Women of Proverbs-Part 2

Proverbs 21:19

"Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging
and a hot tempered wife."



Proverbs 21:21

"The one who pursues righteousness
and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honor."


Proverbs 22:14

"The mouth of the forbidden woman is
a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it."



Proverbs 24:3-4

"A house is built by wisdom,
and it is established by understanding;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
with every precious
and beautiful treasure."



Proverbs 24:27

"Complete your outdoor work, and prepare
 your field;
afterward, build your house."


Proverbs 25:11

"A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples in silver settings."



Proverbs 25:28

"A person who does not control
his temper
it like a city whose wall is broken down."



Proverbs 27:5-6

"Better an open reprimand
than concealed love."



Proverbs 27:10

"Don't abandon your friend
or your father's friend,
and don't go to your brother's house
in your time of calamity;
better is a neighbor near by than a
brother far away."


Proverbs 27:15

"An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife or alike;
the one who controls her controls
the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand."



Proverbs 27:19

"As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person."



Proverbs 27:23-27

"Know well the condition of your flock,
and pay attention to your herds,
for wealth is not forever,
now even a crown lasts for all time.
When hey is removed
and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills
is gathered in,
lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price your field;
there will be enough goat's milk
for your food-
food for your household
and nourishment for your
female servants."



Proverbs 29:11

"A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise person holds it in check."


Proverbs 29:15

"A rod of correction imparts wisdom,
but a youth left to himself
is a disgrace to his mothers."


Proverbs 29:17

"Discipline your child, and it will bring you
peace of mind
and give you delight."


Proverbs 29:21

"A servant pampered from his youth
will become arrogant later on."


Proverbs 30:18-19

"Three things are too wondrous for me;
four I can't understand:
the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship at sea,
and the way of a man
with a young woman."


Proverbs 30:23

"An unloved woman when she marries,
and a servant girl when she ousts
her queen."



Proverbs 31:10-13-The Famous Wife Chapter

Woman of Proverbs

Proverbs 9:13-18

"Folly is rowdy woman,

she is gullible and knows nothing. 

She sits by the doorway of her house,

on a seat at the highest point of the city,

calling to those who pass by,

who go straight ahead on their paths:

"Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!"

To the one who lacks sense, she says,

"stolen water is weet,

and bread eaten secretly is tasty!'

But he doesn't know 

that the departed spirits are there, 

that her guests are in the depths

of Sheol."

Proverbs 10:9

"The one who lives with intgerity

lives securely,

but whoever perverts his ways will be

found out."

Proverbs 10:12

"Hatred stirs up conflict

but love covers all offenses."

Proverbs 10:22

"The Lord's blessing enriches,

and he adds no painful effort to it."

Proverbs 10:28

"The hope of the righteous is joy, 

but the expectation of the wicked

will perish."

Proverbs 11:16

"A gracious woman gains honor,

but violent people gain only riches."

Proverbs 11:22

"A beautiful woman who rejects 

good sense

is like a gold ring in a pig's snout."

Proverbs 12:4

"A wife of noble character is 

her husband's crown, 

but a wife who causes shame

is like rottenness in his bones."

Proverbs 13:24

"The one who will not use the rod hates 

his son, 

but the one who loves him disciplines him 

diligently."

Proverbs 14:1

"Every wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one tears it down 

with her own hands."

Proverbs 14:12

"There is a way that seems right to a person,

but its end is the way to death."

Proverbs 14:16

"A wise person is cautious and turns 

from evil,

but a fool is easily angered and is careless."

Proverbs 14:26

"In the fear of the Lord one has 

strong confidence

and his children have a refuge."

Proverbs 14:29

"A patient person shows great 

understanding,

but a quick tempered one promotes

foolishness."

Proverbs 14:30

"A tranquil heart is life to the body,

but jealously is rottenness to the bones."

Proverbs 15:1

"A gentle answer turns away anger,

but a harsh word stirs up wrath."

Proverbs 15:2

"The tongue of the wise

makes knowledge attractive,

but the mouth of fools

blurts out foolishness."

Proverbs 15:14

"A discerning mind seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of fools feeds

on foolishness."

Proverbs 16:1-4

"The reflections of the heart

belong to mankind,

but the answer of the tongue is

from the Lord. 

All a person's ways seem right to him,

but the Lord weighs motives.

Commit your activities to the Lord, 

and your plans will be established.

