Category Archives: Christian Walk

9 Characteristics of a Holy Spirit Filled Christmas!

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“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. “ 

 Galatians 5:22-23 AMP

I was recently asked by a friend how I celebrated Christmas. The intent of the question was to get ideas on how to celebrate with less emphasis on presents and Santa and more on Jesus.

My immediate answer included practical advice like reading the story of Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve and attending church sponsored events with the family throughout the season. The truth is, I really hadn’t given it much thought in a long while.

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The Perfect Gift

Posted in Christian Walk, Mom Life by

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I remember how excited I felt when I found out I was going to be a mom! I took bits and pieces I loved from those who spoke into my life and configured this model of perfect mom for my children. It wasn’t a bad model but more of a testament to those who spoke into my life, it just set me up to fail before I even became mom. I don’t know about you, but sometimes as a mom I become trapped in my past experiences.

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Well Done

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It’s been a while since I’ve written anything.  This season of life has come with much busyness to the many hats worn as mom and wife. The words and lessons come but as soon as I sit to type them, they are lost in the abyss of frazzled brain matter. That is until recently.

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How Does Your Garden Grow?

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“Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.”

-Mother Goose

There’s just something about a garden whether it be a vegetable, flower, or fields of grain. As I gaze among them with awe, I see and admire the beauty in the backdrop of creation. By far, my garden is not even comparable to the awe-inspiring gardens of those featured in magazines. Each year we set out to plant a garden with hopes of it being better than the year before. We prep the soil in order for it to be less clay like and more fertile. We fuss about whether to plant seeds or plants already started from our local stores. We buy the plant food and the things needed to keep grub worms and pests away. There is also a fence around the garden to keep out the sweet, wild bunnies that love to eat away the vegetation as well as the slithering things that hide away in the brush to prey on their next meal.  In all our efforts to make a beautiful garden, we constantly fall short of the goal. Each year brings a new challenge leaving our garden not so appealing let alone tended to.

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Etched in Ink Psalm 104

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hand-281995_1280I remember the days when I was younger, I would write with ink on my blue jeans. Needless to say, the constant retracing of the shape or word written made them darken and stand out on my jeans and  would not go away in the wash regardless of how often they were washed.  The jeans became a statement of me etched there to be seen each and every time I wore them.  As I read through Psalm 104 today verse 27 spoke to me of this etching of ink.  It says, “They all depend on you to give them food as they need it.”  As I read the study text  for verse 27 in my Bible, it said, “All life depends on the gracious sustenance of the Lord of life and death.” Continue reading →

Broken Beauty

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My family and I love to go to the beach.  We have particularly fallen in love with the beaches in Sanibel and Captiva Island in Florida.  My littlest is a shelling machine and this past December, as we strolled along the beach with our buckets and shovels in hand, it looked as though the gulf literally dumped seashells by the bucket full up and down the beach as far as we could see.  In some areas, we stood in shells that went over my ankles!  My daughter giddy with excitement to share her love of shelling with me and me to spend some one-on-one time with her, we set our sights on finding our shells.  I was in awe of the plethora of shells before us and it didn’t take long to notice that the shells we typically saw were not in the majority and the ones we had desperately sought before were there on display in large numbers and colors.

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To Be Known

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woman-565104_1280We all were born with the desire to be known. This is not a new feeling but one set in motion even back in biblical times. We place our identity upon accomplishments, successes, titles, what we have; in addition to all things good and yet this desire goes even deeper than our outward productivity!  We want everyone to see the very nature of our hearts. We want to be seen, not just by the physical eye, but by the depths of our very souls.  We want to be understood and valued as individuals not compared to the world’s thoughts and patterns. We want to be established or fixed in memories; however, we look in the wrong place!

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Encouragement for the Encourager

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dahlia-538762_1280“When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

Romans 1:12

When I look at encouragement in the form of faith it takes on a new perspective.  It is no longer the pat on the back of a job well done or a note/card given in response for a good deed,  but something lived out and carried forth by example sharing with others.

In Chapter 1 in the book of Romans, we find Paul’s letter to the Romans sharing the Good News of Christ and expressing his wish to visit them to give them a spiritual gift that would help them grow strong in the Lord. (Rom 1:11) We then see Paul  write, “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

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Prayer for the Awakening of Christian Sleepers

Posted in Be Purposeful to the Purpose, Christian Walk by

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“Awake, O Sleeper, rise up from the dead and Christ will give you light.”

Ephesians 5:14

 

The study text to this verse says, “calls on God’s people to turn from their sinful darkness and live life in the full light of Christ.”

There are many who know and love Christ but have allowed their hearts to become angry and bitter towards Him. Their once light filled eyes see the darkness of the circumstances surrounding them and lose focus on the real Truth substituting instead for a lesser truth.

Father, stir our hearts to repentance and may the darkness that consumes us loosen its grip. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear delivering us from the dirt and mire that binds us. May our souls be awakened into the fullness of life teaming with grace and abounding in joy at the release of bondage giving glory to Your Holy Name. May we imitate everything you do. May we live life filled with love following your example. May we be so filled with Your glorious light that even those set in darkness tremble causing conviction in their hearts and questioning lifestyles chosen. May the fulfillment of the cross come to full realization in Jesus bringing forth repentance throughout the nations. Awake, O Sleeper, rise up from the dead and Christ will give you light.