FLAMES

In The Light by DC Talks

I keep trying to find a life

On my own, apart from You
I am the king of excuses
I've got one for every selfish thing I do 

What's going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior 

[chorus]
I wanna be in the Light
As You are in the Light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord be my Light and be my salvation
Cause all I want is to be in the Light
All I want is to be in the Light 

The disease of self runs through my blood
It's a cancer fatal to my soul
Every attempt on my behalf has failed
To bring this sickness under control 

Tell me, what's going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior 

I want to be a light. I want to burn bright. I want to walk by FAITH. Burn my doubt GOD!

I pray that you never lose Faith and Hope. Even though you find excuses, I pray they are shattered by God and HE frees your chains to let HIS love BURN through you!

I pray that no matter what you face, you continue to chase what is real and true!

Thank you Beautiful MERCIFUL Father for all you have bestowed upon me and I pray YOU place a hedge of protection, healing, strength and comfort around all who read this today. 

You are forever AMAZING and worthy of our praise!

AMEN!

Much love to you all!

Not becoming weary from doing good.

How often do we see that? Someone who doesn't seem to have God in their life at all (yes, by our judging heart and even when we try not to, we do judge.) getting away with everything and "winning". The following examples are seen on tv, in news, and in movies or on a show - they are not people I know personally.

Those people with money winning another lottery drawing. Those people who don't follow the rules getting the promote and raise. The one who cheats on their spouse. The one who steals. The one who murders. 

Yes, the examples got worse as my list grew. But it is portrayed that those who aren't doing good in the Lord's eyes are the ones who are successful while it is portrayed those who follow God as closely as we each can (each of our journeys are different - DO NOT COMPARE).
Let me repeat that - DO NOT COMPARE your relationship, and journey with your neighbor. You are in a different season of life.

Praying for you today that God's Love is amazingly plentiful in your life and shines through the darkness.
Love you all!

Since the beginning...

Tonight I want to start with saying - I have OVERCOME - Thank you Lord!

I was once the one who constantly asked or repeated to myself "Since I can't do anything right (by my standards), why am I even here?" "Who would miss me?" "Do I even matter?"

Up until a year ago, I would have...several times a week, many times a day. It was UGLY. (You notice that I didn't say I..I said IT...as in LIFE...) Divorce, lost job, no children and then add insult to injury...moved back home with my parents (yes, at the time, it was embarrassing even.)

Today...I still live with my parents, who are elderly and in bad health, I also take care of my niece. I am now doing a daily bible reading that HELPS me more than it may show. I am doing creative things that GLORIFY GOD! Realizing I am not in control...no matter how much I wanna be!

I pray that God grants you peace from your chaos and takes back the control!

Love you all!

Let it be...

As I was "throwing" this together, I was first drawn to the last part - I am weak, then I am strong. My brain flew to the hymn -"I am weak but Thou art STRONG...Jesus keep me from all wrong, Daily walking close to thee, let it be Dear Lord, let it be." (from memory so if not 100% accurate , you know why.)
And then I was reading it again, and saw "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU"
HOW AWESOME - to be assured that God's GRACE is sufficient..more than enough... to give me STRENGTH.
And as I am typing this - "For Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties..." Something I struggle with. For during times as those, I become weak..I complain about how "terrible" it is...I think "woe is me..nothing is going right" Yes, I let Satan and his demons invade. But then something like this bible reading will POP up in my life - PLACED by GOD and it changes everything. I can breathe again!
I pray that you are wrapped in God's grace and resting comfortable tonight no matter what trials you are facing. God is always there and will always prevail!
Much love to you all!

Memory from 2012

Thought of the day (From my Time Line on August 27, 2012) - Life is only a bad as you make it. Remind your problems who God is instead of telling God your problems. I have been fighting it but once I let go and let God, I am more at ease. He > i Thank you God for all You have done for me. I know I take my blessings for granted without returning my gratitude more often than I care to admit but You are always there to pick me up no matter how far I stray. No this does not give me the right to sin, but it gives me peace knowing that WHEN I mess up, You let me learn from my mistakes and move forward. I am nothing with out God. I hope everyone has a blessed day. Let your light shine!

