Horror--Scope

I have to admit that I used to read my horoscope in the newspaper first thing in the morning. I never really took it seriously, and it seemed like a fun thing to do. It gave me something to talk about with my girlfriends. Everyone compared notes to see how our “stars lined up” with each other. If something went wrong during the day, we’d shrug it of and blame our astrological sign. It was all done in good fun.

Now that I know better, I look back and cringe. Anytime we look at something that even attempts to compete with our faith in God, we’re playing in dangerous territory. It may seem innocent, but anything to do with astrology is based on false teachings, and God condemns it.

Astrology separates us from God by claiming that the stars and planets have more control over us than our Creator. I strongly believe that only God knew my future when I was born--not some impersonal planet that doesn’t have the ability to care or save me from my sin.

Hope isn’t found in our horoscope. The only place we can find hope and eternal peace is in God’s Word.

Have a blessed Thursday!

Dalinda

It's Okay To Brag....On God

Isn't it amazing how we all brag? We boast about our magnificent homes, luxurious cars, fattened wallets, to die for wardrobes, higher educational achievements, fabulous careers, etc. We want others to know how great we are!

There is nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments as long as we give God all the glory.

Everyone of us has the urge inside of us to boast, especially when we have something others don't have. Boasting is usually the result of pride that's been festering in our hearts until we can no longer contain it--and someone has to know how great we are! We've believed the lie that our accomplishments or our abilities make us superior to others. Worst of all, we've believed the lie that WE deserve the glory.

James 4:6 says, "the Lord opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

The truth is, I belong to the King of kings so I need no other bragging rights. Every good thing I have is a gift from God. Most importantly, my salvation from sin and death is a gift from God. I was adopted by God as a sheer act of His grace! I have nothing to boast about before God. I deserve none of the glory, but Jesus deserves ALL of it!

I want to take every opportunity I can to boast in Him. I want to brag about Him to others. I want to brag about what He has done in my life. I want them to know that God is the one who holds my life together. He is my Super Glue!

In Him,
Dalinda

Be The Glue

Super Glue is some really strong stuff! Here's my challenge for you today: Become like Super Glue for your family.

That may seem like a strange goal to you, but it's a worthy one. You should have God so big on the inside of you that His beautiful love, gorgeous goodness, and attractive acceptance radiate from you onto your family...sticking them together. In today's world it's tough to keep a family intact. Divorce, even for believers, is at an all-time high. Children run away from home. Family members turn their backs on one another. Let's face it: We are all under attack! That's why it's so important to become the glue for your family.

Yes, raising a family can be challenging! It can even be more challenging when you have aging parents that are in need of care too. I have personally experienced this. Drew, my youngest son was 4 months shy of turning 2 when my mother was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Jake had just turned 6. Mom's cancer was at stage 2 when they found it. She had to undergo surgery and many, many chemo treatments. Dad also had early stages of Parkinson's disease at the time. Mom lived just a short 16 months after her diagnoses.

When my dad had his heart attack Drew was 5 and Jake was 10. Dad was already in an assisted living facility when his heart attack occured. Dad struggled for 16 months as well. He passed away this past December.

Being the glue that held my family together was definitely a tremendous challenge. I couldn't have done it without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! He was and always will be...MY SUPER GLUE!!!

So how do you become the Super Glue for your family? Live out the love of Jesus in your home. Let your family see your faith. Pray for one another every single day! Speak peace over your household. Let God bond your family together with His supreme love, and get ready to experience a beautiful home life no matter what trails come your way. Pretty soon, others will ask how you "keep it all together." They'll want to know why your family is different. And you'll be able to tell them about God's love, His peace and His goodness.

Sticking it out--especially when times are rough--is rare in today's world. But as believers, we should set the example for a beautiful, happy home life. So be the glue today!

I want to be sure that my family knows what blessings they are at every age, every day no matter what life throws at me. And it's MY job to make sure they know it.

Blessings,
Dalinda

There Is More To Life...

There is more to life...than being healthy, than being happy, than being problem free, than being comfortable, than feeling good, than getting what we want, than being healed. There is more to life even than living!

And the "more to life" is the developement of our faith to the extent that our very lives display His glory! Jesus is glad, not that we suffer, but that we have the opportunity to grow in our faith and display His glory, which is the fulfillment of the very purpose for our existence. Sometimes He does not protect those He loves from bad things happening if He can use those bad thngs to fulfill His greater plan.

