YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS SERMON SERIES.
It's excellent. Healing. Freeing.
http://www.moorelife.org/listseries.php?xml=rss%2FFreeFromAllFears.xml
Commit to listen to one a day. Don't skip. And go in order.
May 23, 2012
May 21, 2012
Losing
"Oh, Father give me grace to forgive them, because I feel like the one losing"
...About 2:10 into the song is the best :)
"Why do we think that hate's gonna change the heart
We're up in arms over wars that don't need to be fought
Pride wont let us lay weapons on the ground
We build bridges up but just to burn them down
We think pain is owed apologies and then it'll stop
Well truth be told it doesn't matter if their sorry or not
Freedom comes when we surrender to the sound
Of mercy and Your grace, Father, send Your angels down"
We're up in arms over wars that don't need to be fought
Pride wont let us lay weapons on the ground
We build bridges up but just to burn them down
We think pain is owed apologies and then it'll stop
Well truth be told it doesn't matter if their sorry or not
Freedom comes when we surrender to the sound
Of mercy and Your grace, Father, send Your angels down"
May 16, 2012
The Proof of Your Love
If you haven't heard this song or paid attention to the lyrics, you must! Oh, I love it! This is my prayer! That My life would be the PROOF of Jesus' love!
If I sing but don't have love
I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with a silver tongue
Convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
If I give
To a needy soul but don't have love then who is poor?
It seems all the poverty is found in me
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
Oh, let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
When it's all said and done
When we sing our final song
Only love remains
Only love remains
Let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
If I sing but don't have love
I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with a silver tongue
Convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
If I give
To a needy soul but don't have love then who is poor?
It seems all the poverty is found in me
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
Oh, let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
When it's all said and done
When we sing our final song
Only love remains
Only love remains
Let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
May 11, 2012
Pressing Past Pain & Living
Living through your pain or sorrow can be an agonizing task.
This too shall pass & Life goes on cliches don't always help.
Life can be a painful, emotional roller coaster. Living can hurt.
We want what we don't have and then when we have it we want what we had. We see the good when it's too late and only see the bad when we're in the midst.
How do you be content and embrace the now despite your pain, sadness, hurts or frustrations?
1. Don't focus on your problems or on what you don't have. Do focus on your blessings and what you do have.
2. Although cliche, you do have to remind yourself that "This too shall pass". "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child is born into this world" -John 16:21 -THIS too SHALL pass. You are going to come out on the other side. You are going to be okay. You will smile again. There will be joy. There is hope. There IS hope in Jesus! "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain!" -Revelation 21:4 "Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning!" -Psalm 30:5
3. Every moment is a teaching/learning moment for us on earth. If we don't learn to live through our pain we will never help another live through theirs. If you don't embrace your now or spend too much time wishing it away, you may one day look back with regret on this time you can't get back. Learn to embrace your now so that when faced with another trial you can put to practice what you were taught.
4. Allow yourself time. Take care of yourself. Let yourself feel your feelings. Don't sweep emotions under the rug. Don't let emotions control you, but don't hide them either. The sooner we allow ourselves to feel, the sooner we will heal. Feeling isn't dwelling. And don't ever heed to the advice that says "Just Get Over It". You don't just get over it. Whatever "it" is. Everything is a process. It's through the process that we learn. Nobody learns anything over night. So if we don't allow ourselves to go through the process we are only cheating ourselves from fully recovering and coming out on the other side better & stronger.
5. There is value in your pain. Pain can make you defensive or pain can make you sympathetic. Pain can give you courage or pain can make you wallow. You choose how you react in the midst of your pain. You choose if you are going to "live" through your pain or "just get by". If you choose to LIVE you will be better for it. Our struggles in life create empathy. Pain can call attention to unhealthy things.
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever". -Lance Armstrong ...
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:
6. Ups and Downs are inevitable. "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" -John 16:33
7. Laugh!
8. Go outside and enjoy the SUN!
This too shall pass & Life goes on cliches don't always help.
Life can be a painful, emotional roller coaster. Living can hurt.
We want what we don't have and then when we have it we want what we had. We see the good when it's too late and only see the bad when we're in the midst.
How do you be content and embrace the now despite your pain, sadness, hurts or frustrations?
1. Don't focus on your problems or on what you don't have. Do focus on your blessings and what you do have.
2. Although cliche, you do have to remind yourself that "This too shall pass". "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child is born into this world" -John 16:21 -THIS too SHALL pass. You are going to come out on the other side. You are going to be okay. You will smile again. There will be joy. There is hope. There IS hope in Jesus! "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain!" -Revelation 21:4 "Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning!" -Psalm 30:5
3. Every moment is a teaching/learning moment for us on earth. If we don't learn to live through our pain we will never help another live through theirs. If you don't embrace your now or spend too much time wishing it away, you may one day look back with regret on this time you can't get back. Learn to embrace your now so that when faced with another trial you can put to practice what you were taught.
