The Single Gift-A Poem

         I found this poem in the book "Lady in Waiting" and I just thought it was a great reminded for me and how it might be to other girls. Here it is:

         The Single Gift

How blessed you are, you single one,

Don't talk of cares and woes.

You've got too much to be thankful for, 

Oh what, you'd like to know. 

It's no mistake, no misdirection

Of God's perfect plan 

That you've not found your special lady

Or you, that certain man.

God loves you so and has much more

to give than you've ever received.

That He's giving His best to you right now,

You really must believe.

His best is Himself, do you have it in full

or only a bit on the side.

No man can meet your needs like God,

Nor can a lovely bride.

IF your life's not complete, you know that Jesus is

and your life He will fill

If you'll only put Him first each day

and live to do His will. 

He's gifted your for undistracted

Devotion to the Lord. 

There should be nothing that can interfere

With Him and prayer and the Word.

Unless you let your guard down of your heart

And let others take His place,

Then you'll lack joy and peace and hope

And not Experience His Grace. 

So give your heart right back to God,

Let Him keep it safe for you.

And when it's better than His best, 

He'll make your one into two.

Written By: Donna L. Mihura

Be Blessed!-Matthew 5:1-16

Matthew 5The Message (MSG)

You’re Blessed

5 1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Salt and Light

13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

The Results of the Election of 2016

           

         My heart is being pulled at in all directions because I can see every bit of people's worries and sides. It really does upset me and just makes me sad. I think that I have learned a lot in this election then all the other years combine. Prayers still need to be going up for our nation and people really need to care and learn about what is going on in the world. Leaving in a cultural city really doesn't help either because I have friends and friends of friends that this election can have an impact on. I've just never been as worried or sad with an election then I am this year. Not to mention I think a lot about my future and the children I will have, God willing, in the years to come. When I think about that, I don't want to have children in the next 4 years either way. I could put other thoughts on here but that is getting too political for me. 

         I'm not trying to get all political here but if you know me, you know my heart. Just seeing the comments and things on my Facebook feed at 5:30 in the morning hurts my heart. I do care about the people around me, my family, and others. Just because I did vote doesn't mean I hate certain races of people, I can't. I have every ethic group in my family and I care and love each one of them so don't judge me like that. I was and still am thinking about my family and how Blessed I am to have 2 different nations present and even different beliefs present too. I get to have all of the experience some hard and some not so hard. Again, it goes back to something like, yes, for myself, I want to marry a county man but I love my brothers in law and nephews and nieces just as much. They will come before my future husband. He will either have to like them or be nice to them. Get what I am saying? 

        I hate seeing the divide all over Facebook already. It is just depressing and makes my heart sad. If it is a divide over Facebook, think about what it will be like in the years to come. We live for the freedom and people who fought for us, not for who is in office now. Canada might be better but just think how much we are blessed here. Just think that even if it does go down, it will be like any other nation in the world. Poor, heartless, people having to survive on very little and so on. 

       I am having anxiety about this election today. That is why I had to keep sleeping this morning. After writing this, I couldn't take it anymore. I let my feelings out on here, then I went to sleep. I get up from my nap again and see the same old thing of my Facebook page. I'll be glad when I am at work taking care of children for four hours. That is sure a break for me. It feels like I am trapped right now and can't share what I'm feeling like everything I else in my life. I'm still having this tug at my heart when I read everything, good and bad. Like now, I am starting to shake just thinking and writing about it. I have never felt like this during any other election in my life. 

       We are blessed rather we realize it or not right now! Just to let people know I would say this any other way with the election. I've been scared and still am of this election. This is the worse one to talk about so knowing me and conflict I stayed away from it for a long time but now I am saying something about it because folks we need to get real here and now. We need to pray for this country because as of now we all know the devil can get ahold of it easily with everything going on and it isn't the president's fault whether Tump or Obama or Hilary. It more I think of the things that we got so use to much less I am writing on one now but still. Look around where is the Love when our little children are playing anything they want on their phones and iPads without their parents watching them. Some children don't have any parents at all and don't even get me started on that. That is a whole other subject for me. 

       Love needs to look past who we vote for and really get into seeing how blessed we are no matter our races or differences. Love needs to be more talked about then anything in this world right now. Along with respect, responablity, and all of the above. As a nation, we have lost the personality things that really matter. It won't have to have the right person in office if we don't have anything else in place either. To me, if you really love the people around you, it won't change you love for them because you have known and been with them longer then any president and will be with them long after they leave office. It is not the president that has all of the control it is God and His People that can change the world. Why do we put so much hope in one single and sinful human being like the rest of us? Yes, I am taking a Biblical stand on these 3 things and I know there is more but I don't have time to write them all down. These are the three things I think are the most important right now. Here are just some thoughts to leave you with for today: 

         1. We are called to love. Regardless of faith, race, gender, political leanings, or how others treat us; we are to respect their views, respect their choices, and respect them as a human being. John 13:34-35

