 |
|---|
|
|---|
______________ ______________
|
Monday, October 8, 2007
When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. Do you ever wonder why the activity of God can draw a crowd, but the call from Him to be committed, draws only a few? People are ready to get in on the blessings, the buzz that often surrounds His activity, but only a few follow Him on the uphill climb to companionship. Companionship is defined as the state of being with someone. This communicates more than simply a mental knowledge or even fond feeling toward. One is not considered a companion if there is no consistent fellowship and time spent together. It is during this time of intimate fellowship that companions share their heart with one another. It takes work to follow Christ. It is often times a steep hill and can feel like a hard and strenuous journey, but only those that make the climb with Him, are blessed with the quiet place where He sits with you, teaches you, and becomes your dearest companion. God desires to share His heart with us, but it takes commitment and work on our part to follow Him to that quiet place that is conducive for Him to do so. Are you taking the time each day to climb to that quiet spot? Are you putting forth the effort and energy to get up early enough to sit with Him and hear what is on His heart? Are you a part of the crowd that is watching from the lower plains of life? If so, what is it that is keeping you from making the journey up the hillside to be with Him? Is it the lack of discipline to make the time? Or perhaps it is simply being unwilling to give up a little sleep and rise early enough to meet with Him before the rush of your day begins. Whatever it takes, start today with that first uphill step towards that quiet place with Jesus. Find renewed strength through His companionship and enjoy the new perspective and joy that comes from being up on the hillside with the Lord. Lord, give me the discipline necessary to make the climb today to meet with you. Draw me to the quiet place where you are waiting to share your heart with me. Give me ears to hear and the will to climb as high as you lead me today, no matter what the journey requires of me. Tammy... You can read more from Tammy by visiting Steps in our Journey Labels: Christian walk, commitment, Purpose, quiet time, relationship with Christ, Tammy Leave a comment... 0 Comments Links to this post “…And, yet God, You’re still sovereign, Your throne intact and eternal.” Lamentations 5:20b Have you ever had those moments when you just really felt like everything was going wrong, times when life just seems to be spinning out of control? Perhaps it is a health issue with you or a family member. Maybe it’s the loss of a job or just the stress of too many responsibilities. Whether it’s from our own poor choices, decisions made by those around us, or just circumstances beyond our control, we’ve all had times when we just felt like the bottom was falling out from underneath us. That is exactly where we find the children of Israel in Lamentations chapter five. In this case, they were being disciplined by God, their loving Heavenly Father, for their sins. They had chosen to “buy into the pagan system” of their day (boy, does that sound familiar) and God was grieved and angry. The bottom had fallen out of their lives. They were dealing with famine, war, violence, and complete despair. The writer of Lamentations is drawing the desperate picture for us, and right in the middle of all the discouraging details, he penned these words in verse twenty. “…and yet God, You’re still sovereign, Your throne intact and eternal.” No matter how bad things were, he recognized Who was still in control. This isn’t always easy, but this is an amazing truth that is often times our only hope. No matter how difficult life may get, God is still sovereign and His throne is still intact and eternal. We can trust Him with our health concerns. We can rest in His sufficiency, knowing that no matter how hard the storm rages, His Anchor holds. Corrie ten Boone said it so eloquently, when she said, “There is no pit too deep, that He is not deeper still”. We are never so far that His arm cannot save us. Our life is never so dark, that He cannot see exactly where we are. When life seems to be spinning out of control, hang on, my friend, because God, the Creator and Sustainer of this universe, is still in complete control. He is still on His throne, where He will remain for all eternity, and He is working all things (the good, the bad, and the ugly) together for our good and for His glory! Lord, thank you that you are God and you are in total control. Thank you that your reign is eternal and there is nothing, or no one, that can overthrow you. Thank you that you are, right now, working everything together for our good and we can trust you. Help us to remember when life is hard, whether it’s due to our own sin or circumstances out of our control, that nothing surprises You and nothing is too big for You. In Him ~ Tammy… You can read more from Tammy by visiting her personal blog at Steps In Our Journey Labels: coping, courage, Endurance, Faith, fear, grief, heart matters, Hope, peace, Suffering, Tammy, trust Leave a comment... 