We can be worried people living in a troubled world. But we can also choose to be faithful people in the world God created. Though there are real dangers, it is not worry that saves us from trouble, but a quiet faith in the God who delivers us and protects us.
Worry paralyzes faith, because you are assuming responsibility for things that are God's responsibility.
No matter what your circumstances, serenity is tied to your faith and trust in God, not what is going on all around you.
God is bigger than your biggest problem, stronger than your most frightening enemy, and greater than your doubts and fears.
God's presence is with you, here and now. There is no place you can go where God is not. It is your choice to receive or reject His presence in your life, but His presence always goes with you.
For His Glory,
Dalinda
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Go With The Flow
Life is simpler if you know when to make things happen and when to let things happen. There is a perfect season for everything, a natural ebb and flow to life. You can't push a river and you can't hurry seasons. Instead of struggling and resisting what is, relax and trust God.
God's timing is always perfect! You can't see around corners, but God can.
We must learn to "be" and not always feel that we must "do." To me this means that when I stop being religious and legalistic and just come to Jesus, when I lay aside all "my" works and begin to see Him, when I allow Him to remove the veil from my eyes, then He and I can enter into a personal relationship that will ultimately change me into His image.
He is the only One Who can do anything for us that will be permanent.
You'll find that God has a better way of orchestrating your life. Unexpected encounters, delays that turn out to be blessings in disguise, and surprising solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems arise when you learn to go with the flow.
Blessings,
Dalinda
God's timing is always perfect! You can't see around corners, but God can.
We must learn to "be" and not always feel that we must "do." To me this means that when I stop being religious and legalistic and just come to Jesus, when I lay aside all "my" works and begin to see Him, when I allow Him to remove the veil from my eyes, then He and I can enter into a personal relationship that will ultimately change me into His image.
He is the only One Who can do anything for us that will be permanent.
You'll find that God has a better way of orchestrating your life. Unexpected encounters, delays that turn out to be blessings in disguise, and surprising solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems arise when you learn to go with the flow.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Praise And Be Raised
It is not the load that breaks us down. It's the way we carry it.
Complaining is a sin! It also opens many doors for the enemy. Complaining, grumbling words carry destructive power. They destroy the joy of the one doing the complaining and can also affect people who have to listen to them.
Murmuring and complaining pollute our lives and probably sound like cursing to the Lord. To pollute is to poison. If you look for the bad in life, you'll find it.
When we complain about our current situation, we remain in it; when we praise God in the midst of difficulty, He raises us out of it.
Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.
We want to give our situations and trials to God for Him to use for His glory, not for us to become bitter about. God will use any negative circumstances to refine our spiritual mind, prove His merciful power and teach us to further trust Him.
I am convinced God doesn't dislike tough times as much as we do. Oh, He hates sin, that's for sure. And I know His heart breaks for our pain. But tough times are kind of like the pain we might feel going to the gym. It hurts while we are there, but there is a greater good coming forth. If we position ourselves to see His hand at work, we see it. I am determined to see God glorified through my mundane. Well, I see my everyday as mundane, but if I allow Him to use it, He can make my mundane miraculous. If you pray to be used by God, you better believe He's going to answer.
The best way to start every day is with gratitude and thanksgiving. Get a jump on the devil. Truly thankful people do not complain. They are so busy being grateful for the good things they do have that they have no time to notice the things they could complain about.
Part of the growing process with Christ is realizing how much further I have to go. I'm thankful that God is merciful and deals with me a little at a time. He is patient, loving and kind. I want to be more like Him and less like me.
We all seem to talk more about our bad days than we do our good ones. Are we glorifying God in this? No! Let's change our focus. Instead of expecting it to be a bad day, let's expect it to be God's day.
Humbled and undeserving,
Dalinda
Complaining is a sin! It also opens many doors for the enemy. Complaining, grumbling words carry destructive power. They destroy the joy of the one doing the complaining and can also affect people who have to listen to them.
Murmuring and complaining pollute our lives and probably sound like cursing to the Lord. To pollute is to poison. If you look for the bad in life, you'll find it.
When we complain about our current situation, we remain in it; when we praise God in the midst of difficulty, He raises us out of it.
Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.
We want to give our situations and trials to God for Him to use for His glory, not for us to become bitter about. God will use any negative circumstances to refine our spiritual mind, prove His merciful power and teach us to further trust Him.
I am convinced God doesn't dislike tough times as much as we do. Oh, He hates sin, that's for sure. And I know His heart breaks for our pain. But tough times are kind of like the pain we might feel going to the gym. It hurts while we are there, but there is a greater good coming forth. If we position ourselves to see His hand at work, we see it. I am determined to see God glorified through my mundane. Well, I see my everyday as mundane, but if I allow Him to use it, He can make my mundane miraculous. If you pray to be used by God, you better believe He's going to answer.
