Afflictions are often the dark zones that God uses to mount the many treats of His children's gifts, causing them to shine even brighter.
Many people believe that the power of God in a person's life should keep him from all trials and conflicts. However, the power of God actually brings conflict and struggles.
In the Bible, once Paul took the Lord Jesus Christ as his life in his body, a severe conflict immediately arose. In fact, the conflict never ended. The pressure on Paul was persistent, but from the conflict he always emerged victorious through the strength of Jesus Christ.
The strongest force of temptation often comes upon a person when he is closest to God. Someone once said, "The devil aims high." Being left alone by Satan is not evidence of being blessed.
Many people expect to receive it ALL without struggle. When conflict comes and the battle rages on, they become discouraged and surrender. God has nothing worth having that is easily gained.
The dark zones of life are our schools of faith and character. When my classroom is darkest, I see best.
Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins but are sometimes the dark zones resulting from God's extraordinary gifts....No tricks, all treats.
Happy Halloween!
Blessings,
Dalinda
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Life Is A Balance of Holding On And Letting Go
Have you not gotten the answer you’ve wanted or believed for?
What if His plans are greater? What if I’ve asked for too little when He wants me to trust Him for more? This no could be because of a yes in the future, a yes that is far greater than I could ever imagine. Maybe He wants to see if I’ll believe in spite of the no, because the plan for His yes is worked through this no.
Don’t give up. God knows what He’s doing and He has your best interest at heart. Continue to seek Him about your situation. Hold tightly to His plan and let go of yours. He will move on your behalf in the way that is best at the time that is best, but if you give up now you will never see your yes fulfilled.
Divine Reminder: Spiritual growth is often more about remembering than it is about learning. When we forget what God has done, we lose our faith in what He can do.
Don't concentrate on what you lack, concentrate on what you have. Then give all of it to Jesus for His use. God honors sacrifice!
May we rejoice over all the ways God works in our lives. Through hardships, illnesses, trials, healing, peace, comfort, and blessings. Because He doesn't owe us an explanation. Because He knows what He is doing. He loves us too much to give us what we want when it's not what we need.
Obedience is difficult, but it will be rewarded. No one who trusts Him and acts on His commands is ever disappointed.
Blessings,
Dalinda
What if His plans are greater? What if I’ve asked for too little when He wants me to trust Him for more? This no could be because of a yes in the future, a yes that is far greater than I could ever imagine. Maybe He wants to see if I’ll believe in spite of the no, because the plan for His yes is worked through this no.
Don’t give up. God knows what He’s doing and He has your best interest at heart. Continue to seek Him about your situation. Hold tightly to His plan and let go of yours. He will move on your behalf in the way that is best at the time that is best, but if you give up now you will never see your yes fulfilled.
Divine Reminder: Spiritual growth is often more about remembering than it is about learning. When we forget what God has done, we lose our faith in what He can do.
Don't concentrate on what you lack, concentrate on what you have. Then give all of it to Jesus for His use. God honors sacrifice!
May we rejoice over all the ways God works in our lives. Through hardships, illnesses, trials, healing, peace, comfort, and blessings. Because He doesn't owe us an explanation. Because He knows what He is doing. He loves us too much to give us what we want when it's not what we need.
Obedience is difficult, but it will be rewarded. No one who trusts Him and acts on His commands is ever disappointed.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Monday, October 29, 2012
Waiting On God Brings Us To The End Of Our Journey Much Faster Than Our Feet
There is a divine mystery in suffering, one that has a strange and supernatural power and has never been completely understood by human reason. But the main thing is to suffer without becoming discouraged. The best things in life are the result of being wounded. Yes, the sweetest joys of life are the fruits of sorrow.
There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try to get rid of the trial, and then to be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever before experienced and to accept it with delight as an opportunity of receiving a greater measure of God's divine grace.
UPDATE: Diagnosis has been narrowed down to two autoimmune diseases: Ankylosing Spondylitis and Thyroid Ophthalmoplegia. I have inherited a gene called HLA B27 which is a gene in patients who have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Thyroid Ophthalmoplegia is basically an eye disease that can be caused by thyroid disfunction. I already have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which caused me to have an under active thyroid. At least she has narrowed it down to two things! The doctor did some more blood tests for my thyroid. And I also had an x-ray Lumbar Spine AP Lat. for the Ankylosing Spondylitis. I had to get a flu shot because of my immune system. Also got some medication for my pain and inflammation and medication for the nerve swelling in my face and head. She does want my dermatologist to due a biopsy of my rash. I am going to have to do some research and extensive studying on all this because I can't even pronounce some of these words. LOL....I am thankful because we seem to be slowly but surely getting there. What's the saying, "Slow and steady wins the race?" Praising God for His faithfulness and amazing love!!! For He is good....all the time!!!!!
We all need to be reminded that it is not His will to act on our schedule. He desires to change you through trouble and cause you to learn a lesson from it.
Waiting on God brings us to the end of of journey much faster than our feet. Waiting - keeping yourself faithful to His leading - this is the secret of strength. And anything that does not align with obedience to Him is a waste of time and energy. Watch and wait for His leading. Victory is to be won by standing still and waiting. It requires much more courage to stand and wait and still not lose heart or lose hope, to submit to the will of God.
I once heard a wise older gentleman say, "When God tests you, it is a good time to test Him by putting His promises to the test and then claiming from Him exactly what your trials have made necessary."
There are many crosses I must bare, and every one of them is heavy and painful. And it is unlikely that I would seek out even one of them on my own. Yet Jesus is never as near to me as when I lift my cross, lay it submissively on my shoulder, and welcome it with a patient and uncomplaining spirit.
It is quite easy for us to talk and theorize about faith, but God often puts us into His crucible of affliction to test the purity of our gold and separate the dross from the metal. How happy we are if the hurricanes that blow across life's raging sea have the effect of making Jesus more precious to us!
Oh the blessings of absolute submission to Christ! What a blessing to lose our own strength, wisdom, plans, and desires and to be where every ounce of our being becomes like a peaceful Sea of Galilee under the omnipotent feet of Jesus! from Soul Food
Every highway of life descends into the valley now and then. And everyone must go through the tunnel of tribulation before they can travel on the high road of triumph.
Faith, when walking through the dark with God, only asks Him to hold his hand more tightly. - Phillips Brooks
I just stand in awe if the mighty ways God has used my health situation, my blog ministry....my story....to bring Him glory. Today marks my 365th blog post and a day where a new door is opened in my journey with my precious Lord and Savior. I can't wait to see what the next chapter holds. I just know it's going to be unimaginable because God is the author of my story!
Blessings,
Dalinda
There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try to get rid of the trial, and then to be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever before experienced and to accept it with delight as an opportunity of receiving a greater measure of God's divine grace.
UPDATE: Diagnosis has been narrowed down to two autoimmune diseases: Ankylosing Spondylitis and Thyroid Ophthalmoplegia. I have inherited a gene called HLA B27 which is a gene in patients who have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Thyroid Ophthalmoplegia is basically an eye disease that can be caused by thyroid disfunction. I already have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which caused me to have an under active thyroid. At least she has narrowed it down to two things! The doctor did some more blood tests for my thyroid. And I also had an x-ray Lumbar Spine AP Lat. for the Ankylosing Spondylitis. I had to get a flu shot because of my immune system. Also got some medication for my pain and inflammation and medication for the nerve swelling in my face and head. She does want my dermatologist to due a biopsy of my rash. I am going to have to do some research and extensive studying on all this because I can't even pronounce some of these words. LOL....I am thankful because we seem to be slowly but surely getting there. What's the saying, "Slow and steady wins the race?" Praising God for His faithfulness and amazing love!!! For He is good....all the time!!!!!
We all need to be reminded that it is not His will to act on our schedule. He desires to change you through trouble and cause you to learn a lesson from it.
Waiting on God brings us to the end of of journey much faster than our feet. Waiting - keeping yourself faithful to His leading - this is the secret of strength. And anything that does not align with obedience to Him is a waste of time and energy. Watch and wait for His leading. Victory is to be won by standing still and waiting. It requires much more courage to stand and wait and still not lose heart or lose hope, to submit to the will of God.
I once heard a wise older gentleman say, "When God tests you, it is a good time to test Him by putting His promises to the test and then claiming from Him exactly what your trials have made necessary."
There are many crosses I must bare, and every one of them is heavy and painful. And it is unlikely that I would seek out even one of them on my own. Yet Jesus is never as near to me as when I lift my cross, lay it submissively on my shoulder, and welcome it with a patient and uncomplaining spirit.
It is quite easy for us to talk and theorize about faith, but God often puts us into His crucible of affliction to test the purity of our gold and separate the dross from the metal. How happy we are if the hurricanes that blow across life's raging sea have the effect of making Jesus more precious to us!
Oh the blessings of absolute submission to Christ! What a blessing to lose our own strength, wisdom, plans, and desires and to be where every ounce of our being becomes like a peaceful Sea of Galilee under the omnipotent feet of Jesus! from Soul Food
Every highway of life descends into the valley now and then. And everyone must go through the tunnel of tribulation before they can travel on the high road of triumph.
Faith, when walking through the dark with God, only asks Him to hold his hand more tightly. - Phillips Brooks
I just stand in awe if the mighty ways God has used my health situation, my blog ministry....my story....to bring Him glory. Today marks my 365th blog post and a day where a new door is opened in my journey with my precious Lord and Savior. I can't wait to see what the next chapter holds. I just know it's going to be unimaginable because God is the author of my story!
