1. When I was growing up I lived on a farm in East Texas. I had to milk the cows before and after school -- well one cow. I would get up at 5 a.m. and call the cows in from the field. One morning my cow wasn't cooperating and I was frustrated. So I did the only logical thing you could do--- I bit her on the ear. I'm not kidding . I bit her. You should have seen the look of surprise on MY face!
2. I've owned and driven about six cars in my life. I drove a small Chevy truck in high school, then a Geo Spectrum (don't ask), a Honda Accord, two Honda Odysseys (death to the mini-van!) and now an Aggie maroon Hyundai Santa Fe.
3. I love Sonic. In fact I go just about every day! A very bad habit I tell you. What do I get? Plain, ole unsweet iced tea with lemon! I can't start my day unless I have a huge 44 oz foam cup in my hand.
4. I stopped drinking diet coke about two plus years ago now. It's one of the reasons I now drink a lot of tea!
5. I have a shoe fetish. No, not that I love to buy shoes but I must be wearing shoes at all times. I never like to go barefoot unless I'm at the beach. Otherwise, shoes must be on my feet at all times preferably with socks.
6. I picked the names of both of my kids when I was in high school. No joking. I'm still amazed by it.
7. I absolutely detest unloading the dishwasher.
8. For some reason, I add random numbers together. If I pass a sign with numbers on it like the speed limit I automatically add them together.
9. I like numbers but I hate math!
10. I am so glad to know there is more required for eternal life than just saying a Christian sinner's prayer. By grace I have repented, become born again and put my trust in my Lord Jesus Christ.
11. I try to leave gospel tracts everywhere I go. One of my favorite places is credit card machines at gas stations, restaurants (like Sonic), and bank ATM's.
12. Everyone should take the Good Person Test (www.thegoodpersontest.com). I did and I failed!
13. I've discovered that I battle sin more now than ever in my life but it doesn't bum me out. It's better to battle it now than to answer for it later. (For more on that see my blog post "Shades of Gray")
14. I love peppermint candies. I pretty much have them with me wherever I go and have withdrawals if I run out.
15. I found the best prayer for true repentance is Psalm 51.
16. I use the 10 commandments in witnessing to bring about the Law in the sinner's eyes to see how they have disgraced God and deserve judgment.
17. I have a huge compassion for the souls of non-believers and false converts.
18. I would absolutely love to go to theological seminary. I would fail but oh, what I would learn! For now, I just listen to courses online.
19. I would also love to go to culinary school and there is no doubt I would really fail that! But boy that would be fun (not failing) but learning more creative things! Guess I'll have to stick with Food Network for now!
20. I lately have been battling some weird physical things going on in my life. I am thankful for my prayer warrior friends who have lifted me up when the hard times call and thankful that the Lord will not leave me or forsake me.
21. One of my favorite prayers to pray is Psalm 51:10-13 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from thy presence, and do not take thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will be converted to Thee."
22. I have given away about 20 - 25 copies of two of the greatest books The Way of the Master by Ray Comfort and One Heartbeat Away (English and Spanish) by Mark Cahill.
23. I met hubby Trey in high school but we didn't start dating until after I graduated. In March we celebrate 13 years!
24. My parents used to own a Christian book store/health food store which I worked in all growing up. The things we sold the most of were vitamins and Bibles and frozen yogurt!
25. I love my Lord and Savior more than this life!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
25 Random Things About Me
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Shades of Gray
What does the life of Christianity hold for the believer? Is it so black and white that there is a dividing line between the struggles of this walk with no gray areas in between?
In today's modern Christianity, people seem consumed by critiquing the lives of Christians who do seem to be struggling in the gray area. I find that those who are weak in biblical understanding do not comprehend why so many Christians can be hurting or struggling with certain problems or sins. They think that so and so must really messed up and they are so amazed at why the struggle seems so difficult and long. They think that after all they are a Christian and they shouldn't be having all these problems. I was of this mindset about myself at one point because I wondered how in the world can I be battling these kinds of things? In my own understanding I concluded that there must be something really wrong with any Christian who could walk in such unjoyful melancholy. I struggled with putting up that perfect image that portrayed unbridled happiness because I was a Christian. To struggle against sin certainly seems like it portrays weakness when in the worldly view all Christians should be strong.
