How to deal with Doubt

“Then he (Jesus) said to Peter put your finger here, see my hands. Reach out your hands and put it to my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 27:25

Doubt is something that many of us struggle with. It leaves us to question what God may be speaking to us or what blessings God may have in our lives. It is a great hindrances to doing God’s will. What are some ways we can combat doubt in our lives?

“Immediately the father of the child cried out I believe help my unbelief!” Mark 9: 24

Ask God to help you to have faith in whatever area of your life you are struggling with doubt. God already knows all of the doubts you are struggling with and he has the power to dispel those doubts. So, turn to him. Ask him to give you a stronger sense of faith and the ability to trust him more.

“This book of the law should not depart from your mouths, but you should meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8

Read the bible daily.  Reading the bible daily will remind you of who God is and what his character is. When we do not take time to get into God’s word our circumstances begin to seem greater than God. However, when we get into the word daily, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness by what God had done for his people in the past and by what the bible says he will do for his people now.

Find scriptures on faith and doubt. Write these scriptures on index cards and place them in places you see every day. Reading these scriptures will remind you not to doubt and help to increase your faith.

Make a daily praise list. Everyday record all of the things God has done for you in the past and everything he has done for those in your life. Record both the big miracles and the small ones. Reviewing this list every day will be a constant reminder of God’s faithfulness. You will start to let go of your doubts as you remind yourself of the things God has done in your life.

“And have mercy on those who doubt.” Jude 1:22

Repent for any doubt. The bible tells us that God does not want him to doubt him. He wants us to have faith. So, repent for any doubts you have and ask him to increase your faith. 

Why Must I Doubt?

“And truly I say to you why are you troubled and why do you doubt?” Luke 24:28.

Perhaps one of the biggest deterrents of doing the will of God is doubt. The bible is filled with examples of people who doubted the call of God in their lives, and hesitated because of this doubt. There are many things that cause us to doubt. Let’s go to the bible to look at some of the those causes.

We see doubt clearly take hold of Moses in Exodus. When God tells Moses that he is to lead the Israelites out of captivity, Moses begins to doubt that he is capable of doing what God has called him to do. Moses doubts himself. He says, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11. Even after God tells Moses that he will be with him, Moses still doubts his abilities and God’s as well. Moses tells God that the Israelites will not believe him and says that he is not a good enough speaker to do what God is calling him to do.

Another example of doubt can be found in Genesis 18. When an angel tells Abraham that he and Sara will have a son, Sara laughs in disbelief. She does not believe that God is capable of giving her a child in her old age. The angel responds by saying, “Why did Sara laugh... Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Genesis 18:13-14.

In Judges Gideon doubts that God is speaking to him. When God tells Gideon that he will deliver the Israelites from the Midianites, he questions God about it twice. In Judges 6 Gideon asks God to perform a miracle to prove that it is really God speaking to him. When God performs the miracle, Gideon still doubts that God is speaking to him, and asks God to perform another miracle saying “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just more request.”

If you struggle with doubt, you are not alone. God helped all of the above characters to overcome their doubt, so that they could live out his purpose for their lives. You can trust that he will do the same for you. Remember that God is a patient God, and he wants to show you that he can trust him. God is the God of the impossible and miraculous. If God wants you to do something that seems impossible remember God can do all things, even the impossible. If you struggle with self-doubt remember that you don’t need to rely on your own capabilities. God will let his strengths shine through your weaknesses by empowering you to do things that you will only be able to do with him. If you struggle with any of the types of doubt described above, self-doubt, doubt in God, or doubt in hearing God, I encourage you to read over these bible studies. Prayerfully consider the stories. Ask God to teach you about his faith and his power through these stories. Ask God to reveal to you anything that may be causing you to doubt or any areas of your life you may be struggling with doubt. Journal anything you learn through studying these passages of scripture. For my next entry I will be delving further into doubt, by outlining some of the ways you can combat the doubt in your life. 

Am I willing to let go of my net?

“Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19.