The Lord has prepared everything

for his purpose-

even the wicked for the day of disaster."

Proverbs 16:9

"A person's heart plans his ways

but the Lord determines his steps."

Proverbs 16:23

"The heart of a wise person instructs

his mouth;

it adds learning to his speech."

Proverbs 16:32

"Patience is better than power,

and controlling one's emotions,

than capturing a city."

Proverbs 17:9

"Whoever conceals an offense

promotes love,

but whoever gossips about it 

separates friends."

Proverbs 17:13

"If anyone returns evil for good, 

evil will never depart from his house."

Proverbs 17:14

"To start a conflict is to release a flood; 

stop the dispute before it breaks out."

Proverbs 17:27

"The one who has knowledge restrains 

his words,

and one who keeps a cool head

is a person of understanding."

Proverbs 18:10

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

the righteous run to it and are protected."

Proverbs 18:22

"A man who finds a wife finds a good thing

and obtains favor from the Lord. 

Proverbs 19:11

"A person's insight gives him patience,

and his virture is to overlook an offense."

Proverbs 19:13

"A foolish son is his father's ruin,

and a wife's nagging is 

and endless dripping."

Proverbs 19:14

"A house and wealth are inherited 

from fathers,

but a prudent wife is from the Lord."

Proverbs 19:20

"Listen to counsel and receive instruction

so that you may be wise later in life."

Proverbs 20:7

"A righteous person acts with integrity;
his children who come after him
will be happy."



Proverbs 21:1-2

"A King's heart is like channeled water
in the Lord's hand:
He directs it wherever he chooses.
All a person's ways seem right to him,
but the Lord weighs the hearts."


Proverbs 21:9

"Better to live on the corner of a roof
than ti share a house with a nagging wife."

A Year Off of Dr. Prescibed Anxiety Meds.

           So I am literally crying right now as I write this and I know I have already wrote one today but I can't get this miracles out of my mind and it is perfect for everything I have been through this week. For those of you who had no idea, I have been on anxiety meds. for 4 years off and on but finally stopped last July. It was a choice I made myself. I didn't like how the meds. were making me mess up with life and the way they were affecting my thoughts and choices. As I look back now and see what has happened since it is like God is starting a whole new story from this day forwards. It was like VBS was the start of it, which is funny because this past Weds. was exactly a year from we I started to stop it. I don't know if I just noticed it tonight or if I have been noticing it all week but it finally did hit me.
           It all started in August when I got placed at a new school for my job for the new school year. I just wanted that school because it was closer to where I lived but God had other plans. That's first where I heard about the church that I am going to now. Then things were getting hard there and things started to happen that were stressing me out so I was moved back to my 1st school I was at and back to the kiddos that I loved and cared about the most. Well, that's when I started to one of the girls about her church and how much she wanted me to go to the little things there and so forth. Then Dec. came and I went to their Christmas program. I remember finding the girl's mom on Facebook and connecting the dots there before Dec. though.
         When I went to the program, I noticed that the two different girls from my two different schools both went to that church together. I started going to that church in Jan. every other Sunday after I started my new job at another preschool. It wasn't til Feb. that I was going every Sunday. March rolled around and I didn't something then that was really hard for me to do but that needed to be done for years. I had to fight through that and still am in some ways since this week will be the 6th month. I jumped in with the church and started doing serect sister program with the women and I also did their Spring Bible Study. It was "The Quest" by Beth Moore. My favorite.
         The Study lasted until the end of May or around then. Got through a hard couple of months because of what happened in March. During all of these changes, I was having a hard time at the job I had then so I was hoping and pray for a new one. That is when I was really stressed out but I knew it was because of the job and not because of me. I knew I could do better and be treated better at other places. I got a new job that I love at the start of this month. I couldn't ask for a better one. VBS also just got done with this past week and I started helping with Sunday School last Sunday morning. Through VBS, I have gotten to know a lot more people from the church. I just feel like I more energy to do more things now that I love.
         There is still one thing that hasn't been fixed yet and it might take awhile or it might never be fixed back to where it was before because when I was on those meds. I messed it up so bad. I probably, ok not probably, but did annoy the heck out of a person. Just wish I got another chance but who knows maybe I will either way I know I am the one that messed up big time. If anything, I will grow from it.
         Like I said I don't know if it was this past week to make me realize all of this or just tonight or both. I was happy with who I was and where I am. I was at peace and knew what I was doing. I wanted to talk to people that I haven't talked to in awhile. I missed the little things that people did. Don't buy into the lie that the anxiety meds. drs. give you are suppose to help you because they can have side effect. Those side effects are the ones they tell you about too. They are real. Don't do them without doing deep research and unless you can and have had the panic attacks. I just wanted the easy way out or so I thought it was but it just made things worse and now I am paying for all of those things. This is what a year can do off of Anxiety meds. My life has totally changed for the better all the way around.
           I will also say that I even smiled at the simplest thing tonight and it felt like I was back in college. Back to where things were fun and simple. Back to what I really expected from people and got just that. Back to loving the flaws of my friends and couldn't care less what other people thought about that or me. I wanted to reach out and I tried but I know that I will have to rebuild that reaching back up to where it was because the meds. made me so anxious and depressed. That true, deep, caring person that I once was.