The best way to start every day is with gratitude and thanksgiving. Get a jump on the devil. Truly thankful people do not complain. They are so busy being grateful for the good things they do have that they have no time to notice the things they could complain about.
Part of the growing process with Christ is realizing how much further I have to go. I'm thankful that God is merciful and deals with me a little at a time. He is patient, loving and kind. I want to be more like Him and less like me.
We all seem to talk more about our bad days than we do our good ones. Are we glorifying God in this? No! Let's change our focus. Instead of expecting it to be a bad day, let's expect it to be God's day.
Humbled and undeserving,
Dalinda
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Think Happy Thoughts And Be A Happy Person
We don't see things the way they are, we see things the way WE are.
What we think about truly determines our character, our emotions, our attitudes. Our thinking has a direct impact on our lives. If we think things will go well in a certain situation, that's often the way we experience them. I am not saying that we can control everything that happens to us with our thinking, but if we think right, it sure can improve the quality of our journey.
You know the saying, "You are what you eat?" Well, "We are what we think."
God wants us to discipline ourselves to think right thoughts.
(BE A FIGHTER)... As long as we are passive, Satan will torment us.
Blessings,
Dalinda
What we think about truly determines our character, our emotions, our attitudes. Our thinking has a direct impact on our lives. If we think things will go well in a certain situation, that's often the way we experience them. I am not saying that we can control everything that happens to us with our thinking, but if we think right, it sure can improve the quality of our journey.
You know the saying, "You are what you eat?" Well, "We are what we think."
God wants us to discipline ourselves to think right thoughts.
(BE A FIGHTER)... As long as we are passive, Satan will torment us.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Monday, March 26, 2012
Living By Faith
If you think you've got to be a certain type of person to live by faith, you're sadly mistaken. Consider the lists of examples of faith God highlights for us in Hebrews 11.... Consider Rahab, the harlot? How can a woman from that kind of background be a woman of faith? Well, ask God. He is responsible for the record.
There is a massive contrast when you view things in the flesh and then catch a glimpse of them through God's eyes.
Many people think great faith is the number one sign of spiritual maturity, but I believe the truest test of spiritual maturity is walking in love. Our love walk energizes our faith. Love demonstrates, empowers and expresses our faith. If we truly love God and have faith in Him, we will also love people....ALL PEOPLE....not just the ones in our little social click. It is very sad to say, but I have been associated with people in the past that limited the people they prayed for and people they ministered to, to the ones in their own social group.
Faith works through love. Love is not talk or theory; it's action. In fact, the Bible says that we cannot be walking in love if we see a brother in need, have what it takes to meet his need, and will not help him (see 1 John 3:17).
Trying to walk in faith without love is like having a flashlight with no battery.
Love believes the best about every person....not just our spouses and our children, but our friends and even strangers. So if we apply these God-given truths to our relationships then we are freed up to simply love.
Believing the best about people is a choice. It doesn't depend on circumstances....how a person behaves, what they say or don't say....it just believes....it just loves.
God is love and the more we know Him, the more we will love others.
Life without love is like a day without light. 1 John 4:12 says, "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us."
In His Love,
Dalinda
There is a massive contrast when you view things in the flesh and then catch a glimpse of them through God's eyes.
Many people think great faith is the number one sign of spiritual maturity, but I believe the truest test of spiritual maturity is walking in love. Our love walk energizes our faith. Love demonstrates, empowers and expresses our faith. If we truly love God and have faith in Him, we will also love people....ALL PEOPLE....not just the ones in our little social click. It is very sad to say, but I have been associated with people in the past that limited the people they prayed for and people they ministered to, to the ones in their own social group.
Faith works through love. Love is not talk or theory; it's action. In fact, the Bible says that we cannot be walking in love if we see a brother in need, have what it takes to meet his need, and will not help him (see 1 John 3:17).
Trying to walk in faith without love is like having a flashlight with no battery.
Love believes the best about every person....not just our spouses and our children, but our friends and even strangers. So if we apply these God-given truths to our relationships then we are freed up to simply love.
Believing the best about people is a choice. It doesn't depend on circumstances....how a person behaves, what they say or don't say....it just believes....it just loves.
God is love and the more we know Him, the more we will love others.
Life without love is like a day without light. 1 John 4:12 says, "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us."
In His Love,
Dalinda
Friday, March 23, 2012
You Have The Power Behind You To Encourage, Shape, And Change Lives
Make a conscious choice today that you will be a blessing to others. As God has blessed you, so pass that blessing on to the world around you. How can you be a blessing? You can bless others with an encouraging word or helping hand. You can also offer a silent prayer, sending prayers of blessing to each person you encounter, whether you speak to them or not.
God wants to bless the world through you.
The long shadows of dicouragememt have stretched across my path many times over the past 40 years of my life. Those times have been bittersweet - bitter at first, sweet later on.
