offended you. How can we hold onto offense when we are in the presence of God? This is why the Word says in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206:28&version=NLT" target="_blank">Luke 6:28</a>, "Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you" (NLT).<br/><br/>3. Ask God what lesson He is trying to teach you through your difficult time. This is a good question to ask Him in any life circumstance. Trust that He'll give you the answer you are seeking.<br/><h2>Scripture Verses to Remember</h2><br/><em>"I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, [friend], I have not achieved it, <span style="text-decoration:underline;">but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead</span>, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%203:12-14&version=NLT"><span style="color:#0000ff;">Philippians 3:12-14</span></a>, NLT).</em><br/><br/><em>"Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206:28&version=NLT" target="_blank">Luke 6:28</a>, NLT).</em><br/><br/><em>"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jeremiah%2029:11&version=NLT" target="_blank">Jeremiah 29:11</a>, NLT). </em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2