365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...BYE BYE AUGUST!

It is hard to believe that today is the very last day of August...wow...it went so fast! Maybe because I have been so busy with my 2 deadlines I have barely come up for air since the 2nd week of August. God did some really amazing things for me this month. Most of all He showed me how to encourage myself and push myself to go way past my COMFORT zone. If I had not stepped out of my COMFORT zone I never would have known what I am capable of. I have faith but God pushed me to have even more faith. It is easy to have faith when all is going well...it is so much more of a effort to walk in faith when challenges come. God showed me things I needed to see and taught me things I needed to learn. I look forward to September and what will be revealed to me then. I have always said I never, ever want to stop learning something new. Little did I know...you never do...smiles.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS ALMOST GONE!

Yesterday I felt like I was under attack. Doing the right thing will always COST you something. Sometimes it will COST you friends, or a job, or higher position, or even family. Yesterday the enemy was trying his best to COST me my peace of mind. I have said before, he studies us enough to know how to try and shake our foundation. I say try because my house is built on solid rock! (Matthew 7:24) Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. (NLT) Heat nor bugs nor outside reptiles are going to change one thing...no matter what the COST! God has been too good to me to ever consider turning back now. The more I learn, the more I am held accountable for. Praise God!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME ...AUGUST IS ALMOST GONE!

HOME never looked so good! A busy week makes me appreciate HOME even more. HOME sweet HOME. I don't even mind that there is a forecast for rain every afternoon for the next 5-6 days. HOME never looked so good. God answered one of my unspoken prayers today...it was a tiny passing prayer and I praise God He heard me and showed me favor. With my Lord and Savior's help I accomplished so much this week. I did what I thought was impossible a week ago. With God...all things are possible! 

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS ALMOST GONE!

God has been so good to me lately that I asked Him how would I ever explain it to anyone. I have tried before during different times in my life only to have people look at me a bit strange. Many Christians, including myself, before my One Word Journey and countless Bible studies, do not realize the POWER we have in our WORDS! I am learning praise God! Also it is conformation of something God told me a while ago. Seeing it come to pass is supernatural. I praise God for His grace and mercy and blessings. 

I won't be posting a graphic tonight or possibly the next few days. It stresses the laptop and only God is keeping it going.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS WINDING DOWN!

If you have noticed, lately I have been adding graphics after each post. I have always used the graphics to ENCOURAGE myself and thought they might ENCOURAGE and inspire the faithful readers of my blog posts. I hope you are taking this journey with me by taking your own one word journey as well. I have posted a lot about faith over these past few months and even when you feel like you have faith...something will come along to test that faith. That is why I always have to, and need to ENCOURAGE myself. Everything we go through, every test and trial no matter how big, no matter how small, no matter how insignificant it seems...it is always to teach us something. Therefore I am always looking for the lesson. Sometimes I see it, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I see it, but don't yet understand it. I know that I will, if not today, or tomorrow, I will one day. God bless you all.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS WINDING DOWN!

I was so blessed last night to be able to spend some much needed personal time with God. Of course today there were hurtles to overcome but that's okay. I did...I realize satan really does study us and knows us well. He also uses the same tactics over and over again. It is great to know he is already defeated. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Today I started reading about going DEEPER in God...last night...I experienced going DEEPER in God! I am learning and growing by faith...one step...one word at a time. This is the 8th month already...now I feel I have so little time to go DEEPER and DEEPER. I remember during the first couple months, 300+ days felt like an eternity. December may be far in the distance but now I can  see it...like a giant billboard with Jesus standing right there in front of it with open arms telling me...I Can Do It!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS WINDING DOWN!

