What is your Christmas Wish?

If you could have one wish this Christmas what would it be? A new car, a new home, a NEW LIFE, maybe???? They always say be careful what you wish for. I just finishing watching a Christmas movie called "A Christmas Wish" I think was the name of it. It was a good movie. It was about a very busy woman who was climbing her way up the corporate ladder in her corporate world and totally forgetting about the family she had at home. In nutshell she told Santa her she wished for another woman's life and bingo it happened. In order to get her old life back she had to figure out what was more important her career or her family. Of course in the end she figured out it was her family and got her old life back. However, this movie made me stop think......

In this day and time I see so many of us (myself included) who spend so much of our time running around trying to climb that corporate ladder and leaving the most important thing behind.....FAMILY....I thank God, he got my attention and I have burned my corporate ladder and I am not pursuing the life God has in store for me. But there are so many others out there, men and women a like who put themselves first before God and family and it is destroying marriages and families. This time of the year is worse....because this time of year everyone is so stressed out over finding the time for everything.....Shopping, Corporate Holiday Parties, School Parties and Plays, Friends Parties and giving the most expensive gifts money can buy or giving those kids exactly what they want for Christmas in hopes it will make up for lost time over the past year. You know nothing can make up for lost time until you lose those precious few moments you spent with your loved ones. I have heard in the corporate world "Time is Money", well maybe to the corporate cold hearted Godless people, but in God's World Time is NOT Money....Time is all we have to share with family and friends and to spread the word of God.

Are you willing to give up all that you have to spend time with God and to live the life he has in store for you and spend time with family? Are you willing to allow your family to suffer while "YOU" better "YOURSELF"? That is that "ME" syndrome everyone falls into, including Christians and Pastors. We get so caught up in our own lives and our own careers (jobs) we forget about God and our Family. I was taught this is the order it is suppose to be #1 God First, #2 Family Second, #3 Me last, but it seems a lot of people have reversed that order, I see this order:  ME FIRST! ME FIRST! ME FIRST! then family and then God or God then Family, but it is always that "ME FIRST" syndrome that everyone gets into. Someday you are going to wake up and that is all that is left of your life is "YOU", there will be no family and No God. Then what?????? You sit around like a spoiled child crying you want it all back, but you can't have it all back until you get the order right. Although the movie didn't have God as the #1 priority at least it showed family should always come before "ME".

The past week has been really difficult as a member of our family is not with us right now, due to a long legal story, but between what my family and I are going through and this movie, I really understand the order and I am thankful God uses situations no matter how bad they seem to get us back on track, to slow us down. The last 20 years I have spent tyring to get ahead and make something of myself and my life.....missing out on my kids lives and not spending as much time with as I should have or could have. Fortunately God slowly pulled me away from the fast pace of my life and opened my eyes to what I was doing and where I was headed. Almost like the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Future story. I am thankful God has shown me even this year I had gotten so involved with just volunteering that I was going back to my old ways. But now I see even that can make me so busy I miss out on so much. I understand a lot of families both parents have to work in order to survive but you don't have to overwork God will provide for you...He has shown me that this year.

If I had one wish for Christmas that would be that God would take everyone and open their eyes to the kind of life they are living right now and show them just what they have missed out on, are missing out on and will miss out on if they continue with this 24/7 lifestyle. We can't continue to go live like the city of New York and Las Vegas and Hollywood wants us to live....on the go 24/7 with no sleep or very little sleep and forgetting about what is most important to us......Family and Family begins with God.

Think about your Christmas Wish......What would it be?

What Does Christmas Mean?

Christmas means---The Importance of Christ.

It is not just about finding and giving that perfect gift or running around stressing yourself out over how much money you spent on gifts or did you get everyone exactly what they wanted. This is not what Christmas is about, all though it seems that way. Christmas has become so commercialized over the years, we go from July4th straight to Christmas bypassing Halloween and Thanksgiving. Christmas Season comes earlier and earlier every year. We have lost sight of the real meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is about the Perfect Gift that was given to all of us so we may have eternal life with our Father who is in heaven. Christmas is about the importance of Christs Birth, for with out it we would not have open communication with God the Father and we would not have the ability to spend eternal life with them in heaven. Jesus came down to earth and became a human to restore the relationship God so desired with the people he created in his image....US! IF not for God giving us this great and perfect Gift we would not have the fellowship we have today with God.

We need to take the time during this season of our life and reflect on Jesus Birth and what it really means. It was the greatest gift ever, the perfect gift one that can never be duplicated but only passed on to everyone and every generation. IF you are looking for that perfect gift look no further than Jesus Christ and share the story of his birth with everyone you know and meet. We need to be giving of ourselves from our heart not our pocket book. God gave from his heart not his wallet!

If you think you have nothing to give this Christmas you are wrong! You have yourself and the sharing of the Perfect gift you many many many years ago.  Don't get caught up in the hype of Christmas, get caught up in the "REAL REASON FOR THE SEASON......The BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR!" Now get out there and start giving!

God Revealed His Plan for My Life.....

