What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
In my Leisure time, I enjoy being in nature, long drives with the music and my dog. Spending time with friends. And reading.
Walking In The Spirit
“Jesus said (John 3:8) that the Spirit’s action is like that of wind. The movements of the wind have a mystery to them. You can’t tell where the end comes from or where it is going. Likewise the Spirit. Indeed the Spirit blows where he wills. No one is master of the Spirit” -Grahan Cole
We tend to take for granted walking until it becomes difficult or impossible. Some people even where devices that track the number of their steps taken in a day as a way to encourage them to live a more active lifestyle. How a person walks is so distinctive that it is even possible for software to identify people based on their gait.
The Bible uses walking as a metaphor for a person’s way of life, encompassing beliefs, attitudes, desires, and actions. This metaphor is used in prominent contexts in the Bible in contrast between two different ways of walking/living (see Psalm 1-6; Proverbs 4:10-19). In Genesis 5 what set Enoch apart was that he “walked with God.” God’s people are called to walk in God’s ways (Psalm 119:3) rather than walk in the counsel of the wicked (Psalm 1-1).
The New Testament expands on the walking metaphor. Because of Jesus’s resurrection, believers “Walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). True believers are called to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.
But maybe the expression that stands above them all in the New Testament is the concept of walking in or by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 say,
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
The Apostle Paul uses a similar expression in Romans 8:4,
“The righteousness requirement of the law (is) fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
It doesn’t matter if the New Testament speaks of walking in, by, or according to the Spirit, each expression sets the larger idea that the Spirit is the One who defines how we live.
Walking in the Spirit means living a life that depends on the Spirit’s power to grow in godliness, obey God’s commands and experience increasing intimacy with God.
God’s power to orient all the different aspects of one’s life towards God. According to Romans 8:5, “Those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The Spirit helps us direct our thoughts, emotions, inclinations, and desires in ways that are pleasing to God and are consistent with His character. As we depend on the Spirit, He transforms the desires of our hearts to align with God’s heart which enables us to resist sin that is still experienced in the fallen world (Galatians 5:16).
What Is Your Personal Mission In Life?
One of the most important things that leader do is define their purpose, and identify what they ultimately want to achieve.
If purpose missions are so important for leaders, why don’t we spend any time creating them for ourselves?
All of us have different ideas about success. What’s important though is that we send time defining our version of success individually. Otherwise, how will you understand what you should be working toward and how will you if your decisions are helping you move towards your goals.
Mission and vision statements are useful for bringing sharp focus to your most important goal and help you quickly identify where you should start and what you should pursue.
January isn’t over, so this is a good time to begin working on this. I need to get my vision statement figured out and begin working toward my goal for the year. I’ve done this in the past but always get distracted before the close of the year.
Shaping this goal into a mission statement helps to keep it in the front of your mind, and helps to focus your energy and resources on it. Without focus, we can become distracted and causes us to spread out effort too thinly across multiple goals.
There is a difference between a mission statement and a vision statement.
- Mission Statement – This defines your purpose. It’s what you ultimately want to achieve in your life expressed in a specific measurable way.
- Vision Statement – This is a bit more emotional. Here you define your core values, and how you will apply those values to your mission.
Identify what you best. Your unique strengths will point to what you would like to do most with your life.
Think about what success means to you. If you get stuck try making a list of accomplishments that really made you feel like you’ve done something worthwhile. If you make a short list to track your progress.
Take the time to explore what you want to do with your life. Narrow down the goals you want to pursue most.
After doing the first 3 steps, look at your goals, and your unique strengths and then identify one goal that you most want to achieve.
Focus on the goal you have chosen think about it every day. I find that spending a few moments at night to recall where I am with my goal, helps me.
It’s so easy to just push our main goals aside when get busy or distracted by something else that we often forget about our main goal. If you get off track, don’t give up. Pick it back up and start working on that goal.
Five Things I Do For Fun
List five things you do for fun.
Things I do for fun. Most people would not think some of the things I do for fun are fun. But here it goes,
1. Being in nature. A walk in nature to calm my soul.
2. Bible Studies. It’s a satisfaction I derive from knowing and understanding
3. Weekend road road trips. I love road trips because of the different scenery and people you get to meet along the way.
4. Reading and writing. I love reading and then sharing with others what I’ve learned. It’s what I thrive on.
5. Helping others. I’m always up for helping someone in need. It makes me feel good to connect with others and creates a sense of belonging for me, and is a great way to decrease stress.