Blessings,
Dalinda
Friday, October 26, 2012
Jesus Is My Buoy
Peace is good. But sometimes I want peace so much that I sacrifice progress for the sake of peace. And I’m learning that’s a mistake....Lesson from a carpenter
Our lives are very mysterious, but blessed are those who trust when you cannot understand.
I can get overwhelmed and frustrated by my lot in life, I think we all can. So this quote is very encouraging!...."Stand up in the place where God has put you, and there do your best. The grandest character is grown in hardship. - L.B. Cowan
"I grow under the load." - Alexander Smellie
I have been under the load for about six months now. But have learned great lessons and have grown in my faith. He has been my buoy. Buoys hold up docks, secure nets, save people. Buoys of all kinds serve one purpose: to lift up and support. Jesus Is My Buoy!
Buoys are always there, quietly bobbing along. We tend to overlook them except in times of need , such as inclement weather of life-threatening situations.
Without buoys, docks float away, nets sink to the ocean floor, and lives are lost. Without God, we suffer the same fate.
On Monday I go back to my Rheumatologist for my test results and my diagnosis. This ordeal has been quite an experience. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. But isn't that the way life tends to be? For if we didn't have the bad, we wouldn't appreciate the good. There have been times during this journey that I felt like I was going to sink under my circumstances, but Jesus was there to hold me up, AS ALWAYS!
We need a buoy to secure us - and, in tandem, perhaps secure others.
You see, secure docks can then secure boats, and secure nets catch fish - they cannot function properly without buoys. No matter how deeply the nets sink, the buoys hold them until it's time for them to be lifted.
God hold us in the same way, to use us in the same manner for His kingdom.
Please remember me and my family in prayer on Monday as we find out the next step in our journey. Whatever the next step will be, I have my buoy so I won't sink in my circumstance. Thank you Jesus!
Blessings,
Dalinda
Our lives are very mysterious, but blessed are those who trust when you cannot understand.
I can get overwhelmed and frustrated by my lot in life, I think we all can. So this quote is very encouraging!...."Stand up in the place where God has put you, and there do your best. The grandest character is grown in hardship. - L.B. Cowan
"I grow under the load." - Alexander Smellie
I have been under the load for about six months now. But have learned great lessons and have grown in my faith. He has been my buoy. Buoys hold up docks, secure nets, save people. Buoys of all kinds serve one purpose: to lift up and support. Jesus Is My Buoy!
Buoys are always there, quietly bobbing along. We tend to overlook them except in times of need , such as inclement weather of life-threatening situations.
Without buoys, docks float away, nets sink to the ocean floor, and lives are lost. Without God, we suffer the same fate.
On Monday I go back to my Rheumatologist for my test results and my diagnosis. This ordeal has been quite an experience. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. But isn't that the way life tends to be? For if we didn't have the bad, we wouldn't appreciate the good. There have been times during this journey that I felt like I was going to sink under my circumstances, but Jesus was there to hold me up, AS ALWAYS!
We need a buoy to secure us - and, in tandem, perhaps secure others.
You see, secure docks can then secure boats, and secure nets catch fish - they cannot function properly without buoys. No matter how deeply the nets sink, the buoys hold them until it's time for them to be lifted.
God hold us in the same way, to use us in the same manner for His kingdom.
Please remember me and my family in prayer on Monday as we find out the next step in our journey. Whatever the next step will be, I have my buoy so I won't sink in my circumstance. Thank you Jesus!
Blessings,
Dalinda
Thursday, October 25, 2012
He Who Has A Why To Live Can Bare Almost Any How
Have you ever felt like you were sinking in deep water? The hardships of life can be overwhelming. God never promised us that we would escape the turbulent seas of life, but He does promise this. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and though the rivers, they shall not overflow you” (Isa 43:2).
We can trust God to not only be there, but to carry us through. That kind of support calms my fears and builds my trust. What about you? Are you fighting to stay above water? Then let go and let God carry you.
Whatever your situation, you have a decision to make. Will you cower away or charge forth in faith? While you may face scary risks, think of the difference you could make in someone’s life or a whole community if you simply choose to be courageous!
Whatever God is calling you to do this is His promise. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Through you and me God can touch another, perhaps save a life. The possibilities are endless if you only have the nerve.
If we truly want to live, there comes a time when we must make the decision to do whatever it takes to move forward in the direction God is leading us. We relinquish the control and the pride. We face our fear. We let go, we jump, and we trust.
It will be uncomfortable. And, it might be the hardest decision of your life. You might not land where you wanted to land. Yet, it’s in this decision to trust God 100% that something incredible happens…something beautiful.
What if we give Him what is already His? What if we trust, even if the answer is a whole new way that has never been seen before?
Every difficult task that comes across your path - every one that you would rather not do, that will take the most effort, cause the most pain, and be the greatest struggle - brings a blessing with it. And refusing to do it regardless of the personal cost is to miss the blessing.
The mountain climbing of life is serious, but glorious business; it takes strength and steadiness to reach the summit. And as our view becomes better as we gain altitude, and as we discover things of importance, we should "call back" our encouragement to others.
The ministry of thorns has often been a greater ministry to humankind than the ministry of thrones.
You can't see me but I'm totally doing a happy dance. God's teaching me (again) that He is able, faithful, trustworthy, true, and has a sense of humor.....First of all, let me just say that I have the best husband! He has gone to every single one of my doctors appointments with me and has supported me through it all. Whatever it all is! LOL Anyway, My Rheumatologist referred me to a Dermatologist, which I saw this morning. This thing has all the doctors stumped! He's not sure what type of rash I have. He scrapped it and looked at it under the microscope, but was still not sure. He did say that it was NOT a Lupus rash, which is good news. I have twin rashes - if you get my drift! The doctor wants to do a biopsy if the rash does not go away with the medication he gave me. I am scheduled to go back in 2 weeks. He said to let him know what diagnosis my rheumatologist gives me on Monday and that will help him figure out the correct treatment for me. I AM JUST ONE BIG PUZZLE!!! Jody said he knew that already. ;-) I probably have a disease that they don't even have a name for. If so, they can name it after me...Dalinda Disease. LOL
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
We can trust God to not only be there, but to carry us through. That kind of support calms my fears and builds my trust. What about you? Are you fighting to stay above water? Then let go and let God carry you.
Whatever your situation, you have a decision to make. Will you cower away or charge forth in faith? While you may face scary risks, think of the difference you could make in someone’s life or a whole community if you simply choose to be courageous!
Whatever God is calling you to do this is His promise. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Through you and me God can touch another, perhaps save a life. The possibilities are endless if you only have the nerve.
If we truly want to live, there comes a time when we must make the decision to do whatever it takes to move forward in the direction God is leading us. We relinquish the control and the pride. We face our fear. We let go, we jump, and we trust.
It will be uncomfortable. And, it might be the hardest decision of your life. You might not land where you wanted to land. Yet, it’s in this decision to trust God 100% that something incredible happens…something beautiful.
What if we give Him what is already His? What if we trust, even if the answer is a whole new way that has never been seen before?
Every difficult task that comes across your path - every one that you would rather not do, that will take the most effort, cause the most pain, and be the greatest struggle - brings a blessing with it. And refusing to do it regardless of the personal cost is to miss the blessing.
The mountain climbing of life is serious, but glorious business; it takes strength and steadiness to reach the summit. And as our view becomes better as we gain altitude, and as we discover things of importance, we should "call back" our encouragement to others.
The ministry of thorns has often been a greater ministry to humankind than the ministry of thrones.
You can't see me but I'm totally doing a happy dance. God's teaching me (again) that He is able, faithful, trustworthy, true, and has a sense of humor.....First of all, let me just say that I have the best husband! He has gone to every single one of my doctors appointments with me and has supported me through it all. Whatever it all is! LOL Anyway, My Rheumatologist referred me to a Dermatologist, which I saw this morning. This thing has all the doctors stumped! He's not sure what type of rash I have. He scrapped it and looked at it under the microscope, but was still not sure. He did say that it was NOT a Lupus rash, which is good news. I have twin rashes - if you get my drift! The doctor wants to do a biopsy if the rash does not go away with the medication he gave me. I am scheduled to go back in 2 weeks. He said to let him know what diagnosis my rheumatologist gives me on Monday and that will help him figure out the correct treatment for me. I AM JUST ONE BIG PUZZLE!!! Jody said he knew that already. ;-) I probably have a disease that they don't even have a name for. If so, they can name it after me...Dalinda Disease. LOL
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Be A Dandelion For Jesus!
Dandelions....No matter how carefully I try to pull one up, I never get the whole thing. The root stays deep in the ground, threatening to grow up and blossom again.
The Dandelion seed head is white (representing cleansing- Jesus washed our sins as white as snow.) and globular (round, like the earth) in appearance. Each seed has a tiny parachute, to spread far and wide in the wind. They are more difficult to get rid of and grow under more adverse circumstances than most competitors. Dandelions are especially well-adapted to a modern world of "disturbed habitats" such as lawns and sunny, open places. They grow everywhere regardless of good or bad soil. We, as believers, need to be sowing the seed of the gospel in many places and many ways.
