Destined for Success

I was searching the internet earlier today for some photos, and scriptures for this coming Sunday's Renov8 Service, and I stumbled over this heading:

Destined for Success

under the heading were these scriptures:

"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" (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT.) 

AND
"The LORD your God will then make you successful in everything you do" 

(Deuteronomy 30:9a NLT).

After reading these, it was as if a lightbulb turned on in my head. I mean, I have had these verses memorized since I was a little girl, but it wasn't until today that they meant exactly what the header read.

I am, Destined to Succeed. All of God's children are destined to succeed. I know I have a bad habit of allowing the hustle and bustle of my day kind of overshadow the fact that God has huge plans for me. Its so easy to get caught up in that longing to want to do more, and patience isn't the word my mind is very familiar with, but God will open doors, He promised He would in, 

"I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me." (Revelation 3:8)

I just found hope as I was reading those couple of scriptures this morning, and I hope as you read them; God shows you a new understanding of just how much He loves you. 

Be Blessed. 

Social Networks

Call me crazy, call me naive, you can even call me wrong, but I have a hard time reading status' on Facebook that say things like:

"God is my everything" or "Loved going to church today"


and then a few days later they post new status' that have every curse word there is in them.

Call me crazy, call me naive, you can even call me wrong, but this doesn't make any sense to me.

God has called us, as Christians, to live above reproach, He tells us that we are doubly accountable.

Am I the perfect example of what a Christian should live like 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? No probably not. I'm not perfect, no one is. However I do know that the way I live my life in public, through social networks, and even in the privacy of my home, will internally effect my walk with God, and others walk with God.

I'm not pointing fingers, nor am I judging, that is not my place, all I am saying is that Christians have to be extra careful to live, speak, act, and think like God would, at all times...especially on social networks.

Just as those lines in the photo reach from social network, to social network, so do our status updates, photos, and comments, reach person, to person, to person.

I hope while you read, that you realize that my heart is in the right place, not a judgmental approach, at all, but a longing desire to reach the world for Christ.

Unsettled.

I get in these moods periodically, that tend to put me in kind of a slump. Like I'll be fine one minute, then twenty to thirty minutes later I wonder if I'm on the right path in life. My followers can normally be aware of these times when my status turns into something like...


"I'm feeling lost today."


Its not an every day thing, its just like a quarterly thing, so I average one of these days around four times a year...to me that is normal...right?


So I updated my status to - "I'm feeling lost today." and then I scroll down through my news feed and I see where my cousin Lindsay has updated her status to -


"I find I am the most discontent with my life, when the Focus is on me instead of Christ."


A lightbulb turned on in my head. She is so right. These quarterly moods, that throw me into a down slop feeling, are normally times where I am focused on me. Sure during those times I wonder if I am traveling down the right path in life, or if I have veered off in the wrong direction, but ten times out of ten, God always shows me that I am right where He wants me to be. 


There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve yourself, or seeking to move up to the next professional level, or anything of the sort. There is something wrong with allowing Satan to make you feel like a no body. 


The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10


In these quarterly moods, I need to remind myself that Satan loves, and lives to suck the joy out of my life, he loves to tear me down, to make me feel useless, and try to make me believe I am a no body. But Jesus desires to give me an abundant amount of joy, because of Him I, we, have purpose, and because of Him I, we, are somebody, and that somebody is a world changer. 

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy

When the weather is perfect, nice breeze, 72 degrees, sun shining, all a girl like me can think to do is well, go fishing of course.

JW and I grabbed our fishing poles, tackle box, and stink bait. Went to Wal-Mart to get our fishing license, and headed to the Kansas River with high hopes of catching a ton of fish.

Although JW and I have lived here in Kansas City, Kansas for almost two years, we had yet to go fishing. The reasoning why has escaped me, but we decided that today was the day.  Baiting up the hook, and casting that first cast into the water is a thrilling moment, for those that enjoy fishing.

With each cast, I slowly began to wonder if there were even fish where we were. Cast, after cast, after cast, and no luck. My line gets caught on a rock here, an underwater root there, and finally I decided that we, by no means, had the proper equipment to be fishing in a body of water with a current this strong.

You see, JW and I are use to fishing in a small creek, family pond, or still water lake...not this raging, rushing water that the Kansas River holds. Our poles were tiny, with eight pound line, and our hooks were small enough for the big daddy catfish to eat right off of and never get snagged by.

After the nice man next to us rills in his sixth twenty pound fish, I ask, "what are you doing, and how can we learn to do it?" He looked at me and said in his nice southern voice, "Well for starters these fish like live bait. I'm about to head out and you can have my extra bait. Secondly your weight on your line isn't big enough. You can have a couple of mine, I make my own so I have a ton of them at home. And Thirdly your not in my sweet spot, but since I am leaving, it is all yours." A smile from ear to ear takes form on JW and my face. Thanks are exchanged and we one again situate our now, somewhat better gear, on our poles and begin to cast again.

After about the tenth time of my line getting caught, I sit down and let JW take over. He gets extra excited when he realizes he has a fish. He used every amount of energy he had to reel in that fish.

Needless to say, it just wasn't our day. So we went to Wal-Mart, and Cabela's, and found us some new thicker poles, forty pound line, and better hooks. We just know that next time we will catch enough for dinner. Or at least we hope we do.

Bye y'all

Hunger Games Crazy

So here is the truth.

The reason I haven't updated in a while, well for at least the last two weeks,is because I fell into The Hunger Games trap.

And I have to say, it's the first trap I've truly enjoyed.

I bought the first book sometime after I saw the trailor for the upcoming movie. Every spare moment I had, I spent reading that book. Bought the first one on tues. night, finished it sat. Night, bought the second one sat. Night, finished it thurs., bought the third one thurs. finished it tues. night...(tonight about 20 minutes ago.)

Here I am dazed and confused because up until these books I have despised ready, and now that I'm finished I have no earthly idea what to read next.

What I liked the most about THG series was that it wasn't about vampires falling in love with humans, nor about teen-age wizzards fighting off those who must remain nameless.

Now don't get me wrong, I read the first 3 books of the Harry Potter series, while in high school, and read all of the Twilight series. I just liked that reading this particular series didn't have to go unmentioned.

If someone asked I wouldn't deny my attendance at the mid night premiers, but I answered with a slight henderance in my voice waiting to see if I was going to be condemned. But with THG I can outloud mention that I've read them, and even love them.

I am beyond excited for the first movie, what will Katniss' dress look like for the interview, will it do justice of the book or is my imagination far greater than some Holly Wood studio....

Only time will tell. Until then you've got plenty of time to read and enjoy this amazing series.

I'm Back

Geeze, I have this bad habit of doing something so faithfully at the beginning, then life gets busy and I slack off. Sorry about that. However, I am back and will be updating at least 2-3 times a week. Scouts honor. I hope everyone is enjoying spring! I'm glad its here! Talk to you soon.