By Elizabeth Bien
I believe that if we are not trusting God with our minor problems, then He is going to make us trust Him, by giving us so much that there is nothing left to do but give it to the Lord.
Before we were going to move, our problems were, "Money will be a little tight after buying school supplies." And, "I really need to clean my apartment." I thought I was stressed, Ha! God was telling me to trust Him and things will be fine, but I didn't listen!
Then to my surprise, my husband, Curtis, found tons of mold in our new place. Curtis got three tickets in two days, we were told we couldn't stay in our present apartment because it had already been rented out. We were not going to get our money back from the other landlord, and so on and so on!
Finally it was too much for me, I asked for everyone to pray. I wiped my swollen red eyes, and I gave it to the Lord. It was hard to loosten my grip on my problems, but I did it!
Then I found out that I can get my license back, the people that were going to move into our apartment backed out so we could stay where we are. And the owner of the moldy place brought us a check for the deposit and rent we paid and he even paid Curtis for painting that apartment!
God definitely taught me a lesson. I'm not going to sweat the small stuff. It's not worth it, but also, God's got my back! I know I will still worry and stress, but at least for now, I realize that I can't take it on myself, only the Lord can! He can do it!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Program
If it was your job to come up with a TV add for a weight loss program, how would you handle it? Who would you get to be in your comercial, to be your spokes person? Maybe someone tan and muscular with a flawless body?
I would like to think of myself as a spokes person for Christianity, so I thought that the best way to attract people to God, was for them to see my flawless life. I don't believe that way anymore, and that is a good thing because, I don't have a flawless life.
Let's use the weight loss add for an example again. You turn on your TV and see someone with the perfect body, saying, "Try my weight loss program!" You might think, "Yeah, right, that person looks like they have never had a problem with weight in their life." That add wouldn't sell me, because it's not believeable.
So using the weight loss add as my Christian spokes person eye opener, I started to think about the adds that I feel are the most effective. I noticed that the one that got my attention, started out with a real person who felt they had a real problem. This person told about their struggles with their weight, also how it has effected their life and health. Then the adds showed the same person after going through the program. This same person talked about how much better they felt and how their life had changed.
I could see the difference in this person, so I could believe the progress that they said they had made. it was real, and I could tell.
I may feel uncomfortable telling people my sins, doubts and weaknesses, but those are what show that I am a real person, just like everyone else. I also believe showing that I am human, is an effective way to attract people to God. After all, if He loves me with all of my flaws, He can love anyone! And what could be better than someone seeing my problem areas, then see the progress as Jesus helps me to over come those weak spots.
No one is better to use as an example of being human than David. God loved David and David was far from being perfect. The thing about David was that he had so much love for God. David made many mistakes, but he was still a man after Gods own heart. God did allow a lot of bad things to happen in David's life, as a result of David's actions. But God also richly blessed David.
Some one once told me that I had to be perfect before I became a Christian, but I've found that, not to be true. It's hard to be a good person, and it's impossible to be perfect without the Holy Spirit.
I would like to be flawless, I would like to please God and I would like my life to be and example to others. Weather it be a TV add to loose weight, or being a spokes person for our Christian life style, being totally real, works the best.
I would like to think of myself as a spokes person for Christianity, so I thought that the best way to attract people to God, was for them to see my flawless life. I don't believe that way anymore, and that is a good thing because, I don't have a flawless life.
Let's use the weight loss add for an example again. You turn on your TV and see someone with the perfect body, saying, "Try my weight loss program!" You might think, "Yeah, right, that person looks like they have never had a problem with weight in their life." That add wouldn't sell me, because it's not believeable.
So using the weight loss add as my Christian spokes person eye opener, I started to think about the adds that I feel are the most effective. I noticed that the one that got my attention, started out with a real person who felt they had a real problem. This person told about their struggles with their weight, also how it has effected their life and health. Then the adds showed the same person after going through the program. This same person talked about how much better they felt and how their life had changed.
