The Martins - Wait On The Lord

I love this little chorus about waiting on the Lord.  I mentioned it to my pastor to maybe be able to use in our missions conference as the theme is "Wait on the Lord."

Had two great services today. I wasn't feeling well tonight as I took some Advil on an empty stomach, but my stomach is settling down now.  I am still sore from my rock climbing adventure yesterday :) but I'll make it.

Until next time...

Resolution for Women - Surpringly Satisfied

I had started this book awhile back, but got distracted with the holidays. Now that things have calmed down, I have decided to begin this journey again. Chapter 1 is titled "Surprisingly Satisfied" which really goes along with the waiting theme of 2012. Priscilla quotes from Philippians 4:11-13 "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content -- whether we'll fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Himi who strengthens me." She later says "Your God can be trusted to grant you the supply you need to excel at His purposes. So if you don't need it -- whatever it is -- it's because you don't need it. You may want it, but it's not necessary in order to accomplish what He knows is most important for your life today. Otherwise He'd have given it to you. He loves you too much to "withhold the good from those who live with integrity". (Ps. 84:11) As I read this paragraph my thoughts went to my want of a husband. I recently signed up on a Christian dating site, and so far it has not been the best of experiences. I think from this study I know why...I don't need a husband to do what I am doing for the Lord. I may want one, but that doesn't mean I need one now. So I think I am see if I can get my money back and just enjoy this time in my life of being single and not worrying about looking for someone to spend my life with...God will provide in His timing if it's His will.

Think on these things...Phil 4:8

Okay...I was in Bible study tonight thinking about a conversation that was had earlier in the day.  God lead me to a verse ... one of my favorites - Phil. 4:8.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (NASB)

Life Application Bible has this application in the notes:

"What we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions.  Paul tells us to program our minds with thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and praise worthy.  Do you have problems with impure thoughts day daydreams? Examine what you are putting into your mind, through television, books, conversations, movies, and magazines.  Replace harmful input with wholesome material.  Above all read God's word and pray.  Ask God to help you focus your mind on what is good and pure.  It takes practice, but it can be done.

Now...living a life of purity is not the easiest way to live, but I'm thankful for this verse.  Basically this is what I'm to think upon...so if this is the stuff I'm to allow myself to dwell on...then anyone who doesn't speak words like this, I just need to run away from them.

Later in the application bible, I saw this question - HOW EASY IT IS TO READ THE BIBLE AND NOT THINK ABOUT HOW TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY?

We can read the words from the Bible, even think about it, but if it doesn't change our lifestyle, then what good is it?  Each time we read something we should think about how we can live it out.  It's tough ... it's not an easy thing to do, but to become more like Christ, we need to change our way of living.

The standard is HOLY.  It's high...but that's the standard that God has set.  Our job is to strive.  Do we stumble?  Yes. Do we fall?  Yes.  Does that mean we just live the way we want to?  No!  It means that we need to continue to strive for that holy lifestyle.  How do we do that??? Think of those things.  Dwell of them.  Get them into our minds...replace that crap that life throws at it.

My song of the moment now is "Where I Belong" by Building 429.  The first verse says, "Sometimes it feels like I'm watching from the outside, Sometimes it feels like I'm breathing, but am I alive? I will keep searching for answers, that aren't here to find."  They aren't here in the world...they are in the Word though.  God gave us the Bible and the Holy Spirit.  When the Holy Spirit lets us know things are not right, we are to run toward God.  If we don't things can get hairy...tough...crazy.

I'm thankful for Christian friends who are true Christians...people that I can confide in and ask about situations that come to life.  They guide me with the help of the Holy Spirit to continue on my journey of waiting.  I'm thankful for people like that.

 

Waiting - Smash book

So my sister Leah and I are really into scrap booking.  She introduced me to a new thing the last couple years.  It was a calendar/scrapbook.  I now know what to call this...A SMASH BOOK!  She recently showed me a link about "smash books" and I bought one.  I was praying about what to do with the smash book I bought. I didn't want to just put anything in it, but wanted something with substance for my first smash book. My calendar/scrapbook smash book is for just everyday things, but this smash book I wanted something important.

