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About Jill Richard

My name is Jill Richard. I'm a life long Christian. Trying to live my life for my Lord everyday. I've been working in internet marketing since 2003. I want people to look at me and think - What an amazing God she believes in! I want all of my actions to point back to my Lord. They don't always, and for that I am grateful for the Grace of my Lord Jesus Christ.

My God is…my Light Psalm 119:105

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.Christian Family at the Cross Istock File #: 1673165 © Mike Kiev

The only thing I know about the dark is you can’t see in it.  ~ Roy Hobbs, The Natural

In one of my favorite movies, The Natural, there is a great discussion about the dark, between Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford), and the owner of the baseball team, after Hobbs enters the owners office to find it very dimly lit. The transcript below shows the conversation between the Owner and Hobbs. (If you prefer you can watch it here).
Owner: Please pardon the absence of light. You see, as a youngster I was  frightened of the dark…and I used to wake up sobbing in it as if it was  water…and I was drowning in it. As you will observe, I have…disciplined myself against that fear…that now I much prefer…a dark room.

Hobbs: The only thing I know about the dark is, you can’t see in it.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Roy Hobbs said it best. It’s true you can’t see in the dark, whether it’s literal darkness or spiritual darkness. Spiritual darkness is the absence of the light, the word, Jesus Christ. The devil wants to keep us in spiritual darkness. He wants to keep us from turning to God. He wants to make it hard to find our way. I dare say he would like us to be like the owner of the New York Knights in the Natural.

The devil knows we fear the dark, but he hopes if he can keep us in the dark long enough, sobbing and drowning, that eventually we would prefer the dark. It is a slippery slope. As we push out the light of Jesus Christ, sadly our eyes adjust, and we get used to the darkness. But in that darkness we cannot see properly. We can’t see the truth.

I’m not afraid of the dark

I’m not afraid of the dark, because my Lord Jesus has claimed me from the dark through my baptism and dying on the cross to rescue me from the punishment of my sins. He made it possible for me to see the light through His Holy Spirit. It is important to keep your focus on the light. You need to make sure your life is full of light through God’s word, Jesus Christ. Spending some time with Jesus each day helps to squelch out the darkness and draw us closer to the light.

Are you going to the Dark Side?

Yes that’s a reference to another great film – Star Wars. The Dark Side is always pulling at us trying to pull us away from good, to pull us away from God. We have to protect ourselves with the full armor of God.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6: 13-17

Are you in the dark?

 
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Posted by on April 27, 2012 in My God is My Light, Psalm

 

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My God is…My Joy Psalm 43:3-5

My God is My Joy

Psalm 43: 3-5  Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me

I’m almost in a panic. Most people who know me would probably not think I’m shy. There’s something quite misleading about the loud shy ones. I am shy. I am nervous around people I don’t know. I get scared to break out of my comfort zone. I remember being told by someone I went to high school with that they had misread me. They thought I was a snob and wouldn’t talk to everyone. I wouldn’t talk to everyone, not because I was a snob, but because if I didn’t know you, it didn’t seem like it was worth the risk. I couldn’t handle the rejection. I’m not sure that much has changed.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? 

This weekend I’m going to be presenting a portion of Deb Burma’s “Beautiful Feet” retreat. I have wanted to have an opportunity to speak and get used to being in front of a crowd. I want to be confident, but then my cowardice and shy side starts to get the better of me. Thinking about it now nearly puts me in a panic. I feel called to be a writer and a speaker. A year ago I was doing neither. Now I’m writing two or more times a week. I am looking for opportunities to build my speaking skills and pray that soon both the writing and the speaking will used to the glory of God. I want nothing more than my whole life to be used for Him. (Did I really write that down – God can do some scary things when you give your life to Him – EEEK).

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

The Lord knows what He’s doing. He has given me opportunity and encouragement along these paths. I need to put my hope in Him and not rely on myself. I may not be the world’s best writer or speaker, but the Lord can make my speaking and my writing to be more than my words. Because I use scripture in my writing and speaking, the Holy Spirit is present, and His word will not return to Him void. I can trust and put my hope in Him. Most who know me would say I have the gift of speaking (or talking on and on and on). I hope that I do and that I put my hope in God and praise him with all that I do.

