Star-fish

     I'm struggling lately. As I've struggled, I've gotten mad, bitter, angry, and cried. Then I cried out to God. Dr. Charles Stanley in his sermon today reminded his viewers that sometimes, "Before God can heal us, sometimes, He has to break us." He noted that this brokenness is often a result of our stubbornness. God wasn't able to reach us in subtle ways, so more dire measures were needed. God's greater goal in our struggles is the process of sanctification. He's growing us into the image of Christ.      Dr. Stanley said, "Don't go get a drink or have a party" when the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, instead get on your knees and ask God for healing. He noted that refusing to accept God's changes, He wants to make in our lives, leads us to living unfulfilled lives. Sometimes the struggle is what refines us. Please watch his sermon. It caused tears to flow, but healing to start in me. Thank you Lord!      Dr. Stanley's sermon...

     Wait. Just four letters make up this word that is nearly impossible for me to accomplish. I've prayed a lot lately about a change that is happening in my life. I wanted to escape it, but I prayed the Lord's will be done. Tomorrow, I will be right in the middle of it. His will seems to be that I keep moving on into the middle of this work that I am finding difficult both mentally and physically. Work that tries my patience and my abilities.      Dr. Charles Stanley spoke on the topic of waiting today in his sermon. It was as if he were talking directly to me. I'm posting the website, so if you are like me and the word "wait" is a heavy "weight" on your shoulders, maybe this will speak light into "our" problem of not waiting on the Lord. http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/this-week-on-tv     Psalm 27:14  Wait   for the   Lord ;     be strong  and take heart    and wait for the  Lord .

     The other morning, as I was studying the Word, my mind kept wandering to all the things I needed to get done. I wrote the word "restless"on a piece of paper as that was how I was feeling. The things and problems of the world were pushing in and leaving me with no peace.      Later, when I looked at the word, "restless" again, it occurred to me that the "t" in the middle looked like a cross and "restless" took on another meaning altogether. Restless, seemed to mean rest less in the world. But rest more on the cross.      Then today, in my morning reading, a scripture about the world really spoke to me in 1 John 2:15-17. Here's that scripture in the New International Version (NIV) Bible: 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from...

     Yesterday, I had lunch with a few ladies I used to work with and we had a great time together. What I like most about this group of women is that they all come from varying backgrounds and educations; yet they all have maturity, wisdom, and common sense to share with others in their own special ways.      One woman in particular has taught me a variety of life lessons over the ten plus years I've known her. She carries herself well, with a quiet sense of strength and positive energy. One day when we were talking, I mentioned being concerned about entertaining others when they were in my home or I was in their homes, and she said something like, "I always consider that they are adults and can make their own choices about what they want to eat or what they'd like to do."      This idea of letting others "entertain themselves" was a revelation to me. Here all this time, I felt responsible for the fun, or lack there of, that others experie...