Creatures Of Habit - Todays "Daily Thoughts"

Did you ever realize how much we are creatures of habit? For example, when you go into the store do you always start on the same isle first?

When you go to a weekly meeting, do you tend to sit in the same chair each time? I know I do.

I get up in the morning, I make coffee, get dressed, eat breakfast, check my email.......Same order every day.

The point is......we create a system and then we seem to stick to. It is our "comfort zone". Its what we know. What we can count on to be a constant in our lives.

My niece after her stressful day.

I wonder if that is just because in other areas of our lives its feels so crazy, unorganized, and haphazard. The reason for most of these feelings are because we cannot control the actions of other and what they chose to do. So often, others actions impact our lives.

What do I mean? Well, if someone lies about you for instance, or steals from you, cheats you, or decides to gossip about you......you cant control that. They are their own person and they choose to do, or not to do, these things. No matter what you think.

Life will always have its up and downs, its twists and turns, and its unexpected happenings. The point is not what life throws at you....but what you do with it when it does. If life throws you lemons....don't just pucker up.....make lemonade instead.

For every down.....there will always be an up. Never give up, only believe.

Freedom

 We can only experience true freedom in one way. Until a person finds that "one way", they will be unable to attain true happiness and peace, and will always be searching for that one thing that is missing in their lives. 

When you hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will bear witness with your spirit that what you just read or heard is the truth. At that point, you have a choice. A choice to choose Jesus Christ, or a choice to reject Him.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4  I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

John 14:6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

Once we accept Him as our Lord and Savior and know that He is the only way to God the Father and to Salvation, at that point, we will know true and everlasting peace.

Ephesians 3:12
In him [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

When you believe in Jesus Christ, you instantly become adopted into His family as God's child. So even if you don't have any earthly parents like me, you will never be an orphan again. You will have the best Father ever.

I hope this has helped you today. As always, if you ever have a question feel free to ask me. I will do my best to get you and answer.

A Note : To You

You were created for a purpose. Yes, you.

You have a set of talents and gifts whether or not you have discovered what they. Have you ever had a dream or maybe even just a "thought" about possibly writing a book, or traveling to another country, knocking on a certain persons door, or starting a new business?

 Could it possibly be that you have that desire because that is what you are supposed to be doing? Sometimes I think dreams are unrealized because we are unwilling to take a leap of faith and just "do it".

If you are a Christian, like I am, I would suggest that you pray first. Then, trust God to lead you. He will let you know if it isn't the right thing to do. Faith is not just knowing or thinking something...but acting on it.

So, step out there today and put your dreams into motion.

You are a treasure and you are important. You have gifts that will bless others around you. You are incredibly unique and your potential is limitless. Don't ever let anyone tell you any different.

Don't let fear stop you. Conquer fear by pushing past it and transferring yourself into the realm of success.

Today is your day!

Never Give Up........Hold On

So I think that if you never give up, you can never lose. See the frog? He refuses to be eaten. As long as he holds on to the neck of that bird, he wins.

If you are going through a difficult time right now....just hold on. Things change.

Every difficult situation that I have been through, I have not only come out of it, but I have OVERCOME it. How?

God helped me. He is willing to help you too. To Him, you are important, loved, wanted, accepted, and treasured. You are not a waste of time or a waste of space. Below are scriptures out of the Bible. Read through them. I am confident that God will speak to your heart as you do. This blog was written just for you.
You were supposed to read this today.

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you. 
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. 
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways. 
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. 
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image. 
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring. 
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived. 
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation. 
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book. 
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live. 
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. 
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb. 
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born. 
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love. 
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father. 
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. 
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father. 
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. 
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. 
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. 
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love. 
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. 
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you. 
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession. 
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul. 
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. 
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me. 
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart. 
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires. 
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine. 
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager. 
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles. 
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you. 
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart. 
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes. 
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. 
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being. 
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you. 
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you. 
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love. 
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me. 
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child? 
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you. 
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your DadAlmighty God

Need prayer today?

If you have a prayer request, I will pray for you. Seriously.

 

This is not a joke. Prayer is real, powerful, and effective. Why? Because God is real, Jesus is real and the Holy Spirit is real.

He loves you and yes, He does care. Even for the smallest things in your life.

If you are not comfortable emailing me with your current email address, make up a new one just for this. I WILL email you back. I will pray for you.

Give God a chance. Let Him show you how much He loves you.

My email address is

creativelyenclined@gmail.com

Answer this question. You will be suprised at your answer....

What do you have in your hand at least ten times a day?

What do you look at more than ten times a day?

What item do you spend money on to upgrade every year or so?

What do you spend your time on researching on the web?

What items do you keep on you at all times?

What items do not get more than a few inches from you at any given time?

Most will answer - PHONE

We really should be answering -BIBLE

Matthew 6:29 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

You may be free to read your Bible now, but what if one day soon that right was taken away from you. Would you know the Word?  .......just a thought.

What does the Bible say about .........

Drinking -

Ephesians 5:18 Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit..

Proverbs 23:29-35 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?

Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?

Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,

trying out new drinks.

Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,

how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.

For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;

it stings like a viper.

You will see hallucinations,

and you will say crazy things.

You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea,

clinging to a swaying mast.

And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it.

I didn’t even know it when they beat me up.

When will I wake up

so I can look for another drink?”

 

 

 

 

Sex -

 

Hebrews 13:4  Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

 

1 Corinthians 7:2-5. "But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfil his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

 

 

 

 

People Who Work and People Who Don't Work -

 

Ephesians 4:28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have [something] to share with him who has need.

 

1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

 

 

 

 

Forgiving - (Even when you don't want to)-

 

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

 

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

 

If you have any other questions....just comment below or email me and I will research it and find the answer for you.