Dandelions are ignored or attacked, never nurtured or cared for, and yet they always bloom profusely. They demand no pampering or special attention to yield their bright blossoms; they pop up in fields, in lawns, and between cracks in the sidewalk.
Dandelions sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They never stay put!
Believers should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy or pampered we are evident everywhere, even in the cracks of a sidewalk.
We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us. We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening up.
Some of the sweetest believers I have know would not qualify as handsome or pretty by the world's standard. Yet when they smile, the light of Jesus glows out of them.
Be a Dandelion for Jesus!
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
The Dandelion seed head is white (representing cleansing- Jesus washed our sins as white as snow.) and globular (round, like the earth) in appearance. Each seed has a tiny parachute, to spread far and wide in the wind. They are more difficult to get rid of and grow under more adverse circumstances than most competitors. Dandelions are especially well-adapted to a modern world of "disturbed habitats" such as lawns and sunny, open places. They grow everywhere regardless of good or bad soil. We, as believers, need to be sowing the seed of the gospel in many places and many ways.
Dandelions are ignored or attacked, never nurtured or cared for, and yet they always bloom profusely. They demand no pampering or special attention to yield their bright blossoms; they pop up in fields, in lawns, and between cracks in the sidewalk.
Dandelions sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They never stay put!
Believers should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy or pampered we are evident everywhere, even in the cracks of a sidewalk.
We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us. We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening up.
Some of the sweetest believers I have know would not qualify as handsome or pretty by the world's standard. Yet when they smile, the light of Jesus glows out of them.
Be a Dandelion for Jesus!
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The Gardener Is Pruning Me For A Larger Growth, A Fuller Life
It is possible to see God's will in every circumstance and to accept it with singing instead of complaining.
Only six more days....WooHoo!!! I am very optimistic about my upcoming doctor's appointment! The results on my blood tests were evidence that I do have some kind of autoimmune disease, but figuring out which one is difficult because there are over 80 different kinds. I have total confidence that God will give my doctor the wisdom and knowledge to figure it out. Whatever it is has already attacked my eye (and actually feels like it still is) and I have lost some vision as the result. But I still believe in God for miracles. He can still heal my eye! Because My God Is strong and mighty, My God Is faithful! ♥
We must remind ourselves that our suffering is designed to make us a vessel suitable for His use. Our Father takes away the rod when His purpose in using it is accomplished.
Trials do serve their purpose, if we are willing to become His vessel.
Even the fact that we face trials proves there is something very precious to our Lord in us, or else He would not spend so much time and energy on us.
"Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."John 15:2
The gardener stops pruning and trimming the vine or weeding the soil only when He expects nothing more from the vine during the season. He leaves it alone, because its fruitfulness is gone and further effort now would yield no profit.
It is the branch that bears the fruit, That feels the knife, To prune it for a larger growth, A fuller life. - Annie Johnson Flint
Every difficulty and every temptation that comes our way, if we receive it correctly, is God's opportunity. To receive it correctly we have to have an active faith. An active faith will praise in the darkest night and adds its "Amen" to God's "Yes" and then takes it's hands off, leaving God to finish His work.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Only six more days....WooHoo!!! I am very optimistic about my upcoming doctor's appointment! The results on my blood tests were evidence that I do have some kind of autoimmune disease, but figuring out which one is difficult because there are over 80 different kinds. I have total confidence that God will give my doctor the wisdom and knowledge to figure it out. Whatever it is has already attacked my eye (and actually feels like it still is) and I have lost some vision as the result. But I still believe in God for miracles. He can still heal my eye! Because My God Is strong and mighty, My God Is faithful! ♥
We must remind ourselves that our suffering is designed to make us a vessel suitable for His use. Our Father takes away the rod when His purpose in using it is accomplished.
Trials do serve their purpose, if we are willing to become His vessel.
Even the fact that we face trials proves there is something very precious to our Lord in us, or else He would not spend so much time and energy on us.
"Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."John 15:2
The gardener stops pruning and trimming the vine or weeding the soil only when He expects nothing more from the vine during the season. He leaves it alone, because its fruitfulness is gone and further effort now would yield no profit.
It is the branch that bears the fruit, That feels the knife, To prune it for a larger growth, A fuller life. - Annie Johnson Flint
Every difficulty and every temptation that comes our way, if we receive it correctly, is God's opportunity. To receive it correctly we have to have an active faith. An active faith will praise in the darkest night and adds its "Amen" to God's "Yes" and then takes it's hands off, leaving God to finish His work.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Sunday, October 21, 2012
My Father-Daughter Dates
Each morning the love of God is so evident as I watch the day being awakened by the sunrise. I am thankful for my time spent with Jesus. I look forward to my Father-Daughter dates each day. When you honor Him faithfully, His loving character will shine through you.
I am also thankful for God's peace about things to come and the peace that following God's will brings.
Why do you seek Him? Are you simply looking for someone to cater to your needs? Or have you realized that you are simply not whole without Him in your life?
Spending time with God may not change your circumstances. However, it does change your outlook. It does prepare you for what is to come. It does connect you with God on an intimate level.
Divine appointments are beckoning us daily. We just need to be prepared so we can recognize them.
I prepare my heart by starting my day with a quiet time. My Father-daughter dates help me tune in to God’s whispers. Those quiet times also help me to renew my mind. The Holy Spirit is constantly directing my steps, but I have to train my mind so I don’t lose focus.
Life is busy. It always has been, it always will be. The calendar is a battleground. It's just deciding what we choose to be busy doing that defines our worship.
Taking time out for God each day, starting your day in His presence, it will change your life.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
I am also thankful for God's peace about things to come and the peace that following God's will brings.
Why do you seek Him? Are you simply looking for someone to cater to your needs? Or have you realized that you are simply not whole without Him in your life?
Spending time with God may not change your circumstances. However, it does change your outlook. It does prepare you for what is to come. It does connect you with God on an intimate level.
Divine appointments are beckoning us daily. We just need to be prepared so we can recognize them.
I prepare my heart by starting my day with a quiet time. My Father-daughter dates help me tune in to God’s whispers. Those quiet times also help me to renew my mind. The Holy Spirit is constantly directing my steps, but I have to train my mind so I don’t lose focus.
Life is busy. It always has been, it always will be. The calendar is a battleground. It's just deciding what we choose to be busy doing that defines our worship.
Taking time out for God each day, starting your day in His presence, it will change your life.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Friday, October 19, 2012
Blogging For His Glory
God has been hard at work in my life this past year changing my heart and using my trials for His glory. Blogging has stretched me in ways that I never imagined. Today, after I post this blog entry, I will have only six posts left and I will have completed 365 blog posts -- enough for a daily devotional. Praying about the next step....sending it to a publisher.
For the longest time I had a hard time believing that God could ever use me, I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. Haven't we all??!! But don’t misunderstand me, God has been with me my entire life. But He never bullied His way in He just stood quietly on sidelines, knowing that one day I would come to Him and He would use the road I have traveled for the good.
God is definitely using my blog to reach people with the truth. I know this because I have seen over 15 different countries visit my blog while I sit here in the little state of South Carolina. It's all Him! And it's because I was willing to let Him use me.
Don't expect to be immune from the storms of life. In fact, the closer you walk with God it may be that the more God will entrust you with some storms that He is using to fit you to fulfill His purposes. - Nancy Leigh DeMoss
You may not be able to see it now, but we serve an all knowing God, He knows what is coming down the pipeline. Perhaps there is someone out there that is walking the same stretch of road you did at one time, and perhaps He has you in mind for the job of walking them through the journey of healing and sowing the seed of hope in their life.
Think God can’t use you? Think again, God changes the world through people like you.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
For the longest time I had a hard time believing that God could ever use me, I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. Haven't we all??!! But don’t misunderstand me, God has been with me my entire life. But He never bullied His way in He just stood quietly on sidelines, knowing that one day I would come to Him and He would use the road I have traveled for the good.
God is definitely using my blog to reach people with the truth. I know this because I have seen over 15 different countries visit my blog while I sit here in the little state of South Carolina. It's all Him! And it's because I was willing to let Him use me.
Don't expect to be immune from the storms of life. In fact, the closer you walk with God it may be that the more God will entrust you with some storms that He is using to fit you to fulfill His purposes. - Nancy Leigh DeMoss
You may not be able to see it now, but we serve an all knowing God, He knows what is coming down the pipeline. Perhaps there is someone out there that is walking the same stretch of road you did at one time, and perhaps He has you in mind for the job of walking them through the journey of healing and sowing the seed of hope in their life.
Think God can’t use you? Think again, God changes the world through people like you.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Character-Building Troubles
For the last five months I've had some visual loss in my right eye. But just by looking at me, you probably wouldn't notice it. There's just some swelling in my cheek and around my eye. It always feels like I've got something stabbing me behind that eye. It is definitely painful!
Yes, I still ask Him to heal my eye, but I've been reminded that my eyes are a loan from God. They have always belonged to Him, just like the rest of me. He can do whatever He wants with me, so He also gets to do whatever He wants with my eyes.
I have never considered how my eyesight can be used to serve Him, but if necessary, I am willing to consider how losing it can be.
I don't WANT there to be something permanently wrong with my eyes, don't get me wrong! I have enjoyed my 20/20 vision my entire life thus far and I really don't want to lose it!! I am definitely hoping and praying that October 29th's doctor's appointment will yield answers and healing. But if it doesn't, you know what? It's okay. Because God is in control!
