Look in the mirror...

How you see yourself and what you believe about yourself will determine what you will accomplish in life...

You have everything inside you that you will need to succeed in life. All you have to do is tap into it. Do not allow other people's opinion of you to outweigh what God says about you.

If you have Y'shua in your life, then you have all the power, strength and ability that He has. When you look in the mirror, see yourself through the eyes of God. He sees you EQUAL to His Son. How awesome is that?!?

Have a blessed and awesome day, my friend. May there always be shalom in your heart and in your home.

You and God...that is all you need....

While you put your energy into all the different relationships in your life, do not forget the two most important ones... God and yourself!!!

God created you for a reason. He has a job that only you can do. He has given you everything you will need to do it. It is important that you have a strong relationship with yourself. I know this might sound crazy to some but think about it for a minute and you will realize that we often neglect ourselves and/or never see the full potential that we have so we do not push ourselves to reach it!

We have been programmed to think that we need to have "external" friends and associates in order to succeed. Not true, my friend...all you need is your faith in God and yourself. You will be able to accomplish the impossible with just those two things.

Believe in yourself, set your eyes on the One Who holds your life in His hands then go forth fearlessly and show the world what you can do because of Who is behind you!

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home!

He is greater than I

Isn't is wonderful to know that when we are at our weakest, God is at His strongest? No matter what we do, God will always be there to cover us with His love, His grace and His mercy.

The enemy tries to steal our peace and knowledge in this undeniable fact. He wants us to feel as alone and desperate as he is. When fear, doubt and disbelief start to creep in, just say out loud, "God is with me, I am a highly favored child of His. He will NEVER leave or forsake me." Keep saying that until it becomes your reality.

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Thank God...

This is a scary thought...isn't is?  

It is so easy for us to complain when we don't get what we want or what WE think we deserve. How often do we stop and thank God for what He has done for us or for what He has given to us? We need to practice saying thank you more and complaining less!

Think of the things that you would not want to lose from you life and take a moment to thank God for each and every one of them. Just so you know...I thanked God that He brought you into my life - because my life would be empty without you!

Have a blessed and grateful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Change of direction...

Do not assume just because you had a setback means you have failed and have to change directions. Sometimes, we ourselves steer off the course that God had planned for us.

When we want His Will in our lives, He will redirect us and get us on the path we need to be on. Sometimes that will require Him to tear down some things we have built along the way in order for us to be equipped for the job ahead of us. 

We should always keep our hearts and minds open to God's Will for us. That way we will never be lost or off track for long. I pray that God will reveal His plan for your life to you and that you have the strength and courage to succeed in that plan.

Have a blessed day filled with awe and wonder, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

School is back in session....

Now that school is back in session, that means there will be a lot of excited children, harried parents, school buses and a lot more cars to deal with on the road. 

Take your time when traveling to work, school or where ever it is you have to be. If you are "stuck" behind a school bus that had to stop to pick up children, don't tap your steering wheel in frustration. 

This is the perfect opportunity to say a prayer for all of the children and the bus driver that they get to school safely and have a safe day in school! It doesn't matter if you do not have any school age children...all children need us to pray for them...it might just be the only prayers said for them!

I always put a hedge of protection and plead the blood of Y'shua over them and I encourage you to do the same. Times are so much different then when we went to school...and for most of us, even when our children went to school.

Have a blessed day filled with patience, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Many members, one body

We are all one body of Christ. It does not matter if you are a Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Non Denominational or a Messianic believer. It does not matter if you call the Son of God Jesus or Y'shua. What matters is that you BELIEVE in the only Son of God. All the rest is semantics. 

There is one thing that I would like to stress. We should not judge others for the way they worship the One true God. We are often the reason many people stay away from church. They feel judged, looked down upon, they see the hypocrisy of our actions and they do not want to be a part of it. 

We were called to make disciples of everyone. That means teaching them to live the way Y'shua lived. To treat others the way He treated them. If we all do this, then people would see the true nature of Y'shua and would come running to Him.