In the above verse Jesus commands Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew to follow him, so that they can be fishers of men. What fascinates me the most about this passage of scripture is the verse that follows Jesus’s commands.  

“At once they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:20.

To get a deeper look into this verse let’s examine the scene that Matthew 4:18-20:

Peter and Andrew had come to the Sea of Galilee with their own plans and agendas in mind. They had come to fish. The bible says that they were fisherman; this suggests that fishing was something that they did on a daily basis or often. This makes me think of the things that I do on a daily basis? What are those things that define me? I wonder how difficult it may be for me to let go of the things that I do every day, those hobbies that are a part of my daily routine. I’m not saying that these hobbies are bad; I’m just posing the question would I be able to “leave my net” as Peter and Andrew did.

 The bible says that Paul and Andrew left their nets “at once.” It doesn't say that they took time to ponder if following Jesus was something they really wanted to do. They didn't stop to wonder about what they were leaving behind, as they put their nets down. They did not begin to worry about what would happen if they left their old lives behind to do what Jesus was asking them to do. They did not become fearful  or anxious about their future. They did not think about their own agendas and how they would prefer to fish for fish instead of men. They did not once stop to question what Jesus had commanded them to do. The verse simply says “At once they left their nets and followed him.”

As you think about these verses ask yourself. Is there something you know Jesus is asking you to do? Did you do like Paul and Andrew and obey Jesus at once or did you hesitate? Is there something that is holding you back from following God? What is holding you back?

As I was reading this verse the other day, I asked myself the same questions. I thought about some of the things that were holding me back from doing God’s will. Some of these things are probably some of the same things that hold you back, as well. Fear, insecurities, selfishness, not wanting to let go of control, stubbornness, and anxieties are all things that keep us from doing God’s will for our lives. I encourage you to really think about the things that are keeping you from obeying God. Ask God to help you recognize and release those things that are keeping you from doing his will.

For the next few blog entries I plan on exploring the things that keep us from doing God’s will. I will be writing on what the bible says about those hindrances, and how we can combat against them.

Wondering where to visit during Christmas Season?

August is here and the Christmas season will be here before you know it. You may already be planning a family Christmas trip or wondering where to visit during the holiday season. Natchitoches , Louisiana is my favorite place to visit during the holiday season. During this time, Natchitoches Louisiana is packed with Christmas lights, fake snowflakes, and plenty of holiday spirit. The Festival of the Lights is a fun filled tradition that takes place every year during the Christmas season. The festival takes place along the bank of the Cane River. There are over 300,000 lights set up in Natchitoches and over 100 riverbank pieces. On certain nights there are fireworks and musical entertainment.

The festival of lights is the perfect place to take your children during the holiday season. They are sure to enjoy the Christmas light, the fake snowflakes, the horse carriage rides, and the opportunity to take photos with Santa.

Of course, Natchitoches has a lot of fun to offer adults as well. One of my favorite things about Natchitoches is the local shops and the friendliness of the people. Visiting Kaffie Frederick General Merchantile store is a must when visiting Natchitoches. This store is the oldest general mercantile store and will make you feel as though you are stepping back in time for a moment. In this store you can find hardware, housewares, cookware and kitchen supplies, and classic toys just like in the good old days.  Aside from this store, there are many gift shops in Natchitoches and you are sure to find the perfect holiday gift at these stores.

Another must see is the Fort Saint Jean Batiste State Historic Site. Here you will be able to explore history as this is a replica of the Fort Saint Jean Batiste Fort. On certain days this museum has live reenactments and this proves to be a fun an educational experience for children.

Another fun thing to do in Natchitoches is to tour the Steel Magnolia House. This house is packed with history. This house has involvement in the Civil War, was the filming site for the movie Steel Magnolias, and has unique architecture.

If you and your family decide to visit Natchitoches I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does, as I cannot wait until the next time we visit. 

Making the Most of Life

“What is life? For you are a midst that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14.

