Let It Go

I can sing every word to this song, but singing it and doing it are two completely different things.  One of the hardest things I have had to learn to do is let things go - everything - and give it to God.  You see, we know God can do anything, but we tend to only want Him to do what we want.

Have you ever been in a tough, uncomfortable situation and completely given it over to God - that no matter what happens, you are okay because you know it is God's will?

"Give your burdens to the Lord and He will take care of you."  Psalm 55:22

All Christians know to do this, but doing it is tricky.  You see, when you give it all to God, that means you have to completely let it go.  You shouldn't think about it anymore, worry about it, or concern yourself any longer.  Truly giving it to God means every time a negative thought or worry pops in your head, you simply say "I'm not worrying about this.  God has it and His will will be done".

The hardest part is when we have to accept that His will may be an uncomfortable situation.  For example, maybe you have been diagnosed with an illness or maybe you have a situation where you can't do something you used to be able to do.  Perhaps you are struggling in a relationship or a job.  Whatever it is, no exceptions, give it to God 100% and He will take care of you.  This doesn't mean He will remove it, it doesn't mean you won't be uncomfortable, but it means you need to get up everyday with joy in your heart and with a positive attitude because you know that your Father has got you.  And what a witness you will be when you are smiling through your situation and when you don't complain even though in the world's eyes you have every reason too!

Have a blessed week!

Finding Joy

I am currently studying the book of Ecclesiastes and it is so amazing everything that I have learned.  If you want to hear the studies, you can check out our podcast and listen to chapters 1-3 as of today and we will be adding a new chapter each week until we finish.

But today I wanted to share something truly amazing that I believe will help so many of you.  Did you know that God expects us to have joy in all circumstances?  Even when things aren't going our way.  Well, it's true.  And this is really hard.  When life is beating on you, it can be a great challenge to keep your joy.  But in Ecclesiastes 3:12-13, it says this very thing.  Basically, God's people will find meaning and joy in life when they cheerfully accept it from the hand of God.

What are you going through today?  Are you "cheerfully accepting it from the hand of God" or are you losing hope, downtrodden, and just plain miserable?  Jesus came that we may have and enjoy everyday life (John 10:10 AMP).  God guides us in multiple places in His word that if we truly believe in Him, we can get through anything with joy and praise.  We can accept what is happening and know that it is for God's glory and our good.

I challenge you today to pray this prayer - "God, I'm not okay with what I am going through, but I am going to trust you 100%.  I trust that you are going to take this situation and use it for your glory.  God, help me to cheerfully accept my situation because without you, it is impossible.  I give it all to you God.  Give me the strength and wisdom to find and keep my joy in this challenging situation.  In Jesus's name I pray, Amen!"

God loves you and He has not forsaken you.  There is a reason you are going through what He is allowing.  Trust Him and know that whatever the reason is, it is for your good and the good of His message.  We pray over you today.  We love you and pray that you have a blessed week, no matter your circumstances.  Find your joy through Jesus!

What To Expect When You Are Expecting

So, you send up your prayer to God - what do you do next?  Do you continue to worry and stress?  Or do you believe and look around for the blessings that God brings you everyday?

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."  Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

David knew what to do.  He sent his prayers up and then went about the day expecting great things to happen.  Maybe it wouldn't be exactly what he was praying for but he went around expecting God's best - which is usually better than our request anyway!  

So what are you expecting?   Are you expecting awesome, big things in your life?  Or are you expecting the same thing as always?  God wants to give you His best, but He also wants you to expect the best from Him.  When you pray for something, but don't really believe it will happen, you are saying that you don't believe God will do it.  If your son/daughter asked you to do something and then went around speaking it as though it was, you would want to do it for them.  But if your son/daughter asked you to do something and then went around being negative and complaining, you might be less inclined to do it.  Well, that is how God is with His children.

"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord."  James 1:6-7 (NIV)

One of my many mantras is "Believe and you shall receive."  I started this when my daughter first started not believing in Santa.  I told her that if she didn't believe, she wouldn't receive.  Now, of course, this was all about the stuff we get at Christmas time, but I found this to be true in my walk with God.  If I pray for things, but somewhere in the back of my mind I'm thinking "I'll never have/get that.", there is a good chance I won't, simply because I doubted.

