Not so good... but good

... this week was an ultimate failure, lol... I did not wake up early one day, sadly I woke up later this week than any other.  

Strange.

Despite my failure, I learned that I cannot do anything pleasing to God in my own strength, which is really what I was trying to do.

I also learned that I have a problem with trying things that are challenging... So if I feel like I wont do it well, I wont want to do it all...  forgetting that God's power is perfected in my weakness.  

So prideful, I am...  

Well anyways, I woke up this morning very discouraged and found myself on Carolyn Mahaney's blog.  I came across this quote in my wandering around her site; it was most encouraging in the midst of my failure, its good to know that God expects me to do one thing and only one thing, to depend on him, moment by moment to please Him... 

"Yet the duties God requires of us are not in proportion to the strength we possess in ourselves.  Rather, they are proportional to the resources available to us in Christ. We do not have the ability in ourselves to accomplish the least of God's tasks. This is a law of grace.  When we recognize it is impossible for us to perform a duty in our own strength, we will discover the secret of its accomplishment.  But alas, this is a secret we often fail to discover."

There is always something new to learn, always... 

Ok, so I've been feeling really convicted about the time I wake up in the morning.  I usually wake up around 7:30 which gives me a decent amount of time to get ready for work (which starts at 8:30) and 10 minutes to do a quick read of whatever I see in front of me. 

I used to wake up right in time for work so waking up at 7:30 has been a big deal for me; an accomplishment. 

But I'm finding that it's not enough. 

 I've been thinking that I need more time to read my Bible, study it, meditate on it and talk to God and I cannot think of any better time than 6:00 in the morning.  The thought of waking up that early really makes me sick because I absolutely love to sleep.  

But I am finding that my days just zoom right by... I wake up, get ready, go to work, run errands, cook dinner, relax, hang out with my husband, or hang out with friends, read a book, etc... and before I know it, its time for bed.

Where did the time go? I really thought I would have time for God today!!!

After having too many days like this, I have come to the conclusion that my life calls for me to wake up early to develop my relationship with God.  It is by far my most important relationship and is worth the sacrifice... 

So this is pretty much my only goal for this week... I'm going to really need the grace of God to accomplish this... 

PRAY FOR ME!

What about you, do you have God scheduled in your life, like everything else? If not I challenge you to join me to intentionally put Him in your day.  It does not have to be in the mornings, it can be any time that works best for you life... For mine, mornings seem to be the only option...

"Whether before breakfast or after, morning or evening, the point is we must all arrange our schedule to provide for this daily intake of the Word of God." (Jerry Bridges)

Contentment? What's that?

Rinnah!

praise....

to.....

God....

How often do we praise Him? I'll speak for myself and say, "not enough." Often I find myself complaining about every little thing: "ohh its too hot!!" (my sweet husband turns the A.C. on), "ohhh its too cold." 

My husband asks me about my day at work: "ohhh I hate my job", (I find another, supposedly better job) "uhhh this one is not as flexible as the other job, I wish I didn't have to work at all" (so I decide to be a stay at home wife) "...wow, this is really boring... how about that job."... 

Often I forget my appetites cannot be satisfied by merely a change in circumstance but in a change of attitude- I need a heart of contentment, one that is o.k. with whatever lot God decides to give because He knows best. 

I find contentment as the key to freedom. 

 Just think about it, if we're content we are free to be ourselves, we are free to enjoy whatever we have whether it is plenty or very little; we're free to enjoy what God has given others without that coveting eye (you know what I'm talking about lol).  We're just so free when we have that peace in knowing that God knows what He's doing and with that we can only do one thing- and that is to praise Him for who He is!

It is in fact a learning process, Paul says it in Philippians that he has learned to be content in whatever circumstance, so it doesn't come over night... but it certainly comes.. 

I would encourage you to renew your thinking as I am trying to do the same... Our culture feeds us with ideas of how life should be, what we should have, how much we should make, but the Bible tells us something completely different... The world tells us to seek prosperity and fame... where as the Bible says to seek God's kingdom and be meek and humble... What a contrast! But how I want to embrace it, that is where true contentment lies and praises begin!