The word around us is a constant reminder of the brevity of life. The psalmist in Psalms 90:12 says “Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Even if you have never heard this verse, you already know it’s implications: our time here on Earth is limited. A recent unexpected death in my family really got me thinking about this: No one really knows how many more days we will be alive. As we plan for each day ahead of us, we always assume that we will have many more days to come, but we can never really be certain of this.  “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go such and such a town and spend a year their and trade and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What Is life? For you are a midst that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills we will live to do this or that.’ James 4:13-15.

As I pondered on the brevity of life this week, some questions came to my mind. I will pose these questions to you, and I encourage you to ponder on the answers.

If you knew that you only had two weeks to live how would you live your life differently? Would you spend less time worrying about money or bills or this or that? Would you spend a little less time in the office and more time with your family? How about of those times you were too busy for those you love? Would you spend more time with your loved ones? Would you offer your forgiveness to someone that you have been holding a grudge against? Would you ask someone who you hurt to forgive you? Would you tell the people you care about how much they mean to you? Would you make amends for the things you have done wrong? Would you spend less time being stressed out about things that are trivial? Would you get right with the Lord and ask him to forgive your sins? Would you be certain that you would be going to heaven? If you knew that you only had two weeks to live what would you spend you last days on Earth doing?

The truth is we do not really know if we have more than two weeks here on Earth. We do not even know if we have one more day. I urge you to ponder on these questions. Do not wait until tomorrow to do those things that you feel you need to do. Forgive that person who hurt you today. Make amends today. Tell that person you love them today. Spend time with the people you care about today.

When you were reading my questions did you answer that you did were not certain if you would be going to heaven? Did you answer that you wanted to get right with the Lord and ask him to forgive your sins? If you did I urge you to pray the following prayer.

“For we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

The bible says that we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. The penalty of sin was death, but Jesus came to take that penalty so that we would live eternal life and have a relationship with God.

“For if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,  will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

Prayer of Salvation

Jesus, I understand that you are the son of God, and that you died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins.

Please come into my life, forgive my sins, and make me a member of your family. I now turn away from going my own way. I want you to be the center of my life. Thank you for the gift of eternal life and for the Holy Spirit that has now come to live in me.

If you prayed that prayer today in your heart, you are a child of God. You are forgiven, and will spend eternity with God in heaven. 

Dealing With Worry

For the majority of my life I have struggled with worry and anxiety. If there is nothing to worry about I think I sometimes find something to worry about. This is something I believe God has been helping me with lately;  in the past month I have not felt extremely overwhelmed or anxious about anything. This is not to say that I do not have anything to worry about. ( I have plenty to worry about). But I am beginning to worry less and put things in God’s hands. I have been struggling with chronic stomach pains, but once the worrying slowed down, my stomach problems slowed down as well.

Reducing your worry and anxiety can have many benefits to your health, mood, and your state of mind. What are some ways to reduce worry and anxiety? Here are some that have worked for me.

Bring everything to prayer.” Be not anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Jesus Christ.” Philippians 4:6-7. Feeling worried about something? Bring it to God in prayer. It is impossible to be worried and pray at the same time.

Meditate on scripture.  These are a few you can meditate on. “When I am afraid I will trust in you.” Psalm 56:3 “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will not let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:2. “Now may the Lord himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16.

Create a prayer Box: Decorate a box. The box can be anything from an old shoe box to a cigar box. You can decorate the box with sayings or images that will remind you not to worry. Every time you feel worried about something write down what you are worried about. Put it in the box as a symbol that you are giving this care or concern to God and you will not worry about it anymore.

Write in a prayer Journal: Write your prayers in a journal. Then you can go back and look through it and see that most of the things you worried about never came to pass.

Take care of yourself.  Exercise and get plenty of rest. If you take care of yourself you will be able to handle stress better.

Practice Relaxation Breathing Techniques. One way to do this is to breathe slowly in through your nose then out through your mouth. Repeat this for several minutes.

Fun Exercise Alternatives

If you are anything like me you exercise because it's a necessity not something you enjoy.  Everyone knows that exercise is an excellent way to improve your mood and keep your body in shapes but let's face it, exercise can be boring.