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.

God is my Joy and my Delight. I’m amazed every time I come to write my blog how I’m given a new verse telling me about who my God is. He is so multifaceted. He’s everything we need. I do delight in Him. He is my joy. Each day I find there are things that He points to, flowers, friends, verses in scripture. I am amazed at how involved He is in my life. Everyone has at least one gift from God. Do you know what yours is? I believe that when you start using that gift to God’s glory, He will use it to draw you closer to Him, so that you might have joy and delight in Him. You may find yourself seeing God in the details of your life. Take joy that He is there, and put your hope in him.

Have you seen God in the details?

 
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Posted by on April 24, 2012 in God is My Joy, Psalm

 

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My God is…my rescuer Galatians 1:3-4

Galatians 1:3-4 May peace and blessing be yours from God the father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for our sins just as God our father had planned, and rescued us from this evil world in which we live.

Who's your knight in shining armor?

Rescued us from this evil world
Do you think this world is evil? I’m guessing some of the people who read this will be confused by that question. To some the world is clearly going to hell in a hand basket, while others are quite content with their lives as they are living now. Most would agree that life isn’t perfect, but the latter might not be that concerned.

Is your life going too well? When our lives are going well, and things seem to be going as planned, we might find ourselves thinking we are doing ok. We’ve got a good family, we’re kind to others most of the time, and we even give some money to charity. Why would I need a rescuer?

Only the weak need a rescuer

I never dreamt of being saved by a knight on a white horse (or one in shining armor either). I don’t think I considered myself weak or in need of rescue. I wasn’t in need of rescue from actual dragons or warlords or even a mean stepmother. I grew up in a loving home, my parents are good people, and we even went to church every Sunday. My life was pretty sorted. Why would I need a rescuer?

I need a rescuer
Even if I don’t need a rescuer in my day-to-day life, and it seems like all is going well. I am still living in a world of sin, hate and destruction. I am sinful. I haven’t always done what was right. I’m not always nice to my husband and children, the very people I claim to love most, much less the woman who is rude to my son or says mean things about someone I love. I don’t want to do good. I want to lash out – get even. Not all the time, but sometimes my sinful nature just comes out. We’re all sinful. Sin means to miss the mark. So unless you’re perfect, you’re a sinner too.

The wages of sin are death
Why do people die? Because this world is full of sin or imperfections. Because of sin and imperfections our bodies don’t always work the way they were designed. Sometimes greed causes some to kill to get what the other has, but for most of us it just has us wishing them dead. The truth is all of us die. We can’t avoid it completely. And that’s because of sin.

My God is my knight in shining armor
In the verses above, we can see God’s plan for us, “He died for our sins just as God our father had planned, and rescued us from this evil world in which we live.” He planned to rescue us from death. Because of Jesus, we no longer have to fear death, because we have the promise of eternal life with Him.

Who is your knight in shining armor?

 
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Posted by on April 19, 2012 in My God is my rescuer

 

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My God is…My Comforter 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Who comforts us in all our troubles© Willie B. Thomas

I can be overprotective. Not in the sense that I don’t let my boys do anything. In fact in some ways I’m way more permissive than some parents. My boys are free to ride their bikes downtown, crossing the highway. They are able to stay home alone for long periods of time, but there are things that make me crazy.

If I am around and my boys are doing anything dangerous at all I get nervous. You know, dangerous things like; riding their bikes, playing football, walking on a ledge, exploring, hiking, climbing at a playground, or basically anything else that they could get injured in any way. Pretty much everything more than breathing makes my heart race a bit. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps it’s the fact that I’m very uncoordinated myself, and I know the likely hood of me getting hurt doing any of those things is high. My solution to my crazy over protectiveness? I send my husband.

This isn’t a new phenomenon. When I was a teacher, there was nothing I hated more than recess duty. I was nervous the whole time. Eventually another teacher (mother of 9) and I came to an agreement that I would do lunch duty, and she would take recess duty. Problem solved.

Outdoor school

So this brings us to this morning. I awoke at 4:30 am, anxious about my boys leaving for outdoor school this week. I thought about all of the things that could go wrong. Will they get along with the other kids, will they be safe, etc. I began to pray to God for comfort. I decided I needed a verse to focus on as I prayed, and I found the one above. I realized that I need to be comforted by God so that I can help my boys be comfortable with the situation.