So often our primary ambition is to escape pain or feel good or be delievered from a problem when instead we need to keep our focus on the big picture of what God is doing in our life and in the lives of others through pain or problems. Our primary goal should be to glorify God, not to be happy, comfortable, problem free, etc.

Because if we always feel good, look good and lead a good life... if our home is always spic and span, and our bank account is always sufficient, if we are patient, kind and loving...others shrug because they are capable of being that way too, when everything goes right.

On the other hand... if we have a splitting headache, the supper is burning, the kids are yelling, yet we are still patient, kind and loving...the world sits up and takes notice. The world knows that kind of behavior is not natural. It's supernatural. And the glory of God is revealed in us!

God has a purpose for everything!


In His Love,
Dalinda

Why?

Having faith means it isn't necessary to have all the answers. Hebrews 11:1 says, " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Everyone knows that bad things happen. Our first thought is why did God let this happen? What have I done wrong? Is God displeased with me? Pain and suffering cross all boundaries of society, economics, race, culture, gender, religion, region, education, and language. We all suffer at times, some more than others. But this doesn't mean that God doesn't really know what is going on or that maybe He knows, but He's not pleased with you. Or that if He does know, He just doesn't love you or your family enough to do anything about it. God doesn't work that way! Why? Because He loves us all!

Are you interpreting His love by your circumsatnces instead of interpreting your circumsatmances by His love? We are reminded that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He cares! God does care!!!

Bad things do happen to those Jesus loves. But remember this spiritual principle: Glory follows suffering, and life follows death.

The prophet Daniel was greatly beloved of God. As a direct punishment for Daniel's faithfulness to God, Daniel was thrown into a den of angry lions. Yet glory followed when God miraculously closed the mouths of the lions and King Darius, stunned by what happened, professed faith in the one, true, living God.

In the midst of suffering, it can often be difficult to glimpse the glory to come. Suffering is so immediate and can seem so permanent that we can easily lose sight of the big picture. The pain can be so crushing and our hearts can be so broken that we just don't understand why! Why me?
Whenever that question tends to fill my mind, I hear Him whisper to my heart, "Dalinda, why not you? Just trust Me!"

When I don't understand why, I just trust Him because...God loves even me!


See you back here on Monday. Have a great weekend everyone!

Blessings,
Dalinda

Looking For Miracles

Do you believe in an all-powerful God who can do miraculous things in you and through you? You should! But maybe as you have faced the inevitable struggles of life-here-on-earth, you have...without realizing it...placed limitations on God. God's power has no such limitations, and He can work mighty miracles in your life if you let Him.

Prayer is the most powerful tool for communicating with our Creator! It is an opportunity to commune with the Giver of all things good. Prayer helps us find strength for today and hope for the future. Prayer changes things and it changes you!

When my Dad had his heart attack in August 09' the doctors told me, in the ER, that his kidneys were failing, that he had a stroke and a major heart attack. He would only live for 48 hours. With these odds up against him this situation seemed hopeless. But I got on my knees and asked God for a miracle because I had just lost my mom to cancer two years earlier and couldn't bear losing my dad. I called everyone I knew and asked them to pray. The next morning when the doctor made his rounds he told me that "things weren't as advertised". I asked him what he meant by that and he told me that Dad's kidneys were no longer failing and he had not had a stroke. He did still have a major heart attack that caused a lot of damage to his heart though. I praised God because of the miracle he had given us!!! Dad was going to live longer than what the doctors had said!

My point of this story is that maybe you have placed some limitations on God, not realizing it, and have not truly asked Him because all the odds are against you or the situation. Pray and ask Him to heal a loved one, a broken marriage, a child with a disability, or even yourself. Ask Him and truly believe that He can do it, because NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!!! God gave me 16 months with my dad after his heart attack and for that I am so very thankful. GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

God Bless you all!

Dalinda

The Thunderstorms of Life

When the storms of life thunder into your world and winds blow your umbrella inside out, you can still walk, even splash, through the puddles of life with a smile on your face.

Personally, I have found that my heart can sing regardless of the storms around me, as long as I allow Jesus to live inside me. When I try to follow His will for my life, Jesus is faithful to show me the way.

But my life sometimes becomes chaotic, just like everyone else's. During some of the bleakest times in my life, however, I have also learned some valuable lessons. I have learned to stand firm in the midst of the storms, knowing that God wants to control every storm I encounter. During the raging storms, I must rely fully on God by surrendering myself to Him. As soon as I think I have control of certain areas of my life, I find that my grip loosens. I discover my humanness, and I have found that life as a human being isn't painless. Our emotions sometimes cause us to stumble and fall. God can pick us up when we find that we can no longer stand on our own.