So here goes.

I believe that 2012 is a year that God is teaching me via the word Wait (and trust).  It's been a stressful year already.  I spent the last two weeks of January driving back and forth to the hospital to be with my dad.  He had a prostate and kidney issue.  I'm thankful he is doing better now.  I am amazed the lessons God has shown me lessons in waiting during this time.

First - waiting is a progression.  I used to think of "waiting" as an inactive/passive thing.  Like sitting in one place for a long time.  But God showed me that waiting is active.  It's a progression...looking at it like waiting in line for that exciting ride at the best amusement park.  You can be in line for hours, going through the serpentine thing, but getting closer to THAT ride.  Even the serpentine was interesting to me, because life is about turns and twists on this road we travel.  There may be a road block that makes us turn to go almost the same way we came, but still a little closer to the goal.  I love how I discovered that waiting is not just sitting in one place, but it's a progression.

Second - waiting involves trust.  When you don't know what to do, you have to trust that the waiting process is where God wants you.  I read a quote from a friends' Facebook that said "Trusting God means looking beyond what you can see, to what God sees."

Third - waiting helps us see the bigger picture.  I had been talking to a guy for the past few months.  At first the conversations were great.  He was saying all the right things, but as we began to get comfortable with each other, I began seeing red flags and began praying that God would intervene.  He did.  I haven't heard from the guy in a few weeks. I don't know why, but I'm thankful for the answered prayer.  I wanted to find a special guy and apparently that was not the one. I believe that God can still bring the guy I have been praying for ... the guy that He is creating for me.

My book is beginning to get filled with really great quotes and message outlines.  Also with poems, songs, thoughts about waiting/trusting.  I am thankful that God is working with me through this journey.  It's not a fun thing to wait, but what really helps is that God will strength my heart in these days. "Psalm 27:14 - Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart, wait, I say on the Lord."

I am thankful that I am doing better with the waiting aspect of things.  I know it's not something in the past that I have been good at...mainly because I didn't understand how waiting works.

Photo Shoot!

Last Sunday after church, I met a good friend of mine for a photo shoot.  I originally approached my friend Trina about some Zumba promotion, but when we got started, we ended up doing just regular shots of me.  I had a blast with Trina.  We began our trek at Gateway Baptist Church and made a few stops before heading to her "secret" spot.  She stopped the car and said, "I want you to go and stand in the middle of the road.  I was like...okay, but when she started posing me, and I saw the products on the little camera, I began to trust her.  I then just got into myself and had a blast...I was posing myself and just hamming it up for the camera. She called me a dork and I proved it by leaving my bag of extra clothes in the middle of the road.  She said the look on my face was hilarious when I had got back to the car and didn't see them in there.  We went back to where we started, and right there in the middle of the road was my bag sitting there.  I picked it up and then...a car came around the bend.  How great God was to protect my stuff while I was being a dork and hamming it up :)

Trina worked hard to get some of the photos online for me to check out...she has more to do, but I thought I'd share some of my favorites :)

 This is one that was just fun to do, but the sun was in my face really bad :)

 I like this one, just because of the stance...the relaxed look of enjoying the outdoors.

This is one right after she said something that was supposed to make me laugh, but it didn't :)

 So she tried again...and it worked!

 I love my curls in this one...I was glad I was having a great hair day :)

This my favorite one for the Zumba promotion.  I didn't jump, but it looks like I just did a great jump and was landing :)









I'm looking forward to getting back out with Trina and finishing the rest of the Zumba promotion shots.  It was a lot of fun.

Whether we prosper or not...

*Note all scripture taken from New Living Translation

We have a responsibility to...

1. Endure - II Timothy 2:3-4 "Endure suffering along with me, as a good solider of Christ Jesus. And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army."

As we live this life as Christians we are to endure through trials, hardships, pain, commitments, etc.  God has called us in this life as soldiers and when we quit early we aren't able to bring glory to Him.

2. Fight - I Timothy 1:18 "Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier.  May they give you the confidence to fight well in the Lord's battles."
Ephesians 6:12 "For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms."