I had optic neuritis in June. The doctor says my optic nerve is no longer swollen, but obviously something else is causing my pain now. So my rheumatologist is trying to figure it out, suspecting some kind of auto immune disease to be the culprit.
I think these past 7 years is the first time in my life that I've really taken my faith seriously and tried to really understand how it's supposed to make my life look. It is, after all, supposed to be a TRANSFORMING faith.
I don't want to quit learning. I don't want to quit growing wiser. I don't want to quit changing. Because, dang it, I want that crown!! I am today what I have been in the process of becoming over the past 41 years. Forty one years from now, I will be the product of what I have been continuing to become.
God promises that our momentary, character-building troubles are also building something much bigger....an eternal glory that out weighs them all!
I am thankful for continually being pulled out of my comfort zone. I am thankful for knowing that He hears my prayers and will answer, even if the answer is not the one I was expecting. As my Loving Father, I can be sure that all His gifts are good.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Yes, I still ask Him to heal my eye, but I've been reminded that my eyes are a loan from God. They have always belonged to Him, just like the rest of me. He can do whatever He wants with me, so He also gets to do whatever He wants with my eyes.
I have never considered how my eyesight can be used to serve Him, but if necessary, I am willing to consider how losing it can be.
I don't WANT there to be something permanently wrong with my eyes, don't get me wrong! I have enjoyed my 20/20 vision my entire life thus far and I really don't want to lose it!! I am definitely hoping and praying that October 29th's doctor's appointment will yield answers and healing. But if it doesn't, you know what? It's okay. Because God is in control!
I had optic neuritis in June. The doctor says my optic nerve is no longer swollen, but obviously something else is causing my pain now. So my rheumatologist is trying to figure it out, suspecting some kind of auto immune disease to be the culprit.
I think these past 7 years is the first time in my life that I've really taken my faith seriously and tried to really understand how it's supposed to make my life look. It is, after all, supposed to be a TRANSFORMING faith.
I don't want to quit learning. I don't want to quit growing wiser. I don't want to quit changing. Because, dang it, I want that crown!! I am today what I have been in the process of becoming over the past 41 years. Forty one years from now, I will be the product of what I have been continuing to become.
God promises that our momentary, character-building troubles are also building something much bigger....an eternal glory that out weighs them all!
I am thankful for continually being pulled out of my comfort zone. I am thankful for knowing that He hears my prayers and will answer, even if the answer is not the one I was expecting. As my Loving Father, I can be sure that all His gifts are good.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Focus On The Purpose, Not The Process
The pilgrimage with Jesus isn't always easy. Sometimes, it's a beautiful grace- filled mess.
Wherever you are on the path today, look for the beauty in it. From beginning to end, God makes it lovely.
Today I am still faced with questions absent of answers, but thankful for the peace God has washed over me.
This suffering is an experience that God has called me to. I don’t know why and, quite frankly, I wish I learned things quicker so I didn’t have to be in this place of wandering so long. But he is working in my life though it. He didn’t drop me in the middle of a mess and then walk away. He’s with me. And He gave me His example to follow. Right now, in this moment of questions without answers, I am led to simply trust Him.
Just when you think you understand how He will solve a problem, He takes a different route all together. This is why having faith is so important.
Because you will find that when you think you know all there is to know about Him, He will do something far better than you could have imagined.
My Heavenly Father holds my future. He moves mountains. He calms raging storms. Can't He fight anything for me and won't He? Yes and yes!
Keep on believing, expecting, declaring. Keep living favor-minded, and God promises that good things will come to you.
Keep focusing on the purpose, not the process.
Inconveniences will pass, but God's blessings and amazing love will keep showering down on you every day!
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Wherever you are on the path today, look for the beauty in it. From beginning to end, God makes it lovely.
Today I am still faced with questions absent of answers, but thankful for the peace God has washed over me.
This suffering is an experience that God has called me to. I don’t know why and, quite frankly, I wish I learned things quicker so I didn’t have to be in this place of wandering so long. But he is working in my life though it. He didn’t drop me in the middle of a mess and then walk away. He’s with me. And He gave me His example to follow. Right now, in this moment of questions without answers, I am led to simply trust Him.
Just when you think you understand how He will solve a problem, He takes a different route all together. This is why having faith is so important.
Because you will find that when you think you know all there is to know about Him, He will do something far better than you could have imagined.
My Heavenly Father holds my future. He moves mountains. He calms raging storms. Can't He fight anything for me and won't He? Yes and yes!
Keep on believing, expecting, declaring. Keep living favor-minded, and God promises that good things will come to you.
Keep focusing on the purpose, not the process.
Inconveniences will pass, but God's blessings and amazing love will keep showering down on you every day!
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
God Is The Ultimate Superhero
When I was little girl I used to watch Saturday morning cartoons. And of course, most of them had a superhero. I remember day dreaming about being a superhero or that I could have a superhero. But you know what, we all have a superhero...God IS the ultimate superhero! Truly, no matter what you face He is STRONGER!
God does not always give me all the details before He asks me to "move" out of my comfort zone, or, sometimes, to "stay still." He continues to remind me of this often. I have discovered that His plan is always better than mine, and when I listen and do it His way, I am blessed, and His work gets done His way.
The road to your promised land may be bumpy, but it is worth every mile if you're riding on the cape of your superhero.
You see, the road to my promise land has been bumpy since the day me and my family heard the heart wrenching news that my Mom had cancer...August 16, 2005.
Life is full of surprises, twists and turns, and ups and downs. It seems like when we think we have things figured out and the road is smooth something else pops up.
That year, I definitely didn't (and still don't) have it all together, but God used me. He lead me to start an encouragement blog the year I lost my Dad to heart disease. I saw God working first hand in people's lives and He was using me. Little me who felt like I had nothing to offer. Me, who hadn't been seminary trained and had so much to learn. Me, weak and scared and desperately dependent on God's grace. I had never played a part of something so eternal before. And as a result, that experience is the one I point to of how God called me into the blog ministry. That is the exact point He gave me a passion to see Him use me over and over again.
How you ever seen God use you to impact eternity? He's using all of us all the time for His purposes, but has He ever let you see Him do it?
I think about how Scripture commonly refers to this journey we are on as a race, a race we are encouraged to run with endurance....not give up. What ways is He asking you to step out and be willing and available for Him to use?
Every single day I come in contact with someone who has an incredible story of what God is doing through them. They are Kingdom shakers. We can be Kingdom shakers too, if we step out and be willing and available for Him to use.
Lord, help us run the races that count.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
God does not always give me all the details before He asks me to "move" out of my comfort zone, or, sometimes, to "stay still." He continues to remind me of this often. I have discovered that His plan is always better than mine, and when I listen and do it His way, I am blessed, and His work gets done His way.
The road to your promised land may be bumpy, but it is worth every mile if you're riding on the cape of your superhero.
You see, the road to my promise land has been bumpy since the day me and my family heard the heart wrenching news that my Mom had cancer...August 16, 2005.
Life is full of surprises, twists and turns, and ups and downs. It seems like when we think we have things figured out and the road is smooth something else pops up.
That year, I definitely didn't (and still don't) have it all together, but God used me. He lead me to start an encouragement blog the year I lost my Dad to heart disease. I saw God working first hand in people's lives and He was using me. Little me who felt like I had nothing to offer. Me, who hadn't been seminary trained and had so much to learn. Me, weak and scared and desperately dependent on God's grace. I had never played a part of something so eternal before. And as a result, that experience is the one I point to of how God called me into the blog ministry. That is the exact point He gave me a passion to see Him use me over and over again.
How you ever seen God use you to impact eternity? He's using all of us all the time for His purposes, but has He ever let you see Him do it?
I think about how Scripture commonly refers to this journey we are on as a race, a race we are encouraged to run with endurance....not give up. What ways is He asking you to step out and be willing and available for Him to use?
Every single day I come in contact with someone who has an incredible story of what God is doing through them. They are Kingdom shakers. We can be Kingdom shakers too, if we step out and be willing and available for Him to use.
Lord, help us run the races that count.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Monday, October 15, 2012
Break Out Of The Ruts And Rise To New Heights
The sermon at church yesterday felt like it had my name written all over it. It was on being a good servant of Christ Jesus - 1 Timothy 4....We all like things easy, but there has to be rigor in your life. Rigor--meaning diligence, precision, accuracy, and meticulousness. Rigor takes extreme focus with a purpose. We work hard and struggle continuously. But it is good to struggle because we have our hopes on the living God. Then a question was asked, "Do you really have your hopes set on the living God...or on family, career opportunities, being fit, health, etc? I realized that I need more spiritual rigor in my life. Because it promises benefits in this life and the life to come, while physical discipline benefits are only in this life. All of this comes the day after I receive my lab results in the mail. There were several abnormal results, which I have no clue what any of them mean until I go back on October 29th. So instead of fearing the unknown, I believe that Jesus has been saying to me...just like He said to Martha..."There is only one thing worth being concerned about." My relationship with Him...So I will sit at the feet of Jesus and wait. Read his word...worship Him...praise Him...and be still before Him. I believe if I do my part...He will do His.
