December 2008 Archives
Melanie - December 31, 2008 - Comments (0)
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:23-26
We pray that he showers you with his compassion and provision in the new year.
Happy 2009.
Melanie - December 29, 2008 - Comments (2)
I hope y'all had a very Merry Christmas full of plenty of fun with your families and friends. Ours was great, although I finally had to throw out the rest of the gingersnaps last night to make the eating stop.
It saddened me to see them go in the trash, but I knew in my heart it was time for us to part ways.
So now, as hard as it is to believe, it's almost time to bring in 2009. I'm not sure where 2008 went, but it's out the door at this point.
I've never been one to make a lot of New Year's resolutions, mainly because if you don't make them then it's much easier to not break them. See how that logic works for me?
But this year I'm making a few. I really do want to work out on a more consistent basis, not with the specific goal of losing weight, but just knowing that as I hit my late-30's I should make more of an effort to be healthy.
And if I happen to look better in a swimsuit come summertime, I won't complain about it.
The other thing I'd been feeling led to do was to make a better effort to memorize scripture. I'm really good at paraphrasing a verse or two, but sometimes saying, "You know that verse where God says that He removes your sins as far as the east is from the west and then blah, blah, blah" just doesn't have the same impact as really knowing the verse by heart.
Anyway, over at the Living Proof Ministries blog, they're doing a really cool thing where you can commit to learn two new scriptures a month. It's awesome to think of all those women learning two new verses every month of the year.
And if you do the math (which I hate, by the way) that adds up to learning TWENTY-FOUR new verses this year. That's not too shabby.
So if you're interested, click on over and sign up in their comments.
And while you're still here, I'd love to know if you have any resolutions for 2009.
Sophie - December 30, 2008 - Comments (5)
Like many of y'all, I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen the last week or so, and as a result I've done a lot of thinking, a lot of praying, and a lot of flat-out talking to myself in between the measuring and the mixing and the cleaning.
My family has been at the center of many of those thoughts and prayers, and I feel like the Lord has been using some of the circumstances that we're dealing with right now to teach me more about how I react and respond to Him.
This morning I jotted down three specific areas where I feel like God is really calling me out and asking me to trust Him more, and I thought I'd share them just in case, you know, anyone reading happens to share my particular brand of crazy.
And I'm going to share my "kitchen epiphanies" in two parts so that you don't have to face the prospect of too much boredom at once.
You're welcome. I live to serve.
1) Getting vs. Giving - When I was washing dishes a couple of mornings ago, it occurred to me that I used to see money as a means to get things. A means to buy more stuff. I wanted to have more money so that I could spend more money. In fact, for a chunk of my 20s, I thought that if I just had this house or that car, I would be set. I would be successful. The primary objective of earning was the subsequent spending.
Slowly but surely, however, the Lord has been faithful to show me that while yes, money enables us to buy food and heat our house and pay our bills, it could accomplish so much more if we were better stewards of it. And I long for its primary function in our lives to be a means to giving and helping. Even though (SWEET MERCY) this is an unstable time financially, I really pray that God will continue to teach me that I need to be a better steward of the money He has entrusted to us so that we can give more and help more - not stockpile more junk that we don't even need.
So I'm praying - and I have a friend who's going to hold me accountable with this - that in the interest of giving vs. getting, I'll be more faithful with the small things. Cutting back on fast food and fast coffee. Planning our meals more effectively. Sticking to my list when I'm at the grocery store. Being mindful that the cost of eating out adds up quickly. And - this is the hardest for me - sticking to a budget with our grocery expenses.
Just typing that makes my heart race.
So. Anyone else feeling some fresh conviction in this area? Fire away in the comments if you'd like to share.
Kris S - December 26, 2008 - Comments (1)
** This is a public apology from Kris. I was responsible to post Regina's devotion on Wed.and totally missed it. I was with my kids and I totally spaced on posting for allaccess. No excuses. This is so my fault and I'm so sorry! I'm posting her original devotion. Merry Christmas Everyone!