I could see the difference in this person, so I could believe the progress that they said they had made. it was real, and I could tell.
I may feel uncomfortable telling people my sins, doubts and weaknesses, but those are what show that I am a real person, just like everyone else. I also believe showing that I am human, is an effective way to attract people to God. After all, if He loves me with all of my flaws, He can love anyone! And what could be better than someone seeing my problem areas, then see the progress as Jesus helps me to over come those weak spots.
No one is better to use as an example of being human than David. God loved David and David was far from being perfect. The thing about David was that he had so much love for God. David made many mistakes, but he was still a man after Gods own heart. God did allow a lot of bad things to happen in David's life, as a result of David's actions. But God also richly blessed David.
Some one once told me that I had to be perfect before I became a Christian, but I've found that, not to be true. It's hard to be a good person, and it's impossible to be perfect without the Holy Spirit.
I would like to be flawless, I would like to please God and I would like my life to be and example to others. Weather it be a TV add to loose weight, or being a spokes person for our Christian life style, being totally real, works the best.
Monday, January 9, 2012
By The Grace Of God
My husband Mark, told me something years ago that got me to think. He said, "When you are bothered by something in a person, look close at yourself, it could be that you are bothered because you are the same way."
I wrote a letter to a friend, telling her how bad I was feeling. I told her that my family was having a hard time. My son, Michael, had just been born, that alone was hard, but we also had to learn to deal with Mark's hepatitis C. We were finding it harder and harder to do the sign work that we had been doing, because we not had two babies and Mark was just to sick to work. We were getting into deep debt, and I was getting very depressed. I wrote about all of the pain that I felt when I attended Church. Seeing people that were happy and doing well financially, hurt me inside. I felt like less of a person, even though no one ever said anything bad, I felt sure that people were looking down on me.
Writing that letter to my friend, along with the words that Mark had said to me, made me realize that I felt the way I did not because of the way others treated me, but because I thought the way they treated me should have changed. When Mark and I were doing well financially and emotionally, I might have looked down on someone like me because I didn't understand what they had been through. I didn't see it in myself, but I was filled with pride. I might have looked down on taking charity, borrowing money, or people loosing their temper. That changed.
My stepdaughter, Melody, was staying with us off and on, and I watched her loose her temper at times. She had two children of her own, then she took on the responsibility of her young brother and sister. She always seemed tense and angry. I didn't understand what she was going through. I looked at her situation and I prayed for God to help. God heard my prayer and answered in a way I would have never expected. He showed me that a change in circumstances could turn a fairly patient woman into a woman on the edge.
Melody asked us if we could watch her son for ten days while she went out of town. Her son Gabriel was under a year old and my sons, Michael and Elijah were also babies. The first few days went fine, but as the days went by I got more and more tired from the added responsibility. And her baby, Gabriel, decided that he was tired of us, and he wanted his own mom. He cried most of the next seven days. On top of all the madness that seemed to be going on, one of the days, Mark had to spend the day at school, he was taking a music class, and I just happened to have one of the worst headaches I can remember. Three helpless babies and me, a very tired and nervous woman with a terrible headache, and no one to help me. By the time Mark came home from school, I was a wreck! I was in tears and I was yelling. I felt I was breaking down.
It was then that I not only understood what Melody must have gone through, but I also gained respect for the guts and strength she showed in that year she had her young brother and sister. I feel bad that I looked down on her. The worst part of it was that I had no idea how prideful I was. God had a way of setting up a situation to open your eyes, and then He wispers, "Look."
My prayer for myself is that I can look at people in situations different from my own and not lift myself up by putting others down, but that I can learn to feel for them. Then when I pray it can be out of love and empathy. The saying that was impressed on me was, "There by the grace of God go I."