So that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God

Many things in life seem uncomfortable. Like we may never have comfort again. Perhaps you’ve had a miscarriage, a child die, an illness, divorce, abandonment, or heart-break. When we’re going through these things it seems we might never recover. If we’re fortunate, the Lord will provide someone to walk along side us who has already experienced these troubling times. In time most of us do find comfort from the Lord. In fact true comfort only comes from the Lord. Our hope of everlasting life through Jesus Christ is often the comfort we need to help us to know that all things on this earth are temporary, but God’s love is forever. Let us not forget where we’ve come from, the challenges we’ve faced. The Lord has provided us comfort through those times so that we can comfort others.

How are you being called to comfort someone?

 
 

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My God is…My Encourager Romans 15:5-6

Romans 15:5-6  May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One of those days

God’s encouragement allows us to encourage others.

Yesterday was one of those days. I was down. I had an earache, and my stomach wasn’t acting right either. I also was feeling a little down about something that had happened on Tuesday. So I laid on the couch all day, feeling sorry for myself, so much so I posted how I was feeling on my Facebook page. What followed surprised me. I was encouraged. Many of my friends and family built me up with prayers and scriptures.

The God who gives endurance and encouragement

Thank God for all He has done in the lives of all those who commented, because they were living out the verse above. They allowed the encouragement they found through scripture and the Holy Spirit to give them the same attitude towards me. Now today, I can glorify my Lord. Having been encouraged and refreshed by the scriptures and encouragement I received through those wonderful friends who wrote on my Facebook page and gave me phone calls.

Facebook as a tool for Christ

Now there are many who say that Facebook is a waste of time, and there are certainly times when that is true, but I believe all things can be used for the Glory of God. The way so many family and friends encouraged me from a far is an amazing thing that would not have been possible years ago. I wouldn’t have spoken up in my pity party, and perhaps that pity party would have escalated into true sadness. But because of how I was encouraged, I am able to listen to the encouragement from the scripture and Holy Spirit and move forward. Now I have the opportunity to reflect that love and encouragement to the people in my life, and to point to the one who has blessed me beyond all measure and given me amazing family and friends.

Who encourages you? Who do you encourage?

 
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Posted by on April 12, 2012 in My God is My Encourager

 

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My God is…Supreme Colossians 1:15-18

Colossians 1:15-18 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation

What does it mean to be the image of something? People say it about children sometimes, “She is the spitting image of her mother”. I always thought that was an interesting concept. That the child is so similar to its parents that it is as if they had been spit out of the mouth of that parent. Now this verse doesn’t say that Jesus is the spitting image, but it does say that He is the image of the invisible God. I don’t know about you, but I’m a visual person. It’s really helpful to me to know and see representations (no matter how flawed) of my Lord. I guess I’m a bit like Thomas. Blessed are those who do not see but yet they believe. (John 20:29)

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together

What an amazing phrase – in Him all things hold together. Isn’t that the truth. It is for me. When I’m down or things in my life seem to be out of control, I start an assessment process. I like to try to dissect the problem to see what I can do about it. Without a doubt, one of the first things I realize is that I’m usually not spending much time with my Lord. I’m distracted by the day-to-day junk in my life, and haven’t kept my eyes on Him. When things are being held together, I can be sure I’ve been pulling away from God. The same is true in my marriage. With God at the center, we’re able to keep our priorities straight, but when we I start to think about myself more than my husband or Christ Jesus, thinks go all catawampus, out of line. But when Jesus is the focus of my attention, my life and my marriage are held together. He is the glue holding the pieces of this broken world together.

So that in everything he might have the supremacy

Have you ever gotten a new boss? If they didn’t have the experience or knowledge you thought they should have, wasn’t it hard to respect them? Perhaps you know someone who got a promotion that seemed out of line. You were sure you (or someone else) was more qualified. In the verses above, we’re shown clearly why Jesus is the right man for the job. Why did it have to be Jesus, because it didn’t have to be Jesus. He was supreme. He was above everything else. That’s why Lent and Easter are so amazing. He didn’t have to sacrifice Himself. He was set apart as more important than anyone else. He’s God. But He didn’t let his rank, position or supremacy get in the way of what needed to be done, but on the contrary, because He was Supreme, He was the only one who clearly didn’t deserve that punishment on the cross. He could have avoided it, but because He loved you, and because He loved me, He put aside his position and gave up His life so we could go to heaven.