Do Miracles Still Happen Today?

            This past week has been an amazing one to remember. It has been one for the books too. I had energy to do things after work and I loved doing them. Yeah, I was sleepy when I got home but it was a good kind of sleepy. It was a busy week but I wouldn't have it any other way. It kept me focused on what I love to do and like I said before I had fun doing it. This week I did a small VBS after work every night and it brought back memories. I use to help my mom with VBS a lot while I was in high school and then of course I would go every summer when I was little if my church had one, which they usually did. This was the first VBS that I did here in AR and it was a blast!
              I had a great group of kids and the theme was pretty interesting and fun. It was all about Science, which I like in a way as long as it isn't the hard science. There was fun little kid friendly experiments, the crafts were cute, the games were also very creative, and the lessons were meaningful. I also liked how the science was tried to the miracles of Jesus and how on the last night they had a big, special experiment just like the big miracle Jesus did. That big miracle was Jesus rising from the dead. We had some experiments that worked and others that didn't so we got to see both sides of that. We made some Elephant toothpaste and did the milk spreading food coloring experiment too. We also tried to make rock candy but it wasn't harden by the end of the week.
            The snacks were also very creative. We made a DNA out of marshmallows and linconce and toothpicks. One of the snacks was also "homemade" slime. I'll let you figure out how to make that one happen yourself. Even though, those things were fun and all, it wasn't about those things. It was about the children and teaching them about Christ's Love for us. I did have some cute and special moments with my kiddos that I never want to forget. I had one child that I had to help most of the time with everything. which is great. I love doing that! I had a girl that had to leave in the middle of the week but I remember on the last night that she was there, she just snuggled up close to me and just let me rub her back.
            I got to talk to another girl about what was going on in her family. Then I got this title from a little boy in my group. He actually asked that question the last night of the VBS. I thought that was a neat and meaningful question. Then I got to see the cousins that I had in my group say the verse John 3:16 together in unison, which was great, cute, and not surprising to me at all. Altogether, I just got to know most of the children in the church more and even some of the adults. In a way, VBS was kind of a miracle for me because as a single person I was feeling pretty lonely at the church and starting to doubt if I should even be there again if I was honest with myself. It is just hard anywhere to find a place to fit in when you are single and quite.
            I also tried to explain another miracle to one of my little boys but don't know if he got it or not. That question (aka title) really got to me because I feel like for things to happen in my life the way they should or they way God wants them to, a miracle does need to happen. I feel like I have messed up my life in so many ways and so bad that nothing can be fixed. Yet at the same time I think God was working during that VBS to make things happen and to make me realize some things too that I personally need to work on and other things. I know this might be a sappy way to end this entry but I am going to do it anyways.
           I am still waiting for my "miracle" to happen.
             

