Greatest Volunteer

I’m writing this jewel to all the volunteers out there. I know that volunteering can be one of the most thankless jobs you ever encounter. There have been many times when I’m at soup kitchen and we are serving a meal that was generously donated to us to serve our brothers and sisters and people complain about the food. I know when I was feeding my family with food given to me by a local restaurant I was grateful to have it regardless that it was the same food every week. There are times we bring clothes and someone will take most of them and we find out later they sold them. We have people that take meals for their “friends” that aren’t there or the ones who are drunk or mentally unstable that just plain yell at us for whatever's ailing them. We deal with the ones who may smell offensive or whose breath is so bad I have to hold mine while talking to them. There are a lot of reasons not to volunteer at soup kitchen and I’m sure if you’re a volunteer of any kind you may have your own list. BUT I want to tell you why I will never stop volunteering.

 
Matthew 25:40-45 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Those are some powerful words and I want to do whatever I can for my sweet Jesus.
There’s another reason I volunteer. I love when I see a person’s life transformed by the love of God through the hands of His people, me and you.

 
Like when I see a guest show up for the first time and he or she is holding onto everything they have for dear life and after a few months they are giving some of what they have to a late comer who has nothing. Or when they get back on their feet and come back and help us serve. When a guy who used to show up drunk and angry is now leading a prayer before we leave the site. Or the woman who is pregnant and is going to have an abortion but because you loved her past her decision she decides to give her baby up for adoption and you just happened to know who she can contact to help her with that. Maybe you’re the one that’s lucky enough to lead someone to the Lord because you loved her past her smell. I have made friends with some of our guest that I truly treasure. These are just a few examples, I’m sure you have a bunch you could add.

I want to share one very special one with you. It’s about my dear friend Brenda. I met Brenda about 2 years ago. She is a trip to say the least. She’s originally from Rhode Island and like some of us her life took one turn after another for the worse and before she knew it she was homeless, living in Florida behind a vacant building on her own. When we hear the word homeless we tend to get a visual of someone uneducated or an alcoholic or drug addict but in today’s economy that is not the case. Brenda is far from uneducated, truth be told she’s way smarter than me. She’s vibrant and beautiful, witty, charming and a definite leader. How she got where she was is not important, how she left where she was is. I was honored to lead Brenda to the Lord and hang out with her every Tuesday night. I never sugar coated my message to her and trust me she never sugar coated hers. I remember I didn’t go to soup kitchen one night and didn’t let her know I wasn’t going to be there and I got a text the next day from her that read "What The F… where were you last night." If that offends you, get over it. I was thrilled that she felt comfortable being real with me and more than that she missed me!

 
I had the honor of helping Brenda see herself the way Christ saw her. I asked her one time why she didn’t go back home and she said she was scared. This blew my mind. I'm thinking what could be scarier than sleeping behind a vacant building outside in the cold and rain and heat of summer. I told her she was one of the bravest women I ever met.

 
Brenda was known to hang out at the local Burger King during the day so I would randomly show up there and take her to lunch or just hang out and pray with her.
OK so where am I going with this? I’m so excited I can barley type. Brenda finally tied up her loose ends here in Florida and decided to go back to Rhode Island and bring closure to things she left behind there. As much as I wanted her to leave and begin a new life in Christ I hated to see her go. I will miss her terribly.

We said our goodbyes a few weeks ago at the soup kitchen site and a group of us prayed over her. I hadn’t heard from her and was beginning to get nervous. A couple of weeks ago I went to my Wednesday morning Bible study and I usually shut off my phone or mute it but felt like the Lord said to leave it on so I did. My phone did ring and when I looked down I saw a Rhode Island number! My heart literally leaped in my chest.

It was my Brenda on the other end and she was at the hospital with her whole family. She told me her aunt was dying. She said a priest came in to pray and I don’t know her exact words but it was something like “I was like what the heck kind of praying is this! That’s not how Gena prays. It did nothing for me so I needed to call you and have you pray.” I laughed and said I would pray for her but she needed to get her butt back in the room and do the praying for the family. I told her I didn’t spend all that time training her for her to call me to pray.” She laughed and agreed she could do it. Brenda told me how much she was missing me and the gang from Tuesday night and at that moment the Holy Spirit gave me a message for her.

He told me to remind her that the Brenda her family knew no longer existed but they didn’t know that yet. They were relating to the old Brenda and for her not to go back to that one, that she was and is a new creation in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 

I told her the Lord sent her back at exactly the right time for her to pray for her aunt and her whole family. I reminded her that she needed to give her family time to meet the new Brenda. I told her it may take a little while but her transformation was already done and the only way that would change was if she changed it. We had a great conversation and it was so good to hear her voice.
Gems being a volunteer can be a thankless job but moments like these are priceless.

 
Mark 4:30-32 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

To me this is what volunteering is about. We plant the smallest seeds in peoples lives, believers and non believers and watch what the Holy Spirit grows. The seed planted in us becomes shelter, protection, encouragement and love to those who find shelter in our branches. This gives us an opportunity to do for the least of these and share the love of God with our brothers and sisters.
Fellow Volunteers I hope this will encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing especially when you feel like no one really cares if your there or not. Someone not only cares He's hoping you obey, His name is Jesus and He truly was the greatest volunteer!

Living Sacrifices

We have all heard the Christmas story or seen the children's plays with the wise men, manger and barn animals. Even the characters of Charlie Brown did a sweet warm and fuzzy Christmas play. I'm sure you have seen at least one or have been hearing the Christmas story read from Luke at your church.
True story:
In 1984 I was living in Stuarts Draft Virginia. Don't ask.... It was a small town with country folk and a local Baptist church which the kids and I attended occasionally. Anthony and Amanda were 3 and 4 at the time and were asked to be a part of the live Nativity scene. The church also had a small singing Christmas tree made up of the even smaller choir. When I went to drop off my little shepherds a woman grabbed me and said something like thank God your here Mary Beth got the flu and we have an empty spot on the singing Christmas tree! Before I knew it she was slapping a red hat on my head and someone else was applying blush to my face to give my cheeks some color. I probably had no color because I was horrified! I tried to explain that not only do I not sing but I didn't know any of the songs to which they replied just move your lips and smile. There I was on the 2nd row of the singing Christmas tree with the towns people and local TV crew! Oh it get's better, just before the music starts Anthony yells “mommy the cows are REAL!” Spoken like a true New Yorker.
OK, back to the jewel. I want to talk about Mary and the decision she made to be obedient to what God called her to do. Her decision to literally make her body a living sacrifice.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
When Mary agreed to being a pregnant virgin I'm sure the people back then believed her story about as much as people would today. Not even Joseph, her fiancee believed her angel story.
Joseph's plan was to send her away. In all fairness to Joseph if my brother came to me and told me his fiancee was pregnant with someone else baby I may very well tell him to end the relationship too. What say you?
Matthew 1:19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
Great way to start your marriage. We know an Angel comes to Joseph later and explains things so Joseph believes Mary but the Angel didn't appear to everyone. I'm sure Mary's friends and dare I say family might have thought Joseph was just covering for Mary. But Mary had decided that day before the angel Gabriel to make her body a living sacrifice to God.
I'm sure she put up with a lot of trash talk and self righteous people looking down on her. I'm sure she felt the glaring eyes and heard conversations suddenly stop when she got close enough to hear. Or put up with the hurtful words of those who wanted her to hear their condemning comments.
Gems I'm sure Mary didn't have the sweet Christmas play experience we sing carols to.
We see in the scriptures it didn't end. Jesus was in his 30's when He began His ministry and the snide remarks about his birth were still being made. We see it in the book of John when Jesus was having a discussion with some of the Jews.
John 8:41 "You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
The New King James version says: You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
I'm sure these comments still hurt Mary, after all they were talking about her son. Nothing about Mary's decision to offer her body as a living sacrifice was easy. Not Jesus life and most of all not his death.
I know this may be an odd jewel for Christmas but with all the emphasis on giving gifts I thought maybe we, me included, could really think about the verse in Romans and ask ourselves how much are we willing to offer? How far out of our comfort zone are we willing to go? How much of ourselves are we willing to give back to God and at what cost? Maybe we could really stretch ourselves as a gift back to our sweet Savior who died to give us the ultimate gift of eternal life. What is God asking you to give Him?
(Message Bible) Romans 12:1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Gems let's go beyond reading just the birth of our Lord at the manger scene, let's encounter the power of the living word of God and transform our lives into living sacrifices and truly worship the King of Kings!

