A summer without kids at home full time...
It's hard to believe the summer is nearing end. I started with such great plans...as always! I am amazed yet again at how easily it is to become derailed from fulfilling our God given purpose. I was very excited (once I got over the mini-melt down of having no kids at home this summer) at the opportunity to spend some long over due quiet time with my maker. I had two main goals, to organize my home and my businesses. Yes I own more than one business.
I know my strengths and weaknesses and still I fell into the many distractions set for me. What an amazing journey. I set time aside to attend Kingdom Bound 2010 as well as Joyce Meyer's Toronto Conference and went with an open mind searching for some answers. I landed flat on my face the first day of Kingdom Bound (literally...broke a small bone in my nose and hand - but they are healing now). My fall got my attention. At the end of the week of a lot of great worship and messages I came to the realization that it is in the fire that God does the purifying.
Still trying to apply this message I listened to Joyce Meyer's messages all last week and realized how much I'd been beating myself up. Next enter Charles Stanley and his teaching on The Truth that Sets us Free and I was reminded all over again about choices. So I chose to listen to a couple CDs that I had purchased after hearing Sheila Wray Gregoire speak. I went to bed feeling much better after all those messages over a two week period. I realized I was just focusing too much attention on the things of this world which I never desired to succeed at any way. What a relief!
I am very thankful for my local Bible teaching church (Calvary Pentecostal Assembly) and when I attended yesterday's service our youth Pastor Jamie Nelson shared a great message about the sick man by the water and Jesus asking him did he want to get well? Are we living through a position of hurt or hope? What a great question. As I was coming out of the long....very long tyranny of not enough time with God and far too much time with Kathy I realized I wasn't focused on where my hope came from. Getting an eternal perspective changes everything.
My favourite devotional The Vine reminded me yesterday that I had to choose to get serious about following God and today that means I need to play to my strengths. I read three devotional emails a day, The Vine, K-Love's encouragement of the day and 300 Words a day-thanks Chris Brogan. Each of these help me to keep it simple (as long as I choose to read and apply).
Some times it really is as simple as pausing to hear the messages daily and taking it one day at a time! I woke up at 4 am and had to come listen to this video:
I pray that you know where your strength comes from, that you were born for a purpose and that you are able to sort through the many distractions of this life and know that your days have eternal value.