Feeling Helpless

           When I say "feeling helpless" I mean towards people in difficult situations. I've honestly remember one other time that I felt that helpless and it was back in college. I had excuses back then though, This moment and situation I don't and shouldn't have any excuses. That is what is tearing me apart on the inside right now.
           In college, the excuses were ones like I don't know any but 2 of them, I don't know that person, and I won't see them after college. Well, God's laughing at me right now this week. He does have a sense of humor. I shouldn't have any excuses now I am scared in a way and making some up. They're not really excuses but more what ifs. Either way, I am still doubting myself. Think I feel helpless when I only knew 2 of them? Can you guess how helpless I feel now? So, so, so much. I can't even describe it on here. No words for it. Each person/family has their own story of how they got to know me or met me.
           I know there are little things I can do but it just doesn't seem like enough to me at times. Things like praying, helping out with events being there for the children, and/or asking how things are. I don't feel like praying is enough because I did that when there were 2 people. My heart says to do more. I also asked how things were and how the people were doing even the ones I knew personally. In a way though, I guess I am doing a little bit more. I am hugging and caring for the children. I am helping with an event.
            I knew the person before the situation happened. I mean I know more then two people so shouldn't I be able to do more and I met the children first in this situation. Shouldn't it be easier for me because of that? The more people I know equals more chances and opportunities, right? Yet in a way I think God is giving me peace because for the most part I've been quite yet doing what I love actually doing to things I love. Life can't get any better then that. All this puts me in between a hard situation and a rock. I want to do so much but yet I feel helpless. Should I take the risk and go forwards or should I stay where I am at for right now?
           I am not the type of person that can feel helpless for very long especially if the situations have to do with any of my friends or even people that I know. I am the kind of person that really cares and not just cares but cares deeply. I take everything to heart especially when I don't feel like I am helping or if I said something at the wrong time or with the wrong wording. I don't myself a lot because I care too much. I never want to feel helpless and if I think about it I never think I have until that one time in college and now. There was a few other times when I was giving up my "missions" life but I got over that pretty fast. This helplessness is expanding so many people but I don't even know where to start and end it.
           I could help out in so many ways but yet I could get in trouble in so many ways. It just depends on the people that I am around at that moment in time. It all comes back to the timing of things and what God wants me to do. I try to remember every time but it is hard especially when you have been there before and you want to be there again for people. Right now, I am just trying to listen to God and see where He wants me to help out in the situation. I might need to help one family but not really talk to the other one or I might need to talk to both. Who knows?  This does go back to what we talked about last Sunday, though, in church. You just have to keep living and loving. Seeds will be planted somewhere and somehow but we might never know it.

Giving Wisdom

            Maybe I should start doing child development workshops or something like that? Why, you might ask. Answer is I love teaching and children. I also love to give advice and be able to share what I know. I think that is part of the fun so far in this new job. I also love to get more wisdom and learn more which I am also doing. The teacher and floater that I have been paired with this past month. They are either younger then me or don't have the same degree. They have a degree that helps them but also confuses them at the same time. They have worked one center or none at all when I have worked about 4 or more centers.
            She is taking classes for on the job training but doesn't have a CDA or a degree yet. The other teacher has a degree but not in child development. Yet they both know it and asks for my help when they need it. She is also excited about the job and think it is fun. She loves her children even when they are crazy. She has asked me about my ideas and plans. She even looked at them to try and write her own. I have also talked to both of them about how to discipline the children in a positive way. It's neat to see those two try something and see it work. It's like I am teaching more then just the children in a way.
            I never thought about it or maybe I have this way. I think I like the teach based way more then the play based way because I feel like I am giving the children wisdom to grow on. That's probably why I picked preschool age too. You actually see that wisdom used through out there lives. I just hope I don't let any of them down. Spending all my life passing down wisdom is a good life spent and maybe is another reason I love that age. I don't remember what I learned in the 1st 3 years of school. I remember all my teacher but not what I learned during the school year. The only thing I remember is that I went to half day Kindergarten and I went in the mornings.
           I also remember learning cursive handwriting in 2nd grade because of what I went through in 3rd grade. I had to learn cursive two times. I learned in 2nd grade and 3rd grade. But if I really think about it, I don't remember much about my 1st grade year. I also remember who my best friend was in those 3 years but we were never in the same class. I still think they did that on purpose in way. Maybe it is because I had great teachers before then. Great teachers like my mom and babysitter so I go off what they taught me. The floater that I spent a lot of time with told me to teach the children what I learned in Kindergarten. I got to thinking I really don't remember what happened before then because  I already knew everything in a way. That is what brought on this entry.
           I want to be that teacher. I want the children to remember their preschool teacher before they start the public school system. I want them to remember who taught them the important stuff. :) I remember my mom teaching me my letters, how to write my name, and how to count. My babysitter taught me about the outdoors/country. That's how I got my Love for it. I also remember my babysitter reading to me a lot. My mom was and still is big on reading too. I got my love for books from her. Anyways, a stroll down memory lane for me and whoever reads this. It's truly wisdom past down through the generations.  Just in a different way then most, I guess. I am truly lesson based.
           Because of technology, that kind of wisdom is almost all gone. Plus I am prefect for the 4-5s because I have had college experience in childcare and living experience in elementary ed. It is funny because I thought I would always like the littler ones and while they are okay, I like the bigger ones better. I can do everything that I want to do and know how to do all in one setting. You can also see when the bigger children get that wisdom inside of them. It shows on their faces and in their attitudes too.