Don't regret or detest what stretches you....God sees us the way we will become. He is not interested in where we were, only where He longs to take us. Everyday forces me to get uncomfortable (to be stretched), to seek God, and to do the very best that I can. Some days, I screw up. Some days, I knock it out of the ball park. But if I was never in over my head, if I was never forced to get uncomfortable, I'd never grow. You see, life's troubles refine me into exactly who God wants me to be. In the midst of messy circumstances, God is stretching my heart to trust Him. He challenges me to show up daily to sit at His feet to be fed. When I do so, I recognize God's hand in the details. I am also learning that God's story doesn't revolve around me and having my journey unfold smoothly, but that I am privileged to play some part in God's greater plan. If I will be patient, I will discern just how the details fit at just the right time. Be encouraged today.... Even when you feel like you can’t take one more thing or one more day, He will give you the power and strength you need to make it through.
Never give up on God. The favor of God comes to us in the midst of life's challenges. In less than a year Job lost everything. He lived in perpetual pain. But Job told God that he didn't care how bad the situation got, his favor was going to turn around. No wonder God restored Job twice what he had before!
What you will receive is directly connected to how you believe. It's time to quit limiting God. Start thinking big! Doors of opportunity will swing open for you. His dream for your life is so much greater than you can imagine. If God showed you everything He has in store for you, it would boggle your mind! He can open doors that no man can shut.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Don't regret or detest what stretches you....God sees us the way we will become. He is not interested in where we were, only where He longs to take us. Everyday forces me to get uncomfortable (to be stretched), to seek God, and to do the very best that I can. Some days, I screw up. Some days, I knock it out of the ball park. But if I was never in over my head, if I was never forced to get uncomfortable, I'd never grow. You see, life's troubles refine me into exactly who God wants me to be. In the midst of messy circumstances, God is stretching my heart to trust Him. He challenges me to show up daily to sit at His feet to be fed. When I do so, I recognize God's hand in the details. I am also learning that God's story doesn't revolve around me and having my journey unfold smoothly, but that I am privileged to play some part in God's greater plan. If I will be patient, I will discern just how the details fit at just the right time. Be encouraged today.... Even when you feel like you can’t take one more thing or one more day, He will give you the power and strength you need to make it through.
Never give up on God. The favor of God comes to us in the midst of life's challenges. In less than a year Job lost everything. He lived in perpetual pain. But Job told God that he didn't care how bad the situation got, his favor was going to turn around. No wonder God restored Job twice what he had before!
What you will receive is directly connected to how you believe. It's time to quit limiting God. Start thinking big! Doors of opportunity will swing open for you. His dream for your life is so much greater than you can imagine. If God showed you everything He has in store for you, it would boggle your mind! He can open doors that no man can shut.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Friday, October 12, 2012
Are You A Warrior Or Just A Peacekeeper?
God has called us to be warriors. I think sometimes we forget that. We remember the “peacekeeping, kind” part about being a believer and Christian. We forget that we are to fight a battle. We forget that we are to stand up and speak out.
God calls us into action. We were never meant to stay behind our locked doors at home and not get involved in this world that He has placed us in. On the contrary; we were meant to be engaged and to fight for what is right.
The message of God's people is not merely to go into the world and tell people to love one another or to put bumper stickers on our cars that exhort "Coexist". Why not? Because the world knows this already! What we and the world need is to know the source of the power of Love. Our message is not simply love one another. It is about the grace of God that gives us the power to love one another. Without the grace of God we cannot love one another as Jesus loves us.
It is impossible for hatred and grace to coexist. We cannot just coexist because to do so would be negligent on the part of Christians.
Love for one another is first marked by righteous relationships with each other based on God's righteousness and Word. For love to be genuine, it must be righteous. Genuine love must make judgements about what is righteous and what is not on the basis of God's Word. There is huge difference between making righteous judgements about what is righteous behavior and becoming another person's judge. God calls us to make judgements about righteous behavior, yet we are not to be another's judge.
The definition of coexist is: To exist together or at the same time; to exist separately or independently but peaceably, often remaining rivals or adversaries. In one word, Coexist=Tolerate...Tolerating Sin Is Sin!
The main thing that is wrong with coexist is that it isn't biblical. We are not to tolerate sin. When we do tolerate it, we are sinning!
When we exhort to "Coexist" we are not loving one another at all. In fact, it's just the opposite. We are being very cruel. You are telling people to believe what they want to believe while you have the truth. We are being unloving by withholding the truth from them.
I read a great analogy the other day that I would love to share with you: Coexisting would be like saying that you are out driving your car and you stop your car just in time where a bridge is out. You slam on your brakes right before you are about to plunge to your death. But instead of warning all the other drivers of the impending danger and their eminent death, you drive back up the road a mile or two from where the bridge is out. You want to be polite and you don't want to bother or inconvenience anyone. So you just smile and wave as they drive on by. You do this with the knowledge that they are going to die in a few short minutes.
God has commanded us to share our faith with others (Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15). Don't smile and wave at people feeling good about yourself and how tolerant you are while people are heading for Hell.
It is most evident that our country is going to hell in a hand basket because as Billy Graham quote states,
"Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone - except God." - Billy Graham
Have you tried to be a warrior for the Lord or have you been content being the peacekeeper and staying behind your safe walls?
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
God calls us into action. We were never meant to stay behind our locked doors at home and not get involved in this world that He has placed us in. On the contrary; we were meant to be engaged and to fight for what is right.
The message of God's people is not merely to go into the world and tell people to love one another or to put bumper stickers on our cars that exhort "Coexist". Why not? Because the world knows this already! What we and the world need is to know the source of the power of Love. Our message is not simply love one another. It is about the grace of God that gives us the power to love one another. Without the grace of God we cannot love one another as Jesus loves us.
It is impossible for hatred and grace to coexist. We cannot just coexist because to do so would be negligent on the part of Christians.
Love for one another is first marked by righteous relationships with each other based on God's righteousness and Word. For love to be genuine, it must be righteous. Genuine love must make judgements about what is righteous and what is not on the basis of God's Word. There is huge difference between making righteous judgements about what is righteous behavior and becoming another person's judge. God calls us to make judgements about righteous behavior, yet we are not to be another's judge.
The definition of coexist is: To exist together or at the same time; to exist separately or independently but peaceably, often remaining rivals or adversaries. In one word, Coexist=Tolerate...Tolerating Sin Is Sin!
The main thing that is wrong with coexist is that it isn't biblical. We are not to tolerate sin. When we do tolerate it, we are sinning!
When we exhort to "Coexist" we are not loving one another at all. In fact, it's just the opposite. We are being very cruel. You are telling people to believe what they want to believe while you have the truth. We are being unloving by withholding the truth from them.
I read a great analogy the other day that I would love to share with you: Coexisting would be like saying that you are out driving your car and you stop your car just in time where a bridge is out. You slam on your brakes right before you are about to plunge to your death. But instead of warning all the other drivers of the impending danger and their eminent death, you drive back up the road a mile or two from where the bridge is out. You want to be polite and you don't want to bother or inconvenience anyone. So you just smile and wave as they drive on by. You do this with the knowledge that they are going to die in a few short minutes.
God has commanded us to share our faith with others (Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15). Don't smile and wave at people feeling good about yourself and how tolerant you are while people are heading for Hell.
It is most evident that our country is going to hell in a hand basket because as Billy Graham quote states,
"Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone - except God." - Billy Graham
Have you tried to be a warrior for the Lord or have you been content being the peacekeeper and staying behind your safe walls?
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Thursday, October 11, 2012
We Shouldn't Focus On Scarcity In Our Lives, But Abundance
I am always thankful for and delight in the new day and the hope and promise it will bring. We benefit most by trusting in God and looking forward to whatever challenges, blessings, and opportunities that He has planned for us today. But we must be willing to be exposed to many trials in order to discover our greatest potential in God. He knows what lies undiscovered, and He knows how deeply He must go to refine us. We all have passion and potential within us and we must allow God to reveal it.
We also must remember that great opportunity is usually disguised as unsolvable problems. But God can make the impossible possible. There are limitless possibilities for us if we are willing to put our faith and trust in Him. We shouldn’t focus on scarcity in our lives, but abundance! We should concentrate on what we can do instead of what we cannot do. Even when it seems like a situation is impossible, He is very much in control and will move whatever He has to move, however He has to do it, to finish the work He has for us in our lives.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
His grace alone is reason to savor every moment, reason to sing for joy in every trial, reason to laugh at the troubles ahead, reason to rejoice in the midst of sorrow-filled circumstances, reason to walk away from the world's trappings, reason to pick up our cross DAILY and FOLLOW Him.
We have full access to God's power and His promises. Yet it won't just happen because it's possible. We have to take action.
Because of His Grace, every new day is the best day of my life!
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
We also must remember that great opportunity is usually disguised as unsolvable problems. But God can make the impossible possible. There are limitless possibilities for us if we are willing to put our faith and trust in Him. We shouldn’t focus on scarcity in our lives, but abundance! We should concentrate on what we can do instead of what we cannot do. Even when it seems like a situation is impossible, He is very much in control and will move whatever He has to move, however He has to do it, to finish the work He has for us in our lives.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
His grace alone is reason to savor every moment, reason to sing for joy in every trial, reason to laugh at the troubles ahead, reason to rejoice in the midst of sorrow-filled circumstances, reason to walk away from the world's trappings, reason to pick up our cross DAILY and FOLLOW Him.
