YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S YOUR LAST

I was rudely reminded today just how fragile our lives really are. My niece's husband went into the hospital this morning with pneumonia and about 12 hours later, was dead. He leaves behind a wife who is 28, a son who is 7, a daughter who is 5 and a baby boy who is 1. I just saw my nephew-in-law two months ago. He was alive and well.

People, you never when it's your last time to kiss your children good night. You never know when it's your last time to tell your spouse you love him or her. You never know when you stand before God almighty. Are you ready? Do you know Jesus Christ personally? If you died today do you know if you would go to Heaven or Hell? You can know. Everyone needs this relationship and God wants you back in the family.

Whatever is keeping you from beginning that relationship with God, isn't worth it. Make right now the point you will change your whole life. Talk with God, tell him you are sorry for all the wrong in your life and that you want to make a change. Invite Jesus into your heart and ask him to clean up your mess. When you do that, the Holy Spirit will bathe you in love and forgiveness and change your despair into hope and peace.

DON'T WAIT! This may be the last thing you read before you die.

If you know my Jesus, then make right now the point you will start telling others about the blessed gift of life through Jesus Christ. You never know when it will be your last opportunity to do so.

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

John 3:16-18 (The Message)

YOU KNOW ME based on Psalm 139

O Lord, you have checked me out completely
And know everything about me.
You know when I sleep and when I’m awake.
You even know what I am thinking when I think you are far away.
You even look for me and check out the direction I am going when I am busy or even when I am just resting.
You know all of the secret things about me and the way I do things.
Even before I can say a word,
You know what I’m going to say and why I’m going to say it!

You care so much about me that you completely encircle me
and bubble me with your protection.
This knowledge is too much for me to comprehend.
How could I ever deserve such love?
Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Or where can run to that I might avoid your presence?
If I went to outer space, you are there!
If I lived in the belly of the earth, you are there!
Even when I go to school or face my tormentors,
Your hand is there to lead me and protect me.

If I say the anguish and pain in my stomach shall kill me
And the torment of surviving stressful situations shall destroy me,
Even the pain and torment is not a match for your awesome love for me;
Anguish and stress are dissolved by your power.
For you made my inward parts,
You carefully designed me in my mother’s womb.

I will PRAISE YOU for I am uniquely and wonderfully made!
Everything you make is awesome, somehow my soul knows this.
I was not a surprise to you when I was being formed in the secret place.
Every detail of my body and life were intricately designed by you.
You saw me before I was formed and placed me in your special book.
There you planned my life before I was even born.

Oh God, your thoughts are so special to me.
There are so many!
Counting them would be like counting the grains of sand.
Even in reality, you are with me, not just in my thoughts.
Oh how I wish you would rescue me from the anxiety that tears at my stomach.
Oh nausea and pain depart from me forever!
They seek to destroy my life and steal my confidence.
Together they seek to steal the joy of my salvation.

I hate those who come against you oh Lord.
They are my enemies.
Search me O God, and know my heart!
Test me and know my thoughts!
Let me know if there is anything I do that grieves you.
Lead me into a life of everlasting joy, peace and love with you.

Have you allowed a situation in your life to rule you? Do you fall victim to your tormentors when they strike at you? There is a way to overcome ANYTHING that may seek to destroy you. When you claim the power of Jesus Christ, you have at your disposal the most powerful force in all creation! If you know this Jesus Christ personally, then stop living defeated and begin claiming the power intrusted to you. If you don't know know Jesus Christ personally, then all you need to do is seek him with all of your heart, begin a conversation with him and believe he wants to be your savior and friend. Then invite him into your heart to live forever with you. If you need more information, then send me an email and I'd be happy to tell you more about knowing this God of the universe who designed you before you were born.

THE FISHING TRIP

A tangible answer to one of my hard questions in

“WASHED IN WORSHIP”

With the chance of rain 100% our small, church group of eight kids and six adults caravanned 30 miles to go fishing. I was prepared with poles, tackle, bait, rain gear, snacks, water, camp chairs, a change of clothes for my preschool daughter and a good attitude. All was smooth sailing until I got out of the car and met my teenage son who had been riding in another car. Holding his bottom like a toddler, he said I have to go really bad. The bathroom is way up there and I can’t make it, I’m going to go in the woods. I handed him two tissues and he took off.