What is supreme in your life?

 
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Posted by on April 10, 2012 in My God is Supreme

 

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My God is…A Seal Ephesians 1:13

Ephesians 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

You were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit 

The promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession

I love sealed envelopes. Not just one that has been licked shut, but one with an actual wax seal on it. The seal shows the recipient that they are important to them, and says that what is inside is truly their words. When you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away your sins, your heart is then sealed, like a precious love letter. It is sealed so that all may know that your heart is God’s. That your heart is now given over to the truth of our salvation.

The promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance

When I was a kid, my mom drank a lot of diet soda. The soda generally came in glass bottles, six packs. We would buy a ton of six packs. We even had a bottle opener in our pantry attached to the wall to make it easier for us to open the sodas.

Every time we went to the grocery store, we would load the car up with our empty bottles. That’s because we had paid a deposit on the bottles. When we brought the bottles back, we would put the bottles in a big bin with all the other bottles people had brought in. The cashier gave us a slip of paper that would get us back the money we gave as a deposit.

When we believe in Jesus, we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit, and when we are returned, like soda bottles to the store, to God the Father (through our death or Jesus return), the presence of the seal of the Holy Spirit will ensure that we are given the inheritance that Jesus Christ won for us on the cross. We have been redeemed, bought back. He paid for it, and instead of keeping the rewards for Himself, Jesus shared his reward with us, that we might spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Praise God! We are given a guarantee that the deposit of the Holy Spirit will ensure that we are redeemed.

Deposit: to place especially for safekeeping or as a pledge;especially : to put in a bank

If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, the Lord has put the Holy Spirit in you as a pledge. He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6). Acting as a Seal, the Holy Spirit marks you as one redeemed by Jesus Christ. Imagine the devil and his minions seeing that seal and knowing their work is in vain. Do they stop trying? No, because they want nothing more than to pull you away from Christ. But the seal shows them their work is in vain. Believe and receive the Seal, the Holy Spirit.

 
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Posted by on April 5, 2012 in My God is a Seal

 

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My God is…Obedient Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2: 5-11 

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; Doing What's Right
rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage

First of all let’s get one thing out-of-the-way. I believe in the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There for when I say, “My God is Obedient”, I am speaking about Jesus and especially from the verses above. Jesus is God. He could have come down to earth like the alien in “The day the Earth stood still”.  Ready to destroy the earth for any evils they did towards Him.

He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

But in the verses above we see that Jesus didn’t come to suppress us with His almighty power, but instead humbled Himself and became like us. He had to go through everything we’ve gone through, in fact, much worse. Imagine how it must have felt to know you could destroy anyone who was giving you grief. You could demand they bring you gifts, treasures and bow to you, and giving all that up, because that wouldn’t save them from their horrible fate.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

My God, Jesus, became man, a very humbling experience. Because He took on the appearance as a man, He submitted himself to God the father and obeyed Him, just as we are called to obey our God. He was so obedient He didn’t even pull Himself off the cross, or stop the beatings, or shut the mouths of those who ridiculed Him. Instead He did the Father’s will so you and I might be able to go to heaven and spend eternity with Him.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus

In the passage above from Philippians 2, we’re called to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Then it goes on to show us what that looks like, a servant, humble and obedient. Humbleness isn’t thinking poorly about yourself, or doubting your ability, but instead it is an ability to put others ahead of yourself. To be a servant. And obedience, that’s a challenge for all of us at one time or another.

I find this a real challenge, as I work through my doubts, fears and insecurities. This is something I will work on, humbling myself, obeying the Lord and behaving as a servant.

Lord, help me not to be selfish, self-seeking and self-absorbed. Amen

Are you a Servant? Humble? Obedient?

 
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Posted by on April 2, 2012 in My God is Obedient

 

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My God is…the Alpha and Omega Rev 1:8

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Α and ΩJOY

It’s possible that you’ve heard this phrase before, “I am the Alpha and Omega”, but didn’t know what that was exactly. Alpha and Omega are letters from the Classical Greek alphabet. The Alpha letter comes at the very beginning of the alphabet and Omega comes at the end.

