Keeping Your Word

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Psalm 37:5,6

On Saturday, I had to have a little life talk with Carson.  Thursday night he had told us that he was going to go to school on Saturday and work a concession stand for one of the games.  It would give him service hours for National Junior Honor Society.  No problem, Bobby said he’d run him over and then go pick him up when he was done.

But we had a full week this past week and had been out on Friday night at a friend’s for dinner, and when Saturday morning rolled around, Carson was tired and decided he didn’t want to get up and go to school to work, he’d rather stay home and hang out with Chase.  And the more Bobby tried to encourage him to go, the more adament Carson became that he didn’t want to.

I asked Carson if he had committed to working this event.  He said, “No”, he’d just told them he might be there. 

I explained to Carson that he could stay home this one time, because he’d not made a commitment, but that it was very important to honor his word, whether he was tired or not.  If he said he was going to do something, he must honor that.

I work with a lot of volunteers at church.  Some are always on time, always doing what they said they would do.  Others … not so much.

Yesterday, our Pastor was talking about our commitments to God.  We make vows with him on Sunday, when we’re caught up in the emotion of the moment … we say, YES LORD, but then by Tuesday or Wednesday, we’ve let life get the best of us and we are back to … “No God, can’t do that right now.”

I want my little Carson to grow into a man of character … in life and with God.

I want to grow into a woman of character … in life and with God.

Father, thank you for teaching me how to be a woman of character.  I want your character, your spirit to fill me up, to flow through me, to flow out of me.  And Jesus, please teach my little Carson the same lesson.

I love you Jesus!
   In Your Name I Pray,
   Amen

God’s Blessings Upon You!

Love,
Joyce

The Choices You Make Today …
Will Affect Your Tomorrow.
http://www.alifedecision.org

Are You Listening?

 

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27

We have a new family member, Jack, a Jack Russell Terrier. Jack is a sweetie pie, cute as a button, the total opposite of Zeke. Jack loves to hunt, he has a field day in our yard running from tree to tree chasing whatever it is that he is chasing. He plays keep away with Zeke, they chase each other around the house, each one trying to keep the ball or stuffed animal away from the other. Jack has never had an accident, he’s not chewed up anything except chew toys. He’s a good dog. But Jack does not listen to me.

I can be calling his name and he’s so focused in on what he’s doing … he totally ignores me. I have to actually go over to him and pick him up for him to stop doing what he’s doing and look at me. Jack does not hear my voice.

Zeke, on the other hand, who has been my best buddy for over five years always hears my voice. Even when I don’t want him to hear me, he does. I cannot say one word without Zeke being at my side. Sometimes I don’t have to even speak, I can just look at him and he’ll come over and lay his head on me. Zeke loves me, he listens for my voice and the second he hears it, he responds.

Sometimes I act like Jack, with God. I am so busy running around doing my thing, I don’t hear His gentle whisperings. He literally has to put a wall up in front of me for me to stop what I am doing and listen.

I want to be more like Zeke in my walk with Jesus. I want to hear His voice, whatever I’m doing – where ever I’m doing it. I want to stay attuned to His call.

I want to be part of His flock. I want to follow HIM.

Father, thank you for allowing me to see this example so clearly. Teach me Lord Jesus, how to hear your voice, no matter what the circumstance.

I Love You Jesus!
In Your Name I Pray,
Amen

God’s Blessing Upon You!

Love,
Joyce

Million Copy Give-Away.
    Will You Help?

http://www.alifedecision.org

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…
   it’s about learning to dance in the rain!

Big Dreams

“For I know the plans I have for you, ” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Carson and Chase spend a lot of time talking about what they want to do when they grow up. Carson wants to be a Veterinarian and live on a farm in North Florida with a lake and raise Guinea Pigs and take care of hurting animals. That is a big dream.

Chase wants to work at Sea World and swim with the dolphins and the whales. He wants to own a preserve and have all sorts of animals there that he and his buddy, Josh, take care of. That is a big dream.

