The whole truth...and nothing but the truth!

I love my Papi

How can a woman not love the Lord?

* He is a gentleman

* He is confident

* He is a provider and protector

* He is rich and powerful

* He owns everything there is nothing He wouldn't do for me

* He perfects all things concerning me

* He anticipates my wants and needs

* Every day He tells me and shows me how much He loves me

* I don't have to perform in order to earn His love

* He keeps all of his promises

* No one can influence His opinion of me

* He is the ultimate intimate partner

* He can't "disown" me because I am a part of Him

* He prepares a table before ME (Selah)

* He covers me and doesn't expose me

* He wrote his loving words down so that I'll never forget how He feels about me!

NOW THAT'S LOVE!!!

Any man, who wants pointers on how to love a woman, should study GOD!

Wake up every day and thank God for being the best "man" in your life!

Crazy April 2008

Crazy Current mood: blah Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes
Okay, I haven't blogged in awhile and I'm still not going to share in depth today but here are some of my thoughts, feelings, nonetheless. So...I continue to go through a "season of suffering", I'll call it However, I KNOW that God is working in me...healing deeper places...making me more like Him...teaching me to depend on and love Him above all others...all good stuff, in the end, I know...blah, blah, blah.. but it sucks out loud while you are going through it. Believe me!! I know you know, too. We all have difficult seasons in life...I am not unique in my sufferings.
Furthermore, I am so grateful that my Papa is strong enough and loves me enough that I can just yell to Him that this all sucks...and how I wish I could just do what I want to (my flesh)...the easier things...instead of foregoing immediate gratification, pleasure, etc. But there is this HUGE part of MJ (my spirit) that truly wants all that He has for me. And I know that it is SUPPOSED to cost me everything...as one of my favorite quotes says, "holiness will cost you everything"...and I've always prayed to my Papa that He'd make me willing to be willing to pay that price...everything, completely sold out for Him...but this is one thing to say it and another to "live it out" on this earth. Did I mention that it can suck!!! Sin...the fall...separation from God...it all sucks!! Now if I were to just pursue all that I desire...all that this world says will make me happy...well, I'd be happy but not content or at peace...and the "happiness" would only be temporary. Plus, I KNOW Him...that His Word IS Truth even though sometimes I wish I could "change the wording" :) Hee! So here I am in a difficult situation...whom will I choose? MJ's desires, will or God's will and desires for me which I believe are the BEST for me??? clenched fists; sigh...I choose Him.
Well, I said I wasn't going to share a lot personally, so I'll shut up. Now to the song that God used to minister to me again today...it's from an older cd and apparently I needed to hear it, so God led me to organizing my cd's (bc I'm home miserable with yet another migraine). This song is called,
Crazy by Mercy Me ("Spoken For" Album)
Why would I spend my life longing for the day that it would end*Why would I spend my life pointing to another man*Isn't that crazy*How can I find hope in dying with promises unseen*How can I learn Your way is better in everything I'm taught to be*Isn't that crazy
(Chorus) I have not been called to the wisdom of this world*But to a God who's calling out to ME*And even though the world may think*I'm losing touch with reality*It WOULD BE crazy to choose this world*Over eternity
And if I boast, let me boast in filthy rags made clean*And if I glory let me glory in my Savior's suffering*Isn't that crazy*And as I live this daily life I trust YOU for EVERYTHING*And I will only take a step when I feel YOU leading me*Isn't that crazy*Call me crazy*Call me crazy, Melissa Jo Wilson :) Forever His!!!
I hope there are some peeps out there that will choose to be crazy with me...even when things feel uncomfortable. Desperate for more of God, MJ

Suffering?

