| Lessons from the Vine |
take the time.....If you want to make some very good use of your children's naptime or bedtime hours,every mom and dad should listen to this powerful message by one of my all time favorite teachers of the Word, Voddie Baucham. Be ready to be inspired, challenged, and blessed as he encourages parents to step up to the plate in regard to the discipleship of their children! I promise you will not regret taking the time to listen....make some tea, grab your hubby (or some unfolded laundry if he's not around), and be blessed!Here's the link... http://www.championforest.org/worship/archivedaudio/050731.mp3 And please, let me know what your thoughts are! 3:19 PM - Apr. 22, 2008 - comments {0} - post commentThe day that true love died....Here are some awesome lyrics from one of my favorite bands that I've been thinking about on this Good Friday...."Beautiful Scandalous Night" (Robbie Seay Band) Go on up to the mountain of mercy To the crimson perpetual tide Kneel down on the shore Be thirsty no more Go under and be purified Follow Christ to the holy mountain Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall Cleanse your heart and your soul In the fountain that flows For you and for me and for all At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white On that beautiful, scandalous night On the hillside, you will be delivered At the foot of the cross justified And your spirit restored By the river that pours From our blessed Savior's side You can listen here: http://www.rhapsody.com/robbieseayband Blessings and have a wonderful Easter.....this is my favorite celebration because I wouldn't be living this awesome life it weren't for my Saviour and best friend, Jesus Christ. 2:41 PM - Mar. 21, 2008 - comments {0} - post commentHappy New Year!Don't you just love the sense of promise that seems to linger in the air around this time of year! As you look back on the past year it's easy to remember the joys and blessings and unfortunately even easier to remember the trials and hardships. The apostle Paul offers some great wisdom in the book of Philippians though, and I think we'll all benefit to keep this in mind as we embark on a whole new year....."forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead." (ch.3, v. 13) He goes on to say that ultimately we are to press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ.If I could resolve to do only one thing this year it would be this....to walk with God. It's when I'm doing this one simple thing that all else falls into place. He alone is the only One who can take all of our joys, all of our trials, all of our sufferings and weave them together to make a gorgeous tapestry. If you've ever seen the back of a tapestry then you know that it's hard to believe that all those different threads going every which way could ever produce anything even remotely nice. But when you turn it over, utter beauty and distinct elogence prove you wrong. It's the same with our lives. He takes all that we experience in life...the good, bad, and ugly...and uses it all to make us into the women He created us to be. His plan for us is to give us hope and a future and to prosper us spiritually so that we are equipped to do His work, which He planned for us before the foundations of the Earth. Do you believe that today? Start your year off right by offering up a prayer of promise to walk daily with God. Don't settle on just getting by, but tap into His abundant resources and reach forward for all that He has for you! 6:51 AM - Jan. 1, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentMerry Christmas!!!!I can't believe it's that time of year again. This year has certainly been a full one with a new baby, making 3 children underfoot, along with the busy task of being a virtuous wife(well, trying to be=) and homeschooling newbie. With all that being said, I decided(for sanity's sake) to forgo sending Christmas cards this year so I just had to take a few moments to type out some warm wishes to those whom I love! After all, that is what this season is all about. Allowing God's love for us to flood our hearts and abundantly overflow into the lives of others.As we hustle and bustle and busy ourselves making lists and checking them twice, let's pause to remember the true reason for the season. I know that sounds so cliche`, but really......Christmas is so much more than trimming the perfect tree, decking the halls to amaze, entertaining to utter exhaustion, and wearily running about to and fro to the point of physical and spiritual depletion. It's remembering that Almighty God of the entire universe, loved us so very much that He sent His one and only Son into this world to be our Lord and Savior. He lived a perfect life, free of sin, showing us the ultimate example of sacrificial love by laying down His own life for us while we were yet sinners. Now that is something to celebrate....and not just at Christmas, but everyday of the year. 1 John 3:16 says, " We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." During this busy season when we're tempted to take our focus off Christ and get caught up in our own holiday agendas, as we spend time with family and friends, let us purpose together to lay down our own lives by loving and serving them. And when we do this, His glorious love is perfected in us. What better gift can we give this Christmas, than that of God's love! God bless you all and a very Merry Christmas to each of you....from our family to yours! 