It’s a scrappy life

When I get anxious I know I have gone from God’s time to my time and it’s a waste of time. Charles Stanley

I am an avid card maker. At one time I loved to sew, but can’t do that so much anymore because of my eyesight. Instead, I now merge my passion for paper with my love of quilt patterns to create faux quilted cards.

All that paper piecing! Some think it’s too tedious and a waste of time, but I tell people it keeps me sane. LOL!

Last night I began designing a card with a log cabin pattern in an effort to use up some of my scraps that are threatening to take over my craft room. I chose coordinating colors and began to glue the paper strips onto the card.

When I got done, I wasn’t too satisfied with the results. The card looked plain; just a hodge-podge of paper strips glued onto a piece of card stock.. and I didn’t care for the design at all. It needed “something,” but I wasn’t sure what..

Hmmm. Maybe some faux stitching. I grabbed my pen and added some little stitch lines. That helped.. Next I added some embellishments from my stash .Yes! Now it seemed like it was coming together!

A long time ago, I learned that I can’t judge my cards until I finish them. Often in the middle of the project, I just want to throw up my hands and say, “Forget it! This is UH-GLY!” But if I keep at it, I usually end up with a design I am proud to give to a friend or family member.

My life is a lot like that card. God is designing something wonderful with the scraps of my life, but I can’t see the finished product yet.

I have a tendency to get anxious over the unfinished state of my life’s design. When that happens, I try to add my own design elements to make  things better. What a huge waste of time and energy since He just has to redo everything again according to His plan.

Lord, Help me not to get anxious as you piece together my life layer by layer. Create a masterpiece which You will be pleased to use to bless Your World. Amen!.

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Today’s In Other Words is being hosted by my dear friend Karen over at In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus. Be sure to pop in and see her take on the quote.

If you’d like to participate, simply blog about the quote on your site then add your URL to the Linky tool on Karen’s blog. Be sure to leave a comment for her and visit the others who are participating today! You’ll be glad you did.

Why bother to journal? Part 5

The Bible Study Journal

Like its sister, the devotional journal, a Bible Study journal helps to get me into God’s Word. This journal often generates ideas for future devotional articles or messages for me as a writer and speaker. It also provides a place to organize and categorize my Bible research. But you don’t have to be a writer to benefit from keeping a study journal.

Here are some hints to begin your own Bible study journal:

1. Study by topic

This is a great way to get an overview of all the Bible says on a particular topic or key word.  At one point of my life, I dealt with issues of forgiveness for a wrong someone had done to me. By studying all the verses I could find about the topic, I was able to gain a better understanding of what it meant to forgive and how to work through those issues.

2. Study by Bible characters

I enjoy studying about the women of the Bible and have found them to be wonderful mentors and friends. I like to know what happened to her and find out as much as I can about her personality through her words and actions. Though the bible doesn’t generally show her emotions, I try to put myself in her place to see what she may have been feeling. It helps me to work through my own feelings when I find myself in similar situations. These in depth studies have led to the writing of two Bible novels and many short stories which have blessed my soul and helped me to grow spiritually.

3. Study by passage or chapter

Many Bibles will divide up the chapters into segments with sub headings. This natural division offers a byte size portion of scripture to study. Verses in these portions are grouped together around a common story thread or theme.

This type of study might include the parables, the Beatitudes or the Psalms among many. They are short enough to read and study one portion in a day and meaty enough to speak volumes to our hearts.

4. Study a specific time period.

There are great insights and personal lessons found within each historical time period in the Scriptures. During a time of recovery from some childhood traumas in my life, I studied the stories of the wilderness wanderings found in the books of Exodus through Joshua. Watching how God delivered the Israelites from their slave mentality and helped them grow during that time proved especially beneficial for my own spiritual growth and recovery from the damaged emotions.

5. Study word-byword

This is perhaps the most extensive way to study the scriptures for serious Bible students – taking a verse or chapter and breaking it apart word by word. Studying each word’s meaning from the ancient languages along with its placement in the sentence structure, the context and meanings of words around it can be rewarding, but is time consuming and exhaustive. This was the method most used by Bible scholars and translators and thus bears mentioning here.

No matter what method you choose to use for your daily Bible studies, Always keep  these questions in mind:

- To whom was it written?

- What was going at the time on when the author wrote it? You might need to check a Bible handbook for this info or read the verses surrounding it to get the context of the verse.

- What message was he sending to the readers of his time?

Always make your studies personal for yourself:

- What does this verse say to me about this topic? 

- Also note any questions it raises for future study.

As with the devotional journal, you might want to include a written prayer for the Lord to help you apply the lessons learned from this passage.