Suffering? Category: Life
If You Want Me To
by Ginny Owens
The pathway is broken And The signs are unclear And I don't know the reason why You brought me here But just because You love me the way that You do I'm gonna walk through the valley If You want me to Chorus: Cause I'm not who I was When I took my first step And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet so if all of these trials bring me closer to you Then I will go through the fire If You want me to It may not be the way I would have chosen When you lead me through a world that's not my home But You never said it would be easy You only said I'd never go alone ya oh oh noSo When the whole world turns against me And I'm all by myself And I can't hear You answer my cries for help I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through And I will go through the darkness If You want me to When I cross over Jordan, I'm gonna sing, gonna shoutGonna look into your eyes and see you never let me downSo take me on the pathway that leads me home to youAnd I will walk through the valley if you want me to Yes, I will walk through the valley if you want me to
Well, once again my Papa spoke to me through song and just time alone with Him. I am daily and sometimes minute by minute choosing to go through "anything" as long as my Papa is with me, beside me, strengthening me, and loving me. And He ALWAYS is. Now how many people in our lives can we say the same thing about? Lately, I've written a little about this season in my life...things are a little "hairy" shall we say :)
So, the Lord continues to speak to me about suffering...you know this is a word or topic we rarely heard preached about in the US churches (His Body). Yet, He told us that we WOULD suffer if we truly followed after Him. In order to intimately know Him we have to go through suffering...at different seasons of our lives. I don't like it...don't want it...don't look forward to it...but God's Law is final like gravity. It does NOT matter what you think about it, believe about it., or feel about it ...it will always be truth!!
Anyway, I am choosing to go through suffering so that I can have ALL that my Papa has for me...to fulfill my destiny and calling on this earth...God seems to always use the things that bring me most shame or pain to glorify Himself in me. Because the truth is that this life is not easy...if you are living as a follower of Christ, especially bc God has us go "against the grain" so much. Our culture is sexualized...egocentric...greedy...(what I lovingly refer to as "pleasure-seeking fools")etc.; if we are honest about it. Now this doesn't mean I hate our world, culture, people... it just means that you and I need to be aware of what is going on around us...lest we fall (which I've done too many times). We are to be the light and salt to this world NOT judgemental, pious "jackasses" (even though He loves them too...I can certainly be like this at times...then I repent and cry out to my Papa to change me and my evil, deceitful heart: Jeremiah 17:9). God calls us to be like Him...now that's a tall order, I'd say. One we could NEVER do on our own but lucky for us we have the Holy Spirit to empower and enable us to do that which does not come natural to us, namely suffering. Ouch!! The good news is that He will never let us go through anything that we cannot handle with Him and/or for naught. He is a REDEEMER and is always looking for a way to bless us and to proclaim to the world that He is in the business of TRANSFORMING lives and loves them so! Amen. A part of the price we pay for being transformed is sometimes suffering. Please know that the Lord will not force you to go through suffering...it is your choice...but you cannot know Him intimately, deeply, securely without it. He suffered for us...and we are called to do the same for Him. In the end...He rose from the dead...and know that God only has "good" for us, too, in the end. We are the victors bc of Him who loved us so much that He died for us (John 3:16).

Life Mission Statement (s)

Current mood: contemplative

Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Well, I'm teaching "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" again this week It is a great course to teach and to take as a student. Anyway, in Habit 2 Begin with the End in Mind we draft our personal life mission statement. Basically what we have the students do is to write continuously for @ 5 minutes...no second guessing, correcting...just first things that come to mind. Here is my life mission statement (paragraphs)...they can be short or as long as you want. Since I'm "wordy" anyway...my statement is wordy.
My mission is to continue learning to love My Papa intimately and above all others. My mission is for my actions, attitudes, and thoughts to reflect my Papa; so others will be compelled to get to know Him for themselves (gain a personal relationship with Him). I want to share with others about God's amazing love; His forgiveness; grace, mercy and that He is a redeemer (meaning He can take all we've done and make it into something "good")...that will ultimately bring glory to God.
My mission is to share with others about the hope and peace I have no matter the circumstances...and the fact that they too can have it...FREE. All they have to "do" is surrender and ask Him for forgiveness and profess Him as the way. I want to share with (shout it out) others that God loves them the same no matter how "good" or "bad" they are being. He loves them for WHO they are versus what they DO! His love is not like human love ...a love that wavers.
My mission is to teach others about healthy ways of living--relating to others in relationship. My mission is to love others with an AGAPE love...with no "hooks"...my love is not based on or contingent on whether the person loves me back.
My mission is to have an attitude of life-long learning; to have a spirit of humility; to have a teachable, correctable spirit; to laugh often; to admit when I'm wrong or make a mistake; to be approachable, attentive listener, authentic, nurturer, giver and finally a lover of my Papa (God) and people.
Whew! That was all I could get written in 5 minutes ha! Why don't you take some time to think about what you would write as your life mission statement. It helps us to intentionally think about our priorities in life, etc. It can be as short as "I want to be the kind of person my dog already thinks I am" or as long as mine.