I wrote a letter to a friend, telling her how bad I was feeling. I told her that my family was having a hard time. My son, Michael, had just been born, that alone was hard, but we also had to learn to deal with Mark's hepatitis C. We were finding it harder and harder to do the sign work that we had been doing, because we not had two babies and Mark was just to sick to work. We were getting into deep debt, and I was getting very depressed. I wrote about all of the pain that I felt when I attended Church. Seeing people that were happy and doing well financially, hurt me inside. I felt like less of a person, even though no one ever said anything bad, I felt sure that people were looking down on me.
Writing that letter to my friend, along with the words that Mark had said to me, made me realize that I felt the way I did not because of the way others treated me, but because I thought the way they treated me should have changed. When Mark and I were doing well financially and emotionally, I might have looked down on someone like me because I didn't understand what they had been through. I didn't see it in myself, but I was filled with pride. I might have looked down on taking charity, borrowing money, or people loosing their temper. That changed.
My stepdaughter, Melody, was staying with us off and on, and I watched her loose her temper at times. She had two children of her own, then she took on the responsibility of her young brother and sister. She always seemed tense and angry. I didn't understand what she was going through. I looked at her situation and I prayed for God to help. God heard my prayer and answered in a way I would have never expected. He showed me that a change in circumstances could turn a fairly patient woman into a woman on the edge.
Melody asked us if we could watch her son for ten days while she went out of town. Her son Gabriel was under a year old and my sons, Michael and Elijah were also babies. The first few days went fine, but as the days went by I got more and more tired from the added responsibility. And her baby, Gabriel, decided that he was tired of us, and he wanted his own mom. He cried most of the next seven days. On top of all the madness that seemed to be going on, one of the days, Mark had to spend the day at school, he was taking a music class, and I just happened to have one of the worst headaches I can remember. Three helpless babies and me, a very tired and nervous woman with a terrible headache, and no one to help me. By the time Mark came home from school, I was a wreck! I was in tears and I was yelling. I felt I was breaking down.
It was then that I not only understood what Melody must have gone through, but I also gained respect for the guts and strength she showed in that year she had her young brother and sister. I feel bad that I looked down on her. The worst part of it was that I had no idea how prideful I was. God had a way of setting up a situation to open your eyes, and then He wispers, "Look."
My prayer for myself is that I can look at people in situations different from my own and not lift myself up by putting others down, but that I can learn to feel for them. Then when I pray it can be out of love and empathy. The saying that was impressed on me was, "There by the grace of God go I."
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Courage
At times I have felt like I wanted more in my spiritual life, but I have stayed where I am because I was comfortable with what I believed. I have been afraid of the difficulty involved in possible growth. When things came up that made me question the doctrine of what I believed, I felt apprehensive to take an honest look and maybe admit that I had been wrong about a point of conviction.
Now, I am not talking about the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news, that Jesus died on the cross, so that we can be saved. That, I will not budge on. But there are small differences that Christians have, that today might seem right but tomorrow, I could be proven wrong.
Something happened that forced me to look at all of this a little closer. I met two people within a few days that believed a little different than I believed. Though we were three Christians, looking at the same thing, three different ways. Each one of us was positive that what we had learned was the truth. I didn't understand why these two people didn't admit that they were wrong. I wanted to look into the subject a bit deeper but I was afraid that I might be the one that was wrong. Each one of us was being close minded. We clung on to what we had learned. I had convincing arguments and scriptures to back up what I was saying, but so did they.
What was happening? Was I holding on to my way of thinking because it was familiar and easier than checking out something new? Was I afraid of finding out that some of what I believed was wrong? Again, I'm not talking about the Gospel. And how would being wrong make me look? Oh, and what about the work? If I was wrong, I would have to take the time and make the effort to learn something new, taking a risk of making mistakes until it became familiar to me. It would be so much easier to decide these other two views were wrong.
