You Can Make A Difference

If you read this my post "I Hear an Echo" from the other day, this is sort of a continuation of that post. 

Yes, this is still echoing in my head, and my heart. I have been asking, "What is it Lord? Why does this continue to come up? I keep thinking, what is it that I am missing? How can I make a difference? It seems I am always, "doing something". So what is it. 

My husband and I have worked in Children's Ministry for a better part of 14 years. Over the years B has directed our children's summer camps and each year we meet with our counselors. One thing that I share with them year after year is the child that may drive you the craziest, is the one that needs you the most. We don't know what that child faces in his everyday life. Sad, but true. We hear, everyone is battling something. Well, children are no different. Except for the fact, they have a harder time fighting it. Another thing we share with our Ministry team is that we may never see the fruit of our labor, but there are those rare times that we see that we have made a difference in a child's life. Not all the children that have grown up in our ministry have stayed the course. Not all are faithful to the church or to God. But, there are others that you know "got it" as a young child, and we have seen them grow up physically and spiritually. Those rare ones that still seek the Lord are serving Him and walking with them. Oh, we would love to make a difference in ALL their lives, but that isn't always the case.

The Lord reminded me of how we make a difference in the here and now. We are not to worry about what happens tomorrow. We are to love those children, and to point them to Christ. Period. He will take care of the rest. He reminded me of this story.....

So, for now the answer to all my questions about, If not me, then who? If not now, then when?" is that I am to take each opportunity as it comes. Here I am wandering around, trying to figure out the BIG picture. It must be something BIG and GREAT that God is leading me to. But, for now that is not it at all. And that's ok. Because He is going to use me to make a difference, maybe not in the thousands., and certainly not to make this world a better place...but to make a difference for the here and now and to "make a difference for that one" that He placed before me.

We each have a purpose. God has ordained that. He chose us. In all this soul searching, I asked God to show me my purpose. He created me to praise Him. To glorify Him. Another answer came the other day when I made something my husband wanted. He said, "You take care of me don't ya?" As he hugged me, God nudged me...."there's your purpose".  I said, "Yes, I try, because, you are my purpose." Not only is my husband my purpose. But, my children as well. I tend to forget that they are my first ministry. So, you Mommas that think you don't have a purpose. God CHOSE you to be your child's mother. You... and He has a plan and a purpose for you in that. Everything else will flow from that ..... 

Do Something........anything 

Pray...send a card...call...encourage someone...support a ministry...volunteer...buy a pack of toilet paper, toothpaste, trash bags, etc and donate to a shelter...put someone else before yourself...God's word says to love one another....

so go.... love another...and

God will use you to make a difference! 

Thankful Thursday: Lots of Love!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today supposedly is all about flowers, chocolate, mushy cards and lots of love.......

I can remember times when Valentine's rolled around with NO VALENTINE in sight. Depressing, huh?? For those of you that may feel that way today... STOP! RIGHT NOW!! Your Heavenly Father loves, loves you!! And His love is more than flowers, chocolate, and mushy cards!!! You can KNOW that this gift won't die like flowers or disappear like chocolate. And you can open His love letter to you EVERYDAY... and even have words of HIS love held in your heart. Hmmm... just thinking about that fills my heart with JOY!!! 

This LOVE is like NO OTHER!!! 

 Of course I have a wonderful God-given Valentine  - Mr. B!!!  And all the other gifts in my life! Just looking through these pictures fill my heart with love & JOY!!

Lots of love to my family!!!

Thank you Lord for the blessings in my life!!!

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy & peace!!!

Thankful Thursday!

Have you ever seen a sunrise or a sunset, or a mountain view, (or something else that only God could create) and thought..."wow that is AWESOME" "Only the Lord could create something like that" ???

But what is even more awesome than that ..... is that God not only created the beautiful site, He created it just for you to see....at that very moment. 

Because some of His artwork is constantly changing.  So just for that very moment it was

JUST. FOR. YOU. 

 I know that this picture isn't the greatest (my phone camera isn't too good) and its definitely NOT exactly how God created it for me to see this morning (it was much more beautiful), but I wanted you to see something that gave my heart some JOY this morning. 

It was as if the Lord said, "This is for you. I just wanted to remind you that I love you and I am HERE." 

When we have beautiful pink morning skies like this, I can't help but think of some precious Christian women that are in Heaven with their Savior: Shelby.... Pam... Sophia.. Diane....... 

The reason..... the morning after each went to be with Jesus the skies were umpteen beautiful breathtaking shades of pink. A reassuring that they are where they longed to be!

When I look toward this Eastern sky, I cannot help but think of Christ's promise to return for His children.  Wonder what the sky will look like on that day?!!

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; 

SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE." (Matt.24:27)

 Thank you Lord for your promises and your daily reminders of your love! 

Linking up with

 

JOY! Thankful Thursday!

I will not lie. This week has not been one of those happy, happy, joy, joy weeks. I know there will be times that what I am seeing, or learning will not feel like "JOY!" But, rest assured, I am praying, watching, and expecting to see God even in weeks such as this.

