Number 5

I think I'll have to quit numbering my titles soon and come up with catchy names to my posts.

Since I don't really know what I'm going to say, I think Number 5 will work for this one.

I have come to the realization that God is all I need.  And that's a good thing.  Because He is the supreme, ultimate Alpha and Omega.  He was there in the beginning, actually, before my beginning and He's still there with me.  After all the garbage I've allowed in my life ~ after all the very WRONG turns I've made leading me down some VERY wrong roads ~ after everything I've done that should cause Him to turn His back on me....He's right here inside my heart.  I'm so thankful for that Love ~ the love that would allow a Dad to send his only Son, his pride and joy ~ to this awful earth from the paradise that heaven is ~ and that Father watched his boy die the most horrendous death on a cross.  Just for me.  Just so I don't have to be condemned for the sins I deserve to be condemned for.  Wow.  That's a bit wordy...but oh my how true.  I won't be condemned for the things I've done because Jesus already took the punishment for me.

I know that There Is So Much More in store for me.  There are so many people right in my back yard who need to know about this love.    God help me to be the woman I need to be.  Help me to show that your presence in my life makes a difference.  But that's not good enough.  I need to be a voice speaking out in the wilderness.  I need to be a light in the darkness.  I need to be salt.  I need to do more to show the God who saved my soul that I am forever grateful for His love.

Better days ahead...and then heaven!!

Love ya

k <3

Number 4

Wow, it's been too long.

Now I'm inspired because of TFW...you know who you are...

I don't really have time to go on and on and on...

But I can go on...

I have to say that I'm loving Jesus...seriously I'm loving Him so much lately....So Much More...than I ever have....I'm discovering His love for me is So Much More than I ever realized before....

He has shown me His incredible, un-dying love for me...yes me, the one who's so imperfect, so unworthy, so unlovable and so undeserving...but yet He loves me.  I'm overwhelmed by it.  It brings tears to my eyes and a song to my heart and gives me hope for today and tomorrow and then some more!

Interestingly enough:  the "un-dying" Love God has for us is due to the Dying of His Son for us....

So I just wanted you to know I didn't go away...and I'll definitely be back soon...

And just please, please, please....know that God loves you So Much More than you can imagine...

Thanks for listening....

<3 jekky 

(This is my new name. I like how it looks and I think its fun to say...jekky....
About the name idea...my fingers stumbled upon it by accident really when my right hand was one key too far to the left!) 

So let me know what you think....

Number Three

So yesterday in my ladies class we were in small groups praying for each other....one of the girls asked for prayer to be more intentional....so that got me to thinking.

  Intentional ~ hmmmm ~ being DELIBERATE  (you got it...D)

I decided I'm not very good at it...intentional is saying you mean to do something...you plan and you strive and it's your goal to do it.  Deliberate means on purpose. Its going out of your way to do it because it requires some effort and sacrifice.

Tonight I was at my WW meeting and I was a little bummed because I wanted to loose more....I thought I lost more than I had.  Then I wondered why I didn't.  It occurred to me that I wasn't deliberate about it...I was sorta like well I think that's about 8 points and I probably only ate about 12 today so I can do that.  But I wasn't intentional about tracking it.  I wasn't deliberate about making sure....so I wasn't as pleased as I hoped I would be.  So as I'm driving home and thinking about this I knew it was time for Blog Number Three...but I knew that it wasn't really very spiritual unless I had sometime scriptural to relate it to.  So I asked God to give me a verse.  And being God....He Did~~

Matthew 25:1-13 ~ the parable of the ten virgins.  Now it basically comes down to being prepared: being intentional and deliberate.  Five of the girls trimmed their lamps, reserving their oil until the groom was ready.  The other five were careless; not very deliberate about conserving their oil ~ as a matter of fact, they didn't.  So they missed out.  The five wise girls were able to go into the wedding banquet prepared because of their intentional decisions.

I think that I need to be intentional about everything in my life ~ to be a better steward of what I have and what I work for ~ to be a better Follower by learning the Word & seeking out its meaning for me ~ to be a better friend by being intentional about caring for people in deliberate ways ~ to be a better mom by praying deliberately & intentionally daily for my children and their futures ~ to be more intentional with the "gifts" I've been given ~ my talents.

So my challenge is that we think about being deliberate instead of being hap-hazard and we think about being intentional instead of being oopsy-daisy.

Thanks for reading ~ love to hear your thoughts!

k<3

Number Two

(continued from Number One)

 ~ Captivity:  that thought has been holding me captive.  
A pun for sure, but nonetheless so true.

What is captivity?  Is it good or bad?  Maybe a little of both.

Captive:  prisoner; someone held against their will....definitely bad.