         2. God is in control. He is sovereign over the whole universe. We may never know why Donald Trump was elected president, but I know this: God's plans are perfect - even if they don't seem to be. No matter what the next 4 years hold, God is still on His throne. As believers, we need to trust Him. We need to call on His name in fervent prayer. We need to acknowledge His grace and mercies in our everyday lives. We need to pray for each other. Psalm 47:8-9, Hebrews 13

         3. Donald Trump is a sinful human being who is in need of God's grace just as much as the rest of us. This does not excuse his words and actions by any means, but it does mean we are to pray for him and to love him. He is the leader of our country and to give him respect as a leader. 1 Timothy 2:1-7

        I found this quote yesterday on Pinterest and kept it for me because of a personal situation I am going through right now and have been for awhile but it goes with the election too. It is: "If you are praying about it, God is working on it."

Running Out of Gas

       God loves to teach me things through the dumbest blonde moments ever but He still loves me. There are moments where I wonder and yell at Him because it just came at a bad time for self but God knows what He is doing. The devil cannot get to me. No matter how hard he tries. I will always turn to God. It was my dumb mistake. I couldn't blame anybody but myself.
         The lesson He has been teaching me these past two days is: you cannot just depend on yourself. You have to depend on God and then people. It is a good lesson for life especially if you want to get married. Everytime I have to depend on others, it just reminds me more how much I need to rely on God. Each time I depend on people, it shows that I am very set in my ways and routines. It shows me that I need to work on it non stop.
          I will kind of describe what happened so you can see how dumb it was. I was running low on gas like 75 miles more to go before I thought I was out of it. I was going to go fill it up last night or yesterday morning after work. Well, it ran out while I was on my way to work in the morning. I was thinking all weekend about filling it up but I thought, "no, I just will wait until after work Monday". That didn't work. I had to pay over $100 dollars for gas because I had to have it towed and checked on because I couldn't imagine what was wrong with it. I had to depend on 3 different people to take me places. All of them were adults but one of them. She was a little younger then I was but was a co-worker with me. I will admit that was the first time that I had to ask someone younger then me to help me out.
          This time I actually had to shove my pride aside and ask people to give me rides to places like work. I had to make plans ahead of time. I actually had to laugh when I told people what happened. You know it taught me something else too. It taught me to not give up when things get hard and doubtful. That my doubt just needs to go to the side and stay there so I can focus on God. I was just thinking about how independent I have become in my life of living alone and having my whole routine. I thought about how I have wanted to be by myself and I still kind of do but there are times that I was someone in my life that I can call right away instead of going through my phone and taking time to find someone. 

         I have came so block minded about what I want to do by myself and how I want to be by myself. I don't give options to anything else around me. There are so many neat places to eat even if it is by myself. I still need to get out there are see what is in the world. I have also became so prideful because of the things that I have done or can do. It is like God is taking the pride and independence away from me because it is time. I have been independence for many years. It is hard to describe as you see here but I know God was teaching me something through all of this and it does have to do with pride and getting rid of independence and being dependent or Him first and then other people if God has called you to that.
         It has also showed me how hard it is to get ahold of people my age (25-34). Showed me that my age are all too busy to help people out and that I am not friends with very many of them because they are so busy at their jobs. I have no one my age working with children especially where I am at now. Bentonville is a big city for big companies and older people. There is really nothing here for the between college and career age. It is not bad having friends as adults because you just become wiser sometimes but then again they can't hang out with you because they have family or a really hard job. I did have one that was close to my age come and help me out as a co-worker and team leader, which I am really thankful for because that was in the morning when no one else was awake or had to be awake.
           It also just show me that people might need to be dependent on me too whether it is friends or future husband and I always need to be prepared and willing to help them out. Where have my compassion gone for people and not just children. Have I been with children for too long? Have I been stressed out and worried for too long? No, I have just been wrapped up in my own little world and I need to get out more. I need to change my life to where I can fit in with the people around me easily and help them out more and understand them more. Be willing to open up more. Maybe the last three sermons are meant for me more then I thought they were? Sermons about freedom and rights and common sense as a Christian. I need to copied those notes somehow. Hopefully, I can find a printer at a library or someplace like that.


Just remember: "When God let's something happen to you or when something does happen to you, no matter what it is, you can always count on God teaching you something through it."

Common Good for the Community

1 Corinthians 9:23

23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it."

         Paul did whatever it took for the sake of the gospel. He is a great example of what that means and when you do that there are great blessings to go along with it. Paul was three different people so that he might share the gospel with four different groups. It is not usually good to change to fit in but for this thing it was for the sake of the gospel. The three different people Paul took on for the gospel was: a slave, Jew, Gentile, and weak. 

          It talks about how Paul was a slave to reach the slaves. He also talked about how to have freedom in Christ. He is a bondservant to others. He cared about people in a good way. He wanted to lead them to Christ. It talks about this way in chapters 8-10. The second kind of person Paul becomes is a Jew. That was really hard for him, even though he was a Jew, he believed in Christ when the other Jews don't. It talks about him being a Jew in Acts, chapters 21-22. 