The Bible is a living, breathing book! Even in the dustiest, mustiest passages of the law or the endless genealogies, there are spiritual lessons and treasures waiting for those who dare to delve into its depths. Treasure hunting anyone?

Why bother to journal? Part 4

The Daily Devotional Journal

Having daily devotional time is one of the most valuable parts of our day! It is a time of deepening our relationship with our heavenly Father,  a time of reflecting on His words and learning from them as well as a time of personal growth as we find guidance and answers from the Word.

But in this hustle-bustle, gotta-hurry-up-and-wait world, we don’t always have time to get into the Word and let it soak into our spirits. Often we pick up a daily devotional guide like grabbing a cup of coffee and sweet roll for breakfast as we rush out the door. We know we need the spiritual nutrition, but we have to get it “on the run.”

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about using a daily devotional guide. Many times God has spoken to my heart through the author’s choice of verse for that day. But a wise writing mentor once said that daily devotionals are more beneficial for the writer than the reader.  The writer is studying, living and applying the scripture he or she uses to write the devotional material. It is too easy for the reader to gloss over it and say, “Okay, I’ve had my devotions for the day,” without applying it personally.

So here are some ideas to get the most out of those devotional guides:

1. Keep a notebook or journal with your devotional guide.

A journal is a place to write your personal reflections. By keeping a journal with your devotional guide you give yourself permission and motivation to personalize the message of the day. Over time, it will become a habit to jot down anything that comes to mind during these devotional bytes.

2. Look at how each devotional is written.

There is a formula for writing devotional guides. Most include these three elements: A daily verse or passage, an illustration from the author’s experience generated from that Bible passage and a prayer. Some will also include a core truth - a few words in bold print stating  the focus  or key thought of the devotional.

You can set up your journal the same way. Jot down the verse at the top of each page, along with the core truth. Under it, leave space for any thoughts the scripture generates like life experiences, testimonies, feelings, questions.  Leave room at the bottom of the page for a personal reflection or prayer.

3. Read the Scripture passage from your own Bible if possible.

It’s okay to read the verse from the devotional guide. but if you pick up your Bible and reread the verse, you might see something else that jump-starts your spiritual thought processes, like notes in your Bible from sermons on that passage, or dates from a time when God spoke to you from that verse.

You can also read the context  – the verses before and after it, which give you a clearer picture of the setting of the verse in the devotional guide.

At times, the devotional booklet will include additional reading suggestions. If you have time you can read those passages as well for an even stronger understanding of the passage.

4. Ask the Lord to show you  something from that verse or the author’s illustration to think about for the day.

Perhaps as you read the author’s illustration, it will trigger memories of a time you felt the same way or had a similar experience.  Write that down in your journal. It may be the Lord giving you encouragement that you are not alone in your spiritual journey, or a reminder to trust Him through the day’s circumstances.

By asking God to speak to you about the scripture or illustration, you are taking a moment to connect with Him personally and asking Him to be part of your day rather than just reading about Him.  As you take time to open your heart and listen, He will speak – giving you something to take with you that will nourish and sustain you through the day.

5. Jot down a prayer generated from the devotional experience.

Whatever the Lord drops into your heart, whatever you need from Him that day, take time to write down the prayer. it may be just a few words. It may become more of a praise than a prayer. No matter what you pray for, you have taken time to speak with Him one-on-one rather than just rushing off to start your day.

Daily devotions don’t take the place of praying, reading and studying God’s word for yourself. They are what they are – brief moments spent with the Lord, kind of like the good-bye kiss I give my hubby as he goes out the door.

Devotions can become commonplace without meaning; just something we do out of habit or because we’re supposed to.  Or  they can become a glad reminder of his presence that we carry with us through the day. The more personal we make these devotional times, the more real He will be to us ,

When the timing’s off

“In Other Words” Tuesday

“Learning to wait on God’s timing –
and having the patience to follow his lead rather than running ahead of him –
is essential to those who are committed
to seeing their faith journey through to the end.
God seldom rushes things along.
Getting used to his pace will help you in the long run.”

~ Essentials for Life For Women by Marcia Ford ~

Two of the largest maple trees I had ever seen stood in the front yard of our new home.  Towering over 75 feet tall, their branches provided shade in the summer, helping keep the house cool. They provided a safe haven for many varieties of birds and squirrels and were pleasing to the eyes.

But each time the high winds ripped through our neighborhood, branches littered the ground beneath the trees. At first it bothered me. I worried the trees would eventually become scraggly and ugly with no leafy branches at all, until I realized that those branches on the ground were usually leafless, dead branches which provided no shade or health to the tree. They were almost always dead wood.

Branches which were sap-filled and alive had more flexibility, bending in the wind rather than breaking off.  They remained attached to the tree, following the ebb and flow of the seasons as well as the winds.