Okay I am sharing what God revealed to me. When I was 20 I had gone on a woman's advance with the ladies of my church. I was told in a prophetic word I would be known as Anna. I read about Anna & thought she was a prayer warrior all these years I thought my ministry or calling was to be an intercessor. Until Last night when do research for Dec Bible Study. I read the entire passage and foot notes in my bible and found it she was an elder and told everyone about God and The baby Jesus. I learned she was a prophet ...and that had a different meaning from what I had learned in the past and what I thought a prophet was. I became an ordained Pastor this time last year. I knew last year God wanted me to become a Pastor/Teacher. I always liked teaching so I thought nothing of it till this year when I read about Anna again in Luke Chap 2....with a new understanding and footnotes from my bible. I understood why every-time I called out to God he would save me from my situations. I had cold chills all over me every time I reread the scripture and thought about what all God has done for me, where I have come from and through. I had been ???? my decision to be a Pastor the past few days and all that doubt and unsureness left. I know now what God had planned for my life...I know I still don't have all the details and I know as I continue my walk God will reveal to me how to use my ministry. For now I know all all the social medias I use online is getting the word out about him, and I am learning more and more each day about God. I encourage everyone to continue on and keep seeking God for the plan he has for them.

Thanksgiving.....The Forgotten Holiday

Thanksgiving is giving of thanks, a means of expressing, thanks.

Thank-- acknowledge, appreciate, recognize.

Give---to present impart, and convey.

Thanksgiving---an act of expressing gratitude.

Holiday---celebration.

            As you can see above the words: thank, give and holiday express a celebration of giving thanks. This has become such a lost art and a lost holiday. It is stuck between July 4^th, Halloween and Christmas. The only reason I mention Halloween is because everyone still decorates for and celebrates Halloween. However it seems we go from July 4^th straight to Christmas with Halloween somewhere in the middle but we always forget about that one special day that was set aside to give thanks. The first year the pilgrims were in the new country and realized they made through the first year of hardships they threw a huge celebration and gave thanks. We have lost that concept all together. For those who do celebrate Thanksgiving it is about all the food, family and friends.

            We are commanded to give thanks in all things, however, it is good to set aside one day every year to sit back and look at all we have walked through all that God has brought us through. If it were not for God and his Grace you wouldn’t be here and there are a lot of us that can honestly say that. So why do just totally skip setting a side a day to totally give Thanks to God for everything he has done for us and will do for us. I encourage you as you sit down to your huge Thanksgiving feast with family and friends, you take the time to go around the table and express openly and honestly how thankful you have made through the fires and you are making it through the fires you are currently walking through.

I Thessalonians 5:18 says “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; THANK God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.”

Colossians 6:7 (B) says “And let your living spill over into Thanksgiving.”

Isaiah 41:7 Says, “Urge one another one---Great Job! Great Design!”

I Chronicles 23:30 says, “…..Thank and Praise God…..”

            You may be in the midst of the fire right now and may not feel much like giving Thanks because you feel like there is nothing to be thankful for. You are wrong! Remember the story of Meshech, Shadrach and Abednego, in the midst of the fiery hot furnace they sang and gave Thanks to God above and they walked out of that fire untouched. So will you if you stop and quit complaining about your circumstances and start giving thanks to God for those circumstances. God is with you in the midst of all your fires, all you need to do is give him thanks for being there and bringing you through unharmed.

            We all have a reason to celebrate and give thanks this Thanksgiving so look around you and see all that is good and all that God has done for you and give thanks. Don’t make it just about food and spending time with family, especially family you don’t really like but this is the one time of year you have to be around them. Be thankful that you can be around them. Ask God to show you the good about them.

            

Who is Your Best Friend?

Who is Your Best Friend?

          

            Who is your best friend? Is it God? Did you know it should be? What do you expect from your best friend? What do you and your best friend talk about and do together? Did you know you can talk to God about anything and you can include him in everything you do?

            Most of us don’t realize God is always with us. He watches us eat, sleep, shower, shave, get dressed, drive, work and everything else we do. He is closer than our bestest friend. He wants to be our bestest friend. He wants us to talk to him, tell him everything and if we need to vent, yell, scream, whatever we would do with our best friend he wants us to do that with him too. He is there to listen and offer advice and comfort just like our best friend is. He wants to be invited to that jewelry party you are going to next week. He wants to go to work with you, he wants you to talk to him just like you talk to your husband, your kids, your mom, your dad, your best friend…..you get the picture right?

            God doesn’t care if we get angry as long as we don’t try to get revenge. If we get angry it is okay. If we vent it is okay; remember we were made in his likeness. He gets angry too. We may not hear him get angry but we see his wrath. I used to think oh God is going to be mad at me for getting so angry but I have come to realize he would rather I get angry and get it out than keep it in….keeping it in is a sin and it opens the door wide open for the devil to come in and have his merry little way.

            Most of us think we spending 30 minutes to an hour in prayer is the only way to have a conversation with God, but that is not true; we can talk to him anytime, anywhere. You know if you where to run into me on the street and saw me talking to myself you might think I was crazy, but I am not I am having a conversation with God. He has become my new bestest friend.  So who is your bestest friend in the whole world?


Copyright 2010

Ants Are Like Lost Christians

Ants are like God's Children who have lost their way. 

