gotta check this out

now, i'm not telling you how to live your life (that phrase is a constant joke in our home) but i really think this would help YOU if you would take the time to listen/watch.

at NewSpring Church, we are in a series called Overwhelmed.
have you ever felt that way?
the inbox never gets to 0, the messages on phone always come in, the laundry piles up higher and higher, as do the dishes in the sink....i could go on and on, but let's face it. we are all currently or recently have been overwhelmed!

this past sunday was an INCREDIBLE message titled "How to Overcome Stress and Anxiety".
hello?! did you read my previous post??? you all know, by now, that this (along with insecurity) is the area the devil likes to play crazy games in my head about.

i took so many notes on important info and quotes that i completely filled my paper...no margin anywhere left clean. :) i want to share some of those things with you. i want you to know that this is not "i have arrived, listen to me" but rather, here is TRUTH and let's focus on this and get our minds right, together!

first of all, please take a few moments and go HERE to check out Daniel 3:13-30. this is the text that is walked through in the message.
if you really want to have your mind blown, then go HERE and actually check out the service--Week 4. i PROMISE you will not be sorry about this!

today our pastor, Perry Noble, blogged about the service and I want to share what he said. you can check out his blog, which is amazing, by going HERE. all the notes i had taken were right here in what Pastor P blogged about. here you go!

Some of the things we covered this past Sunday were…

• Stress and anxiety comes about as a result of what is unplanned or unprepared for in our lives…which means we will ALWAYS have to deal with it.  So when it comes we should…
• Understand that God is Holy & Good – (Matthew 7:9-11) – Our circumstances do not alter His character, and if we doubt His goodness based on the fact that He did not do what we asked Him to do then that makes us the object of our worship and not Him!
• Believe His Promise – (See Isaiah 41:10) – HE IS WITH US!!!!  He will never leave us or forsake us…and HIS PRESENCE is greater than our problem!
• Stop Fighting For Control – Control is the greatest illusion in the universe (wrote about that here) and when we realize how little we have it should DRIVE us to our knees worship!  The enemy seeks to control you by getting you to focus on your circumstances…which is why we so desperately need to constantly dive into God’s Word, as I’ve heard it said before–who or what you listen to will ultimately determine what you do!  Listening to the enemy = fear, anxiety and worry.  Listening to the Lord = freedom!
• Open Your Eyes – When we are in the fire we should stop praying “get me out of here” and start praying, “Jesus, let me see you!”  Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego didn’t see Jesus until they were IN the fire!
• Embrace Freedom – The ONLY thing that was burned off of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego in the fire was what the enemy put on them!!!  They went into the fire bound…they came out of the fire free!  God wasn’t trying to punish them…He was promoting them, but sometimes promotion comes through the fire!
• One more thing…three men went into the fire, four men were there, three came out…Jesus is still in the fire & so if you are there you are not alone (Isaiah 43:1-3!)

friend, know i am praying for you.
 
 

It's All About Perspective

Okay.
Here are a few pictures that I would love for you to try to guess.
Number one...

Courtesy of: webmaster@whatsfordinner.net

Number two...

Courtesy of: Guess The Close Up Flickr Group

Number 3...

Courtesy of: Guess The Close Up Flickr Group

 Any ideas???
It  is all about perspective. These photos are zoomed in and our guesses are probably all over the board when it comes to trying to solve these puzzles.
Here are the answers.

Courtesy of: webmaster@whatsfordinner.net

Number one is...a shoe stretcher.

Number two is...a bath sponge/puff.

Number three is...light cover (think flourescent/outdoor light)

It is all about perspective. I know I am a little late on current movies, but Scott, the girls, and I watched Soul Surfer together on Sunday night. It is an incredible movie, if you haven't seen it yet. (and it is now in the Red Box and Blockbuster kiosks) :)

At the beginning of the movie, before there is any real drama in the plot line, the main character joins her friends for a student Bible study time. Their teacher shows them pictures, similar to the ones above, and talks to them about perspective. "It's hard to look at things that are too close." Often we don’t understand why we face the struggles in our life.  We only understand them with perspective that comes with time. I also think that sometimes you have to be removed from the situation in order to really see it as it is. Another great quote from the movie is, "Compassion can drive us to do amazing things and give us perspective."


If you are facing adversity right now, in the midst of a storm, or just wrestling with something maybe no one knows about but you and God, I would encourage you to go HERE! It is an awesome site that has a Bible study guide you can download that goes along with the movie. I love the fact there is so much scripture ready for you and it relates to issues that all of us deal with. Check it out :)

I have been reading and studying Psalm 119 in my quiet time recently. It has been just what I needed. In it, David pours his heart out to God, honest about what is going on, yet never doubting that God is with him and has a plan for him. I love the fact that we can be honest with God. He is strong enough for our questions, our ranging emotions/feelings, but, at the end of the day, He is with us. He loves us. He never leaves us. He sees your hurt and your joys. When you are on cloud 9, so is He! He longs for you to be close to Him and cherishes the moments that you have together. This makes my heart smile and gives me such peace.

I have had about 8 really good days. The pain had almost disappeared. I was almost feeling like a normal person again. But the pain is creeping back in. Since Sunday, it has gotten more noticeable. I am so thankful for the time that I had as a reprieve from the pain and allowed for some great family time.
Now what?
I am choosing to hold on to these verses and claim the promises that God has the power to heal, and He will.
He will for you too!

• Psalm 119:5--Oh, that my steps may be steady, keeping to the course you set.
• Psalm 119:34--Give me insight so I can do what you tell me--my whole life one long, obedient response.
• Psalm 119:50--These words hold me up in bad times, yes, your promises rejuvenate me.
• Psalm 119:71-72--My troubles turned out all for the best--they forced me to learn from your textbook. Truth from your mouth means more to me than striking it rich in a gold mine.
• Psalm 119: 75-77--I can see now, God, that your decisions are right; your testing has taught me what's true and right. Oh, love me--and right now!--hold me tight! just the way you promised. Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to.
• Psalm 119:92-93--If your revelation hadn't delighted me so, I would have given up when the hard times came. But I'll never forget the advice you gave me; you saved my life with those wise words.
• Psalm 119:96--I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can't contain your commands.
• Psalm 119:107--Everything's falling apart on me, God; put me together again with your Word.
• Psalm 119:114--You're my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your Word to renew me.
• Psalm 119:143--Even though troubles came down on me hard, your commands always gave me delight.

Want to check out more from this Psalm? You can check THIS out...all the above verses are from The Message translation. You can read it in different translations at the site above.

Praying for you today!
Hope your midweek is filled with hope, joy, love, and lots of great smiles and hugs from family/friends! ;)