Being Courageous

Fear and intimidation can be our worst enemy. It can keep us from taking action and moving forward. It can lead us into spiritual bondage and hold us back or delay us from God’s promises. Fear can hinder our personal growth and development because it limits us and traps us. Fear and intimidation is one of the number one reasons people don’t achieve their goals and dreams. I found that in those times where I experienced fear and became intimidated, I made some poor choices which then affected other areas of my life, its one thing to be cautious but another to live in fear and intimidation. I love the amplified version of 2 Timothy 1:7 … “ For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” In order to conquer fear and intimidation you have to face your fears otherwise your fears can begin to control you emotio...

Sometimes your presence is all that is needed to make a difference in someone's life. Just your taking the time to reach out to someone to lift their spirits can change the direction of their day. A few simple words can encourage someone and inspire hope when circumstances seem hopeless. Often times we may feel we lack the resources to meet a need, but even if that is the case, there is something we can still give - our time. It's one of the greatest things we can give in addition to love. Don't let what you think you don't have stop you from doing and giving what you do have. I'm so grateful for the wonderful people that God sends across my path. All the warm hugs and smiling faces have added so much joy to my days. Keep encouraging, sharing your time, and your heart because you truly are making a difference in someone's life!

April 24, 2011 Reflecting on the last days of Jesus’ life and the miracle of His resurrection… Palm Sunday Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. The people waved palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” John 12:13 Monday Jesus over-turned the moneychangers’ tables at the temple. Luke 19:46 Tuesday Jesus taught the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “love your neighbor as yourself”. Mark 12:30, 21 Wednesday A woman poured expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet and wiped them dry with her hair. Jesus said, “She has done a good and beautiful thing”. Mark 14:6, 7 Thursday During the Last Supper, Jesus served His disciples bread and wine saying, “Take. Eat. This is My body….” And “This is My blood the New covenant, which is being poured out for (on account of) many” Mark 14:22, 24   Friday Jesus was tried and crucified. Th...

As believers we are instructed in God's word to come together for fellowship with Christ and one another. One way to accomplish this is through Christian community. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” 1 John 1:7. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching…” Hebrews 10:24. Christian community should not be about being in a social clique and it should extend beyond attending church. What it should be about is a body of believers coming together as one in Christ to share, love and care for one another. We should come together as the body of Christ to pray and worship with one another. We also should come together to help meet the needs of others. If we study the meaning of Jesu...

Do you struggle with self-acceptance? So many of us tend to compare ourselves to others and then we pass judgment on ourselves and determine that we come up short. Why is it that we don't seem to appreciate who God created us to be? Why can't we simply be happy with who we are? Do you experience this feeling of low self-worth? I know I sometimes do. God created us differently for a reason. Each being is unique in his or her own way; we're uniquely crafted individuals purposely formed by God for God. When we are critical and judge one another, we are judging God’s work and when we judge ourselves, we are actually saying to God that we don’t like what He made. Sometimes we have to dig deep to find self-acceptance because when we don't accept ourselves as God made us, we not only reject His workmanship, but we open up a huge opportunity for our discontent to grow and expand into other areas of our lives. “ We are God’s workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10). Are you constantly ...

What's the next step you can take to get closer to where you want to be? Have you started exploring your options? Have you made a list of things you could be doing to get you closer to your goal or are you feeling stuck and worried that you won’t ever get there?  Explore your options and then make your list and do something from that list each day. This will help you to gain focus and feel more empowered as you complete something from your list each day.  Oh by the way, you’ll have to immediately remove things that are affecting your progress such as the television - turn it off, saying no to spending time and energy on anything that does not support your goal, and the biggest thing is making time to hear God. You can’t imagine the progress God will help you make just by carving out some time to spend with Him and really listening to what He speaks to your heart. Spend a few minutes a day trying this and building on this until you develop a stronger, lasting relationship wit...