I have learned that during trials, my strength is magnified. If I never had to face adversity, I would never fully appreciate the calm, joyful times that come my way. The times when God has strengthened my faith most greatly were the times I completely surrendered my cares and concerms to Him.

I have also learned that it is through my own difficulties that I have been able to minister to other people. How could I comfort a grieving soul if I never grieved myself? How could I understand how an ailing person feels, had I never experienced problems with my health? How could I realate to those who are sin-sick, if I had never found myself begging God to forgive me?

There is no storm greater than God's power! There is no love greater than that of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Storms may pass, but God's love is forever!!! You're in good hands with God!

In Him,
Dalinda

It's Not Where We Are, It's Where We Are Going

When I am in a good mood, I feel energetic, ready to meet my day's goals. When my mood goes south, I want to go to bed and those around me want to go to bed too. Let's face it. We don't feel happy every minute of the day. Sometimes we have bad hair days. And what woman doesn't get in a bad mood when she's having a bad hair day?

But we can choose to make the best of our days. As believers, regardless of how we feel, we can have inner joy that holds us steady when life throws choas our way. It's joy that says, "Regardless of the circumstances, I choose to trust God to get me through this." Does that means I am happy about my circumstance? No, but I know God can use my circumstance for good. Is my heart full of cheer? You bet it is! I love my life with my family and friends, but the thing about it is, it only gets better from here. One day I will be with my Lord for all eternity and all life's choas will disappear. The knowledge of where I am and where I am going gives my heart a continual peace.

God amazes me beyond words. I thank Him every day for a deep, abiding joy that strengthens and reminds me that through the struggles of life, raging hormones, and the fragile emotions. He is all I need!

Replacing Resentment With Rejoicing

There is one thing we have in common: We all know what it means to hurt! When life hurts and our dreams fade, we may express our anguish in different ways. Each one of us knows the sting and pain of heartache, disease and disaster, trial and suffering.

I can't imagine going through such times without Jesus Christ. But frankly, that is what a lot of people do. They face those frightening fears and sleepless nights without Christ. As a believer, I keep reminding myself that what I am going through isn't the end of the story...it is simply the rough journey that leads to the right destination.

When we are suffering, only Christ's perspective can replace our resentment with rejoicing. I have seen it happen in hospital rooms. I have seen it happen in families. I have seen it happen in my own life!

I just turned 40 in May and have already lost both of my parents; my mom to cancer and my dad to heart disease. Without the perspective of Christ, the resentment I felt naturally would not have been replaced with the rejoicing that I feel spiritually.

Our whole perspective changes when we catch a glimpse of the purpose of Christ in it all. Take that away, and it is nothing more than a bitter, terrible experience.

Suffering comes in many forms and degrees, but His grace is ALWAYS there to carry us beyond it. I've lived long enough and endured a sufficient number of trials to say without hesitation that only Christ's perspective can replace our resentment with rejoicing.

Have a blessed Monday,
Dalinda

My Morning Wake -Up Call

I wish I could tell you that when the alarm goes off, I automatically spring into action. But honestly, morning people amaze me! I do not get up with the rising sun. I've seen the sunrise on several occasions but most of the time I witness it on the front of my Raisin Bran box. :)

Still, we all know that work has to be done, the kids have to get to school, calls have to be made, lists to be accomplished and so on. The lists seem endless! So I drag myself out of the bed and give in to the start of a new day.

After I take my two boys to school, I open God's Word and see what he wants to tell me. It is during my morning prayer and devotion time that He will bring to mind those for whom I need to pray, call ,visit or send a card. I love when He plans my day. How rewarding it is when someone says they received the card or phone call just when they needed it! Of course, it was because God knew their need and prompted me to help His work.

I don't look forward to mornings, but I do look forward to my time with Him. It's in my quiet place that I find His perspective, guiance, grace, mercy, joy, and strength for another day.

Have a wonderful Father's Day weekend everyone! This is the first Father's Day without my Dad here with me. Please remember me, and others who have lost their Dad, in prayer this weekend. God Bless you all!