Have a blessed and awesome day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Grace is...

Grace is not something that we can earn. It it the unmerited favor of God. God's Grace is based on His nature...not our behavior. 

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of Grace that we may find mercy and grace in time of need ~ Hebrews 4:16

The cycle of Grace is: It comes from God, our Father through His only Son, Y'shua (Jesus) to us through faith and then back to God via worship.

May the Grace of God pour freely over your lives and the lives of your loved ones. 

Have a blessed and Grace filled day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Procrastination

Have you ever put something off thinking you will do it later? Procrastination is choosing want over should. 

Preparation is the cure for procrastination. The heart must must be properly prepared to take on the task. Time is going to pass whether or not you choose to do something or procrastinate. The sad thing is that when the time passes you realize you could have accomplished that task had you started it when it presented itself to you.

We can procrastinate in many ways. Learning something new, changing a career, spending time with family and friends, taking care of our health and the list goes on.

We are not guaranteed time, we only have this moment to do something with. Is there something that you have put off, telling yourself you will do it later? Why not chase after it and do it now? It is never to late and the satisfaction of completing it will be an added bonus.

Have a blessed and productive day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home. 

The mouth speaks...

If you ever want to know what is in your heart...just listen to the words you use. Our mouth reveals what is in our hearts. Listen to yourself when you speak so you are always aware of your heart motives. 

It is also a good idea to Listen to others carefully. It will help you understand who they are, what they think and feel and how to pray for them. People can always talk a good game however, the truth is always revealed in time. It is usually when we are pressured, stressed, angry or upset. That is when the heart is revealed the most.

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Potential vs Performance...

We all have potential...however, sometimes we just do not use all that we have. The very word mean possible apposed to actual, capable of being or becoming. That said, there is still something missing that will get us from potential to performance.

That would be action on our part. We have to take the initiative to step out and do our part. Although the battle was God's, David still had to throw the stone to kill Goliath! 

Always ask yourself, "What will it take to get me from where you are to where you want to be." Then take the necessary steps to get there. At times, we are our biggest obstacles. Be determined not to waste your potential.

Have a blessed and potential filling day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Princess Warriors...

This is for all you girls out there, for your daughters and your granddaughters. The kingdom of God does not only belong to the men. Therefore, we too must become warriors for the kingdom.

You are stronger than you think you are. God will never leave or forsake you. Trust in His promises, grab the reigns and take the lead. In the spiritual world you are just as strong as any man!

You can become a mighty kingdom warrior without compromising your femininity! When you put on the armor of God, bling it out if it makes you feel better...the armor is the most important thing you should wear each day - so wear it proudly.

Do not wait for change to come...BE the change. Remember, greater is He that is in you that he that is in the world. We have spiritual authority and we need to use that authority. We should be making disciples not just believers. We need to live our lives as an example of Y'shua's love. 

Have a blessed and beautiful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home!

Anyone remember Pharaoh?

I know that this message is going to upset some people...okay, many people. It is okay if you delete me as a friend or if you choose not to read anything else I write, that is your choice and I will respect it.

Let me start off by saying I am NOT against Muslims...I have many Muslim friends and their friendships are important to me! I am not against Obama either...I just do not agree with his decisions. I am talking in defense of Israel against radical Islamism/terrorism.

I cannot and will not stay silent when it comes to Israel! Israel are God's chosen people. He said He will bless those who bless her and curse those who curse her. We are clearly turning our backs on Israel in their time of need. 

Does anyone remember what happened to Pharaoh and the people of Egypt when they refused to listen to God? He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Just because we are living under His Grace does not mean He will overlook what we are or are not doing to His chosen people. He will avenge Israel as He has promised to do.

The United States has ALWAYS been a friend of Israel...I am appalled that our country is NOT standing with her now. Instead of the FAA warning the airlines not to fly into Tel Aviv, our Air Force should be flying in to protect Israel from their enemies! What has this country come to? As a Christian, as an American and as a Veteran...I am ashamed of this country!