I Wanna Hold Your hand

I came out of church last week and saw the cutest little boy walking with his dad. He had one hand tightly wrapped around his dad’s finger and the other waving in the air hoping to grab a passerby. He was just learning to walk so it was more like the zombie walk, you know legs far apart, knees not bending wobbling from side to side. Actually I have seen some grown men come out of a bar walking very similar to that but that’s another story.
Anyway as I passed by the toddler grabbed for my hand and the dad said “yea he’s still reaching for that other hand to be held even though I got this on.”
This of course got me thinking about all of us and our walk with the Lord. Even though we know He has us, holding our hand so to speak, we are still reaching out for the world to grab the other hand. For some reason we still need the “safety” of knowing the world has us. As if our Heavenly Father’s hand isn’t strong enough to hold onto us.
Isaiah 40:10-11 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand. And his arm shall rule for Him, and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd. And carry them in His bosom. And gently lead those who are with young.
Years ago when my oldest son was going through his rebellious/alien stage and he was involved with drug dealing I had been praying and believing the Lord would work it all out because He promised He would. I was pretty secure in that promise until the Lord tested me on it. Anthony had made yet another poor decision and borrowed money, a lot of money, from these drug dealers. When he could not pay it back when he was supposed to things got ugly. He began getting threatening calls to hurt him and our family. My grandson was just a baby and the thought of someone hurting him was more then I could take. Anthony’s house was broken into and a list of things I just assume forget starting hitting our family. Anthony finally asked me if I could take out a loan against my home to pay off the debt. You have to understand how dangerous this was for Anthony to even ask me to do this. I was a single mom with no one to run to and tell me it would be all better. I was scared and I allowed the fear to become bigger then my God and began to panic. I started imagining all kinds of horrible things happening to my kids and grandson. Every time the phone rang my heart sunk thinking it was the hospital or the police calling with terrible news.
The Lord told me to leave it alone that He would handle it BUT as weeks turned into months and the threats increased my faith began to falter. My son would call me regularly asking if I knew anyone we could borrow the money from.
One day out of the blue I got one of those pre-qualified letters saying all I had to do was sign and they would mail me a check. A big check. This was when the banks were still giving money away to anyone who asked. I held that letter in my hands for a few days knowing the Lord said not to use it. Finally the pressure was more than I could take and I mailed in the letter and within a few days had a check in my hand. I tried to justify that if the Lord didn’t want me to have it I wouldn’t have gotten it but that Gems was a lie and I knew it. The Lord was testing me to see if my faith in Him to handle the situation was real or not. Was I going to hold his hand or grab from the world with the one flailing about.
I can’t tell you how badly I wanted to give the check to my son as I could see the pressure wearing on him as well and he was desperate for me to help him in some way. Seeing my first born struggle like this, even though it was his doing, was so hard for me and I wanted to rescue him with everything in me. I was also worried about my oldest daughter living alone and wanted her to move home.
I called a friend of mine and she met me in a store parking lot and I showed her the check and asked her to pray with me. With tears streaming down my face I begged the Lord to use the money so we could end this nightmare. His answer was loving but firm, no. He reminded me that His way would be better for Anthony and would bring Him glory in the end. Gems we forget that the Lord tells us to praise Him in all things and He shares His glory with no one. As I sat there crying I ripped up the check. It was one of the hardest things I ever did. The Lord proved to me that holding His hand was enough I didn’t need the worlds.
The Lord did amazing things with that event and Anthony was able to witness to these lost men in a way that would have never been possible if we would have just given them the check.
Deuteronomy 3:24 ‘O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?” You see Gems we love the scriptures’ of how God will take care of us and we believe them as long as they happen within our time frame but when we feel God is taking to long we think we need to grab someone else's hand.
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened. That it cannot save; nor His ear heavy that it cannot hear.
I have another friend who’s close to retiring and every time she sees me the first thing she asks is if I’m working. I have been in and out of jobs since she’s known me and I think it ruffles her feathers when I’m not working because I don’t worry about it.
I told her I was between jobs at the time and she asked “are you OK with that?” I said yes but I knew she was asking if I thought God was OK with it. I wanted to ask this friend, who has been counting down the days to retirement, if for some reason when she retired her company went bankrupt and there was no retirement pay would she still be OK with the Lord?
Would she still trust that God would provide for her? Would she be angry that she stayed all those years at this company so she could get a retirement and now there was none? Was she holding the Lord’s hand or her companies?
Don’t get me wrong Gems I’m not saying retirement is a bad thing, praise God for those who have been such committed employees but we need to remember that the job and the pay we receive week after week is all from the Lord. He just uses our jobs to send us the money, it’s still His money.
Gems we need to trust that everything that goes on in our lives has gone through the Lord’s hands first and He is more than capable. The question is are we capable of giving praise to Him regardless of the situations we may find ourselves in? Are we willing to not grab what the world may try to offer as a substitute for God’s plan?
Psalm 48:10 According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness. Gems there is a peace that goes beyond understanding when we get to this place of knowing God’s hand is enough. The way you look at everything in life changes when you realize you never were in control and your job is to be obedient and let God be God.
The other night I had the most amazing experience with the Lord. I was in bed, just laying there feeling the Lord’s presence in such an intimate way. I gently fell asleep and would get that jerky feeling and it would wake me up. It happened about 10 times in a row and then I finally fell asleep. The next day I Googled to find out what causes that jerky feeling that wakes us thinking something was wrong with me that it happened so many times. Later the Lord told me HE was waking me up so the moment wouldn't end so soon. He would have continued to feel my presence but I would have fallen asleep and no longer felt His. Is He romantic or what!
Gems this is the kind of relationship Jesus wants to have with all of us. In the wedding ceremony when the groom takes his new brides hand there is no other hand in the picture it’s just the two of them, this is the relationship your Savior wants with you.
Psalm 95:7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. It may feel weird at first and you may feel a little unsteady like that toddler I saw but your daddy will hold onto you just as tight. So go ahead, reach for it, He wants to hold your hand!

