You are Chosen!

This morning in my devotional I read from Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

As I read this, the word condemnation stood out to me and I realized, have I ever really looked at the word condemnation?  So I wiki-ed it! According to Wiki, the word condemned refers to "Damnation, the anithesis of salvation"-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condemnation. As I read the definition it hit me that whenever I believe the devil's lies, I begin believing that I am not saved, that I am doomed and will spend the rest of my eternal existence in Hell. WHAT A LIE FROM THE PITS OF HELL! I have a seat in Heaven!

So today, I am making the choice to believe the truth and not a lie. I am Saved, I am Chosen, I am God's! Christ made me worthy by dying on the Cross and rising again. Once the Benefactor died and rose again, I became his beneficiary and now get to walk in his Holiness, his purity.

So, instead of forfeiting your blessings today by believing the lie, choose to receive what the Benefactor died to give you, HIS LOVE, THE IMPOSSIBLES, THE MIRACLES, THE TRUTH!

"I have a beautiful booty!"

I used to be a lead teacher of a class consisting of 10-12 2 year olds and boy do you hear some interesting things. There was one child, Lilly who had recently begun sharing with me how beautiful she was or how gorgeous her clothes were as she'd twirl around. One month we conducted a classroom activity we called "our weekly prodigies" where we would choose a child and spend a few days learning about that child, posting pictures of the child and their family, and would discuss what made that child special.

Well, this particular week Lilly was our class "Prodigy." She got to wear her pretty Prodigy crown that her and I made together and the teachers and the rest of her classmates shared why we thought she was so special/a prodigy. When it came time for Lilly to explain what she liked about herself and what made her special, she replied, "I have a beautiful booty!"  Quite hilarious indeed and was looked so proud saying it (got to love a 2 year old's answers).

But a funny thing began to happen since her prodigy week, she began acting very different from the Lilly that I knew. It was great that she knew that she was beautiful and special, a prodigy but I started noticing that she would begin to use this as a way to get what she wanted. Yes, a 2 year old began manipulating and using what she had to get what she wanted. It was from that instant that I realized something, we should teach them that they are smart, beautiful, special, loved BUT we should also teach them that it was God who made them smart, beautiful, special, loved so that when someone tells them that they are wrong and makes them doubt themselves, they give into arrogance, something life altering happens (a tragic accident that leaves him/her wounded physically, divorce hits, their heart is broken, etc.) they can fall back on the truth that it is not them BUT Christ in them. They can remember that they were made in his likeness. They cannot take credit for something that you did not create.

So, to reel her back in a little, I spent time reminding Lilly that God was her source, that he "made her very special" and it was him that created her "beautiful booty." Constantly speaking him over her and giving him the credit along with edifying her in that she was smart because he made her smart, etc. changed the ways in which she acted, it was quite instant especially for a child that was not raised in a Christian family. Imagine if she did hear this everyday at home, imagine if everyday she was reminded that God made her smart, loved, special? If at 2 years old it has that much of an impact, imagine the adult that she would one day become? What she could one day accomplish due to this confidence in herself and in her God?

What does scripture say.......

Genesis 1:27 (NIV)

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Psalm 139:13-18

¹³ For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful, I know that full well^.15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God! How vast is the sum of them!¹⁸ Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand —when I awake, I am still with you.

You Are Not Just a Mom!!!!!!

Great wisdom for mom's who feel like they just cannot get it together, for parents who understand that they are training up our grandchildren's mommy and daddy, who want their children to know they are loved, and for those that see other women who seem to got it together so much better than we do.

Every mom should be able to relate to this. Great broadcast from Focus on the Family. Guest Tracey Eyster blogger and author of the book- Be The Mom. Here is the broadcast below...

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={A3A07FDF-1A54-4B45-9C76-88623994A860}

Also, you can follow Tracey on her blog at http://traceyster.com/ and buy her new book at
http://family.christianbook.com/overcome-attitude-traps-enjoy-your-kids/tracey-eyster/9781589976849/pd/976849?p=1158279&event=ORC

Unhappy Wife=Unhappy Life

Have you ever felt guilty that you could not take the time to go see a friend or go to a function because of the responsiblities awaiting you at home? As a new mom and as a wife, this is something that I experience almost daily. There is this feeling of guilt and dread that surrounds me when I have to tell someone no.

The people pleaser in me, screams! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! So, I prayed about, tried some things and here is what I have found....

Scenario One- I commit to go see the person, go to the event, etc. anyway.
Conclusion-Frustrated on the day or 2 before, frustrated and rushing the day of, frustrated afterward
                                              =Unhappy Household!

Scenario Two- Don't go and give a long explanation of why it cannot happen.
Conclusion-They ask me the one question that causes me to doubt myself and my daily decision making,"What do you do all day?" They still don't get it.
                                            =Doubt, depressed feelings, rough day
                                            =Unhappy Household
In just these 2 scenarios alone we find that UNHAPPY WIFE=UNHAPPY LIFE!

So here is what I plan to do...

Consider
1-Does this effect my husband, if so, ask him if it is something that he wants to do.
2-Why am I going? Is it out of guilt? Because I generally miss this person?
3-Consider if this is the appropriate time for it or do we need to consider if another time would be more appropriate, SIMPLY take a rain check?

If I based my decision out of guilt, then it is not going to happen. My heart is not in the right place and the those closest to me will suffer (husband, children, even the family dog). My family and well being comes first, not someone else that I am placing my worth in that in a few years may not even be someone I speak to.

The people pleaser in me wants to make everyone happy But that isn't possible, so I need to be the best me that I can be and that starts with being Christ's daughter. I need to choose and acknowledge that my worth is in him and out of that overflow I can BE the best Angelina and fullfil the roles that I am first and foremost called to as Christopher's wife, Israel and Princess' mom.

