They are finally engaged...

Cally and Javier got engaged on Valentine's Day. They will be getting married June 6th, 2009. Congratulations!

Taking God out of the picture of Life-NOT!

Life can be so difficult and discouraging. It seems like all we hear about is depressing news. 

Our economic situation is constantly being hashed out in the media with people's viewpoints. Everyone seems to have an answer to fix it, but do they really? People are losing their jobs, homes, businesses. It's truly a horrible time that we are living in. 

There are hungry people around the world that are dying everyday. People are getting poisoned by the peanuts they eat, so and so is having an affair with so and so. And on and on and on.

Our family has not been exempt from the trails and tribulations of life. Unfortunately, I can't say that we've always gone through each trail with flying colors either. When it comes down to it, who likes to be stretched, or who welcomes change? I don't at first anyhow. Usually, I kick and scream (inside) until I get exhausted and then surrender to the Lord. 

Scripture says, that it rains on the just and the unjust.  The world is watching us (Christians) to see how we're going to handle the situation that we've been placed in. This is our opportunity to be real with others and to show this lost and dying world that there is a Jesus who is still alive and well. Does it mean that you have no emotions and that you're not going to "feel" the trail you're in, by no means. But, when we point others to Christ during our trails, it glorifies the Lord.

Let us not forget how much the Lord truly loves us. He said that He came to set the captives free. He will set you free, but we need to believe it.

How about:

Ephesians 3:20-21 

 ²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The Lord said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Do we believe it?

He is our only hope in this dying world and others need to see it. Life is tough, sometimes way to hard, but not impossible with God. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

My Utmost for His Highest

I love Oswald Chambers devotional. February 6th was about the following:

Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar" ( Psalm 118:27 ). You must be willing to be placed on the altar and go through the fire; willing to experience what the altar represents-burning, purification, and separation for only one purpose-the elimination of every desire and affection not grounded in or directed toward God. But you don’t eliminate it, God does. You "bind the sacrifice . . . to the horns of the altar" and see to it that you don’t wallow in self-pity once the fire begins. After you have gone through the fire, there will be nothing that will be able to trouble or depress you. When another crisis arises, you will realize that things cannot touch you as they used to do.

Have you ever been through the fire? I sure have, more than once...As the wise say, if you're not in one, you're gonna be. Unfortunately, I haven't always been very graceful while I've gone through it. I've kicked and screamed and even prayed to try to manipulate the Lord and His will. I'll tell you, there is nothing more exhausting than trying to control the uncontrollable. It totally wipes you out and leaves you with very little brain cells and energy. Then the bargaining comes and you promise to go through the next trail better than the last and on and on and on.....

My husband and I are actually facing ANOTHER trail with the economic situation. Today, I told my husband that I surrender and I'm going to walk close to the Lord and believe Him in all things and NOT waste my energy by trusting in myself or something else. 

This devotion was an encouragement to me yesterday. I lay down at the altar of life and surrender all to the Lord. I am His and He can lead me wherever I may go. I've got to stop this stubborn fight that I always have when it comes to the altar. I want to win the race that's in front of me and save my energy to finish it.

 

So today, I lay down and surrender all.