I will continue to pray for the peace and protection of Israel and I urge you to do the same. Let God know where you stand. I do not care where this country stands...I will always stand with Israel and with God!

As always, have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Be the best you can be

We all have the same ability...to be the very best person we can be. It is not always easy and we will struggle along the way. However, if we make it our goal...we WILL achieve it!

The reason many of us struggle with insecurities is because we compare our behind the scenes with everyone else's highlight reel! We do not know their inner struggles or their insecurities...we see what they project and sometimes that can be intimidating. We are all different. We have different gifts and talents so we need to stop comparing ourselves to others and learn how to shine our own light.

When others are committed to keeping you from achieving your goal it is usually out of jealousy, ignorance or a failure to thrive on their part. Ask yourself if that is the kind of environment that will get you to your goal. If not, perhaps it is time to do a clean sweep of your support circle.

You will never know how strong you are until you lose someone or something you were not ready to give up. However, when you rise up with a renewed strength you will see that it might just have been the added weight that was keeping you back.

Remember to always be that friend who is kind, encouraging, uplifting with a sincere desire to help your family and friends succeed. Have a blessed and productive day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Respect yourself...

If someone treats you as if you were beneath them, without respect, as if you were subservient to them then ask yourself, "Why am I allowing them to treat me this way?".

People will only treat you within the boundaries that you set. You have to respect yourself and know your own value. We all have value and we all deserve respect. When someone devalues you, you need to kindly show them the door and lock it behind them! Do not allow people in your life to treat you in any way that belittles you.

On the flip side, you need to show everyone respect as well. It is true that people earn respect however, there is a baseline of respect due to everyone regardless of their position in life. Always put yourself in their position and treat them the way you would want to be treated by others.

Have a blessed and respectful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

The Spiritual Cycle

I found this spiritual cycle and I thought that it would be a great tool to share with you. Sometimes we just need a reminder of how God works.

First and foremost we need to relax and be in His Presence - He will take care of all our needs...in HIS timing. We have His promises to rely on so all we have to do is wait for His answer. We should rejoice in His goodness that He is faithful and that He will never leave or forsake us!

Waiting is not always easy...trust me, I know this first hand (I am HORRIBLE at it) However, it teaches us to rely on Him and on Him alone. We get valuable lessons in every step of the cycle.

Have a blessed and peaceful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Prayer is Americas only hope...

Prayer is America's only hope! We need to forget about all this "political correctness".  Why is it that we are so concerned about trying to appease and/or not offend EVERYONE else that we have turned our backs on God and our own values?

Atheists have removed God from our schools and government because they said it violated their rights...what about the rights of those who do believe in Him? We are told we have to be tolerant of the beliefs of others...yet those very people are not tolerant of ours. Where is the balance?

I have no issues with atheists or any member of any religion. I wholeheartedly agree that you have the right to practice any religion that you choose. I just do not agree that you should stop others from practicing ours because you don't agree with it. You can share the platform if you want.

We have pushed God further and further away. We are a country that was FOUNDED on God. Just remember...if God is not WITH us then HE will be AGAINST us!! It can only be one of the two!!! Look at the state of our schools and our government. It does not take a rocket scientist to see that it is not working - evil is prevailing in this country!!!

We all need to pray and pray hard. Pray for our country, pray for the heart of the people to turn back to God, pray for peace, pray for Israel. Pray for anything you want...just PRAY!!

Have a blessed and prayer filled day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

It ain't much...

God does not ask a lot of us. He does not want anything more than our heart and our desire to be close to Him.

What a change from most of the people in our lives. Many of them placed countless spoken and unspoken demands on us! The sad thing is that we try to bend over backwards to meet those demands. 

Think of everything that God has done for you, everything He has given you, every time He showed up when everyone else walked away. Is He really asking to much from you? 

Have a blessed and loving day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

A Thin Line....