As I read that on Facebook this morning, I knew I needed to share that memory. This was right after I had filed for divorce and God was working in my life to get me back to HIM.

God's mercies are new every morning!

I pray that you are refreshed with His unspeakable Joy! LOVE you all!

Creation Creating

This bible reading struck me today as a good correlation to go along with Without Rival by Lisa Bevere. This is a bible study that the Scribbling Scriptures Sisters will be starting on Thursday. I am excited because God has opened the door to allow me to help encourage other SISTERS and Brothers find their voice in bible journaling. Each of us have a different love language as well as a different journaling language. For some the hardest thing is finding that key to unlock that language.

We have seen many languages (not just the spoken ones) used through out the many Facebook groups dedicated to Bible Journaling. So if you are struggling in finding your voice, do not give up! It is out there and God will help you discover it!

I pray that God awakens your voice and lets it shout HIS praises for all to see! It could be something as simple as note-taking in special colors, to splendid wall hangings. You could be blessed with digital skills or even mad scrapbooking skills. You might can see the colors that go awesome together while someone else can see the right font or shapes needed to make the design come together. God's creations creating beauty together!

Much love to you all!

Making Diamonds

First let me apologize for not posting a bible reading yesterday. Major life change at our house so I had been doing them before I go to bed at night as a way to help me relax and reflect over my day. That plus the fact that we lost electricity for almost 6 hours yesterday evening, my plans were shot..
Oh well...que sera sera!

Oh the joy of the lord
It will be my strength
When the pressure is on
He's making diamonds!

Quiet...

Sometimes my brain doesn't quieten down and listen for for your voice! 
Praying for wisdom...

Much love to you all!

A God Wink

 No you are not seeing double. Yes they are the same verse on different papers and with different fonts. I had saved the second one into the wrong file and instead of LOOKING for it...I just made a new one.

A God Wink...yes to some it may also be called a CO WINKY Dink. The same concept just different views on where the source of the WINK came.  Yes the other graphic is from August 11th. I do not create my own list of bible verses. They are sent to me and I pull them up, read over them, and give you my insight after prayers and conversations.

Sometimes those conversations happen moments before and others have happened in the past, some thoughts are even from the future...what might be.

So these God Winks, Co-Winky-Dinks, or just plain coincidences that occur in our life aren't just by some per chance that Mars wasn't in retrograde. These are planned by God, written into our life story.

I love when they happen. Like unplanned friendships that blossom between Sisters and Brothers who only meet because of that GOD Wink. It was by His hand that you even meet and begin to bloom in HIS love.

I have seen acquaintances drift aside and keep going in a life raft I thought I should be in. God didn't need me there. He had other plans for me. Did I keep trying to swim to that boat and hold onto those acquaintances? Yes. Do I still have contact with those acquaintances? Yes but they do not feed and refresh my spirit.

I praise YOU Lord for the bountiful blessings You rain down on Your children. Thank you for being such a loving and protective Father. I pray for comfort and strength be granted to those in Louisiana. I pray for complete healing over those who are ill, both visibly and invisibly; both short term and long term; We refuse to accept the words spoken over us by a doctor saying there is nothing left to be done. You are our great Physician and Healer! I pray for protection and safety around those traveling, no matter the circumstances or distance. I pray for wisdom and grace in dealing with those who have their ears and hearts closed to YOUR voice and plan! In Jesus Name - AMEN

Much Love to You ALL!

Run Away....

