Supplier Of My Needs

Earlier this week and well, really over last week-end too, I was feeling a little down. (I am sure it was hormones, which in your late 30's, are AWFUL!!) I was telling my dear friend and prayer-partner, Lisa, that I was feeling so insecure. This is NOT me! I rarely struggle with doubt or insecurity anymore. I am not saying that to brag, trust me, there are PLENTY of other things that I struggle with! She gave me a puzzled look when I told her this. Well, it took me a few days but I think I figured out what part of it was -- I was out of God's will. This realization was really cool for me because, for me, it meant that I am in-tune enough with the Holy Spirit to discern when something isn't right! And realizing this, gave me the opportunity to change what was wrong and allow me to step back into God's grace.

So here's what I learned -- I have been spending too much of my time concerned with what other people are doing (especially at work!) and not enough attention  on what I should be doing! (This just sounds very Mary & Martha to me! LOL) So, earlier this week, when I realized this, I commited in my heart that I was going to re-focus my attention. I am so grateful to God for speaking to my heart and for allowing me the room to grow and learn this lesson of *minding-my-own-business* once again!

But here is the COOLEST thing that I realized yesterday: My God supplied ALL my needs this week!!

•  When I prayed and asked for comfort for my weary heart, He gave it!
• When I prayed and said "Lord, I need some reassurance that I am on the right track. And Lord, I'm asking that You would provide it for me and that I would not seek it from somewhere else' -- He provided it!
• When I asked for Him to cover me during different conversations this week He did and they went well!

He met my every need! He gave me comfort, reassurance, praise, peace, joy -- all because I asked Him to! All because I was looking to Him to meet my needs instead of looking to someone or something else.How precious is that!?!?!

I'd love to hear from you -- how has God meet your needs this week?

Learning To Sabbath - The Beginning

The photos in today's post are brought to you by: my mother-in-law's flower garden :)

I have recently started to read a book by Mark Buchanan called The Rest of God - Restoring Your Soul By Restoring The Sabbath. I am LOVING  this book!! I am only up to chapter 3 but each chapter has had something really worth pondering and worth applying to my life. I want to be careful that I take my time and learn from this book so I started to keep a notebook of chapter notes of the things that I am learning and want to apply. This process of careful application really got me to thinking about what God has to say about the Sabbath and not just what Mark Buchanan has to say so I am also using my concordance to see what I can learn. I thought I would share my learning experience here and how I am applying it to life.

I was recently reading back through some older posts on the blog and this one was among them:  Mary, Martha & Facebook. It was very funny to me to be in this current situation of studying about the Sabbath and to re-read my own words saying: 'I would love to be like Mary but honestly, I just don't understand her. How can she just sit there? I have way too much to do for that!' How precious of God to teach me how to be like Mary and to give me the desire - the heart - to learn how to sit at His feet!!

Welcome to my new series called Learning To Sabbath. Join me as I read, study, apply and share what God has commanded us about the Sabbath. I for one, know that this is something that my life NEEDS. What about you? Could your life use some rest too?

I really like these last two pictures! This was a grasshopper that Colin caught. I have never seen one with a camouflaged body like that before! He was really hard to get a picture of because he kept kicking and moving and Colin's hand was wiggling too! I really like the picture of his face. How cool of God to make so many different creatures, each with a different look!

Good vs. Best

The photos in today's post are brought to you by: Last week's trip to the coast.

Last week, while I was writing THIS, Pastor Dan was also looking at Luke chapter 10. What he got out of it was totally different than what I had seen in it previously. His message was great so I thought I'd share it here with you.

As a refresher, here is the passage from Luke 10:38-42:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

You can live a life OR you can live a life that matters!

Living a life that matters for something means learning to make choices wisely. Every day we are given countless opportunities to choose - countless ways to choose what is good or what is best. People who live lives that matter learn to discern what is Best from what is good. Our time here on Earth is very short - we need to choose the Best way to spend our time.

Mary and Martha were given the EXACT SAME choice. They both had the opportunity to prepare a meal and they both had the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus. (I had NEVER noticed this before!!) Mary probably had other things to be doing at that time but she chose to create a moment with Jesus.

She made a deliberate choice to Worship!

Then Pastor Dan challenged us with this question:
If Jesus knocked on my door, would I make Him wait on the porch while I finished up my tasks? 'Oh just wait here a minute Lord, while I do the dishes and tidy the living room. You don't mind, do you?' Would I create time for Him? Would He be a priority?

Often times in life, the good things demand more of us then the Best things but they are NOT more important. Often the clamor of the good drowns out the whisper of the Best.

If Satan can't make you bad, he'll make you busy. Martha was busy. To choose busy is to choose what is good. So, am I justifying my busyness? Do I truly make Jesus and Worship of Him a priority in my life?

We are all given the same choice everyday. Today will you choose what is good or what is Best? I am striving for what is Best.