Do not confuse arrogance with confidence. Sometimes we THINK that we are being confident while everyone else sees us as arrogant. It is not what you think you can do. It is how you react after you do it that defines your character.

Have all the confidence in the world...because you can do anything you put your heart into :)  Just don't let it get to your head and start thinking that you are better than anyone else. Balance is the key.

Have a blessed and balanced day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Be filled with Gratitude and Joy...

Happiness in not having everything you want. It is wanting and appreciating everything you have. When you are filled with gratitude for what you have there is peace and joy. 

Far to often we base our wants on what other people have. We live in a society that we have to have the latest and greatest things to be cool. All that does is cause stress and put financial burdens on us. The cutting edge technology today is obsolete tomorrow and so the cycle continues to upgrade what we have for something better.

Finding what we need and what will work best for us is what matters. Everything we have is a blessing from God and we need to show our gratitude and appreciation for what we have been given. We also need to remember to be good stewards of what we have.

Have a blessed and grateful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

The truth in God's Word...

It is a wonderful feeling to be assured that no matter what....there is NOTHING that will be able to separate us from God's love!

We never have to worry about making mistakes, backsliding or being deceived. We have two powerful things that will bring us through anything thrown our way....God's Word and His promise.

I have read Romans 8:38-39 many times, I have even quoted it several times however, it was not until it became so real to me that it changed me. The enemy can no longer use my past against me, he cannot use temptation against me...I am standing on God's Word and I feel safe and secure knowing that His love will see me through.

I hope and pray that His Word will become real to you too. May it impact your life so much that you become bold and fearless, especially when confronting the enemy!

Have a blessed and fearless day, my friend! May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Be a dream catcher!

When you have a dream, a desire or a vision, it is wise to pray about them and ask God for guidance and direction. However, you still have the responsibility to put forth action and start proactively pursuing them.

When God called Abraham to be the father of all nations, he was put through many tests, trials and tribulations. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son to be obedient to God! When God called Noah to build an ark and become one of only six people left in the world...Noah built that ark in faith amid the taunting of those who thought he was crazy! When God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt, he had to give up everything and wander through the desert for 40 years before leading them to the promised land...even though he never got to go into the land himself.

Nothing ever falls into your lap completed. You have to work for what you want. There will be trials, test and tribulations just like there were with the ones who walked before us. The thing that you have to decide is, "Is your dream, your calling, your vision worth the sacrifice?" 

All I can say is that if God is asking you to do something and it requires sacrifice on your part, there is a good reason for that sacrifice. God will replace what you lay down with something ten times greater than what you had before.

Have a blessed and dream chasing day, my friend! May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Celebrate the small steps...

Celebrate the small steps in life. Reaching a set goal is a wonderful thing. However, do not overlook all the success that you have achieved along the way, both big and small. You should celebrate each time you make a step closer to reaching your goal.

It is important for us to recognize the fruits of our labor. It will keep us pushing harder through the difficult times. Striving for the next breakthrough. Determined not to give up because we can see how far we have already come.

No matter what it is that you want in life...go for it...step by step. Be ready for some set backs and disappointments but also be ready to celebrate and acknowledge your successes. You have everything you need inside you to succeed...so fearlessly chase your dreams.

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

God created you unique...

You do not have to change who you are to fit in with everyone else...if fact that would be a tragic mistake! It is good and wise to improve yourself to become the best person you can be. However, that does not mean you need to be a carbon copy of anyone else.

You have gifts and talents that no one else has. Your mind has be designed to think and process things a little differently so you can get a totally unique perspective on something. That is why when different people put their thoughts together...progress is made!

It is your spirit that shines through, so if your spirit needs a makeover...by all means do what it takes to be the person God created you to be. It does not matter if you look different on the outside, embrace it and make it the very thing that attracts others TO you and not AWAY from you. 

Always encourage others to celebrate their uniqueness...strive not to be envious of others because you dishonor God's handiwork. He created you and when you think of yourself less than He thinks of you...you are saying that He didn't do a good enough job.  Do not allow the enemy to come in and tell you that you are not good enough...God says you are!