We Must Forgive, But We Must Never Forget

On Veterans Day I went to the local Messianic Temple to worship our Lord and there was a man there named Peter who was born in a concentration camp. He came to share his story with the congregation and I was blessed to visit on such an honorable occasion. Peter had the sweetest spirit I have ever seen, he had a kind gentle voice and a smile that could warm the coldest heart. Peter told one horrific story after another about the inhumane things that happened to him in this camp and I squirmed in my seat finding it hard to listen never less experience. He shared his story from the beginning, stories like the way his skull was opened and drugs filled his body to watch the reaction or the endless beatings for no reasons. He talked about unborn babies that were cut form their mother’s wombs and how he was thankful his mother was spared that horror. The emaciated bodies that were piled high with some still barley breathing. I would begin to feel sick and Peter would solemnly pause and with love and compassion say “we must never forget, but we must forgive.” He would wait a moment for us to take in his words before he continued.
He shared about the beatings he watched the Nazi soldiers do to his parents and how cold it was in the camps. He shared how they took women outside naked in 30 below zero weather and poured water on their feet to watch their toes break off. As a five year old he watched his best friend a six year old little girl being raped by multiple soldiers. He would pause and warmly look at us and say “we must never forget, but we must forgive.”
He shared his final days in Poland and the beatings that followed before arriving in the United States to be reunited with his mother who he only had vague memories of. His hopes of a better life were quickly crushed as he arrived in the States only to be greeted by the Klu Klux Klan and another life of hate and rejection. Peter had no idea why he was hated and didn’t speak English to even begin to understand.
When you didn’t think you could stand another moment of his story again Peter would pause and say “we must never forget, but we must forgive.”
Peter shared the later part of his testimony and going back to the concentration camp with his family and the emotions it brought up inside of him. Honestly Gems I don’t know how he even went back. He said he got physically ill and had his son take him back to the hotel they were staying at. Peter went on to tell how the Lord spoke to him and told him to go back to the camp. Peter asked the Lord what he missed and asked him to show him at the hotel as he didn’t want to go back. He shared this part of the story with a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes and it was all I could do not to run up and hug him. The Lord told him he must go back to the camp and forgive those who tortured him and he understandably said no. He did end up obeying the Holy Spirit and returning the place of his pain. God told Peter that he understood the pain and rejection he endured and reminded him of what Jesus suffered on the cross for all of us. The Lord told Peter he needed him to forgive so his sins could be forgiven.
Peter said he fell to his knees and forgave the Nazi soldiers and every vile person who caused so much pain and suffering to Peter and the Jewish people. Peter then told us how an overwhelming love began to pour into him, a love so strong he could not contain it all. This was the same love, all these years later, which is still pouring out of this brave and humble man.
When he finished he was laughing and crying at the same time and invited anyone who wanted to come forward and he would pray for them. There was an older man in the congregation whose grown son helped him up and held the arm of his frail body as they made their way to Peter. This man also spoke Polish and when he got to Peter he wept and hugged Peter then gently kissed him on the cheek. The embrace was so heart felt you knew at that moment these men shared something the rest of us could never and I hope will never understand.
When it was my turn I also wept and hugged Peter and told him how sorry I was for all that happened to him. Again he looked at me with eyes that I know represent my sweet Jesus. Eyes of love and forgiveness and he just hugged me back and reminded me of our Savior’s love and what He did on the cross for me.
I decided to spare you Peter’s entire story but I pray you will not disregard the message. Gems we must never forget the past but we MUST forgive as our Savior forgives.

I Can't Do This Alone

Well Gems it's time for yet another confession. You see what happened was....
I was at the church on a Tuesday night getting ready to go feed the homeless which I love to do. What I don't always love to do is some of the jobs of the leaders but that's why we have leaders.
We have a dress code requirement for all the volunteers for a few reasons, one we represent the Lord and another is safety issues as we don't always have sober guest. We get a lot of teens who either need to do community service hours or they are doing volunteer work for their college transcript. We also have teens that come just because they love the Lord and want to serve.
On this particular night we had a new group of teenage girls and they were definitely not in dress code. They had on short shorts and low cut tops. It's a delicate situation because I need to tell them the dress code without offending them because we want them to be a part of the ministry (FYI this happens with adults too not just teens) I explained to the girls that we had a dress code and it was for their safety and they would have to change their clothes before leaving.
The Lord had already provided for the situation because before I left my house my teenage daughter Jessica gave me a bag of clothes to give away and in that bag were multiple pairs of jeans and sweat pants that of course would fit these girls.
Right before we left another girl showed up and one of the other leaders handed her a T-shirt to keep the “girls” properly covered. I have never had that particular problem so didn't think to have shirts available :)
We climbed into the van and this group of teens were sitting in the last two rows and they were making negative comments the whole ride to the site about having to change their clothes. I tried to ignore it for as long as possible but just as we drove onto the grounds I hit a breaking point and turned around, with an attitude, and said to the ring leader “listen this dress code is for your safety and if it's a problem for you then maybe you shouldn't come out here.”
Of course there was dead silence in the van and we all got out with an attitude.
The Holy Spirit went to work on me immediately letting me know what I said wasn't a problem but the way I said it definitely was. He told me I should have spoken to the girls in private and lovingly explained to them again how it was for their protection. So I ate crow and went over to the ring leader to apologize for not handling the situation in a loving way.
Gems what happened next I was not ready for. After I pulled the young lady to the side and apologized to her she looked up at me with this sweet innocent face and said “I thought you were calling me a skank.”
This about broke my heart. I took her face in my hand and pulled her chin up to look her in the eyes and told her that couldn't be further from the truth. I wanted her to know just the opposite! That she is a princess in the eyes of her Father in Heaven and He doesn't want anyone looking at her lustfully or misinterpreting what she was wearing as an invitation to come on to her.
Was I ever convicted at that moment of how important it is to speak lovingly to our young girls. We have no idea what they are thinking. I thought if she felt that way maybe the other girls did too. I didn't want them to feel judged in any way so I went over to them and had the same conversation, reminding them how precious they are to God.
Gems it breaks my heart every time I hear a teenage girl talking trash or wearing inappropriate clothes. It also breaks my heart when I hear teen boys talking about pursuing girls to have sex. I want so badly for them to know how important they are to God and how much He values them. I want to save them from all the hurt and heartache I went through by looking for love in ALL the wrong places. I didn't wear skimpy clothing because I was so self conscious of my body but the results were the same.
It's an ongoing battle for us as parents to fight for our kids. And yes there are many teens who know who they are in Christ and have decided not to give themselves away before marriage and we need to be praying for them to stay strong.
Sometimes I think we put so much focus on the ones who have fallen that we don't spend enough time cheering on the ones who haven't.
Being a parent is not an easy job. I'm not just talking about purity issues I'm talking about our teens self esteem as a whole.
Do you remember what it was like to be a teenager? I do and it was very dramatic, everything was so huge to me.
It's especially hard if you have teens that won't talk to you. My Amanda was one of those.
True story:
Amanda had been giving me the silent treatment for weeks and I had no idea why. She would look at me with such disgust and it was apparent how she felt about me. To say I wasn't feeling the love is an understatement. Finally I had had enough I became psycho woman, I went to her high school soccer practice and followed her around the field. I told her I wasn't leaving until she talked to me. She kept telling me to get off the field they were getting ready to practice and her coach was going to get mad. I told her I didn't give a crap about her practice or her coach and I wasn't leaving. She continued to huff and puff but not speak so I did the only thing I could think of. I jumped on her back, piggy back, wrapped myself around her and said I wasn't leaving til she talked to me. I know a bit extreme, I told you I was psycho by then.
Gems I'm not telling you to be a total freak but I am telling you if we don't fight for our kids no one else will. We the parents have to be the ones to remind them daily how much we love them and more importantly how much God loves them. We need to be in their business, who are they talking to, what are they watching. The internet is the devils playground you better be involved.
I have been guilty of doing so much ministry to people outside my home and not making sure I'm ministering to my own kids. If your kids are in a youth group you better be praying for that leader but remember he or she is not their parent, what you say about them is what they will hear.
Just this morning I was praying asking the Holy Spirit to help me with a current situation with my last teen at home. I have to fight for her just as hard as the ones I have raised but I gotta tell ya I get tired. I can't do this alone I NEED the Lord to show me what to do and how to handle situations so I can be firm but not freakish. To guide her Spirit side in a way that helps her grow into spiritual maturity without trying to control her. There are times I just want to make everything all better for my kids but the situation is not mine to fix.
Our kids need us. I think the more they push you away the more they are screaming on the inside “I NEED YOU!”
There is a song by Sanctus Real that was spot on for me, I copied part of the lyrics below. The part that hit me the most is whether your a single parent or a two parent household we can't do this alone!