So, I'll ask again - what are you expecting?  When you pray, expect the best - expect God's best.  Sometimes, God's best is not what we want, but it is what is best for us.  Believe God's promise when He says, "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.'"  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)  Walk around everyday like David, knowing God's love and living in it.  Expect the unexpected!

Have a blessed week!  Love to you all!! ~Debbi

Fasting - It's Not Just For Food Anymore

When you hear the word fasting, you automatically think of food, don't you?  Fasting goes back thousands of years as a way to show God you were serious about something.  We see examples of this all throughout the Bible.  For example, in Daniel 9:3, Daniel is preparing to pray a prayer of confession and petition. 

"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes."  NIV

But in today's world with so many distractions, fasting other things besides food can be just as important in our journey to grow closer to God and know Him better. 

This morning, I am sitting in my local Chick-fil-A writing this because I have been a victim of distractions for too long.  God has called me to do certain things and the devil has used my weaknesses to distract me from my best.  Last week I was reading this passage in Daniel and in that moment God laid on my heart my need to fast - not food, but other things.  For me, it is television, social media and other things using my electronic devices.  Now, don't misunderstand - God wasn't asking me to get rid of these completely, but simply to fast during certain times and focus on Him.

As many of you know, I work from home and my house if full of distractions.  I would wake up in the morning, ready to attack the day and I would look back at the end of day and I hadn't accomplished anything.  Not even the simple stuff.  This has been going on way too long and God knew my heart.  He knew I really wanted to accomplish it, but the devil was messing with me and winning.  I would find myself watching television even though it was a show I had seen hundreds of times.  I would get caught up in my book and read all day long (fiction - fun not learning).  I would even set boundaries - just 2 games - and end up playing 10.  But not today!

I couldn't handle the distractions in my own strength; therefore, I removed them completely.  And what I have found in removing them is a lessening desire to do them. 

God showed me that fasting isn't just about food - it is about anything that gets in the way of spending time with Him and doing what He has called you to do.  Maybe you think my distractions are silly - I should be able to turn off the television and just do my work.  But we all have weaknesses.  We all have something that the devil uses to distract us from God.  I know someone who's distraction is housework.  She cleans her house obsessively over 8 hours a day.  I love a clean house and my house is clean, but the devil uses her perfection desire to take her away from her time with God. 

I challenge you today to look at your day and see what the devil might be using to take you away from God.  It can be something as simple as television, social media, your phone or tablet, but it also might be your kids, your spouse, your job, or even your clean house.  God isn't asking you to get rid of all of these things - however, He is asking you to put Him first and the rest will fall right into place.

Have a blessed day and an awesome week!  We love you!!

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Love Day

Love Day is everyday!

... is everyday!

"Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

This week on the calendar is known as "Love Week" culminating around Valentine's Day.  It is a day that society has set aside to love your significant other.  But in the Bible, God tells us that we are to love everyday, not just one day a year.  He even went one step further - He told us exactly what love looks like in the verses above.

5 years ago, I was blessed to marry the man of my dreams.  And on my wedding day, I was blessed even further by having all 4 of my sisters and my brother attend.  As part of the ceremony, I asked my sisters to read the verses above - not for others to hear, but for my husband and I to hear.  We had both had unsuccessful marriages before and we wanted this marriage to be a 100% godly marriage.  So it seemed fitting that these verses be our guide on how to love each other when the human part of us creeps in. 

But these verses aren't just for couples.  These verses are for Christians.  They represent how we are to love one another each and every day - just as Jesus commanded us to do.  It can be challenging to love everyone all the time because truth be told there are some people who are just hard to love.  But God didn't say to only love the lovable - He said to love everyone with the same love He has for us.

God's love for us is what is reflected in the verses above.  It is unconditional.  It is not dependent on our lovability or on God's mood that day or even on what we have done.  It is always and forever.  Love day is everyday!  Whether it be your spouse, your children or a stranger.  It is okay to step it up a notch on February 14th, but make sure that that is not the only day you show your love.  Show it everyday just as God does to us!

"Love never fails."  1 Corinthians 13:8 (NIV)

Have a blessed week! 