So why did Jesus describe Himself this way?

I believe it was because He was revealing Himself as eternal, with nothing coming before Him or after Him. He reinforces this concept in the second half of verse 8: “Who is, and who was, and who is to come”.

Nothing coming Before or After Him

Jesus may have been describing Himself as eternal, but today it came to my mind that it’s also how I should be thinking of Him in my daily life. When my boys were attending a Christian school in Tucson, they were taught the JOY method – Jesus – Others – Yourself. They were encouraged to put the Lord first, others ahead of themselves, and also to respect themselves. If I think of Jesus first thing when I wake up, and the last thing before I go to bed, I’m well on my way to having a stronger relationship with Him.

What if I take that a step further and each time I make a decision or consciously act while putting God first and last in my thoughts? I wonder how my life would be different. If I could live the JOY method more truthfully, I would guess that my friends and family would start to see more of the fruits of the Spirit presenting themselves in my life.

Are you a believer in the JOY method?

 
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Posted by on March 29, 2012 in My God is the Alpha and Omega

 

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My God is…the Vine John 15:5

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

I am the Vine

I am the Vine; you are the branches

Out here in Oregon, there are a lot of vineyards. It makes for some fantastic wines in the area. Quite a few years ago (the 60’s?) someone figured out that the soil in Western Oregon was good for producing Pinot Noir. Since that time this area has been booming with vineyards.

In the verse above, Jesus compares himself to the vine, and us to the branches. If Jesus is the vine, what was His soil? I think it’s God the Father. Jesus was always making sure his behaviors pointed back to the Father, and always wanted to do His will.

Nutrition is important

How do you get your nutrients? The branches on the vine get all the nutrients they need from the vine. When they’re separated from the vine, they wither and die. What you put into yourself is important. What do you nourish yourself with? Maybe you eat really well, and don’t have any of the struggles with weight and eating that I’ve had, but let’s think of a different kind of nourishment. What are you feeding your soul? Do you listen to the lies of the devil as he tells you you’re not worthy of forgiveness. The truth is we’re not. And that’s ok, because Jesus, our Vine, is, and has taken your place so even if we don’t deserve it, we’re given salvation. Why? Because He wants us to have everlasting life with Him. Because of that amazing love He has for us, we’re able to be changed and grow. He provides everything we need to produce fruit. He changes us. He gives us the nutrients that each of us needs individually. He meets our Spiritual needs.

A bit malnourished

This week I’ve been feeling a bit malnourished. I’ve been focusing on myself. Worrying about something the Lord has proven over and over again that he’ll take care of…Money. Funny thing is, I don’t even know if it’s a problem or not yet. My husband and I still need to let the dust settle and see if we’re able to make a go of it on his salary alone. While I love that idea, I have not been enjoying the possibility. Instead I’ve been worrying about the money. How is it going to stretch? How are we going to pay the bills at the right time. I’m not opposed to working, but would love to find something as flexible as I have had up to now. During all this fretting, I turned to the Lord at every turn. HA! No I didn’t. If I had turned to God every time I was concerned, He would have provided me with comfort and direction, but for some reason, instead I find myself lingering in the problem instead of the solution, Christ Jesus.

A New Diet

So feeling a bit malnourished, because I haven’t “remained in Him”, I need to start on a new diet plan. A plan that refocuses me on my Lord. I need to spend more time with Him through His word and His people. I need to allow the Lord to meet my needs, and not fret. Will that be through a new job opportunity or the opportunity to stay home, I don’t know, but I know that my nourishment will be found in Jesus, so I need to get healthier with Him.

Apart from me you can do nothing.

Instead of continuing to try to cling to my own ways, focusing on the negative, I need to find the blessings from the Lord in my family, His word and the life He has given me. I have big plans for myself. I want to be a writer and speaker, but apart from God I can do nothing. I must trust in Him to give me the strength, sanity and opportunity. Time to spend some time in His word and in prayer.

Are you malnourished?

 

 


 
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Posted by on March 27, 2012 in John, My God is the Vine

 

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