DRILL A MAN

WORDS...they come together on page. Right?

Alone... they don't mean as much, but put them together with each other and they become more meaningful.  Such are the things of life.

Have you ever entertained the thought..."What if I am just a fool... A Dreamer living in a dream world?  What if all that I've been believing isn't even true?  What if the hope I've been clinging to is silly?"

I have.  Those thoughts have came knocking at my door, and unfortunately I let them in.  I know they're lies, but somehow they grabbed hold of me and began to affect my emotions.  They became real to me.  As I let them seep into my reality I began to feel even more depressed.  In that depressed feeling I began realizing with even more clarity that my hope in God and the work of Jesus is solely what has kept me going amidst trials and hardships year after year.  Without a hope that God has a bigger plan and purpose for me, what's the point?  There is no point.  We'd all be living life aimlessly, but not REALLY living at all.

Think about it...if there is no God, no bigger plan, and nothing after you die...what are you doing here on this earth?  To love my family and do good for others, you might reply.  But for what?... Why? So they can be loved to just die and it all be meaningless?

In the movie "Moneyball", based on the true story of Billy Beane and changing the game of baseball he said this:

Billy Beane: It's hard not to be romantic about baseball. This kind of thing, it's fun for the fans. It sells tickets and hot dogs. Doesn't mean anything.

Peter Brand: Billy, we just won twenty games in a row.

Billy Beane: And what's the point?

Peter Brand: We just got the record.

Billy Beane:  I've been in this game a long time. I'm not in it for a record, I'll tell you that. I'm not in it for a ring. That's when people get hurt. If we don't win the last game of the Series, they'll dismiss us.  I know these guys. I know the way they think, and they will erase us. And everything we've done here, none of it'll matter. Any other team wins the World Series, good for them. They're drinking champagne, they get a ring. But if we win, on our budget, with this team... we'll have changed the game. And that's what I want. I want it to mean something.

Just as Billy wanted meaning for what they were doing for people in baseball...Our reason for existence has to mean something.  Or otherwise we are just living here to be erased and as Billy Beane said, "NONE OF IT WILL MATTER".

As I wrestled through getting the lies out of my mind I remembered something someone once said:

When God wants to drill a man,

And thrill a man,

And skill a man

When God wants to mold a man

To play the noblest part;

When He yearns with all His heart

To create so great and bold a man

That all the world shall be amazed,

Watch His methods, watch His ways!

How He ruthlessly perfects

Whom He royally elects!

How He hammers him and hurts him,

And with mighty blows converts him

Into trial shapes of clay which

Only God understands;

While his tortured heart is crying

And he lifts beseeching hands!

How He bends but never breaks

When his good He undertakes;

How He uses whom He chooses,

And which every purpose fuses him;

By every act induces him

To try His splendor out-

God knows what He’s about.
- Anonymous

This really helped me to get my focus back, kicking those lies out and jump-starting my believing again that all the trials and hard things my husband and I keep going through have distinct purpose and meaning for our good and God's Kingdom plan for people.  There is a point.  It's not just a big waste of time.  God is always about the people.  Our pain and trials will be used to bring comfort to someone else going through similar pain and God will use it to build our character as well and bring Him glory.

When I'm going through sufferings and hard times I always like to know that there is at least one person who can relate and understand how I'm feeling.  It always comforts me to remember that Jesus, my Savior, walked the road of suffering.  He knows what it feels like to be betrayed.  He knows what it feels like to step forward in love to love people, and have them spit in your face, mock you, and walk all over you.  He knows how it feels to be rejected and under-appreciated.  When He came in the form of a human, to set us who are captive to our sinful nature free, He wants us to know that he knows the pain and how it feels.

If you are struggling right now or have been for quite some time through hard times...I understand.  Let's press on together asking God to show us the meaning of our pain and trials.

If you are struggling with believing if God is real...open up a Bible and sincerely ask God to show you who He is.  He will show you.  It may not be when or how you expect, but if you seek Him He will answer.

What's your hope that keeps you going through hardships and trials?

I hope that you find your Hope in God's bigger plan.  His great love for you and Jesus Christ's redemptive work on the cross.

Just like words, if you take seasons and moments of your life and separate them to stand alone, they may seem meaningless.  But put them all together and you will begin to see them forming into a meaningful story with purpose if you walk with God and salvation in Christ.