     Ants looking for food run around in circles and every different directions searching for that one piece of parcel of food. They search and search and search and when they find that one piece of food they grab it and hold on tight. Then they run in a straight line for their home (nest).

     Christains who have lost their way or those who have not found God yet are much the same way. They run around in circles searching for that one thing that will fill the void they feel, quench that hunger. They are searching for God and just don't realize that is who they are searching for and they don't realize he is standing right in front of them. Then one day, they run into the right person who feeds them.....scripture, prayer or a word of encouragement and they take that and run with it. They hold on to it with all their might, hoping not to drop it along the way. It is up to us to keep feeding those (ants) christians and non-christians until they learn to feed themselves. 

    Keep in mind, just like the ant as he is hurrying home with his food, can drop it along the way. The same thing can happen to those we just fed, they can loose that little bit of faith they were holding onto. Good news is just like the ant who picks it up and keeps on going, so can the lost, however, we need to be there to help them. We need to continue cheering on those little ants.....I mean lost souls. 

Send Down the Rain, Lord!

Lord Send Down the Rain!

      Kids love the rain, they love to play in the puddles, run barefoot, float sticks in the streams of water running down the street, and get soaked to the bone. Adults....don't like the rain. We complain when it rains. Why? We loved it as kids what changed? When it rains we run for cover, we hide under umbrellas, rain coats, newspapers, plastic bags whatever we can find to cover ourselves from getting wet. I know most of the time it is because we have to look good for our jobs and that is understandable, but what about on our days off.....what is our excuse then? We either don't leave the house (unless we have too), we stand under the awning or inside the building while our husbands get the car or we wait it out in the store and but what I see most is people ducking their heads (like that is going to keep them from getting wet) and running for the car or the building.
      I have learned I am not going to melt when it rains and so what if my make-up runs and my hair gets wet. I have come to love the rain especially after being caught in some unexpected down pours while out hiking. Yes the rain water is cold and no I didn't have a rain coat with me, but looking back it felt good to walk in the rain and let it pour down my face. Yes people looked at us like we were crazy for walking in the rain with our heads held high.
      The other day I was sitting at Glen Eyrie Castle when it began to rain, I looked at the window and had this sudden urge to be out in the middle of the downpour. I asked God what gives, why this sudden urge to be out in the rain? He replied, "It is refreshing to you. It makes you feel good." After the meeting was over, of course the rain had stopped by then...As I was driving out of "My Heaven" I began to ponder the words "Lord Send Down the Rain."  These are words to a song we used to sing a lot in church. Every time there is a chance of rain I say them over and over...thinking with my head, we need the rain (for the grass, trees and plants) but somewhere in my spirit it has a more spiritual meaning. So again, as I was pondering these words in my head and what God said to me about the refreshment of the rain, I began to realize when it rains in the natural it rains in the spiritual as well.
      When it rains it is symbolic of God pouring his love, grace, mercy, strength and anything else we need on us. That is the reason I have grown to love the rain so much. God can rain his spirit on me anytime he wants to, because it is meant to refresh my spirit, clear my head (just like in the natural the rain clears the air of all the dust and pollution) and my heart and makes everything seem so bright and new (the same as in the natural). When it rains everything is so clear and clean, so you could say the rain cleanses us as well.
       So the next time it rains don't try to run and hide but embrace it. Allow God to use it to cleanse you, refresh you and restore you to your natural beauty. Every time there is a chance of rain we should be crying out "God Send Down The Rain!"


Here are some scriptures to look and read on rain. Let God minister to you about the rain and how it can refresh you.

Deuteronomy 33:13-16
I Samuel 12:18
Job 38:37
Isaiah 55:10-11
Zechariah 8:12 and 10:1
Matthew 5:45

Surprise on the Road.

The other day my husband and I were off on another hiking adventure. This time we were going to hike to "Dorothy Falls"  a beautiful waterfall located in Queen's Canyon on the Glen Eyrie property. We didn't have a lot of time to hike but hoped we would make it to the falls. Unfortunately, we ran out of time, story of your life right?

You are probably wondering where I am going with this, right? Well as always I this blog will be a parable. I think God really likes those. 

We started out on our hike and again this is a path that is traveled, but can only be traveled in the late spring and summer. This path was different from the paths we have taken before, most paths we hike are maintained and easy to identify where the trail is and where it is going, but not this one. This one started out nice, wide and clear of rock at least for a ways it was like that. Then the path became narrow and rocky and hard to follow. As we hiked along we followed the stream up through the canyon, although there were places where the water would just disappear into the rocky bed of the creek and reappear further upstream. We could not figure this one out...but we kept on going. The further into the canyon we hiked the more beautiful, peaceful, and quiet it became, with the exception of the birds chirping here and there and the hum of the hummingbirds. Again we didn't quiet make it to our destinations....the waterfalls and the reservoir up above the falls. When our going up time came to an end we turned around and headed back downstream. Now remember we are hiking in a canyon in the mountains where wildlife is abundant (of all sorts) and this path was full of huge boulders and rocks due to rock slides and the fact it is not well maintained. So as usual on the way down I was just going on my merry way not really thinking about anything but expecting God to speak at some point, but never expecting to hear what I heard.........What did I hear you may ask if it was not God Speaking? 