I used to have big dreams when I was a kid. Then I grew up … and I allowed life to steal my dreams.

A few years ago, my life turned around and I wrote a book about the hope and healing I had experienced through Jesus. Most authors dream of selling a million copies of their books. My book was never about the sales, but rather the lives helped.

I had an idea the other day … why couldn’t I GIVE AWAY A MILLION COPIES in E-Book Format? That’s a BIG DREAM … but I serve a BIG GOD!

So … here goes. I am dreaming big. Will you help me achieve my goal?

Please forward this email to your friends and family … let’s see how many lives God can affect through email … through the Internet … through a book about healing and hope!

Chili and Chocolate Cake is not your average inspirational book; and is as unique as the title. The author shares her message of forgiveness, restoration, and hope for hurting women– especially those who have experienced the loss of a child through abortion, miscarriage, or stillborn birth. This book is a shining testimony to the power of God to heal the broken heart. Author Joyce Schneider’s dramatic life and the miraculous change from a tortured young women to a great woman of God will encourage every reader. God even used the stablilty gained from preparing chili and chocolate cake to weave the thread of His grace throughout her troubled life. Get ready for an outpouring–from the barren days of the past, to springs of living waters; rivers that will refresh long after you close the pages of this book.

All the details are on my website:
http://www.alifedecision.org

Thank you for your support!

Father, thank you for dreams. Thank you for giving me the encouragement to step out of my comfort zone and make a difference … for you!

I Love You Jesus!
  In Your Name I Pray,
  Amen

God’s Blessings To You!

Love,
Joyce

 

 

“Pick Me!”

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him, “Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”

Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. Excerpt from Mk 10:35-45

I think that all of us can see ourselves in James and John in this Gospel. It is only normal to want to be chosen for the place of honor. We want to be acknowledged. How many of us have waved our hands and yelled (or at least thought) “Pick me! Pick me!” at some point in our lives? I’ve been there more times than, in light of this Gospel, I care to admit.

The Bible Study group I belong to is currently making its way through Growing in the virtues of Jesus: The Marianist method of virtues for use in groups
by Quentin Hakenewerth, SM. The very beginning of the book invites the reader to develop one’s true self and set aside one’s ego self. According to Hakenewerth, the ego is the part of us that believes we are the source of our own worth. “When we live out of our ego, we feel worthwhile only to the degree that we can attribute to ourselves – or get others to attribute to us – some achievement, merit, or credit.” Our ego is always searching for the next vote of approval. Hakenewerth shares a story of a religious sister who encountered a four-year-old girl at a Family Renewal conference. The sister asked the little girl what she had learned that day. “Oh, we learned about the old self and the new self,” the little girl responded. “When I am selfish, that’s my old self. And when I love others, that’s my new self.” The little girl had it all figured out.

This is the message of today’s Gospel. To follow Christ we must be the one who serves. We must put our own ego aside. We must stop looking for the accolades and the approval of the world. Rather, we must find our worth in the only One who matters. Our worth comes from God from the very moment of our conception. He made us. That is the source of our value. Instead of seeking the praise of the world and longing to be put on a pedestal, we need to seek to serve, to be “the slave of all.”

Of course, as with so many things in following Christ, knowing it does not make it easy to do. Our ego will continue to rear its head until the day we die, but we can take steps to move in the correct direction. We can take advantage of opportunities to put others first. Those opportunities abound in everyone’s life. We need only make the right choice. Instead of yelling “Pick me!” we can demonstrate “I choose to serve.”

by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

True Happiness

I was listening to Randy Carlson one  morning on Parent Talk discussing the subject of “happiness.” Happiness is a subject that is really relevant because so many people struggle with it.  People think that gifts and material items will fulfill them and make them happy – or they make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, etc in the quest to find happiness.

