Bible Bank!!!

It is amazing to me the hunger that God has put inside of me to read His Word! I have an unsatiable desire to be in it all the time. I have been cleaning out my office at my house and after being gone for 9 months, trust me, it needed cleaning out. I have found so many things, you would not believe. Of course there were lots of things that needed to be filed and more trash than I even want to mention, but the one thing that has stuck out the most for me is the little pieces of paper that keeping poping up with references to the Bible or a quote that touches my heart or is exactly what I need to hear at that moment. These little pieces of paper are mostly things that I have written down, but some of them are things that people have given me.
One thing that I have come across in the last couple of days is a special little "recipe box".
When our friends, who lived in this house before us moved, I found this recipe box and thought, "Oh, I need to send that on to her right away", but as I opened it and began to peruse the "recipes", I found that it was not a recipe box, it was a Bible Bank. She has made it in college and somehow it was left behind in their move. I believe that God's hand was on it and it was left behind for me. I did ask her if I could keep it for a while and she was happy to let me do that. Well, I put it on a shelf as I did many other things. This was two years ago and I was in the middle of doing ministry, trying to get settled in our new home and just the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Well, this little box has gotten my attention in these days of cleaning. Sometimes I wonder if it is going to just open up and say something. In all the sorting and cleaning I have done, that little box seems to be right in front of me everytime I turn around. I have gleaned so much from this little bible bank that was made many years ago. I don't know how many lives that it has touched in the past, but I do know that it has made a difference in my life just in the last few days and I can't wait to use it more. Thank you Debbie S. for loaning me your bank.
I am continuing to study in James and this morning was all about controlling the Tongue! Well, that fits with the theme of my life right now. One passage that I will share with you really stood out to me this morning as I was reading, I will share that with you here, however I encourage you to go back and read all of James.
James 3:5-12
In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brother and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring.

May you be blessed and may you bless someone along the way.

Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak!

He chose to give us birth through the Word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry, for mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevelant and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you. James 1: 18 - 21

May you be blessed and may you bless someone along your way today!

To Talk or Not to Talk?

One of my "issues" is that I open my mouth and verbage comes out before my brain engages. I am in the process of learning to keep my mouth shut until I can process what I am so desperately wanting speak.
Yesterday was a very difficult day for me. I am finding that I am a super control freak who thinks she has to be right in the middle of everything. I don't believe this is a pride thing as much as it is a trust thing. Sure, I am prideful, God shows me that alot, but I think the trust issue really wrecks havoc on me as I try to let go of things.
Our mission has given us about 6 weeks to get settled back into our home after having been stateside for 9 months and I am going crazy already wanting to jump right back into the fire. Here it is Monday morning, we just arrived Friday afternoon and I am chomping at the bit to get back to work. What is up with that?
Back to my difficulties yesterday; Satan was really working on me with negative self talk. He had a hook in me that just wouldn't let up. His hook negatively affected me and everyone in the house as they all knew that I was struggling with beating myself up. I must make my husband crazy sometimes with all of this. I went to bed last night praying that God would take this negative self talk away. I have tried to do it and I just can't. I am so weak when Satan starts with his garbage that I just fall right in to believing the lies. Then I start talking to myself in the same ways. Making negative comments to and about myself that are just plain not true.
I awoke this morning with a little fresher attitude. I guess Satan went somewhere else last night since I was sleeping, besides he had accomplished what he started out to do, make me believe that I am worthless. He hasn't reared his ugly head this morning, however I am sure that he is lurking in the background just waiting for his chance to pounce on me.
After some time with the Lord this morning, I am feeling a bit encouraged however very "gun shy", as we say in Texas. I found in my bible reading that for all the negative things that we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for each one.
Here are just a few that spoke directly to me this morning:

• I say: It's impossible ~ God says: All things are possible. Luke 18:27
• I say: Nobody really loves me ~ God says: I love you. John 3:16
• I say: I can't go on ~ God says: My grace is sufficient. 2 Cor. 12:9
• I say: It's not worth it ~ God says: It will be worth it. Romans 8:28
• I say: I am worried and frustrated ~ God says: Cast all your cares on ME! 1 Peter 5:7
• I say: I am all alone ~ God says: I will never leave you. Hebrews 13:5

So, as I start my day this morning, I am trusting that God will direct me in my steps and when is the right time to open my mouth and when is the right time to keep it shut. I know that my true voice, the one that God gave me, does not speak those negative thoughts. Those are from the enemy and are not a part of me.

I pray that your day will be blessed and may you bless someone along the way.

Sometimes it takes me a while!!!

Wednesday night at church, there was a ladies meeting after the Pastor's Bible Study. Usually there are bible study groups going on all over the church, however with summer here things are kind of quiet. For the month of July on Wednesday evenings they are hosting a "Summer Oasis" for women. I was only able to attend the first one as we will be leaving in a few days to return to Haiti, but I know that God made sure that I was there for a reason.
Patty Lincoln, the Senior Pastor's wife at Shandon Baptist was the speaker and she spoke on "Finding Your Voice" I didn't think much about it as the evening began, but as she spoke, I realized that this has been a constant theme in my life for the last 6 months. All the classes that I have taken while we have been stateside have had this voice thingy weaved all through them.
My daddy has always told me that I am "thick headed" and I now believe he is right. Most people who know me will probably agree with this, however I have never really seen myself that way. Yes, some of you are probably laughing right now because you can see my thick headedness very clearly. Well, sometimes it takes me a while, but God does get through that thickness and I am grateful for His faithfulness and commitment to continue the work in me that He has begun.
Thank you Patty Lincoln for the lesson that you gave on Wednesday night and for being the one that God used to finally break through. I am so excited for the journey that God has me on right now of finding my true voice. The one that He gave me.
My desire is to share this journey with those of you who read this blog and I hope that God will use my lessons to make a difference in your lives as he has used Patty Lincoln and others to make a difference in mine.
I am drawn to the passage in Jeremiah 29:11-13
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
May you be blessed today and may you bless someone along the way.
Debbie