Well I will tell you........... I heard God Laugh......this was not a chuckle, or a little laugh this was a ROFL a huge roar of laughter, it was almost as if it echoed through the canyon. 

So this is what happened to make God laugh and to inspire to write this blog.....

As we were headed back downstream to the trail head (beginning of the trail), I knew to be aware of my surroundings.....watch for falling rock, rock slides, wild animals and snakes.....Yes I said snakes....Rattle Snakes in particular. Now I was in front just going along minding my own business and kind of paying attention. We were crossing the little stream of water when I went to step from a rock to the bank and there in front of me I saw this thing slither between two big rocks which I was about to step around. It startled me so bad I screamed out sh** without even thinking and of course it echoed through the canyon....First I was to terrified to move and my husband asked me twice what it was and what was wrong before I could answer him. I said a snake, a water moccasin. He went on to inform me there was no such kind of snake in Colorado. I told him yes there is I just saw it.....He said, "Oh it's probably a grass snake it's okay". By this time I had regained my composure and moved onto the bank looking for the snake which I found had slithered out from between the rocks and into the water. My husband had caught up with me and saw it and said it is just a water snake. Now this snake was just afraid of me as I was of him and he was headed in the opposite direction of me. So we watched it swim away and went on down the path. Now I began to realize what had just happened and became extremely embarrassed #1 that I screamed (like a girl) and #2 what I screamed and the fact that echoed through the canyon. Just as I was about to get over my embarrassment and things had quietened down, hubby had taken the lead again, I begin to ponder what had just happened.....then I heard it........... This very loud roar and I realized God was laughing, and I had to laugh out loud. We both had a good laugh over the little snake scaring me into an echoing little girls scream.  After the laughter died down, God spoke to me and this is what he shared with me......
"My Child, you are so funny. That snake would not hurt you, you have power and dominion over him. Just like with Satan you have power and dominion

I walked away with a new understanding, yes the road to God is narrow, step, rocky, and full of surprises, but it is no reason to give up, get scared and run away but keep going for God has given us the strength, the power and the weapons to proceed onward on the path he has called us to walk.

Be Blessed my friends and keep walking that path God has called you to walk and be not afraid for God is with you always. Till next time......

How God Loves and Misses Us!

Toni Reading the Bible

The other day as I took time out for myself, I sat down to write in my journal, something I have not done in a while. I started looking through it and reading some of the entries when I came across this one and God spoke to me telling me although I wrote this in my journal in 2007, it is still true today. I felt the need to share this with you. 

June 14, 2007----"As I was sitting in my new study/parlor room studying my bible and reading my book, I put my feet to the floor bumping my cat Toni. A few minutes later the Lord spoke to me this...............

Your cat is sitting at your feet just as I desire you to sit at mine. Also have you noticed when you are home she follows you everywhere you go and she is always not far from where you are? That is how I am with you. I follow you everywhere you go and I am never far from you. You may be able to leave your cat at home when you go to work or run errands and when you return she is there waiting for you by the door. Therefore I am the same.....when my people leave me behind, I am there waiting patiently by the door for their return, and as Toni delights in your return, so do I delight in the return of my people to me. As long as you invite me to go with you everywhere you go, I will go with you, but only when you don't invite me along do I stay behind and wait for your return."

After I read that and reread that I realized my cat Toni is just like God. They both love being with me and they both are right by my side all the time. I sat there thinking about how much my cat loved me and how she protects me. I call her my security cat because she always goes around the house checking things out, when I get ready for bed, she will make a round through the house before getting in bed with me. When she does get in bed she snuggles up against me and stays there till I wake up. In the mornings when I first wake up she is there watching me and when I open my eyes she jumps us with joy and begins to purr very loudly and will do her best to get under the covers with me or will curl up in my face........now you are probably wandering why am I sharing such intimate details with you about a cat? Right? I said all that to say this.........

As I sat there thinking about the above details and what I had just read, I realized God is exactly the same way. Toni my cat and God love me so much and they love being with me, protecting me, loving me and missing me like crazy when I am not with them. God told me that is the kind of relationship he desires to have with all his children. Unfortunately not all of his children will allow him to have that kind of relationship. God longs for the day when he can watch you sleep and when you wake be right there asking how can he make your day a good day, how can he bless you today, and can he go with you today?

Toni doesn't like leaving the house, she doesn't like going for car rides, and she doesn't like it when I leave the house to run errands or be gone overnight but when I return she is soooo happy to see me. God is the same way with us. He enjoys being with us all the time, we should not leave him behind. We should be taking him with us everywhere we go. Don't leave God behind, don't turn your back on him. If you have then know he is waiting patiently for your return and all of Heaven will rejoice with him when you run back to him. He will receive you with open arms, a loving heart, a huge smile, a big hug and much rejoicing. 

The New Fashion is the "Heavenly Look"

The other day my daughter and I were driving down this street and passed this house, as you can see it is not in the best shape and needs a lot of work. I said, "Oh look there is my dream home." My daughter said, "EWWWWW!!!!!! That house is ugly I wouldn't want it." I said, "but it can be fixed up to be very beautiful."God immediately started to speaking to me and this is what he said.......

