DAY 22 and 23 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
A prideful despising of correction leads to justification of our behavior. Justification leads to denial of poisonous character defects which leads to contamination of the heart, ending in death and destruction.
A little confession can go a long way!
To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. (Proverbs 12:1 NLT)
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18 NLT)
DAY 21 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
“I’m not taken the beaten path. I’m a leader not a follower,” said just before getting lost on a hike.
The question of the day is…
When is it important to pave new roads and when is it wise to flow the wisdom of those who’ve gone before?
DAY 20 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
Easel upright, He places a canvas of white, eager to design his colorful masterpiece. Hand poised, brush slanted, brilliant strokes emerge with beauty beyond imagination depicting reflection of His own strengths and character. Unlike most creators, a power is held to animate his creation with a breath, and so He does.
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DAY 18 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
When God doesn’t change troublesome circumstances surrounding my life, I must assume His desire is to transform me.
Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
DAY 16 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
A eulogy shouldn’t be written for someone who has passed, it should be spoken while they’re still in the present!
Spoken words can bring life to the living, but only fall on deaf ears if they’re dead!
Don’t neglect the chance to speak life now.
Proverbs 18:21
DAY 17 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
Tiny white walled room, scarcely decorated, tightly cramped with a twin bed and mismatched dresser that my 10 year old frame barely could move between. As they say, “it wasn’t much” but it was all I needed, along with the oversized mirror over the dresser that could reflect my entire petite shape so long as I was standing on the stage, or, uh, my bed I mean.
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DAY 15 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
Upon entrance, hands reach out to greet them, offer announcements on paper and they bee-line to find a seat. Not to far forward, leaving chance for a quick escape and not in close proximity to strangers, after all it’s church, they might bite.
It’s for these visiting species that churches have created “seeker friendly” services. Services with no greeting time, way too awkward, performances rather than worship because, well, they don’t know the songs. Play music loudly, use words that aren’t overly spiritual and by no means should anyone look around while during prayer.
It’s the latter that I ponder.
Inspiring message stirs an unbelievers heart, music of God’s love penetrates the rough, doubting exterior, heart pounds, palms sweat and a desire rises in them to make a decision for Christ, alone.
All of heaven is poised to celebrate… yet the touchable, present and “in the flesh” believers that surround them are asked to pray with bowed heads and closed eyes. Hmmm…
Don’t Christ followers miss the opportunity to discover the newest members of their faith family all because we wouldn’t want them to feel weird?
Doesn’t that teach them from the very beginning, right out of the gates that take them from bondage of sin to freedom in Christ, to be “timid in spirit” and hide their faith?
I get that we don’t want to go all crazy and scare people off, but people come to church with knowledge that God is there, shouldn’t they experience Him in the fullness of His design, not ours?
Not a statement, just a ruminating question.
DAY 14 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
Cool breeze blows through the open window, fluff the pillow to perfection, lay my weary body down to sleep, adjust, manipulate and position myself just right. In both anticipation of deep sleep and celebration of the close of another day, I sigh with an exhale that releases and relaxes. That’s when they start!
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DAY 13 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
“I have the right to smoke anywhere I want, drink as much as I want and say whatever the @#%* I want, cause this is the land if the free.”
Slightly edited rant I overheard yesterday! Nothing inherently wrong with his words, but his tone left me disturbed and unsettled. It was the self possessed, “screw you” attitude that made me realize that too much freedom can be detrimental.
An over abundance of freedom leads to chaos and disunity when the focus is singulated rather than spread in view for the greater purpose of all men.
Even our soldiers who fight for our freedom have restrictions and guidelines and limitations to protect them and unite them as a unit.
We abuse freedom when we do not embrace the ability to grow in honor and compassion or use it to become all that we’re capable of being or fail to give back.
Freedom is a gift that needs to be treated with respect and honor not tainted with a sense of entitlement.
Resonate freedom by exercising the privileges that comes from it, not by abusing the right to it.
Whether speaking in faith or speaking of America, “someone died for you to do whatever the hell you want, be sure to make it count.”
DAY 12 (Read Day 1 “OK, Honey. Challenge Accepted!” Post)
Not a proud moment, nor a memory easily erased when a new gouge in the car interior upholstery now haunts me each time I drive. Realistically, it won’t be the last one and obviously wasn’t my first Mom tantrum.
In a moment of weakness, I failed. Now what?
Journey of Emotions! 