Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Help - My Faith is Fading!

Have you ever felt like your faith is fading? Like the tighter you try to hold on to God, the more his presence seems to slip away? You know he's there, but you can't quite connect with him like you used to. Sound familiar?

First let me say, that this is common. It doesn't necessarily mean you have "lost your faith."  What it does mean is that something has interfered. It could be sin, busyness, troubles, heartbreak, unforgiveness, etc...or it could be the most common cause of all - neglect.

All relationships suffer when we neglect to nurture them. Friends drift apart when they don't talk very often. Spouses lose intimacy when they get too busy to spend time together. It doesn't mean you don't still care about one another, it just causes a feeling of distance between you.

So what's the cure? Simple - carve out some time to spend alone with God daily. Shut out the world, turn off your cell phone, close Facebook and simply sit with God. Read his word and allow him to speak to you from it. Share your heart with him in prayer. Write down impressions, verses or answers that come to you in those intimate moments.

You'll find your awareness of God refreshed and enjoy moment-by-moment fellowship with Him throughout your day.


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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Do You Have Royal Blood? Your Last Name May Tell You.


While browsing through Facebook this morning I came across an ad from a genealogy web site. They asked, "Do You Have Royal Blood?" They said that your last name may be an indicator of royal ancestry.

I didn't need to click the image of a queen that accompanied the post. I didn't need to go to their web site or take a quiz, because I already know without a doubt that royalty runs in my blood, because I am a child of the Living God and the blood of Jesus Christ, King above all kings flows through my veins.

Does that puff me all up and make me call myself a Queen? A Princess? A Duchess? Nope, because I know that the greatest King of all times deemed Himself a servant of all.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
 but to serve, and to give his life
as a ransom for many." 
Mark 10:45


Doesn't seem very glamourous, does it?  Maybe not, but it's the most noble calling a daughter of the reigning King can have.

Whom will you serve today?

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Wednesday, January 13, 2016

It works - it really works!


"Start children off on the way
they should go,  
and even when they are old 
they will not turn from it." 
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)


Ever since my grandsons were little boys, I made sure that I talked to them about having a relationship with God, about thinking of others and about being a blessing to those around them.

When I picked them up from school, I didn't ask questions like, how was your day.  I asked questions like, "Who did you bless today?"  "Who did you encourage today?"  "How did God help you today?"

Their answers were always so cute. "I shared my red crayon with Fernando." or "I held the door open for a girl."  Of course, as they got older, the answers changed and sometimes I just got, "I don't know." from them. (mostly through the preteen years)  Sometimes I even got the old eye roll, which let me know I was being really uncool.

Today, I picked up the 16 year old. He got in the car and as we pulled away from the school, he said, "So, Grandma, how did God use you today?"

My grandma heart nearly burst with joy and pride. Of course, I acted all cool, like he asks those kind of questions every day.  That question led to a great conversation between us. Talk about a blessing from God!

Grandparents - you are a vital part of building into the lives of your grandchildren. Parents can't do it all on their own. It takes a family to raise a child, and that includes extended family.  Start when they are young, build a great relationship with them, support their parents, encourage them to respect and honor others (most especially their parents). Pray for them continually and speak into their spiritual lives. Pick moments when they are most open. Give them age-appropriate suggestions about how to implement God's word into their lives.

One day, God will give you that special moment when you know that you were getting through to them.  What a day that will be!  Let the rejoicing begin!


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