"When a sinner comes to me and asks for forgiveness for the first time and asks me to move into their house/heart this what it looks like. I (the Holy Spirit) moves in and begin to clean it up, fix all the brokenness and make it all nice and beautiful. I don't care what the person looks like inside or out. I can fix all the problems and when I am completely done that old broken, falling down house with the thorns growing all over and around it ia nice beautiful castle."

So God doesn't care what we look like when we come to him in our brokenness as long as we give ourselves to him totally. He knows the outcome, he knows what we can look like, who we can be and what we can do through him. He knows he can make us beautiful. For those of you who are new christians, don't misunderstand me. He will not change our outward appearance but will change our inward appearance. There will be a big enough of a change that what changes on the inside will shine through to the outside but he is not going to change us from being overweight to being a supermodel, but he will change our attitudes about ourseleves and how we feel about ourselves. See it doesn't matter what is on the outside (the appearance the world sees) but what is on the inside. It's your heart he is after.

Allow me to share some more insight here on this subject of "Heavenly Look" the new Fashion. First of all our bodies will return to dust when we die. Second what is left is our soul/spirit and that is what God is after and wants to clean up and give a Heavenly Look to. We should not care what the world thinks of us. We were not made for man's gratification but God's. Unfortunately society has raised to think all women who are not supermodel material are less than perfect. We should not compare ourselves to those supermodels we see on the magazine covers for their looks to shall fade away. God did NOT make us to be supermodels, he made us to be heavenly angels, to praise his name, dance before him and rejoice. The Devil tries to convince us we must look and dress a certain way and if we don't look like the supermodels then we are not good enough for anyone or good enough to be anything. That is a lie! God made us to look like who we are and we should STOP allowing the Devil/The World to dictate to us how we should look, it affects our spirits. God said it doesn't matter what we look like and that we should NOT get caught up in the worldly appearance. We are beautiful in God's eyes.

This is the new fashion......"The Heavenly Look".

Oh, how changed a man is he now!

Oh, how changed a man is he now!

Blind Leading the Blind

Have you asked questions of man but never seem to get answers. God doesn't want man giving the answers, God wants us to ask him and allow him to give the answers. God says, it is like the blind leading the blind, they are always going to fall down and break something. We are not to depend on each other for answers but depend on God for those answers. God gave us the right to make choices but he didn't give us the right to give the answers. We must seek him for the answers. When we are faced with a decision the first thing we do is call someone very close to us and ask them for their opinion or to help us make a decision. How often do we seek out God first for the right answer?
All the time?
Some of the time?
almost always?
almost never?
Never?

I am sure most of us would admit it the answer is almost never. Am I right?
Unfortunately that is the wrong answer. The right answer is: all the time.
If we do not seek God ALL THE TIME for the answers then at some point we will fall, and when we do we find ourselves sitting crying in our boots wondering why we fell. Of course God is always there to pick us up by our boot straps, dust us off and give us the right answer.
So moral of this is don't let the blind lead you, let God lead you.

The Narrow, Winding, Steep Path

A couple of weeks back my husband and I set off on an afternoon hike looking for a waterfall. The hike started out on an old abandoned rd that once was a train passage then gave way to cars but now closed to motor vehicles as 3 of the tunnels through the mountain side are unsafe and parts of them caved in. The hike to the waterfall trail head was about 2 miles. It was a nice hike, several hikers and a few bicyclist were on the road. It was smooth, pretty views, wide, easy to hike. When we reached the trail head just on the other side of tunnel 3 (one of the first caved in tunnels) the sign read St. Mary's Waterfall 1.5 miles. We started up the trail and for a while it was a nice easy incline, not to steep, easy to navigate, could almost walk side by side, as we got closer to the waterfall the trail became more steep more difficult to navigate and the weather changed on us. Clouds moved in, and the breeze picked up. We hiked till it began to sprinkle. We chose to keep going for a while, but then realized the clouds didn't look so friendly so we turned around and headed back for shelter by this time it was raining on us and halfway down the path it hailed on us. Although the storm passed so did the time and we headed back to the main road and our vehicle.

You are probably wandering okay what is the moral of the story here and why are you telling this? Right? Well there is a moral to the story a lesson to be learned by all, one God shared with me. Before I begin I want to say one thing.....I did NOT want to turn back, I wanted to continue on till we reached the waterfall but I also knew I had to make a tough choice as to go on and face any challenges (such as the weather getting worse and getting stuck on the side of the mountain) or turn around and go back and so we reluctantly chose to turn around and go back. It was with a saddened heart we made it back to our vehicle...1. because the weather blew over and 2 I didn't make it to my destination......again a story and lesson behind our decision.