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying

"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I am called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't you lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing dreams that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Christian lyrics - LEAD ME LYRICS - SANCTUS REAL

Gems we can't lead them successfully without being led by God ourselves. My prayer today is that all of us will fight and pray for our kids. If you don't have kids, get involved with someone else's remember, we can't do this alone!

Purpose Livin Strife

What is my purpose? Have you ever asked yourself this question? I have.
A lot of people have shared their struggle with me of feeling they don't know theirs. I have heard many times from the pulpit the saying “know your purpose” and have used a similar expression myself. Most people have heard of or read the book The Purpose Driven Life. This jewel has nothing to do with that book I'm just using it as an example.
My point is people, myself included, seem to get anxious if they think they aren't fulfilling their purpose. They get restless when they feel it's taking too long for their purpose to start. They get fearful if they think they missed their purpose or worse yet aren't good enough for a purpose.
The thing is Gems I meet Christians who feel inadequate in their walk because they don't think they're living their purpose and the worst part is they have no idea what that purpose is! Like God is playing some kind of mind game with them. Again I have been guilty of this very thing.
We start comparing ourselves to other people who we think have not only figured theirs out but are doing it.
I started really praying about this and I was surprised by what answer I felt the Holy Spirit gave me.
The first thing He asked me was where in the Bible did I read about “purpose?”
I couldn't answer that question.
I realized I never actually read it in the Bible I just heard it in sermons or teachings.
I decided to search the Bible but couldn't find any teaching, New or Old Testament that we were born with a certain purpose and we better figure out what it is before Jesus comes back.
If I missed it PLEASE share.
The Holy Spirit told me that God only asked us to do one thing and that was to believe.
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
God created all of us and He will decide what purpose He wants to use us in, not the other way around.
What I mean is God's not waiting in Heaven for me to figure out the plan and purpose for my life He's got it all on lock down and when His plan includes me, He will let me know.
Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
Some of us might be used like a David or an Esther and some of us might just be common folk but we are all special in the Kingdom of God.
The last thing Christ told His disciples to do was to share the gospel with the rest of the world. I guess that could be considered a purpose and it's pretty self explanatory right? Tell people why they should believe in Jesus.
So why all this focus and anxiety on knowing your purpose, what your supposed to be doing????
Back to my conversation with the Holy Spirit.
After clearing up that I was struggling with something that wasn't taught from the Bible He reminded me that the goal is to have your desires and the Lords be the same thing. The more we are seeking God and wanting to do the things that please Him the more He can give us the desires of our heart because we will desire the same things.
So if I'm going to use this purpose thing, my first purpose would be to learn what the heart of God is and then make that a goal for my heart as well.
He said once we are on the same page I should enjoy my life.
WHAT????? Enjoy my life? That's the answer?
I gotta tell you Gems it was short and sweet and it made all the sense in the world to me.
It's not some mystery that only the super spiritual will be able to figure out. It's reading the Bible to learn and understand how much God loves you. It's about meeting Jesus and the Holy Spirit and loving them more than yourself. That in itself is a daily plan.
Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. I'm not saying we shouldn't be in constant prayer for our life. There are times we are waiting on God for a decision or direction. We may be waiting for answers or confirmation ,there are a list of things you may be waiting to hear from God on BUT these are not your purpose they are HIS! I'm also not talking about using your gifts for the Kingdom, when an opportunity presents itself go for it.
God has been using people for His purpose from the beginning. He used Adam to start man kind and He used Eve to begin the plan for salvation. He used Moses to bring His people out of Egypt and He used Pharaoh to try and keep them there. They were used by God for His purpose but I don't' think they walked around asking themselves the question, why am I here. They were living their lives and God used them. His purpose may be exciting and fun or it can be down right painful.
He used Jesus John 12:27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
This jewel is a reminder to me and maybe you too that we can stop saying things like “I don't know what God want's me to do.” He wants you to experience the joy of your salvation. Learn what you can from every place your at. He wants to remind us we can't work into our purpose, you become it as soon as you accept Christ as your Savior. You become a light in a dark world wherever you are at any given moment. Live, laugh, love, make friends, get married, be single, work with animals, have children do all things in a way that would please your Father in Heaven.
The Bible wasn't written about us finding our purpose so we can have a relationship with God. It was written to show us how we can have a relationship with God through Christ.
I think we may have taken this purpose living life to purpose livin strife. If you want to get serious here it's more about being willing to suffer for Christ than thinking we're such an important part of the plan.
2 Timothy 1:8-9a Therefor do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was give to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
Gems the word says His own purpose and grace. Our God, the ultimate Potter made our lump of clay called life before time began. You may be used for a special purpose or you may be just another cracked pot like me and that's OK :) so get rid of purpose strife and live your life!

Gift of Faith

Ya know people are often telling me what great faith I have but I gotta tell you it makes me giggle cause the truth is it depends on the day. Some days I have great faith and other days I'm asking myself if I have lost my mind? You may ask, then what gives me the courage to keep going? Good question, glad you asked.
The thing I do have great faith in is God's faithfulness. His reality and plan for my life doesn't change based on my emotions for the day. Thank you Jesus. God's not in Heaven one day saying Gena has strong faith today my plan for her life is moving forward and the next saying ooops she's feeling weak today stop the plan til further notice. His promises and mercies are new each day. Again not based on my ability to believe but His faithfulness.
With that said I want you to look at the other side of my story. On God's faith in His other children to be obedient which in turn grows my faith.
When I was out of work for 2 years and living in a foreclosed house and had NO source of income I had to rely on God's provision. Now we all know there are times the Lord uses miracles like when He healed the leper, brought the dead back to life or turned water into wine. I'm all for miracles and have experienced them personally.
I had a blood clot on my lung when I was 5 months pregnant with my last child. I was told by doctors to get my affairs in order. That's a nice way of saying your gonna kick the bucket. That's another jewel. however, the Lord did a miracle and healed me. My point is miracles occur all the time but you usually have to really NEED a miracle. Your situation has to be totally out of your control. I'm grateful for the miracles but I don't want to need like that everyday. I do want to know all my daily needs will be met.
During that 2 year period I needed food and money and I started what I called a Ravens List. It recorded all the ways God met my needs. I was going to include it in the jewel but it was way too long. As I was looking at all the post I realized that each of these individuals had to be obedient to do what God put on their heart. Some were small amounts in the worlds eyes like ten dollars. I think that was for those whose obedience walk just started. Others were larger like one hundred dollars, this was for people who understood it was from God and He would bless them for their obedience. One time there was a surprisingly large blessing.
I had a dream and in the dream I was given a beautiful package. It was wrapped in pretty paper and I was so excited about it. I was also given an envelope and inside of it was a large amount of money. That's all I remember about the dream.
A few days later I got a call from a friend to stop by her house. I had other plans but when she asked a second time the Holy Spirit moved in me to go see her so I did. When I got to the house we were talking about general stuff nothing life shattering and I wondered why the Holy Spirit sent me there. A moment later my friend told me she had something for me from her and her husband. She handed me a beautiful wrapped package and inside was a tea cup, I drink a lot of tea. On the inside of the cup were the words “an angles job is never done” with a picture of a cute flying angel. I was so surprised and excited cause it wasn't my birthday or anything and I love getting gifts. My friend then handed me an envelope and inside of that was FIVE THOUSAND dollars. I was blown away by the amount of money she and her husband were giving me! I don't know if I ever told her about that dream.
The thing is Gems it took just as much faith and obedience on my friends part to give me this gift as it took for me to believe God would provide.
We both had to be obedient to do what God told us to do.
Over the years I have been blessed by so many people who gave from their heart not from my request. I say that because that's how I gauge if I'm hearing things right from God. I believe if it's His will He will be the one who provides without me asking for it. My job is to seek His kingdom and His job is to provide.
Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
It's like Pastors. They are being obedient to the call of ministry and feeding Christ sheep but they are trusting that the sheep will be faithful to tithe so their needs can be met.
I want to take the time to thank everyone who has sown into Gena's Jewels and my life in general. Thank you for your obedience to the Lord. Thank you for what may seem the smallest gift like words of encouragement to the largest gifts weather money or material things. I have been so blessed by your obedience and your faithfulness to our sweet Jesus.
I am thankful for the miracles in my life and I'm honored to serve the One who performs them and my prayer is to be a blessing to someone else who is waiting on the Lord for something. For now it's usually my time because finances are low but that doesn't mean it is any less an offering of praise to my Heavenly Father.
Gems we have all been given the gift of faith we just have to choose to use it. The more you do the more it grows on the inside of you. Remember it doesn't change God's abilities or His relationship with us. It's not how much power He has it's how much of His power do I want to tap into. I'm hooked, the more I get the more I want.
My prayer for you Gems is that you will be obedient to whatever God calls you to do. Weather it's to give a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement or a financial blessing. We can all choose to give the gift of faith and in turn help someone else's faith grow.