That is it, that simple. Now, there is way more to this people pleasing stuff that I need to dig deep and deal with BUT for now. I need to acknowledge these situations and ask God to reveal his truth to me and why I am allowing these people to dictate my worth?

Join me on this journey! :)

Labor & Delivery-My Should Have Could Haves

Before having your baby, because there is so much information to overwhelm you before your little one arrives go ahead and right out the top 3-5 things that you consider priority and really spend time learning about those things. I ended up knowing what was important to me and then in the end only focusing and spending most of my time on the things that, in the end, didn't mean the most. Keep your eye on the prize!!!

My list would have went like this.....
1-Pitocin (did not want and now have had a difficult time breastfeeding due to it)
2-Breastfeeding (let too many people tell me that-"oh, who knows if you will even be able to"-haters!)
3-Epidural (could have went without it longer and could have pressed the button less-should have set boundaries before listening to everyone stuck to my guns before going into full steam ahead for one-not to say that I wouldn't have gotten one just that I would have known that the less I pushed the pump for more, the more feeling of pushing that I would have had).
4-The essentials for him (diapering, bedding, stroller, car seat, a few onesies, detergent for him, etc.)
5-Essentials for me/hubby (moby wrap, breast pads, quick dinner ideas, nursing bras, comfortable tops and bottoms, small/quick healthy snacks (since you burn calories, you snack more between feedings), relaxing music, great water bottle(personal water pitcher, GOOD SNACKS FOR HUBBY-HE WAS SO TIRED AND UNDERFED THAT HE ALMOST PASSED OUT), etc.
.

Turned out more like this...
1-Need this, that, and the other for him (everything!!!!!!!!!-I made sure that he had everything-everything that he barely even needs right now)
2-Clean house (messy by 1st day)
3-Organization of his stuff/my apartment (so much of it that forgot where most of it went and was so tired that it didn't matter)
4-Labor pains-techniques for coping
5-Researching when to know when you are in labor (dude, you know!)

You know you and what is important to you- Stick to that. People have plenty of opinions and will continue to even once he is here (they will confuse you-yes, even the medical staff will have opposing opinions and ideas). You were meant to do this, trust the your maker knew your baby and you and placed you together for a reason! Remember that!

!Everything!

Disclaimer: This topic will probably make you feel uneasy and it is meant to because in order to walk in God's freedom and receive the exceedingly, abdundantly, above in your life-you need to hear this!

Every Friday my husband and I sit down and look over our budget because we know that in order to be good stewards over what God has given us we need to account for every dollar that he has placed in our hands. The first 3 things that we go over in our budget are "how much have we brought in, how much did we gross, what is 10% of our gross?"

Are you tracking with me??

So, this morning as my husband goes off to work, I sat down to give our tithe because we believe that God gets his 10% first. There are so many reasons why we do this. We do this because we have seen and we have experienced the Lord as our Jehovah-Jireh: God who Provides. He has provided in so many ways for our household and there has never been a time where we have lacked to the point of being without food, or housing, or anything that the Lord has promised to provide us. God has provided, even when we cannot see how or even when it has made no sense and we still cannot figure out how he did it-where did the surplus come from? How did the bills get paid?

Before I tithed this morning, I wanted to visit the website of the church that we tithe to (our home church)-Elevation Church (Elevationnetwork.com). We have an online site where there are constant sermons and music and so I went to the site to see what God is doing with the very money that belongs to him, that we are privileged to give back into his church. YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WAS PREACHING ON! It was on giving, and he spoke of these people in Uganda who have nothing but as he spoke God's word were throwing all the money they had at his feet to honor the word of God coming from him and I tell you, I just cried.

God has been so faithful over our giving and he has never never never never not shown up in the midst to provide our needs. He has provided financially and it is so much bigger because his finacnial blessings are nothing in comparison to how I now know him.

I now know God has a trustworthy Father who loves to bless me and loves to pour into me. I know him on a level that most of you will not because you refuse to trust what he says when he says...

"¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe, ” says the Lord Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 3:10-12

We have tested him, we have seen him, we now know him because we simply gave him what is already his-our lives and our heart-Everything!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_M0H5nrY8E -Check this out!

Jabez Who?

 Jabez' s prayer is a prayer that you never hear about and yet within 2 quick verses you learn the heart of a man and of a God who can take our broken lives, past, even our name, and create something amazing out of it.

⁹ Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez,^[a] saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested (1 Chr. 4:9-10., NKJV).

When I first began reading about this verse in a book called "The Prayer of Jabez" by Bruce Wilkinson I was encouraged and taken aback by the simple truths pointed out in this verse But as I began reading it for myself, something stuck out to me......

"that I may not cause pain!"

It instantly hit me, the connection that is. Here was a man who from birth was given this name that meant something negative. He essentially went his whole existence constantly reminded of what he was/had meant/had been to someone (and not in a good way).

So what about you? What from your past keeps pulling you back, reminding you of what you shouldn't have done, shouldn't have said? For me, it is debt, for someone else it may be a person that you didn't forgive, a bad alliance that you made that cannot be undone. Whatever it is, God is the God of the impossible and can take our broken lives, what the doctor reports, what the world may say, and turn them into miracles.

What is your pain? What bad alliance did you make? I dare you to pray audaciously as Jabez did and ask the Lord to intervene and cause miracles that only he can receive the credit for in Jesus' name. I don't know about you, but I plan to pray this daily over the next few weeks and see God intervene in only ways he can. Prayer and expectation!

Blessings!

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