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Sunday, September 30, 2007
“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.” ~ Genesis 2:18-20 (ESV) I am a little sore, scratched up and sun-burned today. My Sweetheart and I cleaned our backyard. What a task it was. During the hot summer months, there is not much we can do in our backyard—it is just way too hot. Normally my hubby does all the yard-work, but I thought it is about time I help him. I thought it would be easy to pick up the dead branches that were left from the last spring cleaning…oh was I wrong. My entire body aches. As I was cleaning with my beloved, I thought about how much God has changed me over the past 25 years—especially the past 2 ½ yeas of our marriage. I realized how much I have been self-centered. It is hard to admit that I have not been always the helper God wanted me to be. The biggest hurdle for me was respecting my husband. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I always loved my husband, but respect is totally different. I used to moan or roll my eyes about certain things. God showed me through His Word that all my actions are disrespecting my husband – ouch. You see, I always wanted to spend all our free-time together, but my husband needed some time to unwind. And when we did things, they were always what I wanted to do. Not thinking that my beloved wanted to do something else. Over the years we have developed some of the same interests, like photography. In other things we are still worlds apart, especially when it comes to movies. I still don’t like horror movies…I used to leave the room with pouting and grumbling under my breath. Today I leave the room with a kiss, tell my Sweetheart that I love him but that I’d rather do something else. Just this little change has brought a little more harmony into our marriage… Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank You for Your patience with me. Thank You for showing me what it means to be a helper to my husband. Lord, continue to guide me in our marriage that I will be wife my husband deserves. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen.  You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Iris's Articles, Marriage Leave a comment... 8 Comments Links to this post “Bless the Lord, O my soul, Working with over 600 employees at the corporate office (300 in the accounting department), I come in contact with many different faiths. One of my coworker’s I work-side-by-side is Muslim—a devout Muslim. Since this is the month of Ramadan, he is fasting from sunrise to sundown. He is also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam as well as refraining from anger, envy, greed, lust, sarcastic retorts, backbiting, and gossip. Driving to work the other day, I though about my own faith. My co-worker’s faith is based on his own works to make it to heaven. Do you realize that Christianity is the only faith on this earth that is not based on works of an individual? All we have to do is to believe. Believe that the work has been done by one Man—Jesus Christ. He stretched out His arms to remove our sins – as far the east is from the west… “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, It still amazes me every single day how gracious our Lord is. Even though I have sinned and continue to sin, He removes every single stain to make me white as snow. I don’t deserve His goodness—He continues to love me. His love brings me to tears every single day—I don’t know how to thank Him for that. Although I am not required to do works, I still want to refrain from anger, envy, greed, lust, sarcastic retorts, backbiting, and gossip. Not because it is my ‘ticket’ to heaven, but I want to thank Him for His sacrifice. As for my co-worker, I pray for him. I pray that he will get curious about me own faith. That maybe one day he will ask me questions what Christianity is all about? I am ready for his questions… Lord of Heaven and Earth. I want to thank You today for Your love. You don’t require works from me to spend eternity with You. You have accomplished it at the cross. Lord, I ask You today to open the hearts of the ones who do not know You yet. Give me the words to share, to point to the cross. In the precious name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen. Do you know Him yet? Do you want to know more about Him and His saving grace? If you are ready to give Him your life, please visit our “Ready” page. You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Faith, Grace, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 9 Comments Links to this post “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” ~ Philippians 2:14-16 (ESV) Saying that I have had a trying summer would be an understatement. I had previously shared that many changes have occurred, still are, in my professional and personal life. Not only got I a little discouraged with all the changes, but I truly got discouraged with my ‘online life’ as well. I was ready to throw in the towel couple of weeks ago--my email server got hacked. I was denied access by the hosting company to my own email. I couldn’t communicate with my online world as I was used to. I had to make a decision. Do I really want to go through all the hassle moving hosting companies with my Blogs? Although I am somewhat technical savvy, moving entire Blogs was not really something I wanted to do—or had the time for. Other attacks came too, but I don’t want to go into that. I prayed, asked a couple of my online friends if I should continue, or just give up. One of my dearest online friends said “Well