 

Sunday night, a migraine set in. YUCK!! Sort of like the ccoolldd weather. Brrr. It set in, and finally, it is slowly dissipating. I tend to have what I call a "migraine hangover" for a couple days after. That's still lingering. I do feel much better today! Yayy!! One thing I am when I have a migraine...is QUIET. Yes, those of you that really know me are probably shocked. I am QUIET and I want QUIET!

Monday, I visited a dear shut-in from our church. It was her 80th birthday. Don't think I am all that. Because, I really meant to put a card in the mail last week. I thought, "OK I will call her today". As the morning went on my migraine was relentless, but even more than that, the prodding of the Holy Spirit was so evident, that I needed to go visit her. As bad as I felt? Really? I didn't have it in me to wrestle the prodding. So, I took an hour, just a small tiny moment of my day and guess what? The Lord blessed me so, and also taught me a huge lesson. How many times have I missed an opportunity to bring JOY to someone else and the blessing God would have poured out on me had I listened??!! I have thought about stopping in to see her numerous times, and yet, NEVER made the time. She even called me the next night to thank me for visiting her. Talk about conviction. Whew! Has the Lord laid someone on your heart to call or visit and you keep saying, "I need to do ____."? And you haven't yet?? A HUGE reminder of the "O" in JOY. OTHERS before myself!

Kea battled a stomach bug Monday afternoon and evening. Just lovely. A migraine, and a sick little boy, that just wants Mom! The Lord said, Press on Mom! You got this and I am right here for you!!! The joy in this was he finally went to sleep at 10:15 and slept ALL NIGHT! He was better the next morning! Yay! Thank you Jesus!!

Yesterday, when I got home Bub was in the bed, sick. OH NO! Here we go. I was thinking Round 2! If he is in the bed.... he is really, really sick. He is the one that breezed through getting his wisdom teeth removed and wanted bacon the next day!!  I woke him up to see what was going on, and he has the sinus junk, headache, sore throat. With the flu going around, we headed to Urgent Care. Yay!! Thank you Jesus! ....No flu, just a sinus infection.

I know the title of this post is Thankful Thursday, and I haven't been very thankful through this post.

I am THANKFUL

for the Holy Spirit's leading 

for the Lord's blessings

for the sweet words of an 80 year old prayer warrior

that my baby boy is better

that Bub did not have the flu(or the stomach bug)

for my friends that pray for me and encourage me

for my husband for putting up with me when I have a migraine. (I am not very nice)

that my headache is on its way OUT!!

that I have warm clothes now that winter decided to show up

for the sun this week and for sunglasses on my way to work!

that tomorrow is FRIDAY! 

that God is working JOY into my life

for God's WORD

for HIS discipline

for HIS LOVE, COMPASSION, KINDNESS, GENTLENESS, MERCY & GRACE that He has for me. 

Especially when I fail Him. When I fall. When I am disobedient.  

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

Joy! : Thankful Thursday!

I want to thank the Lord for some of the JOY He has put in my path this week!!

*Encouraging texts help me get through my day! Special friends that take time out of their busy lives to send me a text with scripture or that they are praying for me brings me a lot of "JOY"! Lift your friends to the Lord and let them know about it! They will appreciate it, I KNOW!

*On my way home one day this week, I was feeling worn out and tired. Not so much physically, but spiritually.  I was asking the Lord to give strength and power to handle the evening. (I have a friend that calls getting home, homework, supper, etc  - the witching hour) Sometimes I feel that. And I am the WITCH. I am really working on that part of me. I find it hard to keep myself together, and I am diligently working on that area of my life. While sitting at a stop light, I look up and see a sign with the same words......

that cracked me up!! How many times have I said to my boys, "don't make me come in there!"????
Love how He puts things in my path, just when I need it!! A great way to start my evening! And wondered, just how many times has he said that to me??

*Had lunch with Leslie. We haven't had much time to talk or to catch up lately. I am so thankful for her!!  And that she works close by. We are going to have to have lunch more often! Nothing like catching up!!

*Went by a friend's house to drop something off. Wasn't expecting to stay but a minute. Got to sit, talk & pray for a short time. What a blessing that was for me! Little did I know that she had a rough day and God used me stopping by to encourage her. Little opportunities that I normally let slip by, because I am RARELY spontaneous like that.

* My husband.... because he puts up with my nonsense. Thankful that the Lord gives him patience with me.

*God's word has brought me a lot of JOY this week. He is for me! He loves me so much. He loves me enough to put me on a path that is for my good and His GLORY! May I follow in obedience.

*Now, I am not a "snow" person, but I have seem some JOY in my children (and some of my silly friends, you know who you are!!) at the mention of snow in the forecast. If it does snow..... I may like it for a moment....its been raining here ALL week! So it would be a welcome change. :) If it could just wait til Friday, that would be even better!
 
I love that the Lord chose JOY for my 2013 word. May I continue to look for JOY in my life! How about you? Have you experienced any JOY this week??