Captivity: imprisonment, exile, subjection to subservience...maybe not so bad. (another time for that thought)

To be held against your will is not good.  When I think of being held against my will I remember my Dad and  brothers holding me captive underneath the kitchen table and tickling me to death (well almost; or so I thought). I screamed for Mom to help...but she didn't!  Not Good.  It made me laugh....but it made me so mad...kinda...good or not good?  Bad or not bad?

Captive: now that's not good. Except this: Isaiah 61:1-4

[1] The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim FREEDOM FOR THE CAPTIVES and release from darkness for the prisoners, [2] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (2011~??) and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn [3] and to provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. [4] They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; that have been devastated for years.

Did you see it....the "D" word....devastated?  Another one I didn't have.   But its awesome because of the promise to rebuild the places that have been long devastated.

So you see friends; the places that have been held captive: that have felt devastated....Long Devastated...God wants to set us free...whatever, wherever they are...if they are people, or grudges, or hurts, or anger, or disappointments, or habits....whatever they are.  God's promise is that he will comfort those who mourn, give them a crown of beauty instead of a shroud,  a spirit of praise not despair.  God's promises are good.

I've been challenged lately to do the right thing...even if it's hard.  I've felt like a prisoner; like I've been held captive by situations that are really out of my control; but yet I know that I have to do the right thing.  I have to do what Jesus would do.  We all do.  We have to love, we have to be honest and upright; we have to be above reproach.  In other words; we have to remember WWJD?  Remember that?  What would Jesus do? (ut-oh...here's the next "D")

He would ask me to bind up the brokenhearted; He would ask me to proclaim freedom for the captives.  That's all He asks all of us really....to be selfless rather than selfish.  To give out of the abundance we have been blessed with.  That doesn't necessarily mean money...but if we really have Christ in our hearts, shouldn't we have an abundance of love??  of smiles?? of faith?? of hope??  Yeah, I do....help me to hear your voice even when my heart is a wreck and to do the right thing....tonight, tomorrow and forever.

Good night...I think now I can sleep.

Thanks,

k <3

Number One

I was so pumped for 2011 to get here. I’d been (honestly and quite embarrassingly) avoiding ? neglecting?  yes neglecting God.  I wasn’t reading His word ~ I wasn’t talking to Him (unless I needed something or the occasional thank you for this food prayer).   I was really bad.  I know; I knew better.  I was raised by parents who taught us the importance of being close to God on all pages.  But I wasn’t.  Not like I knew I should be.

So when my Friend posed the questions to me (see above); and I knew I wanted to know him better; and to spend time with him; I immediately was convicted about not spending time with God.

I bought myself a “Pray your way through the Bible in one year” book and was so excited for January 1st so I could get started!  On New Years Eve I even peaked at the first page…

I made my way through January one ~ I read the devotion ~ I read the verses ~ I prayed.  Then I took out my journal (yeah, I know…really getting down to business, right?)

God was amazing ~ spilling out His never-ending love for me ~ even though I’d avoided doing the things I should have been doing for years now ~ He was just excited for me to spend time with Him then ~ He showed me that there is so much more for me ~ more than just the mediocre life I’d been living ~ more than just getting by day to day ~

He challenged me to do a study of “D” words this year.  I think eleven of them ~ not sure yet ~ but we will see how that goes.  Disciple ~ Discipline ~ Devote ~ Devotion ~ Daily ~ Doing ~ Done ~ Don’t  ~ Diet ~ and I’m sure He’ll give me more as time goes on.  And I’m pretty sure He asked me to share what He teaches me with others ~ and since I’m definitely NOT a “stand-up-in-front-of-people-and-talk” kinda girl & I feel so much more comfortable putting words on paper (or screen ~ what a world we live in now LOL) I’m accepting that challenge and asking you all to keep me accountable.

That’s about all for today ~ except this ~ I have a plaque that is on the wall beside my bed ~ I look at it in the morning when I wake up ~ and when I go to bed at night ~ and if I’m lucky, when I wake up from a nap!!

It says this:

The Lord has
GREAT PLANS
for you…plans
to prosper you and
keep you from harm,
plans to give you
HOPE and a FUTURE!

We all know it’s a pretty popular verse these days from Jeremiah 29:11.  But we always stop there ~ There is so much more ~ Listen:

[12] Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. [13] You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. [14] I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back from captivity.

Wow.  It’s not just a promise from God.  Not just a few simple happy hopeful words.  It’s a promise that comes with a Duty…oh boy…a “D” word.  I didn’t have that one until now.  Thank you!

Our Duty is 1.) call upon Him  2.) come and pray to Him  3.) seek Him with all our heart
His Promise is 1.)  He will listen to us  2.) we will find Him  3.) He will bring us back from captivity…


There is so much more…maybe next time: captivity?

Thanks
k<3