Category Archives: Living

Sep30

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

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

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

Judges 17. “The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.  In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Verses 5-6). This chapter has always been a little confusing to me, but today I think I finally understand it. Micah wasn’t trying to be rebellious when he built the craved image. He was seeking God, but did not know how. The people had no leadership, no one to say, “This is what the Lord says…” Thus, everyone did what was right in THEIR own sight, and this is where the problem comes in. If you know the truth share it, don’t expect that because you “get it” others do as well. We ALL were created to love and serve God, and when that portion of our heart isn’t filled with the right thing, we to seek things to fill it with any and everything. Micah wanted to serve God so he built an idol. Right intention, wrong action. If you know the truth share it. Help fill what’s missing in the life of another. If we don’t, they will fill it with the wrong thing. 

Sep26

DAY 268 (2014)

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So true!

So true!

Yesterday I went for an interview. It is for a really good company, I previously applied for the same position with the company. I even went as far as flying to NY from Florida to do the testing. However, a week after I was informed that I was no longer a candidate for the position. I was disappointed, but I let it go. Yesterday when I sat with the interviewer he pulled up my info and then got this rather quizzical look on his face. His expression said, “What the heck?!” So I asked, “Why do you have that expression on your face?” He laughed and said, “I have never been able to control my expressions. I have gotten in trouble a lot for that.” I told him I’d like to play a game of poker with him… 🙂 . He laughed and then said this, “I don’t understand why you didn’t make it through the last time. You passed the testing.” Huh… we continued the interview (I did not have to take the test again… Yay!). On the drive home I started to wonder as to why God had closed a door that could have had me moving to Western New York  with a job to come to? Then my mind ran across my friend Karla. Why is this so important? I wrote a post about her recently (not sure of the DAY). She is a friend that I had invited to church on multiply occasions, each time she told me no. However, she finally said yes in July. Had the comapny hired me I would have left Florida in March, never attempting to ask her again. Then my mind ran across Miss A. Miss A was a patient who previously had gone through chemo, was found to have resolution of the disease. However, several months later in April was diagnosed with a new very aggressive form of cancer that literally has a six week window of life expectancy (that is the standard prognosis for most people diagnosed with this form of cancer). During that time I bought her a devotional because I felt that God told me to do so. It is now September and Miss A is not only is alive, but walking and talking on her own (which is miraculous). Here’s what I realized God had a reason that was BIGGER than I could have imagined. His purpose was eternal. Today Karla has inherited a peace that she says she can’t explain. Miss A’s husband once told me that both he and his wife read the devotional everyday. It’s the first thing they do every morning. Yesterday the interviewer said something else that floored me. “When a door is closed it is ALWAYS for a reason”.  He’ll never know how true his words were. God had a much better plan.

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open” (Revelation 3:7).

Lesson: Let God shut and open the doors as He wills. The outcome will always be worth it.

Side story: Today I got a phone call for Final Interview… God’s got a plan 🙂

Sep24

DAY 266 (2014)

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Yup. Even a dead battery can be a tool for God to use.

Yup. Even a dead battery can be a tool for God to use.

Remember yesterday’s post? I talked about speed bumps and potholes on the journey. Yesterday’s thought was all about how God many times uses those moments to start something “new”. Today let’s just say (instead a pothole)  a giant meteorite fell from the sky and caused a crater in my day. I don’t know if I mentioned it in previous posts, but today I had a job interview. It was scheduled for 12:15. I had been feeling iffy about the job, since they called me. Mostly because when I asked the recruiter about the job, she couldn’t give me any info at all. Isn’t the the job of a RECRUITER, to know the job you’re recruiting for?  Maybe I am the only one that thinks that way. However, I had previously made a promise to God, to walk through any door He opened. The fact that they called and wanted an interview, to me said, “OPEN DOOR”, so despite my apprehension I decided to walk through. So this morning I got up, had my devotion.  Had breakfast. Then took my time getting ready. I printed out a couple extra copies of my resume. I always arrive anywhere at least fifteen minutes early, so I decided to leave at 11:45 (the job is really close to where I live). I walked out to my car, put the key in the ignition and heard this… CLACK, CLACK, CLACK. ???? She worked just fine yesterday. I didn’t leave any lights on or doors open. Maybe it’s just a fluke, so I try again… CLACK, CLACK, CLACK. Nope it’s really is NOT going to start. I did’t know what to do at first, normally my first call is to my boyfriend, but uhmmm, he’s in FLORIDA. I get out of the car and think to myself, “Why Lord?”I call the roadside assistance from my insurance they come out and jump start the car, and I immediately drive it to SEARS auto. Two hundred and six dollars later, my car is working. Now I’d like to say I know why God allowed this. But genuinely I don’t know why, YET (He never leaves me in the dark for long). But I am assured that I will. Yes, paying 206 dollars for anything when you don’t have an income coming in leaves you feeling a little… However, while I don’t know why it happened I know that God has not forsaken me, and that He has a plan and a purpose. That same promise I made to walk through any door He opened, I also promised that I would let Him shut whatever door He chose to shut. Today He shut a door.  As for the two hundred and six dollars? God will provide. He has NEVER failed me.