I hear from women very regularly because of my Emphasis On Moms Ministry. I hear from women who are depressed, dealing with guilt because they are striving for a standard of perfection in their homes, they are struggling in their marriages — and so much of this stems from pressure in the Christian environment to appear that they meet a certain standard – when they are not. And if they can’t or they aren’t – they become unhappy because they feel like they don’t measure up.

I think there is this unwritten rule or standard that for Christians, especially, that we must always appear happy. If we aren’t, then we must not be close to the Lord – right? But it just puts all the more pressure on us. I think we need to let each other know that it’s okay that all is not perfect in our world all of the time.

I am a pretty happy person. But for me – happiness is a benefit of my life – not the goal of it. I don’t strive to be happy. It just comes because of the inner choices I make for myself and my life. I do try to better myself all of the time – but I don’t focus on happiness as a result – because I know that most of the time, happiness is that choice of being content where I am, even if that’s not ideal. It’s knowing I am loved, feeling blessed with what I’ve been given, knowing that I’m in God’s hands and that He will hold me and guide me through the challenges in my life. It’s impacting others on His behalf.

I truly feel content. I may not always be bubbling with laughter due to navigating one circumstance or another – but I have no complaints.

I know that there are people who are always trying to “have fun” – but internally, they are not content or happy. Because they are always searching for that next “high” to keep them feeling that adrenaline rush. If it stops – there’s a hole left in their lives. A hole that I don’t feel or experience because God is with me through all of my highs and my lows. That’s where my contentment comes from.

No one else can make you happy. True happiness comes from the Lord. But God also created us to be emotional people. So I think it’s okay to feel sorrow, dissapointment, overwhelmed, and discontent at times. I think it’s okay to feel those emotions because God created and gave us those emotions!

As we face a new year and a new season in our lives….wherever you are in your life and wherever you’re heading, whatever you’re facing – Be encouraged that God loves you no matter how you are feeling or how other people think you should feel. Stop putting pressure on yourself to appear a certain way if you don’t feel that way – but allow yourself to be real with others.

True happiness can’t be manufactured or created – it comes from within. It’s a choice. I hope that choice comes to you and your home this year. For the contentment and joy that comes from knowing, serving, and growing in the Lord, will bring you everything you need within to sustain you, nurture, and guide you through whatever it is and wherever it is you’re headed.

 

You can read more of Dionna’s writings at her personal blog – http://beautyinthestorm.blogspot.com

Throwing Stones

There is an old saying, “People who live in glass houses, shouldn’t throw stones.”  I was reading a story in John the other day where Jesus made a similar statement.  He had been teaching in the temple, when the religious leaders brought before him a woman caught in the act of adultery.  They wanted to know what punishment the woman should have.  The Law of Moses commanded that she be stoned, but Jesus came to bring repentance to sinners; to save them, not destroy them.

The religious leaders were trying to entrap Jesus, to put him between a rock and a hard place.

Jesus encouraged the crowd who were pointing fingers at this woman to look inside themselves.  He urged whoever was without sin in their life to throw the first stone.  And no one could.  One by one, they turned and walked away.  When it was just Jesus and the woman left, he asked her if anyone had condemned her.  She said, “No.” 
 
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)

Jesus didn’t condemn the woman, nor did he condone what she had done.  He implored her to move on … and stop doing what she had been doing.

WOW … that is such an encouragement for me.  I don’t have to beat myself up when I make a mistake.  I don’t have to be stoned to death … I simply need to STOP – to ask Jesus for forgiveness and turn away from whatever it was I was doing wrong.

And when others mess up … I need to not throw stones … but take a good hard look at myself.

Father, thank you for this lesson.  Teach me how to keep myself clean and clear; to not throw stones at others.

I Love You Jesus!
   In your name I pray,
   Amen

God’s Blessings Upon You!

Love,
Joyce

The Choices You Make Today …
Will Affect Your Tomorrow!
http://www.alifedecision.org

How Can I Become Like a Little Child?

“Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. In truth I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” – Mark 10: 14-15

As I write this, I am coming down with a cold. I feel lousy. I want nothing more than to crawl into bed and have someone take care of me. That’s not an option, however. In fact, not only do I not have the choice of collapsing into bed, I need to care for my older son who is also sick. He needs me. I am the grown-up in this equation. I have been the adult and the mom for quite some time now. My childlike innocence left me a while ago. Life is a challenge. There is work to do, a house to take care of, and a family who depends on me. I am thankful for all of those things, but my adult responsibilities and worries are real.

But, then, I am confronted with this Gospel, which tells me that I need to become like a little child. I want to tell God, “But I am not a child! I’ve been there and done that! Those days are done.” I then try to evaluate it from the perspective of being a mother. I look at my children, and wonder, “What age child are we talking about here?” because I am not sure that my children at ages 8 and nearly 7 fit the description. In fact, thinking back to their toddler years and the way that they could protest going to Church with a volume level that could cause hearing loss, I’m not sure that they ever did. Still, there has to be some meaning here for me. What could it be? What is Jesus trying to tell me today? I need some help with this one.

Amy Welborn, writing the Living Faith reflection for Sunday, tells how she had taken her toddler daughter in the car and gone for a ride to the beach. Welborn shares, “We arrived, and she played, delighted as I sat and pondered. All this time, she had never questioned where we were going, never fought it. She had just come along for the ride, accepting and happy. . . She trusted that I loved her and would only want the best for her.” Welborn’s daughter’s trust is like the trust I need to have in God. Do my children trust? Yes, they do. I’m far from perfect, but I have tried to be a good mother. I can’t take away all their problems, but I have tried to have them feel safe and secure in my love. I think that I have succeeded in that. Then, the question becomes, “Do I trust in God’s love? Do I believe that God loves me and only wants the best for me? Can I be like a child trusting in a parent’s love?” The honest answer is “sometimes;” maybe even “most of the time.” Still, I obviously have some work to do in this area.

The homily at mass Sunday focused on dependence on God. Small children need someone to take care of them. No matter how much my six year old tries to tell me otherwise, I know that he needs a mother. Dependence means that I need God. Regardless of how much I would like to think so, I can not make it on my own. This I know. I know that if God stopped thinking about me for even a second, my very existence would cease. It doesn’t mean that sometimes I don’t try to go my own way for a while, however. I sometimes think that I know better than God what is good for me. That road usually ends in a real mess, which I then have to lean on God to help me get out of. Sometimes the consequences are irreversible. Yes, I need to depend on God and pray that I do his will, not mine.

Even in the midst of being adults, this Gospel calls us to become like little children. It invites us to trust in God’s love and to depend on Him. This isn’t always easy, but I am a work in progress. I will keep trying!

by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

What Does Jesus Want To Multiply In You?

 After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (some call it Tiberius). A huge crowd followed him, attracted by the miracles they had seen him do among the sick. When he got to the other side, he climbed a hill and sat down, surrounded by his disciples. It was nearly time for the Feast of Passover, kept annually by the Jews.

 When Jesus looked out and saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread to feed these people?” He said this to stretch Philip’s faith. He already knew what he was going to do.

Philip answered, “Two hundred silver pieces wouldn’t be enough to buy bread for each person to get a piece.”

One of the disciples—it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter—said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.”

Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” There was a nice carpet of green grass in this place. They sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as they wanted.

When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted.” They went to work and filled twelve large baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves.   (John 6:1-13  – The Message)

We’ve all heard the story of Jesus feeding the crowd with 5 loaves and 2 fishes … but have you ever pondered how this concept could be manifested in your own life?

No … I don’t mean that you have to try to feed an army with breadcrumbs … but what has God given you that he can multiply? 

Jesus took what was available that day, blessed it and it became more than enough. 

He’s given you gifts and talents … are you allowing him to multiply what’s inside of  YOU??

Food for thought …

Father … thank you for the gifts that I have been given.  Teach me Lord to use them for your good.