Currently listening:The Worship CollectionBy Craig & Dean PhillipsRelease date: 2005-02-01

Come Away My Beloved

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last blog entry. I've been praying about what was going to be in this blog entry and I had something in mind for quite awhile but God changed that idea this afternoon. This is another very personal entry and that's why I chose this picture with one path...I know you all think that it is easy for me to write this stuff. MJ's just vunerable, you say...but honestly it is always a struggle for me to share...the REAL stuff anyway...bc I don't always want to share (AND I don't always share) what is going on with me, life, and my God. Now I wouldn't mind writing about all of the good stuff God is doing in my life or things that put me in a better light but this REAL nitty gritty stuff (feelings & actions) is truly no fun to write. Sometimes I wonder and worry about what you all think of me...or God. All that to say, I do think I'm supposed to share an experience I had with the Lord today in this blog.
Anyway, I know it's not like 100's of people read my blog ha! I can barely get my best friends to remember that I have a blog. These entries are sort of like a "diary" of things the Lord has been teaching me and speaking to me. This afternoon is a SIGNIFICANT day that I want to remember and want recorded. I'm actually home with the flu...and feel like crap!! Isn't it funny how God speaks to us when we are down and out...this way He has our undivided attention bc I don't feel like talking to anyone, eating, watching t.v., housekeeping, exercising, going to work...etc. You know all the things that can "distract us"...I just mentioned some of my distractions above. This afternoon, again, I felt myself needing a touch from my Papa...I'm so desperate for more of Him, people. I want to love HIM above all others and I want to feel secure in His love for me. As I was asking Him to speak "something" to me this is where He led me:
"Come Away My Beloved" by Frances J. Roberts ( I haven't picked this up in 2 years)
p. 96-97
"I ask you not to DO, but to BE. For whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh; but when you allow My spirit to have free course, when you cease to interfere with My moving within you, then those things that shall be accomplished both within and through you will be truly the LIFE OF GOD. For My Spirit is the Spirit of Life, and My Spirit is the motivating power of Divine energy. ALL ELSE IS DEATH. As it is written, "Flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the Kingdom of God" (I. Cor. 15:50). Neither can man through any endeavor of his own, however holy his purpose, produce this life, which does not exist apart from the direct activity of the Spirit of God. For I am WITH you and I am in IN you to make you neither barren nor unfruitful. I am in YOU to give you Life, and to give it to you ABUNDANTLY, yes, LIFE WITHOUT LIMIT.
For all I am able to do for you is limited only by My omnipotence and My eternal, everlasting Life and Power, and to these THERE ARE NO LIMITS!! Lo, I wait to bless you; I wait to give you of My fullness. I delight to do for you, because I love you beyond your power to begin to know. Only drop those things you grasp in your hand, and place your hands in Mine. Only pull your eyes from those things you hold precious, and I will fill them with My glory. Release your affections from all others. Place in My hands those you hold dear. Leave them in My keeping: for so shall your heart be set free to seek Me without distraction. For when I am to you more precious than all else; when I have become more real to you than all else; and when you love me more than you love any other, then shall you know complete satisfaction."
Anyone else distracted? Anyone else want to know complete satisfaction?
Tuesday November 21, 2006