Go and Sin No more

I have had a whirlwind of a month. I have missed Bible study several times due to illness and I have felt distant from God for some reason. I don't like it. So I decided to read His Word. And spend some time worshiping Him with no distractions. My favorite way to do that is to lay down on the floor in my house and look up. It may sound funny but it gives me the sense of laying down in His presence. 

I haven't given God enough time the past couple weeks and I can always tell when I'm struggling with sin or with feeling distant from Him, it's because I am distancing myself subconsciously because I haven't repented yet. 

Sin separates us from God. That's the bottom line. When we are continually sinning, especially the same sins, we cannot be as close to God as He wants us to be. 

Isaiah 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."

And David wrote in Psalm 40:11-13, "Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; let Your loving kindness and Your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me!"

Continuing in Psalm 40:14-17, "May all who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame. But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!” But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay."

I really LOVE v16. "But may all who seek You rejoice an be glad in You; may those who long for your salvation continually say, Great is the LORD!" (ESV)

These verses tell me that not only does send separate us from God but even David continually suffered from multiple sins that we don't even know about. But as believers we are held up to a higher standard. We are called to live holy lives. One definition of holy is, "to be dedicated or consecrated to God..." (Quick google search)

This is not optional- it is a command. But there is hope! 

1 John 5:1-5 says, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5 NIV, italics and underlining added)"

Then the real hope comes in verses 11 and 12. "And this is the testimony, that God have us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever had the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12) John is talking about eternal life. 

Do you have the Son? Do you, like me, have unrepentant sin? Let's get it taken care of and get back to our purpose on this earth- to GLORIFY God!

I'll leave you with this: 

"Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:7, italics and underline added.)

Go and sin no more!!!

(The back yard at Tender Hearts :)

GIVE IT UP!!!

I have been home for about 12 days now. I have had the opportunity to share with a lot of people the impact Africa had on us as a team. So many things have changed in my heart since leaving Africa. Even my appearance has changed! 

I had 2 African ladies braid my hair the last day I left. Cathy arranged it and I absolutely love it! My husband, that's another story :)

God has been working on my heart so much. As I mentioned previously, He had already begun working on my heart long before this trip took place. It has been hard trying to nail down the things God is asking me to do or change in my life. I have been talking to several ladies about what to do with all of this knowledge an experiences we have gained. I need to thank Jenny, Amy, Sara, and Grandma Jeanne for helping me sort out these struggles! And Mama, Elizabeth and Connie for the future talks we are going to have- I know I will be inspired by you soon! God has used all of you ladies in my life in so many ways! THANK YOU!

So far we (God, Amy, and I) have come up with 3 things I believe will help impact my life in the next 12 months. 3 things I feel God calling me to do and give up to better understand how excessive this American way of life is and how much sin it causes.

1. I will go 12 months without purchasing any clothing for myself. I feel that unnecessary purchasing of clothing may not necessarily be a sin I struggle with, but it is definitely something I don't NEED. I have a closet and a half FULL of clothing and I believe the money could be better used elsewhere to further God's kingdom or to help us become completely debt-free. Last night I even had a dream that I was in a new store and there were some really good deals and I was reminded that I cannot purchase clothes so I had to walk away. My subconscious is even thinking about this!! If I really feel the need for a special outfit, I will ask to borrow from a friend. Lookout ladies who are my size ;) also know that my clothes are up for borrowing too! Sara and I already do this actually!

2. This year, I will not spend even $1 on Christmas gifts this year. This will be HARD for me. I typically have an envelope in which I put $25-50 each month away to spend on Christmas for my friends and family. I usually spend $500 or so on this holiday. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!! That is so ridiculous. I will still, however, make my Christmas food plates with my friends Rebekah and Bethany. It's a neat tradition and so fun to give them away and see the smiles on people's faces! This year my husband and I will not be purchasing any gifts for each other (I will still make him something homemade of course). But we will finally see Christmas as the holiday God intended it to be. TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST!!!! Stop and ponder that. The Birth of our SAVIOR! The reason we have eternal life. The greatest gift we will ever receive! How do we manage to neglect praising our Father for this??

I haven't gone so far to swear off gifts completely, but any gift I GIVE, will be homemade or something we have in our possession already and do not need. (This goes against everything American culture has taught us!) I am really struggling on accepting gifts too. I have a wonderful mama whose love language is gift giving so it would be almost impossible for her to not give Les or I a gift so I have asked her for a simple machine-sewed quilt :) I would love if the gifts given were monetary or item donations to the Tender Hearts Baby's home!

3. Finally, I will not be purchasing any craft supplies for the next 12 months either. No Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's visits. I am considering having an option for fabric purchasing should I make a quilt or something. But I desire to use the yarn I already HAVE for my projects this year and to cease purchasing unnecessary sale or clearance items that "maybe I will need someday!"  (DISCLAIMER AS OF 2-5-14: I forgot that I said no "craft supplies" and thought I wrote "no yarn" and I have purchased craft supplies such as fabric and ribbon trim in 2014. I feel guilty now for not remembering my promise!)

If you know me well, these 3 challenges are not going to be easy for me. God challenged me on 3 areas I struggle SO MUCH in. Especially Christmas! But I foresee this Christmas being my most memorable yet with simply celebrating the birth of my Savior instead of celebrating the giving of gifts. I am so excited for it!!

So now I am going to challenge you! What if you and your family trimmed down on Christmas gifts this year? Maybe spent just HALF of your usual Christmas budget and donated the rest of that to the Tender Hearts Baby's Home or another Christian organization God lays on your heart? What if? How much are you willing to give UP (up to heaven)? Give it up to God! Let's work a revival in this country! Let's stop the unnecessary spending (that sounds like the National Budget talk) and give that money to further the KINGDOM OF GOD!!! What are YOU doing to further God's kingdom!? If you aren't doing anything physically, then I challenge you to do it financially!!! My mentor Connie and her husband mentioned this to my husband and I and it has resonated in my heart ever since.

How far are you willing to go to radically change your life? Let's start giving UP!!!

Go in God's grace!!

This is a picture of the best time I had with the sweet children- coloring and drawing. I have some of their work. So precious!