You Knew......

You Knew......

You knew I was worried about moving up so You took that worry away.

You knew I wanted to get back into ministry so You came up with a plan.

You knew I was wondering when it would start and You let me know.

You knew I needed to let go of something so I did.

You knew that would be hard for me so you were right by my side.

You just knew and now I am seeing and thinking that.

You knew the children that I needed in my life and the reasons for each of those children.

You knew how I needed to get to where I needed to go.

You knew when I was having a hard time and was ready to get out.

You knew when I should give up on things on this world and trust You with getting better.

You knew I was getting tried of where I was and wanted a new spot.

You knew how I needed to get there.

You knew I needed to wait on Your Timing.

You knew how things needed to go down.

You knew when I needed to change things.

You knew when I needed a cat.

You knew what I needed to learn at the time that I needed to learn it.

You knew everything that I needed that is why I talk to You and then wait for You to move first.

You knew when things were be coming together.

You just knew.

Other Parts of My Life

           I feel like I can work on other parts of my life, which is a good thing, since I am happy with my job area right now. That area is not over all my life now. I feel like I can focus more on my spiritual area and friendships/relationships area and put the 2 together somehow. I think I was just too stressed, worried, sleepy, and so on to really care about those areas that I felt that I have let them slip on the last 2 or 3 years. It was all about finding a job that had usual hours, was making enough money, and had people that I could get along with plus a program that they stuck with and I liked too. I find all that in my new job.
          Yet me, being Ms. Fix it, is moving on to another part of my life to work on. Life I said before it's my spiritual life with my friends and relationships. I feel that I have threw that part away and I hate that because those should have helped me with my job area. I am seeing that they are now. Along with it some amazing people too because I was too stressed out to hang out or too confused to talk to worried to talk because things would get around. I almost didn't know who to trust or what I should thrust them with. I did a lot of small talk in the past 3 years and if you truly know me that's not easy for me. I'm a deep person. I had to chance a lot both personality and lifestyle. I had to change for the people around me. I shouldn't have but I did.
             How I might be working on those 2 areas, you might ask. Glad you asked. Well, I am going to church twice a week and trying to be more involved with a smaller church. I am also reading the book of Proverbs for a month. I am also really trying on how to be a Godly women/wife while still single. Others say that's the best time to learn. I am trying to get away from focusing on finding the "right" guy by becoming the "right" women. That saying "treat others as you would like to be treated" is so true even in cases like this. I wouldn't want some guy to come to me with out knowing how to be a husband.
             I also really want to read about the main women of the Bible. That might be next month's plan and most of the entries. I want to see what they went through and how to they handle different things. I got this new women's Bible that has really been helping me focus on this subject. It just feels nice to have some pressure off my shoulders so you can move on and live life. It was like I was stuck in one area when really I should have moved on a long time ago. Rid of my anxiety was first. My passionate career was 2nd. Now my spiritual/relationship are 3rd. Strange how life works out like that. How God really does take you on a Quest for life.

True Greatness

          Here is the 2nd part of the first entry that I promised. The Sunday morning's Sunday School and sermon. Sunday School was about "The Light of the World". The sermon about "True Greatness". What does that mean you might wonder? Here are some quotes and verses about it and then below explains some more about the sermon that was taught this morning. The first part was "Confessions" like it says below. Now I am going to talk about darkness into light and Love. We talked about darkness into light during Sunday School and that was my first time going at the Sunday church. The sermon during church was about Love. That's why the first three are numbered like they are.
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John 1:1-9

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

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"Abundance lawlessness=Twiddling love"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Confessions

2. Darkness into Light

3. Love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Selfless Love needs to be displayed. No rights for You.

2. Serving Love-Verse 25 in John Chapter 13
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"Do things without anyone else caring out of love. Don't need to explain yourself." 

"We build our lives on a reputation when we shouldn't."

"Humility is knowing who you are and whose you are."
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How to Love:

-Grace
-Faith
-Peace
-Love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Pride drives wedges but love builds bridges." 