I love you Jesus!
   In Your Name I Pray,
   Amen

God’s Blessings Upon You!

Love,
Joyce

The Choices You Make Today …
Will Affect Your Tomorrow!
http://www.alifedecision.org

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…
   it’s about learning to dance in the rain!

Serving Despite Inconvenience

Have you ever offered to help someone else? It goes something like this, “If you need anything, anything at all, let me know!”   Does that sound familiar?
 
You had good intentions.  But then things come up, life gets busy and that phone call comes at an inopportune time.  You see if they can handle the situation on their own first or you see if you can pawn it off on someone else. 

I just wonder, why do we offer to help others in the first place if we don’t intend to follow through with what we say? Even if you had good intentions, good intentions don’t go far if you can’t put action behind your words.  If you say something, you should mean it – DESPITE the inconvenience it might cost you.  You see, that’s what true service is. It involves sacrifice. If you have to wait until a convenient time to help someone else – then no one would ever get your help!  We have to make the decision ahead of time, to be willing to be there for someone else at whatever time he or she might need us. Otherwise, we shouldn’t offer.
It hurts to have people offer to be there for you and then realize that they didn’t really mean it.  It hurts to have to go through things on your own when your load could be lightened by the love and time of friends and family.  It hurts to feel alone.
 
There are times in life where people are going to need you. Maybe some more often than others depending on what hand they are dealt.  Be the kind of person who is truly there for someone else – not just in words, but also in action.  Because some day, you might be the one who needs someone to be there for you.  And if you have been a “taker” most of your life and not a “giver,” at some point, people are going to get tired of the one-way relationship your friendship offers them.
 
It’s not up to us to evaluate someone else’ “need.” It’s only up to us to fill it if we are able to.  God wants us to serve others with our time.  Don’t let a little inconvenience get in your way of serving on His behalf.
 
 
 
 
~ Dionna Sanchez is the Founder of the Emphasis On Moms Ministry at http://www.EmphasisOnMoms.com

Victim or Victor?

On Sunday night we were reading the story of the healing at the pool, from John, Chapter 5.  As the story goes, Jesus had gone up to Jerusalem for one of the feasts, and he was walking through the pool of Bethesda, where many disabled people hung out.  It was said that once a day, an angel stirred the water of the pool, and if you could get into the water, you would be healed. So this was a popular hangout for those with infirmities.  Jesus came upon a man lying by the pool who had been an invalid for 38 years.  He asked the fellow an interesting question, “Do you want to get well?”

 And the guy had an even more interesting answer, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Okay … So this guy made the effort to get to the pool every day, but when the water got stirred, he could never get into it for the healing. 

Seems to me, if I had someone help me get to the pool, after 38 years, I’d be asking them to stick around one day and help me get into the water.  Or something?  But the guy had determination, he hadn’t given up … he was continuing to make the effort to get there.

At first the guy’s response sounds like he’s a victim to his situation, but then we see the evidence of perseverance – he continues to come to the pool, in spite of the lack of  healing.  I believe this guy has some character.  How difficult would it be to continue dragging yourself to those waters day in and day out with no positive results?

There are always two ways to look at our situations.  We can be the victim, blaming others for what is going on in our lives.  Sometimes it just feels good to have that pity party for ourselves – but does it do us any good?  Do we feel better afterwards?  Are we any closer to Jesus?  Are we any closer to freedom or healing?

Or we can be the victor … taking responsibility for our actions and our reactions.  Although no wrong doing on our part caused the situation, we are looking for a positive way to remedy it.

Paul tells us:  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

So … am I a victim – living in the unfairness of my past, or a Victor, straining towards what is ahead! 

Father, help me to let my actions and my life portray the victory that I have already won through YOU!  Thank you that YOU are the Prize … life eternal with you. 

 I Love You Jesus!
   In Your Name I Pray,
   Amen

od Bless You!

Love,
Joyce

The Choices You Make Today …
Will Affect Your Tomorrow!
http://www.alifedecision.org