God's Perfect Design

God's Perfect Design

I found myself thinking this morning as I was blowing my hair dry,  about self image.   Sometimes we put too much stock in what others say or think about us... sometimes we put too much stock in what we think they think.   I know, how it is, to feel like you will never be a beauty queen.  I've had moments in my life, okay more than moments.. more like years of my life,  when I thought no one could possibly find me beautiful.  I allowed those thoughts to cause me to believe that I really wasn't beautiful.  

Over the past ten years or so,  God has been so faithful to point me to some very great truths, from His Word, that speak to us (me) on a deep level about the lies I allowed myself to believe for so long.

 Here is a list of some scriptures that have changed my focus and helped me to see things from God's eyes,  I hope it touches you and maybe helps you to see yourself as He sees you too!



Psalm 139:13-15

13 "For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth."

This scripture tells us that God created us,  pieced us together, He chose our hair, eyes, and body, but more than that, He created us with a style, personality, likes, dislikes, quirks and all.   

Genesis 1:31

31 "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day."

God didn't make mistakes when He first created the world.  He looked at all He had made and saw that it was good.  And God didn't make mistakes when He made you!  God looks at you,  His precious and dearly loved creation, and once again He says, "It is good, very good!"

Ephesians 2:10

10 "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Just think about this verse for a minute... you are God's handiwork.  God created the heaven's and the Earth,  yet when He talks of His handiwork,  He thinks of you. Not only that, but this verse also tells us, He has prepared great things for you before you were ever born.   

Such an incedible thought... God loves us and made us the way we are for a reason and a purpose.   I encourage you to stop thinking of what others think and start listening to what God says, when we see through His eyes,  we will realize that we really were made to shine! 

God truly loves us!  God is so good! 

Iceberg

Iceberg

For the past few months, our church has been having "Encounter Services" every Wednesday evening.  These have been amazing times of coming together in prayer, seeking God, and asking for Him to do great things in our lives and the lives of those in the city of Salem.  

Here are the four main points of prayer we've continued to pray for:

1. Boldness in speaking the Word
2. Healings
3. Signs and Wonders (Miracles)
4. Move of God, the lost saved

These points are found in the lives of the new testament church in Acts 4:29-31

29 "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly."

I am so excited about what God is doing already, but even more excited about what He is going to do! As I've spent time praying and studying God's Word, over and over again, I've come across scriptures that speak so clearly on the power of prayer.  Here is just one example:

Psalm 6:8-10
"Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; 

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication; 

The Lord will receive my prayer.
Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; 

Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly."

In my study bible, the commentary at the bottom of the page, says this about these verses...

"Vs 7, 8 - As vultures gather around a wounded prey, so enemies gather to rejoice over the calamities of the struggling and take advantage of any weakness.
Vs 9, 10 - Prayer is seen as the prescription that not only heals the body, but strengthens the weakened soul, so that the villains are the ones who become greatly troubled and must flee."

Isn't that incredible!?!?!  When we pray, it not only brings about healing in a physical way, but also heals our mental and emotional pains and issues.  Then to top it off, after bringing about healing, prayer has the power to make those who oppress us - our enemies -  cower and run.

Promises, like the one from Psalms 6:8-10, are great reminders of just how great God is and how important prayer is in our lives.  I had this thought the other day, while reflecting on our "Encounter Services" and it was just so powerful!! 

 "Even though I know that God has done some great things, I fully expect that we have only begun to touch the tip of the iceberg" 

and then the Holy Spirit corrected my thought, 

"No, you can only see the iceberg in the distance, you aren't even touching the tip of it yet!!" 

I am so excited about what God has in store...let's keep pressing in, praying and seeking God...

God is so good! 

The Not-so-Super-Mom

The Not-so-Super-Mom

Last night I was laying in bed trying to sleep, but I was so wide a wake.  My mind was running 100 miles per hour...thinking of all the stuff I did, or didn't do, and what I should have gotten done, during the day.  In the the midst of my mind's running through the day, I started to think about what type of parent I am, and what my girls will turn out like.  I know how I want them to turn out, but I also know that I in and of myself am in no way able to get them to the place where I want to see them.  I make mistakes, huge ones, over and over again.  How am I, in the craziness of this world, supposed to somehow keep my girls on the right path, and protect them from all the evil that surrounds us?  As I lay there pondering all these things, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and I'd like to share it with you today.

Daughter, you aren't good enough, you can't protect them from the evil in this world.  You are not all knowing, ever-present, or all powerful.  You, daughter, are not perfect, you are human, you make mistakes.

But, I know your limits, I know your heart and your love for your children; and I love them more than you are even capable of, and I love you.  Don't fret that you can't be with them everyday to protect them and guide them, because I Am!   I Am able!  I Am all knowing! I Am ever-present! I Am all powerful!  I will uphold you and help you to be the best parent you can be, and when you can't go any further, where you stop, I will make up the distance.  In your weakness I Am strong...trust your little children to Me.  I will be with them, I will guide them and protect them.   Trust them to Me!

As I laid there and these words washed over me, I felt a sweet sense of peace and hope.  

The pressure is off. 

I don't have to be super-mom! 

I can just trust in the Lord...He has got this.  

Let these words sink in... 

Think about it for a few minutes... 

God. has. got. this.

You don't have to do it on your own, in fact it is pretty much impossible to do it on your own...

Trust Him. 

God is so good!