A Faithful Runner

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24

The Runner:

Let's pretend that you are a runner in a marathon. What is the most important thing about your race? It's not the beginning or the middle. It's not about the trials/challenges along the way. It's not about how fast you are. It's that you finished and end well. (Ecc. 7:8)

Well, this is also what is MOST important in a Christian life. When you become a Christian, you begin your race in the Christian life. 

Watch Out:

Sometimes, this world distracts us and tempts us with desires. Sometimes, we get tired and want to quit. (2 Thes. 3:13) Sometimes, we feel like we've done our time and we don't need to strive like we did before. Truth is, GOD tells us to strive to win the "CROWN". Press onward and upward! It means that we work harder until the end. We need to strive to be better runners today then yesterday. We need to stay focused on Jesus, the author and FINISHER of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2) It's important that we finish well!

Be Faithful:

It's easy to think we've done our time. It's easy to believe that we aren't important anymore. It's easy to say someone else can do a better job. It's easy to fall into Satan's lies about us, our talents and abilities. BUT.... it's wrong and it's not TRUE. We have talents/special abilities that GOD wants to manifest (magnify) and use for His glory. 

If you are living today, you have WORK to do for the Saviour. You are an important part of His church body. You are vital and others are looking up to you! More importantly, God call us to stay faithful to the end! "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21, 23 

We need to keep doing the things GOD has called us to do. We need to stay steadfast in our work. Are you a business worker? Work hard/Keep at it! Are you a mother? Be a godly one! Teach them the Bible! Are you a teacher or preacher? Stay faithful! Seek God's wisdom! Are you a grandma? Pray for your kids/grandkids! Serve in a ministry! Wherever you are at, whatever you do... don't give up and don't quit. Remember it's not how we start.... or even run....

It's how you finish and end. Press on for the heavenly crown!

The Grand Prize: 

Look toward Heaven, the eternal home. The rest/relaxation. The beauty of being in God's presence. The streets of gold. No tears/no sorrow. The reward for our hard labor. The crown. The GRAND PRIZE. Our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Waiting... is Hard

"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day." Psalm 25:5

Waiting:

What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for a test result? Are you waiting for summer and high school to be over? Are you waiting to be married? Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers? It's not easy to be in a "waiting" period of your life. It's challenging to trust for God's timing and God's answer to your prayers. We don't like to be in "storms" or have troubles/trials... We want things now!

What to Do while You Wait:

SELF: Keep your eyes focused on Jesus. Read His Word daily and consistently. It will comfort you and encourage you. Memorize it! Keep praying patiently for His peace and for the answer you seek. Stay connected with the Saviour who loves you so much! Sing praises and hymns. (link here) (Eph. 5:19-20)

GOD: Sometimes we must LET it go! If you can't do anything about the situation, let GOD handle it. Let it go by faith unto the Saviour. He controls the waves and the sea, he can handle the problem. Let it go, my friend. Stop worrying or fretting over it. Just give it to the Lord. Let Him bear that burden.

OTHERS: Stay busy in the work you are doing. Focus on maintaining current normal routine. Focus on a short-term future goal. Do something fun and enjoy your labor. Read a book or take up a hobby."And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you." 1 Thes. 4:11 Be involved in a church ministry. Serve others and love on them. Pray for them and their trials/burdens. Give them small gifts, your time, a listening ear, and a comforting hug. (1 Peter 3:8-9)

Remember these words: "Peace, be still."

Building Up (in Marriage)

"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." Proverbs 14:1

Building Up:

My husband and I are going to be celebrating our FIFTH anniversary this year. I have grown alot and have learned a few things along the way.

Here are some thoughts on building up a godly relationship:

#1 Communicate Honestly

When a problem arises, learn to talk things out as soon as you can. Eat, drink, calm down... then spend some time discussing what the problem was. (It doesn't matter if it's big or small... talk it out privately.) Pray first. Speak kindly and honestly. Let the other person know how they can improve. Be honest where you messed up and seek forgiveness. (Eph. 4:26) Make changes accordingly. If they ask you to do something differently, submit and do it. (1 Cor. 16:16)

#2 Pray Specifically for your Spouse

Pray for him while he works. Pray for him to have wisdom, discernment, blessings, and encouragement. Ask him to give you things to pray for specifically. Pray for his personal relationship with Christ. Pray it grows and develops. Pray for him to have his own prayer time and daily Bible reading time. As he grows, so will you. Pray for him to have fun days and for him to enjoy hobbies/adventures. Pray that he'll be a better husband and father and even a better worker. (Gal. 6:2)

#3 Grow in Knowledge

Learn to understand your spouse. Learn to figure out what pleases him. Listen to what he complains about or makes requests on... and try to do what you can to fix that. DO that FIRST! Example: My husband today asked me to focus my attention on the laundry load, so first thing after he left, I did that.... and God kept my girls asleep while I did! When I honor my husband's requests, God blesses my work.  

Improve yourself. Pray for God's help in areas that you need to change. Keep trying! :) (1 Peter 3:5-6)

Do you feel like your husband doesn't know your requests? I have two ways that my husband sees what I need done (in the house) and sees what my likes/wishes are. First, we have a white board in kitchen that has the main weekly goals on it. He uses it to figure out how he can help me around the house. :) Second, my husband uses "Evernote" for work and home projects. I created a NOTE that has all my wishes and desires in it. I can update it as I want to... but it gives him liberty to do things when the time is right and/or the funds are available.

