Sitting Down With God

I was scrolling through Face Book today and read something that has stuck with me all day long. " You cannot force someone to comprehend a message that they are not ready to receive. Still, you must never underestimate the power of planting a seed." This statement brought up so many memories for me in my personal relationship with Jesus. I was taken back to a little room in children's church at the Grace Place in Stuart, FL. I was about 8 or 9 year old. I remember hearing if anyone wants to come to the altar and accept Jesus into their heart they could make their way down to the front. I could feel how my heart beat quickened and my palms got sweaty. I remember shy little Kristine standing up and taking that walk. I remember the urgency I felt like I couldn't get there fast enough. I tripped over my own two feet most of the time, but today my foot steps were sure and they knew just where I needed and wanted to be. Fast forward to a pool at one of ...

                    Life doesn’t always go the way you plan.   More often than not, it will go the complete opposite.   I have come to the realization that in those first few minutes of disappointment, I have opportunity for change.             I think back on all the times I would get angry and upset because I didn’t get my way.   The temper tantrums and the attitudes of entitlement I have had.   How do I know why things have changed?   That last minute change in direction for your day could save your life.           God’s plan for us will always outweigh any plans we could ever imagine for ourselves. I encourage you in those moments when life’s little disappointments are getting you down, for you to look up and be patient.   Change is coming! and it starts with...

God loves you.  Those three words can change a life. The past few weeks have been busy.  I found myself putting God last in a lot of ways and it came to a point that He really got my attention.  I made the decision to take a break from some things to be able to really rest in God.  I wanted to be able to come to all of you and share what He has been speaking to me.             Over and over again, it is “I love you.”  It is: I love you even though you mess up.  I love you even though you are imperfect.  I love you even when you think that you are unworthy of any love, from anywhere.  I LOVE YOU! 

T herefore, receiving, as we now do, a kingdom which cannot be shaken,  let us cherish thankfulness so that we may ever offer to God an acceptable service, with godly reverence and awe.  Hebrews 12:28 (Root in WEY NIV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  Psalms 100:4 (KJV WBS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  In every circumstance of life be thankful;  for this is God's will in Christ Jesus respecting you.  1 Thessalonians 5:18(WEY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.   2 Corinthians 4:15(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God....

Dear Readers,                 I have had an enlightening experience.  Yesterday, I was in my car driving and our Christian radio station was interviewing a man named, Kyle Idleman.  Now, Kyle is a pastor of a church and an author of a new book.  The book is called Not a Fan.  He posed a question yesterday, which rocked me to my core.                 He was asking me, and everyone listening, Are you a fan of Jesus or are you a follower?  A fan comes to church.  They love Jesus.  But, when Jesus starts interfering in their lives they back off.  A follower of Jesus Christ will lay down everything they have and are, to do what he calls them to do.  I had to ask myself, Am I a fan or a follower?

Thought Questions: *What is prayer? *Why do I pray? *How do I pray? *When do I pray?                     Recently, I have had several situations occur that have brought the four above questions to my mind.   Every day we come across people in our lives that need our intercession.   You know we don’t just pray for ourselves.   But, even when we are praying for our own personal needs the above questions really matter.           What is prayer ?   The American Tract Society Bible Dictionary defines prayer as being, “ the offering of the emotions and desires of the soul to God, in the name and through the mediation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ .”   Isn’t that beautiful? The offering of the emotions and desires of our souls to God.   I don’t know about you, but I know my soul desires many things.   Some good, some...

                Alright ya’ll, humor me.  Today has just been an “ugh” kind of day.  A day filled with frustration and aggravation, and it is only 9 o’clock in the morning.  I keep trying to remind myself that there is peace and love in the presence of God, but let me tell you today it is hard to hold onto.  Everything seems to be going wrong and my temper is trying hard to fight through.  As of right now, I am searching desperately for my internal muzzle.  I hope it makes it to my mouth before my flesh starts crying out.                 Anger is such an ugly thing.  I happened to walk past a mirror that I have hanging, for decorative purposes, in my living room. Let me tell you it shined a light on me real quick.  I realized for the first time how ugly my temper really is.  I stopped knee dee...

Brother Don shared a powerful message with us at church yesterday morning. It really made me think.  He talked about how so many Christians go around telling people how to be Christians.  That we put such a "religiousness" to it that people shy away from wanting any part of church or God.  I had to look back at my blog and see if I was doing this too. I think he caught me before I did anything to crazy.  His main point was that God is LOVE!!!!!!  We should love God, love Christ, but even more we should love each other.  God wants us to live a righteous life but if you love everyone as Jesus loves you then you are making a very big step.

  I took a deep breath and I walked in.  To my amazement, everyone smiled at me.  People I had never met before were shaking my hand and hugging me.  I walked as fast as I could to find a seat and look inconspicuous.  I was just blown away at the response of these strangers.  Wow, I mean they don't even know me and they are so welcoming.  With this I sat back and watched as service began.  I am a people watcher.  I am looking at everyone and everything.  When I tell you that you could feel the presence of God in this place, I mean goose-bumps on your arms and tears falling out of your eyes and you don't even remember starting to cry.     I felt like I had come home.  Now, I moved from South Florida when I was a junior in high school.  Before, I moved I was involved sporadically in youth group down there.  When I moved up here to the Florida Panhandle, I knew absolutely no one.  I went to several diffe...