Up A Tree Without A Plan

I was in Texas recently and my dear friend Suzan took me to see this tree. She said there was a jewel in there somewhere :)
I have been pondering that sight for a few days now and this is the lesson I believe the Lord showed me.
The bikes represent us, we are all on a journey in our personal lives, all going different directions with different circumstances, different dreams and different destinations. There are times however when you feel like your spinning your wheels and going no where. Every road seems to be a dead end and you feel like your bike is going higher and higher in that tree and the “right” road is getting further and further away.
It is in these times we feel God has ridden off into the sunset and forgotten us .
We can't see the forest for the trees because our circumstances have blinded our view. We feel like we tried to hold onto Jesus but we lost our grip and we are now riding alone.
The Lord gave me a visual regarding that thought and His answer to it.
I pictured myself flying with Jesus, holding onto the back of His cape if you will, holding on for dear life. Slowly my grip begins to loosen and one by one my fingers let go and I begin to fall to the cold hard ground below.
The Lord showed me that I can let go any time I want because it is Him who is holding onto me!
When I feel like my bike is hanging from a tree and I'm running into other tree ornaments we are all still very much being held up by His branches.
We ask ourselves why in the world would God allow us to be in this tree? How can this be good for me or my family? How long am I going to hang here with questions and no answers? We feel like things are out of control because we aren't supposed to be here. Or are we?
Perhaps the very times we are dangling from an unfamiliar place is the very times the Lord is increasing our faith and encouraging us to let go of the wheel and trust Him to bring us to the right destinations.
To ride by faith.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
I love the mountains and the Lord has been so good to bless me the past few years to go visit them every year near my birthday. Once again this year I was offered a beautiful place in North Carolina that Jess and I could stay for free! It's all I could talk about to anyone who would listen. About 2 weeks before it was time to leave the Lord asked me to go to Texas to minister for Him. I suddenly felt myself beginning to ride by bike up that tree trunk.
I began explaining to the Lord if I go to Texas I won't have any funds to go to North Carolina. Did I mention I LOVE the mountains?? There was nothing pressing on my heart about Texas but the Holy Spirit did not let it go so I called my dear friend Suzan, bought the ticket and landed in Ft. Worth a few days later.
Before I even left I began to plan the course I would ride once I got there. Before I knew it I was hanging from a tree branch, everything I thought I was going to do was changed.
The Lord had his own bike route we would be taking. There were moments I was holding on not sure which road to go down but then I got that visual of me letting go knowing the Lord was holding onto me, I just had to keep peddling.
There were parts of the trip that were uncomfortable for me and I asked God why do I have to do this? I felt like I was up in someones tree house without an invite. It was at these times the Lord reminded me how much He loved these individuals and it was by His invite I was there. Gems I had no idea what I was doing in that tree BUT God did and looking back I see I was exactly where I was supposed to be ministering to exactly who He chose.
The whole experience increased my faith and encouraged me to just start peddling when the Lord calls and don't worry about the obstacles. The Lord promises to work out all things for the good of those who love Him and either He's God or He's not.
I'm not gonna lie, sometimes I don't see the good in my situation at all, the whole thing looks about as natural as riding a bike from a tree branch. During the trip things may be confusing but when the ride is over and I reach my destination I can look back and see the hand of God on the whole trip.
2Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The bottom line is a long time ago there was an innocent man who was asked to hang on a tree. To be beaten and bruised for my iniquities. To have the face of God turn away from Him because of my sins. A man asked to hang from a tree and believe God would work it all out. He too asked if there was another way to go. That man was my sweet Jesus and I thank Him daily for giving me the tree of life.
Gems I write you this jewel from a beautiful room with a breath taking view of the North Carolina mountains. I have so much joy in my heart I'm about to burst! I so wish each one of you could be here to share in this blessing. One of the locals told me it snowed last week and was freezing and next week the tourist will be here and it will be hard to get around town. She said we definetly chose the perfect weekend to be here. Honestly I thougth once I was on that plane to Texas I would have to give up my mountain trip but God worked it all out for His and my perfect timing.
My prayer for each of you is the next time you find yourself up a tree without a plan you will remember that Jesus is holding onto you. Let go, ride without hands and trust you can only fall as far as the palm of His hands.

I'll Wait For You

Gems this is one of those confession jewels so it may be a bit long and you may have to follow me but I will eventually make my point. I write these kind of jewels for a couple of reasons, one to keep me humble and two for you to hopefully feel better about yourself.
So here goes.... I had one of those weekends when your behavior sneaks up on you, and anyone else that might have been unfortunate enough to be near you, and it's not a pretty sight. Kind of like a pressure cooker, your dealing with stuff and the pressure is getting more and more intense but you think you got it under control and then your realize you don't.
I know many people have way worse stuff in their pressure cooker but this is some of the stuff that was in mine.
My youngest daughter has been sick and coughing for weeks and I'm sick of her being sick, I'm sick of fighting with my ex to get a coy of her insurance card, I'm sick of not having enough money, I'm sick of being hot, I'm sick of the crap my son and grandsons deal with because of selfishness and divorce, I'm sick of being alone, I'm sick of people, I'm sick of my hair being long and short, I'm sick of feeling fat, I'm sick of eating cake, I'm sick of bla bla bla.... You get the picture.
My oldest daughter was visiting for the weekend when the cooker blew. I have (had) a radio (picture above) it's really old and only one speaker works but it's all I have/had. I was trying to unplug it so I could plug in the computer so the girls and I could watch a movie. The cord was wrapped around the chair it was sitting on and I couldn't get it off. It was at this point that I lost my mind and picked up the radio and threw it to the ground. The speakers broke off but it didn't break enough so I picked it up and threw it down again with a bit more force and in the background heard Amanda calmly say to Jessica “I believe that's my radio.”
Trying to keep my composure I went directly upstairs to take a shower. As I replayed the scene in my head visualizing how it must have looked to my innocent bystanders, me wrestling with my half functioning radio and pieces flying in the air I once again heard Amanda's words “I believe that's my radio.” I just busted out laughing, I'm laughing now as I'm writing this.
My current journey has been on honoring God. Having a healthier respect and fear of who He is.
I woke up this morning confessing all my above junk to Him and asking Him to speak to me and give me some guidance on what to do with my current situation. I decided I would leave my phone off and get in the word. I picked up my Bible and realized I'm in the book of Job and my first thought was, great of all books how is this going to make me feel better.
I obviously was leaving out the honor and fear part of my journey.
As I began to read Job defending himself to his friends that he was innocent before God and didn't deserve what was happening to him I was right there with him. (IF you don't know the story of Job, read it) Not that I was comparing myself to Job, my life was not and is not as guilt free as his. Just ask the radio. But I was dissing his friends thinking why weren't they more supportive? Why were they so self righteous trying to throw him under the bus? I was cheering Job on thinking him innocent as well and feeling bad that God told satan he could mess with him.
To be honest I was joining in on the why oh why God aren't you talking to me and telling me what to do about my situation????? I was rolling right along with Job until.... God spoke!
These are a few of the things that God asked Job.
Job 38:1 “who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” (assorted verses)
“Where were you when I laid the earths foundation? Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb? Have you ever given orders to the morning or shown the dawn it's place, have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? What is the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons? Can you set up God's dominion over the earth? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you? Here we are? Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom? does the eagle soar at your command and build his nest on high?
Job 40:1&8 The Lord said to Job, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him.”
“Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?

It was at this point I was on my face crying out to God for forgiveness. Who was I to question God? I felt much like that radio in broken pieces before my Lord.
Gems this word is for me and I'm sharing it with you. I needed to understand that I can't let the size of my afflictions keep me from accepting them. We need to submit to whatever God requires with meekness not rebellion. Behind the trials of the Godly which may seem unreasonable at the time lies the wise purpose of God for His plan.
The amazing lesson of the book of Job is if we know God, we don't need to know why He allows us to experience what we do. He is not only in control of the universe He's in control of our lives and He loves us. Even if I don't always understand I should not criticize God for how he deals with me or others.
My place is to honor and respect Him because HE IS GOD!
I love how the book of Job ends. Even though God didn't mince words with Job, He gave it to him straight He still delivered Job once he repented.
Job 42:1-6 Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
The Lord not only forgave Job He gave him back twice as much as he had before.
I applied all this to my life and ended my time with the Lord knowing He forgave me. My next words to Him are “SO, I'll wait for you.” I pray to be content as I wait on the Lord and I will try really hard not to break any more electronic devices :)

Do's and Don'ts

I was wondering recently if we have become a people of don'ts instead of do's. What do I mean? Glad you asked. How do you feel when you hear a list of things you can't do rather than a list of what you can?
When I had my first child I was constantly telling him things like don't eat the dog food, don't eat the paste, don't drink the toilet water.
True story: When Anthony was about 2 years old we lived in an old house in New York. The window sills were low to the ground so he could see out his bedroom Windows. I walked into his room one day as he was watching this unexplored world outside his window and wondered what he was thinking. When I called his name he turned around and to my horror could see half a bug sticking out of his sweet little mouth with it's legs still moving.
I now had to add to my list, don't eat bugs unless your wearing camel hair, they are locust and your initials are JTB.
My daughter on the other hand loved to run around in just her diaper, this kid hated clothes so to her list I had to add don't take your clothes off in the mall...
I'm sure you have your own list.
One of the best pieces of advice I got as a young mother of 2 toddlers was any time you took something away from your child replace it with something else. This was great advice.
I could take the scissor from Anthony's hand and replace it with a wooden spoon and as long as I had a big smile on my face he thought he was getting the better end of the deal.
If we are the kind of parents or employees or friends that have a constant list of don'ts it can be exhausting for those in our lives to have a relationship with us and can often lead to secrecy.
Don't tell mom I did this. Don't let the boss know about that. Gems it is exhausting trying to constantly win the affection of someone. This applies to having a relationship with Jesus too.
Don't get me wrong I'm not saying rules are wrong BUT what if in our Christian walk we become too focused on the don'ts?
Don't smoke, don't do drugs, don't lie, don't curse, don't nag. Again all good advice but they make people think they have to get all the don'ts out of the way before they can have a relationship with Jesus.
This of course could not be further from the truth. Once we experience Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit all these things will eventually be taken care of. Trust me He's still working on my don'ts list.
We are a selfish people that want to know what's in it for us so let's use that to our advantage.
What if we focused on do you want to have a relationship with Jesus? You get to and all you have to do is believe.
John 6:29 Jesus answered”The work of God is this to believe in the one he has sent.”
What if gave you a list of Do's you get with being a child of God such as:
1. a delightful inheritance Psalm 16:6
2. Sweet communion with God Psalm 17:15
3. experience unfailing love, be filled with good things Psalm 107: 8-9
4. Never be hungry or thirsty again, be fully satisfied. John 6:35
5.Be free from the love of money, be content with what I have, have a helper that will never leave me! Hebrews 13:5-6

What if we changed the things you don't think about like sex outside of marriage, gossiping, pornography, lust you get the point and change it to a Do think about list:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
I'm just sayin adults are not much different than toddlers take something away and replace it with something else with a big smile on your face and see what happens.
So Gems, as always, I would encourage you today to see if your a don't talker or a do talker. Let's all try to encourage each other with positive words and let the Holy Spirit DO what He does best, fix the don'ts.

Floaters To Followers

I was praying the other day for people, not any one specific thing just for those who don't know Jesus and how I could be more effective in sharing the gospel. As I was praying the Lord shared something with me. The Holy Spirit showed me that I pray for people to have a relationship with Jesus so they can have a better life, so they can be freed from things that keep them in bondage. My desire is for them to have joy and know that God loves them and they can be healed from their physical and emotional wounds. The Holy Spirit showed me that I was looking at lost people like they were sick and could get healthy but that's not accurate. People who don't have a relationship with Jesus are dead not sick. They just don't know their dead. He gave me a mental picture of me in a row boat and there were dead bodies floating face down all around me.
My current way of thinking was like throwing life jackets to dead bodies. (Tough stuff to read I know and some of you may stop reading my jewels all together and that's a risk I'm willing to take, I'll still love ya)
The Lord showed me that dead bodies first have to have life breathed into them and then they can experience all the Lord has for them. First they have to see they are dead and then be born again.
We were all born the first time into a world filled with sin. Sin comes with a price and someone has to pay before you can be free from it. The one that paid the price for us is Jesus.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Because of this we need to be pulled into the boat and filled with the power of Jesus to give us a new life, to be born again.
Colossians 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.
You don't set up an IV or make an appointment for a counselor for a dead person.
Now you may be asking yourself, how can you be born again? You wouldn't be alone in this. When Jesus walked the earth and talked about it the people asked that very question thinking he was a lunatic.
John 3:4 The Message
"How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this 'born-from-above' talk?"
John 3:3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
People then just like today are dead and they don't know it. This put a whole new sense of urgency on me to share the good news. The situation became a lot more urgent. It made me want to resuscitate not just grab a band-aid.
John 5:24-27 (MSG)
"It's urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living. "It's urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in himself, he has conferred on the Son life in himself. And he has given him the authority, simply because he is the Son of Man, to decide and carry out matters of Judgment.
We have that resurrection power thanks to Jesus. God loved us enough to have a way out of our current death grip. It's God's will that we all be saved!
John 6:39-40 (MSG)
"This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time."
It may be kind of drastic Gems but we have to start seeing lost people as dead people and point them to the Savior. Once they are given new life they can reap the benefits of that life with Christ living in them. We can turn the tragedy of the Titanic to the joy of The Love Boat :)
1 Peter 1:3-5 (MSG) What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole.
We can help turn sins floaters into Christ followers!