9:06 PM - Dec. 14, 2007 - comments {0} - post commentI'm still alive.....Don't give up on me, gals. Thanks to those of you who have been checking in on me, via phone and email, to make sure I'm still alive. =) I am doing so, so good! I guess you could just say that I've been reflecting on a new little saying that I've recently learned...."Good, better, best...never let it rest...til your good is better and your better is best." Needless to say, my relationship with the Lord and my family are and have always been my number one priority and so I guess you could say that I have just been very busy doing my "best" to serve my loved ones. I am working on some great new blogs for the new year so don't forget about me. I am praying about some very neat things that I hope will provide much encouragement for those who visit me here!Many Warm Christmas Blessings to you, Heather 2:30 PM - Dec. 11, 2007 - comments {0} - post commentsomething to chew on.........This week I finished studying the book of Philippians and a verse that I've been thinking about is from chapter 2, verses 2 and 3." ......be like minded, having the same love, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Something I am recognizing is that people (myself not excluded) generally aren't of the same mind and most certainly aren't out to esteem someone else as better than they are. Instead I see a lot of discord(strife) and a lot of pride(vainglory) among believers and non-believers alike. When you disagree, for example, do you aim for the end result to be peace or do you aim to make your point and have the last word? Or how about when someone possesses a certain talent, gift, or character quality? Do you encourage that person, thus esteeming them and humbling yourself or do you, out of selfish conceit, look to out do them in a lame attempt to bring glory to your vain, insecure self? I am ashamed to admit that I, myself, have been guilty of both. I am so thankful that God has bestowed His grace upon me, not b/c of anything that I have done or am capable of doing, but simply out of His love and mercy. When I strive and compete, I am doing it for man's recognition and approval, not for God's. This attitude is so contrary to the lowly, meek attitude like that of a servant which the Lord desires of me. Lord, continue to teach me to love as you love.....being rich in tenderhearted mercy, kindness, and gentleness, esteeming others as better than myself. Help me to promote peace in my relationships by acting out of true love. 4:09 PM - Oct. 26, 2007 - comments {2} - post commentA Closer Look at Legalism.....I have fallen into the trap of legalism time and time again. Given my natural tendency toward pride and perfectionism I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised and yet many times I am. Unfortunately legalism doesn't just show up one day but is slowly ....ever so slowly, born into existence. I think for me it always starts out with a desire I have to do what's right in God's sight but before I know it, legalism takes root and completely strangles my good intentions. In the end, it promotes all things ungodly....condemnation and division of the body of Christ to name a few. It's what causes me to climb up on that pedestal of self-righteousness and look down my nose critically upon others for not leading as "holy" of a life as I(at least in my own deluded mind) The truth is, my righteousness is nothing but filthy rags compared to the righteousness of God.I have been humbled by the Lord on numerous occasions b/c of this particular sin and am finding that I must constantly lay this down at the foot of the cross. So many times I can take such a hard stance on an issue only to have the Lord, once again, prove me wrong. Not so much that I am wrong in what I believe but rather wrong in my belief that what is right for me is right for everyone. To say it in other words......no room for the grace of God. Now obviously, I am not speaking of matters which are direct commands of God, but instead those matters that are to be between a person(s) and God. Some examples in which I am speaking of are family size, education, music preference, style of dress, and even homemaking and child rearing. Now, before you begin throwing the rotten tomatoes, please hear me out. I agree that the Bible does touch on some of these things, and no doubt if we are truly seeking the Lord concerning these things, He can and will indeed speak to us through His Word, but ultimately the way the Lord leads each individual person and/or family may look different. I am learning that what is best for me, may not be best for the next person. Even though God has no doubt called me to live the way I live, He may at times call others differently for reasons that are beyond