What does "Successful" Mean?

Have you stopped to think about that?  Society tells us, or at least the culture where I grew up says, that successful is based upon how much money you make.  Even where I live currently a decent number of people determine success by their income.  Is that the only way to be successful?  Others define it by being in a specific self marketing company that is growing in the area -- because they claim that company is all about helping others.  What about other professions that help others?  Parents, nurses, doctors, and teachers are just a few others that are all about helping others.  Are these folks not successful? 

What does the Bible say about success?  Biblical success is all about transformation.  The first step to success in God's eyes is accepting the gift that God gave to us, eternal life through His Son, Jesus.  At this point can transformation begin which is accomplished by the Holy Spirit and not by our own accord.  To continue our transformation, we need to obey God.  God does not care how much money we have, what kind of posessions we own, rather He cares about our devotion to Him.  That is how He measures success. 

A great picture from gotquestions.org showing the difference between Biblical success and society's success:

Picture two hands. In the right hand there are the offer of true contentment, the ability to handle life’s problems without being overcome by them, amazing peace that sees us through all circumstances, wisdom to know what to do, knowledge and constant direction for life, love for others, acceptance of ourselves, joy no matter what, and at the end of life, an eternity with the God who freely gives all these gifts. The other hand holds all the money and power and success the world has to offer, without any of what the right hand holds. Which would you choose? The Bible says, “Where your treasure is, there also is your heart” (Matthew 6:21). That which is in the right hand is the biblical definition of success.

Which would you rather?  I would rather success in God's eyes that's for sure. 

Blessings in Christ,

 

Attitudes are Contagious...

"Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?"

That is how a Church sign reads.  It's not a sign I drive by often, but I do pass it on the way to Church.  So when I saw this sign on Sunday, it made me think about my own attitude.

I know lately my attitude has not been worth catching.  Do I think that I always have to be positive?  No.  I believe we are all going to have our bad days, but it's when the good days come few and far between that we need to start thinking about why we have a negative attitude. 

When I feel myself getting a negative attitude, I try to stop and ask myself this question.  Most of the time that is enough to stop it there in the tracks. 

We are supposed to be living for Christ.  Surely being negative all the time does not show Christ's love that He has for us and we are supposed to share with the world...?  But on the otherhand, putting on a fake front that as Christians we are always happy is not a good thing either because that can deter people from "trying" to be a Christian.  We need to remain human, having positive and negative attitudes and anything in between.  It is a matter of how we express our attitudes while we do not bring others down. 

Blessings in Christ,

How Obedient Are You?

I heard a message based off this scripture yesterday morning and wanted to share it with you. 

Genesis 12:1-4 (NKJV)

Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him.  And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Genesis 22:1-3  (NKJV)

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."  Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son ISaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two fo his young men with him, and Issac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him."

How obedient are you?  Are you the type of person who at the first second you have heard God talking to you that you will jump to it or will you wait and see if that voice keeps speaking to you? 

If someone asks you to give up your most valued posession, resource, etc, how do you react?  Do you immediately obey or will you hem and haw over what to do?

Obeying is extremely difficult sometimes.  Sometimes it is even the "unpopular" thing to do based on mainstream society.  But God is not mainstream society.  

Obeying is a difficult thing for me to do generally.  I am a questioning personality.  I like to know reasons behind a decision or an order, but with God that is not always known until later.  I tend to be slower to obey what may be God speaking to me because I second guess myself and wonder if it is God or if it is satan saying the words.  Typically these are situations where I do not find clear guidance on whether it is right or wrong in the Bible.  Those situations are a bit easier for me to respond and obey quickly when I have heard God respond.  This is something I know I need to keep working on.  Isn't that part of why we say "walk in faith"??  We're continuously moving along a path...

Blessings in Christ,

A Bunch of...Random.

I haven't had much inspiration for posts lately.  I started classes at a university three weeks ago and that has pretty much taken over my life.  When all is said and done I will be a high school math teacher, Lord willing. 

This summer has been rather dry, making it hard to keep up with the garden!  At our new apartment we are allowed to have an actual garden!  I say that because the apartment we were at last summer did not allow for that so we had pots on our balcony which turned out to be not very fruitful.  Hopefully the bunnies will leave the rest of our plants alone this summer so we can actually have some produce!  They already ate the leaves from full two rows of green bean plants...