Are you desiring for just one person to love you unconditionally and not make fun of you?  Someone to lead you and have your best interests at heart?  One who can, most importantly, free you from the wages of your sin which will only lead to eternal death?  One who wants to have an intimate relationship with you and who cares for you so deeply that He watches over you all the time...never sleeping?  I did!!  And still do!!  I've walked the road of feeling like I don't belong, being stuck behind the prison bars of insecurity and feeling like you don't matter, and frequently feeling overlooked.  But not anymore!  If you feel like that, I want you to know that God did NOT overlook me!  And He does NOT overlook you!  There is love and freedom for you through Jesus!

Jesus is that ONE.  God is waiting for you to accept His free gift of love to you through salvation in Jesus if you haven't.

I believe that you can't speak into people's lives about things you haven't experienced yourself.  So I want you to know that I speak all these words and anything I write on this blog from personal experience.  Let's walk together!

THE LITTLE BROWN BOX

A few years ago, we started a Christmas tradition...

One that will continue in our family for many years to come. 

It's Christmas Eve...The tree is lit and decorated.  We gather together in our living room.  Each family member is given a piece of paper and a pen.  On that small piece of paper, we write something that we personally want to give to Jesus.


It could be a dream...something we need His help with...whatever we personally want to give over to Him.  We then put all our papers in this little brown box (in the photo) and put it on the Christmas tree.  It is our gift to Jesus that Christmas.

After a whole year has gone by...we gather ourselves around the tree on Christmas Eve and open up the little brown box.  Most of us usually forget what we had given over to Jesus the previous Christmas.  So it's always exciting when we take out our papers and see what Jesus has done over the last year with the gift we gave to Him.  How He has worked in our lives, how He has grown our character, and how He has loved us in that specific thing we gave to Him.

Did you notice?... This gift to Jesus is not wrapped in fancy paper...It's just the box, as it is.

When we give a gift, we usually wouldn't just give it in the box.  Right?  We want it to look pretty on the outside...all put together.  Nice to look at.

Sometimes we do that with ourselves, don't we?  I know I have at certain times in my life.  We want to look nice to others.  So we wrap ourselves up to give the appearance that we are all put together.  When underneath we're really not.  After all we wouldn't want others to see the box underneath the pretty paper, in its real condition...would we?  We've all been there.

This little brown box represents our family giving to Jesus as we are.  Jesus doesn't need the fancy paper.  He can see through the paper.  What we are giving Him inside that box is from our real selves.  He prefers it that way.

 This Christmas do you know about the gift we are celebrating?

God loved you and me so much that He gave us the best gift!  When He brought this gift into the world it wasn't wrapped in fancy paper with big flashy bows.  It came...if you will... in a little brown box.

This gift was Jesus.

He was born humbly.  In a barn.  Not a fancy place at all.  His mother who bore him was a little girl-13years old.

But this gift was so important that the angels came out of heaven blowing their trumpets and sounding their horns.  They couldn't miss such a joyful and important occasion.

This gift was sent  for you and me to save us... and allow us to have a relationship with God and spend eternity with Him.

This Christmas, look for the little brown box.  Do you see it?  Maybe it will be on your nightstand...or on the kitchen table.  Maybe it will be in your car...or on your desk.  Maybe on your pillow...or on the window sill, as you look from your hospital bed.  Or maybe it will show up in the middle of a fancy party you're at...but you're the only one that can see it.  You move a little closer.  Right there on the tag, stamped in love, there's a name on it.

 Is it YOUR NAME? 

Sure enough...Plain as day

Open it...Receive it.

When your time here on this earth comes to a close this will be the one gift you'll be glad you didn't try to return.

FOR MORE ON THIS GIFT-JESUS: READ MY OWN PERSONAL STORY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR

How does she know you love her?
How does she know she's yours?

How does she know that you love her?

How do you show her you love her?

How does she know that you really, really, truely love her?

It's not enough to take the one you love for granted
You must remind her, or she'll be inclined to say...
"How do I know he loves me?"
(How does she know that you love her?
How do you show her you love her?)
"How do I know he's mine?"
(How does she know that you really, really, truely love her?)

Well does he leave a little note to tell you you are on his mind?
Send you yellow flowers when the sky is grey? Heyy!
He'll find a new way to show you, a little bit everyday
That's how you know, that's how you know!
He's your love...