you could throw in the towel; you would have an easier life, and have more time for scrapping, and doing what you enjoy. But you wouldn't be making a difference in things that matter eternally. You would not be spreading God's word and being a light through this computer screen. The attacks won't stop, the comments won't go away, and the difficulties unfortunately may always be thorn in the side.” What a wise friend. Yes, we are in the middle of a battle. Sometimes it is seen, other times it is not. Jesus never said that life this side of heaven would be easy. There will be attacks from the world, or even within the church. Paul is telling us to hold fast to the word of life. No matter what will happen, no matter how hard the attacks get, stay strong, my sweet sisters. It is so worth it! There is so much darkness in this world, but He is using us and the technology of the Internet to spread a little light. With Him we can stand the attacks we face every single day, in real life and online. “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” ~ Philippians 2:1-4 ESV. Lord of Heaven and Earth. I want to thank You for sending wise friends into my life. Yes, sometimes it is easy to just throw in the towel, to give up. You equipped us to be the light in the world. Lord, help us to shine no matter what. I the precious name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen. You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Encouragement, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post “For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” ~ Matthew 25:42-43 (ESV) When I worked at the church office, many people stopped by to request help. Help for food or for shelter. Some days it was really bad, especially during the summer months. Most of the time I felt compassion, but some days I was ‘bothered’. Before you get upset, let me explain where the ‘bother’ comes in…I didn’t know when people were lying to me. Did they really need the money/food voucher to buy baby-formula or were they looking to get the next bottle of gin. Yes it happened that those vouchers were ‘converted’ to alcohol or even drugs… The other day I was thinking back to the days when I was short--I had no time to be ‘bothered’ with the needs of others. Did I ever take the time to truly listen to their stories? Why were they on the street? Why don’t they have a job to pay for food or rent? I have to admit that I only listen to the ones that had children. It broke my heart having a family standing in the church office begging for money. But what about the transit that stopped in? Yes, he might have smelled bad, but I am sure he was not always a transit. I am certain at one point he had family—he had a house and job. To tell you the truth, I wish I would have asked him why he was living on the street. He might have been a veteran who never found his way back into society. He might have been really sick—couldn’t pay the medical bills. So now he has to leave on the streets because they took his home and family. I will never know since I never ask to hear his story. How about the young woman who was a drug addict? Why was she so broken deep down inside? Why did I never ask her to tell me her story? I am certain that she experienced something terrible in her life—her way ‘out’ were drugs… “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” ~ Matthew 25:35-36 (ESV) Some days I forget how much my Lord has blessed me. I never had to go hungry, I never had to sleep under the stars (except by choice); I have always been healthy. I have to realize thought that all this can change in a blink of an eye… “Lord of Heaven and Earth. I am asking You today to open my heart to the needy. Open my ears to hear their story. Help my to show compassion as You have shown me. Lord, I know that You have blessed me beyond words. Thank you, Lord…In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen. You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart This devotion was in part inspired by the song “The Twenty-First Time” by Monk & Neagle Labels: Compassion, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." ~ Philippians 4:8 (ESV) Sunday afternoon I was not in a very pleasant mood, believe me. You know how you plan out things just to scrap (pun intended) all your plans? Well, that was me Sunday... All week I had planned to scrap some baby pictures of our son. I wanted to create some lasting memories for my little digi-scrap book; since the pictures just have been in a box for over 20 years. I had some of them scanned during the week, picked out the digi-supplies I wanted to use. Around noon time our son came up with the idea that he needed pants, that he needed 'stuff' for his apartment. To top things off, he wanted to keep the student loan payment because he needed to make all these purchases. I almost blew my top... "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;" ~ Philippians 4:4-5 (ESV emphasis mine) Huffing and puffing I went the bathroom praying..."Lord, really, where is the reason here. Why do I always have to scrap all my plans to be there for Daniel..." -- It never fails - God showed up to change my heart. There was something deeper than just the scrapped scrap-booking project, was there? For goodness sake! The pictures have been in a box for over 20 years. You know what the issue is/was? I am scared. I am scared that I have failed to raise our son properly. Can he wash his own clothes? Can he prepare a meal other than Raman Noodles or scrambled eggs? He doesn't have his drivers license-how will he get around? Will he pay his