My understanding of this certainly has changed because I know why there is a battle.
Why do we see this struggle? Because we live in a depraved world and we battle sin just like anyone else does. It is a learned process sometimes to believe in the grace of our Lord and Savior. It is part of our sanctification that we learn and grow in this belief and sometimes it does not come easily but through continual prayer and studying the Scripture.
I don't believe that we should walk in constant sorrow by any means. There are countless people of God who battled sin including David who I think is the greatest example of one who went through some very despairing times. He was constantly crying out to God to restore his joy because of his conflicts with sin.
So, we know that Christians do sin. Even Paul in Romans 7 says that he battles with the things that he does not want to because there is ongoing conflict with two natures. This is why we must be careful with how we label Christians. The battles they face can be far and wide but we must remember to show compassion and love for those who are struggling.
(Romans 7:14-15)
A believer does not have the mindset to just chuck sin aside like an unwanted toy. Instead, we set forth to go into battle with our sins. In our own strength it is too hard. We can't stop it ourselves but must receive the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in order to change our minds about our sin. After all, if it looks like it is so easy then how will the sacrifice that He made for our sins be seen and understood? He sacrificed His life for us -- that could not have been an easy task to take on the wrath of God for our sinfulness. The difference now for a believer is that we have the power to resist the sin even if at times it seems daunting and difficult. And, as we grow in our sanctification we will see more of that sinfulness revealed.
In Romans 6 Paul says this:
Paul goes onto say in Romans 6:11 that as believers, we are dead to this sin and alive to God in Jesus Christ. But we must know that because of our depraved situations there will be ongoing battles with our sinful natures. In his article Gospel-Driven Sanctification Jerry Bridges explains it this way:
"But the question arises, 'If I've died to sin's dominion, why do I still struggle with sin patterns in my life?' The answer to that question lies in the word struggle. Unbelievers do not struggle with sin. They may seek to overcome some bad habit, but they do not see that habit as sin. They do not have a sense of sin against a holy God. Believers, on the other hand, struggle with sin as sin. We see our sinful words, thoughts, and deeds as sin against God; and we feel guilty because of it. This is where we must continue to go back to the gospel. To consider ourselves dead to sin is to believe the gospel.
This doesn't mean that we just believe the gospel and live complacently in our sin. Absolutely not! Go back to Paul's words in Romans 6:1-2. We died both to sin's guilt and its dominion. Though sin can wage war against us (hence our struggle), it cannot reign over us. That is also part of the gospel. But the success of our struggle with sin begins with our believing deep down in our hearts that regardless of our failures and our struggle, we have died to sin's guilt. We must believe that however often we fail, there is no condemnation for us (Rom 8:1)."
We must continually lift up our brothers and sisters in prayer who are battling some of life's harder moments and to remind that we are not under the condemnation of sin and darkness instead of criticizing. Because through criticism, whether it is of ourselves or others, we are not showing the love of Christ.
As believers, let's keep our faith in the saving grace of the gospel!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Deluding Influences
I have written a post on this topic before (And the Wind Doth Blow) and am planning to go further into the topic at some point about hearing God. We do not hear God "in our head" but only from his words in Scripture. Deceit and deception is all around us and we must be warned of that. I am in constant prayer about this for myself as I do not want to be influenced into believing delusions and signs.
In the meantime, here is an article that touches on this topic by Warren Smith.
"Today it is very sad to see so many believers falling under the influence of the same spirit that influenced me when I was in the "new age." This spirit says that it is a time for "breakthroughs" and for the fulfillment of our "destiny"; that there is something "new" and exciting in the wind. This teaching claims that we are in the midst of a great "transition" that will result in a "paradigm shift," and that through "new revelation" and "personal experience" God is in the process of taking the church to a "new dimension" and to a whole "new level." Many Christian leaders these days are so sure that what they are hearing and experiencing is from God, they are rarely testing the spirits, or even considering the possibility that they are being deceived."
(From Christians Under the Influence of Another Spirit by Warren Smith at Lighthouse Trails Research)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
I Grew Up A "Christian"
I have always wanted to do a post on my testimony but I couldn't quite put into words anything about it. I think probably because some part of me was still shocked that I had called myself a real Christian.