The purpose of my blogging is to encourage you. Are you tired and discouraged? Well take heart, my friend! The Lord God can and will lift you up! There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still. No valley so dark that the light of His truth cannot penetrate.
Encouragement....If you miss it and need it and want it, read on. And if you find it, by all means share it with others!
I believe blogging is something God led me to and I believe that this is where I am being used of God to encourage and the rewards are great....I AM BEING ENCOURAGED back!
Blessings,
Dalinda
God wants to bless the world through you.
The long shadows of dicouragememt have stretched across my path many times over the past 40 years of my life. Those times have been bittersweet - bitter at first, sweet later on.
The purpose of my blogging is to encourage you. Are you tired and discouraged? Well take heart, my friend! The Lord God can and will lift you up! There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still. No valley so dark that the light of His truth cannot penetrate.
Encouragement....If you miss it and need it and want it, read on. And if you find it, by all means share it with others!
I believe blogging is something God led me to and I believe that this is where I am being used of God to encourage and the rewards are great....I AM BEING ENCOURAGED back!
Blessings,
Dalinda
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Gratitude Glorifies God
You can waste a lot of energy fighting hard facts. When times are tough, practice gratitude for the unseen grace that is always with you. Giving thanks will help you find serenity in troubled times and become more aware if life's precious gifts in all seasons of life.
Gratitude glorifies God.
When we trust Christ in all things, our gratitude becomes an act of worship.
My dependance on His power results in endurance, patience, joy, and expressing gratitude in all things. My expression of gratitude is rooted in my dependance on His power, His strength.
I love thinking my life can literally bring worship to Him!
When you choose a deep trust in God, you chose a new attitude toward life. Because you believe in a great God with great promises, you have every reason to choose a positive attitude, for He promises that all things work together for the good of those who love Him.
The next time you hear a bird sing, why not use it as a reminder to lift your voice in praise to God? But remember...When you sing your own praises, you always get the tune to high; when you sing God's praises, you can never get high enough.
For His Glory,
Dalinda
Gratitude glorifies God.
When we trust Christ in all things, our gratitude becomes an act of worship.
My dependance on His power results in endurance, patience, joy, and expressing gratitude in all things. My expression of gratitude is rooted in my dependance on His power, His strength.
I love thinking my life can literally bring worship to Him!
When you choose a deep trust in God, you chose a new attitude toward life. Because you believe in a great God with great promises, you have every reason to choose a positive attitude, for He promises that all things work together for the good of those who love Him.
The next time you hear a bird sing, why not use it as a reminder to lift your voice in praise to God? But remember...When you sing your own praises, you always get the tune to high; when you sing God's praises, you can never get high enough.
For His Glory,
Dalinda
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
What Is More Important Than Sitting In The Presence Of The Almighty?
I receive a peace that accompanies me throughout my day when I set aside time early in the morning to partake of the wisdom that the Lord has reserved for me. He knows what the day will bring, and if I'm willing to ask, seek, and meditate on His Word, He promises to walk through challenges with me.
If you are too busy to pray, you are busier than God wants you to be. Stop being a slave to your appointment book.
How can we be so excited for things of this world and not over the One who laid down His life for us?
Everything we strive so hard to accomplish or gain here on earth - those things we worry about and allow to steal our joy - will one day be washed away, like sandcastles on the beach. Are you building castles in the sand or storing up treasures in Heaven?
Anything we do outside of God is insignificant. Am I more concerned about what matters to me or about what matters to Jesus?
Whenever I invite God on my daily journey, I have the opportunity to receive a peace that comes only from Him. When I commit to daily devotions and connect with God throughout the day, I accept the challenge to push back a culture that encroaches upon my faith. Only then can God assume the appropriate places in my life.
All For Him,
Dalinda
If you are too busy to pray, you are busier than God wants you to be. Stop being a slave to your appointment book.
How can we be so excited for things of this world and not over the One who laid down His life for us?
Everything we strive so hard to accomplish or gain here on earth - those things we worry about and allow to steal our joy - will one day be washed away, like sandcastles on the beach. Are you building castles in the sand or storing up treasures in Heaven?
Anything we do outside of God is insignificant. Am I more concerned about what matters to me or about what matters to Jesus?
Whenever I invite God on my daily journey, I have the opportunity to receive a peace that comes only from Him. When I commit to daily devotions and connect with God throughout the day, I accept the challenge to push back a culture that encroaches upon my faith. Only then can God assume the appropriate places in my life.
All For Him,
Dalinda
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Discipline Is A Mark Of Love
Solomon reminds us "for the LORD disciplines the one He loves." If you are venturing down the wrong path, God loves you too much to allow you to keep going the way you are heading.
Discipline is not God's way of getting even or His means of retaliating for the wrongs you have committed. When God disciplines you He is not getting you back; He is drawing you back. He seeks to bring you back to His will, back from that which will destroy you, and back toward living a godly life that pleases Him.