If/When your husband does something for you, praise him highly!! Do it extravagantly. It encourages him to do more. :)

Does This Work??

By submitting myself and putting my husband's requests/needs before my own, GOD rewards and blesses my work. I don't worry or stress anymore. I trust my husband to help me and support me. I know God will take care of him and reward his work at the workplace. In our marriage and our home, we are happy and enjoying the fruits of our labor. :D

"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear." 1 Peter 3:1-2

A Worthy Goal (Pt 3)

"Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach." Nehemiah 2:17

A Biblical Discovery:

I've been reading through my Bible and just finished the book of Nehemiah. If you want to learn and study how to have a worthy goal that you actually accomplish... this is the book for that!

Step #1 (Choose ONLY one Goal):

As I started reading, I noticed that he didn't choose many goals. He didn't say "let's build the wall, the temple, the houses, the city... instead he picked only one goal: the wall. He also didn't make it a vague ambition or idea or dream. It was concentrated determined goal on one task.

"Most of the confusion and indecision found with the majority of people is because they want so many things they don't decide on which to accomplish first. And as a result they often accomplish nothing at all."*
Write your goal down and keep it in your pocket. This will help you remember it and its importance to you. Look at it every day until it's accomplished.

Step #2 (Make it a SPECIFIC Goal): 

Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. The king noticed he was sad which lead him to send Nehemiah to Jerusalem. The king sent him with supplies and provision for the journey and repair.

"So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire."  Nehemiah 2:11-12 KJV

Prepare and Define your Goal: Before he asked others to help him repair the wall. He planned and surveyed the damage. This helped him to define the right goal and to make it specific. He studied to see what was most important and turned that into his goal! 

Step #3 (Is it WORTHY?/Stay FOCUSED):

The book of Nehemiah has many examples of trials you face with accomplishing a goal. People made fun of him, mocked and oppressed him. He had threats on his life and his workers. He had people trying to distract him and persuade him to do other things less important. He faced lots of hardship, yet he found strength in God.

"Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands." Nehemiah 6:9 KJV

This goal will take up your time and treasures. You will be challenged by others. You will have distractions and hardship. Is the goal worthy of all that? Is a valuable one? Have you prayed or talked with godly counsels on it? Do you have Bible verses to back it up?

"There is no road to success but through a clear strong purpose, nothing can take its place. A purpose underlies character, culture, position, attainment of every sort."*

Step #4 (An ACCOMPLISHED Goal):

"So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God." Nehemiah 6:15-16 KJV

FIFTY-TWO days!! He and the people built the wall in fifty-two days. Everyone around was amazed. Yet, because his goal was godly and right... and because he stayed faithful and concentrated on it, God strengthened Nehemiah's hands and rewarded his hard work. Nehemiah accomplished the goal he set out to do.

"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal"*

* Lead the Field, Earl Nightengale

Starting Bible Devotions (for Kids)

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deut. 6:7

Although this is a devotion based for kids... if you don't have a personal daily devotion, you can use this for yourself! :D

The Background:

Back in January, I began reading through my Bible for the third year in a row. I have a daily reading schedule I follow, a prayer journal that I regularly update and pray through, and simply strive to get closer to my Saviour. But I began to realize that my children need to start a daily habit of spending moments with their Saviour. 

Starting a daily devotion with two toddlers was NOT easy, in fact, many times I wanted to quit and give up! 

WHY:

I want my children to develop spiritual habits that are as familiar to them as learning to walk, eat, speak and do their "ABCs". I want them to learn about creation and this world from the Biblical perspective. I want them memorize scripture and sing Bible songs... not just "Let it GO!" or Disney classics. See, the world will teach them alot...... but it will not teach them the BIBLE and its truths. I pray daily as I strive to discipline us to have a daily devotion. 

HOW-TO:

I found out that you could read the entire New Testament in one year, if you read a chapter a day during just the work week! :) For a little child, one chapter is more than enough. So that's what we do. :) One chapter a day. (Currently we are in the book of Mark.)

We do our devotions after breakfast when they are happy and content. We start by getting the Bible and journal book. I give them pens and highlighters to hold as they sit on either side of me on the couch.

1. We pray and ask God to help us listen and not talk or to just sit still. 
2. We sing and act out Bible songs. We review the Bible memory verses. (Alena now knows two. Kenni is learning one.)
3. We read one chapter of the New Testament. 
4. After we are done, I write in our journal book with the date and a small paragraph of where I read and the content. 
5. I then draw one picture of a story we read about. (The girls love this part!) 
6. I write out one prayer request. 
7. Lastly, I have them sign their names("draw a picture"). :D

This system took a while for me to figure out.. with lots of errors and mistakes but with persistence, it has become easier and more fun! I'm continually adding new songs and more Bible verses to memorize.

CREATING HABITS:

Each habit that we try to create takes time and discipline. You, too, can create your own daily devotion and do one with your kids. Take small steps. With time and understanding, it will develop and mature. Be patient and pray alot. God wants to help you. Don't give up. Realize Satan is your enemy. Keep your eyes focused on Christ and seek His Help and His Strength!

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily" 
John Maxwell