Hope?

There's a poster around town these days, "All bad things must come to an end." If you ever saw the show Breaking Bad, then you know about it.

Its an eye catching poster but what brought me to notice it was an eight yr old.

He was walking with his dad and he was reading posters out loud. As soon as he completed the sentence,  he said " well, that's not true! "  his dad came back with "you don't think so?" And this youngen just shook his head.

They walked away from me but their interaction stayed with me.

Since then I have shared this story with quite a few people and some are surprised by the child's reaction, others just shake their head in agreement.

What has happened to HOPE?

I know that for a Christian,  our Hope is in Jesus Christ and in the last week or so I see how the world around me is so far away from that.  By pushing God out of our everyday lives, we have given up Hope and Joy.

I get riled up when I think of how folks talk about taking out "under God" in the pledge. What other authority would you want to be under? Your own?  How do you then find Hope?

Do you hope in yourself?  In a body that breaks down when you push it too hard?  In a mind that can't wrap itself around the universe and its existence?

Why do you believe in Jesus? That's a question that I get often. My answer? He is my Hope when nothing in my life makes sense.  This world, the people in it, my body, and mind will let me down but Jesus never has and so I know He never will let me down.

Love God and the rest will follow.

(That is the HOPE)

Thin and ugly...

The title seems like an oxymoron in our world, doesn't it?

I don't mean ugly in the matters of looks,  I am referring to their personalities.

I sat next to 2 models the other day.  By the world's standards,  they were good looking and thin. The issue was the things that they spoke about and how they said it.

It was just past 8am and the amount of swear words was unbearable.  To top it off they spoke of fellow models and their cocaine addictions.  They spoke of one the girls telling them that they couldn't attend an event because they weren't skinny enough.

It went on for about 30mins.

I just sat there thinking,  if this is the ugliness that is showing on the outside, what's it look like on the inside? Jesus, please help them!!

Love God and the rest will follow.

The word "Complicated"

Every single time I hear someone say, "it's complicated" I think to myself, is it really? Or is it something you don't want to deal with?

Sometimes it is truly complicated,  your heart is tugging at you from all sides... none of it makes you sad but picking just one option doesn't make you jump for joy. You want it all.

I want it all! I want a satisfying means to an end. I want a content lifestyle where I don't have to worry how bills will get paid. I want to smile and not have to hide hurt. I want to serve the children who don't know love.

Then there's the whole I want to travel the world. (But we all know the likelyhood of that panning out is slim to none)

I want a lot of things but I am reminded that I have the one thing that really matters and that would the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ.

With that comes a sense of relief. I know as long as I live a life honoring my Jesus, the rest is taken care of by the fact that God loves his children.

I might not travel the world but I will have breath in my lungs to proclaim His majesty :)

Maybe its not all that complicated,  not for me at least.

Love God and the rest will follow!

Who is in charge?

Who's the boss was a great show back in the day. I only ever saw reruns but I know it had a lot of fans.

One of the guys in Bible study quit his job and has nothing lined up for afterward. He is taking a sabbatical.

My first thoughts, I hope he has  money saved up...interviews lined up... who will pay bills?  Maybe he has none?  What's he gonna do next?

As much as I am sure he covered all this in his decision making process, I haven't seen a person so at ease especially in new york.  The whole purpose of this city is money. Making it big in NYC brings with it some clout that you can make it in any city.

Yet somehow this guy's actions are the opposite of what NYC mentality defines.  He is at peace,  confident and is completely going with the flow of what God has next for him.

Who's the boss?

In this guy's life? Clearly he is trusting Jesus to lead the way.  Even in this world, where he is the anomaly for even doing just that, he has taken another step in trusting and by that he has honored Jesus!

It made me question who was the boss in my life? Do i trust myself more than i trust Jesus?  Is that wise? Is it radical that someone would trust The Creator and The One who sacrificed His life? 

Why do I find it unnerving while it seems just fine to others?

This applies more today than ever...

Love God  and the rest will follow!

Do you really know?

Who knows you best?  Is it your family? Is it your friends?  My standard answer is that I know myself best.

But recently I have been thinking,  do I really?

I had myself convinced that I wanted to be married to a rockstar at one point.  Kevin, from the Backstreet Boys, preferably.

I thought I wanted 5 kids now its 1 maybe or 2 adopted kids?

I always wanted a saint Bernard,  now? A puggle or an english bulldog?

So? What makes me think I know what I want in my future husband???

I can't even make up my mind if I want to cut my hair short or not.

As for my husband,  I am done making lists that keep changing and priorities that aren't important anymore.

God has a lot of work to do and I am not about to stand in His way.

Love God and the rest will follow...

Ya neva know...

Last night I saw a slew of postings about a young man who went to OK as part of a mission trip to help tornado victims. His car was in a head-on collision and his life was taken from him.

What a way to go...

I don't even know him and there is an air of sadness when I think of his parents and family.  Then I think to myself, God used him and in that moment this man of the Lord had done all he had to do.

He was an example to youngsters, he gave up his time to go on a mission trip further showing the level of sacrifice.

What an example!

May God be glorified through this guy's life and death.

On the other hand, my aunt suffered a stroke a few days ago. Initially they said it was pretty minor now they are saying she is bleeding in the brain.

Am I sad?

Sounds weird when I even think it but I am not sad about her condition physically as much as her spiritual health.  If only she would confess that Jesus was her Christ but she finds it hard to believe she is lived because of the life she has lived.

Its easier said than done is what anyone would say from the outside looking in. And that would be a valid statement in her case. Except if you see how God really has been there through every step.

If only the veil would be removed so she could see that.

Father, may it be so!

A life of sacrifice is great but a life that glorifies and points to the Creator will always trump anything we can do.

Love God and the rest will follow...