my own limited understanding. I have to remind myself often that His ways are above my ways. We are all called to "study to shew thyself approved unto God" and as long as we are doing that then I believe that is what matters most. This has been a very hard thing for me to accept b/c I am passionate about so much in my life. However, I do not wish for my zeal to push others away. If people look at me and see a woman who lives piously according to a set of rules and regulations and is void of grace and mercy, I am of very little use in the kingdom of God. So for those who have seen this ugly side of me and have been rubbed the wrong way, I wish to apologize. I am truly sorry and wish to be transparent regarding my own sinfulness. I am a work in progress and am certainly not above reproach. God has been so rich in mercy to me. His grace is constantly being poured out upon my life, humbling me to the core. How I long to be rich in this same mercy and grace toward others. 2:22 PM - Oct. 2, 2007 - comments {2} - post commentI've been a little discouraged by the blogoshere lately. My disappointment lies in the fact that that there are so many blogs that are supposedly Christian in nature, yet, in my opinion do not appear to be any different than the rest of the blogging world. Allow me to explain.I believe as Christians, we can become so consumed with our own spirituality and self-righteousness, that we neglect what should be our primary goal as believers....to share the good news of Christ with those who are without hope. We are called to be salt and light and yet I read so many blogs where people spend so much time ranting and raving in order to drive a point home and slamming anyone who might be contrary to their beliefs. Don't get me wrong, there are many things in this world that concern me and there are indeed times when we must take a stand for righteousness, but I do believe there is a proper time and way to go about it. When we go on and on about one controversial subject after another,what kind of message are we sending to a reader who may be a seeking, non-believer? We must take care to share with love and gentleness so that ultimately we are pointing all who are reading to Christ. Sometimes I think we can get so caught up in driving a point home and arguing back and forth amongst ourselves that we neglect our responsibility to reach out to the lost. So many times, we sit back in pity and say, "How sad...what is this world coming to?" and yet we do nothing to help bring about change. It's great to be articulate about what you believe and I do believe we are to be set apart from the culture, but not to the point where we are so disconnected from it that we are unable to have an impact. We need to cast aside our critical, judgmental spirits and break out of our little christian bubbles in order to make every effort in actively penetrating our culture for the sake of the gospel. Please know that I say this not only to those reading, but to myself as well. I think it's a good reminder for all of us because we can all fall into this trap if we're not careful. Lord, your Word says in Proverbs 10:11 that "the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life." Help the words of my mouth to be a source of life-giving wisdom. May I share in a way that brings you glory and honor and may I, like you, be "rich in mercy, compassionate, and abounding in steadfast love" towards others. 5:57 AM - Sep. 17, 2007 - comments {3} - post commentsomething to ponder.........In light of my previous post, I thought this would be most appropriate to share simply b/c when we are puffed up with pride, we are not able to love others with genuine love.I came upon this checklist, based on the love chapter in 1 Corinthians, in a book that I am currently reading entitled "The Discipline of Grace" by Jeff Bridges. As I read through this, I realized how sorely I am lacking in my genuine love for others. It's one thing to say you love and to even "act" as though you love, but to love sincerely from the very depths of your heart is a whole different story....especially when it comes to those difficult people in our lives.(and let's face it, we ourselves fall into that category many times) Read on and keep in mind the people in your life.(spouses, children, parents, siblings,in-laws, extended family, friends, co-workers,etc.) Be honest with yourself as you reflect on the following: 1) I am patient with you b/c I love you. 2) I am kind to you b/c I love you and want to help you. 3) I do not envy your possessions or your gifts b/c I love you and want you to have the best. 4) I do not boast about my attainments b/c I love you and want to hear about yours. 5) I am not proud b/c I love you and want to esteem you b/f myself. 6) I am not rude b/c I love you and care about your feelings. 7) I am not self-seeking b/c I love you and want to meet your needs. 8) I am not easily angered b/c I love you and want to overlook your offenses. 