Often when we are convicted of sin, we become grouchy while God is dealing with us. Until we admit our sin, become ready to turn from it, and ask for forgiveness, we feel a pressure that squeezes out the worst we have in us. As soon as we come to agreement with God, our peace returns and our behavior improves.
God loves us just the way we are, but He refuses to leave us that way. Receive His discipline as an act of love.
Humbled and undeserving,
Dalinda
Discipline is not God's way of getting even or His means of retaliating for the wrongs you have committed. When God disciplines you He is not getting you back; He is drawing you back. He seeks to bring you back to His will, back from that which will destroy you, and back toward living a godly life that pleases Him.
Often when we are convicted of sin, we become grouchy while God is dealing with us. Until we admit our sin, become ready to turn from it, and ask for forgiveness, we feel a pressure that squeezes out the worst we have in us. As soon as we come to agreement with God, our peace returns and our behavior improves.
God loves us just the way we are, but He refuses to leave us that way. Receive His discipline as an act of love.
Humbled and undeserving,
Dalinda
Monday, March 19, 2012
It's Good to Be Saved And Know It!...It's Good To Be Saved And Show It!
We often think that sharing Jesus with someone means having a formal conversation about the gospel. That's important and has its place in spreading the truth, but there are also incredible opportunities to witness to others through our relationships. As we invest time, energy, and love in other people, we gain trust, respect, and companionship. They can see that being a believer isn't just something we do on Sundays; it's a real relationship that impacts every part of our lives.
If you have no faith in the future, then you have no power in the present. If you have no faith in the life beyond this life, then your present life is going to be powerless. But if you believe in the future and are assured of victory, then there should be a spring in your step and a smile on your face.
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
You cannot see faith, but you can see footprints of the faithful. We must leave behind faithful footprints for others to follow.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you have no faith in the future, then you have no power in the present. If you have no faith in the life beyond this life, then your present life is going to be powerless. But if you believe in the future and are assured of victory, then there should be a spring in your step and a smile on your face.
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
You cannot see faith, but you can see footprints of the faithful. We must leave behind faithful footprints for others to follow.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Friday, March 16, 2012
God's Glory is Reserved For Only One
Ministry is when the people who hear you don't want more of you; they want more of him because of what you've said. When you point them to God's fire instead of trying to get attention for yourself- that's ministry!
For His Glory,
Dalinda
For His Glory,
Dalinda
Thursday, March 15, 2012
He's The Best Friend You'll Ever Have
Today I am headed to North Myrtle Beach for a few days with some of my girlfriends from my church community group. We plan to spend lots of time resting and fellowshipping together. And of course God has blessed us with some really nice weather for it to be the middle of March.
I have formed some pretty awesome relationships with these girls. They are my sisters in Christ.
A natural friendship involves loving and being loved. It means knowing that someone is on your side, wanting to help you, cheering you on, and always keeping your best interest in mind. A friend is someone you value, a comrade, a partner, someone dear to you, someone you spend time with, and someone you enjoy. You become someone's friend by investing time in them and with them, and by sharing your life with that person.
I encourage you to see God as your friend. HE'S THE BEST FRIEND YOU'LL EVER HAVE!
In His Love,
Dalinda
I have formed some pretty awesome relationships with these girls. They are my sisters in Christ.
A natural friendship involves loving and being loved. It means knowing that someone is on your side, wanting to help you, cheering you on, and always keeping your best interest in mind. A friend is someone you value, a comrade, a partner, someone dear to you, someone you spend time with, and someone you enjoy. You become someone's friend by investing time in them and with them, and by sharing your life with that person.
I encourage you to see God as your friend. HE'S THE BEST FRIEND YOU'LL EVER HAVE!
In His Love,
Dalinda
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
You Must Submit To The Discipline Of God
God loves us even more than we love our own children, and in His love He disciplines us. God's message of convicting love is everywhere. He wants us to listen to Him because He loves us. If we persist in our own ways, He withholds privileges and blessings from us. But He does so only because He wants us to mature to a place where He can pour out His full blessings upon us.
Remember that God wants to bless you, even when He disciplines you.
Don't try to resist what God intends for your good. The pain of staying the way we are is much worse than the pain of changing.
God has a plan for your deliverance before your problems ever appear. God is never surprised!
If we want to share Christ's glory, we must also be willing to share His suffering. There are things that are easy for me now that were once very difficult and painful, and the same thing happens to everyone who is willing to go through the difficulties to get to the glory.
Whatever we may suffer, whatever we may go through, is absolutely nothing compared to the good things God is going to do in our lives as we continue to press on with Him.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Remember that God wants to bless you, even when He disciplines you.
Don't try to resist what God intends for your good. The pain of staying the way we are is much worse than the pain of changing.
God has a plan for your deliverance before your problems ever appear. God is never surprised!