The Humility of the Incarnation
It's Regina Gibson here! Thanks for joining us for our second Wednesday Weekly Devotion (WWD). We do sincerely apologize for addressing you without video this week. Thank you for your grace and patience with us. Lord willing, we will have the technical glitches worked out by the first of the year and you'll get to see me face to face once again. I can't wait! Until then, no need to lack some good encouragement from God's Word. So get comfy, grab your coffee or cup of tea and your Bible (if you don't have a copy on hand, that's not a problem), and let's take a minute to receive a word from Him! I encourage you to read all the way to the end. It's worth it. I think it is a timely word indeed...
Let's start with a question:
What is the most humiliating experience you've ever had?
Do you have it in mind? Of course there are the monumental experiences, but there is also the humiliation that comes via everyday life situations. If you're anything like me you can definitely picture yourself in the following situation: You've gotten all dolled up for work, just as cute as can be. You stop to get your coffee. You go to take that first delightful taste, ever so carefully. You don't notice until you're in your first appointment of the day that little drips of mocha have drizzled down the front of your, of course, white sweater. Simply humiliating. We all do what we can to avoid moments such as these
Consider this statement:
In the flesh our natural inclination is to seek exaltation. Do you think that's true? I would like to suggest to you that humility does not come to us naturally. It comes through the person of Christ.
In Beth Moore's study Daniel she writes: "No one rich or poor, powerful or oppressed, healthy or infirm, enslaved or free, male or female, old or young, from east or west, of color or not, is exempt from the temptation to dangerous pride...Pride is not a circumstance. It's a state of mind." (Moore, 71)
This Christmas season you and I don't want to miss the humility of the incarnation, the desirable humility available to us in the person of Christ--
In Philippians 2 Christ pictures humility perfectly for us. *Please take time to read it. Give His Word opportunity to become living and active in you*:
"Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of god, did not consider equality with god as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross. For this reason God also highly exalted Him..." (HCSB)
Don't miss the humility of the incarnation....
Special Note: In the original language of the text, Greek, the word used for humility in verse 8 of Philippians 2 literally means "humiliation of mind." Christ had humility of mind.
The one who made you chose to identify with you in human flesh and blood
The one who is the absolute giver of life, gave up his life in the most humiliating way so that we might have life to the full
The one who made us walks with us
The one who spoke the world into being speaks to man
The one whose thoughts are far above our thoughts, thinks about us
The one who was raised from the dead and who will be exalted forever was crucified on the earth
Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of humility.
Will we choose the humility of Christ this Christmas season, or will we be content with the usual: hurriedness, worry, impatience, biting remarks, and quick tempers?
Will we choose people or products? Will we extend kindness to that cashier checking us out or to the waiter serving us, or will we have a demanding spirit?
Will we choose the fear of man and not share the Gospel with a lost relative, or will we choose the fear of God and humility not caring to save face for anyone, considering their life as more precious than our comfort?
Will we choose excess, giving only to those who are already rich, or will we extend our hands to the poor?
Will we choose the way of humility which leads to honor or participate in the folly of pride only to fall?
Are the choices you make, choices that reflect the humility of Christ, for it is easy to give mental ascent to a virtue we do not possess? The world is consumed with people who are full of themselves, but the world desperately needs some people who filled with the Spirit of God. Will we choose to carry the dying of the Lord Jesus in our bodies so that His life is manifested in us this Christmas season? Will our attitudes be the same as that of Christ Jesus or will it be Christmas as usual?
Thanks for sharing life with me a little bit this week. Starting the first of the year I will be joining you via video once again for our Weekly Wednesday Devotions (WWD). Thanks for extending your grace to us while we get it ready to go for 2009.
And to those who commented a couple of weeks ago, thank you. I do cherish hearing from y'all. I wish you the Merriest Christmas in the world!! Well, see you soon and join me for more WWD with yours truly right here on All Access!!
Sophie - December 25, 2008 - Comments (0)
We heard this passage at church last night, and it's been on my heart all morning.
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression [a] and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
May we all remember the purpose of that sweet baby in Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas, everybody.
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris