Our God Is A Mighty Warrior

Hey Friend,

My neighbors must be wondering what on earth is going on since I am out in my backyard several times a day yelling, "No," or "Get out of there!!"  

Over the weekend, my husband and I were outside working in our backyard when all of a sudden we heard an awful "squeak" as our beagle ran off with a baby bunny in his mouth.  I was thankful that my husband was home.  I have pulled dead squirrels out of my dog's mouth, but a baby bunny?  That would have been too heart-wrenching for this sensitive gal.

Now the question was, what do we do with the bunnies remaining in the nest that our beagle (an instinctive hunter) had discovered?  After some quick research on bunny habits, we constructed a pen of sorts to keep Topper out during the day, but then we opened it up in the evening so that momma bunny could come to feed the little ones.  

Did you know that mother rabbits will only come but five minutes or so a day so as not to attract predators to her nest?  

The only problem is that our beagle is not only preoccupied, but is obsessed with this bunny nest.  I tried to plant some flowers in the backyard, but found myself bouncing up continually to chase Topper away from the nest that drew him in like a magnet.  

Ironically, this ongoing routine of ours reminded me of a segment of scripture I read in Exodus.  Stick with me on this one...

It's Chapter 14 in Exodus.  Moses is leading the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt.  After multiple plagues, Pharaoh tells Moses to go, but then his heart is hardened and he goes after them.  Pharaoh's army has pursued the Israelites and has them basically pinned up against the Red Sea.  They are surrounded with no way out.  

The people are terrified and cry out to Moses that they should have never left Egypt.  Then Moses answers the fearful throng:

"Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.  The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."  (Exodus 14:13-14)

We all know what God did next....He parted the Red Sea, led His people safely across, and then released the sea walls again so that they swallowed up the Egyptians.

  

What did the Israelites have to do to save themselves?  Absolutely nothing.  They just had to remain still and KNOW the Lord would fight for them.

So back to my "Backyard Bunny Parable".  If you will give me a little creative license...  The baby bunnies are kind of like the Israelites - kind of like you and me.  The enemy (the beagle) prowls about seeking to destroy and kill (much like Pharaoh and the Egyptians). 

Just as the bunnies are cornered in their nest, the Israelites were hemmed in by the Red Sea.  Like them, we find ourselves in trials and struggles, from which, we have no earthly idea how to escape.  The beagle, Pharaoh, the enemy is in hot pursuit.  He has an arsenal of weapons and lies that he uses to destroy.  

But, God....He doesn't say, "Okay bunnies, Israelites, (fill in your name), fight your way out of this one.  No, He tells us, "Be still," and He fights FOR us!  

I know this is a stretch, but... I swoop in like God.  I chase the beagle away from the bunnies like God took care of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. The only thing I'm armed with, however, is a garden hose.  What did the baby bunnies do?  Yes, they cowered, but they did absolutely nothing because a force greater than themselves was at work over the enemy.   

So after Moses and the Israelites are safe on the other bank, He and the prophetess, Miriam, sing a song in which they praise God:

"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation...

The Lord is a warrior."

(Exodus 15:2a,3a)

I've thought of God as many things, but not necessarily as a mighty warrior.  I picture Him more as being seated on His throne. But, that my friends, is exactly what He is - a warrior - when the enemy seeks to do you harm.  Even when God suits us up in His armor, He commands us to stand.  

He wants to defend us and so He reminds us time and time again that the battle belongs to Him.  We need only to be still and He will fight for us.  He knows the enemy far better than we do and so He gently tells us, "Be still."  Be still and know that He is God and He is in control.

What battles are you fighting (and perhaps losing) in your own strength?  Have you gotten to the end of yourself yet?  Are you tired and battle weary?

Then KNOW that God loves you more than anything and He wants to be YOUR mighty warrior.  

You can believe Him when He says that He will fight FOR you; you need only be still.  

He's not joking when He says the battle belongs to Him.  He's got this.  Just stand.  Be still.  Give it ALL to Him because He longs to fight FOR you.  He's on your side.  He has your back.  