If you enjoy the blog - go ahead and share it! I've made it easy for you by including buttons at the bottom of the post for e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Thanks!
May the Lord Bless you all as you seek to know Him better!

Another Visit From Mary & Martha

 Last night, the story of Mary and Martha came up again as I was doing the devotion with the kids.(If you are new to the blog or just want a refresher, you can read my previous post about Mary and Martha HERE.)  I have included the passage from Luke chapter 10 below for you to read for yourself:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
   “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I was seeing some Martha behavior at the dinner table and after we read the story together, they saw it too. I asked each of them to share what they saw in the story. Colin always has an interesting point of view. This wasn't a 'profound' insight but I guess what makes it interesting to me is that he doesn't want to have anything to do with reading the Bible and yet he will come out with some great insights. (He is 12, by the way). He said that Martha was only interested in work but Mary was interested in Jesus. I guess when you boil it down to it's basic story, this is true. I haven't seen Martha in that light in a long time. It's nice to see a story through fresh eyes! Zoe didn't really see anything in the story. I think really, what she saw was herself and she wasn't thrilled. But who of us has not looked in the mirror and seen Martha staring back at one time or another (Or in my case - DAILY!!)

Here's what I saw this time around. Mary had her focus on Jesus. He even said of her that she had chosen what was better. But Martha, her own sister, criticized her choice! She was criticized!! For choosing to worship!! By someone who also knew Jesus!! When I realized that, it kind of blew me away! And I wondered, how often are we on a path that we know, beyond the shadow of a doubt is the path that God has for us, and yet our choice draws out critics from every direction. It's true that sometimes it comes from acquaintances but more often then not, our biggest and toughest critics are those that are closest to us. And I was curious to note Mary's reaction to her critic - NOTHING! She didn't allow herself to get sidetracked by the feelings that the criticism must have evoked. She didn't allow herself to get sidetracked by defending her actions. She never said a word! AND JESUS PRAISED HER FOR IT!! He praised her actions but He was also praising that way that she handled the situation. 


How often are we the ones that are the critics? Are we supportive of someone who is on the path that God has for them or do we try to derail them? I know I have done it. And how often do we do it to other believers? I'm not talking about stopping someone from going down a self-destructive path here. I'm talking about people who are living for the Lord. Friends, let us not treat each other this way!


Or how often do we allow ourselves to get sidetracked? Mary wasn't sidetracked and SHE GOT PRAISED! I want that! I want His praise over my choices and my life!! I admit, I am very easily sidetracked. This is something that I have realized lately that I need to work harder on.


Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father, I came to You and confess that I am easily distracted by the cares and concerns of this life.  I ask for your power in my life today that I may be more focused on You and less susceptible to being distracted and sidetracked. I know I cannot do it own my own but I trust in Your guidance for my life. In Jesus Name, Amen

Mary, Martha & Facebook

 Before we start this post, if you are unfamiliar with Mary and Martha, please take just a minute to read their story HERE.

Do you ever have recurring themes in your life? I wouldn't say that this is a *life* theme but maybe more of a *season* theme. I am in the season of Mary and Martha. It seems like every week or so they come back and each time they have a different message for me. I really wish I had been writing them down :)

Now if you know me, you know that I am a Martha! I would love to be like Mary but honestly, I just don't understand her. How can she just sit there? I have way too much to do for that! So, a couple weeks ago, I thought that since they kept coming back around to me, that perhaps I should read their story over again. So I did and what I found was kinda painful. Just being honest. Here is the part that struck me:

Mary,  was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted...

OUCH!! She was distracted?? How often am I floating through life distracted? I am running two children to various music, church and/or sporting events, keeping a home, errands, etc. (Never mind the fact that I work 40 hours a week.) Usually my mind is already on the next thing. No wonder I'm tired and feel run down. I crave silence. I long for Sabbaths and for days of fasting to spend time with Jesus - the Restorer of my Soul! So, it occurred to me that Mary had chosen the better part. Worship. I know I'm supposed to worship but I just get  .... oops! .. . there it is again .... Distracted!! Lord, help me!
So,anyway, now I'm rambling. It occurred to me that Jesus was NOT a multi-tasker. Mary was NOT a multi-tasker. But Martha was. What about me? Am I trying to do to many things at once? I feel that it is simply a matter of being on the go all the time. And having a husband who works evenings.

So, this morning, Mary and Martha came back  around with a new lesson. Mary was focused on Jesus. ONLY Jesus. But Martha was not only too busy to be focused on Jesus, she was also too busy worrying about what Mary was doing! Oh wow! So, perhaps I just need to be focused on Jesus and not be concerned about what other people are doing. Not in an 'I'm going to isolate myself" or an 'I'm going to ignore you and your needs' kind of way but more like a minding of my own business :)

Having said all of that, I will now tell you that this came to me this morning after last night deciding to close my Facebook account. And I spent the day COMPLETELY FILLED WITH HIS JOY!!!