Dumb As A Rock

Have you ever heard that saying? When someone is describing a person they don't think is very bright they will say he or she is dumb as a rock.
Hold that thought.
I want to talk to you about prophesying. Bet you didn't see that coming :) Like it or not Paul tells us in Corinthians to pursue it.
1 Corinthians 14 1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Why do people get so freaked out when you want to talk about this? You don't have to be a spiritual super hero complete with cape and a leotard to do this. You just need a heart that loves, eyes that read the word, ears that listen to the Holy Spirit and a mouth to speak the words God puts on your mind.
Simple right?
We have all been guilty, myself included, in starting a conversation with someone that goes like this “I don't know if this is from God but I feel like I'm supposed to tell you....” Sound familiar?
I remember a day when the Holy Spirit gave me a message for a girl I worked with. The message was, don't let the why nots keep you from doing something your thinking about doing.
Gems I had no idea what that meant but she did. She thanked me for giving her the message as she was in the process of making a decision . Every time she thought about it all she could see were the reasons why it might not work and this gave her the push she needed to move forward.
People are always wanting to hear from God especially when we are in the decision making process. God doesn't always use people but a lot of times He does. Sometimes He uses people to give you confirmation that you did hear from Him directly on a subject.
According to Paul he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
When Jesus was with His disciples the Pharisees got bent out of shape when the disciples started prophesying.
Luke 19:38 saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
They were pretty much telling Jesus to tell his guys to shut it. Why? Did they feel the disciples weren't qualified to speak God's word to men? Did they feel like the disciples were in some way stealing their thunder? Did they think they were the only ones God spoke to?
Why don't churches allow prophesy today? Clearly it's biblical. Some say they believe in it but where is it being practiced if they do?
I'm not dissing the pharisees or the church I'm just asking some questions to you. What do you think?
People are desperate to hear from the Lord but if we aren't prophesying to them when God gives us a word how is it going to happen? Especially if they are unbelievers (those that don't believe in Christ.) Paul said in Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
Gems Jesus told us all to go and preach. You see one of the amazing things that can happen when you give a word to someone is you share something with them that you couldn't possibly have known. The person knows you couldn't know so it causes them to ask “how did you know that? And then you tell them about the Holy Spirit. It get's their attention, they can't deny the truth and it opens the door to share Jesus with them.
True story: A few years ago the Lord sent me to Tennessee. I can't tell you the whole story because it's too long but it was one of the best times of my life. Before I left the Holy Spirit gave me the name John. I was like OK now what? After a series of events I ended up in this little town near Johnson City. It was very old and there were antique shops on both sides of the road. I stared walking down the road when the Holy Spirit said “go in that store.” Now a lot of these businesses were also the owners homes so you had to be careful. I walked up to the door and there was a sign that read “ring the bell” I suddenly felt like Dorothy and thought a small door would open and a man with a big mustache would ask if I were there to see the wizard.
I knocked on the door having no idea what I would do next. The door opened and a nice looking man let me in. I stepped inside and saw a couple in the living area looking at the antiques. I was about to walk into the living room and the Holy Spirit said “introduce yourself” so I stopped and looked at the man and said “hi I'm Gena” to which he replied “I'm John.” Bingo! The other couple ended up leaving and I went on to tell John the Lord sent me from Florida to Tennessee to share Jesus with him. He was an unbeliever, a Jewish man from Florida and awed by God. He listened and we prayed together. It was an amazing day.
1 Corinthians 14:24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
Please note we are not to throw rocks, the convicting part is done by the Holy Spirit.
Back to our previous story of the Pharisees, I love how Jesus answered them.
Luke 19:40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Jesus is telling us if His people, us, won't speak up His stones will cry out!
I don't know Gems, maybe rocks aren't so dumb after all.
I don't pretend to have all the answers but I do have lots of questions :) I hope you will ask the Lord who He would have you prophesy to and that you will be obedient in doing so. Don't miss an opportunity to edify and comfort your brothers and sisters.
Rock on!

Live Like A Tortoise

My daughter Amanda recently went on a missions trip to Africa and my job was to take care of Juliet for her. Juliet is a tortoise and as you may or may not know pets are not my thing so a tortoise was just my speed, no pun intended.
Juliet lives in an aquarium that has a small rock pool with a log to climb on or under and of course her food dish. There are other odds and ends placed in her home for her pleasure. Juliet doesn't have to do any tricks or make any deals with me in order for me to tend to her daily needs, she just has to trust that I will. I take care of her because I'm her current owner and it's my responsibility. She never appears to be stressed out or worried I'm not going to do my job. She's never wailing or banging her head against the glass begging me to take care of her. She just goes about her life doing whatever it is that tortoise do. There are days however that Juliet attempts tasks that take her out of her shell :)
For instance, she will climb onto the top of the log and do a nose dive. I don't understand the purpose of this but I'm not a tortoise. The first few times she tried this trick she fell on her back and couldn't roll over. I of course would run over to the tank and give her an at a girl for trying something new then turn her right side up. After a few times of me rescuing her she attempted the dare devil stunt again. I thought to myself is this tortoise stupid or what? But then I found myself cheering for her, come on Juliet you can do this thing. She made her ascent once more, making for her the difficult climb to the top of the log. When at the top she stretched out her neck and did her free fall. She once again hit the bottom and landed on her side then ended on her back. This time I waited before I turned her over. I stayed near by and watched the whole time but I just let her battle it. Her little legs were flaring and her long neck came out and she smashed her face into the glass trying to get some leverage (that was pretty funny.) Finally she did it, she rolled over all by herself. I actually ran over to her and yelled YEA Juliet you did it! I have to admit I was proud of her.
All in all taking care of a tortoise has to be the easiest job I have ever done.
As I was sitting here this morning watching Juliet climb around in her little glass world it got me thinking about my life with God.
In that regard our relationships are very similar. God takes care of my needs every day just like He said He would. Part of the Lord's prayer is Give us this day our daily bread. It doesn't say our monthly or weekly bread but our daily bread. Food for one day at a time, so if you don't have a pantry full of food it's OK because God will take care of each day.
I don't have to do any tricks or make any deals for the Lord to take care of me, He's my owner and that's His job. Like Juliet my job is to trust it will happen.
Just as I can always see Juliet from every angle in her glass world Jesus can see me at all times.
Psalm 139:1-12 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,for darkness is as light to you.
There isn't a time I'm hidden from the presence of the Lord, so if I decide to get out of my shell and attempt new adventures He will be there to rescue me when I fall.
Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
As a matter of Fact Peter tells us the Lord will allow us to go through trials and troubles. 1 Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
When I moved to Tampa Nathanael was a senior in High School and wasn't coming with us. After much discussion we decided he would stay in Lake County and live with his father and Jessica and I would move to Tampa. I didn't understand why we would move without him as I didn't feel it was in Nathanael's best interest. As the months went by I was heart broken about Nathanael not being with me and I missed him terribly. He wasn't doing all that great either. He had a bout with depression which only enhanced my mommy guilt. I was very much like Juliet, a tortoise laying on her back arms wailing and crying out to God “how is this part of the plan?”
I had to trust that God had the best plan and of course He did. The months we were here before Nathanael came we made a lot of good friends and many contacts in the church we joined. When Nathanael graduated and moved to Tampa he was accepted in the Up Rising program at the church and his journey took a turn for the positive that I could have never pulled off on my own. Like Peter said, I was overjoyed when God's glory was revealed!
Even if I couldn't see Him while I was struggling God was right there watching the whole time, maybe even cheering me on.
Just like my new friend Juliet we can live like a tortoise in the aquarium of God knowing He will take care of all our daily needs and rescue us when we need it. So Gems I encourage you live like a tortoise!