"Allow Jesus to love you."
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            Jesus is the Light in the Darkness.  He is the Person who made Everything, can grant life, and can lead people to Himself. It is strange that the topic was "Light to Darkness" because I have been thinking a lot lately about how I have been in the darkness on certain topics and because of certain situations going on in my life. I feel like I have had my eyes closed for so long and my heart cold for so long that I am having to reopen them now. Maybe it is just because I am growing more as an adult/women of Christ? I don't know but I have noticed a difference. It is really hard to move from darkness to Light but I want to see it. I want to see what God has for me in the Light. God didn't just want to leave his people in the dark. He cared enough about us that He wanted us to live in the Light of Him. In the Love of Him.
           Jesus can give us Light and by giving us that Light He is giving us a life that is important to live. The verses, in the last entry, about Jesus washing His disciples' feet in John is about selfless love. It is all about becoming a servant first and then someone important if at all. Jesus' view though is you have to show Love through actions more then words. I am not great at that but that is where confessions come in at and then in a way you act on those confessions if you can. Something I got that really held on tight to me was that selfless love is to be on display for all to see. This is how people know we are in Love with Christ and Love with Christ's Love.
           I love verse 7 of John 13 because it says "You do not realize what I am doing right now" and that is Jesus saying that to Simon Peter because Simon Peter asked Him what He was doing. Sometimes, or should I say a lot of times, we don't understand why people do what they do and it is because they are doing it out of Love. Sometimes we don't even understand why we do what we do. We want to do the opposite at times but yet we move towards Love. It is Love that builds people up. It is Love that encourages people to do their best and be their best.
            We are so scared to truly Love because the world around us won't understand. They will think that we are just too weak or too soft. I know because I am a soft hearted person myself and that is something that is hard for me especially with my friends. I care deeply and dive right into the real stuff. I don't like smell talk. That's why I can't be friends with most guys because they might be thinking that I am hitting on them when really I just want to know them deeper as a friend if that makes sense. To be honest, I am scared to Love in the world today because people especially guys can and do take it the wrong way. We seem to want to build a reputation on something other then Love when really we should be building it on and with Love itself.
             The preacher gave us 4 steps on how to love so here they are for you:

-1. Grace-Knowing that you are accepted and forgiven by Christ. So much that you can give others Grace when they need it too.
-2. Faith-Knowing that God accepts you for who you truly are and that you accept that piece of knowledge.
-3. Peace-You have to be at peace with God as a Child of God and where you are at in your life so you can Love on other people. You know for sure you are where God wants you to be for that moment in time.
-4. Love-Doing things for the ones closest to you without caring what other people think. Not explaining yourself to anyone.

            For your sake, if you don't want to do it for God's, at least do it for yourself because it will suck the life out of you with all the worrying and thoughts that can take over your life. Trust me, I have been there and it is no fun at all. I am trying to get through those 4 steps but for some reason I am stuck on number 3. I can't seem to have Peace with who I am but I am searching for ways to get that way so I can Love like never before. I will say that the sermon today really made me do something right after church was over. I wrote tell you want other then this.
          I sat in the church parking lot and confessed some things to a friend of mine that I have needed to for a long time. That is why last night's sermon and this morning's sermon went together for me. I think God was leading me to do something that I have been needing to for such a long time but you know what. I kept it in for so long that it just made me more confused, angry, worried, sleepy, and I could go on with that list but the point is it wasn't good for my spiritual or physical health. It was really sucking the life out of me. Now granted, I may never know how this friend feels about what I did or if I changed a life but at least I listened to God and did it. It might be one of those things that I won't know about til I get to Heaven.
             Finally done with what I learned this weekend. I know God was sure working on me this weekend and this past week but it has been good and much needed for sure. Strange weekend to learn all of this. Things will work out for the best someday. 

Time For Confession

James 5:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
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John 13:34 New International Version (NIV)

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

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John 13:1-7 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

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John 13:14 New International Version (NIV)

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

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Luke 22:26-27 New International Version (NIV)

26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

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Philippians 2:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

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John 13:35 New International Version (NIV)

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

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1 John 3:18 New International Version (NIV)

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

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Angry, hurt, confused, blaming and rejected

People don't know me at all. They are just guessing and see me as a fan. Though I might act like it and that might be my fault. I am sorry but I'm not a fan and I don't want to be that. I want to be a friend if anything.
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I am sorry for.......