9) I do not keep a record of your wrongs b/c I love you and "love covers a multitude of sins." I've read this over and over and even now as I type it all out, I am so disappointed at how selfish I am. Lord, you are my only hope.....You and You alone are the only one who can fill me with true love and compassion for others....please do this in me. For "if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." ( 1 Corinthians 13:1-3) 2:18 PM - Aug. 22, 2007 - comments {2} - post commentMonday Musings...........Pride is such an interesting and twisted flaw to possess. I know this from personal experience. Yes, you heard me right....I am admitting that I struggle with pride, but perhaps not in the way you might assume. No, I don't go around acting like God's gift to mankind while critically looking down my nose at others but rather quite the opposite. I am quite insecure at times and fall short more times than I care to think about. My struggle is with admitting my insecurities and shortcomings. I tend to put on this phisod that appears "super confidant" when in reality I'm anything but. I also notice that while I enjoy receiving a compliment (be honest, we all do from time to time), I have an especially hard time giving them. There are just certain people that I have a hard time complimenting, mainly people who are seemingly "super confident" themselves. I mean really, they seem to think they're great all by themselves...why do they need my words of affirmation? But as I ponder this more and more in my mind I find myself wondering if maybe they might actually share the same struggle as I. Perhaps they think the same of me. All I know is that I truly hate this pride that resides in me. I hate the games it makes me play. I truly want to learn to exhibit humility in all circumstances, with all people. This is an area of my life that needs constant pruning. I know my Lord is willing and fully capable to accomplish this work in me....the question is will I allow Him to do so?Lord, hlep me not to just be a hearer of Your Word but a doer, for I know your word says in James 1 that, "If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in the mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in all he does." Help me Lord to be careful not to be caught up in my own self-righteousness but rather in Your Righteousness. Cast me not away from your presence and renew a right spirit within me. When I meet you face to face, I long to hear you say "Well done my good and faithful servant." and not "depart from me, I never knew you." I want to truly love you not just in word but in deed and not just in deed but from the depths of my heart and soul and I want to love others with love that is genuine. 11:24 PM - Aug. 20, 2007 - comments {2} - post commentGod's amazing grace...........Imagine spending every waking moment living for God, thinking up new ways you want to love, honor, and glorify Him. Imagine devoting all your time and efforts in service to Him and Him alone. How fruitful and meaningful our lives would be.Now, with the above statement in mind, imagine replacing the word "God" with something else. Perhaps it's your spouse or significant other, maybe it's your children, your job, your money, or your possessions. Fill in the blank however you'd like, but truth be told, if it's replacing the Lord in your life then it's called idolatry. God's Word says, "Wherever your treasure is, your heart is there also." He also says we are to have no other god's before him. Years ago, in my final year in college, I became painstakingly aware of the fact the Lord had been placed on the back burner and was I was not allowing Him to be Lord of my life. Although I loved Him, I was not doing so with all my heart, soul, and strength. I was living for me, myself, and I, and was quickly headed toward self-destruction. However, if one were outside looking in, it wouldn't have been all that obvious. My life was "seemingly" perfect. I had a wonderful Christian family. I graduated 6months early and with high honors from the Christian high school I attended. I was dating my high school sweetheart who was soon to become a doctor. I was making deans list in college and was getting ready to complete my last semester before graduation. One might have thought I was on top of the world with a very bright future in store. But in reality, I was miserable. Leading such a "perfect" life was a lot of work and had taken its toll on me. In my obsession with perfectionism, I had fallen prey to an eating disorder. It began quite innocently as an effort to be more healthful but as time went on I became increasingly preoccupied with food, exercise, and the number on the scale. I was so proud of my great control and self discipline. Little did I know that with time, the tables would turn and I would be the one being controlled. The summer before my first year of college, my weight plummeted to an all time low and I could no longer eat without getting sick. My body was beginning to reject anything that had fat in it. It was at this point when I realized things needed to change. I knew that I couldn't keep on this way or my future would be anything but bright. I went to my family doctor who gave me a referral to a nutritionist, as well as a therapist. I followed