bills on time? All these questions flooded my mind. The 15 minutes I spent in the bathroom praying changed everything. I knew the root of my foul mood. I felt that I did not prepare our son for a life away from home. God calmed my spirit and changed my mood. Needless to say, I enjoyed the time shopping with our son. He showed me that he can take care of himself. We bought clothes together, he picked out some towels for his apartment...we had fun. If you are wondering about the student loan payment...our son gave me the money. "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:13 (ESV) Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank You so much for changing my heart on Sunday afternoon. I am glad that You are there to guide my heart, mind and spirit. I know that I need to let go and let You take care of the rest. I am trusting in Your mercy. In the precious name of my Lord and Savior, in Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen. You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Encouragement, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." ~ Matthew 14:28-30 (ESV)I always loved the story of Peter trying to walk on water. Although Peter walked closely with our Lord, he still displayed fear. He even doubted that he could accomplish some unbelievable tasks. I am sure that you had weeks that are totally discouraging to you—just like my past week. I was so full of energy after last weekend--I was ready to take on anything that came my way. Little did I know that we would receive a call that someone in my husband’s family died a tragic death. That was Tuesday…My energy was gone within a few minutes. I didn’t know how to make it through the rest of my week. All I could do was cry out to the Lord. Thursday I received a message that someone’s son was in trouble—big trouble. All I could do was to lift her and her family up in prayer. Friday afternoon I read that one of my online friends lost two family members. All I could do was to send her a message that I was praying for her. Saturday night I received an email from a dear friend that she had to go the emergency room. I immediately lifted her up in prayer.  Why am I telling you all about the pain and suffering today? And what does it have to do with Peter and him walking on water. My point is, if we don’t know what else to do, we can cry out to Jesus. He is always there to give us a hand and lift our head. He will always comfort, always heal the pain. That is how I got through my week. Reaching for His saving hand…“Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank you for getting me through this week. Lord your steadfast love extends to the heavens. Thank You reminding me to cry out to Jesus to rescue me. When I don’t know where else to turn, I can be certain that You will sustain me through any storm that might hit my waters. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen. You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Comfort, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 13 Comments Links to this post “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV) Couple of week’s ago as I was reading one of my friend’s Thankful Thursday posts, tears were streaming down my face. You see, she lives a life in the military—her husband is an officer in Okinawa, Japan. Many of her friend’s husbands are serving currently in Iraq. One of her close friends told her that she is moved to tears each night at 10pm her time because it means that God has given her another day with her husband in her life. The Casualty Officer (the one who comes to tell you if you husband has died) will not come after 10pm to bear the bad news. Growing up as a daughter of a police officer I know what it means that your spouse/dad might not come home from a shift. I was very blessed that when my Sweetheart and I were engaged that there were no ‘active’ conflicts/wars. Although the threat of terrorist attacks was very real where my beloved was stationed, he was some what safe. We all know someone who has a family member in the military (Laurel will write about it tomorrow in her post). As we are celebrating the 4th of July tomorrow here in the US, let us lift up our sisters (and brothers for that matter) in prayer who have a family member in Iraq or Afghanistan. Let us also pray for the men and women who are in combat.  In addition to that, I will donate one of our son’s old cell-phones to “Cell Phones for Soldiers”. The local Christian radio station that I am tuned into every day collects old cell phones to convert them into phone minutes for families to talk to each other while on active duty. If you have time, please follow the link above and see if there is a drop-off location in your neck of the woods. It is for a good cause.Lord of Heaven and Earth. You have placed us in a country that is blessed with freedom. Lord, give us a heart to pray for the ones who are currently separated from their loved ones. Help us to see the need to reach out in prayer and let us help with actions if all possible. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen. You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Encouragement, Iris's Articles, Prayer Leave a comment... 