on my friend

My best friend is single, 44 yrs old and the best friend anyone could ever ask for. She has gone through so much in the last few years of her life. She has been trying to settle and figure out what she's going to do. She's been living near her family for the last few years and in these few years lost several close family members.

She has a strong faith in God and knows only that through His grace she's made it. I long to see her in a place where she is content, where she is doing His will and finally at peace. She is one of the strongest women I know. You have no idea what losses she has suffered throughout her life. Most would have lost their faith before they went halfway through what she has.

I commend her on her faith in God. I am very proud to call her my friend.

on who yo baby daddy??

I was just thinking about how many of the men in the Old Testament had more than one wife or concubines, etc... I mean Jacob had Leah and Rachel and the two handmaids. Four mothers bore his children. Look at Solomon, I don't know how many kids he had, but it must have been quite a few with all those women.

So, I wonder if this question "who yo baby daddy," was ever asked back then? Did they have to worry about child support? Was it common for a man to father children from many different women? It looks like it was.

on the faithful..

I was reading my Bible the other day and a particular verse caught my eye. Perhaps my preacher brethren may have noticed this already, but if you haven't, I see a good sermon in it.

The book of Hebrews, chapter 11, I'm sure you are all very well acquainted with. This chapter speaks of faith. It mentions many great, faithful servants of God. Just to name a few; Abraham, Noah, Moses, and also....Rahab. (vs 31)

Now, when I noticed this, my first thought was "why?" Why was Rahab mentioned in this chapter with so many of the faithful servants, whose names appear many times throughout the Bible? Why was she so special?

My second thought was that out of all the other faithful women of the Bible such as Esther, Naomi, Ruth, etc...God chose Rahab's faithfulness for this scripture.

I began to ponder this and it is my opinion that the Lord specified Rahab to make a wonderful point. That even a harlot, such as Rahab, had faith in and feared God. He can use anyone. He can change anyone. So there is no excuse for any of us. We all can be used of God.

Just Julie's Thought....

just curious

Easter Sunday is on its way. I plan on the usual for Easter, driving down for services at Whispering Pines, then going to mom and dad's for the usual family gathering and a good meal.

Joe has decided that this year he's not going with me to Whispering Pines that morning, he is going to go to Lakeview (our church) and then drive to mom's for dinner.

So, I am faced with a choice. Either I can go ahead and drive down and take Marissa to Whispering Pines or go with Joe to Lakeview and drive down after service (which by the time we leave it's usually close to 1:00).

Is there a right or wrong choice?

I'm still going to do what I want to do, just wanted your responses.

new song

I had every intention of living my life,
without any sin, to live like Christ
But little did I know, the battle had just begun
And with every tear I shed, I pray,
Not my will, but thine be done

Not my will but Thine be done, as You prayed in the garden
Before they took you away
Give me the strength to call on you for the choices I make
Not my will, but Thine be done.

I tried to keep my promises, I tried to keep the faith
Failing You so many times, yet here I stand today
And this one thing I know, more trials will surely come
And with every tear I shed, I pray, Not my will but Thine be done.

*Lord I want to serve you, but the battle rages in me,
The spirit's always willing but the flesh inside is weak.

on keeping the Lord at work

Many of us who work with "the world" have a harder time struggling with our flesh. It is very easy to make it through the day without one thought on Christ. There are many influences that we are under. We are so busy and have to stay focused on the job that by the time we realize it, the day is over.

Our pastors, preachers, and others who do not work at other places tend to forget that we are facing "the world" every day. I'm not stating that men of God are immune to the flesh by any means. I'm just simply saying that I've noticed, in my own life, that those times when I wasn't working I was closer to God. I had the day to pray, read my bible, study, etc... Of course, any time that we are not as involved with the world, we are going to be closer to God if we make a commitment to Him.

I also think that preachers should consider this more when they are giving advice or preaching their messages. We don't have the time to go into an office and study the bible, or just simply pray sometimes. We have a job to do that, for many of us, uses all of our day and we still do not get everything accomplished.