4. Allow yourself time. Take care of yourself. Let yourself feel your feelings. Don't sweep emotions under the rug. Don't let emotions control you, but don't hide them either. The sooner we allow ourselves to feel, the sooner we will heal. Feeling isn't dwelling. And don't ever heed to the advice that says "Just Get Over It". You don't just get over it. Whatever "it" is. Everything is a process. It's through the process that we learn. Nobody learns anything over night. So if we don't allow ourselves to go through the process we are only cheating ourselves from fully recovering and coming out on the other side better & stronger.
5. There is value in your pain. Pain can make you defensive or pain can make you sympathetic. Pain can give you courage or pain can make you wallow. You choose how you react in the midst of your pain. You choose if you are going to "live" through your pain or "just get by". If you choose to LIVE you will be better for it. Our struggles in life create empathy. Pain can call attention to unhealthy things.
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever". -Lance Armstrong ...
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
7. Laugh!
8. Go outside and enjoy the SUN!
May 9, 2012
May 7, 2012
No If's by Joyce Meyer
No "Ifs"
by Joyce Meyer - posted May 07, 2012
For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening…nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
—Romans 8:38-39
—Romans 8:38-39
To fully understand all the different facets of love, we must talk about the two kinds of love: the God-kind of love and man’s love. Man’s love fails, gives up; but God’s love does not. Man’s love is finite, comes to an end; but God’s love is infinite and eternal. Man’s love is dependent on favorable behavior and circumstances; God’s love is now. People place conditions on their love, but God’s love is unconditional.
According to God’s Word, He loved us before the world was formed, before we loved Him or believed in Him, or had ever done anything either good or evil. God does not require us to earn His love, and we must not require others to earn ours. As believers in Jesus Christ, the love we are to manifest to the world is the unconditional love of God flowing through us to them.
Loving people unconditionally is a very big challenge. I would be tempted to say it’s impossible, but since God tells us to do it, surely He must have a way for us to do it. Sometimes we pray to be able to love the unlovely and then do our best to avoid every unlovely person God sends our way.
Learning to walk in love with unlovely people and learning to be patient in trials are probably the two most important tools God uses to develop our spiritual maturity. Believe it or not, difficult people in our lives help us. They sharpen and refine us for God’s use.
Love Others Today: “Lord, help me to love others today without imposing ‘ifs’ or conditions. Let me remember that as I do it, I’m being refined by You.”
From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Who or What Defines You?
Have you ever been defined or "labeled" by someone or something that you felt put in a box or that you had to live up to that definition?
Or do you ever find yourself defining another by a few small experiences with them?
I have been thinking about this whole defining people thing...I know I am guilty of it. I am guilty of defining a neighbor (don't worry she doesn't read my blogs, let alone know my first or last name) by the fact that she has 5 cats and I've encountered a couple of crabby moments with her, as the "Crabby cat lady". Honestly, it's not right on my part. There is obviously more to her than that and who am I to judge her in the first place, let alone define her entire being on those 2 little things?!
I am guilty of defining others besides my neighbor. While some defining words may be justified, more times than not they're premature.
We have all been defined by something or someone, be it positively or negatively.
I was once defined as "crazy" in a room full of about 100 women. It actually didn't bother me. But it really bothered my best friend. It bothered her because she said "that's NOT who you are. Sure you can have fun and be wild and crazy, but you are not 'crazy' as a definition. That's like saying that's all there is to you. There's so many other things she could have said when introducing you".
Lately, I have been thinking about how we are quick to define others based on small moments with them. We allow those small moments to define their entire being. This "Crazy" situation keeps coming to my mind and I can see my best friend's point.
I still don't care or worry that "oh no people are going to think that's all there is to me" because I have a godly confidence. But what does bother me is that when I stop to think about it, when I would spend time with these women they brought out my fun side. My wild side. I had fun with them. In a moment when I thought I could be myself, I was being defined by only that.
Sometimes our seasons in life define us. Our family, be it good or bad defines us. Our friends define us. Our actions define us. What we say or do...how we look...our past...rumors...gossip...our jobs, etc.
Some definitions are honestly legit and called for. Some sell us & others short.
When we find ourselves quick to 'define' another, I think we should ask ourselves "is this how I would want to be labeled?".