We have full access to God's power and His promises. Yet it won't just happen because it's possible. We have to take action.
Because of His Grace, every new day is the best day of my life!
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Faithful Is Hard-Core
I refuse to let fear ruin my potential and keep me from growth and purpose.
Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. – John Wayne....So saddle up and ride, knowing you don't ride alone.
Are you afraid today? Remember, fear and intimidation don’t come from God; they are tools Satan uses to oppose us, to keep us from purpose, to keep us from blessing. Keep going, even if you’re scared—God's not asking you to do anything He won’t help you with. Oh we must remember, that the Devil's threat to us is very real, but our God is in control.
Opposition is not an indication of being on the wrong road; it’s a clue that you’re on the right one.
Some days I have a bratty attitude because I focus on what I've lost rather than what remains. In the past five and a half....almost six years, I've lost my Mom to cancer, my Dad to heart disease, my peripheral vision in my right eye and my perfect health to whatever this thing is that I have had for the past six months. Yes, it has been very hard! But I am determined I will not focus on what is lost, but what remains. God has put me in the place I’m in for a reason. It’s not glamorous, it’s not what I would have picked, but it’s His design for me. I am in this saddle on purpose. He’s not worried about what I think I should have accomplished by now or what I've lost. He’s concerned about what I am doing in the place He’s assigned me to. He hasn’t asked me to do what others are doing; He wants me to do my best and give Him thanks in the place I am in, even in the whatever.
My faith is imperfect! But imperfect faith is the best kind of faith to have because it keeps me right where I want to stay....clinging and grasping for more.
If faith were perfect we would not fall to our knees and beg it so to increase.
For He is ever so faithful to make sure I am continually faith-filled in spite of my, sometimes, bratty attitude.
God never holds back on a promise. Even when you can't feel Him there, He's still there. He is faithful!
Faithful doesn’t give up. Faithful doesn’t let go. Faithful is steadfast, devoted, enduring, sincere, and trustworthy.
I want to be found faithful, for God (not others) to say, “Well done, Dalinda! Because you kept following Me even when it was hard, even when you were depressed, even though things didn’t always go your way, even when it felt like the whole world was against you or that no one cared, I am going to give you more to do. I’ve been watching you and rooting for you the whole time. You’ve proven you can handle it and I’m so proud of you!”
Because how we handle the little things indicates what we would do if we had more.
God isn't interested in us being famous in the world's eyes, but in us being faithful in His eyes. - Kent Crockett
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. – John Wayne....So saddle up and ride, knowing you don't ride alone.
Are you afraid today? Remember, fear and intimidation don’t come from God; they are tools Satan uses to oppose us, to keep us from purpose, to keep us from blessing. Keep going, even if you’re scared—God's not asking you to do anything He won’t help you with. Oh we must remember, that the Devil's threat to us is very real, but our God is in control.
Opposition is not an indication of being on the wrong road; it’s a clue that you’re on the right one.
Some days I have a bratty attitude because I focus on what I've lost rather than what remains. In the past five and a half....almost six years, I've lost my Mom to cancer, my Dad to heart disease, my peripheral vision in my right eye and my perfect health to whatever this thing is that I have had for the past six months. Yes, it has been very hard! But I am determined I will not focus on what is lost, but what remains. God has put me in the place I’m in for a reason. It’s not glamorous, it’s not what I would have picked, but it’s His design for me. I am in this saddle on purpose. He’s not worried about what I think I should have accomplished by now or what I've lost. He’s concerned about what I am doing in the place He’s assigned me to. He hasn’t asked me to do what others are doing; He wants me to do my best and give Him thanks in the place I am in, even in the whatever.
My faith is imperfect! But imperfect faith is the best kind of faith to have because it keeps me right where I want to stay....clinging and grasping for more.
If faith were perfect we would not fall to our knees and beg it so to increase.
For He is ever so faithful to make sure I am continually faith-filled in spite of my, sometimes, bratty attitude.
God never holds back on a promise. Even when you can't feel Him there, He's still there. He is faithful!
Faithful doesn’t give up. Faithful doesn’t let go. Faithful is steadfast, devoted, enduring, sincere, and trustworthy.
I want to be found faithful, for God (not others) to say, “Well done, Dalinda! Because you kept following Me even when it was hard, even when you were depressed, even though things didn’t always go your way, even when it felt like the whole world was against you or that no one cared, I am going to give you more to do. I’ve been watching you and rooting for you the whole time. You’ve proven you can handle it and I’m so proud of you!”
Because how we handle the little things indicates what we would do if we had more.
God isn't interested in us being famous in the world's eyes, but in us being faithful in His eyes. - Kent Crockett
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Don't Let Your Wipe-Outs Become Your Cop-Outs
Ever feel like your day is a complete wipe-out? Maybe you are feeling beaten up by waves today; sinking in the storms of life. Some days I need strength just to hold my head up.
When waves of fear, insecurity, discouragement or stress hit, we are only human, and tend to take our eyes off of Jesus too. Our human nature causes us to worry or fret over big and small things, and we may begin to sink in our reality.
Many people give up far too easily when things don't go their way or they face adversity. Instead of persevering, they get down and discouraged, which is understandable, especially when they've struggled with a problem for a long time.
Our circumstances in life may occasionally knock us down, but we must not stay down. Even if you can't see up on the outside, get up on the inside.
God is big enough to do the things you have labeled impossible. - Kathy Troccoli
For every set back, God has a major comeback.
There is a blessing to be found in our darkest moments. So don't allow yourself to wave the white flag of surrender. Ride the wave. Be determined to persevere.
"We all ride the waves of life. Some waves come crashing down on us. And some take us high above the horizon. But we wave riders all have one goal in common and that is to reach the shore before we drown. I don't know about you, but I can't ride the waves without my surf board." - Dalinda Powell
Sometimes waves hurt, and reality isn’t always fun or stress-free - but we do still have to live there. Fortunately, the peace of Jesus can live in reality with us too, and His Presence will always master the waves.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
When waves of fear, insecurity, discouragement or stress hit, we are only human, and tend to take our eyes off of Jesus too. Our human nature causes us to worry or fret over big and small things, and we may begin to sink in our reality.
Many people give up far too easily when things don't go their way or they face adversity. Instead of persevering, they get down and discouraged, which is understandable, especially when they've struggled with a problem for a long time.
Our circumstances in life may occasionally knock us down, but we must not stay down. Even if you can't see up on the outside, get up on the inside.
God is big enough to do the things you have labeled impossible. - Kathy Troccoli
For every set back, God has a major comeback.
There is a blessing to be found in our darkest moments. So don't allow yourself to wave the white flag of surrender. Ride the wave. Be determined to persevere.
"We all ride the waves of life. Some waves come crashing down on us. And some take us high above the horizon. But we wave riders all have one goal in common and that is to reach the shore before we drown. I don't know about you, but I can't ride the waves without my surf board." - Dalinda Powell
Sometimes waves hurt, and reality isn’t always fun or stress-free - but we do still have to live there. Fortunately, the peace of Jesus can live in reality with us too, and His Presence will always master the waves.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Monday, October 8, 2012
God's Spirit In You Makes A Difference
While I never seek out pain in order to grow closer to God, I’m thankful He can use pain to reveal Himself to me.
I know a lot of us are facing some really hard things today. We live in a broken world filled with broken people. And while I can’t even pretend to give you an easy answer, I can tell you with confidence that God’s Spirit in you makes a difference. Maybe your circumstances won’t change, but God can change you.
Following God is really hard if we are going to follow God fully. There’s just so much self-sacrificing that must happen and so much faith that it requires.
But there is a good side to all of this hard stuff. God is just waiting for us to admit it’s hard. And I imagine He kind of sighs in relief too, that He finally gets to step in and help. Because God created us to have a relationship with Him and to show His glory. For He only uses the willing.
God does not answer vague prayer. God knows the desires of our heart but He wants us to verbalize it to Him so WHEN He answers, there is NO DOUBT that He is the cause of that answered prayer.
When things are going smoothly, we deceptively think we have life under control. At those times, we neglect to seek God’s help and miss tremendous blessings.
Blessings come in many guises, but sometimes we fail to recognize them!
You see, I have not learned to trust God in the good times. Oh, I love Him easily in the good times. I’m thankful in the good times. But I have learned to trust God in the bad times. It’s in the hard times, when I cry out for help, that I experience His miraculous intervention. It’s in the lonely times, when I cry in despair, that I am comforted. It’s in the fearful times, when I pray for peace, that I am overwhelmed with His protective presence.
I haven’t learned to trust God by listening to an amazing sermon. I haven’t learned to trust God by hearing how my friend trusts God. No, I have learned to trust God by experiencing something difficult, by stepping out in faith and obedience, and finding out for myself that He is trustworthy.
I have learned an important lesson through my hard experiences....God keeps His promises! If He said He can bring good out of something that looks bad – He will do it!!!
Today, I had my doctor's appointment with the Rheumatologist. She did a series of blood tests along with some x-rays. She is not sure about my rash because it is not in a sun exposed area, so I am being referred to a dermatologist for the rash. I go back to the Rheumatologist in 3 weeks for my results. She is going to consult with my Neurologist and my Neuro Opthamologist in the meantime. She said, "We will figure out what this thing is!" My family and I feel like we are headed in the right direction with this doctor. Praise God!!!!