If we want to share Christ's glory, we must also be willing to share His suffering. There are things that are easy for me now that were once very difficult and painful, and the same thing happens to everyone who is willing to go through the difficulties to get to the glory.
Whatever we may suffer, whatever we may go through, is absolutely nothing compared to the good things God is going to do in our lives as we continue to press on with Him.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (200th Blog Post)
Giving your life to God is a sacrifice. But the most important thing a believer has in their lives is their relationship with God, and no sacrifice we make on this earth can be any greater than what God has already sacrificed for our salvation.
One of the biggest leaps I have ever taken happened the day I realized it was up to me to plant myself next to Jesus and drink from His living water rather than allow myself to be brought down by worldly ways.
Jesus has shown me a love I have never known!
All God is looking for is a sincere heart that chooses to love Him more than self.
Jesus says we demonstrate our love for Him by obedience to what He says. Those who aren't serving God want money, position, power, and things, but as believers our primary goal should be to obey and glorify God. I went to church for many years without giving a great deal of thought to obeying God. I was following a religious formula hoping that would make me acceptable to God, but had not made a full commitment to be guided daily by His principles.
I have been knocked down a few times in my forty years of life here on earth, but through those times I had a faithful friend that I could never do without and I never want to be without Him. His name is Jesus. I have known of Him for a really long time, since my childhood, but I have had a relationship with Him for many years now. Just knowing about Him is not the same as knowing and having a relationship with Him.
Because of my hard times over the past six years, I have grown in my relationship with God. I prayed that the Lord would use me to help others going through difficult times, to encourage them and remind them of the hope they have in Jesus.
Today, I am very excited because I am posting my 200th blog post! God has called me to be an encourager to others going through rough times. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be able to be obedient to His calling. All I did was say yes, and let God do the rest. He has reached people all the way across the world with the words of my blog.
God has a great deal He wants to reveal to us as His children. If we want to make hearing from God a way of life, we must be obedient to Him when He speaks to us.
I want to learn something new every day of my life. Our walk with God is a continual journey. It is a tedious one in which we need to hear from God and be led by His Spirit. The Holy Spirit has something to teach you every day.
I do not fully understand God. But there is much I know: My God doesn't just do good things- He IS good. My god doesn't just love us- He IS love. He is a just, righteous, merciful, holy, sovereign, omniscient, omnipresent, indescribably awesome God. Through Him, all things hold together and have their being, and nothing, NOTHING, is out of His control. I'm glad He is too big for me to fathom. A God small enough for me to understand....would not be God at all.
Don't just read the Bible in order to feel that you have done your duty for the day, but approach it with the desire to learn something you did not know. I learn something every time I blog. God uses it to encourage me too! The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, and I believe He has something special for us each day if we will open our hearts and listen.
If you are faithful in little things, God will make you ruler over greater things.
Faithfully His,
Dalinda
One of the biggest leaps I have ever taken happened the day I realized it was up to me to plant myself next to Jesus and drink from His living water rather than allow myself to be brought down by worldly ways.
Jesus has shown me a love I have never known!
All God is looking for is a sincere heart that chooses to love Him more than self.
Jesus says we demonstrate our love for Him by obedience to what He says. Those who aren't serving God want money, position, power, and things, but as believers our primary goal should be to obey and glorify God. I went to church for many years without giving a great deal of thought to obeying God. I was following a religious formula hoping that would make me acceptable to God, but had not made a full commitment to be guided daily by His principles.
I have been knocked down a few times in my forty years of life here on earth, but through those times I had a faithful friend that I could never do without and I never want to be without Him. His name is Jesus. I have known of Him for a really long time, since my childhood, but I have had a relationship with Him for many years now. Just knowing about Him is not the same as knowing and having a relationship with Him.
Because of my hard times over the past six years, I have grown in my relationship with God. I prayed that the Lord would use me to help others going through difficult times, to encourage them and remind them of the hope they have in Jesus.
Today, I am very excited because I am posting my 200th blog post! God has called me to be an encourager to others going through rough times. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be able to be obedient to His calling. All I did was say yes, and let God do the rest. He has reached people all the way across the world with the words of my blog.
God has a great deal He wants to reveal to us as His children. If we want to make hearing from God a way of life, we must be obedient to Him when He speaks to us.
I want to learn something new every day of my life. Our walk with God is a continual journey. It is a tedious one in which we need to hear from God and be led by His Spirit. The Holy Spirit has something to teach you every day.
I do not fully understand God. But there is much I know: My God doesn't just do good things- He IS good. My god doesn't just love us- He IS love. He is a just, righteous, merciful, holy, sovereign, omniscient, omnipresent, indescribably awesome God. Through Him, all things hold together and have their being, and nothing, NOTHING, is out of His control. I'm glad He is too big for me to fathom. A God small enough for me to understand....would not be God at all.