Labels I am okay with:
Jeremy's wife
My kids mom
Sister
Friend
My dad's daughter
My mom's daughter
and anything POSITIVE that would build my character & esteem or would rightfully summarize me as a human being
Labels I am not okay with:
The past or
Anything that is NEGATIVE or that sells me short as a human being
Don't let another define you by anything negative. Don't let anyone define you by your past. Don't allow another imperfect human being to sell you short by wrongfully summarizing you as a person. There's more to you than the world's definitions/labels. GOD defines & labels us in SO many other rightful, positive, encouraging & esteeming ways! Listen to HIM and the other esteem building people in your life. And strive to BE an esteem builder for others.
Or do you ever find yourself defining another by a few small experiences with them?
I have been thinking about this whole defining people thing...I know I am guilty of it. I am guilty of defining a neighbor (don't worry she doesn't read my blogs, let alone know my first or last name) by the fact that she has 5 cats and I've encountered a couple of crabby moments with her, as the "Crabby cat lady". Honestly, it's not right on my part. There is obviously more to her than that and who am I to judge her in the first place, let alone define her entire being on those 2 little things?!
I am guilty of defining others besides my neighbor. While some defining words may be justified, more times than not they're premature.
We have all been defined by something or someone, be it positively or negatively.
I was once defined as "crazy" in a room full of about 100 women. It actually didn't bother me. But it really bothered my best friend. It bothered her because she said "that's NOT who you are. Sure you can have fun and be wild and crazy, but you are not 'crazy' as a definition. That's like saying that's all there is to you. There's so many other things she could have said when introducing you".
Lately, I have been thinking about how we are quick to define others based on small moments with them. We allow those small moments to define their entire being. This "Crazy" situation keeps coming to my mind and I can see my best friend's point.
I still don't care or worry that "oh no people are going to think that's all there is to me" because I have a godly confidence. But what does bother me is that when I stop to think about it, when I would spend time with these women they brought out my fun side. My wild side. I had fun with them. In a moment when I thought I could be myself, I was being defined by only that.
Sometimes our seasons in life define us. Our family, be it good or bad defines us. Our friends define us. Our actions define us. What we say or do...how we look...our past...rumors...gossip...our jobs, etc.
Some definitions are honestly legit and called for. Some sell us & others short.
When we find ourselves quick to 'define' another, I think we should ask ourselves "is this how I would want to be labeled?".
Labels I am okay with:
Jeremy's wife
My kids mom
Sister
Friend
My dad's daughter
My mom's daughter
and anything POSITIVE that would build my character & esteem or would rightfully summarize me as a human being
Labels I am not okay with:
The past or
Anything that is NEGATIVE or that sells me short as a human being
Don't let another define you by anything negative. Don't let anyone define you by your past. Don't allow another imperfect human being to sell you short by wrongfully summarizing you as a person. There's more to you than the world's definitions/labels. GOD defines & labels us in SO many other rightful, positive, encouraging & esteeming ways! Listen to HIM and the other esteem building people in your life. And strive to BE an esteem builder for others.
Never judge another until you've walked a mile in their shoes
May 4, 2012
The Power of a Man's Influence
You may not like the beat or you may love it. (I love it) Either way this song is about the power of your influence, be it good or bad. People are watching you.
Greeting Cards
This is one of my favorite comedy shows. Kevin James just cracks me up! I've seen his Sweat the Small Stuff a few times and it never gets old!
I was talking to my bff about cards today & it reminded me of this skit.
Hope you enjoy it!
I was talking to my bff about cards today & it reminded me of this skit.
Hope you enjoy it!
May 2, 2012
Who & Why
A friend of mine shared this awesome post with me, so I am sharing it on my blog.
My favorite excerpt from it is talking about a person who doesn't know you. When someone leaves a hateful comment on your blog or tweets about you, that’s the equivalent of someone driving by your house and yelling, “I hate your yard! Your heart must be horrible too!” You’d never listen to that person in real life. Don’t listen online.
Here is the article: 2 questions that make 99% of all haters invisible By Jon Acuff
My favorite excerpt from it is talking about a person who doesn't know you. When someone leaves a hateful comment on your blog or tweets about you, that’s the equivalent of someone driving by your house and yelling, “I hate your yard! Your heart must be horrible too!” You’d never listen to that person in real life. Don’t listen online.
Here is the article: 2 questions that make 99% of all haters invisible By Jon Acuff
None But Jesus (Worship Wednesday)
This has become my theme song for this week! I just love the lyrics! Hope it blesses you like it does me! Have a GREAT day everyone!
In the quiet
In the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored
When You call i won't refuse
Each new day again I'll choose
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
In the chaos in confusion
I know You're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will
When You call I won't delay
This my song through all my days
All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord
Forever more
In the quiet
In the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored
When You call i won't refuse
Each new day again I'll choose
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
In the chaos in confusion
I know You're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will
When You call I won't delay
This my song through all my days
All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord
Forever more
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