Yes, He is YOUR mighty warrior....trust Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me when I attempt to fight in my own strength.  Enable me to surrender my self-sufficiency and let YOU go to battle for me.  Help me not to fear - even when things look hopeless.  Nothing is too hard for you, Oh Lord.  I believe; help my unbelief.  When I doubt, remind me that you are on my side.  You are my defender and that my battles are YOUR battles.  Help me to believe with all my heart that You will fight for me; I need only to be still.  Work this truth into my heart so that it casts out fear.  I thank you and I praise you.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

If you prayed this prayer with me, will you turn your battle over to the Lord?  He is, indeed, a mighty warrior who will fight for YOU because He loves you. 

Be blessed....

And the winner is: Tune in Weds. for the "Big Reveal" and Smile Brilliant Winner Announced!!

                                                                 The Studio in September

March Moments & The Big Reveal

Hey Friend,

This is my first try at a "Musings" type post.  Other bloggers plan these posts.  Me?  I didn't have God waking me up at 3 am. saying, "Write this." So, as I stared at the blank page, these thoughts came to mind.  Warning!!  My mind switches tracks like a runaway train....here goes.

I live in the South and we are supposed to have mild winters with above freezing temps and little snow.  Though we didn't get pummeled with snow like our northern friends, we did have the "Winter That Would Never End."  I'd put away my winter coat, thinking it's finally over, only to have to pull it back out again.  The waiting gets old....

It reminds me of the "winter seasons" of my soul.  There have been many times when I have cried out, "How long Oh Lord?"  There have been painful seasons that I thought would never end and that joy would never be found again. I may not have all the answers to the question, "Why?"  What I DO know is that through the winter seasons, God drew me in under the refuge of His wing where I was warm and protected.  

I learned that, if I was going to make it through, I had to surrender it all and utterly rely and depend upon Him.  I had to let go of "me and my agenda."  

I learned that joy and pain can coexist and that God is good and He has a master plan that is for my best.  He is good and He is faithful.  I can trust Love's heart!

Though weeping endures for the night (and it may be a long night), joy DOES come in the morning. (amplification mine)   Psalm 30:5

Tea to raise funds for Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc.

In March we had a lovely Tea in the Pittsburgh area to raise funds for the orphans and destitute children in the Middle East that RCF, Inc. serves.  37 women came together and raised over $3,400. to help equip the larger school facility into which we recently moved.

We now have the ability to get up to 90 precious lives off the streets, out of harm's way, and into a loving Christian school....Praise!

We take for granted that we can go to the faucet or the refrigerator and pour ourselves a refreshing glass of water.  Not so in this part of the world.  The students were intrigued by this unfamiliar water dispenser from which you could magically get sanitary drinking water with a push of a button.  Oh the luxuries we take for granted. One by one they stepped up to enjoy the clean, fresh water.  Joy!!

The children will secretly celebrate Easter and Jesus' resurrection within the safety of their school walls.  In this part of the world you can legally be stoned to death if you say that Jesus is Lord and Savior.  You can be thrown in jail and the key thrown away if you are caught carrying a Bible.  

Keep this in mind as you head off to Easter Sunday services.  Oh that we can praise His name....but do we?  

Though our world seems to be decaying, Jesus is taking His love right smack dab into the devil's backyard and we get to be part of it!!  Praise!

Click HERE if you'd like to visit our website and perhaps join us...

Drum roll.....the BIG REVEAL:

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening "Before" Picture

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening "After" Pictures

Here is my "Reveal" after two weeks of using the Smile Brilliant Professional Teeth Whitening System for Sensitive Teeth.  I have to say it was easy to use.  The custom molds fit my teeth and I could even talk with them in. (Much to my husband's dismay lol). I wasn't bothered by sensitivity and you can see the results.  

I am giving away a FREE Teeth Whitening Kit for Sensitive Teeth (Value $149.).  

This is THE LAST WEEK TO ENTER THE DRAWING!!!

To enter the drawing to win a FREE kit, just write "I want to Smile Brilliant" in the comments and you will be entered.  If you aren't able to comment, email me and let me know you'd like to be entered.  Even if you don't WIN the package, you will still get an offer for 25% off...it's a no brainer.  

A few weeks ago, I asked, "What are you going to do good for yourself today?"  Perhaps this is it.  If not, be good to yourself in some small way.  Self care is not selfish and it's not a sin.  Self care and rest are scriptural!

Christ came and died so that we could have life and have it abundantly and so that we could spend eternity with Him.  Take Him up on His goodness today, won't you??

May you have a blessed and joyous Easter and may you live in the redeeming love that His ultimate sacrifice makes available...He is Risen...He is Risen indeed!

Be blessed...

I Love You So Much... Always, Jesus.

Hey Friend,

Reminder:  Don't forget to enter the April drawing to win a  FREE Professional Teeth Whitening Kit ($149) (see the ps. at end)...

The clock read 2:42 and I couldn't sleep.  I switched positions several times, but comfort didn't come.  My son was on my mind and I just couldn't shut it off.  A bunch of words came into my head, but I knew I couldn't text all that because it would be overwhelming.  And so, I just got up.  I sat in the darkness and prayed. 

These are the words that came to me and so I texted them, to my son, at 3:20 in the early morning darkness lit only by my laptop screen. 

Life is hard.  No one is perfect.  Therefore; Easter.  I love you so much... always, Mom.

From there, God started calling people to mind.  One of my good friends had texted me, in response to my apology for not being more in touch...

"Hi my friend,

I knew you had not fallen off the face of the earth.  I did get concerned that the rapture came and you went and I got left behind!!!  LOL."

My friend lives alone, she deals with continual pain, yet she encourages me with her compassion and her great sense of humor.  She has worked as a teacher for many years and longs for the day that she can retire and do the crafting that she loves. 

Her limited family can be passive aggressive a lot of the time and just the other day she had to write up a report and submit it to DSS.  One of her kindergartners in her class had come in with a black eye and told her about being hit with a belt.  It was not the first incident nor the first child.

Life is hard.  No one is perfect.  Therefore; Easter.  I love you so much...Jesus.

Another friend, for whom finding sleep is a continual battle, is drained from worrying about her son.  He is dealing with depression and though living with depression is hell, watching someone you love have to struggle, and feeling helpless as you stand on the sidelines is hell too.  

Nothing will suck the life right out of you more than having mental illness, than watching those you love suffer.  Wasn't motherhood supposed to become easier as our babies grew into young adults?  Not really...their problems just take on adult-sized dimensions.  And, a mother's heart is always a mother's heart.

Life is hard.  No one is perfect.  Therefore; Easter.  I love you so much...Jesus.

She couldn't believe it when she heard through the grapevine that the mistress her husband had left her for was expecting a baby.  Inexplicably she was drawn to the pictures posted on Facebook.  The other woman, belly swollen, standing in front of her beautiful new house looking radiant.

Meanwhile, my friend, shoulders the burden of single motherhood.  She is there for the heartbreaks and hormones, the outbursts and tears wrought from being abandoned by their dad. She lies awake at night wondering how the bills will get paid.  Sometimes she doesn't know how she gets through her days.  

Life is hard.  No one is perfect.  Therefore; Easter.  I love you so much...Jesus.

The list could go on and on....the friend who has had to adjust to a new "normal" since viral meningitis gave her the awful diagnosis or "Chronic Migraineur."  

Another, who who will have to endure another Mother's Day - the day his wife committed suicide two years ago- alone with his daughter.

The cousin who had finally made it to Broadway only to hit black ice coming home one Sunday and is now paralyzed from the chest down.

Life is hard.  No one is perfect.  Therefore; Easter.  I love you so much...Jesus. 

I've written on wrestling with God over the "Why's."  I've written about allowing for the mystery of God when pondering the "Why's."  I've written on focusing on what we DO KNOW when what "IS" doesn't make sense. 

Today I write on these four simple phrases:

Life is hard.  

John 16:33 New International Version (NIV)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

No one is perfect.

Romans 3:23 New International Version (NIV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Therefore; Easter.

John 3:17 New International Version (NIV)

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

I love you so much...

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)

16 For God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

always, Jesus.

Luke 23:43 New International Version (NIV)

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

To the thief beside him who sinned, endured suffering and torture, shared in the suffering of Christ, died, BUT BELIEVED IN JESUS, Jesus gives him the blessing that today and always he will be with Him in paradise. 

Jesus gives us new life in Him here on earth, everyday, so that we can have the grace to make it through the hard.  Joy can and does coexist with suffering.

But I truly believe that Easter is about Eternity.  Jesus gives us a peace that transcends all understanding while we live here on earth, but He will give us a peace that will never ever be disturbed or shaken when we are with Him forever in paradise. I'm celebrating that today.

Clinging to His peace in this lifetime.  Claiming His peace for Eternity.