Don't just read the Bible in order to feel that you have done your duty for the day, but approach it with the desire to learn something you did not know. I learn something every time I blog. God uses it to encourage me too! The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, and I believe He has something special for us each day if we will open our hearts and listen.
If you are faithful in little things, God will make you ruler over greater things.
Faithfully His,
Dalinda
Monday, March 12, 2012
Admit Your Need For Help And Trust The Holy Spirit To Help You
No matter how well we may think we run our lives, the truth is that we need help with everything. We are actually very needy and totally unable to handle life properly on our own.
Few people, if any can, face life without some sense of hope. Some put their hope in money, social status, family, or in their profession. Any one of these options gives a person a reason to get up in the morning. Yet the reality is, every one of these "hopes" can disappear in a heartbeat. The key is where we place our hope.
The only solid foundation on which to base true hope is to put our trust in the character of the living God, not your present circumstances.
Although we may seem to manage ourselves and our lives well for a while, sooner or later something happens and things begin to fall apart if we are living in our own strength instead of receiving divine help.
Many times, we do fine until trouble comes. It may come in the form of a broken marriage, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or something else important to us. But eventually, we all reach a point where we have to recognize our neediness.
As long as we have placed our hope in the one true God, we have the capacity to endure life's trials.
The King of all kings and the Lord of all lords understands endurance. He endured more on the cross than we can even imagine, and He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
In Him,
Dalinda
Few people, if any can, face life without some sense of hope. Some put their hope in money, social status, family, or in their profession. Any one of these options gives a person a reason to get up in the morning. Yet the reality is, every one of these "hopes" can disappear in a heartbeat. The key is where we place our hope.
The only solid foundation on which to base true hope is to put our trust in the character of the living God, not your present circumstances.
Although we may seem to manage ourselves and our lives well for a while, sooner or later something happens and things begin to fall apart if we are living in our own strength instead of receiving divine help.
Many times, we do fine until trouble comes. It may come in the form of a broken marriage, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or something else important to us. But eventually, we all reach a point where we have to recognize our neediness.
As long as we have placed our hope in the one true God, we have the capacity to endure life's trials.
The King of all kings and the Lord of all lords understands endurance. He endured more on the cross than we can even imagine, and He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
In Him,
Dalinda
Friday, March 9, 2012
What If You Were The Man/Woman God Wants To Use Today To Accomplish His Will?
No matter what God has called you to do, you should do it with your whole heart. And don't forget that God will never call you to do what He hasn't already done.
I am approaching my 200th blog post in just a short few days. I feel so blessed to be able to share and encourage through this ministry with you. (Yes, blogging can be a ministry!) I pray that the words I have shared have been an encouragement to the people who have read them. I realize that not everyone who comes upon what I have written will leave a comment, and that's okay because God's purpose will prevail! He will bring the person who needs to hear exactly what I am sharing at exactly the right time. We can count on it!
I have been through some pretty rough times in my life before the age of 40! I would not be where I am today if it weren't for God giving me the strength, courage and wisdom to overcome them. I have prayed and asked God to use me to help others going through similar times, and when you pray for God to use you, you better believe He will! And for this I am so thankful.
I have probably learned more through my blogging than you all have and will continue to do so. Not a day goes by, the Lord does not speak and give me a seed of an idea to act upon....not for my glory, but His.
God Bless,
Dalinda
I am approaching my 200th blog post in just a short few days. I feel so blessed to be able to share and encourage through this ministry with you. (Yes, blogging can be a ministry!) I pray that the words I have shared have been an encouragement to the people who have read them. I realize that not everyone who comes upon what I have written will leave a comment, and that's okay because God's purpose will prevail! He will bring the person who needs to hear exactly what I am sharing at exactly the right time. We can count on it!
I have been through some pretty rough times in my life before the age of 40! I would not be where I am today if it weren't for God giving me the strength, courage and wisdom to overcome them. I have prayed and asked God to use me to help others going through similar times, and when you pray for God to use you, you better believe He will! And for this I am so thankful.
I have probably learned more through my blogging than you all have and will continue to do so. Not a day goes by, the Lord does not speak and give me a seed of an idea to act upon....not for my glory, but His.
God Bless,
Dalinda
Thursday, March 8, 2012
I AM Weak
We may be able to put on a good mask for everyone around us, hiding our pain and our disappointment, our anger and frustration. But God sees, and His desire is to love us through those hard times.
God sees our hearts, and when we are real with Him, He can become real in our life.
Weakness is natural to human life. We all become tired, grow weary, feel weak at some points in our lives (or several times each day!) Weakness remains a part of this flesh we inhabit.
Strength - more than just the physical meaning - is a characteristic of God.
God uses whatever we have and whatever we are for His good purposes.
Admitting our weakness reveals vulnerability. Vulnerable to needing Him. And I (maybe others, too) sometimes forget that I ALWAYS need Him.