Have you seen the movie "HOME"? It is an animation about an alien race called the BOOV who RUN AWAY from everything that scares them or threats them. One of the main characters, OH comments that if success falls below 50%, they run away.
So if you are not guaranteed a 50% success rate, you are going to run away? You would then be like the BOOV and spend most of your life RUNNING AWAY.
As you look at the future, what do you see? Do you see worries and fears that are scattered across EVERY horizon? Or do you see the adventures of hope that you can experience?
I was once like the BOOV - afraid of EVERYTHING - especially success in anything. I didn't want to succeed.
NOW I do - I want to SUCCEED at praising GOD, bringing HIM the glory in all I do. Do I fail? YES...there are days I feel like more of a failure than I admit. I want to hide out and not push the wall out of my comfort zone that I hide behind. What we should be running away from is usually what we are clinging to tightly?
I pray that each of you find someway to succeed in your relationship with God. I know that it isn't a smooth ride and it isn't meant to be. I pray that God opens our ears to HIS words and HIS plans.
Much love to you all!

At The Right Time

Time. What a vast subject. Time we think as measureable by MAN but what about God? How does God measure time? What would we do with "unlimited" time? Is there such a thing?
Maybe time should be replaced by responsibilities. We have an UNLIMITED amount of tasks and errands that we slap into responsibilities yet we complain when we find that there are too many to perform, run, deal with, etc in a "day" (normally 8 to 12 hours depending on how much sleep your body decides it needs to run on).
Some responsibilities that I place high on my list are not as highly important as others.
Some others have as important I think are frivolous. It all depends on our season in life as well as with God.
I pray that God reveals some ways to improve your time with Him and your time dealing with life. I pray that God grants you the peace to let go of those responsibilities that are draining life from your heart.
In Jesus Name!
Much Love to you all!

Make it meaningful

My bestie shared this with me today. And of course...IT got me thinking....

How do things in my life measure up to these qualifying and quantifying questions?

And many MANY things fell short!

Then next step is WHAT do I do about these stumble blocks? How do I turn them into STEPPING STONES?

I want to be able to answer YES to each of these questions when it comes to each avenue of my life. Friends, Family, Facebook Acquaintances (because let's face it...Facebook may classify you as a friend but they don't even know if you like cream or milk in your HOT coffee or tea (because yes some of us drink it like that), person behind me in the grocery checkout, person stuck beside me in traffic...Each of these areas of my life should REFLECT my relationship with GOD.

Stop right there....NO I have not nor will I ever be PERFECT. I have done things that were not Christ-LIKE even though I claimed to be a Christian. I have REPENTED and God has washed me white - clean - thrown them as far as the EAST is from the WEST. 

I didn't understand what it meant to have a relationship with God. I was under the impression that I could never change a mistake so why bother TRYING to change and get past it. I held on to them. I used them to identify who I thought I was....Which was Satan calling me by my sins, Not GOD calling me by my NAME!

I pray today finds you listening for God calling your name! I pray that whatever you feel is pulling you away from God that HE will use it to HIS glory and pull you back. Allow HIM to work GOOD in your life.  Restore your relationship with God. Repent of your sins! Remove your chains!

In Jesus Name!

Much Love to YOU all!

We were made to thrive!

Just to know You and
To make You known
We lift Your name on High
Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more
Than ordinary lives
It's time for us to more than just survive
We were made to thrive!

Christmas in August...

Today was a blah day. Stomach virus going through (yes that was a pun) our households right now. It makes everyone miserable and cranky.

Then I look at the bible reading for today. Yes it from Christ's birth or the Christmas story (however you wish to view it). And I think about how simple these verses are yet they are the beginning of a GREAT LOVE that many have yet to unwrap!

Even though it is simple, it is a complex LOVE. One that escapes space and time. One that so many of us search for and many may never find.

This isn't the love of a spouse, a best friend, an earthly parent, or sibling. This is the love of a Heavenly Father who chose to send HIS son to die for OUR sins. This is a love that can not be reproduced by giving gifts, cards, or chocolates to a special person in our lives. It is only reproduced by giving our lives to God and being an example to others.

I pray that your life shines of God's Love! I pray that no matter what stumbling block is in your way, you find a way up, over, or around it. Using it to further God's Kingdom!

Love you all!