I was wrong about.......
Please, forgive me for.......
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              God is having me go to two churches at this moment in my life right now because one is not enough on what I need to learn. I am going to write about last night's sermon on this entry and then I will write another entry about this morning's sermon. It is funny how they go together for me but God does things in ways we don't expect Him to. The first verse above is one that I got from the sermon about "Confessions" last night. The other verses are from this morning's sermon about "True Greatness". Yes, both of those sermons came together after church this morning and I did something that I needed to do for a long time but that is going to be in the other entry.
            It is funny too because as a single women God knows I have time to go to both churches so He is using that time to grow me stronger in Him. Never thought I needed to go to two churches in my life but appantently I do. It was like last night's sermon was the opening and introduction to this morning's sermon. At my Saturday night church, we are talking about the "Rhythms of the Christian Life". Every Saturday night we talk about one thing that we need to do to make our lives more focused on Christ. Last night's sermon was about "Confessions". Confession means "We have to agree with God about our sins, about His Character, and about out benefit".
            The words right above all of this is ways we can start confessing for the things we did wrong to other people but most importantly to God. I believe it or not I did use some of those starters this morning after church. It was hard believe me. Confessing something or somethings is never easy especially when the person might not have any idea that you did it or you feel that way. It is all about God being faithful and just to us when we confess to Him. We just have to believe that He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is the same with the people we have hurt or that have hurt us in the past. We just have to believe that: One-God will take care of everything and Two-Those sins will be forgotten and we will be treated with love once again.
           I know I am a soft hearted person when it comes to all of these things but it is hard not to be and there will be more about that in the next entry I am writing. One more important thing that got my attention last night was this: "We need to confess our sins to one another and then pray for one another so that we may be healed." That is from the first verse above. Prayer will work if we allow it too but allowing it is the hard part. We want things done our way and that is the only way we think, when really God has a better way then we could ever think of for some reason we might not understand. I got 3 steps from the sermon last night that I would like to share on here and they are:

1. Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust. 
2. Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. 
3. Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.

          I will end this entry with those steps because those steps are hard to do and is something to really dig deep into. I think I might be doing it backwards and I don't know if that will work but after today's sermon I just couldn't wait to make amends with certain people. I will tell you though that I am going to examine and confess my faults and submit to the changes God wants to make in me  and to remove the defects of my character this week and every time that I can remember to do so. I want to challenge all who reads it to do the same with me. 

A Friend's Encouragement

          "It is a hard decision because you have to really pray and figure out if this is something you want or God wants. That is the hardest part f this whole thing is putting you thoughts and feelings aside and only hearing God. God is always growing us and changing us, and it is good not to be comfortable, because if you are comfortable you are not open to the change God is making in you.
After I left I thought I would miss it, but I was really at peace, God put me at peace. God just sightly changed the path He wanted me to walk down.
I know people hear this a lot but you must pray. Sometimes we want an answer so fast that we forget who to ask the question to. Pray for this and have others pray for you too. For guidance and wisdom and for His Will to be done.
I hope God puts the answers on your heart........all in His Timing of course."

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            This is a letter I got along time ago from a friend that I have messed up with a lot especially in the past few years. Even though I have messed up with that friend, this is the letter that I always go back to even in my hardest times. I can't start to tell you how many times I have gone back and reread this letter because I needed that kind of encouragement and reminder. A copy of that letter has been in the Bible that I had in college for years and still is in that same Bible and I barely take it out because I know where it is when I need it. My life hasn't been easy and it won't get that way as I get older either. This time that I looked at it, though, it really hit me and I don't know why. Maybe it is because of what is going on in my life right now? Maybe it is because of my age? I don't know but I do know that that letter never gets old.
           It is like a new letter every time I look at it. I will say that this past week was probably the first time I looked at it since things have changed in my life and I am not just meaning my career/job. Even though that is what made me look at it, it was a hard decision that I had to make because of money and other things but it wasn't the hardest one I had to make yet. The hardest one that I had to make happened 5 months ago. I am not going to go into details because I am not ready to write that down and not everyone knows what happened but I will say that that was the hardest decision in my life to this point of it. Even though, I thought about it as it goes to my career, it goes with my friendships too.
             What good does it do to rush them? What good does it do to totally give up on them and not support your friends? What good does it do when you don't pray? What good does it do when you stop trying to get to know people closest to them? It does no good. Not saying that I am doing what I am doing on purpose but there are a lot of things I can't explain. When it seems like I am trying to run away, God just puts something or someone else in my path. All of this is something that needs to be God's wanting, not mine and it needs to be in His Timing too. The last line is my favorite of the whole letter because it just reminds me that God will put the answers on my heart but in His Timing. Like God did with this job I have now. It is fun and exciting but doesn't have all I need or should have and that is okay too.
            I had to put my feelings and thoughts aside for this job situation and listen to/hear God. It is the same with a friendship. God is always growing and changing us into the women or men He wants us to be. God is not friendly when it comes with being comfortable. That is not a thing of God. I will say that I thought I wouldn't be at peace today and that today would be a hard time for me because I can't do something that I have done every year but I am at peace. Yes, I still think about my friend and I did a lot today but that is all I did for reasons only God would understand. I know I am not getting an answer to this prayer fast because I have been praying for years and still not like how I want it but I know God is working it out in His Way. I think it is fair enough to say that we are both pretty stubborn and stuck in our own ways so it is hard to move out of them when we need to.
              If I am wrong, I will probably hear about it and if I do that is fine. I just know that is me for sure. It HAS NOT been an easy road to walk down but then when something is worth it, is it ever easy? Just sayin'. To be honest too, this is the first time I have put this letter out in public so I hope I did an okay job writing about it. I will say, though, looking back at what the letter was really about to where we both are now, is kind of funny on my part. That problem that I thought was a big problem wasn't a big problem. It was probably one of the smallest problems of my life but it was a hard decision at the time and I got some great and Godly advice from a friend. I am going to leave it at that before I go into too many details. :)