11 Comments Links to this post “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” ~ Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV)Over the last couple of days I was reading through Hebrews. As I was reading the passages of our High Priest, I was reminded of a story from my childhood—a true story. Many of you know that I grew up in Germany—a divided Germany. In 1975 our class took a trip to Berlin. As we visited all the touristy places in Western Berlin (the free side), we ended up at the Elbe River. The Elbe River had a dark history. You see, Berlin was divided between England, France, the US and Russia. People living in the English, French and US sections lived as free people. Not so the people in the Russian sector. Many people tried to swim across the Elbe River to reach the free sections of Berlin. The bad  part was that the river was saturated with mines. Many lost their lives trying to reach freedom. I remember standing in front of all the crosses that were erected on the free side in memory of all the lost lives. I was devastated—a little too much for a 14-year-old girl.On our return home, I told my parents how deeply this visit had affected me. Before my dad became a police officer, he served as a border guard between the two Germanys—at one time in Berlin. He told me the story of a young man who tried to cross over to the free sector. The young man got shot right before he reached the free sector—right before the eyes of my dad. You can imagine how this affected my dad. He told me that he sometimes could still see the young man’s face, reaching out for him, reaching for freedom… “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” ~ Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)My sweet sisters, Christ set us free from sin and death. He gave us the freedom we were reaching for—freedom in Him. Freedom is always costly. We are blessed that Christ paid the price for us. Let us share the good news with all the ones who are ready to listen. “Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank you for shedding Your precious blood in order for us to be free. Help us to never forget how costly this freedom was for You. Open our mouths to reach the ones who have not experienced Your love. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen” You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Freedom, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 16 Comments Links to this post
Talking on the phone, reading the newspaper, shaving, putting make-up on. Believe it or not, but this is what I see every morning while driving to work. Some mornings it is really frustrating to drive behind someone who drives 35 in a 45 zone. They are pre-occupied with other things instead of driving. But isn't that what we do with God? We are pre-occupied with our daily stuff and forget worshiping Him until Sunday. Then we put on our Sunday's best and congregate with other believers. Is our Lord only to be worshiped on Sundays? What about when we do our daily chores? When we change diapers, fold the laundry, cook food or drive to and from work? I challenge you this week and the weeks to come to worship and praise Him every single day. When you fold you laundry sing a song. When you change the diaper, thank and praise Him that you have a bundle of joy to change the diapers for. When you cook, put on your headphones and worship Him. Believe me, everything will go faster when you are in His presence. As for me, when I am frustrated during the morning commute -- I turn up the music and make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise. If the driver next to me at the stop-light thinks I lost all my marbles because I raise my hands to Him -- I just turn and smile...  "Lord of Heaven and Earth. Remind us that worship is not only for Sundays. Lead us in praise and songs throughout the week. Through the power of Your Spirit let us declare Your glory in all things we do. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen." You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart Labels: Iris's Articles, worship Leave a comment... 6 Comments Links to this post “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” ~ John 15:1-5 (ESV)  Before I share with you my thoughts on the above passages today, I have a confession to make. I have ‘black thumbs’—honestly, I cannot grow plants; indoor or outdoor. This makes me really sad, because I love plants and flowers. My three little indoor plants looked very sick. Although I had watered them, they were dying. I told my husband that I wanted to try to ‘rescue’ them. We bought some organic soil and some clay pots at the home-improvement store across the way. I grabbed my poor little plants, took them out of the plastic container, added my organic soil to the clay-pots, trimmed off the dead parts and set the plants into the new soil… As I was going about trying to ‘rescue’ the plants, the above passages came to mind. Sometimes our Lord needs to cut some dead branches off of us. Sometimes He even needs to replant us into a better soil in order for us to bear more fruit. I am not sure if my plant felt anything when I moved them into the new soil and cut their dead branches. When our Lord replants and cuts away dead branches from us, it is always hurtful. Well, it is true for me. Over the years I have learned that through replanting, losses, sickness and cutting away my dead branches, I have grown in my faith. I know that God, even though it might hurt, has my well-being in mind. Next time He plans to up-root you and plant you into new soil, don’t be afraid. It might hurt, but it will be for your benefit. To grow you in your faith so you might be able to share with others in their sufferings. As for my three houseplants? Only time will tell if I was able to ‘rescue’ them. I pray that I replanted them just in time to be beautiful again… Lord of Heaven and Earth. I know that You have to prune and cut away dead branches in order for me to bear more fruit. Lord, I want to stay close to your vine. I know that I am just a branch and cannot produce fruit on my own. I trust that what ever happens in my life will be a process to grow in my faith and my trust in You. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen. As you are celebrating Memorial Day in the US today, please remember the fallen and currently serving soldiers in your prayers… Visit me at my personal blog: Sting My Heart Labels: Iris's Articles, Purpose, relationship with Christ Leave a comment... 11 Comments Links to this post “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” ~ Revelation 22:1-5 (ESV)  I remember the road-trips we took when I was a little girl. My parents always made the point to take my sister and me at least 2 weeks during the summer to either Bavaria or Austria--for a fun-filled vacation. Traveling with two little girls from Northern Germany to the most Southern part of Germany into Austria was an adventure in itself. I don’t know what the fascination with Austria was for my parents; except the Glacier water was very clean—and very, very cold. Although we always looked forward to two fun-filled weeks, we dreaded the drive. It took at least 8 hours to get to Southern Germany, and an over-night stay in Bavaria to reach our finial destination in Austria. I loved my dad, but oh my – when he was behind the wheel, he was a mad-man. My mom always made sure that we went to the bathroom before we left, didn’t had too much to drink during the first stage of the trip, because we never knew when the first pit-stop would be. You see, my dad wanted to get us to our destination as quickly as possible—he wanted to enjoy at least 10 days a year with his family away from all the hustle and bustle. One thing that came always by mid-way to Austria: “Are we there yet?”…Do you hear yourself asking the same question on the road of life-“Are we there yet”? Being in my mid-forties, I am looking forward to the day where things might slow down. But will life really slow down after you have raised your child/children? I don’t think so. There are always new things to learn; there are new twists in the road. Believe me, some days I wish I would be already at my final destination—Home with my heavenly Father. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love my live, but I am longing for Home when it gets really frustrating down here. Seeing my Savior face-to-face, asking a question here or there…Sounds great to me. Read the Revelation passage again…Doesn’t is sound marvelous? Worshiping Him without interruption? No more hustle and bustle. The water of life, bright as crystal flowing from His throne…ah! I know that He still has tasks for me to finish here on earth, so I rejuvenate on a daily basis through Scripture and praise music. I know it is not the same as worshiping Him face-to-face, but it will help me to reach my final destination. I know when you have little children it is not always possible to get rejuvenated on a daily basis, but make it your goal. Your husband, children and you will benefit from it. When you take time with Him, the road of life will be less bumpy—trust me. But foremost trust Him to lighten your travel and get you safely to your final destination… Lord of Heaven and Earth. You are willing to rejuvenate us when the travel this side of heaven gets bumpy. Lord, help us to make time with You so we will be refreshed for our daily tasks. Help us to clear out our schedule to sit at Your feet and drink from the water of life. We are trusting that You will get us safely to our final destination. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen. Labels: choices, Christian walk, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 11 Comments Links to this post “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” ~ Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV – emphasis mine)I guess endurance/perseverance is my motto for this week. Last weekend was so busy with  getting things done around the house that my Sweetheart and I didn’t have time to relax. I was hoping for a little R&R, but we had to catch-up on stuff that didn’t get done during the week. I wanted to be fresh for a very busy week at work—long hours were scheduled since we have year-end-close in April/May.We were all under a lot of pressure in my department. How to do you cope with pressure/stress? As for me I look to Him for strength; I put on my headphones and listen to praise music. Others just walk off the job…I am serious—we had one leave work on Wednesday because the stress was too high (no worries—the person returned on Thursday). That got me thinking about our Lord. What if He would have said ‘No’ to the pressure He was under? He could have just refused to be the sacrifice for all of us. He could have said ‘No’ to the cross. What would have happened to us? I know that I could not save myself. I could never fulfill all the commandments God has set before me. But our Lord said YES to the cross—despite the pain that came with it. His love for us was much greater than the shame He would have to endure… I am glad that He poured hope into my heart when He took my sins and nailed them to the cross. With His strength I can make it through year-end-closing at work or through busy weekends…How about you? Will you travel the road of life with a smile on your face and a song of praise on your lips because of the hope He has given you? I pray you do… “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” ~ Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank you for saying YES to the cross. Thank you for enduring the pain and the shame. Lord, help me to travel the road of life with a smile on my face and a song of praise on my lips. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen. Labels: Iris's Articles, praise, thankfulness Leave a comment... 12 Comments Links to this post "God is our refuge and strength, My life has been running like sand through an hour glass. Nothing I can do to stop the days  running past me. Some days I can’t even remember what day of the week we have. I had to install a calendar on my laptop to remind me if I have to work or I am off…Ever feel that way? Although I know that I can’t breathe without His Word to get me through the day, I have to ‘sneak in’ time with Him. Let me tell you what happened to me this past Friday…During the week our alarm goes off at 4:15am and 4:30am. Most mornings I get up at 4:35am. Why? I like the stillness that permeates the house at that time of day. I love to read my first devotional with my first cup of coffee—alone. It is a great start for my busy day. This past Friday, the alarm went off at its usual time, but I didn’t make it out of bed until 5:18am. I was devastated. No devotion—no coffee. All I could think off was getting my Sweetheart his first coffee made and heading for the shower. For some reason I couldn’t get my eyes open or even form a coherent thought in my head. Somehow I got the coffee made, woke up my Sweetheart and headed back into our kitchen/dining area. I poured the coffee in a cup and realized that it was not the right coffee. You see, I drink flavored coffee; my hubby likes his coffee darker than dark (almost burned flavor)…’Oh no’, I thought—‘quick, make another coffee before he will notice’. By that time I could not breathe—literally. Close to tears, I plopped on my chair to have a few minutes with my Lord…I started praying “Lord I am tired, I am burned out…I”. He stopped my prayer in mid-sentence to calm me… “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ~ Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV) The rest of the morning went without a hitch. I got ready in time…I prepared breakfast for my Sweetheart, prayed, read a post from one of my friends, made coffee for myself, sent a quick note to some of my sisters in Christ and left the house at the appropriate time…with a song of praise in my head (and material for a CWO post *smile*). My dear beloved sisters in Christ, we are all busy women—if at home or outside the home. We have responsibilities to keep the household running, to be a wife, mom, friend and co-worker. The only way we can do all this is to have Him fill our cup every single day. "Lord, You are our refuge and strength. You are always ready to help in times of trouble. We will not fear what our days have in store for us. Even if our daily oceans of responsibility seem to overwhelm us, we know where we can find refuge. Lord, remind us to be still before You; you are our calm in the storm. In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen." Labels: Iris's Articles, quiet time, relationship with God Leave a comment... 13 Comments Links to this post  Changing me and changing you We have come with open hearts O let the ancient words impart." ~ Lynn DeShazo~ Jesus had promised another gift before His ascension. The gift of the Holy Spirit. He told his disciples and followers in Acts (and us): ‘And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."’The waiting began. The early Christians didn’t just wait. They read His Word, they prayed, they broke bread together. Sometimes I long for being like the first Christians. Sure, I wouldn’t like to be persecuted like them—I just long for their community. Certainly we have our churches where we worship behind closed doors. We have our doctrine we follow. Please don’t misunderstand me—there is nothing wrong with that. What I do long for is that we worship all together on Sundays. We all believe that Jesus is Lord; that He died for our sins. We believe that there is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God gave us all the same Holy Spirit. His Spirit is changing us from the inside out to become more like Christ… Okay, so maybe I am just dreaming too big. I probably just have to wait for His second coming to see my dream come true--the dream of a unified Church without the ‘walls’ of doctrine. I think that is why I love the on-line community so much. We respect each other; pray for each other, love each other as Christ commanded us to do… ‘And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’ ~ Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV) My sweet sisters, let us continue to encourage each other and reach out to the ones that don’t know Him yet. With His help and the community of believers we will reach the finish line… Lord of Heaven and Earth. You gave us Your Holy Word and Spirit to change us from inside out. Help us to reach the finish line. Continue to guide us in Your Word that we may never depart from it. In the precious name of our Lord and Savior, in Jesus’ name we pray ~ Amen… Please visit this week's hostess Loni to read more takes on this week's IOW quote... Labels: "In 'Other' Words", Iris's Articles, The Word Leave a comment... 20 Comments Links to this post  "Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" ~ Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV)Do you ever wonder if you are following His plan for your life? The daily choices you make? I do--constantly. As some of you might know, I worked in a church office until last year. I prayed for a very long time before I put in my letter of resignation. My best friend at the time asked me if I knew what I was doing. "How can you give up a position in a Christian environment?" she asked. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I was doing. I trusted the Lord that it was time for me to move on--to go back into the world to be His tool. Was I afraid? No doubt about it. But I was confident that He would guide me to the right place. The time I worked/served at the church was my 'training ground'. To be in His Word on a daily basis--to encourage fellow Christians. He prepared me to stand firm in the dark and angry world. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.My first question was "Lord, what do you want me do on a daily basis. You know I am not good at witnessing!"...I trusted that He would somehow reveal what His plan was for me. Over the past year I have learned to be His hands and feet. I pray for my coworkers. Every day He puts a different person on my heart. As I pray for them daily, He helps me to see their needs. Praying for a safe pregnancy, for safe travel, for good test results... As I pray for my coworkers, I see more and more of their needs--their need for Jesus...No, I don't stand in the lunch room with Bible in hand and proclaim that the end is near. I am still taking baby-steps--testing the water as some might say. He will give me the green light when someone is ready to hear the Gospel. I just have to trust and believe that He is my source of strength. Do I miss the 'safe' environment? You bet! Who wouldn't miss praying with fellow Christians before you start your workday? One thing I know for sure, is that since the Lord has blessed me, I want to be a blessing to others. Lord of Heaven and Earth. You are my strength and my portion. Lord, I am asking for Your help to become a blessing to others. I am trusting in Your lead and guidance. In the precious name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen. Labels: Iris's Articles, serving God Leave a comment... 11 Comments Links to this post  I have to admit, I do not like clothes shopping. Don’t get me wrong, I like to wear stylish clothing, but I also like to be comfortable in them. We have a clothing policy in the office: “Business Casual”. Which is great, IF the stores would carry “Business Casual” clothing…My husband keeps telling me that I am just too picky. Well, maybe I am.Last week I tried again to find a comfortable skirt with a matching t-shirt. The skirt was not the problem, but the t-shirt. The t-shirt looked really nice, with a little sequence; the perfect color to match the skirt. Off to the dressing room I went. I tried on the t-shirt first, since I knew that the skirt would fit and had the right length for the office. Let me tell you. The t-shirt was off in seconds. There was too much revealed for my taste. I could almost see my belly-button when bending over…Yeah – way too much revealed--definitely not appropriate for the office. Come to think off it, I would have a problem wearing it even on my days off… As I was leaving the store without a new spring-outfit, the following Scripture passage came to mind: ‘Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.’ At one point in my life I took off the beautiful wedding garments God gave me to wear. I thought that they were not ‘stylish’ enough, nor comfortable. He reminded me that without them I was not welcomed. I am glad that He offered them to me again. The best part—they fit perfectly and are the most comfortable cloths I will ever find… How about you? Did you take off the beautiful garments He has offered you? Do you think they no longer fit you? Let me assure you. They will always fit and it is never too late to put them back on… Oh, you have never tried them on? If you are ready today, please click on the Ready button in the sidebar. I pray you do. Lord of heaven and earth. Thank You for offering the beautiful wedding feast garments. They are always a perfect fit. I am thankful that You freely offer them to all who are willing to receive them. I pray that some will try them on for the first time today. I pray in the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen Labels: Grace, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 12 Comments Links to this post Iris was born and raised in Germany. Although raised in a Christian home, God had to move Iris  6,000 miles across the ocean to get her attention. Iris needed to understand why she believed. The Arizona desert was just the right place for her to grow in her faith.Since God called her back into His flock, Iris has been involved at her home congregation in various areas. From serving on the altar guild, to singing in the praise team, to reading Scripture passages. Her heart's passion though is leading women in Bible study--showing them a life full of purpose with God as their leader. Through the grace of God, Iris' ministry reaches beyond the walls of her church. It is her hope to encourage women across the US and world-wide--encouraging women to be a Mary in a Martha world... "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:13 Iris resides with her husband of 24 years, their grown son and 2 dogs in the Phoenix Metro area. Her hobbies involve spending time with her Sweetheart, photography, music, reading and traveling. Besides writing bimonthly for 'Christian Women Online Internet Cafe', you can find her daily at 'Sting My Heart' and weekly at 'Laced with Grace'. Labels: Iris's Articles, The Blog Team Leave a comment... 2 Comments Links to this post
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