Not Forsaken

What can others do to me? Only what I ALLOW them to do to me. 

God is amazing! Yesterday, today, and forever!

He does so much for us every day!

Praises the Highest!

I pray that God provides you refuge from the trials that seem to be bombarding your life. I pray that you find God's peace and mercy.

Love you all!

Be Strong

I don't know about the rest of the planet but Arkansas kids and teachers start back to classes tomorrow. This only partial affects me as my nephew starts the 11th grade and my Sister In Law starts back as counselor with Arkansas School of the Blind. Even though I don't have children, I have many friends who are parents. I remember as a kid the first day being stressful...especially as I got up in grades where you had to move from class room to class room for your different subjects and had SEVEN different teachers you had to learn about as well as the classmates for those classes.
These verses are excellent for those embarking on new adventures starting tomorrow.
The new students in kindergarten and pre-school, the new students at new schools, the teachers meeting all their students, the college freshmen embarking on their own, the college and high school seniors who are getting ready for their next chapter in life...so many NEW adventures!
I pray that all are strong and courageous and not afraid!
Love you all!

Do Not Be Overcome By Evil

Once again, God is working in His wonderfully mysterious ways! When I throw this graphic and verse together, I didn't know about the weekend challenge of red and lime in Faith in heART. I just picked it because I liked it and have been on a floral kick lately. Plus I don't like using just a "plain" background. Sometimes the verses will have something I can find and attach like deer or apples. Something that is stuck in my head lately - "Everything (Evil and Sin) didn't start because of an apple".... but because of Eve "ate" from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. What if ate just means that she sampled, tasted of the KNOWLEDGE...as in she read,or looked at pictures of how things could happen if you doubt God's plan.

The verses today touch on this EVIL..the thoughts of REVENGE and AVENGING.

Human nature is to pay like for like. We seek to hurt those who hurt us...no matter how small and usually insignificant it truly matters to OUR life.

Instead of seeking God, we mull over how hurt we have been. We lick our wounds and allow them to fester, boiling over into other parts of our lives.

Why do we hold on to these grievances? Why can we not let go?

I pray that today you let go of these heartaches, headaches, and wounds. Let God give you unspeakable peace and rest from these thoughts of Revenge and Evil.

Love you all!

Virtues

Do we often pray for these virtues from God - compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? Sometimes in asking for these, they are tested beyond our human limits.

Many people say if you want these things in your life, you have to show them to others. Kind of hard to have patience with other drivers at 5 pm on any work day, oh yes, yes it is....

Do you practice these even when you don't have LOVE for the others involved in your life?

What about forgiveness? Do you hold onto the bitterness shown to you by a stranger more than your own brother (whether by flesh, marriage or through Christ)? Usually it is the other way around...we are quick to forgive those we don't have to deal with daily, etc. We tend to hold onto our other grievances until they make us sick.

Today was a struggle for me. I am dealing with some personal grievances that I need to give to God but I would rather hold on to them and wallow in my own self pity. It doesn't do anyone any good and it makes me feel like poop...so why do it? It is as if holding on to them will allow me to feel superior...superior-ly sick and stupid in the end.

I pray that God opens your eyes, ears, and heart to the virtues HE knows you need to work on...not the ones YOU want to work on.

I pray that we "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Thank you Father God for my wonderful Sisters and Brothers that YOU have sent my way. Whether they have touched my life with one single act or through daily chats, I pray YOU are each lifted up until God's righteous mercy and washed anew!

Love you all!

Use your breath

Let everything that has BREATH praise the Lord! 

So every LIVING thing should praise the LORD. Every human can praise HIM through many means. 

Many of us don't have musical talent but that shouldn't stop us from PRAISING God.

He doesn't say that only those who are talented or have amazing voices should do the praising. It says EVERYTHING that has BREATH. 

So let today be the day that you start praising God with all you have and all you do. Even in your collection or hoarding..*giggles*

My prayer today is that you find peace from your past. Whatever happened yesterday, last week, etc. leave it there. Allow God's peace to wash you clean EVERY day!