My weakness = His strength (2 Cor. 12:9)
God promises us the strength we need (not necessarily the same as what we think we want) to live out His call for our lives. Our weakness given to Him with trust uncovers grace-filled love.
Strength comes from hope in Him.
I am thankful for challenges that remind me He is my strength!
In His Mighty Hand,
Dalinda
God sees our hearts, and when we are real with Him, He can become real in our life.
Weakness is natural to human life. We all become tired, grow weary, feel weak at some points in our lives (or several times each day!) Weakness remains a part of this flesh we inhabit.
Strength - more than just the physical meaning - is a characteristic of God.
God uses whatever we have and whatever we are for His good purposes.
Admitting our weakness reveals vulnerability. Vulnerable to needing Him. And I (maybe others, too) sometimes forget that I ALWAYS need Him.
My weakness = His strength (2 Cor. 12:9)
God promises us the strength we need (not necessarily the same as what we think we want) to live out His call for our lives. Our weakness given to Him with trust uncovers grace-filled love.
Strength comes from hope in Him.
I am thankful for challenges that remind me He is my strength!
In His Mighty Hand,
Dalinda
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Have You Ever Been Tempted To Play Favorites?
God does not treat some people better than others and He is totally fair to everyone. He is very compassionate toward anyone who is hurting and works to bring justice into their lives.
Jesus said that we are all one in Him. Galatians 3:28
Have you ever been tempted to play favorites? Most of us have done this, but we need to grow out of it! We need to be friendly and kind to everyone.
The apostle James said that we are not even to attempt to practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ together with snobbery. James 2:1-4 In other words, we are to treat all people as worthy of respect.
I am very sad to say that playing favorites goes on in churches as well. My family and I have experienced this in some of our past churches. Some people of the church would only reach out and pray for the ones in their little social group. This was disappointing to me and my family and I am sure very disappointing to God!
Love all!...Not just the people with swanky labels on their clothes, with fancy hairstyles, with cool cars. Don't just show love to people because of what they can do for you. Show God's love to EVERYONE!
For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another]. -Romans 2:11
Treat everyone you meet as if they had infinite value because in God's eyes, they do!
For His Glory,
Dalinda
Jesus said that we are all one in Him. Galatians 3:28
Have you ever been tempted to play favorites? Most of us have done this, but we need to grow out of it! We need to be friendly and kind to everyone.
The apostle James said that we are not even to attempt to practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ together with snobbery. James 2:1-4 In other words, we are to treat all people as worthy of respect.
I am very sad to say that playing favorites goes on in churches as well. My family and I have experienced this in some of our past churches. Some people of the church would only reach out and pray for the ones in their little social group. This was disappointing to me and my family and I am sure very disappointing to God!
Love all!...Not just the people with swanky labels on their clothes, with fancy hairstyles, with cool cars. Don't just show love to people because of what they can do for you. Show God's love to EVERYONE!
For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another]. -Romans 2:11
Treat everyone you meet as if they had infinite value because in God's eyes, they do!
For His Glory,
Dalinda
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Prayers Needed
Please pray for a very dear friend of mine. Her name is Tess. She is 40 years old. She has been in and out of the hospital for over a year now. Doctors cannot figure out what is wrong with her. She keeps having problems breathing. She almost died the last time she was in the hospital. Tess has only been home for a few days, and last night they had to air lift her back to the hospital. They are going to fly her to a Pulmonary Specialist in St. Louis, today. Please pray that God will give these doctors the wisdom to find the answers. Thank you so much for your prayers!
God Bless,
Dalinda
God Bless,
Dalinda
Can Your Mess Become Your Ministry?
Many of us have gone through difficult things and some of us are going through them right now. Those things qualify us to help take someone else through them too. Even Jesus gained experience through the things He suffered.
Nothing you have been through will be wasted. Remember, there are no short-cuts to anyplace worth going. The long road is also where God teaches us things we wouldn't learn otherwise.
Whatever you have been through, or are going through at the moment, can all be used for good in God's Kingdom. The question is: Will you let your mess be used by God to become your message to help someone else get through their difficult times?
We all have a story to tell. I've been thinking about Jesus, how His story and ideas have spread around the whole world. But He started it all by pouring His life into just 12 men. Big things from small things.
God does and can use all circumstances in our lives for His glory. Most of all He does His best work in the messiest situations.
I am not capable, but God's spirit in me is very capable! I don't know how. None of us really do. But the beauty of Jesus is that He never asks us to figure all of life out. He simply says, follow Him.
We need to stop thinking about ourselves....there is so much hurt in the world, people really need a touch from the Lord. When we fear rejection or what others think, it can keep us from sharing His love with them and they need His love.
God shows up in the dark times just as He is present in the light, but sometimes we hesitate to expose our challenges and struggles for fear of embarrassment or rejection. I try to avoid building these walls because I want people to know God's grace in their lives and those are the moments we need it most!