From Bondage To Freedom
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” -Romans 15:4
This verse was written in the New Testament and tells us that the things that were written in the past (meaning the Old Testament) were written to encourage us and give us hope.
Many people think that Christianity puts a person in bondage and restricts their freedom. However, the exact opposite is true. Jesus came to set people free from bondage to sin to live in the freedom that only comes from God.
I know from experience what bondage to sin looks like. After many years of suffering, I woke up. I say it this way because when God forgave me and I chose to follow Him, I felt like I literally woke up from a coma. I was asleep for so long that I forgot how to live. I forgot how to love and feel love.
When someone becomes a believer, Jesus, the Son, sets them free from sin. All your past mistakes mean nothing. There is a process of spiritual growth that results in greater freedom in their lives,
Freedom from bondage is a liberating moment when someone is released from an influence or power that has dominated their life. Prior to freedom there was restraint of personal liberty, or captivity in one form or another; which when freed from it’s grip gives that person a reason to shout in victory,
I like Psalm 49:1-2 because it tells of a time when David reveals freedom from bondage,
“I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible put, out of miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.“
Freedom from bondage only comes when you realize you are in such a condition. I’ve said before that my children were the ones who got me to go to church. And I thought that once I began going all my problems would go away. When I was baptized I thought all my problems would go away. Neither were the case.
Satan had me in such bondage I could not break away on my own. And simple things like going to church or being baptized we’re not the answer. It took 4-years for me to break free from my sin and satan. 4 years of praying, reading my Bible, repenting of my sins, crying out to God. It took 4 years to break the bondage I was in.
When someone has been in bondage to sin, and its devilish impulses, it is only when they are awakened to the fact will thru seek deliverance. I needed deliverance from the bondage I was in both from my past and the bondage I allowed satan to put me in.
Paul wrote in Romans 6:16-17
“Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death or of obedience to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered.”
When I read this scripture for the first time it all made sense. I realized I was being held in captivity. I was void of conscience or conviction, I was enslaved to what would condemn my soul to hell rather than heaven.
I was brought into captivity (bondage) of the devil, out of which nothing but the power of God, and His Son could extricate them.
One’s iniquities can be in such a snare or net which becomes so entangled that they cannot extricate themselves, not able to shake off the shackles of such entrapment.
When we choose to follow Jesus the bondage that one is under starts to come off. We may have to fight like the dickens to get rid of it but God comes to free us from the bondage satan tells us is freedom.
The desire to be free is one of the strongest desires in human nature. To some people, freedom is the right to do whatever they desire, whenever they desire, with no one telling them what to do.
A ship without a rudder is free, and a train without tracks is free. Both are free to travel wherever they can go. But both cannot travel in the direction they need to go, and they will eventually end up in a terrible wreck.
Freedom is not the right to do what we desire, but rather the desire to do what is right. This is the freedom we should be seeking for.
My Dog
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?
If my dog could talk I wished she would understand that when I leave her home for a few days I am coming back. And that she needs to listen to my husband and eat for him.
My dog is a one-person dog. On occasion I have to leave her for a out of town trip. And she will not obey or eat for my husband. She is listen to my daughter but she doesn’t live here.
Usually, when I come back she is so excited she actually hyper-ventilates and I have to sit with her until she has calmed down.
Don’t Focus On The Storm
We all face storms in life. It’s not whether we will but when we will. What’s important is how we deal with them. Life’s storms have a way of bringing out what is in us. Are we dealing with storms with fear or faith?
Many prophets are saying 2024 is going to be a bumpy ride with many difficulties. We will see and hear things that will shock us. But, the key is where we keep our focus. Will we look at the problems around us or keep our focus on Jesus? No matter what comes in 2024 and beyond if we focus on Jesus -the only stable thing in life. We will be at peace.
As with anything in life it’s tempting to give up when life is beating us up. It’s also the easiest thing to do and wallow in self-pity. That’s what satan wants us to do. God has different plans for us during and after the storm.
When we keep our eyes on Jesus. He will be the anchor of our faith, no matter how severe our challenges are. When life looks threatening, it can be a challenge to trust God. After all, why does God allow storms in our life.