Here are some fun exercise alternatives:

1) Rock climbing. There are many indoor rock climbing places. This is a fun full body work-out.
2) Karate. There are many karate schools offered at decent prices. I take karate and love it. It is an excellent full body work out and a great way to learn self-defense
3) Take a walk in your neighborhood.  Go for a jog in the park. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, pray, and listen to music, while getting a cardio workout.
4) Swim. Swimming is a fun alternative to working out. So swim some laps, tone your muscles, all while getting soaking up some sun and having fun.
5) Sports. Whether you like baseball, basketball, or tennis these are all great workouts. Grab some friends, head out to a park, and enjoy a great work out.
6) Dancing. Dancing is always fun and a great workout. You have the option of finding a dance class or dancing alone. Personally, I like dancing with the just dance games for the Wii
7) The Wii. The Wii offers sports, yoga, fitness, and dance game that are fun and will leave you sweating.
8) Play outside with a kid. Whether you play tag, hide and seek duck duck goose or dodge ball you will be worn out when you are done.
8) Jump on a trampoline. This is a great workout. If you don’t have a trampoline, there are individual trampolines with exercise DVDs included
9) Hula hooping. As a kid, this was one of my favorite activities.  I still remember how sore it left my abs afterwards. There are even weighted hula hoops available to make it even more challenging.
10) Bike riding. This Is a great workout and a great way to enjoy nature. Be sure to pack plenty of water because you are sure to sweat with this work-out.
Here are some alternatives:
11) Skating. This is personally one of my favorites even though I haven't gone in a while. Ice skating and rollerblading are both great workouts.

Pizza Pasta

Trying to think of a dish your kids will actually eat? Or maybe you just trying to figure out something different to cook for yourself. Why not try this easy pizza pasta recipe?

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 jar of spaghetti

I small can of diced tomatoes

Italian seasoning

I small bag of pepperonis

1 Package of rigatoni noodles

1 bag of your choice of cheese

Onions and Bell Peppers

Directions:

Brown ground meat, bell peppers and onions. Cook spaghetti sauce, and diced tomatoes for half hour. Boil and drain Noodles. Mix noodles, meat, bell peppers, onions, and sauce together. Place these ingredients in a baking casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350.  Top with desired amount of cheese. (Keep in mind you will be adding more cheese later. Spread pepperonis on top of dish, much like you would a pizza. Add desired amount to cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes and Enjoy.

You can add variety to this dish by substituting ground meat for Italian Sausage or you can add other pizza toppings you like such as mushrooms, Canadian bacon, etc. 

Must Read List

With Summer around the corner, it’s the perfect time to sit outside with a good book and soak in some sun and good words as well.

Here is a few Must reads I love:

1)      “Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Women’s Soul”.by John and Stasi Eldredge. This is one of my favorites and I have read it at least three times. This book explores femininity and explains many of the desires girls carry on to adulthood. This book explains that many women desire to be swept up in romance and beautiful and how each woman can find their beauty in God.

2)      “Heaven in for Real” By Todd Burpo. This is a must-read. I am reading it now and have not been able to put it down. In this book the author describes his son’s visit to heaven after a near death experience. The boy was only three years old and describes things that he saw with a childlike honesty. Colton describes scenes in the bible that he could not possibly know and people who died before he was born. This is a great book for doubters or believers that just want a glimpse of heaven.

3)      “The Shack” By: William P. Young. In this fiction story, Mack the main character struggles with the death of his daughter who is killed by a serial killer known as the Little Lady Killer. Mack who is angry with God for taking his daughter away goes into a secluded shack where he has a face to face in counter with God.

4)      “The Wedding” By Nicholas Sparks. This is one of my favorites by Nicholas Sparks. It is the prequel to “The Notebook.” The main characters are the daughter and son-in-law of Allie from “The Notebook” In this inspiring love story. Jane and Wilson have been married for 30 years, but like many couples who have been married 30 years their love is fading. The book describes the love that once was, and the regret Wilson feels for letting it slip away. While Jane and Wilson are  planning their daughter’s wedding, he begins courting his wife again in an attempt to save their marriage.