As I was walking up the trail, it became much harder to maneuver. Meaning it was a steeper incline, the altitude was changing, more rocks to step on,over and around. Also the clouds were blowing in and getting darker. However the scenery was beautiful. The path followed a nice running creek and you could tell it had been deeper. As I climbed the trail We stopped often and looked at this most smallest things, it was the little things that caught the eye and the beauty. Even though we had to really watch the trail as we hiked we were able to see the beauty around us and God began to speak to me concerning this. He said, "My people start on their journey on the road, like Gold Camp Road, wide full of people with beautiful views and the path is easy to walk. Then comes a time in their life when I want them to go a different direction and take the path that not everyone takes. Some refuse to take the steeper narrower path and chose to keep going along the wide easy path, then there are those that take the narrow, steep winding path but complain about the difficulty of the path or how long it will take them to arrive and they never see the beauty along the way, they never see what I want to show them on this path. Then there are the handful like you that sees the beauty and enjoys what I have made....the lessons I want them to learn. Those are the ones who make it to the top....although there are times when I put objects in front of them and they have to chose whether to continue on the path or turn around and go back. You my child have chosen to continue on the path no matter the cost. There are some who decide my path is too hard and will turn and go back and continue on the easy path and never again try a more difficult route and will not regret turning back. You my child have passed the test. You continued on regardless." As fought with myself over turning back, I was so upset with myself for choosing to turn back I cried out to God to forgive me for not finishing the path and reaching the ultimate destination but made a vow I would return in a few days and start out early and I would make it to my destination, so as we started back down the path, me being upset with myself, heard God begin to speak to me again. This is what he told me about my decision to turn back. "My child it is okay to turn back, you have cried out to me and told me, God I am afraid to continue on I have a family to tend to at home and I don't want to worry them and get stuck up here on the side of a mountain past dark. I heard your cries and I put the storm in your path for two reasons, one is to tell you not everyone will continue on in through the storm, they will turn around and run the other direction and two is to show you it is okay to make choices but to pray about those choices and to cry out to me and ask me for answers. You my child cried out to me and told me your fears and I know your heart and I saw the desire and determination and that is what I wanted most from you on this day. So you didn't make it to your destination today, it was not meant for you to make it to your destination today. I wanted to you to see you have the desire and the determination to go all the way to meet me. Only the chosen have that desire and determination. Remember many are called but few are chosen."

After hearing these words from God and braving hugging a huge Christmas tree waiting for the hail to stop so we could continue on back down the path I felt better and on my way down I noticed things I didn't notice on the way up, and the beauty of the path. God spoke to me one more thing as I reached the bottom of the trail and was turning back onto that main old dirt road....and that was "those who turn around and go back, RUN!!!!, they never stop and enjoy the beauty on the way down either, they are more focused on getting back to their comfort zone, their place of safety, but the chosen will always see the lesson that I am teaching them and they will pass the test. My child you have passed your test for the day."

I told my husband I enjoyed the hike very much. By the time we got home, my back and hip hurt and it was very difficult to walk but I didn't care, I had heard from my God and seen his marvelous works and I would and will tackle that path again and next time (God Willing)I will make it to my destination the beautiful St. Mary's Waterfall.

"Is 'Texting, Tweeting, Facebooking, Instant Messaging,etc Enough?"

Communication today has become less and less personal. Some call the internet the information highway. But where is this highway leading us? To Heaven? To Hell? Depends on who you ask. Our lives have become so complicated and so full of short text messages and made up symbols such as BFF, LOL, ROFL, Etc, that our teens don't know how to effectively communicate; nor do we as parents. Communication is an interchange of thoughts, ideas and/or opinions. The synonym for communication is communion which means intimate fellowship. This intimate fellowship is our prayer time, our time alone with God.
How can we teach others about God and how to pray #1 when we can't effectively communicate because we use symbols such as the BFF, LOL, ROFL, sumthn, n, cuz, etc. #2 when we don't spend time in that intimate fellowship with him.

Let us step back in time to the near beginning. God spoke to moses (that intimate fellowship) through a burning bush, and then again alone on the mount where he gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Then King David spent a lot of time in Worship/Praise and Prayer with God (which helped make him a great leader) although he had prophets who brought messages from God to him, King David still found time each day to (most of his life)to have that intimate fellowship with God. Jesus when he walked on earth he found time to have that intimate fellowship with God his father....alone. The Disciples had the Holy Spirit to help guide them but they too had that intimate fellowship not only with Jesus when he was alive on earth but also with him after he returned to Heaven. Can you imagine would it would have been like if back during all those times if they had cellphones, computers, text messaging, instant messaging, twitter, etc. We probably wouldn't have the bible to read today and the verses to share with one another. Would they have been to busy to have that intimate fellowship with God?

In this day age of all the technology we have available to us we have lost that intimate fellowship with God and we do not have the equipment to go out and fight the spiritual battle that wages on. We think having the verses at our fingertips on the computer is enough. We think we can just send out daily messages/bible verses/words of encouragement to our friends and followers and that will be enough to get them through whatever they may be going through. But is not enough, we are not teaching them how to communicate effectively, how to have that intimate relationship with God. Don't get me wrong the messages and verses, etc are good, but we must go above and beyond that, WE NEED; WE MUST HAVE, that intimate fellowship with God, that is how we recharge and continue on in our faith and it is how we keep from getting burned out for Christ. If we do not communicate, communion, pray, have the intimate alone fellowship with God on a daily basis how can we go out and reach the lost and the hurting and how can we lead the nations?