Love you all!

How can I help you?

God's voice is softly whispering - Do not forget who you are.

You are my child. I created you to do great things.

Each one of you will do great things according to YOUR OWN talents.

NOT according to your neighbors.

Why then are you troubled by trying to gain the approval of strangers or even friends?

We want to please EVERYONE. We don't like letting others down. It is hard when it comes to people we have been in touch with for more than a day.  We want to be what everyone wants us to be but we forget to be what God wants us to be.

I know that it hurts when people think less of me. For any reason. But I have come to the conclusion that God is who I truly need to worry about pleasing. I know that I can always do better and that is what I strive to do. I strive to do what God wants and what He has planned for me.

I pray that God releases you from the stress of being a people pleaser. Sometimes we need to step out of the rut and look at the road. What caused us to swerve from the road and end up in the ditch? 

I pray your road becomes clearer.

Love you all!

Comfort

Finding comfort...is it those fleece pj pants or hoodie sweatshirt? Is it hiding under the handmade quilt of your grandma's? Is it the piping hot yeast rolls or mashed potatoes with EXTRA butter? While these things can make us forget about our problems for an hour or two, maybe even a day but they do nothing to bring the light out of the darkness of our troubles.

Finding comfort from this world isn't EASY or at least in the terms of the world it isn't. 

Comfort is another complex word - it is also both a noun and a verb.

We use comfort to measure our walk through this world. We seek comfort in our every day needs and wants. I need comfort but it seems only on my time table.

We seek to offer comfort to others based solely on their circumstances.

Today I pray that God brings you COMFORT whether it is due to the loss of a loved one, or job. I pray for COMFORT from the elements. I pray for COMFORT from fear. I pray for COMFORT in all areas of your lives that it might shine into the darkness of others.

Love you all!

I Love You~

Love. A powerful word. Described as a noun and a verb. It is also described as an emotion or feeling but it reaches so much more. When I think of love, I think of the actions that are exhibited toward others with out being asked or requested as if they were second nature.

No need for gofundme accounts, or petitions. Not that these things are not good but with SOCIAL MEDIA we are bombarded with so many requests for LOVE in so many ways that many times WE (I) shut down, close my heart, ignore, skip, by pass, etc. these requests.

It isn't because we don't care. It is because we are over saturated with these requests that sometimes we can't figure out which are true needs and which are GREEDY and undeserving (by OUR checklists).

I pray that God softens our hearts to show love and be love to our neighbors. NOT just in lip service by saying I love you but by doing something (no matter how small) for them. 

May my actions reflect YOUR words on my heart!

Love you all (yes It sounds so.....drained...now.)

Hide your pride!

When you see or hear the words- humble, and humility, what comes to mind? Do you find your human free will clashing with your heart/soul that you gave to God? The answer is more than likely YES. Our free will and human worldly side seeks to be number 1, more important than our neighbor, better than all the rest. BUT when we are changed by God and SEEK Him first, HUMBLING ourselves to HIM, it sparks a war within.
Why do we think we have to be more than our neighbors instead of lifting up our neighbor? Celebrating someone else's achievements often casts a shadow of fear and failure on our own lives that we wish we could HIDE away from everyone.
I pray that God comes alive in your life and removes all your anxiety. Move into HIS light and become HUMBLE to HIM as well as others.
Love you all!

God's Gotta Change Your Heart First!

When you first read these verse, what meets your heart? Is it the list of sins? Is it that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Those together were what I gathered as I first read over the verses while putting the graphic together. 

BUT then as I was reading them, preparing what God wanted me to share, HE revealed to me that these verses don't say that anyone who has or is living like this can not be changed. That change comes from accepting HIS love, His SON, HIS salvation. 

God can come to those who are living in such SIN and CHANGE their heart. That is AMAZING and AWESOME that God shows us such love that we desire to do just that..CHANGE.

Praying for change in your life today! 

Love you all!

