Always Worth It

Fellowship... A Great Word!

Monday, 12 July 2010 23:11 |

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"We are telling you what we have seen and heard,

so that you may share in this life with us.

And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."

- 1 John 1:3

I have spent the last 5 days with friends. Good friends who I get to see on a regular basis, friends who I don't see enough, my best friend, and friends who I haven't seen in forever and got to reconnect with. The time I shared with all of them was such a blessing. I noticed that most of my time was spent just talking. We may have been sitting and talking on a pier, or at a booth in Perkins, or walking through the woods at a Bible camp, or in a car, or sitting in my living room late at night, or even sitting on a park bench watching firemen practice water rescue. But there was one common theme. Heartfelt, vulnerable conversation.

All of the time I spent with my friends; my Christian community, got me thinking about fellowship. Fellowship is a great word. One of the best words in the English language, in my opinion.�When we have a shared belief in Christ, we have a deeper connection than we realize. And sharing our faith with other people, can lead to those deep relationships. That's what this verse is talking about. I, for one, want to share this life that God has led me to and blessed me with with my friends. Fellowship is not underrated. It's what we were made for. So don't overlook it. Spend as much time as you can with other believers, with your friends, with your Christian community. Be selfish and take it for yourself. Because after all... You're worth it!

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Wednesday, 07 July 2010 23:52 |

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- Psalm 138:8

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;

your love, O LORD, endures forever�

do not abandon the works of your hands."

- Psalm 138:8

What strikes me about this verse is the first line... The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. Are you trusting Him for that? Because I would say that most days, I'm not.�

We may not have a clue what God's purpose is for us. But we can trust Him to accomplish it in our lives. No matter what you've been through, or what mistakes you've made, or what your past was like, you still have a future. God still has HUGE plans for you. He will take you exactly where you are and carry out His purpose for you. Whatever that purpose is, He designed it especially for you.

I told a friend not all that long ago that I knew God had big things in store for her. She told me that she'd have to trust me on that one because she wasn't so sure. If you can't believe God for that right now, then believe me. Or believe someone else in your life who you love and respect. It's the truth.

And to those of you giving the advice... It is often easy to tell others what we know to be true and we believe it for them with absolute certainty, but we rarely believe it in our own lives. So my challenge to you is this: Live your life in a way that people can clearly see that you believe the truth found in Psalm 138 and in Jeremiah.

"'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.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'"

- Jeremiah 29:11-13

It's not enough to just believe in God... Now believe Him�and the promises He's made to you. Including the one that says He will fulfill His purpose in you.

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Last Updated (Friday, 09 July 2010 02:26)

Another Grandma Suzyism

Tuesday, 06 July 2010 22:01 |

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"This is the day the LORD has made;�let us rejoice and be glad in it."

- Psalm 118:24

This verse was on my calendar this morning and it instantly put me in a good mood. I was singing the song for it in the shower and while I got ready for work. I just find it funny that something as simple as a quick glance at a Bible verse can change your whole day.

Each day, and everything in it, is a gift from God. I choose how to live that day. I can wake up and choose to start my day in a good mood; thanking God for the gift of the morning and rejoicing in His creation. Or I can choose to start my day in a bad mood.�I can choose to live each day in a way that brings glory to God; knowing that I will make mistakes, but doing my best for Him anyway. Or I can choose to give up before I even start.

As I was thinking about what I wanted to write, and how seeing that verse changed the way I "lived" my day today, I thought of something that Grandma Suzy told me when I was in Denver. It's how she chooses to live every day, and it's what I've been working on since I got back. So here you go:

Just do your best

Your very best

And unto God

Give all the rest

Really, truly, that is all you can do in a day. When you make mistakes, give them to Him. When things go wrong, give them to Him. And when you feel like you can't do any more on your own, give it to Him. All He's asking for is that you do your best for Him every day. And I think that's something we are all capable of doing.

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Last Updated (Tuesday, 06 July 2010 22:02)

Fellowship... A Great Word!

Purpose

Another Grandma Suzyism