We stay in peace when we keep our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. If we look at Jesus it was because of the Joy that was awaiting Jesus, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. He is now seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think about the hostility He endured from sinful people. The pain and suffering was for us. Somehow I think of that I do not become weary and give up.
By focusing on Jesus, we automatically take them off our problems and what’s going on in the world today. Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus is the perfect of our faith. So we don’t have to worry about how to trust God, as long as long as we focus on Jesus.
Often storms come into our lives to test us, and through them, we learn to trust God. When we observe the strength of Jesus we do not become weary and give up. I think about Jesus’s strength He kept during all the challenges of His life on earth.
It is crucial to keep our eyes on Jesus, especially this year otherwise we won’t see what’s beyond the storms. God holds the future in His hands, and that alone should encourage us not to give up in our personal storms are well as the storms of the world. So during these times of great trials when you begin to wonder and question why God is allowing whatever trials of faith that is currently going on, keep your focus on Jesus and be a peace. Remember that Romans 8:28 says,
“For those who live God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
There’s something I learned a long time ago. God will only release life-changing blessings in our lives if we pass certain obedience tests. They are different for all of us. We can trust Him with our lives, He is our anchor in every storm. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and holding on to our fears, it is important to make the choice to let go and reach for Jesus, the anchor of our souls, it is then we will see the future God has prepared for us,
We can think of Peter when he walked on water but started sinking immediately when he took his eyes of Jesus he looked a the waves around him. Focusing on the storm paralyzed us, which oftentimes leads to disaster.
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil“ – Hebrews 6:19
What’s In A First Name
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
In the past names were given as a destiny. They had to own their first name. For example John (the Baptist) meant grace of God or God’s favor. Jesus or Yeshua means the great healer and Savior.
Today we tend to name our children something we’ve read on a cereal box.
My name is Kathy with means pure one, I’m hoping I wasn’t named because they wanted me to live up their expectations. Because that would be a difficult road to tread. Seriously it was inspired by Saint Aikaterine which has evolved.
I believe that our names bring an anointing on us. I’ve written before about when I received the Hebrew meaning of my I think I’ve pretty close to what my name means with that.
Turning Despair Into Determination
It’s not hard to feel something happening in the world around us it is slowly crumbling. You can pretty well take your pick from a list that includes economic problems to foreign policy.
In fact, you can pretty well choose between fury, fear, and bewilderment. You could then feel the further fury and fear to everything around you.
Then you can get your fury roll it up in a ball and hurtle it at the political classes, the last people in the country to realize we are in a crisis. And that fury bounces off the shield they have build around themselves.
When that doesn’t work you can take your fear and direct it inwards. You can let it eat away at you, until you break you until it leads to anxiety and depression. Or you can do something else. You can take all the fear, anger, pain, and confusion, and wrap it up into one ball and siphon off all that destructive energy contained within you to use it for something more productive.
I’m am not into protests and picket signs and I never will be. These situations aren’t going to fix themselves. Hatred and violence are not the way.
I believe these situations are to be fought with prayer. There is a war going on between good and evil in the spiritual realm. And prayer is the only way to fight that. By pushing all the negative energy out by the positive energy.
Consistent prayer releases the power of God’s blessing over your life and circumstances, Believers who follow Jesus need to lift up their hands in prayer. Nothing will happen on earth if it doesn’t happen in the Spiritual realm first.
Turn all that despair into determination toward prayer
A Firm Foundation
Building a firm foundation in Christ requires patience, tenacity, and faith. The purpose of building a firm foundation cannot be overstated. Our walk with God should be unbreakable and unshakable if we want to walk with God. A walk that will withstand the storms, the trials, the challenges, and every thing else that comes along. A firm foundation is absolutely necessary.
Jesus expresses our need for firm foundation in Matthew 7:24-27,
“Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who heard these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and best on that house; and it fell -and great was its fall.”
Before any one can even begin to build a firm foundation, the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done must be engraved on their hearts to ensure consistent growth in the things of God.
Jesus is the reason we are here and all we will ever will be rests on Him. I was reading something somewhere that said “If you get Jesus wrong, it doesn’t matter what you get right.” A firm foundation in Jesus must be built, a love for the Word of God must be nurtured, along with its proper handling, because both will help to prevent the accepting of false teachings in your life.
If we are going to build a firm foundation in Jesus we must first learn to obey God continuously. Jesus has no equal. And choosing to remain hopelessly devoted to Him and Him alone will prove positive in your life.