There have been times when I am at work that I know I'm not being the person I should be. I am dealing with people who have lost their patience, manners, care, and respect for any others. I see the world every day and it is very easy to succumb to their way. I find myself being impatient, without manners, uncaring, and disrespectful. I find myself feeling no love for them because they show no love for their fellow man.

We need to pray for those of us who are struggling on our jobs to be a witness, to stop for a few moments throughout the day to focus and pray. We need to take just a moment to say "thank you Lord, please help me through the day."

She searches her heart for love where bitterness and resentment have taken its place.
She cries uncontrollably, her only hope is to seek comfort in her Savior's embrace.

She desires forgiveness for the thoughts deep within her mind,yet they still linger inside.
She questions her faith, knowing not why she can not let go, though she has tried.

She faces another day of sorrow, of frustration, of emotions filled with pain
She struggles, fighting the battle hoping today she will win, only to find she has failed....once again.

on understanding

I have a hard time understanding why, when I'm so heartbroken and torn, that my Lord and Savior allows such pain and agony to persist in my life. Everyone always uses the scripture "wait on the Lord." Is this the only answer?

I have a hard time understanding that while I'm faithful in service that my Lord and Savior allows my service to be so emotionally troubled. I know that the scriptures say that we will suffer. I just don't understand why the suffering is in His house.

I have a hard time understanding that while I have chosen to follow my husband and be supportive in his decisions that he's made, why my Lord and Savior has allowed my marriage to become a constant battle to fight. The scriptures say for the wife to subject herself to her husband, well, I have.

I have a hard time understanding why my emotional suffering is not important enough to my Lord and Savior that He doesn't change the situation. I think of the scripture, "is anything too hard for the LORD?" Well, I know that nothing is, so where is my joy? Where is my peace? Where is my comfort?

I have a hard time understanding.

on a day that's supposed to be peaceful

I am writing this as I type, so excuse the randomness of this post.

This day, Sunday, our day of worship so easily turned into a day of anger, frustration and sadness for me. We were on the way out the door this morning, in a hurry as usual, and my arm hit the door causing my coffee to spill all over my hand (which didn't feel too good), the floor and my clothes. After that moment, I was trying to rush and clean myself up while Joe and Marissa were already in the truck. Joe starts beating on the horn. I rush out yelling, "I'm coming! I just spilled hot coffee all over my hand." He decides to say, (instead he should have just kept his mouth shut), "I'm gonna start leaving without ya'll." That did it. That led into a huge argument between us on our way to church. Enough said about that.

Then, of course, being a man, he's ok while I'm still frustrated and aggravated, I don't even want to be there.

People are trying to talk to me. "I don't wanna talk. Just leave me alone" is all I can think. I blame my attitude on my job, which everyone knows is already a stressful one. I play the piano as I'm crying my eyes out. I just want to be in the Lord's house and have a great service. Not today.

The sermon was on Jesus calming the storm. It's hard to believe sometime when you feel you've been in the same storm for so long and nothing has changed. When is the storm going to calm? When do I get my peace? How does one accept so much emotional turmoil that is causing so much unhappiness? I waited for the pastor to say some storms are over quickly while others linger. He didn't say that. He read the part where Jesus said "Peace. Be still" and the storm stopped immediately. I know Jesus is in the boat. I just feel like my boat is sinking. What is Jesus waiting for?

on atheists..

Is the only thing that we can do for an atheist is pray?

on an "old fashioned" church

I've heard the term "old fashioned" church many times. It's used to refer to what kind of church we want to build. The "old fashioned" ways of teaching and preaching are commonly stated. Is this the message we truly want to send people? If we are stating that this is "old fashioned" then we are telling others that the gospel is "old fashioned."

I, for one, don't see it as "old fashioned." I believe that when we state so we are saying there is a "new fashioned" way of teaching it. There is none. God gave us His Word, calls men to preach it, gave the churches the authority, and gave us Jesus. All throughout the ages until the end of the world, it has been and is supposed to be taught this way.