5)      “Safe Haven” By Nicholas Sparks. While I’m throwing in Nicholas Sparks books I have to throw this one into mix. This recently turned movie is one of my favorites of Sparks as well. Katie moves to South Carolina in order to run from her dark past. Her only friends are a neighbor named Jo and a widow named Alex and his two children. While she tries to avoid falling for Alex, she soon discovers that love has the power to overcome fears.

6)      “The Guardian” By Nicholas Sparks. (I apologize to all non- Sparks fans, I am a Sparks fan. This is the last one my list. I promise.) Julie, a widow is left with a dog that her husband Jim always wanted to own. The dog is a Great Dane named Singer. Julie begins dating again, but is unimpressed with the men she dates. She develops a close friendship with Mike, who was Jim’s best friend. The title the guardian refers to Singer, and this book is a great example of the loyalty and protection of man’s best friend.

7)      “Alice” By Sara Flanigan. A powerful tale of a young girl’s journey in finding the true meaning of love and compassion. In this heart wrenching tale Ellie finds a deaf girl named Alice who is locked in a shed by her parents and treated like an animal. Ellie and her brother begin teaching the girl how to speak, play, and count transforming an entire town encompassed by ignorance and cruelty. While no one wants to help Alice, Ellie, fights for her right to be treated with loved until she is heard.

8)      “The Chronicles of Narnia “By C.S Lewis. I read this book series, as a kid, but would recommend it to fantasy lovers. This series chronicles the events of Narnia, a fantasy world filled with mythological creatures and talking animals. In this series many children play a vital role in the struggle between the good and evil of the land.

9)      “Evidence Not Seen: A Woman’s Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II. This is the true story of Darlene Deibler Rose and the courage and faith she displayed as a missionary in New Guinea. Her husband was killed in the mission field and she is forced to admit to a crime she did not commit. Then she is placed in a Japanese prison, where she gets a death sentence, only to be spared.

10)   “Love Letters from God” By Bonnie G Schluter. These are beautiful and intimate love letters written as if they were written from God himself. It is a reminder of how much he loves us. 

Grief

If you dealing with the grief of losing a loved one here are some bible verses you can meditate on and promises you can hold on to. 

“Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

“And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes and there shall no longer  be any death there shall no longer be mourning or crying or pain.” Revelation 21:4


“The lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

“Cast your anxiety on him for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Where o death is your victory? Where o death is your sting? The sting of death Is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to god. He gives us the victory through our lord Jesus Christ. “1 Corinthians 15:55-57

" My comfort in my suffering is this: your promise preserves my life." Psalm 119:50

“When you pass through the waters I will be with you. And when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned. The flames will not set you ablaze" Isaiah 43:2

“This is my comfort that thy word has revived thee.” Psalm 119:50

“The lord is my rock and My fortress and my deliverer, my god my rock in whom I take refuge my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”  Psalm 18:1

“Come to you all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

“For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. “Romans 8:18

A Crown of Beauty for the Brokenhearted

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18.

The above verse is such a sweet promise for those who are grieving for the death of a loved one. It is a wonderful promise that God would draw close to us in our brokenness and save us. Lately I have been no stranger to grief. Last week I found out I had a miscarriage and I had one in October as well. This is a trying time, but in my grief I can sense God’s love and care for me more than I have before. If you are experience some sort of grief whether from a miscarriage or the death of a family member or friend, I hope this entry will give you hope. Here are some things that you can do, some of which have helped me in dealing with my grief.

Allow yourself time to grieve.  There is no proper time frame that suggests how long you should fill sad and at what point you should be healed from the pain of grief. Don’t feel guilty that time has passed and you are still hurting. I know from experience that there may be some people who try to tell you that you shouldn’t feel sad anymore or that you need to get over it. Don’t allow anyone to tell you that you do not hav  a right to feel sad or that it is time for you to get over it. Allow yourself to take time in the healing process.

Talk to a trusted friend about your feelings and your grief.