In order to build a firm foundation in Jesus we need to anticipate that He will provide for our needs. The truth of God’s Word will get us closer to Him and we will find ourselves trusting Him. And trust builds confidence.
1 John 5:14-15 says,
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us. And if we know that He heard us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” -1 John 5:14-15
Our needs naturally go from physical, to mental, and of course spiritual and in each case we can be sure the God will meet that need as we trust and have confidence in Him.
Never in my life would I have thought I would be more at peace than I am right now. There’s just a peace about knowing God has my back. And every problem in life He will provide my needs.
Building a firm foundation in Jesus requires patience, tenacity, and faith. Faith that is not in ourselves or in the things we do, but God alone. Because He is our foundation, Our Rock.
The Job I’ve Always Dreamed Of
What’s your dream job?
The job I’ve always dreamed of was being a psychologist. I love helping others with their mental health as well as showing them hope you cope in life.
I have experienced a lot of mental health issues in my life, due to my mother and my mistakes I’ve made over the years. I has taken a lot to heal and cope with those issues.
The reason I started this blog was to try and help people through some tough experiences and not to make the same mistakes I’ve made in life.
If I had life to do all over again I think I would get a psychology degree and do what I love professionally.
Don’t Victimize Yourself
Victimizing ourselves is a terrible disservice to our hearts. Yet is so easy to do. When you turn yourself into a victim it’s because the world has been to much, it like a frightening and sometimes paralyzing force that follows you around everywhere you go. When hit start to feel sorry for yourself, it’s important to know that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Although you might not see it, there’s a different option than being depressed or acting like nothing happened at all. You may not be able to change the events that happened, but what you might not see is that there is someone who doesn’t see you as a victim of the world. In fact, He knows everything about you. He knows your heart and how much you want to have hope. He knows what you’re afraid of and He knows what keeps you awake at night. He has lived you even before He made you.
It took me nearly 40 years to learn that, mostly because of by stubborn attitude and thinking I was right. I used to think that love was a handout only given by people who wanted to take advantage of me. But sometimes it’s a blessing. Other times love is a lesson. The past can’t be changed, but it hardens you to be a better person in the long run.
We are not an army of one, and we can not do everything alone. I used to think I could do everything on my own, mostly because I didn’t trust anyone. It was easier to put the walls up and push everyone away. Then it was to trust and get hurt. But the fact is if you want to feel love you also have to feel pain.
Fortunately, God always has a plan. He wants to put you in a better place. He wants to use us for His purpose. I thank God every day that He likes to Repurpose us, or I wouldn’t have had a chance. He hangs out with us when things get rough. Sometimes we don’t feel Him there but He’s always there, watching out for us, protecting us. When we need somebody to hold on to God is always there. He’s got us covered, He’s the one that keeps our heads above water. He doesn’t want us hurting, like a good father God will comfort us. We need only ask.
There’s something about the name of Jesus. Even when I have felt my weakness, that I couldn’t go on. All I would have to say was “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. And I would feel comforted. Many nights I went to bed crying and having no hope. But saying Jesus three times comforted me.
The things we go through are blessings in disguise. We don’t realize how we are being built up through the battering we are feeling. God wants to see strong people who know that they can endure trials and come out of it all. James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.”
Sometimes our problems come in the shape of the people in our lives who just won’t let us be, it’s so easy for someone else with a bad attitude to steal our peace. Just know that God will handle them with His timing and power. When we give the problem to Him. He will fight our battles.
The greatest thing about God and one of the craziest is that His love never ceases. He had literally loved us from before we were born. Isaiah 44:24 tells us, “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the Lord who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.”
No matter what mistakes we make. He sees us as His beautiful creation. He loves us so much He sent His Son go die for us so that we never have to bear shame or guilt ever again.
When we learn this, it’s like we finally get to breathe again. We have felt the burdens, but they do not become us.
The weight can get pretty heavy at times, but when it becomes too much to bear. It’s great to know that God will gladly come in and take it off our hands. Let Him in and let Him take over the things you can’t handle on your own.
When we choose to believe in Him and trust in Him our life becomes so much easier.
And it only took me about 40 years to figure that out. But I’m so glad I finally did.
You’re never a victim, you are a precious treasure of God Himself. Jesus will carry you, and you will survive through the grace of God’s love.
From Pity to Praise 