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Are You a Disciple or Christian?

Every Disciple is a Christian but not every Christian is a Disciple! A Christian is a BELIEVER of Y'shua (Jesus) and a Disciple is a FOLLOWER of Y'shua. 

Many people believe in Y'shua but they do not follow His ways. They choose not to make the necessary changes in their lives that are required to become a disciple. 

If you are a Christian, I hope that you find the desire and inner strength that it takes to step out as a disciple of Y'shua. It may require some sacrifices now but the rewards will be well worth it. 

Have  a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Regret

One thing that Satan tries to use against us is regret. What is regret? Regret is a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done. Notice that all the feelings are tied to something that happened in the past.

Praise God that we do not have to live in the past. When we ask God to forgive us for our sins, He removed them as far as east is from west. He remembers them no more. Do you understand what that means? They NEVER happened as far as God is concerned!

So when Satan starts to wave your past in your face, remind him that "it never happened...God forgave you and you have forgiven yourself" soon you find that the more you do that the more you will see regret slip out of your life. 

Have a blessed and regret free day, my friend. May there Always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Actions vs Intentions

I am sure that we all had an experience where we had the best intentions however, our actions fell short of those intentions. 

Unfortunately, we can have the best intentions in the world but it will always be our actions that will be judged by others.

We need to ensure that our actions meet our intentions. If it mean taking on less commitments that that is what we need to do. It is better to tell someone that you cannot do something, rather than agreeing and then not being able to do it. 

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Dad's lesson "backfires"...

Talk about a plan backfiring on you. Can you imaging be so caught up in your pride of the things you own, your finances, how easy you think your life is that you don't even realize how poor you REALLY are???

Believe it or not, many people live like this. They are so consumed trying to get what they want in life that they cannot see that the people in their own family see that same situation totally different.

God wants to give us the desires of our hearts. However, we must focus on Him first. When He becomes our priority...everything else will fall into place. 

Have a blessed and beautiful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Think of ways to motivate one another...

There is something to be said about making the decision to stop allowing negativity to pass through you onto others.

The bible tells us, "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." (Eph 4:29). "Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren." (Acts 15:32). 

There are many more scriptures that talk about encouraging and motivating others. When we do then we also motivate and encourage ourselves as well. 

Have a blessed and motivated day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

You can handle anything...

You do not always have to be victorious in a situation to be a winner. Sometimes, all it takes is the strength to face it with the confidence that it will not overtake you. That alone makes you a winner!

Every time a challenge pops up, take a deep breath and meet it head on. When you do, you will walk away with more than you had before it. Use every situation to your advantage. Remember - you can do ANYTHING through Christ who strengthens you.

Have a blessed and victorious day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in you heart and in your home.

Storms of life...

How many times do you hear someone say, "Where is God? or "God has abandoned me!" when they are going through a tough time? 

Why do you think people automatically assume that God is not around? What does His Word say? 
It says,  "Be strong! Be of good courage! Do not be in awe! Do not be terrified of them! The LORD your God, it is He Who is going with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

It would not be called "faith" if God intervened as soon as a problem popped up. How would we ever learn to wait upon Him and trust that He will show up right on time? It is so easy to have faith when everything is going well but it is through adversity that our faith grows stronger.

So when you are put in that situation, thank God for the opportunity to show your faith in Him. Praise him, thank Him and keep your countenance uplifted and joyful...that speaks volumes to those around you.

Have a blessed and faith filled day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Happy Shavout...

Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, is the second of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Passover and Sukkot). 

Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple, and is known as Hag ha-Bikkurim (the Festival of the First Fruits). Historically, it celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and is also known as Hag Matan Torateinu (the Festival of the Giving of Our Torah).

The period from Passover to Shavu'ot is a time of great anticipation. We count each of the days from the second day of Passover to the day before Shavu'ot, 49 days or 7 full weeks, hence the name of the festival. 