So many computer issues today...its limping to the finish line...smiles. God is good...I have faith that one day I will be able to replace it. USPS failure again today...sigh. The nice thing though...it was a beautiful day outside. I can't say that I am a fan of paprika...I think of it as stuffed egg decor...yes I do, but I have made a new discovery...smoked paprika! My new best friend. When you don't have an appetite the only way to go is with some kind of different taste. This worked very very well. When I was at university I did a project on FOOD efficiency, FOOD inefficiencies, FOOD deserts and all that. I learned a lot. Although the government and even local governments try and regulate what people can and can not eat I feel whats's the point when 1/3 the people buy and eat unhealthy FOOD because it is all they can afford, and the other 1/3 buy and eat unhealthy FOOD because they can, and the last 1/3 gets to make a choice either or. I refuse to eat unhealthy FOOD although I feel as if I am almost being forced to do so to survive. Wages and income doesn't go up, but every thing else goes up while at the same time all the packages, even the cans are shrinking and the prices on FOOD is escalating. I have to depend on God, if He feeds the birds and everything else I know that He will feed me. There are times I feel like I will be prepared when there is a FOOD deficit in America and there will be. Just look at the shelves and see that things like lettuce took a hit with the drought in some places and floods in others. I will happily eat manna if it ever came to that...smiles. Spices are great but you can not eat spices alone and they are expensive. Salt is cheap so people use a lot of salt. I don't use it because there is was too much sodium in our FOOD already. By December 31 it will be over one year since I decided to really focus on healthy eating and whoever said its just as easy to buy healthy FOOD as it is to buy unhealthy FOOD...lied...or they were terribly misguided. I am grateful for any FOOD that I have. If you only knew...smiles.  Stay blessed and eat well.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS WINDING DOWN!

Yesterday I mentioned I was looking for a large print Bible. The one I had planned to buy was at Walmart. Guess what? That particular Walmart took all the Bibles, Christian books and literature out of the store. God is not going away no matter how hard people try. I am very disappointed but...I will keep looking. 

Today I have the hope that God has better PLANS for me than the PLANS I have for myself. I believe that by faith.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS WINDING DOWN!

If you have never read the book of REVELATION in the Bible, maybe you should. I started reading it again, but got sidetracked by small print. I had my eyes on one with larger print...God forbid...smiles, but the one I had chosen wasn't there anymore. More on that another time. For those who believe there is no God or that the Bible is just a great story...if you only read REVELATION you will realize time is winding down. Doesn't matter if Jesus does not return for 500 more years...time is passing so quickly that it will feel like 50. Every time I blink it is Friday again. Often it feels like the 5 day week is flying by quicker than the 2 day weekend. A few years ago I thought it was my imagination but now I can tell that its not. But back to the Bible and REVELATION. When I was young I looked at it as a scary book to be avoided. Then I started it but didn't finish it. It was not until the church I attended at the time did an extensive study on it, did I learn the depth of REVELATION. For those of us who are followers of Christ, it is a book of hope. We do not know what the future holds but our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Alpha and the Omega...the beginning and the end...knows. God gave us insight of the future to give us hope...for us...death is not the end but the beginning of a "life" more amazing than we ever could have imagined. Of course those who don't know Him will have an eternal life as well, sadly it will be way too late to have a change of heart. Did you know the Bible says there is a special blessing on those who read REVELATION? If you haven't read REVELATION do it as soon as you are able to set time aside for a few days until you finish it. I watch the news daily, often too much. There is so much grief and disaster all over the world, that it can be  disheartening but by faith I already know there is a happy ending. I will reread REVELATION again before December 31st by God's grace. I want that blessing to be a part of my journey. Stay blessed!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS HALFWAY GONE!

Of course today I had postman failure. I really wanted to laugh. It amazes me how PEOPLE want a job but they can be so incompetent at doing that job. This too shall pass...either they will get better or I will give up on that. Today was still a blessed day in spite of. I am still trying to find balance in my life. I seem to only be able to give my all to one thing at a time. Maybe that is best. I was the queen of multitasking. Now maybe God wants me to focus more...smiles. This morning I learned many things during the Bible study but one thing that stood out most was becoming caught up with PEOPLE who may not be good for us. Love God, Love Myself, Love PEOPLE...but don't let them suck the life out of you. I had been praying concerning that and today it was taken care of for me...I can only attribute that to God. I am happy He answered my prayer. 

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS HALFWAY GONE!

Time really goes fast...kids grow up...our parents grow old...and most of us at a certain time in life begin to REFLECT. We REFLECT on the past, often way to much, we REFLECT on the future, again way too much if we are worrying. And we also REFLECT on the here and now. I try not to dwell in or on the past. The future isn't promised but I have faith and look to it with hope. Right now is what I have and I am going to enjoy it. I want to believe that the rest of my life will be the best of my life. Our time on earth is just a flash in the pan...my "Life" is for all eternity. These are the things I want to reflect on. I do miss my children as babies though...smiles. REFLECT on what so ever things are good.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS HALFWAY GONE!

