More Scripture Before I leave...(I can't help it!)

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Galatians 5:16-17 (New International Version)

Scripture reading...before I go...

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (New International Version)

Time for vacation!!!!

God is so good...God is so good... God is so good, he's so good to me!!!
Just wanted to sing God's praises for all that he has done in my life. He is so amazing.... If I had ten thousand tongues, it still wouldn't be enough... He saved my soul...He saved my soul... He saved my soul, he's been good to me!!

((I think I'm about due to preach... I actually have been asked to preach on the 20th, so...It's about time. It's been months.))

We are going on vacation tomorrow!! Yea!!! We haven't had a true vacation since 2001, so we are due. I'm so looking forward to lying on the beach, chillin' like a villian... I'm just thankful that tomorrow is vacation, because my church just celebrated it's 22nd anniversary and we had 3 services...I'm whipped... The AC got a little tired by the time we go to the 4 pm service...Poor thing...all them black folk up in there... sheesh!!
I know I'm due for a break, because people were starting to get on my last nerve...Thank God for the Holy Ghost, because he held back my tongue... Church folk can be a trip...Love 'em to death but some times you need a break...
Anyhoo... I'm going to take time out and return back here on Friday, so stay cool and be blessed!!

My Baby...part deux...

Okay... remember yesterday how I waxed mad nostalgic? Remember how I said my baby is growing up? Well, I take it all back. The girl is trippin'... she called me 3 times last night, saying she was homesick. Today she complained about a heat rash, complained about the food, complained about the lack of air conditioning... Just plain complained... I was beginning to wonder if she was learning anything about basketball. I mean, that is what she went to camp for, right? I had to ask her to look at the positive things. She told me the girls next door were having a party. I told her to go have fun... so we'll see. I was at one point going to go up there, but I am so tired from working all day and doing some ministry stuff at church that I don't think I could drive. I would have just put baby powder on the rash anyway... sheesh!!

My Baby...

Okay... today I took my daughter to overnight basketball camp... My baby is growing up. Where did the time go? I got her set up in her dorm room and gave her the usual... "remember to lock your door and remember to wear your shower shoes when you take a shower..."
She started out a little scared, but once she saw her friends, she forgot all about me. Just up and left me... It took me back to when I went off to college. I was so excited that I just up and left my parents. Just left them. My mom just knew I was going to be scared and cry. I left them. Went off and enjoyed life. Made new friends, found a new boyfriend... It was the life!
This was a pre-cursor to when she really goes off to school... It was kinda scary. She's 12. Not much time left. I need to enjoy our time together now, before it's gone... An eye opener, to say the least... God keep her and watch over her. Wrap a hedge of protection around her Lord. In Jesus' name... So be it...

Let's Do It Your Way...

by John Fischer (From Purposedrivenlife.com)

"Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way."
Someone sent me this quote as part of a pretty spectacular near-death, out-of-body experience that involved a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery, but I don't believe you have to be facing all that to understand such a statement. In fact, I think this is a pretty good way to think about going through every day of our lives: "Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way."
That is one of the notable things about Jesus, especially as recorded in the Gospel of John, that he always loved doing the will of his Father. He said that he and his Father were one, and he never did anything that his Father didn't initiate. God and he worked together like hand in glove.

It's not quite so with us. In our finest moments, maybe, when we are relying totally on the Spirit of God, but we have a sin nature to deal with that Jesus didn't have. We're going to pretty much have to be saying this every moment of our lives: "Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way."

It is comforting to know that Jesus, in spite of his love for doing his Father's will, struggled with it when facing his own bitter end. He struggled so hard that blood was forced out of his body as perspiration. The Bible teaches that the sin of the world was laid on him on the cross, but there is reason to believe some portion of that identity with sin began in the garden the night before his trial when he prayed a prayer that could have just as easily been translated, "Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not going to work. Let's do it your way."

It's the way we first come to Christ, it's the way we learn to walk in his purposes for our lives, and it's the way Christ purchased our salvation through his death on the cross. In fact, it pretty much sums up the Christian life in a nutshell: "Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way."

When you do it his way, even the end is doable.
http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/devarchive.aspx?ARCHIVEID=TODAY

Eternal AC

Okay... today I spent a majority of the day in a hot gym without air conditioning...It was HOT!!! I mean, ridiculous hot...
Can I say that I would just HATE to spend eternity like that? Can I say that I am going to study the Word even more seriously?? I'm going seek His face like never before...Sometimes you just have to stop and think, where do I want to spend eternity? Really?

Just my thoughts on salvation...if you haven't excepted Christ as your savior and you are reading this, you just might want to consider doing it not now but RIGHT NOW!! The only way for you to get into heaven is through Jesus, so it is better to begin to get it right now. If you wait until you get things straight in your life, then you'll be waiting forever... You'll never be perfect... so you might as well start working towards perfection with the Lord Jesus on your side and the Holy Ghost as your helper...
Okay, I'm done now!! (whoo... thank you Lord for Central Air!!)

Life is so precious...

I don't think we realize how precious life is. I work in a hospital and I deal with life and death everyday. Usually it is strangers, so it doesn't affect me the same as it is when I know the person.
As Christians, we say that we are just "ambassadors" here temporarily...but when faced with our own mortality, how do we really feel? How do we cope? We are supposed to live with a hope that others don't have. We know that we serve a Living God, the One and Only "I AM."
Yet when we see loved ones suffering or we experience the loss of a loved one, it is difficult to trust.
Yet... as Tye Tribbett says, I have no other choice but to trust You...It's all I can do.