Be blessed.....

ps.  Smile Brilliant Update:  Here I am "Before" Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening System (for more about it read last week's post).  I am giving away a Smile Brilliant Whitening Kit for Sensitive Teeth.  (Value $149.)  If you'd like to be entered in the drawing.  Just say "I'd like to Smile Brilliant" in the Comments and you'll be entered.  Drawing held beginning of April. 

 BEFORE

What Are You Going To Do Good For Yourself Today?

Hey Friend,

Several of my writing friends participate in the "Five Minute Friday" community of writers.  Their "word" to write on, freely and spontaneously, for five minutes was "tired."  Let me tell you, there are A LOT of tired women out there!!  

We are sleep deprived, stressed out, worn out, worn down.  We put ourselves last on the priority list - somewhere after the husband, kids, church commitments, school committees, carpools, and even the dog.

In February, I wrote about how self care was not only necessary, but was a command from God.  We are God's temple and we need to take good care of ourselves.  Good grooming is even addressed in Scripture.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.  Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.  (Ecclesiastes 9:7-8)

My sweet husband asks me each morning on our walk with the dog, "So, what are you going to do good for yourself today?"  Sometimes I have to really think on this one.  I admit I am not one you will find in the nail salon on a regular basis.  I let my hair go way too long between visits to the stylist.  Frankly, I'm not very good at pampering myself.  I can't remember the last time I took a bubble bath and listened to soothing music.

The small things we do for ourselves, on a daily basis, don't have to cost money.  It can be as simple as taking time out for a ten minute walk, or flipping mindlessly through the catalogs that have piled up, or actually reading the book on our nightstand during the day with a nice cup of tea vs. when we fall asleep with it on our chest at bedtime.

People have told me that I have a nice smile.  Frankly, though, it's become a little yellowed due to age and yes, I love my coffee.  So, when I was approached by Ashley with Smile Brilliant to do a test trial of their professional teeth whitening system and report my progress to readers, I hesitated, but then thought....this is what I am going to do good for myself today.

AND...the best part is that I get to give a kit away FREE to one lucky reader.  Value of the kit for "Sensitive Teeth" (deluxe kit) is $149.

AND...even if you don't win, Smile Brilliant will offer you a significant discount on a kit just for participating in this drawing.  It's a win-win!!

Here's what I've done so far:  I've taken my lovely "before" pictures (seen here).  I even did the tissue test.  Aren't these attractive??

BEFORE

//

What I like, so far, is that they make custom molds of your teeth.  So these are not just generic trays that wiggle around.  They stay firmly on your teeth.  They are easy to use.  I just put the whitening gel in my molds, pop them in, and do my work. I can actually talk while whitening lol. You can whiten anywhere from 45 minutes up to 3 hours.  I've been averaging about 2 hours.  I then follow with the desensitizing gel.  I can honestly say I have had no difficulty with sensitivity on my teeth or gums.  

I will do this for 14 days.  Check in on my post next week which will be about the 9 day mark for lovely updated pictures.  Then, when I'm finished, I will present the final reveal!!

Meanwhile, if you want in on the drawing.  Over the next two weeks, leave a comment that says, "I want to Smile Brilliant."  You can also leave a comment on my regular post content.  Add your current email address to your comment.  Or if you don't feel comfortable, email it to me at my "Contact Me" tab.  

Like I said, even if you don't "win," you can still get a substantial discount. You can't lose!

So all this being said, I want to ask YOU....What are you going to do good for yourself today?  Would you please share in the comments and commit to following through?  I'll be checking up on you :)

Be blessed......

A Letter to Millennials - A Guest Post

Hey Friend,

I am the mother of two "Millennials".  The jury is still out on how this is all going to play out into the future.  I know my parents were part of "The Greatest Generation."  I'm a "Baby Boomer," and I see that I have strengths that my children don't, but I CERTAINLY have weaknesses that my parents didn't.  So who's to say which is best or strongest?

So, does that make one generation better than another?  I know Millennials take a lot of ribbing in the many parodies of them in social media, but what about their attributes? They live in a world far different and more fear-filled than what I grew up in.  Personally, I'm thankful I didn't grow up with social media.

I would like to invite you to join me as we pop over to my good friend, Jana Schmitt's blog that she shares with two other writers.  It's called "The Space We Share."  The story behind the name is fun, so I invite you to poke around their space while you're there.