A couple days ago I once again requested a package pickup with the USPS. It did not go well at all the first time, but we won't go into that. I did think I would once again have to deliver it myself. You would have to know my local post office to understand my dilemma. I have read the reviews that call it the worst Post Office ever...their words not mine. I have learned not to deal with them. I travel to one farther away where everything runs smoothly and they are sweet as pie. I was praying for the postal worker to show but it was getting late. I even thought I had heard the truck early in the day and was trying to hang onto hope I didn't get skipped. Still I said a prayer with 10 minutes until they officially didn't pick up. 20 minutes later I heard a knock and it was my postal worker. He even apologized for the fact that he had forgotten the last pickup. I told him God bless you...and I meant it. I had not worried, although I was making preparation to take it myself the next morning. Best of all I had not gotten upset or lost my peace. Yes that particular Post Office still has its issues but like I had told myself before, not all the workers are grump and inefficient. We never know what someone may have on their mind or how much they need their job. I was just happy he told the truth this time. So again I say God bless the postal worker and the USPS. 

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS HALFWAY GONE!

Last night I FAILED the "Love thy neighbor" test. I tried I really did...but a 2 year old running...oops...stomping around above your head sounding like he weighs as much as a 10 year old is not a good thing. Especially since I could not sleep to begin with and had just dropped off. Jerked awake by stomping, I tried to have patience, understanding, and I even prayed a desperate prayer. It didn't work and I eventually caved and got angry. I did draw the line at going ballistic though...smiles. Of course you know what this mornings Bible study teaching was about...anger, gossip, strife, etc. all being a sin. Of course I knew that. I didn't deny what I was feeling but I did repent before I went to sleep finally and again this morning. Part of it is the enemy knows just how to push our buttons and everything else he tried yesterday didn't work so he pulled out his trump card...and of course...it worked. The other thing is God will test us again...just to make sure we get it right every time. Although I may have FAILED, I am not a failure. I know I will have other opportunities to take this test again. Maybe even tonight since my neighbor got up at 11.45 am and I woke up at 6.15 am after about 5 hours of sleep. Sure proves that life is not fair...smiles. Tonight I will do better...much better...even if I have to go back to sleeping with headphones in my ears again. On to more of life's lessons. I pray I don't have to stamp too many more FAILED...in Jesus Name Amen!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS HALFWAY GONE!

The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the Heaven to give the rain unto thy land in His season, and to bless all the work of thy hand...Deuteronomy 28:12. I am declaring that my HANDS are blessed! All that I set my HANDS to will be blessed! God blessed me today and although it changed my plans, it is a blessing for the future. I took that first step a couple days ago and God blessed me he met me on my path. I praise God for that. I also passed a test today...a life test and I am praising God for that as well. There was a time I would let what someone else said bother me...not this time. I did so well that when this person was supposed to get in touch with me later...they didn't even bother. Like I learned last week...sometimes you just have to be quiet and don't give your opinion unless asked. Really I wanted to laugh when I realized that person was going around the same mountain again...but alone this time...smiles. Praise God!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...AUGUST IS HALFWAY GONE!

People today are DEDICATED to so many things. Listening to a news report today...again...smiles. I heard about hundreds of Christians who were executed because of their belief. It made me think how DEDICATED are we to our faith? Are we willing to die for our beliefs? Two days ago when I was reflecting about just such a thing, I asked questioned God about what would be best...to pretend conversion which I felt was not giving up my beliefs but merely lying to stay alive. It has been done during different terror attacks such as the one in East Africa. Or is it better to be steadfast? Yesterday while reflecting on this issue once again two things came to mind. One...if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything, and two the Steven King film "The Stand." This morning before I saw the news report I felt God speak to my spirit, (after I said to Him...nothing would make me deny Jesus), For whosoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whosoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35) It was then I realized any pain in death will only be for a moment because we who are in Christ shall live again! That scripture was so important that almost word for word it was repeated in Matthew 16:25, Matthew 10:39, and Luke 9:24. Seeing the news report this evening was just conformation. Those individuals who gave their lives exhibited DEDICATION to their faith and belief in Jesus. I do not want to be DEDICATED to anything in this world. God help me to be strong. May God bless you and keep us all in Jesus Name Amen!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MIDWAY THROUGH AUGUST!