 

Have a great rest of the day!!

 

Remember, if you have a prayer request, send it my way. I will pray for you.

What To Do With Them

Every morning before my husband goes to work, I fix him breakfast and then while he is eating, I read the scriptures. Today, we were reading Proverbs.

There was one scripture in particular that caught my eye. It says to do good to those who are not doing good to you. (Proverbs 25:21-22) In this way, you heap burning coals on their head (they feel guilty and ashamed), AND it says that when you do good to them it pleases God. Win - Win situation I think.

Ya, I hear ya. That is easier said then done. 

Doing good doesn't mean pretend to be their new best friend and be fake. I believe that it means.....if they are at the coke machine and you see that they need 5 cents more, walk up and give it to them. 

You think it wont work? Well, you wont ever know unless you try, right?

Annoying Lizard On Your Head?

There are times in our life when our problems seem to loom over us. They seem too hard to overcome, too big to conquer, and too crazy to fix.

You know, I used to think that every problem I had in my life was HUGE, un-fixable, overwhelming, hopeless.

Maybe you feel that way sometimes too?

One day I was at a book store and ran across this book. It was called "The Crazy Love Book". It got  my attention because of the title and so I opened it. On the first page it had a web address to go view something. I didn't buy the book, but I did go home and watch that video. If you want to find it yourself, go to www.crazylovebook.com and watch "the awe factor of God". Or if you want to just go straight to the video, the link is below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpChZxPfa-c

Eye Of The Tiger ~ The Thrill Of The Fight

Ever heard of that old song called Eye of The Tiger? Its the eye of the tiger...its the thrill of the fight.... (and so on and on it goes) I am a fighter today. http://youtu.be/O9NTecDfcc0

Someone in my life today has stirred up a hornets nest. No need for details. The important thing to know is that the struggle today was dealing with false accusations, stress, and worry.

Best thing to do around bee's and hornets is to add a little smoke with the Word of God and some Prayer....and voila...all is quiet yet again. But, I am getting ahead of myself. Lets start from the beginning.

The scripture that comes to mind today is Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

If you start to do what you know is right, and then the "sky" seems to fall. No worries. Usually means your on the right track and the sunshine is fixing to shine brighter in your life than it ever has. Hold on...it may be a bumpy ride....but one well worth the time.

Check this out....

Ephesians 13-17 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

So you see....we win. 8-)

So, other than what happened this morning that I will only give the label of "a hiccup" in my day....everything is going great.

Found a new song that I love....Its called "Great I Am". You should listen to it....its truly powerful. http://youtu.be/y_VR-zwp2KA

Well have a great rest of the day all. Rest in Him...for He will deliver you.

....see ya tomorrow

Intro - A little about me first and what this blog will be about.

"Now, through ALL of this muck and pain that life dealt me....you wouldn't believe what God did. There was a BRIGHT LIGHT through the midst of it all, and THAT is why I am here, not dead, talking to you today."

This is a daily account of real trials, my viewpoint, and real solutions that will hopefully help you know that someone else out there has struggles too. This life is NOT easy. I understand. I am also here to tell you that there IS hope. I am LIVING PROOF.

                   (Im the one on the right with my eyes tightly squinted shut. I was about 7 here.)
  
As a child, my mother married several times. That seems to be the story with a lot of people these days. you might even be able to relate to that.

During that time it was hard for me. Not only because I was moved from place to place, but I was molested several times by several people.

First by cousins, then by a friend of the family, until eventually I was raped by my step brother at the age of 12. I felt like I had a sticky note sign on my forehead that said "please abuse me".

I realize that childhood abuse is a story that a lot of people share, whether or not they talk about it, or ever admit it to anyone else. 

But, I want you to know, you are not alone. 

Every single person on this earth has suffered trials of some sort, even those who pretend that they have the "perfect life". The perfect life does not exist. Not on this earth at least.

Maybe you are like me and you married early in life. I went on to marry at the age of 19. I think that mainly it was to get away from the abuse that I suffered at home. Sad thing is though, that I went from abuse at home to abuse in a marriage. Not once, but twice, before finding "the right one".

It wasn't until I was taught about what the cycle of abuse was....that I could escape from it. Thankfully, God led me on the right path to discover the truth. (if you are in an abusive relationship, seek the council of your pastor and take the time to read this article. http://www.domesticviolence.org/violence-wheel/)

I do have two GREAT kids from that first marriage though. (Had to brag for a sec on them.)

My gorgeous two sons at Galveston beach in November of last year.

Friend, even if you can relate to my story. Even if your story is much, much worse. There is hope. There is a purpose for your life. The abuse is something that happened to you. It is not WHO YOU ARE. 

God has taken my life...and the things that happened in it and He has turned it all around. He has given me the complete ability to forgive those who hurt me, move on, and actually even move forward.

What the devil had meant for harm in my life, God has changed for the good. Like what? Well, I have been fortunate enough to have traveled on missions trips to Cambodia, Mexico, Thailand, and Africa. I have been able to relate to them, and to some of their trials and abuse, in ways others may not be able to. In being able to relate to them, it gave me an open door to share the gospel with them. Ultimately being able to lead them to Christ and salvation.

God has allowed me to share in youth groups, teach in women's prisons, and meet a lot of beautiful people along the way.

I am not saying my life is perfect now, far from it. I think we only get a perfect life, free from trials and pain...when we get to Heaven.

Jesus Himself said that in this life we WILL have trials and tribulations....but to be of good cheer because He has overcome this world. We even get to read the end of the story and see how it goes. I will let you in on the secret if you don't already know. As a Christian, we WIN.

Welcome to my blog.

This diary is an account of my day to day REAL life. I hope it blesses you.

 If you have a prayer request, I am more than happy to pray for you. We are in this together ya know. Never feel alone.