          It, also, talks about how Paul becomes a Gentile to reach the Gentiles. Chapter 1 in Acts 17 tells you how Paul becomes a Gentile to do that. 

          The last thing Paul changed into was a weak person for the weak people. It talks about Him being that in 1 Cor. 8. Yet, there is another way to look at all of this and that is "Paul's identity changes along with his life." Wherever Paul is in life, then that is what he needs to be. God is changes Paul to become stronger and wiser for Him. God starts with the easiest group and then goes up to the hardest. "Identity change pervices life change". That was a quote said by my pastor.  Our life stories are really the same when we look deep into each of ourselves. We just have a lot of different life experiences that we can share and that covers up the most important part at the same time. 
             Yeah, people might come off differently because of their lives but we are all granddaughters and grandsons of Eve so we all have the same background. I would really like to think that I would do anything for anyone so that it would grow me. The question is: Would I really do that? Would I really do anything in the world so that it would grow me?  

1 Corinthians 9:24-27New American Standard Bible (NASB)

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

            My pastor also gave us these verses at the end of sermon to tie it altogether. He, kind of, summed it up like this. Life changes all the time. God changes you so that you can change people for Him and win the "race". We need to run the race in a way we will win it. It is a way of discipling our bodies in a way that honors God. We need to have self-control to change for the good of God. We need to go forwards for nothing but for the glory of God and that should be our aim. 
            We are beating at something and that something is the devil. We need to get the devil down on the ground. We are just not beating the air but beating the sins out of people.  That sounds bd in a way but when you really think about it that is what we were meant to do but in a nice, loving way. 

Love at First Sight (Fight)

"What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?” -James 4:1 (NLT)

          This verse is a good one to remember anytime in life but I am going to write about it from a single women's point of view with maybe some marriage opinions or thoughts. I got this verse and idea for title from a Devo. by Proverbs 31 Ministries a month ago. I could see this being true even for friendships with all gender types. 

           It is like "like" at first sight and then love at first fight. You really don't know a person until you have a fight with them and see how they react to it and after it. I have had fights with friends over email and other things but not face to face because I am scared of conflict. You can still get to know little bits and pieces about the other person that way too.

           The question that starts the verse is a good question to ask ourselves every now and then especially when we are in or want to start a fight. We need to think about the cause before we do or say anything. Is it worth the energy and the pain? I learned that the hard way. Then the second part of the verse tells us what is really wrong within ourselves. The evil desires are at war within us. 
            I have honestly felt those evil desires at war within me and it is not, at all, the greatest feeling. I will admit sometimes they will bring you down in a really deep depression. Your mind will be in such a confusion state that you won't know how to get out. They mainly come about or did the last time I remember is when I first moved to AR and trying to get settled into my life here. It was really hard my first year. I wanted things done my way. I moved away from the people and state that knew me because I wanted to start a new life.
            Well, guess what that was the evil desire speaking to me, making me choose the wrong answer and telling me the wrong things. I felt so wore out and in depression because both sides were at war within me. Some of you may be thinking this is silly. That cannot really happen. I am here to tell you it can. Moving to AR was also the real first time that I lived by myself and had to start making the decisions and use my time wisely everyday. I can tell you there were times I would having crying fits in my car after I did something that I didn't felt was right even if it was going to eat out with a certain type of group. 
           Some say it would of been my anxiety kicking in because I didn't have very good control over that then either. I wouldn't even admit that I had it or did have it after a year later. To be honest, I still have those evil desires within me but I know how to handle them better now. I take them to God in prayer and I write them out on here. I go for a run/yoga or even color or read. There are a lot of hobbies I do because they help to calm down and think what should I do in this situation. Sometimes after yoga or running I even would forget about it altogether until it came back and when it did I would do the same thing plus prayer if I remembered and if it was that bad. 
             All this to say that I have even learned to calm down and think before I say certain thing to my friends so we don't get into that fight, which is good for down the road. Thinking about it even, I can do those things after my future husband and I have fights about things. No human is ever prefect we just need to learn how we can handle with our imperfections so they won't make someone else stumble and fall. When we can get past that first big fight, then we feel more comfortable and even know more about the person we are fighting with. Usually, people fight because we don't agree on something and think differently and that is how God made us but we also need to realize that in a friendship or relationship we need to share things and put out our best for each other. Most importantly, towards and for God. 
           God would never use a fight or make his children fight for the good of themselves and people around them. We fight because we want to do the good and want to be God's best as one heart or just as God's child when in a friendship. We want God's light to shine through us all the time but yet there is always the devil trying to get into our friendships and relationships and that causes fights in the real world. We just have to be strong and understand that it is God's doing, it is the devil and we need to get over it.

Proverbs 31 from "The Message" Version

Hymn to a Good Wife

10-31 A good woman is hard to find,
    and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
    and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
    all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
    and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
    and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
    for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
    diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
    reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
    when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
    and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
    and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
    The woman to be admired and praised
    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
    Festoon her life with praises!