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Victor or Victim

We all, for the most part, fall into one of two categories - we are either victors or victims.  You probably assume that if you are a Christian you are automatically a victor, but this is simply not the case.  Sadly, there are many Christians with a victim mentality.

"When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long."  Psalm 32:3 (NIV)

How we communicate each and every day is a dead giveaway as to whether we are victors or victims - not only with our words but also with our body language.  Victims complain all the time - they can only see the negative in a situation.  A victim Christian will complain and then follow it with "...but I'm so thankful for what God has done."  With a victor, there is no "but".  A victor talks mostly about the victories - the blessings even in the trials.  You see, we are all going to go through something as we go through this thing we call life.  But it is how we respond that makes us a victor or a victim. 

I know too many people that are great people but they are victims in their lives.  They focus on the bad, things are always someone else's fault, they believe nothing good will come to them.  These people, as much as I love them, can be very draining.  We are born for greatness.  And if you know God, there should be no excuse for being a victim.  All Christians should be victors as we have the one and only God in our corner every minute of every day.  This means that if you are having a bad day, it's okay because God is going to bring good out of the bad.  It says so right in the Bible and God never breaks a promise. 

Make it your goal each and every day to be a victor.  Speak positive and bring any negative you may have to God.  Begin to look at life not through the glass half empty/half full analogy but knowing that the glass can be filled any time by our awesome God.  Negative things are going to happen - everyone has something - but how we handle them says everything about what we truly believe.  Have the faith today that God is in control and with that you are a victor!

"But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)

Prayer:  God, thank you for everything in my life - the good and the bad as I know they both serve a purpose.  I thank you that you are in control and that you will bring me through any situation that you allow in my life.  Help me to always be a victor and no longer a victim.  Thank you God!

No Exceptions!

This past Friday we swore in our 45th President of the United States. And it seems like every time we get a new President there is more controversy than the last.  It is okay to have different opinions and different ways of dealing with things - that is the foundation of our country - but when that difference of opinion spills over into anger and disrespect we have a problem.

"A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another."  John 13:34

If I asked you if you were a loving person, you would probably answer yes.  You love your family, your spouse, your children and the people you are close to.  You even love a stranger when they are in need.  But do you really love everyone?  And do you love them with the love of Jesus?

That is the one that got me.  You see, I am from the south.  We are the epitome of  love or at least the appearance of love.  We say "Bless your heart" when sometimes we really mean just the opposite.  We give a head nod to a stranger in the grocery store when sometimes we are really thinking "get out of my way."  I now live in the north where everyone is very straight forward even to the point of being rude.  But where we need to land is somewhere in the middle.  We need to be honest about how we feel, but make sure that our feelings and actions are rooted in love.  And not just any love, but the love of Jesus.

Have you ever studied Jesus - I mean really studied Jesus.  This is what it will take to really understand what he means when he says "As I have loved you..."  Jesus didn't just talk and be kind to Christians and the "good" people or even just the people who agreed with him.  He loved everyone - Christians, sinners, prostitutes, criminals, thieves.  He loved everyone - no exceptions.  And this is what he is commanding us to do.  One of my most used phrases is "We will have to agree to disagree."  I don't have to agree with you to love you.  I don't even have to be your friend to be kind to you when I see you.  I simply need to love you with the same love that Jesus loves me with.  That's all.  No exceptions.

"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."  Proverbs 16:24 NLT

Be kind to everyone - whether they dress like you, belong to the same political party as you, pull for the same football team as you; whether they are mean to you, talk rudely to you, believe something you don't.  We are all unique; we are all God's children; and we have been instructed by Jesus himself to love one another with the same love he gives to us.  No exceptions!

Have a blessed week and we love you!

I'm Dreaming of a Stress Free Christmas

Instead of a white Christmas, are you dreaming of a stress free Christmas?  Christmas always seems to bring out the worse for people instead of the happiness and joy that it is intended to bring. Last week, I had to watch a friend of mine have a crying meltdown over this very thing.  There was nothing I could do but hug her and tell her what I am about to tell you.