Consider joining a support group for those who are grieving or attending grief counseling. Compassionate friends is a support group that meets in Lafayette for those who are grieving from the loss of a child. Those suffering from the loss of a miscarriage or stillbirth are welcome to go as well. The Healing House in Lafayette offers support group for children age 4-18 who have lost a loved one. The Greif Recovery Center in Baton Rouge and the Seasons Greif Center in New Orleans also offer counseling and support group services.

Cry out to God in your mourning. “To all those who mourn in Israel he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,  a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.”  Isaiah 61:3

Journal. Journaling always helps me to express my feelings and discover feelings I may not have known I had prior to journaling.

Find scriptural promises you can stand on dealing with grief. A couple to look up are Matthew 5:4 and Revelations 21:4. Next week I will be posting more bible verses for those who are grieving.

You want me to love who?

Everyone knows that God wants us to love others. Most of us are familiar with the two great commandments of the bible the first being “Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind and all your strength” and the second command being.  “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31 says of these two commandments “There is no commandment greater than these.”

Sometimes loving our neighbors, friends, and family is not a difficult command to follow, because these or some of the people who have loved us when we thought that we were unlovable. However, the command of loving others goes even further than this. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus says to us “Love your enemies, Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.”  According to this we are not just called to love those who are loveable, but we are called to love the unlovable, those that hate us, those who do not like us, those who have hurt us. This has been an issue I have been dealing with lately. There is a person in my life that I know doesn’t like me, and will reject me if I try to reach out to her, but I am being called to love her anyway.  This is a very challenging task. It’s difficult to love someone who you know will not show you that love back, but I believe that this a good opportunity for us to search our hearts and determine our true motives. It’s normal to want to receive love from others, but if we only love others so that we can get love back from them, then our hearts are in the wrong place.

I don’t have to ask you if there is someone in your life that is hard to love. I’m sure that as you are reading this people are coming to your mind, maybe an old friend you had a disagreement with, a difficult family member, a cranky neighbor, an annoying boss or coworker. I challenge you to do everything you can to love that person. Treat this person with kindness, even when they don’t do the same for you. Pray for that person daily. Pray for grace to deal with that person. Remember that we are called to  love even the unlovable.

You are no longer a catepillar so fly!

" If anyone is in Christ the new creation the old has gone the new has come" 2 Corinthians 5:17.
When I read this verse, I always wonder how can I become a "new" creation. How does a person who has been one way their entire way become a new creation? Can I truley become a new creature, when I commit my life to Christ?

So I started thinking..... Are their  any expample in nature when one being becomes an entirely new creation?  Of course, the caterpillar came to my mind. When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it becomes a completely new creation? Isn't that just a fasinating metophor of what Jesus does to us when we become christians? Have you ever walk up to a butterfly and said to it "You are still a caterpillar. Your not a butterfly. You were once a caterpillar you will always be a caterpillar." Of course not. That would be silly, and you would get some strange looks if anyone ever caught you doing that.

However, don't Christians do this to ourselves everyday? We look back on the past and let it define the person that we are to day. We allow ourselves to be overcome with guilt and condemnation for the person that we used to be.

Does this sound like you? Are you holding on to the person you used to be? Are you allowing you were define who you are today? I want to encourage you to let go of the person that you used to be. If unconfessed sins come to your mind, confess those sins and let them go. However, if confessed sins come to your mind ask Jesus to show you that the debt has already been payed for those sins. You are forgiven. Find scriptures that will remind you of the person that you are forgiven. A few you can look at are Romans 8:1, Hebrews 4: 16, 1 John 9,and Act 3: 19,

I challenge you to find a picture/sticker of a butterfly and put it in a place you can see it. Let it be a reminder of that you are forgiven, that you are a new creation in Christ. Don't look back at the times when you crawled in the dirt like a caterpillar. Allow Jesus to take you to new depths and dimensions as he continues to transform you.You are beautiful! You are Christlike! You are a butterfly!