Just a picture of our garden...can you guess where the beans were?!  Hehe.  Hopefully the rest of you are having better luck with your gardens :)

Blessings in Christ,

 

Words from a Child's Mouth

I am in awe at some of the things that come from my 5 year old cousin's mouth sometimes.  Not because they are bad words.  But because of what she seems to know about God even though her mom tries to take God entirely out of the picture.

I do not talk much about God to her, as I've said before, I don't wish to start a family rift.  I have talked to her a little bit about my veil and about why I wear skirts and always have my shoulders covered (as she calls it).

One day while in the waiting room at the doctor's, the little one told her mom Mom, you know what I think?  I think when we talk, God is telling us what to say and we are speaking for Him.  Although not entirely correct because we know there is the devil who comes into play and can cause us to say words, I think it is amazing that she would be able to grasp that concept.  Her mom's response?  No honey, you are in control of your words.  While I understand why it is not a good idea to let a child believe that they have no control over what comes out of their mouths, I do not think taking God completely out of the picture was appropriate either.  But then again, my cousin is not a religious person at all. 

Yesterday she asked to see my shoulders, probably the 10th time in two months, and again I told her no because I keep mine covered all the time.  She asked if it was because I didn't want others to see my body and I said yes.  Her response?  That's good, I know some people like for others to see their body but I don't like when they do that!  She continued to say that she likes to keep covered up too and doesn't like for people to see her body.  I can only hope that she keeps that same thinking as she grows up and experiences more and more peer pressure to fit "the mold".

Then last night on the way home from dinner out, my 5 year old cousin tells her mom how God is a "boy".  Her mom challenges her saying that maybe God is a girl.  The 5 year old contemplates this thought for a minute and proceeds to say, No, God must be a boy because He seems like a boy in the book.  Again, for a 5 year old to process that in half a minute?  I was blown away, good thing her mom couldn't see my face because I was grinning.  So amazed at the knowledge of a child who has not been brought up to know God by her parents. 

I don't have my own children yet, but if God allows that to happen one day, I can only hope that my children will speak so freely of God, allowing adults to be amazed at their knowledge and faith in the Lord.

Blessings in Christ,

 

Headcovering in the News

I was searching the internet for new links to add for headcoverings and modest dress and came across this USA Today article from 2006!  I got so excited!!  Crazy, I know, but it is exciting to me to come across an article that discussed Christian "haircovering".  The article did not focus on sects that normally cover, but rather mainline Christians who are choosing to cover and wear more modest clothing. 

This was written in 2006!!  Back in 2006 I hadn't even heard about headcovering except for what I had seen in Amish settlements but I had absolutely no clue why they wore it. 

Here's the story for anyone who would like to read it.  Rather simple article, but I was still happy to see it. 

Blessings in Christ,

 

My Biggest Struggle as a Christian

I've been thinking lately about what my biggest struggle as a Christian is.  As basic as this sounds, I figure it might be forgiving others as well as myself.  It is nothing I am proud of by any means, but I think the first step to correcting the issue is recognizing what the issue actually is. 

I don't know that scritpure states we must forgive ourself, or maybe allow ourselves to be forgiven, but I think that if we don't forgive ourselves we can not truly forgive others or allow God to have complete control over our lives. 

There are so many things that I have done wrong in my life, some I have forgiven myself for and allowed myself to be forgiven for as well as learned the lesson and moved on.  There are many that I still need to allow myself to be forgiven for as well. 

I have many people whom I need to forgive.  It seems that as soon as I think I have truly forgiven the person for whatever it may have been but then the scene comes up again and I need to start all over again.  Sometimes it gets quite frustrating.  I feel that I take one step forward and two steps back at many times. 

There are quite a few people whom I need to ask forgiveness from.  That is not something I am good at, I was not taught to ask for forgiveness.  I was taught to apologize, but not to ask for forgiveness.  It is something of a relatively new concept to me that I am still trying to get myself in the habit of doing.  Although I am sure it will come with time. 

I know everyone has their struggles, but sometimes it's hard to remember that I'm not alone.  That others have struggles as well, no matter how well they can hide them, and that God is always with me, guiding me and teaching me what it is He has for me to learn.

Blessings in Christ,