By the grace of God and many years of studying the Bible and through lots of trial and error, I have finally succeeded in living a 95% stress free life including at Christmas.  I can't share everything I've learned in this one blog post, but I can share a few that were very freeing for me and I hope will be for you too.  Know this - it doesn't matter what your personality is, if you were "born" a certain way, or if this is the way it has always been, you can change.  Don't worry about changing others - that will never happen, but you can change how you do and how you react and in doing so you will end up having a stress free Christmas and a stress free life.  This leads to my first tip:

1. Quit worrying what everyone else thinks - Your number one goal needs to always be to do what is best for you.  This is not selfish - this is all about knowing what works for you because we are all unique.  What works for someone else may not work for you and that is ok.  My grandma used to always say "There is more than one way to skin a cat."  You can get to the same place many different ways and you need to pick the best way for you.  An example during this time of year is presents.  Christmas should not be about what you give or what you receive.  Christmas is a time for families to come together in whatever form that brings and celebrate each other.  This doesn't mean you shouldn't buy for others, but it means that you need to do what works for you.  If all you can do is a card this year, that's ok.  If you can do nothing, that is ok.  And if you want to buy a special gift for someone and you can afford it, by all means do so.  A lot of the Christmas stress comes simply from the gift buying process.  And by the way, just because someone buys for you doesn't mean you need to match or one up them.  Maybe all you can do is a thank you card and that is enough.  Here is what I have learned - people are going to think what they are going to think no matter what.  In many cases, no matter what you do, something negative will be thought or said.  This is not your problem - it is theirs.  Always be respectful, but always do what works for you and no one else - no exceptions, no excuses.
2. Pace yourself - After reading the first tip, you may have already decided to eliminate several items from your to do list that you were simply doing because it was expected of you.  So let's talk about what is left.  With anything that you do, you need to try to pace yourself.  What I mean is look at the big thing and break it into small things.  The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.  Let me share my example from this past weekend in order to give you some ideas. This past Saturday, we had a party for a few friends at our house.  I made it an all h'ordeurves party because this was easier to shop for, easier to fix and better for socializing which was the point of the party.  I wrote out my menu with nice, simple easy items such as shrimp cocktail, caprese on a stick, pasta salad, filet bites, and dip.  One day during the week I went to Aldi and bought everything.  Yes, everything at a discount grocery store.  On Saturday, I paced myself between freshening up the downstairs where everyone would be, putting together the food items and at times, I was able to sit down in between and enjoy myself.  I enlisted the help of my wonderful husband when needed and together we had everything ready by 4 o'clock when everyone arrived.  I had out a cheese and cracker assortment to start with and this allowed me to enjoy everyone instead of slaving in the kitchen.  It took me about 10 minutes to assemble the table when it was time to eat and everyone gathered in the living room and had a blast together enjoying each other.  I say all of this to prove that you can have a nice get together without killing yourself and stressing over the cost or the preparing.  When it was over, I scraped the plates, put them in a neat pile and went back to play with my little buddy who was at the party.  Nothing says Christmas like hanging with a two year old.  After they left, I put away what needed to be done and by noon the next day, all of the dishes were done and put away.  By the way, this is not the way a party would have looked in my house several years ago.  But I have learned to let certain things go, focus on what is important, and pace myself with the rest.
3. It is what it is - Life is going to happen - or to be more blunt, crap is going to happen.  You can't help it.  All you can control is how you react to what happens.  What if I had put myself on a strict time line for our party?  The second something wouldn't have gone accordingly, I would have stressed.  But why?  It is what it is.  I can't change it.  You cannot put the milk back in the cow.  All you can do is decide what to do with the milk.  This is actually my life mantra and I quote it until people get sick of hearing it.  But if more of us would use it, life would be much less stressful.  Everyday in my life, something goes wrong and by wrong I mean not the way I expected.  First, I pray. Then I look at my options - what I can control and make a decision if need be.  80% of the time my decision is simply to let it go.  Don't hold on to something that is not going as expected or going your way.  You may have a script but no one else has a copy of it including God.  He has his own script and His way is always better.  The next time something happens like this, say out loud "It is what it is.  God it is in your hands."  And let it go!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  Philippians 4:6

When you are stressed or anxious, simply do as God instructs.  First, don't be stressed or anxious - let it go!  Then pray!  But not only pray, pray and ask with thanksgiving.  We forget this part.  Be thankful always.  There is a treasure in every trial.  Even in the worst trials.  Cancer is a horrible thing.  No one ever wants to hear that word spoken in conjunction with anyone.  But even in this trial there are treasures.  Sometimes it is that they found it early, sometimes it is that they found it at all giving you extra time with your loved ones. 