through with the nutritional counseling. After slowly incorporating nutrition back into my diet, my weight came up a few pounds and so I decided that I was on the road to recovery and hadn't a need for counseling. That fall I began college and I was doing great. I loved my courses and had made some new friends. But before long, I fell back into old habits and was feeling completely overwhelmed. My mind was consumed with thoughts on maintaining my low weight and high grades. It was so time consuming to do both. I realized once again, that this was all I thought about, morning, noon, and night. And in a moment of clarity and complete honesty with myself, I knew God had a better plan for my life. I knew that I would never know what that was if I kept on as I was. I so badly wanted to rely on God and trust Him, but how? This was all I knew for so many years....how would I break these habits that had become so second nature. I was truly broken before the Lord. I felt I was at a moment of crisis and had to make a choice.....my way or His Way? For years I found my security in everything else but Him. I found it in a number on the scale. I found it in making the grade. I found it in a boyfriend whom I cared for deeply , but not enough to marry him. It was time for me to step out of my comfort zone and break free from all things that were familiar. Imagine my parents surprise and concern when I came home one day and told them that I withdrew from all my college classes and broke up with my boyfriend of nearly 6 years. After their initial shock wore off they were able to see that I was serious about getting well. I was simply getting rid of all the things that were hindering me from being all that the Lord had created me to be. I ended up receiving great intervention with a Christian therapist who specialized in cases of my sort and I can't tell you enough how much the Lord used this woman in my life. She will forever hold a special place in my heart. Slowly the Lord began to pick up the pieces of my broken heart and spirit and before long a new creation began to emerge. It wasn't overnight and it wasn't easy....in fact it was the hardest thing that I ever had to endure. Somedays I just wanted to die but He was faithful to complete the good work in which He started. It was in my weakest hour that His power was made complete in me....in other words, I would never have had victory over the sin in my life apart from him....my own efforts had already proved to be fruitless. But praise God, for in His strength, He enabled me to do what I thought was impossible!!! I will forever be grateful to Him and pray that I might be used in the lives of other girls and women who have struggled or are struggling with something similar. My heart is so heavy burdened b/c I want them to know there is hope and that God can perform the same miracle in them, that He's performed in me! 9:46 PM - Aug. 14, 2007 - comments {2} - post commentwhere i've come from...........I've been humbled at the amount of people who have shared with me that they read my blogs regularly and are encouraged by it....I've been equally surprised by those who've been reading whom I barely know but who heard about it through word of mouth. Initially, I didn't think anyone read it b/c people rarely would comment, but then the emails and phone calls would come and my heart was made happy. I am understanding though, because I myself have a handful of blogs that I read regularly and hardly ever comment....mainly b/c I try to keep my computer time to a minimum.Anyway, I've been thinking that I would share a little with those who don't know me very well. I figured that a good place to start would be with my testimony. Back when I began to truly walk with the Lord I would many times shy away from sharing for fear that people would look at me differently. However, now that I've matured some in my walk with the Lord I am so happy to share the great victories He has allowed me to have. Nope, I've not attained perfection yet, not even close, but rather am a work in progress and excited to proclaim His faithfulness. I can still get caught up in thoughts about "what so and so might think " but the Lord is slowly helping me work through those insecurities. Be sure to check back to read about my testimony and all the Lord has been doing in my life since........ 2:03 PM - Aug. 9, 2007 - comments {3} - post commentAbiding in Him..."I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."1 John 15:5 This verse is the premise for which I named this blog. As I abide in Him, He will dwell in me and teach me all that He desires for me to understand. I've learned over the course of my lifetime that apart from Him, I can truly do nothing. Join me in the lessons I've been learning from "The Vine." 1:44 PM - Aug. 9, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment |
Description Sharing lessons learned from "The Vine" "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Home User Profile Archives Recent Entries - take the time..... - The day that true love died.... - Happy New Year! - Merry Christmas!!!! - I'm still alive..... |