Dalinda:)

Everything Changes But God

When I take a look in the mirror, reality hits. And if I really want to punish myself, I pick up the mirror that magnifies a hundered times. That one always drives me to chocolate. Just once I would like for the mirror to lie to me. The bottom line? I'm growing older. So what? There are worse things right? Say, like a chocolate strike! :)

My body may be wasting away, but the more time I spend with the Lord, the more my inner self is being renewed. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."

Now, don't get me wrong. I think it's perfectly fine to look our best. After all, we represent Jesus, and we want to look and be our best for His glory. I have finally come to the conclusion that there's not enough cold cream on the face of this earth to get rid of all my wrinkles. I am learing to be at peace with who I am at this age. There is comfort in knowing that true beauty shines from the inside out. That's why there are so many sweet grandmas spreading joy in our world...they've spent plenty of time in His presence.

In His Grip,
Dalinda

Everybody Has a Story

Suppose you found the cure for cancer. All you had to do was drink from a certain fountain and cancer cells would disappear. You wouldn't keep a discovery like that to yourself. You'd want the world to know that hope and healing was only a sip away.

Sharing what God has done in your life offers greater hope and healing than a cure for cancer. However, the fear of what others may think often holds people back. The truth is, you know something that can change someone's life....and eternal destiny.

Tell your story. Talk about how knowing God makes a difference in your life. You don't need a heart-stopping testimony or public speaking ability. Just be yourself. Answer questions honestly, even if the answer is "I don't know." Let the way you live tell the rest of the story. Ask God to use what you've shared. It's your job to tell the story. It's God's job to change hearts.

Have a blessed Wednesday everyone!

Dalinda

You Are You--Nique

God made you you-nique!

One of the greatest joys in life is finding out who God made you to be, with all the personality quirks, and loving it. Often when we arrive at adulthood, we abandon parts of who we are and relegate then to the attic of our mind. I think when we do that, we lose a little piece of ourselves.

You might be a high-heels girl or a flip-flop woman. You might love yourself in dresses or only feel at home in jeans. Too often as we grow, we conform too much. Where we lose the wonder of who we are, though, is when we conform just to be like others because we are afraid to be different. Different is good!

You can't be your hero, your parent, or your big brother. You might imitate their golf swing or hair style, but you can't be them. You can only be you. All you have to give is what you've been given to give. Concentrate on who you are and what you have.

God never called you to be anyone other than you. But he does call on you to be the best you you can be. Galatians 6:4-5 says, "Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."

In Him,
Dalinda

True Thirst

Food and drink have no control over me whatsover. Absolutely none. At least that's what I thought until they told me I had to "fast" for twelve hours before a medical test. What was it about knowing I couldn't have something that made me want it all the more? The minute they told me that I couldn't have anything to eat, I was starving! The air smelled of chocolate!!!

By the morning, my mouth was so dry I felt like I had been chewing cotton balls. The thing about it was, I could skip the food, the drink, all that, if I didn't know I had to. It was the knowing I had to do it that made me feel as though I'd been walking through a desert for days without food or drink.

Have I ever longed for Jesus in the same way? So hungry, so thirsty for Him that I can think of nothing else?

I heard a story once where a man asked his friend how he could truly find God. The friend took the man to a nearby lake, and once they got into shoulder-deep water, he said. You're sure you truly want to find God? The man answered, "Yes." So the friend dunked the man in the water and held his head down to the point where the man thought he would drown. When the friend pulled then man back up, the man desperately gasped for air. Finally the friend said, When you want to find God as much as you desired your breath, you will find Him."

Blessings,
Dalinda

Expert Opinions----No Thanks!

There is one thing for sure: The world is full of "experts" who will happily point out your flaws, even if you don't ask for their expert opinions. Yes, experts lurk around every corner. The devil even fancies himself as an expert. He loves to point out all of your flaws. The Bible says that he is an accuser of the brethren. In other words, he loves to tell you what a crud ball you are because if he can convince you that you're a crud ball, he knows you'll never live out the beautiful life that God has planned for you. Like most of these so-called experts, the devil's opinion is worth about as much as the gum on the bottom of your shoe. Ignore him! You may not be perfect, but you're perfectly saved. You're perfectly loved by God. And if you've asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, your heart is flawless. So take that, devil! We're hot! And you just live where it's hot.

Have a blessed weekend everyone! See you back here on Monday.

Blessings,
Dalinda :)

Trading Hurt For Wholeness

We live in a world gone wrong, one that was created perfect but now suffers the ravages of sin: death, violated relationships, children born with disabilities and deformities, disease, man's inhumanity to man, moral failures, tragedies of major proportions, choas. It is, indeed, a broken world! But it is one thing to shake our heads at the mess the world is in; it is quite another to confront the reality of it in our own lives.