Shine your light for Jesus today! Let God turn your mess into your ministry.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Nothing you have been through will be wasted. Remember, there are no short-cuts to anyplace worth going. The long road is also where God teaches us things we wouldn't learn otherwise.
Whatever you have been through, or are going through at the moment, can all be used for good in God's Kingdom. The question is: Will you let your mess be used by God to become your message to help someone else get through their difficult times?
We all have a story to tell. I've been thinking about Jesus, how His story and ideas have spread around the whole world. But He started it all by pouring His life into just 12 men. Big things from small things.
God does and can use all circumstances in our lives for His glory. Most of all He does His best work in the messiest situations.
I am not capable, but God's spirit in me is very capable! I don't know how. None of us really do. But the beauty of Jesus is that He never asks us to figure all of life out. He simply says, follow Him.
We need to stop thinking about ourselves....there is so much hurt in the world, people really need a touch from the Lord. When we fear rejection or what others think, it can keep us from sharing His love with them and they need His love.
God shows up in the dark times just as He is present in the light, but sometimes we hesitate to expose our challenges and struggles for fear of embarrassment or rejection. I try to avoid building these walls because I want people to know God's grace in their lives and those are the moments we need it most!
Shine your light for Jesus today! Let God turn your mess into your ministry.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Monday, March 5, 2012
Do The Next Thing
God is the God of right now. He doesn't want us to regret yesterday or worry about tomorrow. He wants us to focus on what He is saying to us and putting in front of us right now. The Enemy's voice will focus on the past and the future, but the voice of our God will focus on today. God's voice tells us what we can do now.
Are you waiting for things to change before you try to discern God's voice? If so, maybe that's why things aren't changing. He's waiting for you to listen for Him now. His directions for the next season will come as you faithfully serve the situation you're in right now.
Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of my now. -Elizabeth Elliott
I realize I posted the same blog back in January, but God laid it on my heart to post it again. Maybe, it's for me! :)
In His grip,
Dalinda
Are you waiting for things to change before you try to discern God's voice? If so, maybe that's why things aren't changing. He's waiting for you to listen for Him now. His directions for the next season will come as you faithfully serve the situation you're in right now.
Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of my now. -Elizabeth Elliott
I realize I posted the same blog back in January, but God laid it on my heart to post it again. Maybe, it's for me! :)
In His grip,
Dalinda
Friday, March 2, 2012
Your Success And Happiness Lie In You
How do you define success? Money? Education? Good looks? Social standing? How you appear to others? These are the worldly standards of success.
Success doesn't always come in direct proportion to your measure of talent. Sometimes, success comes to those with the fiercest determination to never give up.
Measure your life by a different standard, one that satisfies the heart...God's standards.
Focus on God's priorities instead of the world's image of success. Do your best, and trust God with the rest. There is no one-size-all formula for success. True success is a life well lived, in harmony with God, others, and yourself. Be assured that if you define success as seeking God first, you will never be a failure.
In Him,
Dalinda
Success doesn't always come in direct proportion to your measure of talent. Sometimes, success comes to those with the fiercest determination to never give up.
Measure your life by a different standard, one that satisfies the heart...God's standards.
Focus on God's priorities instead of the world's image of success. Do your best, and trust God with the rest. There is no one-size-all formula for success. True success is a life well lived, in harmony with God, others, and yourself. Be assured that if you define success as seeking God first, you will never be a failure.
In Him,
Dalinda
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Grace Is God's Answer To Your Cry For Help
So much along the journey here has been unexpected. Mostly, it all has. It hasn't been what we've expected, but it has been what He planned. Our unexpected has been His expected for us.
When life is complex and you have difficult choices to make, find clarity and simplicity by trusting that grace will be with you whatever you decide. Grace is God's answer to your cry for help.
Today is going to be a good day for you. It may not be easy. There may be unexpected inconveniences. There may be hair-pulling moments which appear to be more than you can handle. But somehow at the end of this day, you'll breathe a sigh of relief as you whisper to yourself, "Whew, God was ever present through it all and He is good."
If you're attentive, you'll find reminders of grace everywhere. Let God's grace be your strength at all times. Grace is a gift freely given by a loving God. Cultivate an awareness of grace every day and you will find comfort in all seasons of life.
Be Blessed,
Dalinda
When life is complex and you have difficult choices to make, find clarity and simplicity by trusting that grace will be with you whatever you decide. Grace is God's answer to your cry for help.
Today is going to be a good day for you. It may not be easy. There may be unexpected inconveniences. There may be hair-pulling moments which appear to be more than you can handle. But somehow at the end of this day, you'll breathe a sigh of relief as you whisper to yourself, "Whew, God was ever present through it all and He is good."
If you're attentive, you'll find reminders of grace everywhere. Let God's grace be your strength at all times. Grace is a gift freely given by a loving God. Cultivate an awareness of grace every day and you will find comfort in all seasons of life.
Be Blessed,
Dalinda
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