Jana has written a wonderfully thought provoking piece entitled, "A Letter to Millennials."  It had me rethinking some of my thoughts about this generation.

Not only is Jana a good friend, she is a licensed counselor, devoted wife and mother, and doting grandmother on the apple of her eye.  She is actively involved with Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc. and is the acting Secretary on the Board of Directors.  What an asset she is to RCF, Inc.!

Last year, Jana and her planning committee pulled off, single handed, a "Backyard Gathering" Fundraiser that pulled in $4,700. for our "Giving Tuesday" campaign.

She is one of the most magnanimous, sincere, compassionate, and caring people I know and so, it is my pleasure, to introduce you to her again (she has shared here once before).  

Click HERE to read "A Letter to Millennials" by Jana....

Please be sure to leave Jana some lovin' in her comments....

Be blessed.....

Allow For Mystery

Hey Friend,

I can only imagine, that when I was little, I was one of whose inquisitive (pesky) children always asking, "Why?"  I have always had this insatiable need to understand why things happen or take place, why people do the things that they do, and say what they say.  

As I've grown older this search for the "Why" has transferred over into my relationship with God.  I want to know God, I mean really know Him, and understand His motivation behind why He does the things that He does.  I want to know His logic...His way of thinking...I want to know and understand the mind of God.  Ironically, the fall of man began with the desire to eat of the tree of knowledge.  Maybe there are just some things we aren't meant to know.

A good friend of mine once said to me, "You know you think way too much.  I rarely think about or question all these things."

I guess you could say being a "deep thinker" is a blessing and a curse.  On the good side, I think I truly want to know God more intimately.  On the not so good side, I'm not willing to take things at face value and leave it at that.  

So why does God do the things that he does?

I can understand the story of Joseph, wherein, his brothers sell him into slavery out of jealousy and tell their poor father that Joseph is dead.  I get the scripture in Genesis 50: 20, where Joseph says to his brothers:

20"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 

Nothing can thwart the will of God.  What others mean for evil, God can, and indeed does, use for good.

But what about the cousin of my sister-in-law - a young talented actor on Broadway - who was driving home, skidded on black ice, and now is paralyzed from the chest down?

What about the devoted father and man of God who has served all his life, is stricken with cancer, and despite the prayers of many, loses his battle to this awful disease?

What about the woman - a mother of three - who goes out for a run and collapses on the pavement of a heart attack and leaves her children without a mother?  

Why do bad things happen to good people, while some evil people seem to prosper?

I want to know these answers, but I realize that if I was able to comprehend these answers then that would put my mind on the same level as God's and....

Do I really want to have a God who is no smarter, greater, more awesome than I am?  No, I don't think so. 

12Now, we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

The truth is that, in this lifetime, we only see part of the picture - and even that we see dimly.  I/we need to grasp and cling to a more eternal perspective that says we won't know all the answers now, but we will, and in that time God will reveal His mind to us and it will make sense.

So what do we do in the meantime?

We allow for the mystery.  It's okay and, in fact, we will have to live with answering the question, "Why?" with, "I simply don't know."

1. I may not be able to answer all the scenarios above, but I DO believe that God is good. 

1Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.  (Psalm 136:1)

2.  I may not know why good people suffer, but I DO know that God is loving and faithful and He cannot deny Himself.  

13if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.  (2 Timothy 2:13)

3.  I may not understand why evil people prosper and like, in the case of Job, God will allow Satan to test those who are righteous.  

Why do the wicked live on,
    growing old and increasing in power?
8 They see their children established around them,
    their offspring before their eyes.  (Job 21: 7-8)

God does not allow us to suffer for no reason, and even though the reason may be hidden in the mystery of His divine purpose - never for us to know in this life - we must trust in Him as the God who does only what is right.

What I don't know:  Too many things to list.

What I DO know:  God is loving, good, patient, and filled with lovingkindness.  He is just, righteous, all-knowing, all-powerful.  He is the Alpha and the Omega (the beginning and the end).  He is the One true God who never leaves nor forsakes those who love Him. 

He is my Healer, Redeemer, Rewarder, Restorer.  He is the bounty for my sins through His Son, Jesus Christ.  He gives me every breath that I breathe.  He gives me the sun every morning and the moon every night.  He is the God who sees me, knows me, and despite my sin, sent His Son to die for me.  This I know.