I’ll save you smelly details and just tell you that when he was done, there was no way he could stay and fish. His hands, pants, shirt and shoes were all contaminated. Not just a little, but a lot! A good mom is always thinking on her feet. We washed as much off as possible using bottled water, and then hand sanitizer, but the mom and 10 years of OSHA training in me would not let me allow him to even go near the other people. At first I was upset, but God quickly reminded me of a similar experience I had only two months prior. So with compassion in my heart, I placed a trash bag down on the back seat for my son to sit on and we headed back home.

During this humiliating return trip, God did some powerful teaching. I love how God uses our lowest places to teach us his ways. After the first few silent minutes in the car, I shared with my son a time when I was stuck on the interstate with no way to turn around for an hour and had stomach cramps and needed to go to the bathroom. I ended up filling my pants and then had to drive more than an hour to get home. I told my son that from that experience I learned I have no control over my life and that the Bible tells us that “our righteousness is as filthy rags.” I said the very best we have to offer God is like the shitty mess we were both in. Yet, God loves us anyway. “God loves you too,” I told him, “just as you are, shit and all. There is nothing we can do to make our selves good enough for God. He doesn’t expect us to clean ourselves up before coming to him and committing our lives to him.”

After taking a shower and putting on clean clothes, my son said with sincerity, “Mom, thanks for driving me home to clean up. I feel so much better.” I looked him straight in the face and said, “Son, that’s what God wants to do with your life. He wants to take you home, clean you up and love you with no punishment or ridicule. Then you will be ready to face the world.”

We talked some more on the 30 mile trip back to the lake where everyone else was fishing. God delivered so many messages to my son, that I can not even remember them all. I just know that I was so excited to have been a usable vessel to share the love of God with my son. He did get to fish a little and the pastor even cooked some more hotdogs for him to eat. What had the potential to be a complete disaster, turned out to be the most meaningful and beautiful time I have ever spent with my son.

What about you? Are you still trying to offer your best (shitty, filthy rags) to God in exchange for his love? Give up my friend. All God wants you to do is just let him clean you up. He will not be-little you or ridicule you. He is gentle and kind and loves you just as you are.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6 (NLT)

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV)

ARE YOU A FRIEND OF GOD?

Do you have a BFF? Translation: Best Friend Forever. If you've ever had one in your lifetime, then you know how "into" each other you were. You knew everything there was to know about that person. This week when I read through Psalm 37, again, it reminded me of another scripture I had read and heard used recently. John 15.

Psalm 37:39-40 reminds me that my salvation comes from the Lord, he is my stronghold in times of trouble and will deliver and save me. Just like the best friend who stuck by you during tough times in school or even now in adulthood. John 15:13 talks about a best friend. A friend who loves you so much he is willing to die for you. Are you willing to die for your friends?

Jesus told his disciples in John 15:14, and this applies to us today, he no longer calls them (or us) servants, but friends, because he wants us to know everything there is to know about Him. Jesus wants to be your BFF! How cool is that! The greatest person who ever lived who was part God and part man, wants to be your Best Friend Forever!

Will you accept his offer and take time to know him inside and out? Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." John 15:4 says that keeping God's commands means our joy will be full and we are a friend of Christ. I don't know about you, but I could really use a cool friend of God to be my BFF.

I started this friendship about 33 years ago. My relationship with Jesus keeps getting sweeter and sweeter. He has ALWAYS been there for me and has NEVER left me stranded during a tough situation. In fact, it was always during my toughest times in life (big life decisions, death of my mother, adoption of my first child and birth of my second child) that Jesus was right by myside helping me to make it through the crisis or struggle. He was also there to share in my joys.

The best part about having Jesus as your BFF, is that he is capable of having more than one BFF. Do you need and/or want a BFF. Jesus is available!

ARE YOU THIRSTY?

"A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. I'm thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, "Will I ever make it— arrive and drink in God's presence?" Psalm 42:1-2 (The Message)


A friend asked me recently to show her how to find the presence of God so she could take that long awaited drink that the scripture speaks about. Perhaps you, too, are looking for something to quench your thirst for that longing in your soul. This longing, doesn't mean there is something wrong with you, it was put there by God the creator. You and I were made in God's image and were designed to know and be with God. I'll tell you what I told her:



It starts by having a conversation with God asking him to be your personal, life-long companion, giving up the navigation of your life to the creator of you and your world. Along the way you shed all the really heavy things you "packed" for the trip like self sufficiency, pride and fear. God wants to carry them for you...let him.