Through all of the unknown, sometimes all I think about is how much I’m going to miss this or that. But what I need to think is “God, what wonderful thing do You have for me next?”
So I’m choosing to think that now. I don’t know what’s coming next. But I’m believing that God has something great planned. I just don’t know what it is yet.
The God who parted the Red Sea, who closed the lion’s mouth, who lit the soaking wet wood on the altar, who turned water into wine, who made blind eyes see, who helped crippled men walk, and who raised the dead....That is my Heavenly Father!
God's purposes WILL be accomplished! He is at work behind the scenes. He will never send you where He's never been. For the road to greater things is not marked by easy answers.
Let's forget what it looks like, how impossible it is and do what He's called us to do in spite of it. When we act in faith, He will credit our account.
Sometimes the only way God can teach us something is to allow circumstances in our life to lead us to and through the very thing we need to discover. One of my favorite authors, Joyce Meyer, says "There's no such thing as a drive-through break-through."
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
I know a lot of us are facing some really hard things today. We live in a broken world filled with broken people. And while I can’t even pretend to give you an easy answer, I can tell you with confidence that God’s Spirit in you makes a difference. Maybe your circumstances won’t change, but God can change you.
Following God is really hard if we are going to follow God fully. There’s just so much self-sacrificing that must happen and so much faith that it requires.
But there is a good side to all of this hard stuff. God is just waiting for us to admit it’s hard. And I imagine He kind of sighs in relief too, that He finally gets to step in and help. Because God created us to have a relationship with Him and to show His glory. For He only uses the willing.
God does not answer vague prayer. God knows the desires of our heart but He wants us to verbalize it to Him so WHEN He answers, there is NO DOUBT that He is the cause of that answered prayer.
When things are going smoothly, we deceptively think we have life under control. At those times, we neglect to seek God’s help and miss tremendous blessings.
Blessings come in many guises, but sometimes we fail to recognize them!
You see, I have not learned to trust God in the good times. Oh, I love Him easily in the good times. I’m thankful in the good times. But I have learned to trust God in the bad times. It’s in the hard times, when I cry out for help, that I experience His miraculous intervention. It’s in the lonely times, when I cry in despair, that I am comforted. It’s in the fearful times, when I pray for peace, that I am overwhelmed with His protective presence.
I haven’t learned to trust God by listening to an amazing sermon. I haven’t learned to trust God by hearing how my friend trusts God. No, I have learned to trust God by experiencing something difficult, by stepping out in faith and obedience, and finding out for myself that He is trustworthy.
I have learned an important lesson through my hard experiences....God keeps His promises! If He said He can bring good out of something that looks bad – He will do it!!!
Today, I had my doctor's appointment with the Rheumatologist. She did a series of blood tests along with some x-rays. She is not sure about my rash because it is not in a sun exposed area, so I am being referred to a dermatologist for the rash. I go back to the Rheumatologist in 3 weeks for my results. She is going to consult with my Neurologist and my Neuro Opthamologist in the meantime. She said, "We will figure out what this thing is!" My family and I feel like we are headed in the right direction with this doctor. Praise God!!!!
Through all of the unknown, sometimes all I think about is how much I’m going to miss this or that. But what I need to think is “God, what wonderful thing do You have for me next?”
So I’m choosing to think that now. I don’t know what’s coming next. But I’m believing that God has something great planned. I just don’t know what it is yet.
The God who parted the Red Sea, who closed the lion’s mouth, who lit the soaking wet wood on the altar, who turned water into wine, who made blind eyes see, who helped crippled men walk, and who raised the dead....That is my Heavenly Father!
God's purposes WILL be accomplished! He is at work behind the scenes. He will never send you where He's never been. For the road to greater things is not marked by easy answers.
Let's forget what it looks like, how impossible it is and do what He's called us to do in spite of it. When we act in faith, He will credit our account.
Sometimes the only way God can teach us something is to allow circumstances in our life to lead us to and through the very thing we need to discover. One of my favorite authors, Joyce Meyer, says "There's no such thing as a drive-through break-through."
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Friday, October 5, 2012
Everything Has Beauty - EVERYTHING
Everything has beauty - even our messy days, but not everyone sees it.
I have never looked so forward to a doctor's appointment as I have the one I have on Monday. This journey has definitely been a long, frustrating, and painful one, but there is beauty in my mess...Jesus. These days, only He carries me. And because only He carries me only He can receive the glory. I will forever adore Him and give Him all of my praise whether my day is a messy wreck or not. So whatever mess we are in, we can do the impossible (today and everyday) because the sweetest name we know is constantly and ever-presently with you and with me....For He is the beauty in our mess. ♥
The hardest part in my journey, sometimes, is making the choice to step forward when I don’t have a clue where that step might end up. The past six months have been very frustrating for me and my family, going from doctor to doctor and not getting any answers. I've gone from thinking I had MS, to thinking I had a pseudo tumor, to thinking I had a sinus blockage. But after many tests, an MRI and a spinal tap, they diagnosed me with optic neuritis.
On Monday, I will see my seventh doctor....a Rheumatologist. I am sooooo praying that this doctor will be the one to figure it all out. I haven't feel well since April. I was diagnosed with optic neuritis in June, which is inflammation of the optic nerve. This caused some partial blindness in my right eye. My central vision is okay, but my peripheral vision is what I lost. I'm now wearing glasses.
Over the past few months I have developed all the symptoms of Lupus. Up until about a week and a half ago I had all symptoms of Lupus but one....the skin rash, which I now have. I have been doing a lot of research on WebMD because it is scary knowing something is wrong with you and none of the doctors I have been to can figure it out. In my research, I found that Lupus can cause optic neuritis.
My family has had a hard time with this also, especially my youngest son, who is eight years old. He has already lost both his Papa and Nana (my parents) in the past 5 1/2 years. My Dad's passing was the most recent. It will be two years in December. My son is afraid that something bad is wrong with me and I am going to die too. Poor little guy! Prayers for him please.
My husband and I have talked to both our boys and they seem to be handling things a little better. We just need answers so we know what our next step will be.
With that next step there is always a chance I will hit a wall or fall on my face…but I won't know until I take the next step. The one lesson I keep learning over and over as I journey down this road is:
The fear of starting is always worse than the act of doing.
This isn’t new news. This is just one reminder that I need all the time.
And the act of doing, whether you fail or whether you succeed, will always reap growth. Growth through the beautiful, intimate relationship you develop by depending on Christ. There is always a lesson tucked away in the doing. Always.
If we never get out of our comfort zones, we can’t grow into the places God has prepared for us. And that growth brings beauty.
The turning point in our journey through brokenness comes when we stop trying to control the pain and move to greater dependence on God. For He is our strength.
Please continue to keep me and my family in your prayers. Whatever my next step may be, I know that my Jesus will be right there to take it with me.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
I have never looked so forward to a doctor's appointment as I have the one I have on Monday. This journey has definitely been a long, frustrating, and painful one, but there is beauty in my mess...Jesus. These days, only He carries me. And because only He carries me only He can receive the glory. I will forever adore Him and give Him all of my praise whether my day is a messy wreck or not. So whatever mess we are in, we can do the impossible (today and everyday) because the sweetest name we know is constantly and ever-presently with you and with me....For He is the beauty in our mess. ♥
The hardest part in my journey, sometimes, is making the choice to step forward when I don’t have a clue where that step might end up. The past six months have been very frustrating for me and my family, going from doctor to doctor and not getting any answers. I've gone from thinking I had MS, to thinking I had a pseudo tumor, to thinking I had a sinus blockage. But after many tests, an MRI and a spinal tap, they diagnosed me with optic neuritis.
On Monday, I will see my seventh doctor....a Rheumatologist. I am sooooo praying that this doctor will be the one to figure it all out. I haven't feel well since April. I was diagnosed with optic neuritis in June, which is inflammation of the optic nerve. This caused some partial blindness in my right eye. My central vision is okay, but my peripheral vision is what I lost. I'm now wearing glasses.
Over the past few months I have developed all the symptoms of Lupus. Up until about a week and a half ago I had all symptoms of Lupus but one....the skin rash, which I now have. I have been doing a lot of research on WebMD because it is scary knowing something is wrong with you and none of the doctors I have been to can figure it out. In my research, I found that Lupus can cause optic neuritis.
My family has had a hard time with this also, especially my youngest son, who is eight years old. He has already lost both his Papa and Nana (my parents) in the past 5 1/2 years. My Dad's passing was the most recent. It will be two years in December. My son is afraid that something bad is wrong with me and I am going to die too. Poor little guy! Prayers for him please.
My husband and I have talked to both our boys and they seem to be handling things a little better. We just need answers so we know what our next step will be.
With that next step there is always a chance I will hit a wall or fall on my face…but I won't know until I take the next step. The one lesson I keep learning over and over as I journey down this road is:
The fear of starting is always worse than the act of doing.
This isn’t new news. This is just one reminder that I need all the time.
And the act of doing, whether you fail or whether you succeed, will always reap growth. Growth through the beautiful, intimate relationship you develop by depending on Christ. There is always a lesson tucked away in the doing. Always.
If we never get out of our comfort zones, we can’t grow into the places God has prepared for us. And that growth brings beauty.
The turning point in our journey through brokenness comes when we stop trying to control the pain and move to greater dependence on God. For He is our strength.