I hope we don't label our churches as "old fashioned." We are simply true, New Testament churches that teach the gospel the way Jesus taught.

on being a man....

I was talking to Joe about how my assistant that quit wants me to mail his check to him. For whatever reason he doesn't want to come in and pick it up.

I don't understand how this man cannot face me. I'm not going to shoot him or curse him. I'm not going to start a fight in the middle of my store. I may ask him a few questions, but that's it.

During this conversation, I brought up the fact that he must not be much of a man since he has a problem with confronting me. Joe stated that there are times when men just want to avoid confrontation. I understand that, but what I don't understand is why he doesn't in this situation. It's not a battlefield, it's a business. He knows how professional I am, and really I am in these particular situations.

Also, a few days after my assistant quit, Joe saw him at a store. Joe said nothing to him. I asked him why he didn't say anything. You know, stand up for me. Because he had quit, I was at work from 6:00am til 9:30 pm that day, and Sunday from 7:30 am til 9:30 pm. So you can imagine how hurt I was that Joe didn't say anything. I told him that he should have said something. I guess in this situation, he wanted to avoid a confrontation.

So, why is it that when it is something that is important to a man they have no problem with confrontation, but when it involves their wife, they do. I don't get it.

Now you know, stand up for your wife, defend her. It will mean so much to her, you may never know it, but it does.

on keeping the Lord's Day holy...oh...except for Superbowl Sunday

While I'm excited that the Saints won the Superbowl, I am utterly disgusted how some of our fellow brethren, sisters, and sister churches allowed this event to become a part of their worship. Some even allowed it to replace their worship.

I read comments on Facebook about a preacher who wore a "Who Dat" t-shirt. Others dressing in black and gold. I read a comment by a preacher who was "staying at home tonight to watch the Superbowl" and how God would forgive him.

This is our example? These are our leaders in our churches? No wonder the world doesn't see a difference in us, we look like it. Aren't we supposed to be a "peculiar people." We go on and on criticizing Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, and so forth. We proudly display our love for each other, the love Jesus has for us, yet some quickly allowed this one event to take precedence over their worship.

These men are supposed to be our leaders. How are they going to lead when even they don't know how to follow?

Shame on them.

on blog list

I've tried to add blogs to my blog list and it's just not letting me. Any help?

on man...

I had an awful day today. My new assistant decided to quit. No notice, no warning, nothing. A man.... a retired navy, respectful, mature, responsible....man. As far as I knew, everything was going great. The store was getting better, I was actually beginning to get some relief....then today he hit me with it. I never saw it coming.

This man, who came to work every day, gave me his loyalty, his word, his guarantee that he was going to help me.

This man, who I respected, who I trusted, who I felt was going to help me so much did this.

Goes to show you that man will always let you down...
But there is One Man who won't fail you...I know I don't have to say His name...but I will...Jesus

Jesus, I know you are the only man to trust, and for whatever reason I am going through all this heartache, stress, and troubles that you are with me.

One more moment is all that she needs,
Yet that "one more moment" causes her heart to bleed

The guilt she feels is ripping her in two,
She prays the feelings will end, yet they continue

Desiring to let the emotions out, but knowing it can't be,
For it would only hurt others, this she plainly sees

Is it known but just not spoken this secret inside her soul?
How many more years will this secret have control?

on Haiti

Many have started donating to the people of Haiti since the earthquake. Am I not practicing Christianity when I am thinking..."If they believed in God and followed Him instead of their gods, maybe they wouldn't be in that situation"?

on man's emotions...

Can a man actually have some emotions before becoming a child of God?

on Satan's sin

I've been studying our adversary, Satan, and I have a thought...So bear with me...

Am I correct in saying that pride in itself isn't a sin? It's actually how we allow pride to work in us as did Satan.

That being asked...then pride, anger, lust, etc...were all created from the beginning. What I'm trying to say is for Satan to have allowed his pride to cause him to do his own will, as stated in Isaiah 14:13,14, then the presence of pride had to have been there beforehand.

Does that make sense?

God created ALL things.