My husband, Mark has been a musician for most of his life. He is extremely gifted. He taught himself to play piano and guitar, by ear. He was very comfortable with his style of playing. After all these years of playing on his own, he decided to go back to school, and learn how to read music. He enrolled in a beginning piano class at the collage. I know it was a humbling experience for him. He has played on our church worship team for years. He also had a band on the side that played for many Christian concerts. With all the experience that he has with music, he still had a hard time in this begining collage class. He was making many mistakes, playing the most basic songs. It took a lot of courage for Mark to put himself in the position of being a student, and learn a new way of playing.
I wanted to know more spiritually. But I still had to search my heart to find out if I could handle the time and effort involved. I also had to put my pride aside, and know that I will make some mistakes. When I was honest with myself, I realized that nothing should be as important as knowing what was true and what was right. I need to be able to do this without an, "Out to prove something" attitude. And instead have a, "If this is true, I want to know, " attitude.
This may make me feel venerable, but in the end, I will know the truth, and be sure of it.
Mark almost failed the beginning music class. He was going to give up and take the failing grade, but two days before the final, he changed his mind. Mark studied and he learned a new way of playing the piano. He passed the class with a B. I thought he did an amazing job.
Now I have to find that courage that Mark found and open my eyes and ears and study, so that I can continue my walk with the Lord, and as Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:15, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."
Now, I am not talking about the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news, that Jesus died on the cross, so that we can be saved. That, I will not budge on. But there are small differences that Christians have, that today might seem right but tomorrow, I could be proven wrong.
Something happened that forced me to look at all of this a little closer. I met two people within a few days that believed a little different than I believed. Though we were three Christians, looking at the same thing, three different ways. Each one of us was positive that what we had learned was the truth. I didn't understand why these two people didn't admit that they were wrong. I wanted to look into the subject a bit deeper but I was afraid that I might be the one that was wrong. Each one of us was being close minded. We clung on to what we had learned. I had convincing arguments and scriptures to back up what I was saying, but so did they.
What was happening? Was I holding on to my way of thinking because it was familiar and easier than checking out something new? Was I afraid of finding out that some of what I believed was wrong? Again, I'm not talking about the Gospel. And how would being wrong make me look? Oh, and what about the work? If I was wrong, I would have to take the time and make the effort to learn something new, taking a risk of making mistakes until it became familiar to me. It would be so much easier to decide these other two views were wrong.
My husband, Mark has been a musician for most of his life. He is extremely gifted. He taught himself to play piano and guitar, by ear. He was very comfortable with his style of playing. After all these years of playing on his own, he decided to go back to school, and learn how to read music. He enrolled in a beginning piano class at the collage. I know it was a humbling experience for him. He has played on our church worship team for years. He also had a band on the side that played for many Christian concerts. With all the experience that he has with music, he still had a hard time in this begining collage class. He was making many mistakes, playing the most basic songs. It took a lot of courage for Mark to put himself in the position of being a student, and learn a new way of playing.
I wanted to know more spiritually. But I still had to search my heart to find out if I could handle the time and effort involved. I also had to put my pride aside, and know that I will make some mistakes. When I was honest with myself, I realized that nothing should be as important as knowing what was true and what was right. I need to be able to do this without an, "Out to prove something" attitude. And instead have a, "If this is true, I want to know, " attitude.
This may make me feel venerable, but in the end, I will know the truth, and be sure of it.
Mark almost failed the beginning music class. He was going to give up and take the failing grade, but two days before the final, he changed his mind. Mark studied and he learned a new way of playing the piano. He passed the class with a B. I thought he did an amazing job.
Now I have to find that courage that Mark found and open my eyes and ears and study, so that I can continue my walk with the Lord, and as Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:15, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."
Saturday, January 7, 2012
What's Up Today
If you read my blog, you might have noticed that I haven't written anything new lately. Well, I go through ups and downs and, that was a down. I get discouraged and I don't feel like doing much of anything.
I promise you that I will try to get back to it as soon as I can. Thank you for reading, I truly appreciate it.
Connie
I promise you that I will try to get back to it as soon as I can. Thank you for reading, I truly appreciate it.
Connie
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