Set Me Free ~ By Casting Crowns

It is good to remember How and When God set us free! This song is powerful to me. As you know from my testimony I was bound and gagged by sin. Ravaged by it's consequences.... But HE SET ME FREE... Thank you Lord. 


So the question remains. If you don't know him... Do you want to be free?

The Beth Moore Blog- My Favorite Place to Hang Out

If you are a Christian woman you probably have heard of Beth Moore. But have you visited the Beth Moore Blog? If you haven’t then you are missing something special. Known the world over for her in depth bible teaching for women, Beth and her two daughters, Melissa and Amanda, are as genuine and revealing about their life as you would hope. They have immeasurably blessed me.

What is Beth’s blog all about?

The Beth Moore blog is a real, down home, where you live, type of blog. The three beautiful ladies will share anything from a favorite family recipe, funny dog and kid stories, to in-depth, cry your eyes out, change your life, honesty about their walk with Christ. When you are a part of that blog you feel like you are a part of their inner circle; a part of their family even. This is one of my favorite things about Beth Moore. She has a way of not only teaching you, but also making you feel like you are her dear friend.  Perhaps that is why so many of us women love her so much.

What does Beth teach about?

Her dedication to teaching the word of God to women is unparalleled. I have done most of Beth's bible sudies and I can say with honesty that I don’t believe you will find a better bible teacher on this planet for women. She teaches hard to understand subjects and deep scriptural truths and presents them in a way that makes you understand. It becomes personal by deepening your knowledge of our amazing bible. She also gives you the tools necessary to find the truth in scripture yourself, by showing you how to study the original text and cross reference with other scriptures. In the Beth Moore blog, she teaches by example about real life, walking with the Lord, and about having a real relationship with Jesus.

How has the Beth Moore blog been a blessing?

Personally I love learning from Beth. I never ever get tired of her style of teaching. But the Beth Moore blog allows an interaction with Beth and her daughters that makes me feel that I am not alone in my walk with God. If I had a chance to speak with Beth personally I think I would tell her “thank you”. I would say thank you for not talking down to us, like so many bible studies do. Thank you for being yourself, and being true to teaching the word of God to us in such a manor that honors us. I have learned more from Beth, Melissa, and Amanda, than you could possibly imagine. When I have needed a spiritual partner the Beth Moore blog was able to give me the connection I needed with fellow believers.

Spend some time on the Beth Moore blog today. You will be so glad you did.

Strength From the Depths

Today I was reading an old journal of mine from a time in my life that was very hurtful and dark. It was necessary for me to depend completely on The Lord for my emotional strength. My sorrow was so great, and my sense of alone-ness was so deep. All I can say is that it was only in HIM that I emerged stronger, and more victorious than I was when I went in to that time.  Now, I fondly look back on that time in my life as a time of great growth. Amazing right?  Jesus walked so closely with me during it.  He was truly sustaining me. He has promised to be with us during those times and I am living proof that he is faithful to that word. 

Here is an excerpt from that journal. (I apologize for the length.)

 1 Corinthians 6:10 "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." 

I am saddened by the happenings around me. I am sorrowful that things are not going well. It breaks my heart to see it. I am sorrowful to the point of laying down and letting it overtake me. But I wont.  I wont because My Lord is strong and He is able to lift me. He says "Rejoice!" 

Not Rejoice about the actual bad thing happening, for who says "Wow, thank you that I am in such agony because someone betrayed me, or sinned against me, or hurt me?" No one says that, but God still says Rejoice. 

• Rejoice that we have his promises,
• Rejoice that No wound  can be fatal when we are saved by Christ. 
• Rejoice that he will do all things to work for good. 
• Rejoice that you are not alone. 
• Rejoice that He has found you worthy of enduring this pain-knowing that you will not break, but grow closer and more dependent on him.
• I rejoice that my Lord carries me. That He fights my battle.
• I rejoice that my pain is deep enough that I have to ask him daily to carry me because I can not do it alone. 
• I rejoice that in my weakness he is Strong.
• I rejoice that he is teaching me the GIFT of silence.
• I rejoice in the new words he gives me and that he is nearer to me than ever before.
• I rejoice at my inner peace. 
• I rejoice that the enemy has lost and that Jesus has won and because of that I have the victory and the enemy must leave in shame.
• I rejoice that God gives me just enough strength for today, because if I think of my future and I worry about what might happen I may have no strength to survive. But with today's strength and today's tasks I am powerful and able to do everything I want.
• I rejoice in my Lord who is always with me. 
• I rejoice that no one can take that away from me.
• I rejoice in HIM!! 

What a petty thing my troubles are in comparison. Even though they cut me, bruise me, and cause me all sorts of anguish, they are small when I compare them to the greatness of my God and savior. ~"Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" ~ Praise to God Almighty the king forever, who can stand against him? Certainly not you enemy, certainly not you circumstance. Enemy you have been beaten, circumstance you have lost the war. Jesus has the Victory! Jesus has the victory!"

I don't know if you can identify with the type of season I was in when I wrote this, but I am finding strength today in my own words of faith written so long ago. Perhaps you will too. 

Thanks again for letting me share my heart today ladies!

Kari

Hello Again!

Oh my dear Blog ladies... I am so sorry that I have been absent from my blog for so long. I have been experiencing one of those times in my life when I have allowed myself to become overwhelmed with "things" to do.

Everything seems urgent, and everything seems necessary. Unfortunately when I allow those times to overtake me, it is usually a good indicator that I am not bringing my life before God and trusting him with my "things". God has been speaking to my heart, gently, but insistently helping me to bring my priorities back into focus. Here is the scripture that spoke to me and the insights I noted when God brought it into my focus.

"Bring them here to me." Matt 14:18     

When Jesus Said this he was asking the disciples to bring the tiny amount of food that they had gathered to feed the 5-thousand.  It was a completely inadequate amount to try and feed so many. And yet they were asked for what they could bring. Did God need it? Nope. But he required it because he wants us to be a part of what he is doing. Our daily work is like this. We are to bring our complete work to him.... and he will make what we have done enough. Though this seems simple, it is really very complex because it takes knowing you have done all you can do, letting go of what you can't do, AND trusting him to make it all work.

WORK, FAITH, TRUST. This is where I went wrong. I kept DOING, and forgot to give it to him. How silly would it have been for the disciples to try and feed the 5-thousand themselves with only 5 loaves and 2 fish? Pretty ridiculous. But that is exactly what we do when we don't bring it to him in faith and trust. He is so good to us. He is faithful. 


I am learning this lesson as I look at the gigantic pile of things I have to do. I will do what I can today, and give the rest to him, and have faith that he will make it enough. 


Thanks for letting me share today ladies, I hope to be posting more often.... as I trust him to get the rest done.