Shavout is important for Christians because it ties deliverance and salvation celebrated at Passover with Y'shua's (Jesus) crucifixion to His resurrection. On First Fruits of Unleavened Bread, His ascension forty days later, then His sending the immersion, saturation, of the the Holy Spirit on the First Fruits of Shavout. This gives us the power to live victorious lives to witness to all non-believers by the way we live.

Have a blessed Shavout, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

What does God say about Forgiveness...

While may Scripture proclaim forgiveness of sins, there is an order, a formula to obtaining forgiveness. That order is:
1. Forgive Others - There is one precondition, without which no amount of repentance can bring forgiveness. That is, the sinner must forgive everyone of every little thing before God will accept the sinner's repentant heart. See Matt 6:12 ONM 
2. Forgive Yourself - You cannot make things right with god until you make things right wiht everyone, and that includes yourself. See Eph 5:28
3. Seek Forgiveness from Others - In seeking forgiveness form someone you are automatically confessing to that person. See Matt 5:22-24
4. Repent - Without action, a change in behavior, there is not true repentance. We must resolve not to repeat the mistake. See Ezek 18:30
5. Forgiveness from God - there are 3 verses that clearly state God's position on forgiveness. See Exod 34:7, Isa 43:25 and Jer 31:33
6. Clean Slate - Our merciful Father forgives and forgets. Our All-Knowing Father is NOT forgetful, He erases them - so they never happened! See Isa 43:25

Thank you Y'shua (Jesus) for dying for my sins and the sins of all Your chosen ones!

Have a blessed and forgiving day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home!

The Body Achieves What the Mind Believes....

90% of any battle is in our minds. If we believe we can do something...we WILL do it. If we believe that something is to hard, we will STRUGGLE with it. It is just that simple!

We were created so wonderfully complex! God's workmanship is marvelous  He designed our brain to be a powerful organ and we should use it to our benefit rather than detriment.

We need to ingrain Philippians 4:13 in our minds. "I have strength to overcome all things in the One Who strengthens me." 

Have a blessed and positive day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home!

God in never in a hurry...

When we are waiting on God for something, it always seem to take forever...in fact most times it measures up with our own idea of "eternity"

God is outside of time but He is well aware of the exact moment we will need something. He often allows us to wait until the last minute. Not to make us wonder if He will help us but rather to teach us to trust in Him and Him alone.

Never worry, never fret when you are waiting for something and the deadline is approaching fast. Stand firm in your faith that your heavenly Father will provide it right on time!

Have a blessed and patient day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home!

The Perils of Pride....

Pride is Satan's snare! It is a cancer that kills everything and everyone it touches. It needs to be cut out of us...our spiritual survival depends on it!

Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

Pride is what caused Adam and Eve to sin against God. Pride cause Cain to murder Abel. Pride caused Israel to follow other gods. 

Pride is why the angels in hell are no longer in heaven. Pride is why Nebuchadnezzar ate grass in the forest with cows instead of his royal palace. Pride is why the Pharisees did not accept Y'shua (Jesus). 

The spirit that sent Y'shua to the cross...that lurked in the heart of every Pharisee...was the spirit of self-righteous pride.

Have a blessed and pride free day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Your Defense against Satan...

Satan is constantly seeking ways to prevent us from fully understanding God's will for our lives.

He attacks our minds by filling it with excuses and reasons why we don't have time to get into the Word, or why we need to cut our prayer time short. He tries to use the pressures in life against us. 

Satan also uses trials to wear us down and trick us into believing that God has abandoned us. A trial is a heavenly test that forces us to choose between God's will and our own nature or understanding of what is right. By standing in faith we serve as witnesses to the world of His power working through us. Remember, God knows how you will respond before the test starts.

Satan does not want us to reach out to other spirit filled people that will help lift us up and strengthen our faith. He will stir up an array of emotions such as fear, embarrassment, discontentment, self-doubt and whatever else he can to keep us off track. 

