Category Archives: Action

Jan5

DAY 5 (2015)

Posted on January 5, 2015 by lsgrlr

As we grew each lesson helps us make better choices the next time around… learn the lesson.

Today I woke up to my car door frozen shut. Ice on my windshield and 13 degree temperatures. Yup, it was cold, really, really cold… still is. But I also woke up to clear blue skies, and brisk refreshing air. The fact that God allowed me to wake up at all is a blessing in itself. Today work didn’t go as planned. I am still learning to navigate a system that I have never used before, but today I was better at the job than I was last week. Today I felt more confident in what I was doing than I had previously. Today is when it hit, that life is a lesson and we are all called to learn and grow. Everyday whatever trials we are going through will get a little easier to bear, a little easier to handle as we learn to navigate better. Who I am today, is not who I was this time last year (and that is a blessing). Today I feel like someone standing at the beginning, surveying the horizon and realizing that I can do and become anything I want as long as God is my guide. Today I am a billion percent thankful for the lessons I have learned and for the hardships I had to go through in order to learn them. Here’s the thing: lessons and hardships will always be there, but we have a choice, learn the lessons so we can grow to the next steps, or, don’t learn and stay right were we are… The choice is ours to make, that’s what free will is all about. Choose wisely.

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

So what am I thankful for today? Learning to make wise choices.

Jan4

DAY 4 (2015)

Posted on January 4, 2015 by lsgrlr

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By faith the seed dies, so the flower can bloom. Each new bud is the realization of the seed of faith.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

Although Buffalo is beautiful, and even though I know 100% it is God’s will for me to be here. Today, I missed my home church, so I grabbed my laptop and joined them online, and I was super happy I did. I knew it was the right choice when Pastor Doug said this, “God can take our brokenness and make it something beautiful”. I needed to be reminded of that. 2014 was hard in many ways, but many times God took those hard and dented times and made them beautiful. Life is never predictable and the roads we travel is filled with twists and turns, road blocks and potholes. But God is the ultimate civil engineer creating pathways for us to travel that are filled with beauty and lessons to learn, but in order for us to get to the smooth roads, we first have to be willing trudge through the bad ones. Today just a reminder that God will take our brokenness and make it something beautiful.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

So what am I thankful for today? Beauty from brokenness.

Dec29

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on December 29, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Samuel 23. “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain'” (Verses 3-4). To rule, to serve, to do what God calls us to do (no matter what that is). We must first be just, showing no partiality. Our yes, must be yes. Our no, must be no. Secondly we must do all in the fear, and name of God. Being a “right” representative of His will and purpose. Lastly we must shine clearly and brightly so others can see and follow. Above we must all walk in the humility of God’s love.

Dec28

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on December 28, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Samuel 22. “He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me” (Verses 17-20). Praise. It is what gets us through the hard times, and helps us not to be over taken by the floods and fires of life. Praise sets our hearts in the right place and gives us the right perspective. David has gone through a lot over the past several chapters. But today he is ALL about praise. He took time out to thank God for all He had done so far. He understood that the reason he had made it at all was because God had gone before him. Did life get rosy and pretty all of a sudden? No. Did David have less enemies, and more friends? No. Did he sin less, was he more holy? No. Life had not really changed around him, but his praise and joy came because he knew where his STRENGTH came from. He was secure in God’s love for him. He remembered to give PRAISE.

Dec26

AND I QUOTE…

Posted on December 26, 2014 by lsgrlr

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Let God take care of it.

Dec23

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on December 23, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Samuel 20. “And the king said to Amasa, ‘Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.’ So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him.And David said to Abishai, ‘Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us'” (Verses 4-6). Do you see it? War! David knows when to fight. We should learn this lesson as well. We have watched in several chapters, several book of the Bible, when the man who God made king, did not fight, but instead forgave. He was chased by a king, by his son, and by his people and yet he forgave, and it was God who went to battle. Today David is fighting back. Why? Because there are some days where God fights with us. In the previous chapters, God fought FOR David, but in this one God fights WITH him. The lesson to learn today: Know that there will be days that God fights FOR us and other days where He fights WITH us. But every single day He LOVES us.

Dec15

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on December 15, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Samuel 13. “But she answered him, ‘No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.’ However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, ‘Arise, be gone!'” (Verses 12-15). What is interesting to me about this chapter is that David would have given Tamar to Amnon, he could have had the thing he most desired in the right way. But he chose to fulfill his fleshly desires instead of heeding his sisters words. The verse says he hated her after, and that his hatred was greater than his love. Seems weird, right? But it’s not, sin has a price and the price is GUILT. Amnon’s actions stems from the guilt of his sin. We feel guilty, but don’t want to admit guilt, so it leads to hatred, to lying, to anything but acceptance of our wrong doing. Amnon did not just hurt himself and his sister. No, his sin affected his entire family. Sin is dirty and its goal is to destroy the sinner completely. Listen to God, flee from sin.

Dec9

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on December 9, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Samuel 11. “It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold” (Verses 1-2). Just a little reminder be where you are suppose to be. Note the first verse the “when the kings go out to battle… David remained.” Who was David? The king. Where was he suppose to be? Out to battle. Where was he? Not where he was suppose to be. What happened? Sin. Be where you are suppose to be, do what you are suppose to do, lest sin overtake you.

Dec8

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on December 8, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Samuel 10. “It happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. Then David said, ‘I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.’ So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the people of Ammon… Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, ‘Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return'” (Verses 1-2. 4-5). Okay, I have to be honest, the particular means that Hanun uses to punish David’s servants, is a bit funny to me, albeit embarrassing. Although that is not the point of this post. David shows kindness to Hanun at the death of his father, and what does Hanun do? He listens to the worst advice ever instead of doing what would have been the natural human response~ thanking David for his kindness. Instead of this Hanun shames David’s servants and sends them back. The outcome, David, retaliates and the people of Ammon are defeated. The lesson: Sin will always lead to our defeat, do what is right.

Nov26

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on November 26, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Samuel 5. “Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?’ And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand” (Verses 17-19). I have been thinking about this portion of scripture I am now reading. It dawned on me that David is an example of honesty Christianity. His first step always (up to this point), asking God if he was making the right step. David had been shacking up with the enemy, however, Saul is dead and Israel has made David king. So now the Philistines are seeking to kill him. What does David do? He consults God. What should we do, about every decision? Yup, got it… Consult God FIRST.