Today during our worship service, I felt burdened to pray. Pastor was preaching, but I felt the spirit say I should pray now.
PRAY! NOW!!
So, I wrote down a prayer. I thought I'd post it here for a couple reasons. One, if you have a minute, please pray God answers this prayer. Two, I don't want to forget this prayer - it's something I'm sure I'll need to pray often as I'm still very much a sinner - albeit a sinner saved by grace, but as a Christian, I think we struggle more with sin than nonbelievers do! Mostly because they don't know they are sinning half the time... but, that's another story... or post... whatever. :-)
Anyway, here it is. Judge away - because that's what we fallen humans do - but first remember to remove the plank in your own eye ;-)
God - Please help me; heal me.
Give me a new heart for my pastors, my church, and for (here I named specifically two individuals from my church I've individually struggled with "loving").
Give me a new heart for my colleagues at work, for... (here I named 5 individuals I've judged, and some who've judged me).
Give me a new heart for my Hannah, my Beth, my husband. (I have my moments with all three).
Give me a new heart for me. (I'm a bit hard on myself, who I am and what I look like - weight issues).
Give me a new heart for YOU, and by that, I know this will all work itself out for your glory!
AMEN
I just want to live each day for His glory and honor, and in that way, I know I can be content. It's a struggle - one that is totally worth it!
The Cloth
My pastor pointed out something today during his Easter sermon that I don't want to forget... something in a passage that I've read a hundred times but never stopped to really question....
John 20:3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
Did you catch it? That first sentence in bold?
The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
That followed by this...
He saw and believed.
What did he see? The tomb was empty.
What did he see? He saw the cloth lying "in its place", separate from the linen. Was that customary of the time to do that - take your cloth wrap (typically for your head) and fold it separate from your other linens? Based on what my pastor said this morning, it was not.
So, why is this significant? Go with me here...
Perhaps this disciple that "saw and believed" - the one "that Jesus loved" as referred to early in the chapter - this would be John - perhaps John had noticed that Jesus did that as His own personal custom when they traveled. Perhaps he had even questioned Jesus, "Why do you do that, Jesus? Why fold your head cloth and set it apart from your linens?" Perhaps John even gave him a mocking smile as he asked that question with a hint of sarcasm? To which, perhaps, Jesus replied with a knowing smile. A smile that to Him alone meant, "One day John, this will be a sign to you. A sign that I am the Lord God - that I have risen from the dead."
And when John saw that cloth on that awesome Easter day, he knew Jesus must have folded it. He KNEW Jesus was alive - he'd risen from the dead!
He saw and believed. :-)
Isn't that cool!?
Let's take it a bit deeper... Have you had a "cloth" moment? That is, have you had a moment that you knew God was trying to communicate Himself - His truth - to YOU. If you have, that would be your "John's cloth" moment.
I had that moment 17 years ago this coming July. When my aunt Cheryl sat me down and took the time to answer my questions about salvation by actually showing me the answers to my queries in God's word. God knew that was what I needed to trust in Him as my personal Lord and savior. And He provided it to me. And I accepted it - I accepted Him.
It's been a wild ride since! A great ride!! An emotional ride, a trying ride, a blessed ride, a priceless ride.
If you are a Christian, you understand how imperfect we are - even though we're saved, we still struggle with sin day in and day out. At some points in my life, I feel like I'm on the up slope of that roller coaster - where I'm serving and living for God so much so that it feels like I'm about to take off into the clouds. However, there are those times where I feel like I'm headed for disaster - rolling down a slope and I can't stop.
I'm currently "rolling down hill." I want to slow down! But I can't find the breaks. I can't figure out how to stop the descent.
There's a lot going on in my head right now, and I want to blog about it all! Sorry to say though, I've run out of time tonight.
9pm - I'm late for bed!
Hey, I'm a teacher with two young children - don't judge me! ;-)
Until next time peeps - Hope you had a happy Easter worshiping our risen Savior!
John 20:3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
Did you catch it? That first sentence in bold?
The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
That followed by this...
He saw and believed.
What did he see? The tomb was empty.
What did he see? He saw the cloth lying "in its place", separate from the linen. Was that customary of the time to do that - take your cloth wrap (typically for your head) and fold it separate from your other linens? Based on what my pastor said this morning, it was not.
So, why is this significant? Go with me here...
Perhaps this disciple that "saw and believed" - the one "that Jesus loved" as referred to early in the chapter - this would be John - perhaps John had noticed that Jesus did that as His own personal custom when they traveled. Perhaps he had even questioned Jesus, "Why do you do that, Jesus? Why fold your head cloth and set it apart from your linens?" Perhaps John even gave him a mocking smile as he asked that question with a hint of sarcasm? To which, perhaps, Jesus replied with a knowing smile. A smile that to Him alone meant, "One day John, this will be a sign to you. A sign that I am the Lord God - that I have risen from the dead."
And when John saw that cloth on that awesome Easter day, he knew Jesus must have folded it. He KNEW Jesus was alive - he'd risen from the dead!
He saw and believed. :-)
Isn't that cool!?
Let's take it a bit deeper... Have you had a "cloth" moment? That is, have you had a moment that you knew God was trying to communicate Himself - His truth - to YOU. If you have, that would be your "John's cloth" moment.
I had that moment 17 years ago this coming July. When my aunt Cheryl sat me down and took the time to answer my questions about salvation by actually showing me the answers to my queries in God's word. God knew that was what I needed to trust in Him as my personal Lord and savior. And He provided it to me. And I accepted it - I accepted Him.
It's been a wild ride since! A great ride!! An emotional ride, a trying ride, a blessed ride, a priceless ride.
If you are a Christian, you understand how imperfect we are - even though we're saved, we still struggle with sin day in and day out. At some points in my life, I feel like I'm on the up slope of that roller coaster - where I'm serving and living for God so much so that it feels like I'm about to take off into the clouds. However, there are those times where I feel like I'm headed for disaster - rolling down a slope and I can't stop.
I'm currently "rolling down hill." I want to slow down! But I can't find the breaks. I can't figure out how to stop the descent.
There's a lot going on in my head right now, and I want to blog about it all! Sorry to say though, I've run out of time tonight.
9pm - I'm late for bed!
Hey, I'm a teacher with two young children - don't judge me! ;-)
Until next time peeps - Hope you had a happy Easter worshiping our risen Savior!
Family Photo Shoot 2012
I'm a sucker for photos. I LOVE making memories. I LOVE looking back at where we've been. Because of this obsession, long ago I told my husband that my mother's day gift to myself was a photo shoot. I always do it before Easter in our new Easter outfits. Let me share with you the end result of this year's crazy photo shoot with a hyper 5 year old and a fussy 9 month old.
Not so bad... :-)
Not so bad... :-)
sharing
It's spring break, and I'm catching up on projects I've been wanting to get done. I thought I'd share this one with my bloggie friends.
Happy 5th Birthday my Beth Grace!
Happy 5th Birthday my Beth Grace!
Turn your favorite photos into a photo book at Shutterfly.com.
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