Connect The Dots

One of the many things I love about Jesus is when He connects the dots. You know when you see a story come together and you know only God could have done it.
I want to share three of my most current stories.
First Story:
I have shared with you before how our church does a community outreach called 2nd Saturday. I was asked to lead a group of volunteers for The Children’s Home annual picnic. We supplied food and games and helped families who are raising other family member’s children for various reasons to just have a fun relaxing day that didn’t cost them any money. While I was there I noticed a young woman with 2 small children, they looked about 2 and 3 years old and she was very pregnant. I could see by her demeanor she was really stressed out and I wondered how she would cope with another baby.
Later while in the ladies room another guest from the picnic and I started a conversation about her situation and how she was raising her nieces 3 children and how difficult it was. I encouraged her as much as possible and allowed her to vent. Before I left for the day that same woman came back to me and said there was a woman at the picnic who was pregnant and didn’t want her baby. I knew in my heart exactly who it was. I asked her to ask the woman if it would be OK for me to have her name and number and I would have someone contact her that could help. I then prayed she would be willing to give a stranger her information. She did and I took the number to a friend who helps with adoptions.
A few months later that friend sent me an email that a beautiful healthy baby was born and going home with a loving couple who have been praying for a baby.
I had to laugh because once again God does things His own way. I’m sure no one planned that God would connect the dots of these 2 families from a picnic.
2nd Story:
I needed to go to my church and pick up a book a friend left for me at the welcome center. I was taking my grandsons to a vacation Bible school at a friend’s church so I figured I would swing by and pick up the book after I dropped the boys off.
Before leaving I went to grab my phone and realized it didn’t charge “for some reason.” I thought I knew where I was going so I left without it. When I got to the church there was no one there, I obviously missed something in the plan. I had no phone… so I had to drive back home to call my friend and figure out where I went wrong.
I thought about stopping at my church and getting the book but I was afraid I would run into someone and start blabbing and the boys would be really late so I passed by and decided to go by after I dropped them off at the right church.
I tell you all these details because I thought I was making the decision of when I would go get the book but unknown to me the Lord was doing the dot connecting for His perfect timing.
I dropped the boys off, went to the store then to the bank and then to my church to get the book. As I’m walking through the lobby a man sitting on a couch starts talking to me as if we were already in conversation. He’s telling me what he needs and who he spoke to last. It caught me off guard and I actually looked behind me thinking someone else must be in the lobby. I told him I didn’t work there and was just picking up a book and then realized it was an opportunity to help a person. I sat down next to him and asked what he needed. He said he was staying with friends and in his car and needed some gas money to get to a job he was starting in the next hour. I told him I had no cash but would follow him to a gas station and put some gas in his car. I asked if I could pray with him and he made a comment to the effect, that’s what everyone I talk to says, to which I replied was the best thing we could do. As we were walking out of the building we ran into one of the pastors this young man recognized so we stopped to talk to him. As we are talking to him 2 more men walk up that just happen to have a men’s ministry! They totally hooked this guy up with food, gas AND a place to live!
Once again God’s timing connecting the dots.
3rd Story: I may not have all the facts in order but it happened none the less.
A little more intense. Our Pastor was doing a message on Hell. We have services on Saturday night and Sunday. A drama was done using Facebook where a young man dies and goes to hell and reaches his best friends via facebook to warn them about hell and how terrible it is. He tells his friends how he had many chances to hear about Jesus and blew them off. He wants to warn them so they don’t end up there. (Go to gracefamilychurch.org to see the message, it’s worth it)
A man was at the Saturday night service and heard the message. This man’s daughter’s boyfriend, stay with me, had just died from a drug overdose the night before.
The man’s family sent an invitation to the friends of this young man who just passed away inviting them to church the next day. Sunday morning about 30 young people showed up thinking they were there for a memorial service for their friend.
They heard the message and saw the drama that really hit home for them. At the end of the service ALL of these young people went forward for prayer!!!!
They were then brought into a large prayer room to be given time to grieve and comfort one another. Many people from the church were also available to comfort and talk to them. Is God amazing or what!
These are just three of billions of times that God is connecting the dots in our lives.
Gems, don’t get discouraged the next time you’re not doing something on your timing. You never know when you’re being used for one of these dot connecting moments.

Safe In The Lord

I was reading in 1 Chronicles 21 today.1 Chronicles 21:1-3 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.” And Joab answered, “May the LORD make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should we be a cause of guilt in Israel?”
Basically King David tells Joab to get a count of all the troops and Joab responds with WHAT!!! Why would you want to bring guilt on Israel?
You may be asking yourself as I did, why is this a bad thing? Why would it be wrong for the Commander of an army who is constantly in battle to know how many fighting men he has. In the worlds system it makes perfect sense. But if your a Christian you are not part of the worlds system.
Let's look closer at the scenario.
David and Joab knew God's word that was spoken back in Deuteronomy 1:11 May the Lord, the God our your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised.
God had already promised Israel He would increase their numbers and bless them.
In Joab's eyes it was a slap in God's face to count how many fighting men the army had. It didn't matter if they had 100 fighting men or 100,000,000 fighting men God's word was spoken. David should have felt the same way when satan gave him the idea. Gems the devil can do more harm to us by tempting us to sin against our God than he does by accusing us before our God.
David was having a pride issue here not a promise issue. The Bible never says David didn't believe the promise God spoke in Deuteronomy. David was taking matters into his own hands believing he was the reason for the victories the people of Israel had been winning.
Sometimes it's the leaders who knows the scriptures the best that are the ones who are the worst at the application of those scriptures.
We some how allow pride to seep in and we think we are above temptation.
For example.
A few weeks ago I sent out a prayer by David Jeremiah on the spiritual armor and how to apply it. (If you didn't get it let me know and I will be happy to resend it to you) I printed out the prayer and was diligent in praying it over myself daily. The odd thing is the more I prayed it the more warning dreams I seem to be having that I was in for a spiritual attack. I assumed the attack was from outside my personal camp and pride led me to believe I could handle whatever it was because I know scripture and believe God's promises.
Well Gems it came from within my camp and it about took me out. I was definitely wounded and had to lay low for several days resting in the arms of my sweet Jesus for healing.
The “what” isn't important the how and why are.
When I, like King David in the above scripture took matters into my own hands and started relying on my own strength I opened the door for the enemy. You see I was putting on my spiritual armor but forgetting the power was in the one who made it not my power to put it on.
I was counting on me to handle my upcoming battle and not relying on the promise of God that what ever was coming He could handle it for me. Needless to say when the attack came I was blind sided and laid out. The good news is the promises of God were and are still true. I could land in my Savior's arms and He did tend to my wounds and is still carrying me, armor and all, through this season. You see I fell into pride and started asking God to reveal things to me in the spirit realm that I didn't know about because I thought I could handle it. It wasn't wrong to ask, and it wasn't wrong for God to tell me I just forgot the promise of provision was from God, not me. My prayer should have been Lord show me things in the spirit that I am ready to receive. Protect me from what I'm not ready for and fill me with your power to handle whatever truths are revealed.
I'm not saying what was revealed would not have still hurt, trust me it would have but I wouldn't have been so shocked when it came from within my camp.
Daniel 2:21-22 And He changes the times and the seasons;He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.
We can handle the dark as long as we remember where the light to rescue us comes from. Like any army general you need to know what is in the darkness so you know how to prepare for battle but you must remember it is GOD who will resucue you not your amazing ability to lead or awesome knowledge of warfare.
My dear friend Betty sent me Psalm 4 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer How long, O you sons of men,Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness And seek falsehood? Selah But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly;The LORD will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
What powerful words. My safety wasn't in me any more than David's was in the number of men in his army. Jesus is the ultimate King and warrior. He begins and ends the battle. He will protect us no matter how many are in our army. Gems all our safety is in the Lord!