It's hard to see all the destruction that goes on all over the world. We witness it on tv and on the internet everyday...It all seems so far away...Yet, have we forgotten Sept 11 already, or the Sniper that tormented us one fall... we need to remember who we serve. we can't live in fear, but we need to be aware that the world is changing before our eyes... Hold on to your faith...Work your faith...God IS in control... remember all things work together for the good, for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose... Notice the catch... you must love Him first...

why can't I wake up?

Why is it that I can't wake up refreshed on Mondays? I don't care how much sleep i get, I struggle getting up... It doesn't help that i have to get up at 4:45 am...I'm not a morning person. Trying to figure out how to get enough rest so that i can be awake enough to have devotions in the am before i get to work... haven't seemed to have figured it out yet...

One day i'll figure it out...

Lord, allow me to be a blessing. Allow my hands to be a help not a hinderance. Allow me to cause no harm either verbally or physically...Enlarge my territory. Bless all the patients here, all the staff, and all the families. A special blessing to all of the patients here. Show your healing power, Lord. I trust you and believe...
In Jesus' Name I pray... So be it...

Equipping of the Saints

Ephesians 4:11-12

11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ
The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

I'm reading The Seven Laws of the Learner by Bruce Wilkenson. I'm on the chapter on Equipping. This book has been revolutionary for me and my ministry. I have been teaching youth Bible Study for a while, and recently was asked to teach the Primary class in Church School. This book has totally changed the way I look at teaching. It made me realize that I am responsible for learning to occur... right now I'm reading the law of Equipping. God created teachers to equip the saints, or believers. It is our job to get them ready to go out and make disciples. How can we make disciples if we have never been discipled? How can we go tell a dying world about the goodness of Jesus if we have never experienced him for ourselves?

I am having so much fun teaching the Primaries... When I first started teaching, I was not given a teaching manual and was not given any direction as to what I was supposed to be doing and how to go about doing it. I am a process person. I'm a nurse. I have been taught the Nursing process and it is a part of me. I go through this process whenever I do anything, whether it is nursing or not.
I assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate on a constant basis. When this is out of order, I don't do very well. ((Often trying to do things by myself, without God's help.))

When I didn't have a teacher training, I kinda freaked... I got through the class, but I don't know what the kids got out of it. Then I started reading this book... boy was I convicted...

Anyway, my pastor always tells me that my job is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. It's not my job to do everything. It's my job to give people what they need so that they can do ministry... I can't keep my knowledge to myself...
Just a little bit to chew on...

Health Esteem

Health Esteem
What does your health mean to you?
By Paula Chaney


America is fat! Over 60% of American’s are overweight and/or obese. The question I want to ask you is, “Do you have Health-Esteem?” Webster’s definition of the word esteem is “to regard with respect, high regards”. So once again I ask, “Do you have Health-Esteem?” Hopefully this article does not apply to you. If not, please pass it on to someone that you have identified that has low Health-Esteem.

Does this get your attention? If so... keep on reading...

http://christianhangsuite.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=9&tabindex=3&t=4

Today's temptation

I struggle with a passion to shop... I LOVE to shop... I'm a confessed shopaholic. When I get bored, I want to shop. I think of ways to spend my money, especially if it's payday.
What is this about? Why have I been wired like this? I love buying new things. It could be from the grocery store, and I get excited...

I have to pray for strength, because I can get really out of control. Some days I'm okay, but others... watch out.
If I don't focus on my purpose, on the promise that is on my life... I can allow the temptation turn into sin... I need to realize that is okay to shop, but when I obsess over it and HAVE to do it... that's when it becomes an idol...

Romans 6:11-14
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids

Scripture of the Morning

The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 15:33 (New International Version)

Heaven on earth? Candy bar claims to aid PMS

NEW YORK - Every once in a while, a product comes along that is so cunningly conceived and so flawlessly executed that the only proper response is reverent awe...
It's chocolate that is specially formulated to help women alleviate the symptoms of PMS. Would you like a moment to process that?
It's a hunk of chocolate, designed specifically to alleviate the effects of premenstrual syndrome. (More than, say, a Snickers bar already does.) The irritability, the anxiety, the moodiness — all of it is allegedly soothed by the Wonder Bar, at $3.69 a pop. As it says on the wrapper, "Take sweet revenge on PMS, menopause and everyday cravings with this delicious Swiss chocolate, rose oil, herbs and soy."

Wow...where can I get this? I think my whole family would buy a case just for me and my daughter...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13849336/

No other choice...

This ministry thing is a trip... you can go from one extreme to another. From teaching and preaching to dealing with life and death...within minutes...seconds even...

This song keeps on playing in my head..I have no other choice but to trust You, it's all I can do... Can't get away from it... God has done so much, I've seen it with my own eyes, I have no other choice but to trust Him...but it's hard. How can you see people struggle just to exist? How is it that good people suffer and die? How do I deal with it personally and be strong for others as they go through?
Anyway...I have to go to bed now... gotta get up early for work... Just wanted to get this out...

In the beginning...

Focus Verse of the day
Psalm 32:1,2
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose rebellion is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 . Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.

Today's focus is on forgiveness... It's interesting that we had been praying and fasting starting last week, unrelated to our VBS... our lesson tonight is on forgiveness... God is all up in this...

This is my first entry... don't know if anyone cares about what i'm thinking, but here i go anyway...

I thank God for the spirit that has taken over at church. things were a little crazy, but I think that God just wanted us to know who really is in control. I'm really getting into this teaching thing. VBS has been so good this week. everybody seems to be having fun... I know I am. Anyway, time to get ready to go and be blessed again...
Thank you God for the Word... Thank you for feeding us when we are hungry... Thank you for your son...AMEN...