Staying spiritually healthy is one of my greatest battles in life. It’s easy to switch back to my old patterns of coping and trying to handle things on my own. But when I do, I’m in danger of becoming a dead branch, one that will snap off the tree  the minute the high winds sweep across the area.

As long as I stay connected to the Tree of Life, I can stand against the unexpected wind storms of life, maybe badly shaken, but still spiritually intact with His life flowing through me.

God, help me to get  so used to Your pace, Your strength, Your life flowing through me that I will survive life’s unexpected storms.  During those clear days when there is no wind, help me to be content to soak up your life and strength for the days ahead – always resting in You!

***

Today’s In Other Words is being hosted by Deborah at Chocolate & Coffee. Take time to think and ponder on  the quote below and share about it on your blog. Then, visit Deborah’s blog  and share a  link to your blog and visit the others who have also written on it.  Be sure to stop by the other blogs and read their take on the quote as well and leave a comment to let them know you were there! You’ll be glad you did.

Why bother to journal? Part 3

The Promise/Praise Journal

I haven’t seen a promise box in years so I’m not sure if they still make them, but the idea was a good one. It was a small plastic box filled with one inch by 2 inch cards, each bearing a byte of Scripture meant to comfort, encourage or lift you up. The idea was to take a card each day and either memorize it or put it somewhere it could minister to you during the day.

What fun, to reach inside the box and pull out a card, never knowing what verse the Lord would give for that day. It never ceased to amaze me how often those verses fit so well with the events and problems of the day.

Over the years I owned several promise boxes, though now I have a small pocket-sized book  containing promises from God’s Word . It’s not as much fun since you can’t mix up the  verses and there’s really no element of surprise since the verses are more visible on the pages.  But it does serve its purpose – to encourage, strengthen and uplift my heart.

The nice thing about the book is that the promises are categorized. When I a m afraid, I can read verses on trust. When i feel ill, I go to the promises on healing and so forth. But what does this have to do with journaling?

Several years ago, a friend challenged me to keep a blessing journal – writing down all of the things I was thankful for so I could return to it later and remember the good things God had done.

Actually, it started out as a blessing jar – a canning jar with a fancy lid, filled with slips of paper. I wrote on each piece something for which I was thankful, an answered prayer or a comforting word God had given me along with the date. When I needed encouragement, I would take a slip of paper out of the jar and read it and remember the details of the entry on that slip of paper.

Soon I graduated to a spiral notebook which I decorated to make it  more personal for me. In it I wrote down each blessing from the Lord along with a more detailed description of events, people and circumstances surrounding the blessing.  It always amazed me how the Lord worked out the intricate details of His blessings to me!

In recent days, I have also included the promises God gives me each day. I like to take a promise from my little Bible promise book and  write it in my journal. Then I write about all the ways God has fulfilled that promise to me.

What an incredible tool this journal has become! Whenever I feel discouraged, I can thumb through  the pages and see personal examples of how God has dealt with me in the past. My faith is built up, I am strengthened and encouraged. I have a weapon to fight against the lies of the enemy because I can see in black and white how much God cares about me!

Here’s the challenge: Try keeping a promise and praise journal for thirty days. 

Each day write down one promise God gives you from His word.  At the end of the day, look back and reflect on how God fulfilled that promise during the day. Write down how God blessed you through that promise.

At the end of thirty days, go back and reread your promise and praise journal. I believe you will see a phenomenal growth spurt in your faith and your Christian walk! I’d love to hear what God does for you!

Why bother to journal? Part 2

The prayer journal

Have you ever promised to pray for someone, only to get caught up in your own cares of the day, forgetting to hold your friend’s need before the Lord?

Yikes! I know I have!  But over the years I have learned the potential prayer has to get people through the day and help them to survive the storms of life.  I know it is important for me – so important I decided to try to become more of a pray-er for others.

Here are some things I have done to help me pray more:

• Create a prayer journal

One of the tools that has helped me accomplish this is keeping a prayer journal. At first it was simply a spiral bound notebook – the kind I could buy at Wal-Mart for pennies during the back-to-school supply sales. But since then I have graduated to a computer file, using the notebook only to record prayer requests until I can get home and organize them.

No matter what you use, the important thing is to make the prayer requests visible. It’s too easy to forget to pray when you keep them in your head. Even as I log the requests into my files, I am praying for the need.

• Break your journal into sections

Prayer requests come in all shapes and sizes. Some are emergency needs like the person who just had a heart attack. Others are important, but not necessarily urgent like praying for the success of an upcoming outreach event.

If I lumped them all together on the pages of my journal, it would be easy to gloss over an emergency prayer need so I try to categorize the requests: Emergency needs. Family and Friends needs. Church family needs. Missionaries. My Community needs. Global needs. Work and ministry requests. Personal requests.