We have to keep in mind that the only way we will breakthrough Satan's lies is by surrounding ourselves with the truth! Make the effort to spend time in the Word of God and God will make sure you have time to get everything done that you need to.

Have a blessed and Word filled day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Ah-Ha Moment...

Don't you just love when you are silently questioning if you are where you are suppose to be in God's plan for your life. When everything around you seems "off" and you feel like you are not accomplishing anything. 

That's when your head screams "No...you are way off course...you HAVE to be off course!" Your mind starts to scramble and you try to figure out where things went array in hopes to get back on track. 

Then all of a sudden, without expecting it...something happens and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt...yes, you are right where God wants you! There is a sigh of relief and a smile back on your face. I just LOVE those moments. 

Have a blessed day filled with smiles, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Trust God...

Whether we are looking for answers to questions, seeking comfort for sorrow, or have a desire to get closer to God...you have to look no further than His Word!

Because God desires a loving relationship with us, He is ever ready to help us with everything that comes along. He not only knew what would happen, He had the solution for it BEFORE it happened.

All we have to do is BELIEVE and TRUST in Him. When we do, we can freely bring all things to Him and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He will take care of them. That is a huge weight lifted off of us.

Have a blessed and beautiful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Memorial Day

It seems that more focus is put on "sales" than on our heroes for Memorial Day. I just wanted to remind everyone what this day was originally created for.

This is a day to remember the men and women who served our country. All gave some and some gave all. They are the reason we are free to celebrate today.

Before you run out and buy that mattress, think about all of our soldiers who are sleeping on the ground today. If you are buying a car, stop and think about the soldiers with blisters on their feet from walking miles everyday. Say a prayer for them and thank God that they are brave enough to put their lives on the line for you.

As you all enjoy your BBQ's with friends and family stop and think about the families who have an empty seat at their table that belong to a fallen hero. Say a prayer for them and ask God to comfort them in their loss.

Have a blessed and grateful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Religion or Relationship

Some people think that the more "Religious" they are, the closer to God they are. I am afraid that is not true. The Pharisees were thought to be religious, knowledgeable in scripture yet they could not recognize Y'shua standing in front of them! Even though His birth was talked about and described in detail in Isaiah.

God does not want a groupie...He wants a friend. He desires a close and personal relationship with all of us. He wants us to come to Him with our problems, share our joy with Him, honor and worship Him as our Lord and Savior. He does not want us to recite wordy prayers by repetition, He wants us to TALK to Him from our hearts. He also wants us to listen and learn His voice because He does talk to us...sometimes we are just not listening.

If you think of God as unapproachable, or feel that you are to insignificant for Him to care about you, then I urge you to open yourself up to a relationship with Him. Spend a little time each day just seeking Him. Get into His Word more. You will find that He is truly the only one you will ever need in this life.

Have a blessed day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Love, Joy, Faith, Hope and Peace

Wishing you a day filled with Love, Joy, Faith, Hope and Peace. Any one of these will make our lives a little easier but all of them will let us know what it is like to be a privileged child of the King!

We should try to surround ourselves with other people who choose to make these a priority in their lives because they are contagious. When we are filled with peace and contentment, negativity does not have a place in our lives. 

That does not mean we will be immune to problems but it sure is easier to deal with them when you have a positive support system. Always try and be a positive support to others. Do not validate their negativity...give them a reason to rise above it. 

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Commandment vs Suggestions...

Instead of constantly expanding our tolerance and permissiveness for things, we ought to be defending the Ten Commandments! 

What is the difference between a Commandment and a Suggestion...

Commandment -  

• a divine rule, especially one of the Ten Commandments.
• • a rule to be observed as strictly as one of the Ten Commandments.
  • 
    

  Suggestion - 

• an idea or plan put forward for consideration.
• an idea about what someone should do or how someone should behave.
• something that is said in an indirect way

It does not take a rocket scientist to see what effect moral decline has had on our society. To be honest, we have no right to complain about it because we have allowed these changes to take place. We looked the other way rather than stood up and did something about it. 