As your load becomes lighter, you are able to focus more on the conversation during the walk. You'll learn some amazing stuff about God as you are able to listen to Him.


When you are tired, God will provide for you a quiet stream of cool water to drink from. It will quench your thirst like nothing you've ever consumed before. Once you have tasted of the perfect love of Christ, you will crave more and more. As you learn more about God's ways, you'll learn to let go of other things that weigh you down, like anger, bitterness and loneliness.


My friend, God has a wonderful gift for you, forgiveness for EVERYTHING you've done that displeases Him. We are God’s creation and He desperately desires to be loved back by us. The problem with that is the fact that our sin and disobedience to God, prevents us from being close to Him. That’s why God sacrificed his own son, Jesus Christ, who lived as a human being and paid the price of death for our sin.

Now, if only you will accept that gift of grace from God and Jesus, you can be close to Father God. Finally, you can have that feeling of being complete and stop searching for the love you crave. To accept this gift, all you have to do is talk to God like you talked to you best friend on the phone. Tell Him how you feel and ask for his forgiveness for your disobedience toward Him. He is waiting to hear from you and He will not be angry with you. On the contrary, He wants to love you so much it hurts him…so let him love you.

God has written you a love letter, it's called the Bible, begin to read it. I suggest starting with the book of John in the New Testament. Read some part of the book everyday and claim the promise from God to love you no matter what. You’ll be amazed by the peace that can fill your heart and life.

Ask God, Ask yourself and Ask me lots of questions. Seek true understanding of God. You will find it in Him and his word, the Bible. I did. It’s made a huge, positive impact on me and changed my life forever.

MY ADOPTION STORY

In December of 1995, my husband and I made the tough decision to stop our four year pursuit of infertility treatments and seek adoption options to start our family. I recall the exact phrase I said to my husband, “There is already a baby boy or girl out there who needs us to be his or her parents.” I began praying that night for God to open up the doors of adoption.

Before I even knew my son really existed, I started loving him. I loved him before I met him. I loved him when I finally did meet him face to face. I continued loving him even when circumstances prevented him from living in my home and he went to live with another family for six months. I still loved him when we were reunited and my love grew for him when he finally started living in my home. For two years, our relationship grew and my love for him grew but he wasn’t really “mine”. Finally, on April 15, 1998, the little baby boy I had grown attached to became MY SON! Forever! My love for him never stopped in fact, it only grew bigger and stronger. Now ten years later, I love him more than ever before.

My adoption story is very similar to that story and one that is actually shared with many people reading this story. Before I was even born in March in the early 60's, someone loved me. He loved me before we met. He loved me when I got older and finally did meet him. He continued loving me even when I chose not to be associated with him and went away for a while. He loved me when we were reunited some years later. I spent time with him getting to know him more and finally, on March 26, 1976, at the age of 12, he adopted me into his family at my request and I became the daughter of the King. God is my adopted father and our love for each other has grown through out my life.

God knew you and loved you even before you were born. He loved you before he met you. He loved you even when you knew about him and chose to go another way. He loves you still today and if you will choose to seek a relationship with him, you too can become a daughter or son of the King. As all adoptions require a choice to be made, you must make the choice to be God’s child, he will not force it upon you. However, I can tell you, as someone who has lived in God’s family for 33 years, there is no better place to be. I have a constant companion to help me through tough times, unconditional love…even when I really screw up, a family history book and teacher to help me make my life better and more meaningful, tons of brothers and sisters to keep me company and give me encouragement, and best of all the assurance of living forever in a perfect place with my adopted Father.

There is always room in my family for more sons and daughters. If you are interested in being part of my adopted family, stop looking in other places for this acceptance and start looking to God. He’s the only one who can make it happen. Best of all, he is waiting for you. He knows you are coming and he loves you very much. Now is a good time to complete your adoption story. Just stop and talk to God and tell him you’re sorry for letting sin take over your life. Ask him to forgive you and rest in his strong arms of love. If you want, I will introduce you to Him.

After you've had time to think about this some more you may have some questions, feel free to email me seekingmoreinfo@gmail.com or leave a comment below. Here are some things God would want you to know about being adopted into his family:

"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
How I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day."
Psalm 139:13-16 (The Message)

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
John 3:16-18 (The Message)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
Romans 3:23-24 (RSV)

“How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.”
Ephesians 1:4-6 (The Message)