We are all going to feel times of stress.  But when you feel stressed, turn to the verse above and then use some of these tips to get you through the moment.  God never leaves us and what He thinks is all that matters.  Remember that this holiday season and most of all remember the true meaning of Christmas.  It is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus who's sole purpose of being born was to save each and every one of us so that we wouldn't have to be stressed. 

I love each and every one of you and pray that you have a stress free holiday season and a stress free 2017!  From my family to yours - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

The Day Before

I am so excited for this week!  My daughter is coming home from college and every moment spent with her is a blessing.  I consider myself one blessed lady.  Blessings that would take up hundreds of pages if I listed every one.  But I made a habit years ago of celebrating those blessings everyday of the year, not just the 4th Thursday of November.  This is one of the reasons I have no issue with listening to Christmas music now and singing at the top of my lungs.  Because I have made everyday Thanksgiving Day. 

Thanksgiving for many is about Black Friday shopping and all of the deals you find - I do love a good deal and usually that is what my blog post is about this week.  For many it is about seeing family that you haven't seen in a really long time.  And for some it means deer season is just a few days away.  All of those are great and all of those are fun, but I wanted to focus this week on helping you see the many blessings you may not know you have.  When asked "What are you most thankful for?", most answers are the same - family, specific people, animals, and food. 

But I want to take a journey with you to another part of your town, city, state where people actually have less than you.  Many of us talk about all the things we don't have and all the things we can't afford.  Many of us are stressing over finances right now because we have bought things without having the cash to back it up.  But I want you to please read the list below of just a few of the things I am thankful for everyday because I know that there are people on my street, in my town, and in my area who don't have what I am blessed to have.

• Food - there are children everyday whose only meal is at school.
• Clothes - there are women with just one pair of shoes and they have holes in them.
• Water - there are people who do not have running water right here in the U.S.
• Toilet - there are people who have to use outhouses and buckets even in 2016
• Heat - I remember when my grandmother would heat the living room only and when we went to bed, we used an electric blanket.  The whole house was never heated.  My husband deals with clients everyday who choose to use their ovens for heat because they do not have any.
• Jackets - many kids go to school with just the shirt on their back, many times a t-shirt in the middle of winter.
• Transportation - a pet peeve of mine is when people say they need a car to justify a huge car payment they can't make.  There are many people who would love just an old used car to get somewhere without having to walk.
• Bible - I have many Bibles all around my house including on my iPad and phone.  There are people who would love to have just one.
• Electronics - we all say that we "need" computers, internet, phones, TV's, tablets, etc.  These are actually the last things we need. 
• Washer/dryer - I am washing clothes right now in my heated house - doing 4 loads.  Do you remember the scene in "The Blind Side" where Mike would go to a laundromat at night, hand wash his "other" shirt, slip it into someone else's dryer and then spend the night there?  That is not fiction.
• Income - you may not like your job (and I hope you will pursue your passion), but be grateful you have some source of income.  Many people, more than we realize, are one check or emergency away from having nothing.

The biggest thing I realized years ago was that even at my bottom - in debt with 5 zeros and making $10,000/year, I still had way more than other people.  I want to ask you today - don't ever say you are broke.  Don't ever say you aren't blessed.  Don't just be thankful for family and people.  Take a look around, focus on things you never saw as blessings, and start being thankful for everything.  There are treasures in every trial.  There is something to be thankful for in every situation.  2 1/2 years ago, my dad had a massive heart attack and basically left us - until God stepped in and saved his life.  Not for one moment did I focus on the heart attack and what could have happened.  Until this day, I focus on every blessing that came out of that and make sure I tell God and my daddy everyday that I love them to the moon and back.  I don't know why daddy had to go through that, but I know that for me, only good will come from it. 

You are blessed.  You have someone who loves you - God and me.  You are an awesome person!  I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving and from my family to yours - thanks for everything!  We love you!!!