Have a blessed and wonderful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Dreams and Reality...

There is only one thing we need to make our dreams become a reality and that is to take action. 

Many people have big dreams but that is all they will ever be...just dreams. It takes motivation, dedication and commitment to turn your dreams into reality. Unless we are willing to take action, we will never see our dreams come to fruition.

Think about one dream that you have been holding on to. What do you need to do to make that dream come true? Isn't it worth the effort? Take the first step into making that dream a reality.

Have a blessed and action packed day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Calmness is trust in God...

When chaos takes center stage in our lives, we need to remain calm and remember that there is nothing that will happen to us that God cannot protect us from.

When we become anxious and try to "fix" things ourselves, we are only impeding God's help. If we truly believe that God is in control then we should be able to remain calm and wait for Him to take care of us. 

Being worried or anxious will not make any situation better...it only wears down your faith. When you are calm through the storm, you are building up your faith and gaining experience with God's faithfulness. There are also an added health benefits from keeping a calm demeanor. 

Have a blessed and calm day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Be Yourself...

It takes a lot of courage and inner strength to be yourself in this world. There always seem to be pressure to change, to conform, to fit in with everyone else. I have often wondered just how many people caved under the pressure and discarded the things that made them unique.

Please stay true to who you are and stand up for what you believe in. We owe it to ourselves and to God to be the best person we could be. He created each of us different for a reason. We should embrace our individuality and celebrate our uniqueness!

Have a blessed and unique day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Embrace Joy...

We do not have to wait for something good to happen in order to be happy. Whenever we need a lift in our spirit, all we have to do is to recall something that brought us joy, peace or a feeling of warmth.

We should always embrace joy whenever we can. It will keep us balanced and enable us to get through the tough times. 

Another easy way to boost our spirits is to reach out to someone who is struggling and remind them of a something fun that we shared with them. It will get their mind off their troubles for just a few minutes and it will bring back the joy of that moment to us as well.

Have a blessed and joyous day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

Adopted Child or Orphan...

If we have been adopted in the Royal Family...why do we still act like orphans? 

Orphans have to fend for themselves. They have no one looking out for them. They carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. They have no one to answer to so there are no rules to follow and they do whatever they want, whenever they want to.

When we are chosen and adopted...we have a Father that ensures our safety and takes care of all our needs. He gives us rules and guidelines to follow for our own benefit. We are responsible for our behavior.

If we say that we are adopted and still act like orphans, what does that say about the Father who adopted us? We are not portraying Him in a good light, are we? What does YOUR actions say about your family status? Are you a proud family member or a disgruntled orphan?

Have a wonderful and blessed day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

God can use you...

Satan would love for us to believe that God would not think of using us because of our sins or poor choices. That is the farthest thing from the truth.

1 Corinthians 1:27 says "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty" (NKJV). 

God can use ANYBODY...as long as they allow Him to. It always has been, is now and always will be a heart issue. We do not have to be perfect for God...we just have to have a heart's desire to follow and serve Him.

Open yourself up and see how God will turn all your bad choices, your short comings and your past sins into an amazing training ground to build you up and make you a mighty warrior for His kingdom.

Satan tries to fill you with doubt, regret, sorrow and self-condemnation. He wants you to believe that God could never use you for anything. That He will never forgive you because you have sinned to much. Remember, he is a liar and your worst enemy!

Psalm 103:12 says "He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west." (NLT) 

Have a blessed and useful day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.

In Our Struggles....

We cannot grow if we are never put in a position to grow. Every battle, every scar, every fall, every defeat and every tear can be turned into a training ground. 

If we use the lesson to become stronger and wiser then we have just witnessed Romans 8:28 "And we know that, for those who love God, He works all things for good, beforehand, He appointed ahead of time, because they have the same form of the likeness of His Son, for He was Firstborn among many brothers."

Always stand your ground because no matter what adversity comes your way - you will not fall under it but rather rise above a better person then you were before.

Have a blessed and victorious day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.