Again, I ask: "Is texting, instant messaging, Facebooking, MySpace, Tweeting, Blogging, etc Enough?

Earth Day!

Most people think of Earth Day as the day everyone gets on the band wagon to save the planet earth from destruction due to "global warming" and littering, etc. I think of it as a day to take time and thank God for this beautiful place he made for me to enjoy.

I have recently moved to the mountains of Colorado, even though I have visited many times for many years never really saw the beauty until now. Same with the state I grew up in. I knew it was nice and all, but didn't appreciate it's beauty till now. We go through life at such a fast pace we don't take the time to slow down and look at what all is around us. This beautiful place God chose to give us to tend. Yes we do not take very good care of it, and yes we should, and we should be thankful the beauty is still here for us to enjoy. Around the world people are destroying the beauty and not realizing what they are doing, they are dstroying something God created with his hands. I challenge all those who read this post that by the end of the day you have stopped and looked around you and really see the beauty and I pray you make a covenant with God to do something to help keep this place beautiful even if it is just getting out once a week and walking around and looking at the beauty and picking up trash as you walk and putting it in a plastic bag and then into a trash can somewhere.

So get out and enjoy this beautiful day the Lord has made.

Run The Race Set Before You......

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrew 12:1 (Holy Bible New International Version"

Another translations says: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensures us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...." Hebrews 12:1 (The Word in Life Study Bible)

These verse came to mind today as I was sitting watching my daughters track meet. As I was watching the different races and the different runners and how they were running, God spoke to me and told me this how the people I fashioned in my image run the race I have set before them.

Before I go on, let me explain what I saw. First at a track meet there are several races there are the relay races where one runner hands off the baton to another runner, there are the long distance races such as the 1/2 mile and the mile (which they refer to as the 800 meter and 1600 meter race) and then there is the short distance races. As for the runners there were some really fast runners, some paced runners and some slow runners and some that started out slow but when they looked back and noticed another runner gaining on them they took off and ran faster.

Now with that explanation out of the way, here is what God showed me.

We run our race the same way these kids at the track meet did. Some of us are here to carry the baton and then pass it on to others, to continue what we have started....this could be a number of things, it could be a pastor passing on information to his congregation and then those taking what they learned out into thier own ministries, or it could be a ministry started that is now being carried on by someone else. There are those who just pace themselves through life, never look back just keep their eyes ahead and focused on one thing......just finishing the race...these are the ones who sit in church Sunday after Sunday and never pursue the gifts or the true calling God has given them. They are content to just sit and wait for the return of Jesus. Then there are those who run fast and never look back. These are the ones who are on fire for Jesus and they are determined to never let that fire die.....and there are some who start out fast but slow down and those are the ones who start out with zeal but allow their flame to be dosed out. Last but not least those who are running from something, and everytime they look back it gets closer and closer and they can't seem to out run it.....these are the ones Christians need to be reaching out to and telling them about Jesus and how he died for there sins. These are the ones who are running from their past, thier sins, the devil or running from God, whatever they are running from they always will as long as they keep looking back and not forward to the prize. That is where we as christians step in and tell these ones who are running from something or who are just pacing themselves through life, about Jesus. If we don't tell them about Jesus or get them motivated to run the race God has set before them their prize in Heaven will be minimal at best. (If they make it there). So we need to check our pace and we need to see how we are running our race are we slow, fast, running from something or not running at all.

One last race I watched was the hurdles and God reminded me of this. In the race he has set before each and every one of us there are hurdles we must jump (overcome) no matter how fast or slow we are going we must jump those hurdles this is how we grow in him. There are many called but only few chosen.....so if you are one of the few chosen be thankful and jump those hurdles for great is your prize in heaven.

True Love

A friend on FB posted the other day about how noone can stop the hurt True Love can cause....something to that effect...Anyway it opened up a thought process and God spoke to my heart and said.....

"There are so many people out there who are confused about True Love. They really don't know True Love if they don't know me personally. They think this love they feel towards someone is True Love, but it is not."

I pondered this thought for a while and realized that yes God is True Love. The teens and some adults now days go through many boyfriends/girlfriends searching for that true love and they are searching in the wrong place. They need to be seeking God the Father for True Love and once they find that and begin to have a real true relationship with him will they understand True Love and then will they find the person God intends for them to share their life's journey with. If you research in your bible there are many references to love. The real definition of love and what love is can be found in I Corinthians 13:4-8 (but if you read on it will also explain True Love to you).

So for those of you who think you know True Love, I have one question for you.....Is your one and True Love God the Father or is it your latest Girl/Boyfriend? Without True Love in your heart and a relationship with that one True Love you can't have a real relationship with any human, it will fail you everytime.

Are We TOOOOO Busy for God?

As I was working on April's bible study lesson I didn't give much thought to the title until I got into the lesson. One of the questions that was asked within the lesson is (paraphrased) are we spending time getting to know God?

This question sent my train (brain) on a frantic race around it's track pondering this question. First I thought, I have a book titled "Too Busy To Pray" and then I heard God speaking to me and saying, "So many people claim to know me....but they really DON'T know me the way they should. They are out there doing my work but how can they proclaim to know me when they don't spend time with me."

