Whose Power?

When we feel we can’t, lets be honest, we usually don’t even try. We might recognize an area of our life and know that we need to do something, perhaps it is a sin in our lives that our eyes have been opened to and we know we need to change, but we respond with “I can’t”.  Too often the “I can’t”  isn’t uttered while we are in the midst of the climb trying to reach the top sweat beads dripping from our forehead and our grip loosening from the slippery slope to which we cling.  No, rather we are usually standing feet firmly planted on the ground haven’t even put on the climbing gear yet and just looking up at the mountain saying “I can’t”.  Yet as Christians we claim that we have the Spirit of God… read that again, the SPIRIT of GOD!  Such power that we will do the works that Jesus did and greater works.  We know a Helper has been given to us that dwells with us, and is IN us. (John 14:12,16-17) So why is it that we claim this power but then demonstrate such weakness?  We merely look at the mountain and say “I can’t”. Oh what the Lord might do if we boast in our weakness knowing we can’t BUT that He can and through that we press on.  We step into the climbing harness, take that first step off the ground and we start. Just because we have been given the Spirit doesn’t mean that we don’t have to do anything. It doesn’t mean that we can just sit down and say “I can’t but God can” and we magically appear on the top of the mountain. No.  It will require stepping into the unknown.  Going through the trials. But when the sweat is dripping from your head and you’re loosing your group you press on because you know God can and you rely fully on His strength.  That is the Spirit he has placed within you.  The climb is never easy, but the view from the top is always worth it.  What battle is before you that you are looking at it with the “I can’t” view?

A Lesson on Lying

“….Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Have you heard of the Japanese Knotweed?  It is a weed that at its origin grew along volcanoes in which the ash kept the weed in check, but now growing unabated in great Britain it has become a major problem. The Mirror reports this weed can grow up to 20cm (7.87 inches) a day.  Its root system can grow through tarmac and concrete and its roots can grow down to a 3m (9ft. 10in.) depth.  It has reportedly cost the UK L$166 million a year to control and though it doesn’t seed it only takes 0.8g for regrowth. *

This weed reminds me of how lying affects us.  Not only does it affect our hearts and lives but those around us. The offense of lying goes deep into the heart and the only way to stop it is to dig it up at its roots.  Continue reading “A Lesson on Lying”

10 Free Christian Apps To Download Today

As a busy homeschooling mom I rarely get time to myself let alone “quiet” time.  However I have the desire to know God and the only way to know Him is by what has been revealed in His word thus I must know His word.  What better way to learn about God (grow in Him) than to ‘go to church’ on Sunday I thought.  So Sundays would roll around and I would go to church for my weekly feeding.  I would either leave feeling less than satisfied or full for a moment only to have the hunger pains return a short time later.  I, of course, attributed it to something lacking in the church or the messages when really what was lacking was my own personal study.  We shouldn’t be going to church on Sunday to feed because we have been starving all week.  Rather a message we hear on Sundays should just be a dessert, an extra cherry on top, because we have been filling up and feasting on Gods word throughout the entire week. Continue reading “10 Free Christian Apps To Download Today”

Book Recommendation: True Beauty – Carolyn Mahaney & Nicole Whitacre

“Vanity of Vanities.”

 

It doesn’t matter what age you are.  A young girl looking up to the teenagers or Barbie dolls she plays with, a teen somewhere in the mix of awkward years and school cliques, a college student with the freshman 15 living on pizza and ramen noodles, a new mom always covered in some bodily fluid that’s not your own, a middle age woman finding a new wrinkle, skin tag, or white hair everyday, or a grandma feeling like your slowly becoming irrelevant; struggles with our physical appearance our outward beauty hit everyone.  In this book True Beauty, Carolyn Mahaney and her daughter Nicole Whitacre work to break down the lies of our cultural standard of beauty and pull back the veil on what true beauty is.

What do we spend the most time thinking and talking about?  What do we give the most money and effort to gain?  Is it glorifying God’s beauty or pursuing glory for our beauty?”  These are three questions we should ask ourselves, or better yet three questions Carolyn and Nicole challenge us to think how our friends and family would answer about ourselves.

Continue reading “Book Recommendation: True Beauty – Carolyn Mahaney & Nicole Whitacre”

Belize Travel Missions Trip: Day 7

We head for home today.

It was bittersweet to leave.

Even though we only had a short time in the morning before catching our plane back to the mainland, God still blessed those few short hours with more gospel conversations.

We headed back to Estels as a group this morning for breakfast.  A waitress who was there the day prior when just a few of us visited this place remembered us.  She had talked briefly with the teen who was with us the day before.  She saw that we had a few Bibles sitting on the table and asked if she could have one!  Continue reading “Belize Travel Missions Trip: Day 7”

Belize Travel Missions Trip: Day 6

Our final day.  Today we got to experience a different side of Belize.  Our time here has been so packed full and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  This morning we broke off into smaller groups again and walked through town to eat breakfast looking for conversations where we could.  Our group ate at this little place off Back street called Boogies Belly! And it was amazing.  This was more a traditional Belizean restaurant.  They had meat pies… which are apparently big here as a lot of the people who were stopping in on their way to work were ordering these.  They also have the fryjack which was something else that Wayne (half-inch) recommended as well as a number of other locals we spoke to along the way.  It’s deep fried dough (not a sweet dough though.. that was shaped like an extra large burrito shell) it is then filled with eggs, cheese, your choice of meat, and of course, beans.  They had a whole menu of fry items.  I opted for the fryjack which I recommend.  If you are in Belize- eat a fryjack for breakfast.  One of the teen girls got a stuff jack which is all of the same items of the fryjack only they stuff it then EVERYTHING is deep fried together!  They seem to really like deep fried breakfast items here.  I now have a list of some staple Belizean foods and these deep fried items and coleslaw are on that list!

Continue reading “Belize Travel Missions Trip: Day 6”

Belize Travel Missions Trip: Day 5

Only 2 days left on this Island.  The time seems to have flown by and already I am sad knowing our time here is coming to an end soon.  Today we broke our larger group (of 14 at this point) into smaller groups to go into the community for breakfast.  We each went our own ways to engage the community and get into gospel conversations.  Our group, which was my husband myself and one of the  teen girls, headed off down the street where we met a guy at the bank who recommended two places for breakfast and even gave us a ride (golf cart style of course) to show us where they were.  We invited him to join us for breakfast (on us) but sadly he couldn’t.  We walked the area around Estels by the sea (which I highly recommend for breakfast especially if you are looking for a taste of home with bagels, pancakes, etc.) and talked to a few locals.  That’s where we met this guy…

Continue reading “Belize Travel Missions Trip: Day 5”

Belize Travel Mission Trip: Day 4

My heart again feels a heaviness for the people here, the people who have no lasting hope.  As we were surrounded today by garbage I am looking to see.. where will these people find hope?  Not here, not in any earthly thing they may run to, to try to fill themselves.  I am reminded of the hymn  ” My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.  On Christ, the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.”  How fitting this song is.

This morning we started our day by attending a Sunday school program for local kids.  Chief is the one who runs this program.  There are other ministry events he holds here as well but Sunday mornings are for the kids.  Continue reading “Belize Travel Mission Trip: Day 4”