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Don't you love to find nuggets in Gods word.  Especially in scriptures that you have read somewhere in time before.  They begin to mean something more.  They add certainty and dimension, focus.  


I love my sister friends.  I grow and mature with help from them.  They are examples of Gods love so often in my life.  They are precious gifts full of inspiration and joy.  

BUT...

When the personalities can't be seen as exceptional differences and we don't see eye to eye, or when we find ourselves lost in thought often, with negativity towards another, God needs to show up then as well.  Here's what Philippians 2:1-4 says.

-Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?

-Any comfort from his love? 

-Any fellowship together in the Spirit? 

-Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 

-Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, 

-loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

-Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. 

-Be humble, thinking of others as better than    yourselves. 

-Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

God did not make us all to be the same or design us to go about things the same.  He did create us to glorify Him.  To grow in love for each other.  He made ways to get along when He puts us into the lives of so many different women.   

I love that Paul sets out these very clear and instructive verses.  He is exampling the attitude of Christ in these passages.  I love how he lays out three questions.  Then he asks "are your hearts tender and compassionate?"  Then he goes on to say, okay... here's what you need to do.

-  Love one another

- Work together

- Don't be selfish

- Don't try to impress

- Be humble

- Think that others ARE better than yourself

- Don't look out for yourself

- Invest in others

Follow these guidelines while navigating through your relationships with your sister friends. God brings people and things into our lives to cultivate our fruits, to grow us into a likeness of His son.  Keep in mind, the most challenging relationships can also be the most rewarding.

What relationship are you thinking about right now?  We all have one (at least).

What is God telling you through this scripture?

Expect God to show up in all areas of our lives.  

He most certainly will! 

Getting Ready To Remember

Getting Ready To Remember

My eyes are fixed to the screen.  My ears feel 
desperate to hear.  Every word and phrase spoken,
 every scene hits me, but it doesn't quite sink in.

I hear my mother's voice on the phone,
 "Your dad's cousin Victor was the pilot on the second plane."
  What?  The TV area is so crowded I push my way

to the front to see what is happening now. 
"Who else should I call?" 
"When will this end?" 

 "What is going on?" 
"What will be next?"

Panic seems to be settling itself on my shoulders.

As with most major horrific days, people remember
 where they were that day.  The day when what never
 was even thought of before, happened.

Over the years I watched the ceremony of remembrance.
I hear the conspiracy theories. I watch the documentaries.
 Each anniversary, I wonder if our enemies will strike out
again in their own remembrance.
Each year the tears come.

I have sat wondering how I would remember
this day, this year.

As many Americans, I don't want this memorial to pass
as only a tragic memory.  I want it to mean more,
to grow into something positive. 

Grow into more love for my neighbor.  Grow in my
knowledge of God's will.  Grow in the understanding
that God uses ALL things even tragedies like this

to grow us into His Glory.  There is nothing that
happens to us that He doesn't want us to learn from,
to reach out to Him for comfort.

What is God teaching? 
What is He saying to me personally?

If I slam my fist in anger at someone.  If I am filled
with the feeling of vengeance.  If I am being tempted
to hate.  If I am getting ready to judge America

for its many wrongs... If I say, this is old news. 
 Lets move on...

I think I may miss the Lesson.

If I ask God "What is My responsibility here?" 
 "What is My personal lesson here?" I think I may be
on the right track. I know it sounds simplistic but 
I think I may be getting ready to properly remember.

I have heard some great ideas for today:

Do something good for another person. 

Spend quality time in prayer for our country and its leaders. 

Love your family and be thankful.

Shed tears for people who lost a loved one.

Comfort those who are still hurting.

However you begin to get ready to remember
... remember this

God is always, always the answer. 
 Look to Him this year and ask NOT how you Feel
you should remember but 

 "Lord, how do you want me to remember?" 

"How do I bring glory to You and Your name?"

The images still grab at my stomach and cause pain

The devastation still seems hard to understand.

The enemy, God's enemy, would love to
use this memory and a foothold gain.

What if Love poured out of each
 mind's remembrance? True understanding of

God's awesome power. What if what is left is
not wreckage but honor and benevolence?

What if the true enemy of our soul screams 
"My plans you ruined" "Not again God!"

What if today we love instead of hate,

take up compassion and then on Satan's head trod.

My prayer for each family touched by this
anniversary of 9/11, is that God will comfort,
strengthen, show His will to you on this day of loss. 
That you know and understand this truth -

 That nothing escapes God's view
 and His offer of love and comfort
and neither do you.