I'm back!

Sorry it's been so long since I've written! I've been super busy with the holidays and family and such. I miss you all SO very much and I can't wait to see you all on January 9th. Anywho...this morning I read a devotion that I want to share with you. It's from Proverbs 31 ministries by a lady named Marybeth Whalen.

Honoring God with Your Life

“It never occurs to them to say, ‘How can we honor our God with our lives, The God who gives rain in both spring and autumn and maintains the rhythm of the seasons.” Jeremiah 5:24 (NIV)

Devotion:

Last night God brought a little boy to my mind. This little boy is nothing special. He has never been on the front page of a newspaper or achieved a world record. No one recognizes his name; he isn’t a celebrity by the world’s standards. And yet, he was on my mind last night, though I’ve never met him personally. I just know about him because I read something his mother wrote years ago.

At about eight years-old, he felt burdened to start a cookie ministry for elderly people, new neighbors, and others in his life. And so, each week this little boy would make a big batch of Snickerdoodle cookies (I still remember what kind because they sounded so good), divide them into packages, pile them in his wagon and deliver them to whoever was on his list for that week. He would visit with the people and sometimes share a verse or prayer with them and be on his way. Some people heard about what he was doing and donated money to pay for the ingredients in his cookies, and he enjoyed having his very own ministry at a young age.

It has been many years since I read that, and I imagine that little boy is a young man now. I don’t have any idea what he is doing, but something tells me that he is still finding creative ways to honor God with his life. As I thought of him last night, I was struck by how flimsy my excuses must sound for not being more purposeful about ministering to others. What keeps me from reaching out to those around me—the hurting, the grieving, the sick, or the hopeless? What makes me shrug my shoulders and walk away? Why does a little boy’s cookie ministry matter? Because he used what he had and he did what he could. And I know I could stand to do the same.

We are supposed to honor God with our lives. And yet, we have a million reasons for not doing so. Money, time, and resource constraints are popular excuses—and yet, this little boy was bound by the same things. I know that even if I just bake a loaf of banana bread and take it to someone that God puts on my heart, then that is honoring God with my life. Sometimes it is in the simplest of acts that we make the biggest impact. Instead of making excuses and leaving ministry to other people, I can set out to do what I can with what I have.

Many years later this young man’s cookie ministry has served to inspire a busy woman to honor God with her life. He has no idea how impacting his example was on me. I hope he has inspired you as well.

Dear Lord, help me to act on the things You lay on my heart and not make excuses or feel silly or inadequate. Help me to see the bigger picture in the little things You call us to do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Texas- Dec.16-22

Hey girls! I'm not going to be able to write while I'm in Texas, but please leave comments on here for me to read when I get back! LOVE YOU MISS YOU!

Learn from my Mistakes

Tonight I learned a very valuable lesson. Be careful about your pride because nothing good that comes from you is rooted in your heart, it comes from God.. I realized this tonight because I expressed my concern to my aunt about a guy that my cousin is dating. Not to hurt anyone or to make anyone disappointed in me, but because I thought I knew what was best for someone. I thought I knew what was best for my cousin, but I don't. Only God knows what is best for her. Only God can give her the abundant life that he has in store for her. Only God can give her what is best for her. Not me. I am not God.
Is there a situation in your life where you feel like you know what is best for someone? Be careful and pray dilligently about God's will rather than your own. We are not God....THANK GOD!

Pleasing Others

Something that I really struggle with is the temptation to constantly please others without considering how I can please God. Galations chapter 1 really digs into this. So, read Galations 1 and let me know how you feel about your own temptation to please others.