See, I did grow up in a Christian home. I did all the "right" things. No smoking, drinking, cussing, and I hardly dated at all until after high school and I didn't participate in the things that "dating" included either. I was a good person with a good heart. However, now I know my definition of good did not meet up with biblical standards. My parents owned a Christian book store that I worked in all through high school. I felt that it was very important to keep up the image that I should be portraying Christ in every word and manner. And I did. I kept up with the image because I thought I needed to. But there was no sense of sincere conviction in my life. No sense of who Jesus is and what He had done for me. When I did do something that I felt was particularly bad I would just feel bad about it and move on. There was no feeling of true repentance and utter distaste for sin. I still longed to do what everybody else was doing and I told myself that I was a better Christian because I didn't follow through with all of those actions. How bogus I was! I knew what God did for me. I believed it. I longed for others to have that closeness and understanding with me. But that was just it. I did it for me. I didn't do it for the glory of God.
In college I believe that God worked more diligently with me. I did continue to grow and learn about the things of the Lord. But I still wasn't regenerated into a new person. My understanding was still very shallow.
Until just a few years ago, I was still on this path until God really moved my heart and began to show me that I wasn't such a great person after all. He shook me to the core and my walk and my talk has not been the same since. He literally broke me and it was my questioning and crying out to Him as to what He was doing that eventually changed me. My heart is different. My outlook on sin is completely different. My hope and my compassion for others has truly changed. Even now, He is still working with me in quite a few areas. But my understanding of what is required to enter the kingdom of heaven is quite different than what I thought I understood about it years ago.
If you have a few minutes (the video is about 17 minutes and well worth the time) watch the following testimony of Susan Yenser. She is a basketball player with the University of Florida. As I was listening to her testimony I was floored at how similar to mine it was. Towards the end of the video she says so many people thought she was crazy because she had always proclaimed that she was a Christian and now she was denouncing that and saying no NOW she really is a Christian. This describes me to a tee. Self-righteously, and I see this a lot in modern Christianity, it is hard to admit that I am really just a filthy rag and no amount of labeling or church-going or looking like a "Christian" will change any of that.
God says that He will give us a new heart. One that despises sin and wants to put on the new self. Perhaps you are in that place and are not quite comfortable with where you are. You feel like something is out of place and you are not feeling like God has your whole heart. You might be right. Examine your life. Pray that God places the desire in your heart to truly turn to Him. Pray that He grows that desire stronger in your life everyday and that He creates in you a clean heart. As Susan mentions in her testimony, you might find that you are battling sin even more as God begins the sanctification process in you. I find this to be absolutely and honestly very painfully true as God works in my life to expose the areas of darkness.
I am eternally grateful that the Lord had me examine my life and that I listened. I am praising Him for choosing me and supernaturally changing me!
Please watch the video!
Friday, January 2, 2009
What is God Going to do In 2009?
(Hebrews 11:8)
"Have you been ‘out’ in this way? If so, there is no logical statement possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the difficulties in Christian work is this question—‘What do you expect to do?’ You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually revise your attitude towards God and see if it is a going out of everything, trusting in God entirely. It is this attitude that keeps you in perpetual wonder—you do not know what God is going to do next. Each morning you wake it is to be a ‘going out,’ building in confidence on God. “Take no thought for your life, . . . nor yet for your body”—take no thought for the things for which you did take thought before you ‘went out.’
Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is. Do you believe in a miracle-working God, and will you go out in surrender to him until you are not surprised an atom at anything He does?
Suppose God is the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him, what an impertinence worry is! Let the attitude of the life be a continual ‘going out’ in dependence upon God, and your life will have an ineffable charm about it which is a satisfaction to Jesus. You have to learn to go out of convictions, out of creeds, out of experiences, until, so far as your faith is concerned, there is nothing between yourself and God."
FROM: My Utmost For His Highest: Selections for the year (January 2)
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Real Self-Esteem
NOTE: This is a repost of one of my favorite posts in 2008. If you haven't seen it take a moment to watch it.
Blessings to all of you in this new year! May we continue to seek after our Lord and Savior and to hit the pavement to bring the lost to Him in 2009.
You have probably guessed by now that I am a fan of Paul Washer -- I should say that I am more of a fan of the truth. When I listen to Paul preach my eyes are wide open and my mouth is SHUT.
This video is approximately 7 minutes.
I dare you to watch all of it.