Everyday we have some type of routine, we get up shower, get dressed, eat breakfast and go to some kind of job even if it is staying home taking care of the kids and the house. At the end of the day samething...routine....come home (if you work outside of the home) relax, play with the kids, sort thru the mail, cook supper, etc. plop down in the recliner and watch some tv maybe catch the news and off to bed. Only to do the samething over again the next day. Now I know routines vary from person to person...but you get the idea. In all that time somewhere between 8 and 12 hours of wake time do we spend anytime with God? Probably not, and if we do how much time do we give him? 5 minutes of prayer? 30 minutes of reading the bible? Maybe....Maybe not.....depends on our day and our routine.

Some of us hit the floor running at 5 am and don't stop till 11 or 12 at night, sometimes later. Some of us get up and spend 15 minutes in prayer, meditation or just reading.....but is that enough time to get to know God? I cannot give you a Godly answer but in my opinion NO. I am just as guilty as everyone else but this new thought process has opened my eyes. I am not spending enough time with God either. Does this mean we have to spend at least 30 minutes a day reading our bible and 15 mintues or longer praying? How much time you spend you with God and how you spend your time with God is between you and God. I can't tell you how much time or how to spend it with God. I can tell you God will speak to you if you will let him. It could be through a book you are reading doesn't have to be the Bible. The Bible is a guideline for how we should live our lives. However, God has given the gift of writing to many people and the books they have written are to encourage us, show us how to get through the tough times because they have already been there, etc. therefore, he can speak to us by using these people and their writings and stories. This is a different topic altogether so back to the discussion at hand.

We need to spend time with God everyday and let him speak to us. We must get to know him if we plan on continuing to grow his kingdom. How can someone come to our well and drink if it is not full up. Remember the God's word is living water and living bread and we can't feed the 10 thousands if we do not allow God to feed us. Once the well dries up we are not feeding and growing the kingom and the enemy comes in and we become known as false prophets.

I can remember as a child we had the "Blue Law and those of you who are at least 40 years old or older remember that law; for you younger generation the Blue Law kept many stores from being open on Sunday and the stores that were open were limited on what they could sell on Sundays. Sunday was a time for family, church and relaxing. Once the government abolished the "Blue Law" our lives started moving at a much faster pace, and now with all the electronic devices that keep us sooo connected to our jobs the internet, family and friends it seems that our lives now move at the minimum of 120 mph. We go and go and go and till we can't go no more and that is NOT what God intended for us. This is why it is sooooo important we STOP and SPEND TIME with God. We need to slow our lives down. We only have today, he never promised us tomorrow. We only have today to do his work and do it with Passion and Full Knowledge. There are things that can be put off till tomorrow if tomorrow comes. We need to decide WHAT and WHO is more important! If we don't put God first in our lives and do his will the enemy will continue to destroy us with his lies and he will win the battle but in the end God will win the war. Because he will find ones who love him so much they will put him first and continue his work and not allow their wells to dry up.

So starting now ask God to help you break your routine and start spending time or more time with him so your well doesn't dry up.

Death....Suffering or Sudden...Why Some People Suffer and Some Don't

Have you lost a loved one or close friend lately? Seems to be going around this week. I lost a very good friend and collegue to a drunk driver a week ago this past Saturday. I have a couple of friends who have lost loved ones/family members/friends. It is hard to grasp when someone close to us dies. For some they can't bear the thought of living without them but life goes on not only for us here on earth but for those who have died.

We were put here on this earth for a reason and a purpose and when our time has been fulfilled here on earth our earthly bodies die but our spirit lives on. Not to get off subject but only for a moment. Everyone is so concerned with their looks and what other people think of them but it is not what is on the outside that matters it is the inside...the spirit....If you are not saved and you don't belive in Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins then when the earthly body dies so does the spirit and it gets left in pergoe.....here on earth....it has no place to go.

Our Spirits are designed to fill an earthly body in which we are to do God's work and when the work set forth for our spirit to do is complete then the earthly body dies and the spirit goes back to heaven to worship God. Some people die untimely death's to us, but to God it is there time to come home. Some people must suffer great before being brought home, some don't suffer at all. I believe it depends on the calling of the spirit as to how people die. Those who are suffering, dying from cancer for example.....if their spirit has done the job it was sent here to do they know that when the suffering is over they will be with God but if they are sinners and don't have their life right this is their chance to get it right with God. For those who have it right their suffering is for those around them. It is to teach those around them they need to get it right, they need to allow their spirit to do the job it was sent to earth to do.

If your spirit is right with God I believe you wont suffer when you die, but if it is not right with God then you will suffer. Jesus suffered for our sins to be forgiven which we have to ask for that forgiveness but if we don't ask then we too must suffer in death.

As for those of us left behind instead of crying and wishing they hadn't died and wishing we could take their place and all the other things we think and wish......we should be celebrating their life. We should be looking at what lessons do we need to learn from them, their life and their death. Do we need to get it right with God or are we right with God. It will make the difference when it comes to the death of the earthly body. The earthly body is only a shell to house the spirit in. Do want our spirit to go to Heaven to be with those that have gone on before us or do we want to forever roam the earth lost in the in between?