Prayer Warrior!

Are you a prayer worry or prayer warrior?

Do you just meet God on your knees when something isn't going right in your life or do you talk with Him EVERYDAY? Do you thank HIM for your trials as well as your blessings?

I am very guilty of being a prayer worry. I would only talk to God when something wasn't going right in my life and then wondered why I didn't hear HIS voice. Why should HE bother with me if I couldn't be bothered with HIM?

When my mom was having trouble and the doctor pulled me aside to tell me that it was only going to get worse, those words drove me to my knees. I couldn't lose my mom. One of my many SISTERS reminded me WORDS are powerful. WE hear what is being said and take that as GOSPEL even though we know the TRUTH. We forget to believe in the ONE who moves the mountain. We lose our FAITH in HIM for a brief second and focus it all on those words spoken by a doctor, or other health care provider, or even an authority figure like a teacher.

Once our focus is back on God, HE begins working through us, healing those who ask, who touch His garment.

Meeting God on our knees everyday builds us into the prayer WARRIOR we are meant to be.

I pray that you step out of the shadow of FEAR and WORRY and DOUBT. Give GOD your troubles and SURRENDER unto HIS peace and joy!

Love you all!

*The Christian Conservative*

Shout to the Lord!

My Jesus, my Saviour

Lord there is none like You

All of my days I want to praise

The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter

Tower of refuge and strength

Let every breath, all that I am

Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing

Power and majesty, praise to the King

Mountains bow down and the seas will roar

At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hand

Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand

Nothing compares to the promise I have

In You

Lyrics of Shout to the Lord!

They just seem to fit for today - nothing more.

Love to you all!

Iceberg Ahead!

How often do you compare your life/actions with others around you? I do it more than I should. I see people who are happy and wish that I was in their shoes until that still small voice BOOMS "Are you sure you see all that is going on in their life?" 

We are all like icebergs - our bulk (personal life) is usually UNDER WATER. Drowning in debt, depression, pride, (craft supplies - LOL), something that has taken our focus OFF God.

Don't be like Peter and take your eyes off God and SINK into the rest of the world.

I pray that whatever you have in your life that seems to be holding you back, that God breaks you free from it. Walk in Faith, my brothers and sisters!

Love you all!

What if

Today's bible reading isn't fluffy or full of "inspiration". It is strictly prophecy. Isaiah was prophesying about the coming of Jesus and Jesus' life. 

What would that be like to know about something before EVERYONE else and before it even happened? How often do we "wish" to know the future especially when we are trying to make a decision?

There are many times I know I have said "if only I had seen that coming...I might have made a different choice." Or laid awake at night with the WHAT IFs....(What if I choose path A over path B?) 

It is through those choices that we mold our character. I pray that you choose to listen to God over which path. I know there are many paths I should have listened more closely to God instead of thinking I was in control...

Love you all!

Praises Ring!

Making today's bible reading was fun and a challenge. I don't use overlays alot. I just knew I wanted the music notes and this was the one file I had that spoke the verse to me.  That what is so awesome about bible journaling. YOU can use ANY medium to draw closer to GOD.
In some of the bigger groups, a majority of the posts I had seen were of people comparing their talents to others. Just breathe and rest in God. He will show you the way He wants you to connect with HIM.
And don't go BANANAS buying all the supplies...My go to supplies are my printer, my pencils, my Microns, and my gel pens. I use my other supplies on occasion. I try not to become a hoarder but I am - I am afraid to give it away or get rid of it because I MIGHT NEED IT. If I haven't used it in 5 years (yes..I have things that old..), then chances are I will not be using it in the next 5 days.
"Come and sit and ask HIM whatever is on your heart. NO question is too small, no riddle too simple. HE has all the time in the world. Come and seek the WILL of GOD." - Max Lucado
I pray that today as you seek God, HE guides you in the direction HE has planned for you. Let HIM lead you to green pastures and calm waters! For He is GREATER than any trouble we encounter.
Love you all!