"Someday God will put the answer on my heart that I have wanted all along...........in His Timing of course." :)

Victory in Everything

Proverbs 11:14 New International Version (NIV)

14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
    but victory is won through many advisers.

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"Strange how God works!? He sends me a verse about victory and then brings to mind a very important saying from a certain friend. All is done the day before the 3rd on the 5th month."

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        This is a good verse and entry to be writing in the 5th month and on today. I will say that I love that the verse uses the word "victory" because it gives me hope for things in my life, whether career or friendships. I am thankful that this verse came across my attention last night. I am not thankful for the way it did because a friend used it for hope for getting through the hard time she is having right now. It is a really good verse though. We are need victory from time to time and we all need to seek different ideas from different people. I looked in up in another version and the word "victory" was replaced with the word "Deliverance". 

           I am going to tell you in this entry what that verse means to me in my life right now at this very moment. It helps me in my life with my career and my friendships. I don't know how many times I had to ask however many people about what I should do before taking this new job. I needed a lot of guidance on it because I was scared and nervous. I will say that because I listened to those people but most importantly to God, I came out victorious over the two choices. I know I picked the right one. I am so much happier now and the children are just fun to be around. God sent me this verse after my first full day at my new job. I guess He was just trying to reassure me that I was in the right place. 

             Now how this verse is helping me with a friendship right now. When that verse came to my attention last night, another saying from a long time friend came back to my mind. Yet my friend said this saying years ago but it always comes back every now and again. Seems like it does at the hardest of times or after the hardest of times but there is a reason that it does. Having this verse and that saying come together at the same time, gave me hope for this friendship that I am having a hard time with. When the two go together, it is showing me that there is still hope. Not sure when or how but deep down there is hope for us. 

               The saying was, "God will give you the desires of your heart......all in His timing of course". I think that biggest part was "All in His Timing of course" because everything that has and will happen has been in His Timing. I have been victorious in those things because they have happened when God has wanted them to happen. That saying and that long time friend has been with me and guided me through some pretty hard times even some that are not known to my friend. There are times where God would use that friend at the right time in my life or bring back memories that gave me encouragement or made me want to push harder in my life. I will say that friend gave me that advice when I was at a hard place and couldn't decide what to do or which way to go about it. 

            Still to this day I have the whole note still written down and when I need encouragement it is the one note I go back to out of all of the notes I ever got. It is funny because now I look at that problem I was searching answers for and I see how little it is compared to all my recent problems and problems I have had since the letter was written. The one note that I hope still rings true today especially the last line/sentence of it but that is more personal so I won't put that on here. 

           All this to say that things will true out victorious when you have more then one idea or person on your side. You need a multitude of people and ideas to win something or someone over. If you have one or none, you will fall down on your knees, which is not a bad place to be but it is a lonely place to be. Also, all this to say that the verse is perfect for a hard time and it just so happened that I had a perfect saying to go along with it. 

         I wonder. Do any of you have something like a note or a piece of paper or drawing of a picture that you keep ahold of just because it helps you get through the hard times? If you do, is it older then 9 years old? :)