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that'” (James 4″14-15).

Lesson: Those who see God’s hand in EVERYTHING, find it easy to leave EVERYTHING in God’s hands. Leave it in His hands, they’re big enough.

Sep22

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

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

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

Judges 9. “Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal” (Verses 56-57). This was a sad chapter to read. Why. It had 57 verses and it wasn’t until verse 56 that God moved. I am saddened at the fact that in that time period the people’s heart didn’t miss God. Their hearts didn’t miss intimacy with Him, closeness with Him. It is horrible that their hearts had grown so hard, so self centered that nothing else mattered, nothing, but their immediate pleasure. I recently wrote a post about something miraculous that God did for me during my days at bible college. After the post it dawned on me how easy it was for my mind to forget something that amazing and wonderful. How did it happen? My focus was not in the right place. The cares of life, the cares of this world stepped in a drowned out the beauty of what Christ, of what God had done. So today’s devotion is a warning, don’t forget what God has done, not even the smallest thing. Write them down, commit them to your memory banks for they will keep your foot from stumbling, and keep you on the right path. 

Sep20

Random (hopefully inspired) Though

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

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

Judges 7. “It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, ‘Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant, and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.’ Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp. Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude” (Verses 9-12). If you read the above verse, I ask sincerely that you take a moment to read it again. Why? God understands that we have fears. Gideon did not say a word, but God who is aware of our every need said, “But if you are afraid…go, and afterwards your hands will be strengthened.” God gave Gideon hope. He let him hear just what he needed to hear, so that his heart would be strengthened. So that his faith would increase. If you read my DAY 261, you know my day yesterday was not the best, it was a little discouraging. But this morning God used Judges 7, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, Proverbs 20:24, and some very needed encouragement from @hope4theheartalways, who also provided a scripture Exodus 23:20 to remind me that He hears and He understands.  God is a aware of our frame, He understands that we are but dust, he knows we have fears and doubts. But if we take the time to listen, He will lean in and say, “But if you are afraid, go, and I will strengthen your hands.” Right now a song is playing and I just heard these words, “When you believe He is ALL you NEED that will be your defining moment…” God is defining us. Believe He is ALL we NEED. 

Sep16

DAY 258 (2014)

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First step gets you to the door, second step gets you through it. (Picture by Lisa R.)

First step gets you to the door, second step gets you through it.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

So today I had this thought. “The first step is scary. But the second step gets you through the door.” I am not sure where the thought came from (well that’s not 100% true. Duh, God), but it has permeated my day invading my thoughts. I have accomplished a lot more in the last three weeks than I have in most of my adult life. I let go of my past and took the step necessary to grab a hold of my future. That’s quite an accomplishment, that is not to say that where I came from was bad. On the contrary I left a great job, great patients, and great friends to embark on a journey to find God’s “best” and not just live in “great”. Now that I have made the first step, moving. It is time for the second step, acclimating. The culture in Western, NY is a lot different from South Florida. For example last night I left my house at midnight to run out and get something. I was shocked to find that there was no one on the road. WEIRD!!!! I mean that literally NO ONE was on the road, just me (this makes me wonder why they have 24 hour anything here). Midnight in Florida the roads would still have tons of cars, and not from people going home, but from people going out. Clearly this part of New York is the part that does sleep, a lot. As I have been thinking about the things I miss the most, ie., my church home, my hairdresser, and my friends. It dawned on me that those are things God wants to give me here as well. Granted they won’t be a replica of what I left behind, but they will be exactly what I need for this leg of the journey. How do I get them? Take the next step. Step one gets us to the destination, but it is the second step that gets us through the door. This is not just true of life, but of our walk with God as well. Many times we’re comfortable with the first step, asking God for help. But it is the second step, doing what He says that tends to give us pause. Life is about the journey, that’s true. But journeys are meant to bring us to a destination. Don’t just take the first step, take the second as well. Don’t just arrive, thrive.

“Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:1).

Lesson: The second step is just as important as the first. The first gets you to the door, the second gets you through it.