                                 All over the nation people are encouraged to participate in some type of awareness program.   (I.E. Breast Cancer, Drunk Driving, Getting Organized, Volunteer Blood Donors, etc.)   I looked up a calendar that has lists upon lists of topics to be aware of every month.  I decided that with this idea, I am going to promote a different type of awareness topic; A two-part awareness week.   Firstly, being aware of the schemes of the enemy and his effect on human kind.   Secondly, being aware of the coming return of Jesus to this earth.                 Being Aware of the Schemes of the Enemy: 1.)     Hatred 2.)     Malice 3.)     Discouragement 4.)  ...

                                 I have hardly slept in the last few weeks.   It seems that each day that my discontentment is growing.   I seem to find fault with everything being done around me and even more in myself.   If I look at it biblically, I have no reason to be discontented.   I have food, I have clothing, I have shelter, and I have a job that pays most of my bills.   I have so much that others would be happy to have and yet, I still feel as if something is missing.                 Contentment is defined as being free from care because of satisfaction with what is already one’s own.   It also is defined as being at rest.   It is the ability to make easy in any situation.   I have tried to figure out what has m...

             " But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life."                                                                         1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT) 1.)     God is our source 2.)   He provides for us 3.)   We should be dependent on Him I was talking with a coworker the other day and as I was listening to her a question popped up in my mind.   “Is God my source or my back-up plan?”...

Have you ever played with a kaleidoscope?   They are tubes made from all different kinds of materials and inside of them are mirrors that reflect off of pieces of glass, plastic or whatever else is put in them.   When the light reflects off of the mirrors and the colorful pieces; images appear that you can see.   You can turn the kaleidoscope and the image will change.     These are beautiful images you see.             I want you to look at something with me.   In order for this to work, you have to have all the pieces working in sync with each other.   The main component consists of pieces of mirror that cause light to reflect off of the broken pieces.   Now I want you to imagine that your soul is the colorful pieces the light reflects off of in the kaleidoscope.   When all the parts work together correctly, a beautiful image is created.   However, if you turn it or manipulate it e...

I sit here tonight wondering.  I wonder why it has taken me so long to see the truth.  The bible says that the truth will set you free.  So, I am going to take that step and receive that freedom.            In recent posts, I have shared what God has revealed to me in my personal bible study.  That is all well and good, but God has spoken something to me and no matter how hard I fight Him.  He has won.  He has told me that to be truly free, I have to face my past and let it go.  I always feel shame when I think about who I was.  I say who I was because when I accepted Christ as my personal savior He made me new in Him.  I am now a new creation, spirit-filled, and loved by an almighty, powerful God.  All of my sins are forgiven.  They are forgiven as far as the east is from the west.  If you can calculate how far that is, you are good.  To say the least, it is a very great d...

I work for the Department of Corrections, and our motto is "We Never Walk Alone." We know when we get to work that we might get into a potentially dangerous situation. Tonight, I was in the breeze way with a coworker, talking, and I looked up for the briefest moment and laid eyes on our shield. Above it states our motto. It clicked in my mind, wow, if I applied this to everyday life, I might get along better throughout my day. As a Christian, I know that God is with me all of the time. I know that Christ lives in me, at all times. When I am at work, I am never with an inmate by myself. If circumstances demand that I am by myself, an officer is only a short distance away, if needed. The cameras are always on us and help is never far away. I trust in my officer, that if a situation was to present itself, that they will be there when I need them the most. If I can rely on them to be there for me when I need them, why do I have to remind myself that I can call on God for any tro...

       Okay, I am just going to get real with everyone.   I want everyone to get a pen and a piece of paper.   Now spell God.   Spell Lord, and Spell Jesus.   On my paper, I see, “G-O-D, L-O-R-D, and J-E-S-U-S.”   Now maybe I am mistaken, but on my paper I see no “I’s” anywhere      I am sure you are wondering what my point is. Well, I have no problem telling you. As Christians, we have become too "I" centered. What "I" want. What "I" need. Add "Me" and "My" and we could have a party.        It is time to take "I" out of the picture. Hmmm. What do you have left if "I" is gone, or "me", or "you"? What does that leave? It leaves us with a new beginning, with a new realization and with a new perspective.       Everything we do should be revolved on a He. I am not talking about the cute guy at the grocery store. I am not referring to our husbands or boyfrien...

WALK IN THE LIGHT:           Lesson Eight, “ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 We make choices everyday that make the difference between walking in the light of Jesus and going toward darkness.   Jesus is the light of the world.   If we walk in Him we will be free of sin and have eternal life.             Spiritually light refers to illumination of the mind, reason and will. Light is an example of Holiness. The opposite of light is darkness, which symbolically means, sin and death.   To walk in light you are choosing to be Holy, to live in truth.   You are willing to step out of the darkness and change what you do on a daily basis.             When you are walking in darkness you may stumble or fall...