You've got to show her you need her
Don't treat her like a mind reader
Each day do something to need her
To believe you love her

Everybody wants to live happily ever after
Everybody wants to know their true love is true...
How do you know he loves you?
(How does she know that you love her?
How do you show her you need her?)
How do you know he's yours?
(How does she know that you really, really, truely-)

Well does he take you out dancin' just so he can hold you close?
Dedicate a song with words in
Just for you? Ohhh!

He'll find his own way to tell you
With the little things he'll do
That's how you know
That's how you know!

These are words from the song on one of my favorite movies...Enchanted.   Why is it one of my favorite movies?  Because although I am an adult woman...I still have a little girl's desire ... to be a princess swept away by the strong knight in shining armor.

When I'm in distress there is a desire in me to see my knight riding in... on his horse... ready to save me... and catch me... as i'm falling from the trees. 

From what I've learned, men, you also have a desire...a desire to be the hero of the day for your woman.  Right?  Come on...you can admit it.  Men truly do deep inside desire to be the knight riding in and rescuing their lady.

That is an attractive quality in a man.  It meets the woman's deep desire to feel loved, and it meets the man's deep desire to feel loved... and respected.

Ladies...there is a reason we have these desires.  The "Knight" desire orginated from Jesus Christ.  He is our Protector, Rescuer, and Sheild.  He is the real and ultimate "Knight in Shining Armor" that we women desire.  Our desire is for Him (whether we realize it or not).  Christ holds out his arm in love and strong protection to pull you up on His horse to safety. That is where real security lies.

It sounds good, doesn't it?  Do you want to be His?  Do you want to be the one receiving that kind of love?  Someone you can feel safe with and be protected?

 Yes...I'm talking to you.

Even me?...you ask.  Yes, absolutely YOU!  Reach out your hand to his.  Talk to Jesus.  Find out for yourself who He is.(click here for more inquiry)  You won't be disappointed!

Husbands...
Your desire to be the hero is linked also to your desire for Christ.  He is your leader.  Want to know how to be the "knight in shining armor"  and win the heart of your lady...

Follow Christ's example.

How does YOUR wife KNOW that you love her?

Do you still pursue after her after 10, 20, 30 yrs of marriage...?  Do your actions show her your relationship with her is of utmost importance after God?  Is your relationship with her valued above your job...your kids?

Have you laid down your life for her?.......

If not, that's ok.  The grace of Christ is a beautiful thing!  Repent and reach for the hand of Jesus.  Christ's hand is also out there for you.  There's never a better time!  Only He can provide the strength for such a task.

HELP!!!!!

We all are created with a desire to be loved and not rejected.  We desire deep inside to be
loved... when we make mistakes,
loved ...when we get hurt,
loved... when we feel alone, and
loved... when we are sick.

Who is going to love us, with this ugly condition, that we see under our mask?

Trying and trying on our own to fix it hasn't worked.
We need help!...the three words we don't like to say.

Admitting a need is half the battle, right?  So often, due to past circumstances and our own pride, we want to say that we don't need anyone.  If we need someone then we open ourselves up to getting hurt.  It's painful to continue to get hurt emotionally, so we develop self-defense mechanisms without even realizing it.

Over the years my self- defense mechanism has been,
"I will take control.  If I'm in control, I won't let myself get hurt."  I put up an invisible wall for many years, and pounded invisible pillars around myself that would protect me from getting hurt.
See MY PERSONAL STORY

Anybody else?  Do you have a way you self- protect?

Putting our pride aside... the truth is- we all need help.  We weren't created to be lone rangers.  Help is not a bad thing.  Receiving help, I've experienced, can be a very healing experience.

Who then can help us with this sin condition? 

JESUS.

 He is the only  one who can heal us.  The only  one who can cleanse us of our condition, forgive us of our daily sins, and pour out grace and mercy to save us from what we deserve.


By the grace of God, He showed me that His love was the only love I would find that was capable of loving me unconditionally the way I so desired to be loved.   As a physician has a treatment plan for his patient so does God in His great love for you and me, have a plan for our sin condition.  In the sickness of our condition we try to substitute ourselves for God.  In God's treatment plan He has substituted himself for us.

How?  God sent Jesus to die on the cross and take our punishment for the wrath our sin condition would bring upon us. He conquered death and rose again.

God is holy and righteous and just.  He has to punish sin.  What greater love is there than to save us from such punishment so we can enjoy his love and have relationship with him.