As for all the rest, I will have to allow for mystery and accept in faith.

What about you?  What "Why?" questions do you wrestle with?  What, in this world, is hard for you to accept and why?  What do you do with your doubts and your "un-knowing"?  Will you share?

Be blessed.....and as our prayer, let's pray the Truth written above...

The Non-Expert's Advice on Self-Care and Rest

Hey Friend,

Usually, we think that writers write from a place of knowledge or expertise.  Today, I am writing about something at which I truly stink and need to do better.  

As the President/Director of a growing non-profit ministry, I seem to repeat or follow the same mode of operation.  I go, and go, and go until I finally hit the brick wall, and then, in exhaustion, I collapse.  This isn't good for me.  It's not good for those I serve, and it certainly isn't God's way of doing things.  

I've been going to the Source for a little Godly advice and self-talk. Here are some things I found and some new methods to try.  I know I'm not alone.  I know there are many who work tirelessly for the gospel despite their own deteriorating health.  Might you be one??  I know I am.

There is just so much need and good work to be done that carving out time for rest and self-care seems selfish and counter productive.  

That, my friend, is our own human thinking - but what does the Bible have to say about rest and self care?

1.  We should enjoy our food and keep up with personal grooming.  

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.  Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.  (Ecclesiastes 9:7-8)

So, I guess yoga pants, a workout top, and my hair pulled back in a ponytail with a baseball cap wouldn't make the cut?  I'm not a fussy girly girl, but after reading this, I did get myself in to get my hair cut and colored (long overdue) and I decided to be "clothed in white" by whitening my teeth.  I love to smile, but my smile has been looking a little aged and yellowish, so I invite you to join me on my teeth whitening adventure compliments of Smile Brilliant.  Stay tuned for Before/After photos and giveaways to come.....look what came in the mail.....

Me with my hair down....

2.  We need to take care of our body because it is the temple of God.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

This includes exercising and putting nutritious food in our mouth.  I'm an emotional eater, so this becomes a challenge at times.  Also, not only what we put in our mouth, but in our ears and our eyes is important.  They are part of the body as well.  What are you feeding your senses?

3.  We are to be loving and caring toward ourselves.  It's okay to practice self-compassion.  

After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body.  (Ephesians 5: 29-30)

Also the Bible tells us to "Love your neighbor as yourself."  How well do you love yourself?  Would God say, "Relax and give yourself a break...you're being too hard on yourself?!"  Hmmmm.....thoughts to ponder.

4.  Resting is an act of faith.  We rest because God says we SHOULD AND WE CAN.

A.  We need to enter in a Sabbath-rest.

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.  (Hebrews 4:9-11)

B.  God will continue to work and take care of things even as we are resting.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.  (Psalm 127:2 NASB)

C. It is important to set boundaries.

Mark 6:30- 31:  The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.  Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he (Jesus) said to them, "COME WITH ME BY YOURSELVES TO A QUIET PLACE AND GET SOME REST."

Even Moses' father-in-law chided him in Exodus 18:  "What you are doing is not good,  You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out.  The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone."

D.  Rest for the mind is essential.

I love the words of Ruth Haley Barton in "Invitation to Solitude and Silence"  (by the way pop over to Linda Stoll's study on this book):Click HERE to pop over to Linda's place

Chapter 6 - Rest for the Mind:

"The human mind is perpetually busy trying to control things, trying to figure things out, clinging to the latest idea, grasping at the nearest straw.  It works very hard trying to make sense of things by endlessly seeking to put everything into categories and boxes and systems of thought.  Sometimes even God himself gets relegated to a category or a box in my mind rather than being free to be God in my life.  It seems that my mind will go to great lengths to fix things, control things and defend against anything that would disrupt my carefully constructed equilibrium."

*  "I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."  (Jeremiah 31:25)

*  "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest."  (Exodus

    33:14)

*  "Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.  From the ends of the earth I call to you.  I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.  I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings."  (Psalm 61:1)

Lord, let me look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field that do not worry.  They rest in you abundance.  They don't toil because they know You will provide.  You call me into rest in You....Oh Lord, draw me in, settle my restless heart, hold me close to Your heart of love for me and let me rest in your arms.... let me sleep in the soft rhythm of your heart beating next to mine.  Let me be still, in You....and simply rest. Amen.

Be blessed and thank you for reading along with my sermon to myself.....