Some Christians are fighters, which mean they have scars and they are wounded...these are the fighters in the faith.  Those who have lived the responsibility to walk the faith...live the faith.  One thing that helps those fighting is fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  God has called us to assemble in His house...are you there?  Are you isolating yourself?  It's okay to show your scars...to let people see that you are wounded.  I know that believers are not always the best to those who are wounded, but we need to step up and care for our wounded.  Help them along the way.

3. Stand - I Corinthians 16:13 "Be on guard.  Stand trust to what you believe. Be courageous.  Be strong."  We have a responsibility to stand whether we prosper in our life or not.  Stand up for what you believe in.  I love the song from the Veggie Tales "Stand" because it's a simple message, but a vital part of living my Christian life.  The chorus goes "I remember stand (stand up, stand up), for what you believe in, believe in, Believe in God (He's the one to back you up), He'll stand with you!"  We need to finish strong....it's not easy and it's not fun, but it's important.

4. Wait - Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength.  They will fly high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint." This is a promise to those who wait on Him.

I wrote in my last blog entry about waiting.  I have a feeling that for 2012 my word is "WAIT."  I don't like that word, but this is important when living my life in God's timing.  I need to wait for the right mate, wait for the answer to a decision, wait for the phone to ring sometimes...Waiting is an action word, but it's hard to do.  I mentioned to my pastor that I would rather endure, fight and stand, than to just wait.  It's harder to wait.  Two of my favorite verses have the word wait in them though...Psalm 27:14 "Wait patiently for the LORD.  Be brave and courageous.  Yes, wait patiently for the LORD."  This verse has become very special to me over the years. I used to not like it because it talked of waiting, but as I have matured in my faith, I realize that waiting is how we can succeed in our life.  The other verse is becoming the verse of the moment for me.  Psalm 5:3 "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD.  Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly."

The thing I'm learning in 2012...is to wait expectantly.  Knowing that God will show up and that He will come through for me.  I just have to wait for Him...expectantly.

I'm thankful that New Years' Day began with this message to help me put my thoughts in order.

Happy New Year

Well...it's the end of 2011.  I am sitting at my friends' house playing in a wii bowling tournament.  I'm actually waiting to play because we only have a few remotes.  This is the way I spent last year.  Sitting with my friends and enjoying the end of 2010.  These people are the people who know me well.  They know my down falls, yet still love me.  They are my true friends who have seen me at my worst and still accept me.  If I didn't have these friends I don't know where I would be in my life.  It's been an interesting year that we have gone through.  In January we all had made some decisions to get healthier and lose weight.  Each of us started in a different way, but Ginger, Mary and I began Weight Watchers in February.  My friend Kathi met a major goal this year.  She has shunk almost half her size.  She has encouraged others in this journey too...by creating a Fit and Faithful Group.  Her husband Ben has lost a lot of weight too and has been really good with running 5Ks.  

I also have an amazing family that really encouraged me in this journey.  My sister Mary who inspired me to begin my journey by her example.  Not only by the example, but also by her words of encouragement when I wanted to quit. 

I have found a new love in my life...ZUMBA!  I began a certified instructor this year to help me along my journey.  It has been a really great help to me.  Due to this certification, I have been able to help out my Zumba granny because she has had to take some time off from instructing for health reasons. 

Because this is the end of 2011...I'd like to share my resolutions for the year 2012.

1. Read my bible daily - I'd like to read through it, but I'm just going to attempt to get the daily part, because sometimes I get behind on that reading.
2. Workout - Zumba (2 to 3 times a week) and add some type of strengthening workout - yoga or Jillian Michaels ripped in 30.
3. track daily - I have not been tracking with Weight Watchers, my goal this year is to track daily.
4. drink water- at least 8 - 8 oz each day.
5. Journal in my blog - both this one and the Biggest Loser one.  I like to use this one for my spiritual blog and the Biggest Loser for the weight loss journey.
6. Save money each pay check.  I want to do better at saving and not wasting my money.

These are what I have so far.  I may add some before the end of January.  Until next time...