7 Comments Links to this post “Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Proverbs 27:9 Each year we take a vacation to the beach. Everyday is spent enjoying the sun, splashing in the salt water, riding the waves, and playing in the sand. We soak up this fun from the time the sun comes up in the morning until it sets beyond the horizon in the evening, and even then we are usually taking nightly walks on the beach looking for crabs with flashlights. By the end of the vacation, we have all usually gotten a little too much sun. Now for those of you that are already thinking, “Why wouldn’t you wear sunscreen”, let me assure you, we do. However, it wears off, and we all tend to forget to reapply it fast enough and then the damage is already done. Most of you can probably mentally take yourself to a place where you were exhausted, sticky from salt water, and stinging from the combination of salt and sand rubbing against your skin. It isn’t until you get cleaned up and are able to apply what we call “the green goop”, but is commonly called Aloe Vera, that you begin to feel relief. This green slimy stuff (that we keep in the refrigerator) can actually be some of the most refreshing gel in the world after a long day on the beach. It soothes, heals, and even sometimes anesthetizes your skin. This week, I was reminded how friendships can often be the lotion God uses to heal the sunburns of our hearts. There are times when the heat and irritants of our world can really get to us. We can find ourselves feeling exhausted emotionally, mentally irritated, and our spirits can often have a painful sting. I can think of so many times in my own life where I’ve felt this way and God would use a friend to come alongside and refresh me. Sometimes it happens through a phone call, an email, or perhaps a letter in my mailbox. Whatever it may be, it always comes at just the right time (after a long hard day) and it has a way of bringing comfort and even invigorating me to keep going in this journey of life. Does someone come to your mind that’s been a refresher in your life recently? Did you take the time to thank them and communicate just how God used them to bless you? What about you? Are you consciously being a refresher to others? Can you think of someone this week that you called, emailed, wrote a letter to, or text with the sole purpose of encouraging them? We all have moments where life just seems too “hot” to handle and the irritations seem to be rubbing in every direction. Let’s be conscious this week to not only thank those who are used by God to rejuvenate us, but to also take the time to reach out and be that soothing lotion to another parched and weary soul! Lord, thank you for sending people in my life at just the right time to remind me that you love me and care for me. Thank you for the gift of friendship and for the way you use it to energize and refresh every part of our lives. I praise you that you are The Friend that sticks closer than a brother, and no matter how scorched my soul may feel, you are always there waiting to be my Ultimate Refresher. In Him~ Tammy… You can read more from Tammy by visiting her personal blog at Steps in Our Journey Labels: Friendship, Tammy Leave a comment... 5 Comments Links to this post  Tammy Nolan lives to refresh people. Her ministry of energizing others starts at home. She is a home schooling mother of three children and the helpmate to her husband, Tony Nolan. She serves as Vice-President of TNT Ministries, Inc, a non-profit organization that has a core purpose of sharing the good news of the Gospel and ministering to various Christian music artists, including Casting Crowns, Sanctus Real, Building 429, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, and Nicole Nordeman. Tammy is a firm believer that a personal touch fuels positive life change. Hundreds of women who serve in ministry have experienced this firsthand through the letters she writes to them each week. She also pours into others through song with her CD project, entitled The Great Exchange. Tammy is passionate about her intimate relationship with Jesus, which she writes about in her engaging and reflective blog, entitled Steps In Our Journey. Labels: Tammy, Tammy's Articles Leave a comment... 2 Comments Links to this post
__________________________________________
|
The Internet Cafe is the team blog for Christian Women Online Magazine, "your daily dose of inspiration." It's a place to kick back, grab a virtual chair at our table, and allow God to fill your cup to running over. It's addictive, but only He can satisfy the craving of your soul.  Copy this code to link your site to The Internet Cafe
 ______________ 
______________
 Christian Women Online Blog Ring Join | List | Random ______________
_________________
|
CWO Cover
Bonnie Hooley