When we stand in the middle of a lifestorm, it seems as if the storm has become our way of life. We cannot see a way out. We are unable to chart a course back to smoother waters. We feel defeated and broken. Will we yield up that brokenness to the One who calms the winds and waves, heals the brokenhearted, and forgives the most grievous of sins? The choice is ours.

Let's sail away on God's boat! The seas might get rough, but the Captain knows the way!

Barbie Bondage

I want to confess to you up front that my body image becomes an internal battle for me when I allow my self-worth to be measured by the idols of this world.

If we were to be brutally honest with ourselves, we would probably have to admit that most of our efforts to lose weight have been motivated by desire to glorify ourselves. If you think about it, most of us will do whatever it takes to attract a man or look good at a reunion or wedding. We will also lose weight to win people's approval and get their attention. But why can't we aproach our diets primarily as a way of honoring the One who created our bodies? The truth is, we are more effective in our witness to the world when we feel healthy and are in control of our diets.

I know there is no such thing as perfection on this earth, but as a young girl I saw in others all I wished I could be. I was in "Barbie Bondage". I saw how boys reacted when one of the pretty girls came into the room. I stood awkwardly in gym class as boys chose the pretty girls to be on their team, knowing that I would be one of the last chosen.

I turned 40 this past May. I like my reflection in the mirror now. I am one of those women who looks better at forty than she did at twenty, but everyday I see young women and middle aged women who struggle with their self-image. I see the unsure half smile, and I hear the silent cry behind their eyes longing to be accepted and loved but braced for rejection. I want to tell each of them: what changed my life wasn't losing some weight or having my skin clear up; it was having a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today I no longer search for a crown appointed by man. I have been given the greatest crown of all, the crown of life appointed by God. A crown that gives me something the world can never give--peace. My life makes sence. God now uses my pain for a purpose: to bless and encourage others. I have a renewed passion for people and a God-given power to live out my passions and let go of the pains from my past. My past no longer torments me. Instead, I have learned a valuable lesson about life--that it is not about me. It is about God and others!

In Him,
Dalinda

His Will, Not Ours

Every so often in life, we find ourselves standing before God, thinking we know the itinerary. Good health, a job promotion, a pregnancy. Many times God checks the itinerary he created and says yes. But there are times when he says, "No. That isn't the journey I have planned for you. I have you routed through the city of Struggle."

We can stomp our feet and shake our fists. Or we can make a sailor-in-the-storm decision. I know God knows what is best!

He authors all itineraries. He knows what is best. No struggle will come your way apart from His purpose, presence, and permission. What encouragement this brings!

And be encouraged. God's ways are always right. They may not make sense to us. They may be mysterious, inexplicable, difficult, and even painful. But they are right. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them"

When I'm tempted to gripe over a situation or inconvenience, I have to start talking to myself. And when I come to my senses, this is what I say: "Dalinda, if you can't be content in this moment of inconvenience, be content that it's not worse. Shut up and count your blessings."

Our constant attitude should be gratitude. But it seems to be the rarest of virtues. God has given us thousands of reasons to celebrate life every day, even in the worst of times, if we just open our eyes, live in the moment, take in the beauty, and see the possibilities.

Blessings,
Dalinda

God's Divine Appointments

It is so easy to recognize God's presence when something good happens in our lives. But can we see God in the hard times? The ugly times? Where is God in all that?

I read a devotion not long ago that was about David slaying a lion long before he ever fought Goliath. The lion was God's divine appointment to prepare David for what was to come when he had to face Goliath. Had David not succeeded in slaying the lion, he might never have faced Goliath. He most likely would have been the lion's lunch.

Becoming the person God longs for us to be doesn't happen easily or quickly. No one waves a magic and over your head and voila. It's the process of walking each day with Him, giving Him permission to mold you, change you, shake you, move you. Little by little you will understand: "He has made everything beautiful in it's time" (Eccles. 3:11).

The messy mixture of sunshine and sorrow, happiness and heartache, triumph and tragedy, rest and toil is not the easiest recipe for a full, vibrant life. But it IS the recipe. We need to recognize God's presence beside us every step of the way, leading us through the good times, guiding us through the hard times, and carrying us through those times when we couldn't make it on our own.

Have a blessed Monday! :)

Dalinda