The Most Difficult Decision

The most difficult decision you will make

One of the most difficult decisions you will make in your life will be concerning forgiveness. Even if it is not something you are dealing with at the moment at some point you will have to decide whether or not you will forgive the person who has hurt you. As you are reading this, someone who has hurt you may be coming to your mind, and you may be thinking you don't know what this person has done to me. They don't deserve my forgiveness. However, forgiveness is a choice, and you can choose to forgive that person no matter what they did to you.

Lewis B Smedes once said "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover that prisoner was you." When we choose to resent another person for what they have done to us, we are not hurting that person, we are only hurting ourselves. Recently, I was reminded of that. I had chosen not to forgive someone who had hurt me. I had told that person that I had forgiven her, but I realized later that it was merely words and I had not forgiven her. I was carrying bitterness and anger towards her and was consumed with what she had done to me. I had a heaviness within me and I did not even realize the root of that heaviness. It wasn't until I finally forgave that person that that heaviness lifted and I felt free.

If someone came to your mind while you were reading this, I urge you to forgive that person, not so that they can be free, but so that you can. If you have resentment in your heart ask God to free you from feelings of resentment towards that person. Tell that person that you have forgiven them, and chose to forgive them, whether or not they accept your forgiveness and if they have forgiven you.

Idols

"Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God." Lev. 26:1

If you are anything like me you have probably read the above verse and did not give it much thought. You may have even thought to yourself " I don't worship any idols. I am not bowing down to carved sculptures, worshipping other gods or carving up any statues so I can worship." That was my first instinct in dealing with this verse. I brushed off this verse as a outdated command pertaining to the ancient people who worshiped various gods and carved idols, so that they can bow down to them. Then one day I really thought about it and I realized that even though I wasn't carving statues or bowing down to other gods, I probably had just as many idols as the ancient Egyptians did.

What are idols? Websters dictionary defines an idol as "a respresentation of an object of worship;broadly; a false god." So in this sense an idol would be anything that steals me away from God. An idol would be anything that I make more important in my life than God. An idol does not have to be a carved statue or another false diety, but can be a relationship, a career, a television show, the internet, or even yourself. Of course, I am not saying that any of these things are bad things. There is nothing wrong with watching a good television show,having a career, or going on the internet. We all need to be in healthy, godly relationships However, if these things cut into your prayer time with God you are making them your idol.

How can you identify the idols in your life? These are some questions you can ask yourself to identify if there are idols in your life:

Is there anything that is distracting you from spending time with God? This could be anything from television to the internet to the people in your life.

Is there anything that prevents you from giving your whole heart to God?

What are the things that are consuming most of your thought?

Do you have any habbits or addictions that consume you?

What are the things you are spending too much money on? Recall Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is your heart will also be."

Is there anything in your life that you feel like you can not live without?

Is there a thing or person you always turn to instead of God when going through a difficulty? We all need an outlet or a friend to talk to when going through a struggle and sometimes God uses the people in our lives to speak to us. The question would be are we seeking this person or thing MORE than we are seeking God. Are we asking a person what to do every time we have a problem INSTEAD of asking God.

What are the things you are always worried and obssesed about?

If God did not answer any of your prayers would that make you turn away from God. If an unanswered pray would make you turn from God than you are making that prayer request an idol.

When trying to identify your idols spend some time with God in prayer asking him to reveal these things to you. Ask him to help you eliminate the idols from your life. Next week I will be posting a blog entry

2013 is here

New Year's Resolutions for 2013
2013 is here and I'm looking foward to seeing what this year has in store for me. Here are some of my resolutions for the new year.

1) Spend More time in prayer
2) Spend more time reading the bible
3) Worry less trust God more
4) Finish writing the first draft of my novel this year (or at least come close to it)
5) Let go of any friendships that are toxic in my life
6) Not hold any grudges with anyone
7) Spend less time trying to please everyone and more time trying to please God.
8)Spend less time complaining and more time thanking God for everything he has blessed me with
9) Become a more positive person
10) Waste less time and be more productive
11) Be more assertive
And the last one:
12) to strive my best to do these resolutions. To remember that changes take time. To ask God to constantly halp me with these. To keep trying even if I fail,
What are some of yoru resolutions for the new year? Share it in the comments