Please continue to keep me and my family in your prayers. Whatever my next step may be, I know that my Jesus will be right there to take it with me.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Do What You Can With What You Have Where You Are
Your journey is unfolding exactly as it should be. Even when things are looking bad, there are still so many positives in our lives, so instead of focusing on what our lives are missing, we have to be grateful for what we do have. We should never look back with regrets, or always be looking for greener grass on the other side. He has a plan for us to follow from this day forward that is absolutely perfect, and if God wants us where we are right now, there are no greener pastures! ♥
Today, I will remember that it is not about what is going on around me, no, it is about the Lord and only about the Lord. In changing my focus to Him, I know all that is around me and my perspective on it will change too.
And you know what? When you mentally let go of stuff, God can start working on it. The longer you mind wrestle, the longer the wait because God gives us free will. He will take your problems - when you give them to Him!
I have come through the things I have been through in life because of others God has placed on my path, and now I am being placed on the path of those who need encouragement or a prayer warrior. My blog has been such a blessing to me. God has used this small tool to bring encouragement, wisdom and peace to my life and I pray - to yours as well.
Today I'm praising God for being reminded of what really matters and the blessing that comes from encouraging and praying for others.
Two of the most dominant forces in our lives are kindness and encouragement. Not only for the person who receives it but also for the one who gives it.
So remember, the Lord has us right where we are meant to be and we should never shade the light that comes from our faith and trust in Him. For God never stops teaching the willing heart.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Today, I will remember that it is not about what is going on around me, no, it is about the Lord and only about the Lord. In changing my focus to Him, I know all that is around me and my perspective on it will change too.
And you know what? When you mentally let go of stuff, God can start working on it. The longer you mind wrestle, the longer the wait because God gives us free will. He will take your problems - when you give them to Him!
I have come through the things I have been through in life because of others God has placed on my path, and now I am being placed on the path of those who need encouragement or a prayer warrior. My blog has been such a blessing to me. God has used this small tool to bring encouragement, wisdom and peace to my life and I pray - to yours as well.
Today I'm praising God for being reminded of what really matters and the blessing that comes from encouraging and praying for others.
Two of the most dominant forces in our lives are kindness and encouragement. Not only for the person who receives it but also for the one who gives it.
So remember, the Lord has us right where we are meant to be and we should never shade the light that comes from our faith and trust in Him. For God never stops teaching the willing heart.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Christ's Mission Is Our Mission
God doesn’t test us to be mean. He tests us to see if we are ready for what He has next. Once the Lord has given us great faith, He has been known to test us with long delays.
Christ's mission is our mission. God never sends you where He's never been.
But God will not accommodate our doubt by bending His promises. Our disbelief doesn't affect Him, it affects us. The promises are already ours, we just have to claim them.
We are the ones who make life so complicated. God (the teacher) tests us after He has given us all the answers to every question in life through the Bible, but we (the students) don't take the time to study and believe what the Bible says. The Bible is our Study Guide, we just have to utilize it in order for us to benefit on God's tests.
The Israelites failed their test. They murmured and complained and ended up turning an 11 day journey into a 40 year journey. Abram was tested. God asked him to give up the thing, the person, that meant the most to him in the whole world. Abram passed the test. Even Jesus was tested, 3 times by Satan in the desert before the start of his public ministry (He passed too).
Even if we fail a test, God gives us the opportunity to pass another. If you feel God is testing you, it is not a sign that you have done something bad or that you are being punished. It is an opportunity for you to prove what you are made of. God's tests: Strange and difficult indeed we may find them, But the blessing that we need is behind them.
The center of trouble is the place where He preserves us, not the place where He fails us.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Christ's mission is our mission. God never sends you where He's never been.
But God will not accommodate our doubt by bending His promises. Our disbelief doesn't affect Him, it affects us. The promises are already ours, we just have to claim them.
We are the ones who make life so complicated. God (the teacher) tests us after He has given us all the answers to every question in life through the Bible, but we (the students) don't take the time to study and believe what the Bible says. The Bible is our Study Guide, we just have to utilize it in order for us to benefit on God's tests.
The Israelites failed their test. They murmured and complained and ended up turning an 11 day journey into a 40 year journey. Abram was tested. God asked him to give up the thing, the person, that meant the most to him in the whole world. Abram passed the test. Even Jesus was tested, 3 times by Satan in the desert before the start of his public ministry (He passed too).
Even if we fail a test, God gives us the opportunity to pass another. If you feel God is testing you, it is not a sign that you have done something bad or that you are being punished. It is an opportunity for you to prove what you are made of. God's tests: Strange and difficult indeed we may find them, But the blessing that we need is behind them.
The center of trouble is the place where He preserves us, not the place where He fails us.
Blessings,
Dalinda
If you are on Facebook, please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/faithfriendsandfruitloops
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Struggling To Reach The Top Of The Mountain?
A good life does not necessarily mean an easy life. And the things we worry about tend not to happen.
It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that is wearing you out, it's the pebble in your shoe.
So many times the trials of life can cloud our perspective and the way we see things.
Nearly everything in life has a good side and a bad side, and everyone gets to choose what they will focus on. It’s easy for us to always look for what’s wrong. It takes more effort to look for what’s good and positive in every situation. If you look hard enough, you can find a positive in any situation.
The little hands and the big hands are both involved in what happens on earth. The little hands are the human hands (the free will of man) and the big hand is God's hand (the sovereignty of God). When the little hands are doing their dirty work, it's hard to see God's hand being in charge. Many times what looks like ordinary circumstances to us can be events directed by the big hand of God.
Stop looking at what the little hands are doing and keep your eyes on God's big hand.
No challenge is ever easy! God is going to give you some unwelcome assignments, but He blesses those who endure.
Rather than complaining about your problem (the mountain you face), teach your mouth to speak positively about what God will do to fix it. Recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever before experienced, and accept it with delight as an opportunity of receiving a greater measure of God's divine grace.
In this way, even the Adversary becomes a help to us, and all the things that seem to be against us turn out to assist us along our way.
Your attitude and the way you talk about people affects others in the same way -- either positively or negatively. God wants His children to be positive and encouraging. Ignore those who try to discourage you.
Blessings,
Dalinda
It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that is wearing you out, it's the pebble in your shoe.
So many times the trials of life can cloud our perspective and the way we see things.
Nearly everything in life has a good side and a bad side, and everyone gets to choose what they will focus on. It’s easy for us to always look for what’s wrong. It takes more effort to look for what’s good and positive in every situation. If you look hard enough, you can find a positive in any situation.
The little hands and the big hands are both involved in what happens on earth. The little hands are the human hands (the free will of man) and the big hand is God's hand (the sovereignty of God). When the little hands are doing their dirty work, it's hard to see God's hand being in charge. Many times what looks like ordinary circumstances to us can be events directed by the big hand of God.
Stop looking at what the little hands are doing and keep your eyes on God's big hand.
No challenge is ever easy! God is going to give you some unwelcome assignments, but He blesses those who endure.
Rather than complaining about your problem (the mountain you face), teach your mouth to speak positively about what God will do to fix it. Recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever before experienced, and accept it with delight as an opportunity of receiving a greater measure of God's divine grace.
In this way, even the Adversary becomes a help to us, and all the things that seem to be against us turn out to assist us along our way.
Your attitude and the way you talk about people affects others in the same way -- either positively or negatively. God wants His children to be positive and encouraging. Ignore those who try to discourage you.
Blessings,
Dalinda
Monday, October 1, 2012
It's In That Second Mile Where The Miracles Happen
Jesus asks us to do many things that don't make sense, but if you will just obey, you will begin to see Him act on your behalf. It's in that second mile where the miracles happen!
I believe the longer we have to wait, the better the answer will be. Take Zacharias and Elizabeth for instance. They had no idea that their prayer for a child as a young married couple started a chain reaction of events that would change the world. And so if you've been praying for something and God seems silent, just remember your role models, Zacharias and Elizabeth.
How we manage the little things indicates what we would do if we had more. Why would God give dynamite to someone who can't handle a firecracker?
Oh, how we love to see impossible things accomplished! And so does God.
Therefore may we continue to persevere, for even if we took our circumstances and cast all the darkness of human doubt upon them and then hastily piled as many difficulties together as we could find against God's divine work, we could never move beyond the blessedness of His miracle-working power. May we place our faith completely in Him, for He is the God of the impossible.- L.B. Cowman
Nothing is impossible with God. - Luke 1:37
Blessings,
Dalinda
I believe the longer we have to wait, the better the answer will be. Take Zacharias and Elizabeth for instance. They had no idea that their prayer for a child as a young married couple started a chain reaction of events that would change the world. And so if you've been praying for something and God seems silent, just remember your role models, Zacharias and Elizabeth.
How we manage the little things indicates what we would do if we had more. Why would God give dynamite to someone who can't handle a firecracker?
Oh, how we love to see impossible things accomplished! And so does God.
Therefore may we continue to persevere, for even if we took our circumstances and cast all the darkness of human doubt upon them and then hastily piled as many difficulties together as we could find against God's divine work, we could never move beyond the blessedness of His miracle-working power. May we place our faith completely in Him, for He is the God of the impossible.- L.B. Cowman
Nothing is impossible with God. - Luke 1:37
Blessings,
Dalinda
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