If I have not learned anything else on my One Word JOURNEY, (which I have learned this and a whole lot more), is to set my mind and keep it set! I am midway through the 8th month of the year! Wow who knew I would still be putting on foot in front of the other. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes...

 

There may have been 365 steps when I started my JOURNEY but my JOURNEY began when I took that very first step on January 1, 2014

It would be very easy to kick back and relax...this JOURNEY is over half way completed...but no, that would defeat the purpose of all I have learned. Take nothing for granted...there are still rocks in the road and I really do not want to stumble. My JOURNEY is way too important. If it wasn't God would never have sent me off on my quest...one step at a time. Make no mistake though...although some days my JOURNEY is lighthearted and fun...my JOURNEY is all about Jesus! This must be a JOURNEY on the narrow path indeed because there are not a lot of people walking in this same direction. Perhaps like me, they are on their own path. The path God chose especially for each of us...it is tailor made. Begin your JOURNEY...all you have to do is take the first step. Whatever your JOURNEY entails God will give you the power, the stamina, and the provision. Stay blessed!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MIDWAY THROUGH AUGUST!

Wow am I tired....I had a very productive day. Now I just need to keep it up for the next 5 days. God help me! Tonight I am keeping this short. I just wanted to make sure I came to sprinkle blessings upon you and so that I can be consistent. I am learning so much on my One Word Journey that I think my brain deserves a REST. I have even taken a break for a week from a few things that I love. I even need to catch up on today's workout. Tonight I will REST and Lord willing I will be back tomorrow full of vim and vigor in Jesus name. Sleep well, REST well. 

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...WELCOME TO AUGUST!

Today was a perfect day. A great day for a long walk, hot but bearable, with a light breeze. I learned a lot in Bible Study today about not speaking negatively. Yes I have studied this before but there is always more to learn on what to do and what not to do with my mouth. Today we focused mainly on being BLESSED. We are to declare we are BLESSED...my children are BLESSED, my family is BLESSED...I am BLESSED when I go out, I am BLESSED when I come in. We are to bless the people we meet along the way. (Numbers 6:22-27) I am supposed to speak this daily so tomorrow will be BLESSED in advance...smiles. 

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...WELCOME TO AUGUST!

I was watching the news today and saw a report that someone who is part of the American Humanist Association is protesting a children's football teams practice of PRAYING before every football game. Why does it only take one person to get rid of something good and 10,000 signatures to get rid of something bad? With all the bad things going on in this world...any PRAYING should be a good sign. It gives us hope. In the natural...it scares me that there are people on a mission to "try" and eradicate God. In the spiritual...I know time is winding down. There are many people who, unfortunate for them, are the type we have to just dust off our feet and move on to the next person. I am never going to stop PRAYING and it seems everyday I must pray more. I don't want to just watch the news...by Gods grace I am always PRAYING for people and situations I see on those reports. After all...where 2 or 3 are gathered....God is there in the midst of them. Being an atheist is a choice people make. I can tell you, you will never ever get rid of God no matter how hard you try and people are never going to stop PRAYING.  You are beating a dead horse. In the mean time...the Believers will keep PRAYING for those who don't believe. Just remember believing in nothing is still believing in something.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...WELCOME TO AUGUST!

Today was a lazy day...but very relaxing and peaceful. It was also a day of REFLECTION. I can't help but think about Robin Williams. There are over 1,000 people in Georgia alone who commit suicide. That is way too many. I once heard that a depressed Christian is an oxymoron. Its not...believe me. If you know someone who suffers with depression, reach out to them. Even if its just a hug, a hand shake, or hold their hand.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...WELCOME TO AUGUST!

I was very saddened today to hear about the death of Robin Williams, especially if it really turns out to be a suicide. I could not help but think back to when my husband died by taking his own life. It was a horrible experience and my heart grieves for Robin's children and his wife. It is tragic when I think of how satan deceives people. Depression is horrible and it doesn't care how rich or poor you are. Satan wants us to lose all HOPE...that is why no matter how bad I feel I try to start each day as a clean slate. I have to have HOPE...without it...all is lost.  When people commit crimes it is not always because they have malice in their hearts, often it is because they have lost all HOPE. They don't see a way over or around or through their problems. I am not condoning their actions however God commands that we don't judge and that we love the sinner and hate their sin. That is almost impossible if we don't consider the reasons for a persons actions. I pray God will console Robin William's family. Whatever you do don't ever lose HOPE...there is always HOPE.