For the needs that are ongoing, I divide the journal into weekdays, concentrating on one of the categories of requests each day.

• Keep a file or section or your prayer journal for resources on prayer.

As Prayer coordinator for our local Christian women’s group, I collect resources on prayer for future reference and to share with the group during our monthly prayer meeting. Anything from illustrations, articles, quotes,  or devotionals will find its way into this section. This month I even found a wonderful paper butterfly  on a heart shaped background with moving wings to cut out and assemble   to go along with our February prayer devotional this month.

• Keep a prayer calendar

A prayer calendar works great when friends ask e to pray for an upcoming event like surgery which will happen on a specific day. While I do include the request in my family and friends section to pray for prior to the surgery, I have a special reminder on my calendar to pray that specific day and time for the surgery. It also serves as a reminder to ask my friend for an update after the surgery is done.

• Reserve a section of your prayer journal for answered prayers

This might be the single most important section of your prayer journal!  Whenever I feel down or upset because one of my prayers hasn't been answered yet, I take a stroll through these pages of answered prayers. It helps me remember what God has done in the past and reassures me that He has this current need under control. In His time He will answer.

Prayer truly is one of our most important resources as Christians and keeping a prayer journal can help us make the best possible use of it. Consider keeping one today! If you already do, I’d love to hear about how you do it.

Feelings are deceiving

“I will never be the same again,
I can never return, I’ve closed the door.
I will walk the path, I’ll run the race
And I will never be the same again.”

~ lyrics by Geoff Bullock ~

Have you ever seen one of those optical illusions that can be viewed more than one way? Try this one from a site called miss optical illusions:

What do you see? A pretty young woman or a stern old Scotsman or an old hag??

They’re all there if you look just the right way!

In one of the earliest scientific books on optical illusions, Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications. Matthew Luckiesh, states that “Seeing is deceiving.”

He attributes our mind’s interpretation of the things we see around us to our “past experiences, associations, desires, demands, imaginings, and other more or less obscure influences….”

When you really think about it, we don’t always get an accurate picture of life based on the things we see around us. Both our eyes and our feelings can deceive us, yet we tend to depend so strongly on them to determine our beliefs about the world around us.

Many years ago when I was a teen, several of my youth group friends got together after watching a Billy Graham movie. As we sat together discussing our salvation experiences, one thing stood out – most of us had an emotional experience when we accepted the Lord. Some felt the burden of sin lift from their shoulders. Others felt a sensation of joy.

One young man gave his heart to the Lord after the movie but doubted the validity of his experience because he didn’t “feel” any different. No matter how many scriptures we shared with him, no matter how many convincing facts we presented, he went home dissatisfied because he had not felt anything. He soon turned away from our youth group activities for those experiences which gave him the feelings he craved.

The same things that cause our minds to interpret optical illusions: “past experiences, associations, desires, demands, imaginings, and other more or less obscure influences…” are the same things that determine how we interpret every day events around us.

The devil understands that and sits on our shoulders lying to us, trying to evoke personal pity parties. This young man succumbed to those lies rather than looking for the truth. Perhaps his father ignored him or failed to give him the love he craved so he interpreted his lack of feelings at salvation to an uncaring God.

No, the resolute life of Geoff Bullock’s lyrics above grows out of a life based on the truth of God’s word. It is a conscious choice to believe no matter what things look or feel like just because God says it is so.

That’s no easy task because we are wounded, emotional beings. It requires daily spiritual warfare:

• open, honest sharing with The Lord about how we see the events and actions of others toward us. “He makes me sooooooo mad!”



• being willing to pour out our feelings of guilt, shame, doubt, fear, mistrust, until we have laid all before the Lord. We really can’t hide our true feelings from God, though we often try.



• taking time to be quiet before Him to listen to His words of comfort, instruction and correction.



• allowing His Spirit to give us a fresh, Godly perspective of what is going on around us – seeing things through His eyes rather than through the illusions of the enemy.



• being willing to act on what He shows us – offering forgiveness to others and to ourselves. Becoming teachable and willing to work with the Lord to change those things we need to change about ourselves.

We must make a conscious decision to seek intimacy with Christ; getting to know Him so well we aren’t fooled by the illusions, lies and memories the enemy dredges up. Then and only then will we be able to say honestly, “I will never be the same again, I can never return, I’ve closed the door. I will walk the path, I’ll run the race and I will never be the same again.”

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Today’s In Other Words is hosted by Miriam at Miriam Pauline’s Monologue . Take time to think on Geoff Bullock’s quote and share about it on your blog . Then, visit Miriam’s blog - Share your link and check out the thoughts of others who have also blogged about it today. You’ll be glad you did!